From the comfort of our family rooms or dens we imagine and roll-play our survival scenarios. We imagine ourselves surviving, as we should, for the number of days and nights that it takes to either find our way out or be found. It's fun to imagine these survival scenarios. After all, we don't conclude our mind-practice with our own demise. We win. We survive. We survive without annoyance, without suffrage, without pain, without discomfort. We just have a good time with all our tools and techniques . . . and we survive.

In a real life situation, however, we will be subjected to all that nature or our urban environment can dish out. Easy after hour one, not too bad after day one, but what about after week one? Hopefully none of us will have to experience the answer. Some will, however, and it is that experience for which we also need to be prepared.

Survival is not without hardship. Much more than a couple of days, even with adequate food, water and shelter, we'll be thinking a shower sounds pretty good. Our hands may become rough or raw. Our teeth will need brushing. Socks and underwear will begin to get, well, uncomfortable. If only I had my chapstick, my good scarf, just one more bandaid, some extra TP. The insects are driving me crazy. I need to move around more so all my joints don't lock up. I need to conserve energy. I stink. I truly do hate the rain. It's only 105!?! My feet are killing me. Etc, etc, etc.

I know, if my time comes, I won't have everything I need to make me perfectly comfortable, our it wouldn't be my time. I only hope I am strong enough to endure the hardships, whatever they may be, until I am re-united with loved ones. I sometimes think about those who have been "stranded" for many days and wonder how they dealt with the discomforts they must have endured. Perhaps someday I'll find out. I hope I'm ready.

I suspect we would all tend to compare our survival situation with the comforts of home. But it might be better to remind ourselves how much worse it could be: a broken leg, no knife, no way to make fire, etc.

I just KNOW that if my area is hit by a major earthquake, I will be in the shower at the time, it will be night, and it will be raining or snowing outside. I just KNOW it! <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Sue

My ancient Volvo finally went to Vallhalla with a proper Viking funeral. I was without a car for a week and, in California, did the unthinkable- I walked. 'Developers' have filled every nook and cranny with buildings here and are now digging into the very hillsides if not knocking them down. The final bit of untouched hill just got assaulted by machines that would do Mordor proud. Sadly, I was walking by the first day and literally saw homeless people scurrying out like ants from a disturbed nest. There was a whole community unseen with an economy and culture we wouldn't dare even contemplate. I care little for the reasons that put them there. I do know it is inexcusable and many of us are a few paychecks from the same circumstances. Years ago I returned from a weekend field trip and missed my ride home. There was no public transportation, nobody I could call. SO, that sunday night I simply slippped into the campus arboretum and unrolled my sleeping bag. Funny thing, I wasn't alone <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />. there were 2 other guys camped out there- students without housing! This time of year I like to slip a spare blanket, mittens etc. to these folks. Who knows? i might need there survival knowledge someday <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

>>>I just KNOW that if my area is hit by a major earthquake, I will be in the shower at the time, it will be night, and it will be raining or snowing outside. I just KNOW it! <<<

Susan, I suspect our brains were separated at birth. I'm also convinced that a disaster will happen at the most inappropriate time for me. (and family)

Perhaps there is a lesson to be taken from that. We should always preface our mental survival-exercise from a "not prepared" viewpoint.

Suppose you hadn't taken the time to make sure you had a full tank of gas, or bought those replacement batteries, or had forgotten to put your PSK in your pocket, hadn't replaced borrowed items from your survival backups, etc.

Even with all my pessimism, I always imagine starting out with everything perfectly in place and ready for use. Not a very realistic scenario.

I guess part of what we do here is try to figure out how we can prevent "discomforts" from becoming "catastrophes".

To use your examples, how to prevent sore feet from becoming so blistered that we can't walk. Keeping ourselves from heat exhaustion in that 105 degree heat. Keeping out of the rain to avoid hypothermia, etc.

It is fascinating and somewhat depressing to read of people who, because of some seemingly minor discomforts, quit trying, lay down, and die. I'm speaking of the hiker who gets lost, and rather than build a debris shelter to sit out a cold night, instead stumbles around in the dark until he dies of exposure.

How can any of us, until we've actually been there, know how we will react? All we can do is prepare and train, and trust that will be enough.

Regards, Vince

A sobering thought indeed. However I would imagine that homeless people do not have the network of friends and family to fall back on, that the rest of us rely on to a greater or lesser degree.
They (money "experts") say you should always have at least 2 months worth of paychecks in a savings account. Prehaps the operative words here are "at least". I have 2 months but will now try to save for 6.
At the end of the day the more secure you feel, the happier you will be with life in general. That for me is partly what this forum is about.

"I would imagine that homeless people do not have the network of friends and family to fall back on, that the rest of us rely on to a greater or lesser degree."

Those are very true words. But how many of us still have the mindset that we do it all ourselves? Lots, I'll bet. I owe my friends more than I can ever repay. And when I see a homeless person, I tend to think, "There. but for the Grace of God, go I". And still might....

Sue

Scout,
The "I will succeed" mentality is easy to break, IF you have drill partners who are sadistic enough. I've seen drills done (and been an observer) where there was NO successful way out, but you saw how far you could go, and where things eventually failed - test to failure

You know - drills like, the Hurricane hits (OK problem, but we'll deal with it), which causes the ship to break loose from it's mooring, which they try to stop, unsuccesfully, which rams shore, and explodes (turns out to be a LPG or Gas barge), which takes out a major bridge (people in the water), a train derails due to a washout, of course it's full of Hazmat, etc - each incident has a string of "Other" incidets it can cascade - if you handle the incident right, it stops the cascade for that ONE incident, but then something else pops up across town - and some things "just happen"

"The Multiple Diaster" Videogame, now sold in stores everywere! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />