Thursday 24 January 2013

What are the 4 priorities of survival ?

The 4 priorities of survival are Protection, Location, Water and Food IN THAT ORDER.
Why should they be considered in that order? I always thought that it was a strange order to prioritise such important things in, particularly Location. Lets face it who wants to be figuring out where they are when they are hungry?
It is only when you start looking at actual, real-time survival, either by 'experts' or 'ordinary' people who, for what ever reason have found themselves in a survival situation that the reasons are verified. Without protection a potential survivor can die from seconds onwards (more detail within the blog). location, why that next? Well in REAL terms, very often from when you find yourself in a survival situation, the 'death clock' is ticking, in a lot of situations it really doesn't matter HOW good you are etc. etc. you are only going to survive there for so long. THEREFORE before you would die of thirst or hunger it is important that you find rescue OR signal your position to rescuers (it is for that reason that signaling is included in this subject). People die of dehydration way before they die of hunger, so thats why the other two are in that order.
Probably the most obvious example (and one that you can visualise to remember the order of priority) is 'John Rambo' in 'First Blood'. If you've seen it then think back, if you haven't then maybe its worth a watch (maybe its a 'clasic') WELL, when 'Rambo' finds himself in a survival situation the first thing he deals with is PROTECTION - from the people pursuing him yeah but also from the elements (makes himself a 'poncho? ;))
The very next thing he considers is LOCATION - he undoes the top of his knife, takes out his compass and checks direction. Why? so that he can continue the protection by sorting out a route and travelling in one straight direction. Without checking, people naturally travel (walk) in big circles (go out and check it out! Its true!)
WATER isn't too much of a challenge where he is but people are surprised to find out that water is just as important in the cold as it is in the heat (certainly more important than food)
But FOOD is finally important, especially to combat the cold and also to provide the energy to the brain and muscles to get yourself back to safety.

Watch the film again and enjoy how you follow his priorities, yeah, you know why he's doing it now, feels good, let me know what you think?

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for this! Love the way you refer to Rambo. Seriously. I would've sought water and food before protection, if left to my own devices.

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  2. I saw a bracelet for sale that can be unraveled into the long rope from a parachute cord, in case you're ever in a predicament.

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  3. Thanks for your positive comments Carol. Spread the word that the good info is here. And YES, a lot of people wear 'stringy' type bracelets so what better to wear/add than the paracord ones. It has a million uses which I will go into VERY soon on this blog.


    (Quick plug, I'm sure you can order those bracelets through the shop on my website - If you couldn't I'll make sure that you can soon!)

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