SHOW ME HOW TO SURVIVE

The handbook for The Modern heroJOSEPH PRED

mark your trail

read animal tracks and scat

walk a straight line in the woods

navigate with your watch

stay on track in the desert

navigate out of a swamp

read the stars

find the equator in a forest

build a campfire

light a fire with chocolate

construct a fire drill

use a fire plank

purify water in green bamboo

boil water in a tree stump

collect water from fog

get water in the desert

signal an airplane

erect a quick tepee

assemble a debris hut

set up a shade shelter

build a swamp bed

dig a snow cave

survive an avalanche

prevent snow blindness

be avalanche aware

find an avalanche victim

make a fish trap

catch a fish bare-handed

go ice fishing

snare a hare

gut a hare

squash a squirrel

nab a fox

trap a rodent

impale an elk

be bear aware

fend off a mountain lion

save a child from a coyote

treat a snake bite

get jungle savvy

remove a botfly with bacon

prepare tasty snake meat

eat a scorpion

eat wild around the world

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help after an accident

call for help

check a pulse

bolt from a wrist grip

escape from a choke hold

break out of a bear hug

deal with a burgled home

follow up after a burglary

perform cpr on an adult

do the heimlich maneuver

give cpr to a baby

save a choking baby

improvise an airway puncture

suture a wound

decompress a chest

stop bleeding

bandage a nasty wound

cauterize a wound in the field

save a toe

improvise a leg splint

wrap a sling

know your fractures

test for edibility

deal with a poisoned kid

identify natural poisonous foods

identify venomous insects

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help

prevail

navigate the mean streets

stay safe in the wilderness

be prepared at the office

make a family emergency plan

stock an emergency kit

stock a bunker

prepare a flood dinghy

set up a panic room

bury a tornado shelter

make your home safe

prepare your pet

keep pets safe after a disaster

know animal warning signs

weather a hurricane

build a flood barrier

fill sandbags properly

firescape a yard

fight fire with an extinguisher

be prepared in a house fire

prepare for travel

stay smart abroad

protect against identity theft

burglar-proof a home

check a car before a trip

pack a car emergency kit

stay safe in a parking garage

get help for a boat in trouble

read storm clouds

boat safely in a storm

know your knots

sleep on the beach

pitch a snow camp

shelter in the jungle

camp in the desert

prepare for social collapse

prepare rugged venison jerky

preserve meat in a smoker

catch backyard game

hunt pigeons in the city

feed a family without a farm

get fit for the outdoors

clean a gun

store a gun

be safe at the range

disarm a shooter

keep from spreading the flu

pack a first-aid kit

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protect

first aid

home safety

wilderness skills

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treat a bee sting

treat a jellyfish sting

make a ginger poultice

evaluate your medicine chest

remove a small fish hook

treat a blister

remove a splinter

remove an object from your eye

put out a clothing fire

halt an electrocution

avoid lightning on a mountain

identify burns

deal with a superficial burn

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handle a chemical burn

help a seizure victim

recognize a heart attack

identify a stroke

treat hyperventilation

survive an asthma attack

soothe a mild allergic reaction

spot a severe allergic reaction

stop a nosebleed

free a frozen tongue

preserve a dislodged tooth

fill a cracked tooth

spot and treat a concussion

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help a lost child

rescue a cat up a tree

rescue-breathe for a dog

protect a baby bird

rescue a swimmer in trouble

identify heat-related illnesses

treat heat exhaustion

help clean up an oil spill

clean an oiled bird

help someone out of an ice hole

treat frostbite

save a hypothermia victim

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survive a shipwreck

use pants as a flotation device

find land when lost at sea

build a dugout canoe

pick a coconut

use coconuts

ace an emergency scuba ascent

escape a kelp forest

avoid a shark attack

fend off a shark

resist a wolf pack

battle a pit bull

spike an assailant

embrace your enemy

do a handshake takedown

deal with failed brakes

handle a hydroplaning car

weather a chemical spill

survive a snowbound car

improvise a signal mirror

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Teach kids to trust emergency workers.Add emergency numbers to family phones. Set a meeting place in case of separation.

Have an out-of-state contact person.Practice appropriate responses.Discuss possible local hazards.

make a family emergency plan stock an emergency kit

An out-of-state friend or relative can relay information between members of your family if you’re separated during an emergency . Make sure everyone has that person’s phone number and knows to check in.

eyedropper

condoms

prescription medications

prescription glassesfeminine supplies

paper and pendice

cards books

vices

diapers

baby for mula

pet food

baby wipes

bleach

documents in waterproof bag

sleeping bag emergency blanketscamp stove

rope

wrench

dust maskmoist towelettes

cash

can opener

candles and matchesfresh batteries

first-aid kit

1 gal (3.75 l) water per person

regional map

plastic sheeting

whistle

garbage bags zip ties

spray paint

extra set of keys

flashlight

duct tape

nonperishable food

fire extinguisher

cell phone and battery-powered charger

emergency contacts

hand-cranked radio

health and hygiene

essentials

family-care items

handy extras

boredom busters

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Install safety latches on cupboards.

Make sure shelves are properly braced.

Lock up chemicals and potential poisons.

Strap down

your water heater and

install a flexible gas

line.

Keep valuables in a safe.

Install nightlights throughout the house.

While you’ll want to prepare your house for the dangers unique to your region, there are some steps that everyone can take to make their homes safer.

Change smoke detector batteries twice a year.

Position beds away from windows.

Hang heavy pictures away

from sitting areas and beds.

Check repair or service personnel’s ID before

allowing them in.

Keep a wrench near the gas valve in case you need

to shut it off.

Don’t hide keys outside.

Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, garage, and on every floor.

make your home safe

Balcony railing slats should be no more than 4 in (10 cm) apart.

Have your chimney checked by a professional once a year, whether you use it often or not.

deal with a poisoned kid

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Copy important documents. Register with your embassy . Pack extra meds. Dress modestly . Wear a money belt. Stay sly by silencing ringer. Only take reputable taxis. Use cards instead of cash.

Unplug appliances. Stop any leaks or drips. Adjust the thermostat.Lock the windows.Dispose of perishables.Set lights on a timer.Have your mail held. Give travel info to a neighbor.

stay smart abroad

prepare for travel

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Look before answering door.Secure sliding windows.Keep garage doors locked.Store ladders and bins inside.

Trim trees away from house.Add motion-sensor lights.Install an alarm system.Start a neighborhood watch.

burglar-proof a homeprotect against identity theft

Review your credit report annually .

Don’t carry sensitive ID materials with you.

Shred documents, especially any displaying credit card, bank account, or government ID numbers.

Only provide government ID number when legally required.

Keep sensitive information and documents in a secured space.

Be wary of unsolicited

business calls.

Verify communications from banks, utilities, and commerce sites. Never e-mail passwords

or account numbers.

Use your credit card only on reputable sites.

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bowline monkey’s fist cleat hitch double fisherman’s knot square knot surgeon’s loop uni double overhand stopper

boating rescue sailing rock climbing emergency sutures fishing bridge-making ladder construction

know your knots

help someone out of an ice hole

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disarm a shooter

Sidestep and grab the wrist.

Always point downrange. Line up your sight. Squeeze the trigger.

Keep finger off trigger.Load the gun.Verify the range is clear.Use a case or a holster.

Clean the magazine. Clean the slide.Run cloths down the barrel.

Use a cable lock.

Clean the bore of the barrel.

be safe at the range

store a gun

clean a gun

Enter stance; turn off safety.

Twist to break finger. Grip and pull down. Take control.

Verify gun is unloaded. Disassemble gun. Remove residue.

Reassemble; wipe off excess.

Unload before storing. Store guns and ammo apart. Secure the key to the safe.

help

Oh, man! A jellyfish just stung your buddy, there’s a fishhook stuck in your finger, and your hunting cabin has burst into flames. Worst vacation ever? Not if you know what to do (and no, it doesn’t involve peeing on anyone. Sorry!). When things start going wrong, you can totally be the hero who has studied up on what to do and is ready, willing, and able to help out. Studies show that people who have thought about possible scenarios and planned out what they’d do are the ones who stay calm when things start falling apart around them. So read up, and be sure you really know how to handle tough situations. You (and your friend with the jellyfish sting) will be glad you did.

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Gather info to recount later.Stay calm; answer questions.Call within view of accident.Observe accident details. Treat any minor injuries. Call back if situation changes. Stay until responders ar rive. Provide infor mation.

Count beats.Press gently with two fingers.Move to side, under jaw.Find the Adam’s apple.Reassure the victim.Keep him warm.Elevate the victim’s legs.Assess the situation.

call for help

check a pulsehelp after an accident

Help is on the way.

Multiply by four to get the beats per minute. Generally, a pulse below sixty bpm or above one hundred is cause for concer n.

15sec

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Fully insulate toe; put on ice.Add butterfly strips, gauze.Wash wound and toe.Pick up the toe.

save a toe

Elevate and wash site. Assess need for stitches. Add non-adhering bandage. Cover with gauze.

bandage a nasty wound

stop bleeding

If the wound is so deep that you see yellow fatty tissue, or if it’s hard to pinch closed, it needs stitches.

This neat trick is both risky and incredibly painful. Only try this in the case of a massively bleeding wound when help is days away.

5–10sec

Tape gauze in place.Layer gauze as needed.Remove any constrictions.Elevate; apply pressure. Bandage wound.Remove; repeat.Hold to wound.Heat knife to red hot.

cauterize a wound in the f ield

If there are skin flaps left, fold them over the wound before bandaging. Don’t put adhesive directly onto an open wound.

treat frostbite

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1 drop eugenol

preserve a dislodged tooth

f ill a cracked tooth

Apply to reduce pain.Rinse with disinfected water.Remove pieces of tooth.Wash hands thoroughly.

Bring to a dentist.Place in glass of milk.Clean in bowl of war m water.Hold by crown, not roots.

See a dentist.Bite to set in place.Place wax filling in gap.Roll melted wax into a ball.

15min

free a frozen tongue

stop a nosebleed

Keep victim still and calm. Pour war m water. Gently ease tongue away.

If bleeding persists, get help.

If it’s caused by dryness, breathe into a damp cloth.

Catch blood with a cloth.

Try pushing on your upper lip.

Lean forward.Apply inter mittent pressure.

Comfort victim.

Different nosebleeds may respond to different approaches. Here are some alter nate abatement methods to try.

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Locate stranded cat.

Feed cat immediately.

Cinch top; climb down.

Pull bag inside out, enclosing cat.

Grab cat by the scruff of the neck.

Climb tree; don glove.

Stitch a work glove to slit in pillowcase.

Cut a slit in the side of a pillowcase.

If bird is featherless, replace in nest.

rescue a cat up a tree rescue-breathe for a dog

protect a baby bird

Repeat every three seconds.Cover snout and breathe.Close mouth.

Cover loosely with a towel.Place bird in box.

Put tissue paper in a box.Call a wildlife aid center.

Pull tongue forward.

catch backyard game

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read animal tracks and scat

mark your trail

danger

not the way

tur n left

tur n right head this way

oval with apointed end

pellets withbone and hair

teardrop shaped

tubelike withtapered ends

small, circular pellets looks like

pencil lead

If you want others to be able to follow your path in the wild, make these inter national trailblazing symbols using grass, sticks, or rocks.

If you want to avoid crossing paths with unfriendly creatures, or to follow the trail of something tasty, keep an eye out for their unique scat and tracks.

trap a rodent

birds of prey cat family dog family deer family rabbits and hares rodents

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154128127 get water in the desert

Dig a hole in the sand. Add a container to collect water. Insert the tubing. Cover the hole with the tarp. Anchor the tarp with rocks.

Seal the airholes with sand.

Put a rock in the center.

Wait for water to condense.

serious injury

Yes!Need help!

No.Don’t need help.

Make symbols on the ground large enough to be seen from above.

need compass and map

indicate directionto proceed

Make symbols using branches, footprints, or any other

available material.

need foodand water

all is well

believe safeto land here

am goingthis way

Any waterproofcontainer will do.

The tubing should be at least 3 ft (1 m) in length.

The plastic tarp must be clear.

Medium-sized rocks work best.

Dig with a shovel or a large flat stone.

Dig deep enough to reach the damper subsoil. You can help the process by

by urinating near —but not inside!—the container.

During daylight hours, water vapor will condense beneath the tarp and drip from its lowest point.

signal an airplane

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Remove the feet and tail. Slice the abdomen open. Remove the organs. Clean the carcass.

Cut the head off.Peel the skin off.Make incisions in the pelt.Hang and bleed out.

gut a hare

snare a hare

Attach noose to sticks.Secure wire noose to tree.Place sticks along rabbit trail.Trim two forked sticks.

trap a rodent impale an elk

squash a squirrel nab a fox

Lean a heavy rock on the

top stick.

Anchor the linchpin with a baited stick

Prop the rock with notched

sticks.

Bait the bottom stick.

Prop a log over the hole, making what appears to

be a shelter.

3 ft (1 m)

5 ft(1.5 m)

Dig a hole in a field.

Tie a rope to the tree, then

wrap it around the linchpin.

Set the noose undreneath the

baited stick.

Dig an elk-sized pit and add thick, pointed sticks to

the bottom.

Cover the pit’s mouth with branches and leaves.

A rodent will run under the log and be

unable to see the hole.

Use extreme caution when climbing out!

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Remove your pants. Knot bottoms of the legs. Pull down to fill with air. Cinch belt and hug.

Suck on a button to ease thirst.

See land? Swim to it.Collect rainwater in a tarp.

Shield yourself from the sun.Get war m and dry.

use pants as a flotation device

Cumulus clouds gather near solid ground.

If you see a shape on the horizon, note its color. Land will be green; shadows and

clouds will appear gray.

Seabirds head away from land during the day and toward it in the evening.

Test the wind: it blows toward land during the day and away at nighttime.

You’ll spot driftwood from trees (make sure it’s not

debris from a boat).

Fields of seaweed grow near land.

If you’re adrift at sea and antsy to make landfall, watch for these signs that ter ra fir ma is near.

survive a shipwreck f ind land when lost at sea

do the heimlich maneuver

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Crack the window and light an emergency candle.

Put on any and all clothing items you might have.

If your reception is low, try texting for help.

Keep the car turned off.

Make sure tostretch frequently.

Don’t wander away from your car.

Crumple papers and stuff into clothing for extra warmth.

Portion out and eat high-energy foods.

improvise a signal mirror

survive a snowbound car It’s best to stay off the roads during a snow storm, but if travel can’t be avoided, be sure to be safe. Always add additional items like space blankets to your emergency kit.

Reflect light through “V.”Align object between “V.”Hold a CD with other hand.Form a “V” with fingers.