Life is a gamble and anyway we can keep winning in order to survive, we have to take. A survival guide for life is a must. Like for real... we should all have a hand written or typed out "So and So's guide to surviving life in general." There are television docudramas about these incidents all the time, google past Oprah episodes, she has some fantastic feedback. All the smallest details can change a grim fate... like paying attention to the flight attendants before takeoff; start there.
Redditor u/angelathegreatest wanted us all to know some very important facts about getting through life in tact by asking.... What's a little known survival fact that everyone should know?Keep Working the Body
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If you're performing CPR on someone whose heart/breathing has stopped, DO NOT STOP until the EMTs take the body away. CPR typically does not cause the victim's heart to start back up and for them to jerk awake - - it is to force blood to continue circulating in order to prevent brain death and irreversible brain damage.
Written Proof
Always leave a note.
Jokes aside, this is crucial advice if you're ever out somewhere alone. Hiking alone? At least text a friend and tell them you'll text again when you're done. Tell them where you're going, what trail, and when.
Barked
The inner bark of certain trees are edible. You can never go wrong with pine. Just scrape off the bark until the wood is slightly sappy, and cut thin papery strips off. A bit bitter, but it should keep you alive long enough to find a more sustainable source of food.
The inner bark of some willows provides slight pain relief similar to Advil, best to make tea. Or you can just chew it if you're in a hurry.
be still....
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If you see a mountain lion in the wild don't run away mountain lions are ambush predators they attack from the back so if you see a mountain lion slowly walk back and keep I contact.
Stay Put!
If someone is trying to abduct you, never under any circumstances allow them to get you in a vehicle. Kick, scream and fight like hell. Your chances of survival drop to almost zero once you are in the vehicle.
The secondary location is where they'll find your (very dead, possibly mutilated and/or worse) body. Going there is very bad for your continued survival.
If you must kick groins, stick fingernails to eyes, bite, shout, scream, do it. It's not fighting dirty if you're fighting for your life.
Zip It Up....
My father (my grandfather before him) always had a ziplock bag of dry dog food in our hunting gear. Theory was unlike other food, you wouldn't munch on dog food unless your actually starving.
That's why the food for emergencies that can last years doesn't usually taste like the best thing in the world, you don't want to go through your food reserves unless the situation actually calls for it.
Look Around.
Situational awareness. Know your surroundings, constantly scan your environment.
If you can hear something, that something usually can hear you as well.
Keep your feet dry and clean.
Knives In...
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Keep the knife inside. Pulling out the knife will probably make you bleed out.
Shelter in Place....
If you're outside in a lightning storm and your hair starts floating, seek immediate shelter. You're about to be struck by lightning.
If immediate (within 15 seconds of movement) shelter is not available, put both your feet together, squat down on the balls of your feet, and grab your ankles. If you're struck, this will give the lightning a direct path down to the ground and hopefully minimize damage.
Sparks Out
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WATER DOES NOT EXTINGUISH GAS FIRES. Never pour water on a gas fire. It's best to cut the oxygen or let it burn out.
Speaking of which, if you have a fire in your oven put the fire out with either salt or baking soda. If you're grilling and the fire gets out of hand, use baking soda. Water in a grease fire will explode in your face.
Frozen
In the winter keep a blanket, a candle, and a couple matches in the car. If you ever get stuck in a blizzard or can't get home for whatever reason, light the candle, throw the blanket on and sleep the night. You'll be cold, but it'll keep you alive even if the car is completely buried in snow.
The candle is even more effective if you burn it in an empty coffee can, in fact you can keep the emergency items in it so it is relatively waterproof. If you are able to run the car sparingly for heat, ensure the exhaust pipe isn't blocked to avoid carbon monoxide backing up into the car.
Also keep a window on the downwind side of the car open a quarter inch or so for fresh air.
You can get a high visibility HELP Flag, but new cars don't have antennas, so we keep one of those bamboo sticks you get with flowers with our kit to fly it so if we were stuck inside a snow covered car, passersby wouldn't think the car was abandoned.
Stay Stuck
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It is very, very rarely a good idea to leave the vehicle. Stuck remotely in the snow, capsized boat, downed plane in the woods. If it is safe, stay. Leaving is almost always the worst idea.
3 Things
If you're ever in an emergency survival situation, look for these three things in this order:
- Shelter. It only takes one night of bad conditions to kill you.
- Water. It takes three days to die of dehydration.
- Food. It can take up to three weeks to die of starvation.
Also, if you run across a clear, swift moving stream, it should be relatively safe to drink if you can't boil or filter it in some sort of way. Stagnant water will almost certainly carry harmful bacteria or other biological contaminates.
PB 4 Life...
Spare yourself the problem of no food- peanut butter is your best friend. Bring a jar of it with you. I keep a jar in my truck. You can live off a spoonful a day, and a whole jar should last you until you can get to a better situation.
I worked with a guy that lived two semesters on peanut butter. He ate a spoonful on his walk to every class. Dude is dedicated.
From the Head
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Get to the hospital immediately if you feel sleepy after a head injury. This is most likely a sign of a concussion. Throwing up is also a cause for concern.
For the Dwellers....
For just random every day city dwellers. Learn how to change a tire. It's amazing to me how many people have never done it. Also even if you already know how, locate all the stuff in your vehicle.
Firstly to make sure it's all there.
Secondly to make sure it all works (spare has air etc).
Also to make sure your car even has a spare. Some new cars (especially fancy ones) don't have spares anymore. If your car doesn't have one keep that in the back of your mind when planning a trip into remote areas. Runflats only do so much.
Louder
Screaming for help, when you're lost in the woods for example, will just make you lose your voice anything round such as an acorn top or a water bottle cap can be used as a whistle if you do it correctly. The high pitched squeal is easily recognizable and it never gets worn out.
The Bystander Effect
If you find yourself hurt in a public place, direct your pleas for help to one person, not to a crowd of people. The reason for this is because people will usually think "somebody else will help them out". It's called the Bystander Effect. Try to identify them too. (EX: "You in the blue shirt") It reduces the chances of them thinking that you are talking to someone else.
3 More Rules....
Three rules for surviving in the jungles of Southeast Asia.
You can eat any animal with fur.
You can eat any berry/fruit that is red.
The rivers are as wide as they are deep.
Within You
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Trust your instincts.
Your brain is very good at figuring things out, explaining it to the rest of your brain, not so much.
Not just for survival, but generally, if you have a bad feeling, get out.
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