June 29, 2022
Not Your Typical Survival Tips and Tricks
Preparation Essentials
Not Your Typical Survival Tips & Tricks
If I had a nickel for every survival tip I’ve ever heard or shared, I’d be a wealthy man. But I don’t, and I’m not.
You’ve probably heard a lot of survival advice yourself—from us or from other sources.
So today, instead of giving you a long list of common survival tips, I’m going to share some that you might not be familiar with. Some may seem unusual, and most you’ll (hopefully) never need. But who knows? One of them might save your life one day.
Animal Instincts
- If you get bitten by an animal, clean and bandage the wound immediately. But don’t stop there—see a doctor. Rabies can take time to show symptoms, but once it does, it’s almost always fatal.
- If a wild animal approaches you, don’t run. That will trigger its chase instinct. Instead, get behind or climb the nearest tree.
- If you need to flee from a bear, run downhill instead of uphill. Grizzly bears have longer front legs than back legs, making downhill movement more difficult for them.
- Spider bite warning: If you notice a red line spreading from a spider bite toward your body, get to an emergency room immediately. This could indicate blood poisoning.
Situational Awareness
- Whenever you enter an unfamiliar building, quickly locate multiple exits. If an emergency happens, you’ll know where to go.
- At a hotel? Once you check into your room, study the evacuation routes and stairwell locations.
- If you wake up buried in a coffin (yes, it happens in movies), try kicking out the side panels rather than the top or bottom—these are usually weaker. Take a deep breath and claw your way to the surface.
- If an attacker confronts you, running is usually best. But if they don’t have a weapon and you can’t escape, fighting back might make them rethink their attack.
Self-Preservation
- In a burning building, crawl instead of running. Smoke rises, so the lower you are, the more breathable air you’ll have.
- Tired driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving. If you’re nodding off at the wheel, pull over.
- Before heading into remote areas, always tell someone your itinerary. If you get stranded, someone needs to know where to send help.
- If you fall into a fast-moving river, don’t try to swim to shore immediately. First, control your breathing and float. Then look for something to grab onto.
Miscellaneous Survival Tips
- Always carry a lighter, even if you don’t smoke. Fire can mean the difference between life and death.
- Pack a water purification device, like a filter straw or purification tablets. You may need clean water for drinking or washing wounds.
- To soothe a bug bite, rub toothpaste on it if you don’t have anti-itch cream.
- Sleeping outdoors? Use leaves for insulation. Sleeping directly on the ground will lower your body temperature.
- Caught outside in a lightning storm? Get as low as possible and remove metal objects like jewelry or belt buckles.
- Never mix bleach and ammonia. This creates toxic fumes that could make you seriously ill—or worse.
- Breaking down a locked door? Don’t ram it with your shoulder. Instead, kick next to the handle—it’s the weakest point.
- Calling 911? Say your location first, then describe the emergency. If the call gets cut off, at least responders will know where to go.
- If camping, relieve yourself at least 100 yards away and downwind from your campsite. Animals can smell it.
- Checking into an Airbnb? Ask if there are hidden cameras. To check for yourself, shine a flashlight toward smoke detectors and other suspicious locations. A camera lens will reflect light with a bluish tint.
Bear-ly Surviving
This could be the most useful tip of all: Knowing the difference between a black bear and a grizzly bear could save your life.
- Grizzly bears have a hump on their shoulders, a concave (dished-in) facial profile, shorter ears, and larger claws.
- Black bears have no shoulder hump, a straight "Roman nose" profile, and smaller claws.
Why does this matter?
- If a grizzly bear attacks, play dead. Keep your backpack on, lie flat on your stomach, and protect your neck with your hands. If you must fight, aim for the face with your backpack or fists.
- If a black bear attacks, DO NOT play dead. Try to escape downhill. If you have to fight, punch and kick the bear in the face—they don’t like that.
References:
- All testimonials in this advertisement are from real people; sometimes names and photos have been changed to protect their privacy and some were given free products in exchange for their honest feedback. Testimonials represent exceptional results, don't apply to the average purchaser and are not intended to guarantee that anyone will achieve the same results. The organizations, publications and people referenced on this site are not affiliated with 4Patriots. They have not endorsed, sponsored or recommended this product; no affiliation or endorsement is claimed. Terms & conditions apply. Cade Courtley is a former Navy SEAL and Platoon Commander who served 9 years of active duty and has been compensated by 4Patriots for his hard work in helping us test and endorse this product. Cade Courtley is a former Navy SEAL who served 9 years of active duty and has been compensated by 4Patriots for his hard work in helping us test and endorse products.
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC Releases New Report on Carbon Monoxide (CO) Fatalities, Urges Generator Safety in New PSA. August 2022.
- Peak output for the Patriot Power Generator increased from 3,048 W (1800 model) to 4,000 W (2000X model). Continuous output is 1,800 W and 2,000 W, respectively. Storage capacity for DC devices increased from 768 Wh (1800 model) to 1536 Wh (2000 model).
- Refrigerators, freezers and similar appliances maintain a safe temperature by running on cycles. The CDC recommendation is to keep temperature below 40°F and above 32°F. If starting with a cold appliance, running backup power to your fridge for 1 hour will maintain temperature for about 4 hours. Usage conditions will impact this estimate (interior temp, exterior temp, appliance age & features, fridge contents, etc.). Click here for more tips on cycling your fridge or freezer.