When Signaling for Help, What Would Be Wise to Walk or Mark in the Snow, Grass, or Sand?

There are 2 sides to every survival state of affairs. At that place is what you see on television set, and so there is reality. Many people think that survival is all about building a nifty shelter and hunting with a hand-carved spear. Surely those skills can be helpful, only at that place are other ways to survive. The four pillars of survival are nutrient, water, fire, and shelter. Notwithstanding, signaling for help should really exist added to that list. Information technology is often your quickest manner to safety.

Why Signal?

If you really think virtually it, there are very few situations where you would go missing and somebody would non be looking for yous. Fifty-fifty if you live alone, accept no family or friends, and take no job, you still accept a record of almost everywhere you could get.

Near parks and wilderness areas require y'all to sign in earlier you head off into the wild. For the majority of us, family unit or friends would know our plans and start to worry within  24 hours. This means that assistance is out there if y'all tin but find a mode to reach your rescuers.

If you do non know how to properly signal for help you drastically reduce your chances of rescue. The odds of rescue personnel getting close enough to your location to distinguish your figure from the surrounding wilderness are not good. In most cases these rescuers take a fairly large expanse to encompass and cannot put boots on every square foot of land. They likely can get close plenty to see a visual betoken or hear an audible signal.

Contrast

The key to any successful signal is contrast. You desire to find means to brand your betoken stand out from its surroundings. If you lot are on a snowy hill, then night colors volition stand out. If you are on a dark limestone slab, light colors will stand up out. If the sky is full of white clouds, then dark signals work best. If the sky is blue and clear, then white signals may be improve. In the wilderness, bright colors are always a great way to create dissimilarity.

via nationalgeographic.com

Motion is a another style to create contrast equally your background will most likely be withal. Rescuers are trained to expect for this. In addition, distinct sounds can create contrast. If you are in the wilderness, the audio of a motorcar horn or of clanging metal will stand up out. You desire to create contrast with equally many senses as possible. Even smells can take dissimilarity. If a rescuer smells burning rubber in the middle of a forest, they know to check that area.

Unnatural shapes are one of the best ways to create contrast. Many geometric shapes are never seen in a natural setting, so they stand out well. In addition, patterns and letters are rarely seen in the wild. Patterns and letters can be written out to create stationary contrast, or they can be created using motility, light, or sound.

Consider Your Circumstances

1 of the most of import aspects of signaling is the conclusion of how to bespeak. In the end, more than signals are improve. Yet, you practise want to prioritize your signaling efforts based on what you feel will be nearly constructive. For example, a stationary ground to air point such every bit writing out a large 'SOS' in a dense forest probably will not make much of a divergence. In this case, a smoke signal or aural signal will exist more effective.

To make this decision, consider these factors:

• How will rescuers be traveling?
• Will they exist in helicopters or on horseback?
• Volition they be on pes or on four wheelers?

The mode of travel volition tell you a few things. A person in a helicopter will non be able to hear your rescue whistle, while people on foot or horseback likely will. Also, mode of travel for rescuers will determine the visibility of your point. If somebody is on foot in a dense wood they probably cannot see your smoke signal, simply somebody above the tree line would see it.

Finally, consider your surroundings. If you are on open h2o, visual signals piece of work incredibly well. Audible signals do not. The same goes for desert scenarios. If you are at a loftier elevation, audio will conduct better.

In valleys the sound will not carry and will likely exist deceptive if it does. Wind is another factor that tin greatly affect sound and fume signals. In addition, there are areas in the wilderness where other sounds will drown out your signals. If you are well-nigh fast moving water or waterfalls, the water will exist the ascendant sound in the surface area.

Unlike Ways to Betoken

Sometimes the simplest signal is the i that works best. I case of this is a vehicle. If you are stranded somewhere with your car, in many cases your best bet is to stay with that vehicle. In add-on to providing supplies for survival, your vehicle makes for an ideal signal. It is large, metal, and often bright in color. This makes it a simple visual signal for any rescue personnel, and this is what they are trained to look for first.

In addition, your machine tin actively signal for help. If the battery is not burned out, you can employ the horn or alarm organisation for an audible bespeak. At night you tin flash the headlights for an active visual signal. If the battery burns out, you tin bang on the hood to create a metallic clanging sound. You can even burn down sure parts of the car for a jet black smoke signal.

Staying with that car could easily save your life. If you do have to leave the vehicle, exist sure to depict a big pointer in the direction you travel. Besides, blaze a path by chopping the bawl off of copse as yous walk by.

Sound Signals

Ane of the best ways to exist prepared to indicate is to have a whistle with you. Yelling requires a great deal of effort, and oft the audio gets lost in the wind. Whistles require very picayune effort and cut through other sounds to alert rescue personnel. Y'all can buy rescue whistles for simply a few dollars. There are also plenty of survival tools with a whistle built into them. I own a few survival bracelets that have whistles.

available from bigdaddysurvival.com

There are other ways to create sounds for signals. The key is to make a loud audio that is distinct from whatsoever sounds in nature. Metal is ordinarily the best material for making this sound. Banging on a sheet of metal or a large metal drum will make a distinct sound that carries well. Also, if yous take a firearm and do not need the ammo, three distinct gun shots tin deed equally a indicate. Withal, trying this during deer season is likely not going to alarm everyone.

Sending Out an SOS

Ground to air signals are ideal if you are in an open area and expect rescue personnel to be flying overhead. Y'all must know how to use contrast and too know universal signals for distress. Size is very important with these signals. You desire people to exist able to see them from great distances, and so bigger is better.

The two best signals to depict out are 'SOS' or three parallel horizontal lines. Both of these tell rescuers that y'all need help no matter where in the world you are stranded.

Motion Signals

Motion signals tin can piece of work well as long as y'all are not in a dense forest. There are two primary movement signals that rescuers are trained to spot. 1 is a flag existence waved back and along. You lot can use a long pole and any type of fabric or plastic to create a flag. Again, brand certain it creates contrast versus your background.

via outdoorlife.com

You likely will non have the energy to continuously wave the flag, and then save your energy for when y'all hear or see rescue personnel in the distance. You can also just wave your arms back and along over your head. This is another signal to show that you need help.

Light Signals

Light signals can potentially piece of work in any circumstances, just work best at night. This could exist a flashlight or the headlights on your car. You are all-time to create a design to prove that you need help, and Morse code is universally recognized. By flashing three short bursts, three long bursts, and three short bursts you signal 'SOS' to anybody watching. Laser pointers are another selection that tin reach out to even further distances.

available from bigdaddysurvival.com

The exception to using a low-cal point at dark is a indicate mirror. Bespeak mirrors are ideal for reaching people at long distances during the mean solar day. You can reflect the light from the sun back at a target and indicate for help. This works especially well for aircrafts or for ships. Some even have a hole in the center to aid you lot line upwardly and aim the mirror.

Smoke Signals

Fume signals are one of the oldest methods for signal that humans take used. For this point you lot plainly have to have the ability to create a fire, only that should be a given for survivalist. There are two priorities for a betoken fire. You lot must have a contrasting color, and y'all must have a distinct pattern.

For black smoke you can add plastic, rubber, or just well-nigh anything constructed to create a column of thick black smoke.

For white smoke you can add any green plant material. This tin can be any branches, leaves, or grasses that are however alive and full of moisture. The steam from the moisture creates the white color.

via survivalwisdom.com

For patterns with your point burn, y'all accept 2 primary options. You tin build three separate fires a good altitude apart. The three columns of smoke create a universal signal for distress. Be sure they are far enough apart that they do not combine to brand one large column.

You tin can also use a embrace to make plumes of fume. A tarp or coating can exist held over the fire the let smoke build and then raised to permit the plumage rising. You tin can create an 'SOS' pattern just similar with the flashlight to alert rescuers. Likewise, fires create a unique smell that will alert anybody in the surface area.

Electronic Devices

I know this may exist a given, but there are several electronic advice devices that can save your tail. Of course most people take their cell phones with them all the times. If y'all have reception, this can exist your way to get aid. However, information technology is a good idea to keep a spare bombardment with you in case yours runs out. If you are in an area with no cell reception, a PLB (personal locater beacon) is a good idea.

They are a bit pricey, just these devices use a satellite signal to contact authorities and asking help. They work regardless of a cellular betoken, but need a line of sight to the satellite so stay out from under trees.

Satellite phones piece of work the same way, but allow you to actually take a conversation instead of merely pinpointing your location. If you are going to be a short distance from other people, walkie talkies can be platonic if you get lost or hurt. Engineering science is a great option as long equally it works.

Final Thoughts

Your all-time manner to betoken for assistance is by preparing for the worst. This means y'all should always have a rescue plan. Tell multiple people where you are going and when y'all volition exist back. E'er have a manner to tell where you are located in instance y'all have to dictate that location to somebody else.

Keep electronic devices safe from bear upon or water. Have tools for signaling with you including whistles, indicate mirrors, a flashlight or laser pointer, and a way to start a burn down. If you have a rescue plan in identify, help is always merely right around the bend.

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Source: https://survivaldispatch.com/signaling-for-help/

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