What can you do to keep yourself safe and attract help?
This page will help you get an idea of some of the dangers in the wilderness and how to protect yourself.
Photo by ydhsu on flickr
In any survival situation, it's important to attend to any injuries first.
Would you rather run into
Photo by Robbie's Photo Art on flickr
or
Photo by Aaron Sperduto http://ideas.wisconsin.edu
?? *See poll box below
Find out what kind of animals live in Wisconsin and where they are located. What are your odds of running into one of these here?
Which animal would you rather run into in the wild?
Photo by ucumari on flickr
Photo: http://www.mononarag.com/tag/stop-signs/
What is the first thing to do if you are lost?
S.T.O.P.!
"S" is for STOP. Take a deep breath, sit down if possible, calm yourself and recognize that whatever has happened to get you here is past and cannot be undone. You are now in a survival situation and that means . . .
"T" is for THINK. Your most important survival asset is your brain. Use it! Don't Panic! Move with deliberate care. Think first, so you have no regrets. Take no action, even a foot step, until you have thought it through. Unrecoverable mistakes and injuries, potentially deadly in a survival situtaion, occur when we act before we engage our brain. Then . . .
"O" is for OBSERVE. Take a look around you. Assess your situation and options. Take stock of your supplies, equipment, surroundings, your personal capabilities and, if there are any, the capabilities of your fellow survivors. Are you the best equipped to lead in this new survival situation?
"P" is for PLAN. Prioritize your immediate needs and develop a plan to systematically deal with the emergency and contingencies. Then, follow your plan. Adjust your plan only as necessary to deal with changing circumstances.
Source: http://www.equipped.org/primer.htm#STOP
Wisconsin Wildlife
If you're lost in the wilderness, here are some of the wildlife you may run into. Not all of them are dangerous!
Caught without your cell? Signal for help!
If you're lost in the wilderness, you will want to know how to signal for help. Using a mirror or other reflective device and the sun, you can signal your position and need for help. If a plane is circling the area, this will really help your potential rescuers see you. Watch this video to find out how.
For other signaling techniques click here.
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There are lots of books with facts about wilderness survival as well as fiction books with survival in the wilderness as a theme. See what you can find in our library!
Animated first aid kit from Free
Animations
Johnson & Johnson first aid
kit photo by ydhsu at flickr
Stop sign photo from The Monona
Rag http://www.mononarag.com/tag/stop-signs/
Porcupine photo from Robbie's
Photo Art at flickr
Bobcat photo by Aaron Sperduto
from http://ideas.wisconsin.edu
Black Bear photo by ucumari
on flickr
Dog photo by Sebastion Schick
from http://ideas.wisconsin.edu
S.T.O.P. information from http://www.equipped.org/primer.htm#STOP
Wisconsin WIldlife photos from http://ideas.wisconsin.edu
:
Brook trout by Aaron Sperduto
Llama, butterfly, and squirrel by
Jackie Benson
Killdeer and groundhog by Ray
LaPoint
Does by Diane Plantz Eagle by E.S. Tomahawk High
School
Flying hawk by Mary Wagner Snake by Rachael Totzke
Hawk by Jody Sperduto
10 tips for getting rescued, signaling and communication in the wilderness
Calling for help or getting rescued in the wilderness is not something
most of us want to do, but spend enough time outdoors and chances are
you’ll experience some type of emergency. When it comes to using your
cell phone and getting rescued, here are 10 tips you can follow that
will help rescuers find you quickly, assist them, and get you out
safely. . . .
1. Notifying someone of your plan is important. . . .
Man's Best Friend
Photo by Sebastion Schick
Search and rescue dogs are trained to find people and have experience tracking through the wilderness.
Additional terms you may use when researching wilderness safety and rescue include:
Meg Farnung
farnungmt31@uww.edu