“Humans have settled in almost every corner of the earth. Even in places too inhospitable to provide a permanent home, people have found ways to utilize their resources, whether through hunting or gathering wealth from the land, often leveraging their skills against it for the sheer pleasure of doing so. Almost everywhere, nature provides what is necessary for survival. In some areas, provisions are abundant; in others, they are scarce, requiring common sense, knowledge, and ingenuity to exploit the available resources. More important, however, is the will to survive. Men and women have proven they can endure even the most hopeless situations and have achieved this thanks to their determination to do so. Without this determination, no knowledge will be of great use if you indeed find yourself in a similar situation. Survival is the art of staying alive. Every piece of equipment you have should be seen as an extraordinary bonus. You need to know how to extract everything from nature and use it to its fullest; how to draw attention to yourself so rescuers can find you; how to navigate unknown terrain to return to civilization if hope of rescue is slim; and how to orient and travel without a map and compass. You must know how to maintain good physical condition, or if you are sick or injured, how to treat yourself and others. Keeping your spirits up, as well as those of others with you, is essential.
Lack of equipment does not mean you are unprepared and unequipped, as you carry your skills and experience with you. However, you must not allow these skills and experiences to atrophy. Instead, you must continuously expand your knowledge.
We are all accustomed to surviving in our place of residence, though we may not think of our lives this way. However, anyone truly in trouble must learn to survive when taken out of their familiar environment or when that environment has been drastically changed by humans or nature.
Isolated on a foggy slope, lost in the jungle, or marooned in the desert, the survival challenges are the same for both military personnel and civilians. The difference is that soldiers may have to conceal their presence, while civilians will aim to attract attention to be rescued. Everyone wants to stay alive—young or old, prepared or not. One thing is clear: the more prepared you are and the more knowledge you have, the better your chances.
Accidents often create critical situations. Therefore, the more prepared you are and the more knowledge you possess, the better your chances of surviving extreme circumstances. You need to be able to respond to disasters, collisions, and natural calamities. Know how to manage wounds, how to maintain your fitness and health, and how to assist others in distress. You could find yourself alone anywhere in the world—from the Arctic glacier to the desert, from the humid tropical forests to the open ocean, or even in the midst of an unexpected political conflict. Each environment requires specific survival techniques, and survival depends on applying fundamental principles and adapting them to the circumstances.”
Quote from John Wiseman’s book “SAS Survival Handbook” - courtesy of Aratron Publishing