OutdoorAdventureWhat does SURVIVAL mean?
SURVIVAL is something friends who love outdoor adventures should always keep in mind. What does SURVIVAL mean? How can you survive when in dire straits? The Outdoor Adventure Website and friends who love outdoor exploration can learn together what SURVIVAL stands for?
S – Assessment (size up)
Assess the situation
If you’re in a combat situation, first find a place to hide. Remember, safety comes first. Use your hearing, smell, and sight to get a sense of the battlefield. What are the enemies doing? Are they advancing? Holding their position? Or retreating? When you execute your survival plan, you must understand the conditions on the battlefield.
Assess the environment
Determine the area pattern. First, get a general idea of your surroundings. Every environment — whether forest, shrubland, or desert — has rules or patterns. These include the sounds and movements of animals and birds, insect noises, and sometimes even enemy traffic and civilian activity.
Assess your physical condition
The stress of combat or the urgency of survival might cause you not to notice injuries. Check for wounds and administer self-aid, while also trying to avoid further bodily harm. For example, regardless of climate, stay well-hydrated to prevent dehydration. In cold and wet conditions, wear extra clothing to avoid hypothermia.
Assess your equipment
In intense combat, some of your gear may have been lost or damaged. Check what you still have and test its functionality.
Now that you’ve assessed your situation, environment, physical condition, and equipment, you can start making a survival plan. At the same time, always keep in mind your most basic physiological needs: water, food, and shelter.
U – Avoid Rashness (undue)
Rushing blindly only wastes time
Chasing speed without careful thought and detailed planning can lead to fatal mistakes, capture, or death. Don’t act just for the sake of acting. Consider the full situation before deciding to move (assess the situation). If you act rashly, you might forget or lose equipment, or become disoriented and unsure which way to go. If the enemy is nearby, plan your moves carefully — be swift but don’t endanger yourself.
R – Remember
Remember where you are
Mark your location on a map and show its relation to the surrounding terrain. This is a fundamental principle you should follow. If there are others with you, make sure they also know their own positions. Always know who in your group has the map and compass. If that person dies, you must take the map and compass from them. Pay close attention to where you are and where you’re going. Don’t rely on others for directions — stick to determining your own bearings, or at least try to figure out your location in relation to the following:
1. Enemy positions and areas they control.
2. Friendly positions and areas they control.
3. Water sources (especially crucial in desert areas).
4. Areas that offer concealment and cover.
This information can help you make wise decisions during survival or escape.
V – Vanquish
Overcome fear and panic
The biggest enemies during an escape are fear and panic. Without control, you’ll struggle to make smart decisions. They’ll make you act on impulse, be driven by imagination rather than reality, and create unnecessary stress, leading to negative emotions. The aforementioned survival training and confidence (page ?) can help you overcome fear and panic.
I Improvisation (improvise)
In the United States, we can buy all kinds of items, and many things are cheap to replace when they break. This “easy to get, easy to lose, easy to replace” culture makes improvisation unnecessary in our daily lives. However, lacking this ability could be fatal in a survival situation. Therefore, you need to learn how to improvise on the spot. Take a tool designed for a specific purpose and see how many other uses it has. Learn to make use of what’s around you — for example, using a rock as a hammer. No matter how well-equipped your survival gear is, over time it will run out or get damaged. But imagination is limitless — use your imagination.
V Value (value)
Value life
Each of us came into this world kicking and screaming, but gradually we get used to a comfortable life. We make our lives more and more comfortable, disliking inconvenience and discomfort. So what happens when we find ourselves in an extremely uncomfortable, inconvenient, and high-pressure survival situation? In such times, the will to survive — valuing life — becomes extremely important. The experience and knowledge you gain from daily life and military training are closely tied to your will to survive. A stubborn determination not to yield in the face of adversity will give you tremendous mental and physical strength, helping you endure various hardships and keep going.
A Act (act)
Act like the locals
The local residents and animals in a region have adapted to the local environment. Therefore, if you want to understand that area, it’s best to observe how the locals go about their daily lives. When do they eat? What do they eat? When, where, and how do they get their food? When and where do they go to get water? When do they usually sleep? When do they get up? These things are very important for a survivor.
The behavior of animals in the area can also provide clues for survival. Animals also need food, water, and shelter. By observing them, you can find sources of water and food.
Note: Animals are not absolutely reliable guides to finding food and water.
Remember, the reactions of animals caused by your presence may reveal your location to enemies.
If you are in a friendly area, a good way to build rapport with the locals is to show great interest in their tools and how they obtain food and water. Learn as much as you can from them. You will gain their respect and likely make good friends. Most importantly, you’ll learn how to adapt to their environment, thereby increasing your chances of survival.
L Live (live)
Survive using your own wits, but for now, learn the basic skills.
Without training in basic survival and battlefield survival skills, your chances of surviving on the battlefield are slim to none.
Start learning these basic skills now, rather than waiting until just before or after you’re on the battlefield. Your level of preparation before battle determines whether you live or die. You need to know the environment of the place you’re going to and must practice the basic skills suitable for that environment. For example, if you’re heading to a desert area, you need to learn how to find water in the desert.
Continuously practice and apply those basic survival skills during training. Survival training can reduce your fear of the unknown, boost your confidence, and teach you how to survive using your own wits.
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