Video Preview - Disc One

PREPARED TO SURVIVE

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SIGNALING
If you want to be rescued then you have to signal potential rescuers so they know your location. Of course, if someone knows you haven’t reached your destination when you were supposed to and has sent rescuers out looking for you, it is much more likely your signal will be seen. By leaving a detailed itinerary of your trip with a trusted friend or family member, you can be comforted that someone will look for you.

What materials and methods you use will depend upon your environment and the time of day, but there are some basic guidelines for all signals. Geometric patterns like straight lines and Xs, large bright objects and contrast will make you stand out from the environment. Any signal repeated 3 times is universally recognized as a distress call. When choosing your signal site make sure that it’s close to your shelter, is in the largest clearing available in the area and that it isn’t obscured by shadows or overhangs. The ideal site is a large, clear area with 360° visibility on the highest ground in the area.

At night, a signal fire is the most effective way to get attention. Building three fires 25 yards apart in a triangle or straight line will help draw a pilot’s attention to your location. However, building and maintaining three fires is often impractical, especially if you are alone. If building three fires is impractical, then one large fire will do. Signal fires should be prepared well in advance of your need for them and should be ready to be lit quickly and easily. Keep them protected from the elements so they are ready to light when you need them. You can also use a flashlight or strobelight at night to signal your location. Flashlights are visible from greater distances than strobelights and can be aimed at specific objects and switched on and off to signal. The disadvantage of flashlights is that they must be used and directed by a person to be effective. Strobelights allow you to have a constant signal without having to constantly attend it. They can be seen from up to 5 miles away and will greatly increase your chances of being located in a nighttime search for you.

On a calm, clear day, smoke from a signal fire can get attention. The color of the smoke should contrast with the color of the environment and sky. You can add rubber or oily rags to a fire to make the smoke black, or you can put green moss, leaves and water on the fire to make the smoke whiter. Smoke from a 6-foot wide fire is large enough to get the attention of fire spotters or rescuers.

Under normal conditions, mirror signals can be seen from over 70 miles away. Using a signal mirror is the best way to get attention on a bright sunny day and can even work on bright overcast days or when the moon is shining brightly at night. When you spot a plane flying overhead, aim the reflection from the mirror at the cockpit of the aircraft for a few seconds at a time. Once you’re certain you have been spotted, stop flashing the cockpit so that you don’t blind the pilot. Get to the highest point in the area when using a mirror to signal so that you can minimize the effects of fog, haze and mirages. If you can’t see the plane, then aim the mirror in the direction of the sound. Sweeping the horizon periodically during the day, even when there is no evidence of aircraft, can catch a rescuer’s attention as well.

Signal flares give a short burst of light and/or smoke to alert rescuers to your location. The chances of someone seeing a short flare signal if they aren’t headed toward you is very slim. Flares that emit light last for a very short time. Colored smoke from flares will quickly dissipate in anything but ideal conditions. Some things to keep in mind if you use flares: keep them dry, don’t ignite the flare until a rescuer is approaching your area, flares can burn you, so don’t point the top or bottom at your body.

A ground rescue team or other people may be close enough that they can hear you if you are loud enough. A whistle will be much louder than your screams, and you can blow a whistle much longer with less effort. It’s also a good idea for everyone in your traveling group to have a whistle to make it easier to find each other. As you work through your survival plan, stop periodically during the day and blow your whistle-someone may be in the area. Whistles, especially the “super loud” ones, can be heard over a mile away. Make sure that you buy a whistle that makes its sound from the construction of the whistle itself, unlike the cheap, novelty whistles with a little ball or pea inside.

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