The first thing to do in a survival situation

When it comes to being stuck in a survival situation, there’s no single answer as to what you should do. Each situation will present a different set of priorities and so simply writing a step-by-step list of actions isn’t practical and could even be counterproductive. Being stuck in the middle of the Arctic would cause shelter and warmth to become a priority, whereas finding yourself on a sinking boat would obviously require a different plan of action. However, there is one thing that can be applied to any survival situation where your life isn’t in immediate danger, and it is called the S.T.O.P. technique.

Stop

When you realize that you’re lost in the wild or begin to panic, the first thing to do in a survival situation is simply stop where you are and take a few deep breaths. When people panic and become anxious, they often make decisions out of fear instead of from rational thought, so the goal here is to clear your head to the point that you can calmly and safely choose the best cause of action. Even if the sun is rapidly setting or your escape is greatly behind schedule, you can always take 30 seconds to stand still and breathe deeply. Trying to cover an unrealistic distance while the sun is going down because you’re scared of being in the woods at night will probably see you trapped there when it gets dark, but this time without that last bit of light to help you build a shelter or gather firewood. Thinking clearly will help you to see these mistakes before they happen and stopping for a short while to calm your nerves is a good way to clear your head.

Think

It can be tempting to just think “That’s probably the way to safety, let’s go” but this will most likely do more harm than good unless you know exactly where you are. At this stage try to ask yourself as many questions as possible to help figure out the best plan of action, but these questions will depend on your situation. Some examples are below:

• When was the last time you knew where you were and is it possible to get back there?

• Can you still see something at the point you currently are that could be seen from earlier when you knew where you were, a mountain for example, or something in the distance?

• How long is it until sunset and what do you realistically have time to achieve before then?

• Is anyone expecting you back at a certain time and would they come looking for you if you didn’t return?

• Is there anything that seems useless now but could come in handy later on? For example, if you are stranded in a car and decide to walk somewhere, would it be worth taking a wing mirror to signal with or cutting off some rubber from a tire to provide a thick black smoke plume for a signal fire?

• What’s your supply situation like? Do you have enough food and water for a lengthy walk and do you have enough equipment to build a proper shelter for the night?

The questions that you ask yourself should be relevant to your situation and should be aimed at trying to figure out where you are and how much trouble you are really in.

(Mountains never move and are one of the best and easiest to see point of reference if you get lost)

Observe

Taking note of your surroundings on a regular basis will help you not only maintain a more accurate direction when you start to move but could also present some useful opportunities. A nearby hill or high point could offer a much better view or a small stream you can see will probably lead to a larger water source where your chances of finding someone will increase. Don’t just look at what’s immediately around you but note everything you can see in the distance, including the weather which may catch you by surprise if you aren’t paying enough attention to what’s happening in the distance.

Plan

Based on where you think you are, your environment, your supplies, and the time of day, you should now be able to make the best plan possible to determine the most efficient and safest way to get out of your situation. What before could have resulted in you just trying to get as far as possible before dark could now turn into a sensible plan involving realistic and safer targets based on your supplies and capabilities.

A note about fear

It’s no one’s fault that they panic or get scared in certain situations because it’s one of the things that makes us human. Fear is a warning to us that something may be unsafe and makes us feel like we should avoid it so we don’t suffer physical injury, but often fear can be baseless and it can build on itself. Thinking to yourself that you might not get out of your situation before dark could cause you to fear for your life, which could in turn cause you to become scared you may not see your loved ones again which will increase panic and stress and all the other things you don’t need in a survival situation. When you have all these negative thoughts and feelings clouding your mind you will most likely miss the opportunity to think of the safest and most sensible option to get out of your situation, and all of this can be avoided, or at least give you a much better chance of avoiding if you take a minute or two and just S.T.O.P.