The Personal Survival Kit - Part Three - Using Sound to Create Emergency Signals

One of the main components for creating an emergency signal is sound.  Certain sounds will get someone’s attention a lot quicker than others. Unfortunately, the range and types of sounds which we can hear and process are quite limited. Otherwise, professional speakers wouldn’t need to use special equipment in order to make sure that everyone in their audience can hear them.

Why is sound so effective when being used to create an emergency signal? It is due to our startle reflex. Loud noises can startle people and whenever we hear a loud noise there will be an automatic response by our bodies that causes us to blink our eyes. This is a normal response by our bodies to what may be a possible danger or threat. This is due to the fact that our eyes are one of the most vulnerable parts of our bodies and require more protection from a possible injury. Our bodies automatically work to protect our eyes because they are so vulnerable. This is one of the main reasons that sounds can be so effective when creating an emergency signal. It creates an automatic response by anyone within range of the sound you are making, especially if it’s a loud one.

When using sound to create an emergency signal, the whistle is one of the best devices and probably the easiest to use for this purpose. They are available in small, compact varieties that will easily fit into a personal survival kit. My personal preference is the flat style boat whistles which take up less space and are not so bulky if carried on a lanyard around your neck. The small metal whistles that are the "pea-less" variety are also great little whistles as well. Many can be carried easily around your neck on a lanyard, attached to your hiking stick or simply placed in your pocket. You can even get whistles that include things like a button compass and a thermometer. Although they are somewhat less compact than a regular whistle this can make your whistle a multi-use item.

Another important thing to remember is that you should always use a combination of threes when making an emergency signal with sound. A series of three short blasts from your whistle is normally the best way to signal for help. It will also help to conserve energy and require less effort if you are having breathing difficulties by allowing you to pace yourself and avoid hyperventilating. A series of three items is a universal sign of distress and it will also allow your location to be more easily determined if someone has their attention focused on the sound you are making. If possible a loud continuous sound will also be effective. Banging on an object to create a continuous noise at a steady pace may also help to get someone’s attention.

On many of the camping and hiking trips with my family over the years, everyone wore a whistle on a lanyard on their neck. Always and at all times!  If we got separated or temporarily lost sight of each other, everyone knew that three short blasts from their whistle would bring everyone to their location very quickly.

Even though a whistle in its simplest form is not a multi-use item, it should be considered an essential item for any Personal Survival Kit (PSK).

Got sounds for survival?


Riverwalker

The Personal Survival Kit - Part Two - Reflective Devices for Creating Emergency Signals

There are five major components of creating an emergency signal in a survival situation. The first three components involve sight, sound and movement. These are the basics that are involved in any effective means of communication, regardless of your current situation. If you can’t be seen, heard or draw their attention to your area, chances are nobody is going to find you unless it is totally by accident. They would almost literally have to stumble upon you in order to find you or determine your location. The other two major components deal with the time of day or night you are creating your emergency signal. Emergency signals at night will often be different from those that you would use during the day.

Creating daytime emergency signals gives you a lot of options as long as you remember to use sight, sound and movement. One of the easiest and most effective means of creating a daytime signal is to use a reflective material or surface. When considering items to include in your personal survival kit, you can use several different options to increase your options for an effective daytime emergency signal. Having a reflective surface of some sort can involve using a number of different items. Many of these items can be carried quite easily on your person and won’t necessarily need to be included in your PSK (Personal Survival Kit). This will leave room for other emergency items in your kit.

One of the most effective items for creating an emergency signal in the daytime is a signal mirror. These can be ready-made devices or ones that have been improvised from most any type of reflective material or object. It could be as simple as a piece of aluminum foil (which can be easily kept on your person - folded in your pocket or wallet), a CD, an old aluminum can that someone carelessly discarded or is sitting in the cup holder of your vehicle, a piece of reflective Mylar or any other item that that has some ability to reflect light. The quality of your signal will be affected by the type of item you are using. Regardless of this fact, you are still communicating some type of signal to enhance your chances of survival.  You can always opt to carry a signal mirror on a lanyard around your neck to free up space in your PSK.

Depending upon your circumstances, you may have more reflective surface options readily available than you realize. The majority of people usually travel in their cars in more instances than they do on foot. This in itself gives you a large number of available reflective devices that could be used in an emergency. Most vehicles have small vanity mirrors on the sun visors that could be utilized. All vehicles have inside and outside rear view mirrors that could be utilized along with any shiny chrome or chrome-plated items of trim, or any “shiny” object you can find, etc. Even the scope of your rifle could be utilized to create an emergency signal. You could actually create a number of reflective signals to further enhance your signal’s ability to get someone’s attention. Women have a slight edge over guys in this department as most already carry a make-up compact that usually has a great little mirror included.


Knowing more about your available options to create an emergency signal will make it easier for you to carry less gear.


You can read additional information here:

The Personal Survival Kit - Part Three - Using Sound to Create Emergency Signals

Got shiny surfaces for survival?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Survival Communications - The Dead Zone

Modern technology has made it possible to communicate with others at anytime and from anywhere. Being able to communicate with others on an instant basis is now a part of the everyday lifestyle of many people. The use of cell phone technology has made this ease of communication possible but it does have its limits and its problems that can affect everyone. These problems and limits can affect both those living in either an urban or a rural setting.

Most problems that occur with cell phone communications in an urban setting are usually short term. The major problem in an urban setting is the dreaded “network busy” that shows up on your cell phone. As more and more people depend on cell phone communications, the “network busy” problem seems to be occurring on a more frequent basis as that dependence grows. Communication problems can be even more frustrating in a rural setting.

Many people experience “dropped calls” from time to time whenever they enter a “dead zone” or an area where they are out of range of a cell phone tower. For most urban dwellers, this is only a minor inconvenience. If you happen to live in a rural area that is a “dead zone”, then you have a different type of problem that affects your lifestyle on a daily basis.

The first problem you have is that you are still dependent on a “land line” for your basic communication needs. Even a simple mechanical break-down on a freeway can leave you without the ability to communicate. Cell phones just don’t work in a “dead zone” and unless you are able to walk or drive a number of miles to get out of that “dead zone” you are going to have problems.

If you are unlucky enough to live in a “dead zone”, you can take a simple step to eliminate some of the problems you may experience. While your most basic communication problem can be solved with a “land line”, most people in rural settings spend a great deal of their time outdoors whenever possible and may simply not be in a position to respond.

The simple solution to this problem is to always make sure that someone knows where you are going, what you are doing and how long you intend to be gone or when you will be back. Always check in with someone or have them call to check on you. Should you have an accident or suffer a serious health problem you may be out of luck otherwise. If they don’t know where you are, what you’re doing and when you plan to be back, you are sorely tempting fate when it comes to your survival.

The best form of communication is that done in advance of a problem before that communication becomes critical to your survival.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Survival Communication - Tools for Sight and Sound

Many survival scenarios will depend upon your ability to communicate your situation to others in order to be found or rescued. It is therefore important to remember that effective communication involves both sight and sound.

While our hearing and sight may not be the best due to our physical limitations, there are simple and effective ways to enhance our ability to communicate. A couple of simple and ordinary items can help you communicate in a more effective matter.

The Whistle

Communicating with sound is a normal means of communication familiar to everyone. While some people seem able to talk forever, they can quickly revert to yelling and screaming when the worst happens. This won’t be sustainable for a very long period and a painful moan can be even harder for someone else to hear. This is when you will need a simple whistle. The sound of a whistle is easily heard, can carry a long distance and is more sustainable for a longer duration than yelling till your lungs pop. A whistle is one of the most effective ways to communicate by sound in both daylight and darkness.

The Mirror

Visual communication is also an effective and common means of communicating. We wave at people at people every day but sometimes we go unnoticed because we failed to get their attention. Flash a bright light in their eyes and all of a sudden you’ve got their complete and undivided attention. This is when a simple mirror becomes an effective means of communication. A little reflected sunlight hitting them in the eyes will get someone’s attention in a hurry. Bright flashes of light are an effective way to get noticed quickly and most any reflective surface can be used for this purpose.

Got sight and sound for survival?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Gear - Eye Max AM / FM / WB Emergency Radio

I use the EyeMax Weather Band radio which receives AM, FM, and the NOAA weather channels. It has a solar panel, which gives it the ability to power it yourself when it’s needed and will play all day in direct sunlight. It also has a built-in LED flashlight.The EyeMax Weather Band is a radio that you can depend on during an emergency. It has a yellow case with a rubberized finish and a very sturdy crank mechanism if there is no sun to charge the solar panel. It requires no batteries and will run for approximately one hour after a couple of minutes of winding on the crank. It also comes with an external charging adapter and will run for over 24 hours on a full charge. A separate headphone jack is also included. This radio is now my primary emergency radio, while my other emergency radio the Streetwise FSH250 Dynamo / Solar Radio Flashlight is now my primary back-up emergency radio. Always good to have a back-up!

You can get further information about the Eye-Max WB emergency radio at:

http://www.freeplayenergy.com/product/eyemax-weatherband

I've got both radios currently charging with the charging units in preparation for Hurricane Ike which looks to be heading to Texas.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Gear - Streetwise FSH250 Dynamo / Solar Radio Flashlight

I highly recommend this radio for anyone looking for a great emergency radio at a cost that won’t totally wreck your budget. If you’ve got sunlight, the solar cells on the top of the handle will keep it charged, and if there’s no sunlight you can pop in a couple of “AA” rechargeable batteries (it will operate on regular “AA” batteries as well) and it’s still good to go! No batteries and no sun? No problem! Just flip out the little crank handle on the end and wind it a few minutes and you’re back in business. I’ve used it many times with no batteries and no cranking while it just sits in the sun and I’m listening to the news, sports or some favorite “oldies” on the AM/FM radio. Mine came with two extra light bulbs for the flashlight (a yellow and a red) stored in the battery compartment (I think it still has this feature). It also has a siren and the light flashes when the siren is turned on. It’s got a built-in speaker and a telescopic antenna and a plug for earphones.

It’s truly been a great piece of gear and I have used it at work, while outside in the yard, and during a few power outages during different storms without any problems. The ability to use regular batteries, rechargeable batteries, or no batteries at all is a winning combination. Add the fact that you can power it up with a little cranking or by placing it in the sunlight adds immensely to its versatility.

If you need a great emergency radio, this one is reliable, versatile, and economical.

 

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker