United States Air Force: Survival

Objective:Know how to survive in

situations where your safety and life depends on your decisions.

Know the three basic conditions affecting survival.

The Elements of SurvivingSurvival ActionsPattern for SurvivalEnvironmental ConditionsThe Survivor’s ConditionsMaterialsDuration

Every day of our lives, we are engaged in surviving.Continually, we need air to breathe, food and water

to nourish ourselves and protection from the elements.

As a society, we’ve created complex networks of food production, distribution, and storage that can put fresh fruits on our tables in the winter.

The Elements of Surviving

The Survival PatternSize Up the Situation.

Use All Your Senses, undue haste makes waste.

Remember Where You Are. Spot your location on your map and relate it to the surrounding terrain.

Vanquish Fear and Panic.

Improvise.

Value Living.

Act Only After Thinking.

Live by Your Wits, But for Now, Learn Basic Skills

The Four Primary Elements of the Survivor’s Environment

Climate Temperature, moisture and wind are the basic

climate elements. Extreme cold or hot temperatures, complicated by

moisture or lack of moisture, and the possibility of wind, may have life threatening impact on the survivor’s needs, decisions and actions.

The primary concern is the need for personal protection

Climatic conditions also have a significant impact on other aspects of survival.

1. The Conditions Affecting Survival

The Four Primary Elements of the Survivor’s Environment

Terrain• Depending on its form, terrain may cause

travel to be easy or difficult; provide protection from cold, heat, moisture, wind; or make surviving a seemingly impossible task.

1. The Conditions Affecting Survival

The Four Primary Elements of the Survivor’s Environment

Life Forms• Posing Hazards or Providing Needs.

1. The Conditions Affecting Survival

The Four Primary Elements of the Survivor’s Environment2. The Survivor’s Condition

Physical Survivors who are physically fit

will be better prepared to face survival episodes than those who are not.

Psychological The survivor’s psychological

state greatly influences their ability to successfully return from a survival situation.

The Four Primary Elements of the Survivor’s Environment3. Material

• At the beginning of a survival episode, the clothing and equipment in your possession, the contents of the survival kit and resources recovered are the sum total of your material assets.

• The ability to improvise may provide ways to meet some needs.

The Four Primary Elements of the Survivor’s Environment4. Duration

• The duration of the survival episode has a major effect upon the survivor’s needs. • Every decision and action will be driven in part by an assessment of when recovery or return is probable

The Elements of SurvivingSurvival ActionsPattern for SurvivalEnvironmental ConditionsThe Survivor’s ConditionsMaterialsDuration

Case Study: The Mountain TrailThe helmet had saved me from any head injuries, but I had plenty of black and blue marks on my legs and some scrapes. My bike was pretty banged up and I could not ride it anymore, it was getting dark, and I was unsure about which direction I was headed.Would you . . .  Immediately look for shelter by a rock or tree and sleep there for the night.Pick up your bike, look for your helmet, and continue to walk down the mountain trail hoping to see the road (and possibly a passing car) soon.Scream for help, hoping the elderly caretaker that showed you the map hears your screams.Look for food to eat, find water to clean your scrapes, and look for branches and leaves to start a fire.

United States Air Force: Survival

Objective:Know how to survive in

situations where your safety and life depends on your decisions.

Know the three basic conditions affecting survival.