Besides such All Important things as Frame of Mind, Attitude, Survival Knack and Sense, Equipment, Practice, and Knowledge, -What do you Feel to be the Greatest of Brass Tacks, -Survival and Preparedness Boildowns!?

I view them to be these Four,-

Namely,-

FOOD, WATER, SHELTER, and WARMTH. (Warmth both "Personal", and "Shelter / Surroundings-wise").

A Fifth one, -AIR, -Can also be Added, -but in Many to Most Life Situations, -That already exists in Abundance. But get Too High on a Mountain! Or Too Low in a Mine or the Sea Depths! And AIR will soon enough certainly Announce it's Crucial Place and Prescence!

But given it's usual, Ready Abundance, -I'll limit myself here to the Chief Fourmost.

You've just Got to get some form of Carbohydrate Based Foofstuff, -either "Chemically" and/or Naturally!

Water the Same! Typically More or Less Naturally.

An at least Basic, and Sufficient Shelter!

And Warmth!, -both Personally in the form of Chlothes and other Cover, -and as regards your immeadiate Shelter and Surroundings!

Other things, -such as Camouflage and Concealment, Signaling, and Mobility, -would Rank Well Up There too!

What do you Think that such ones might be?!

Be they as they may, -I still think that the Four Great Boildowns as I've arrived at, -Not Ignoreing Attitude and such!, -are it!

FOOD---WATER---SHELTER---And Both Kinds of WARMTH!

To what extent do any of you Agree or Differ? [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ScottRezaLogan[/email]

I think one underrated essential is adequate sleep. What do you think?

Frankie

Agree Very Much!

-A Similar Segue,-

Similarly, -It's Funny that while Airline Pilots and Greyhound type Bus Drivers certainly (and Rightly) are Required to get their Rest, --the same Standard often doesn't apply to Doctors and other Medical Personnell ! I wouldn't want to Fly across the Ocean or Nation, -with a Dozing Off Flight Crew!, -even if it is on Autopilot! (Which I understand is Not Done in any event, -for Takeoff and Landing. This very Proper and Understandable!). Likewise, -I wouldn't want to undergoe an Operation!, -Under Samesuch, NON-Restful Circumstances! [color:"black"] [/color] [email]Frankie[/email]

Where I've said "Carbohydrate", -I Mean to say "HYDROCARBON" ! That one somehow got by me!

I'm Not into this Passing Carb Fad and Craze! <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ScottRezaLogan[/email]

I've read several places something about ...

You can live:
3 minutes without air
3 hours without shelter (protection from exposure)
3 days without water
3 weeks without food
Note: actual results may vary

When you say "warmth" I think what you mean is to maintain body temperature. If in a hot region, the problem them becomes keeping cool.

If you have't already done so, I might suggest you read Cody Lundin's book "98.6 degress: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive".

Cody's premise is that at least in the short term (72 hours), the primary issue is keeping your body temperature stable.

I also think about exposure to things like insects, fungal/mold infections, etc...

I also would raise Signaling to a higher importance. Keeping your survival situation as short as possible could make a big difference.

And you don't mention Medical needs at all.

I would also put food near the bottom of the list. If I follow the rules (let people know my plans - where I'll be and when), then my "survival" shouldn't need to last very long. That is why, at least in general, I myself don't put food on my list of worries, even though others are often very interested in fishing, trapping and hunting skills. You may have noticed that when Doug put fishing gear in his survival kit he commented that it was as much to prevent boredom as to provide food.

It seems that ETS lists the categories in order of importance as:

Medical care (mental health included), Shelter, Signal, Fire, Water, and Food.

I Agee that there is a High Ranking Importance to the Health and Medical! It did come to mind, -either while posting, or shortly thereafter. In any event, I did not mention it, -it's Place and Importance remaining Undiminished. I was sticking to what I feel to be some Topmost Boildowns. Of which I at least as of now, -Beleive to be the Four that I've mentioned.

I think of them as also a Refinement, -a More Accurate Refinement, -of the Classic "Food, Chlothing, and Shelter", -that we've all heard numerous times. FC & S Doesn't Really say it All! Even if it does say a Lot of it. "Water" Isn't mentioned anywhere in that! Nor is Warmth / Body Temperature, -Only One of it's Two Aspects as I mention, -is covered under "Chlothing"! What of the Other!?, -that of Shelter and Surroundings Warmth? As is provided either In Shelter, or Around a Campfire. And "Clothing / Personal Warmth or Body Temperature", -also of course entails the Crucial matter of Dryness, -a Personal Dryness, -another Important Aspect of which I did Not mention. Only "Food" and "Shelter", -are *Fully* Acknowledged and Addressed, -Under the Classic "Food, Chlothing, and Shelter"! "F,C, & S" is of course something you often hear in "General Public Information" Circles, -rather than "Internal" Survival-Preparedness Ones.

I Don't know that I'd include the Health and Medical in the Absolute Four Greatest Survival Boildowns! (If one must Limit themselves to Four). But I Do Agree and Acknowledge that this Area is very High Ranking and Important! Signaling is Well Up There as Well !, -I would Grant. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]KenK[/email]

I think I understand the question although not completely. Assuming you're not injured I would say it is as follows.

1. Body Temp
2. Hydration
3. Rest
4. Nurishment

This is not limiting to the quintessential 72 hour situation. This is speaking very vaguely of survival in general for an undetermined period of time.

Theres a story about some Baffin island Inuit hunting when the ice they were on broke free. They watched helplessly drifting away from their dogsleds and supplies. What did they do? sleep. They weren't being stoic or suicidal, just practical. The ice shelf would either reground or float out to sea. It reground, they were sufficiently rested and had enough energy left to walk back to their sleds.