Survival
planning is nothing more than realizing something could happen that
would put
you in a survival situation and, with that in mind, taking steps to
increase
your chances of survival. Thus, survival planning means preparation.
Preparation
means having survival items and knowing how to use them People who live
in snow
regions prepare their vehicles for poor road conditions. They put snow
tires on
their vehicles, add extra weight in the back for traction, and they
carry a
shovel, salt, and a blanket. Another example of preparation is finding
the
emergency exits on an aircraft when you board it for a flight.
Preparation
could also mean knowing your intended route of travel and familiarizing
yourself with the area. Finally, emergency planning is essential.
Detailed
prior planning is
essential in potential survival situations. Including survival
considerations
in mission planning will enhance your chances of survival if an
emergency
occurs. For example, if your job re-quires that you work in a small,
enclosed
area that limits what you can carry on your person, plan where you can
put your
rucksack or your load-bearing equipment. Put it where it will not
prevent you
from getting out of the area quickly, yet where it is readily
accessible.
One
important aspect of prior
planning is preventive medicine. Ensuring that you have no dental
problems and
that your immunizations are current will help you avoid potential
dental or
health problems. A dental problem in a survival situation will reduce
your
ability to cope with other problems that you face. Failure to keep your
shots
current may mean your body is not immune to diseases that are prevalent
in the
area.
Preparing
and carrying a
survival kit is as important as the considerations mentioned above. All
Army
aircraft normally have survival kits on board for the type area(s) over
which
they will fly. There are kits for over-water survival, for hot climate
survival, and an aviator survival vest. If you are not an
aviator, you will probably not have access to the survival vests or
survival
kits. However, if you know what these kits contain, it will help you to
plan
and to prepare your own survival kit.
Even
the smallest survival
kit, if properly prepared, is invaluable when faced with a survival
problem.
Before making your survival kit, however, consider your unit's mission,
the
operational environment, and the equipment and vehicles assigned to
your unit.
The
environment is the key to
the types of items you will need in your survival kit. How much
equipment you
put in your kit depends on how you will carry the kit. A kit carried on
your
body will have to be smaller than one carried in a vehicle. Always
layer your
survival kit, keeping the most important items on your body. For
example, your
map and compass should always be on your body. Carry less important
items on
your load-bearing equipment. Place bulky items in the rucksack.
In
preparing your survival
kit, select items you can use for more than one purpose. If you have
two items
that will serve the same function, pick the one you can use for another
function. Do not duplicate items, as this increases your kit's size and
weight.
Your
survival kit need not be
elaborate. You need only functional items that will meet your needs and
a case
to hold the items. For the case, you might want to use a Band-Aid box,
a first
aid case, an ammunition pouch, or another suitable case. This case
should be--
In
your survival kit, you
should have--
Some
examples of these items
are--
Include
a weapon only if the
situation so dictates. Read about and practice the survival techniques
in this
manual. Consider your unit's mission and the environment in which your
unit
will operate. Then prepare your survival kit.