Compiled info from various internet sources and tv shows:
Quicksand:
Can you get sink in quicksand:
Answer:very difficult to sink in quicksand.Real quicksand is certainly hard to get out of, but it doesn't suck people under the way it always seems to in the movies.
Why is it dangerous??
Answer:Getting caught in quicksand isnt generally fatal unless you fall head first.But getting caught in quicksand near the sea, which is generally where quicksand is found can get you in trouble.
When the high tide comes in, you could drown. Else you might die out of thirst and starvation if you are alone.
The density of quicksand, at 2 grams per cubic centimetre, is twice the density of a human (1 gram per cubic centimetre), so stuck you might be, but drowned you wouldn’t!
Do you ask your friends to throw in a rope and pull you out???
Answer:No.force needed for someone to pull their foot out of quicksand at a speed of a centimeter a second would be the equivalent of that required to lift a medium-size car.Quite likely you will end up injuring yourself.
way to free yourself.
Answer:The way to do it is to wriggle your legs around. This creates a space between the legs and the quicksand through which water can flow down to dilate the sand.You can get out using this technique, if you do it slowly and progressively.
A video demo found on youtube how do free yourself:
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=xjSYzT3CUnA
Showing posts with label art of survival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art of survival. Show all posts
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Thursday, November 8, 2007
ART OF SURVIVAL #2:BUILDING FIRES
COMPILED FROM VARIOUS INTERNET SOURCES:
PRECAUTIONS:
Before starting a fire, make sure you follow certain safety rules. Firstly, never throw gasoline or other combustible fluids on a fire. The fire can blow outwards, burning skin and catching clothes on fire. Secondly, clear a space of about six feet, all the way around the intended fire spot to prevent the fire, once it’s started, from traveling. If it’s a grassy area, remove the grass and build the fire on the dirt. And be sure to completely extinguish any fire or hot coals before abandoning the area.
BUILDING A FIRE:
There are three things to laying a fire:
1]tinder
2]kindling wood
3]fuel wood
TINDER:Tinder is dry material that ignites with little heat—a spark starts a fire. The tinder must be absolutely dry to be sure just a spark will ignite it. If you only have a device that generates sparks, charred cloth will be almost essential. It holds a spark for long periods, allowing you to put tinder on the hot area to generate a small flame. You can make charred cloth by heating cotton cloth until it turns black, but does not burn. Once it is black, you must keep it in an airtight container to keep it dry.
BASIC VARIOUS ARRANGEMENTS FOR LAYING A FIRE WITH KINDLEWOOD:
Tepee
To make this fire arrange the tinder and a few sticks of kindling in the shape of a tepee or cone. Light the center. As the tepee burns, the outside logs will fall inward, feeding the fire. This type of fire burns well even with wet wood.
Lean-To
To lay this fire push a green stick into the ground at a 30-degree angle. Point the end of the stick in the direction of the wind. Place some tinder deep under this lean-to stick. Lean pieces of kindling against the lean-to stick. Light the tinder. As the kindling catches fire from the tinder, add more kindling.
Cross-Ditch
To use this method scratch a cross about 30 centimeters in size in the ground. Dig the cross 7.5 centimeters deep. Put a large wad of tinder in the middle of the cross. Build a kindling pyramid above the tinder. The shallow ditch allows air to sweep under the tinder to provide a draft.
Pyramid
To lay this fire place two small logs or branches parallel on the ground. Place a solid layer of small logs across the parallel logs. Add three or four more layers of logs or branches, each layer smaller than and at a right angle to the layer below it. Make a starter fire on top of the pyramid. As the starter fire burns, it will ignite the logs below it. This gives you a fire that burns downward, requiring no attention during the night. There are several other ways to lay a fire that are quite effective. Your situation and the material available in the area may make another method more suitable.
STRIKE IT UP
1. Waterproof, strike-anywhere matches are your best bet. Matches may be water-proofed by dipping them in nail polish. Store your matches in a waterproof container.(Never tried it personally)
2. A cigarette lighter is also a good way to produce a spark, with or without fuel.
3. The electric spark produced from a battery will ignite a gasoline dampened rag.
4. Allow the suns rays to pass through a magnifying glass onto the tinder.
5. Flint way.Be carefuly not to injure yourself using this primative method
EXTINGUISH A FIRE
Always extinguish a fire before you leave a campsite.You can use liberal doses of water available or anything else for that matter
PRECAUTIONS:
Before starting a fire, make sure you follow certain safety rules. Firstly, never throw gasoline or other combustible fluids on a fire. The fire can blow outwards, burning skin and catching clothes on fire. Secondly, clear a space of about six feet, all the way around the intended fire spot to prevent the fire, once it’s started, from traveling. If it’s a grassy area, remove the grass and build the fire on the dirt. And be sure to completely extinguish any fire or hot coals before abandoning the area.
BUILDING A FIRE:
There are three things to laying a fire:
1]tinder
2]kindling wood
3]fuel wood
TINDER:Tinder is dry material that ignites with little heat—a spark starts a fire. The tinder must be absolutely dry to be sure just a spark will ignite it. If you only have a device that generates sparks, charred cloth will be almost essential. It holds a spark for long periods, allowing you to put tinder on the hot area to generate a small flame. You can make charred cloth by heating cotton cloth until it turns black, but does not burn. Once it is black, you must keep it in an airtight container to keep it dry.
BASIC VARIOUS ARRANGEMENTS FOR LAYING A FIRE WITH KINDLEWOOD:
Tepee
To make this fire arrange the tinder and a few sticks of kindling in the shape of a tepee or cone. Light the center. As the tepee burns, the outside logs will fall inward, feeding the fire. This type of fire burns well even with wet wood.
Lean-To
To lay this fire push a green stick into the ground at a 30-degree angle. Point the end of the stick in the direction of the wind. Place some tinder deep under this lean-to stick. Lean pieces of kindling against the lean-to stick. Light the tinder. As the kindling catches fire from the tinder, add more kindling.
Cross-Ditch
To use this method scratch a cross about 30 centimeters in size in the ground. Dig the cross 7.5 centimeters deep. Put a large wad of tinder in the middle of the cross. Build a kindling pyramid above the tinder. The shallow ditch allows air to sweep under the tinder to provide a draft.
Pyramid
To lay this fire place two small logs or branches parallel on the ground. Place a solid layer of small logs across the parallel logs. Add three or four more layers of logs or branches, each layer smaller than and at a right angle to the layer below it. Make a starter fire on top of the pyramid. As the starter fire burns, it will ignite the logs below it. This gives you a fire that burns downward, requiring no attention during the night. There are several other ways to lay a fire that are quite effective. Your situation and the material available in the area may make another method more suitable.
STRIKE IT UP
1. Waterproof, strike-anywhere matches are your best bet. Matches may be water-proofed by dipping them in nail polish. Store your matches in a waterproof container.(Never tried it personally)
2. A cigarette lighter is also a good way to produce a spark, with or without fuel.
3. The electric spark produced from a battery will ignite a gasoline dampened rag.
4. Allow the suns rays to pass through a magnifying glass onto the tinder.
5. Flint way.Be carefuly not to injure yourself using this primative method
EXTINGUISH A FIRE
Always extinguish a fire before you leave a campsite.You can use liberal doses of water available or anything else for that matter
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Art of Survival #1:Hypothermia
COMPILED FROM MORE THAN TWO INTERNET SOURCES:
Cause :Cold
Fatal:Yes
Definition:Hypothermia is a condition in which an organism's temperature drops below that required for normal metabolism and bodily functions
Hypothermia can kill in only 30 minutes. Cold temperature, but also strong wind causes the body to rapidly lose heat. You start to shiver in order to maintain body heat from the rapid muscular shaking.
If your body temperature drops to 35C/95F, you'll get dizzy and disoriented. Then the shivering stops. The body now maintains temperature only around the important organs; heart, brain and lungs by shutting down blood circulation to the arms and legs.
At 30C/86F, your pulse is weak and slow. Your blood vessels widen. Now, you feel hot and want to remove your clothes, finally slipping into unconsciousness.
At 24C/75F your heartbeat stops. How fast you drop temperature will determine how rapidly you´ll perish. 30 minutes is more than enough!
Symptoms:
* Low body temperature
* Abnormally low body temperature
* Drowsiness
* Slow heartbeat
* Slow breathing
* Shivering
* Weakness
* Drowsiness
* Confusion
* Purple toes
* Purple fingers
Initial Signs (Mild Hypothermia)
Bouts of shivering
Grogginess and muddled thinking
Breathing and pulse are normal
Danger Signs of Worsening Hypothermia(Moderate Hypothermia)
Violent shivering or shivering stops
Inability to think and pay attention
Slow, shallow breathing
Slow, weak pulse
Signs of Severe Hypothermia
Shivering has stoppedUnconsciousnessLittle or no breathingWeak, irregular or non-existent pulse
Prevention:
1. Stay dry. If you do get wet, change immediately into dry clothes.Staying wet increases your chances of succumbing to hypothermia 25 times...Remember people from Titanic were dead within 4-5 minutes of being in water of atlantic at 4 degrees.They didnt drown but froze to death
2. Do not exhaust yourself in cold weather. Avoid perspiring.
3. Dress in wool and synthetic layers. Avoid cotton because it takes a long time to dry. Adjust clothing for overcooling, overheating, perspiration,and external moisture.
4. Bring extra clothing (including wood or synthetic hat and socks) so you are prepared for the worst possible weather conditions.
5. Stay hydrated. Drink at least 3 to 4 liters of fluid daily. During extreme exercise, drink more (5 to 6 liters per day).* Ingesting snow is an inefficient way to replace water, as it worsens hypothermia. At night, fill a container with at least one quart of water,and sleep with it to keep it from freezing.
6. Do not skip meals; you need food (fuel) for your body to generate heat. Do not consume alcoholic beverages; alcohol impairs your body''s ability to remain warm.
7. Seek shelter in times of extreme cold and high winds.
8. Don''t sit on cold rocks, metal, snow or ice without insulation beneath you. Insulate yourself from the ground with a pad, backpack, log, or tree limb.
9.Cover your head with warm caps to avoid heat loss
Initial Treatment:For mild to moderate hypothermia:
1.Drink hot(luke-warm) drinks, followed by candy or other high-sugar foods
2.Increase exercise, if possible
3.Get into a pre-warmed sleeping bag or blankets
4.Full blown Hypothermia will not be improved by additional clothing since clothing doesn’t generate heat. In difficult climbing situations, you need to put hot water bottles in your armpits, to your crotch and/or stomach.
5.As a last resort, strip and get into a sleeping bag - together with another undressed person, to warm up by the others body heat (yeah, yeah - keep your dirty imagination to yourself!).
Cause :Cold
Fatal:Yes
Definition:Hypothermia is a condition in which an organism's temperature drops below that required for normal metabolism and bodily functions
Hypothermia can kill in only 30 minutes. Cold temperature, but also strong wind causes the body to rapidly lose heat. You start to shiver in order to maintain body heat from the rapid muscular shaking.
If your body temperature drops to 35C/95F, you'll get dizzy and disoriented. Then the shivering stops. The body now maintains temperature only around the important organs; heart, brain and lungs by shutting down blood circulation to the arms and legs.
At 30C/86F, your pulse is weak and slow. Your blood vessels widen. Now, you feel hot and want to remove your clothes, finally slipping into unconsciousness.
At 24C/75F your heartbeat stops. How fast you drop temperature will determine how rapidly you´ll perish. 30 minutes is more than enough!
Symptoms:
* Low body temperature
* Abnormally low body temperature
* Drowsiness
* Slow heartbeat
* Slow breathing
* Shivering
* Weakness
* Drowsiness
* Confusion
* Purple toes
* Purple fingers
Initial Signs (Mild Hypothermia)
Bouts of shivering
Grogginess and muddled thinking
Breathing and pulse are normal
Danger Signs of Worsening Hypothermia(Moderate Hypothermia)
Violent shivering or shivering stops
Inability to think and pay attention
Slow, shallow breathing
Slow, weak pulse
Signs of Severe Hypothermia
Shivering has stoppedUnconsciousnessLittle or no breathingWeak, irregular or non-existent pulse
Prevention:
1. Stay dry. If you do get wet, change immediately into dry clothes.Staying wet increases your chances of succumbing to hypothermia 25 times...Remember people from Titanic were dead within 4-5 minutes of being in water of atlantic at 4 degrees.They didnt drown but froze to death
2. Do not exhaust yourself in cold weather. Avoid perspiring.
3. Dress in wool and synthetic layers. Avoid cotton because it takes a long time to dry. Adjust clothing for overcooling, overheating, perspiration,and external moisture.
4. Bring extra clothing (including wood or synthetic hat and socks) so you are prepared for the worst possible weather conditions.
5. Stay hydrated. Drink at least 3 to 4 liters of fluid daily. During extreme exercise, drink more (5 to 6 liters per day).* Ingesting snow is an inefficient way to replace water, as it worsens hypothermia. At night, fill a container with at least one quart of water,and sleep with it to keep it from freezing.
6. Do not skip meals; you need food (fuel) for your body to generate heat. Do not consume alcoholic beverages; alcohol impairs your body''s ability to remain warm.
7. Seek shelter in times of extreme cold and high winds.
8. Don''t sit on cold rocks, metal, snow or ice without insulation beneath you. Insulate yourself from the ground with a pad, backpack, log, or tree limb.
9.Cover your head with warm caps to avoid heat loss
Initial Treatment:For mild to moderate hypothermia:
1.Drink hot(luke-warm) drinks, followed by candy or other high-sugar foods
2.Increase exercise, if possible
3.Get into a pre-warmed sleeping bag or blankets
4.Full blown Hypothermia will not be improved by additional clothing since clothing doesn’t generate heat. In difficult climbing situations, you need to put hot water bottles in your armpits, to your crotch and/or stomach.
5.As a last resort, strip and get into a sleeping bag - together with another undressed person, to warm up by the others body heat (yeah, yeah - keep your dirty imagination to yourself!).
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