#196704 - 02/27/10 04:35 AM
Re: Survival Test
[Re: stevenpd]
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Veteran
Registered: 12/14/09
Posts: 1419
Loc: Nothern Ontario
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In reading several years of older posts on this forum and others, I see these types of scenarios have been discussed many, many times over. In regards to the OP's idea of a 25 question test on survival knowledge and the suggested questions, there are way too many human and real world variables that make these types of generic and non specific questions difficult to give an accurate answer.
I can tell you from real world experience, overall survival knowledge cannot be statistically and accurately captured in a 25 question test. For example, my wilderness experience and knowledge from living in a northern area of NA is totally different then a person who lives in say, New Mexico or Arizona.
If I was to try and survive in a hot desert climate, I would quickly be in dire straits whereas I am very much at home and experienced in living in a northern Boreal forest environment. Due to this, I know my chances of survival would be greatly increased in the Boreal environment as compared to the hot desert environment.
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Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.
John Lubbock
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#196709 - 02/27/10 10:32 AM
Re: Survival Test
[Re: Teslinhiker]
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Addict
Registered: 11/13/07
Posts: 471
Loc: London England
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If you'd read a few more threads you'd have realised your chances of people on this site answering 25 questions in the way you have set out were nil. Err... why should we let you set us an exam?
The Sock
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The world is in haste and nears its end – Wulfstan II Archbishop of York 1014.
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#196716 - 02/27/10 02:10 PM
Re: Survival Test
[Re: TheSock]
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Geezer in Chief
Geezer
Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
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The real survival test is given at unannounced times and locations. No proctor is required. Grading is pass/fail.
I, too, am skeptical of this kind of academic exercise. It doesn't seem very realistic or useful.
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Geezer in Chief
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#196717 - 02/27/10 02:32 PM
Re: Survival Test
[Re: Streamside]
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Veteran
Registered: 12/12/04
Posts: 1204
Loc: Nottingham, UK
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The real world situation isn't going to allow for "higher level thought processes". Gut reaction is good. Right? That depends. Some scenarios do allow time, and sometimes a panicked, instinctive reaction can do more harm than good. Of the five example questions you give, none of them strike me as being especially time-critical. For example, my work place has a small canteen, but I'm not necessarily going to rush there without thinking when disaster strikes.
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Quality is addictive.
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#196719 - 02/27/10 02:52 PM
Re: Survival Test
[Re: Brangdon]
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Geezer in Chief
Geezer
Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
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Good point. Consider the current tsunami warning in effect for Hawaii and many Pacific ocean areas. Lots of time to prepare, since it won't arrive until almost noon local time.
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Geezer in Chief
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#196722 - 02/27/10 03:26 PM
Re: Survival Test
[Re: hikermor]
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Addict
Registered: 11/13/07
Posts: 471
Loc: London England
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>Good point. Consider the current tsunami warning in effect for >Hawaii and many Pacific ocean areas. Lots of time to prepare, >since it won't arrive until almost noon local time.
But it's not what we are talking about. obviously in some situations you don't have time to plan. A bus is coming at you at you; run!!
but the question specifically says:
Your at work. Where are your food sources, water sources, and shelter?
2. Describe 3 sources of fuel for fire in your automobile?
3. From your child's school, how many routes can you take to get to a more (chose one - rural environment/urban environment)?
4. Name 5 commonly agreed upon survival items to keep in the house?
5. Name 3 ways to communicate your location to rescue personnel in aircraft?
all of these are ones where you can plan in advance. You aren't going to let yourself burn to death because you forgot 'fire extinguisher', when you were blurting out what to keep in the house, then and thought of it later. So what advantage is there in being able to reel the right answers off?
The first rule of survival is 'STOP for Stop Think Observe Plan'.
The Sock
_________________________
The world is in haste and nears its end – Wulfstan II Archbishop of York 1014.
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#196728 - 02/27/10 04:38 PM
Re: Survival Test
[Re: Streamside]
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Old Hand
Registered: 02/05/10
Posts: 776
Loc: Northern IL
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Got to noodling on this tonite. Was reading a couple of the threads about gear. I clearly understand that a lot of the posters on this forum are experienced and knowledgeable beyond anything I will ever achieve. I on the other hand be your average joe. Some interest over the years in survival topics, some camping experience, heck I even watch TV shows on survival  . I have some appropriate gear but not much. Some money for it, but not much. So let me get to the point. Taking a scenario of urban survival, what 25 questions would you nominate to test an individual's knowledge on said topic? Would you prefer a yes/no, true/false, or essay type format? My own thoughts are that a test should reflect the time critical nature of survival situations. In other words the test should be rapid fire. Not too much "thinking" allowed. Fast, instinctive, reactive responses. Bing bam boom. 2 minutes or 5 minutes, it's all done. The real world situation isn't going to allow for "higher level thought processes". Gut reaction is good. Right? The test would be a way of reinforcing good concepts along with it being a learning experience. So taking the urban scenario what are your test questions? Here are a couple of mine: 1. Your at work. Where are your food sources, water sources, and shelter? 2. Describe 3 sources of fuel for fire in your automobile? 3. From your child's school, how many routes can you take to get to a more (chose one - rural environment/urban environment)? 4. Name 5 commonly agreed upon survival items to keep in the house? 5. Name 3 ways to communicate your location to rescue personnel in aircraft? I think you are making a basic assumption that is probably a poor one, if not completely wrong. IMO, the most important thing in an emergency situation of any kind is to think before doing. Now sometimes you won't get that chance. But even if the house is on fire and you need to get out, you can afford to take five or ten seconds to think first before doing something in a panic. Most survival situations are not time critical. If you are lost in the woods the last thing in the world you need to be doing is trying to make a quick decision when you would be better off making camp and getting some sleep and figuring out what to do in the morning after a good rest and the panic has subsided and you are able to think more clearly. BTW, you mispeeled " you're".
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Warning - I am not an expert on anything having to do with this forum, but that won't stop me from saying what I think. Bob
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#196734 - 02/27/10 05:01 PM
Re: Survival Test
[Re: ILBob]
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Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 3241
Loc: Alberta, Canada
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If this test were for "diagnostic" purposes, it could have some value. A generic test would be of minimal value. But if it were based on number of specific scenarios, it could help teach a the *process* of evaluating situations, determining priorities, and being clear about what *not* to do.
But there is no substitute for hands-on, boots on the ground experience. You don't *know* until you *do.*
Actually, the toughest thing to learn IMO is how to switch your brain from normal mode to survival mode. Most people do this far too late, when they're in too deep. You have to learn to listen to your spidey sense / BS detector when it tells you to avoid or take early steps to keep you *out* of a survival situation.
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#196738 - 02/27/10 06:01 PM
Re: Survival Test
[Re: ILBob]
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Geezer in Chief
Geezer
Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
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Many, if not most, survival situations develop gradually, as the consequence of successive poor decisions. Here is a recent example: forums.eguipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=n...flat&part=2 Briely, a couple sea kayaked to a nearby island and did not return on time. The search found the man in the water and the woman drowned. They did not carry signaling devices and refused the offer of a radio to take on their trip. The survival situation arose because the couple decided not prepare for any kind of problem, turning down the offer of a radio and declining to carry anything with which to signal (signal mirror would have worked great), setting themselves up for tragedy. The report does not go into this but it appears self evident that they did not know how to deal with capsized sea kayaks. Capsizing in a sea kayak happens all the time and dealing with capsizes should be, and usually is, a part of elementary training. Another choice at some point in this chain of decisions could have resulted in an entirely different, and happier, outcome.
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Geezer in Chief
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#196747 - 02/27/10 07:28 PM
Re: Survival Test
[Re: ILBob]
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Journeyman
Registered: 02/24/10
Posts: 77
Loc: Alberta, Canada
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BTW, you mispeeled " you're". And you Misspelled the word "misspelled" there Mr Spelling bee. Unless it was intentional.
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