You're answering nature’s call,
when suddenly,
you hear the grinding sound
of an engine starting.
As you run out,
you discover
that your tour guide
has left you behind.
The bag you carefully packed
full of food and water
is underneath your seat
in the vanishing vehicle.
What are you going to do now?
We cannot live without water
for very long.
The exact amount of time
depends on many factors,
such as your age,
health,
and the environment you're in.
A lot of people
are afraid of being alone.
And being stranded in some isolated,
unfamiliar place is even worse.
What can you do to survive?
Protecting yourself
from the dangers of nature
is key to your survival.
This means
you need to find shelter
from the dangerous elements,
whether it be cold, heat,
rain, or snow.
Use whatever you have with you
to shield yourself from the environment,
whether it be extra tarp or nearby logs.
Without protection, you're at risk
of becoming one of the 1,028 people
in the U.S.
who die from exposure to cold
or heat, each year.
You may not have had
Boy Scout or
Girl Guide training,
but hopefully you'll remember this,
the survival Rule of Threes.
A person can survive for three minutes
without oxygen or in icy water.
A person can survive for three hours
without shelter in a harsh environment.
Luckily, you are in the great outdoors
with no shortage of fresh air
and seasonable weather.
So if you have found shelter,
and the climate is not extreme,
it’s the final rule of three
that is your biggest concern.
A person can survive
for three days without
water, and three weeks
without food.
So remember,
finding or making shelter
comes first.
But after you have shelter,
you need to find drinkable water.
Water makes up 60%
of an adult’s body weight.
So, an adult human
needs to drink at least
1.5 liters (1.3 quarts) of water
to stay healthy.
A 56-year-old woman found that out
when she and her husband
were stranded in the Nevada wilderness
after their vehicle became stuck in mud.
Her husband left to find help,
but he never came back.
Rita survived by staying in the vehicle,
and eating what little
trail mix and food she had.
And she stayed hydrated
by eating melted snow.
Yup, your last priority is food.
Your body has stored fat
and calories to burn
for the first couple of hours
and, potentially, days.
If your body has not had food
for eight to 12 hours,
its glucose storage will be depleted,
so you'll begin to use
amino acids to provide energy.
This process affects the muscles,
and can continue for about three days.
Then your metabolism will change
to preserve lean body tissue.
To prevent excessive muscle loss,
the body starts to rely
on its fat stores
to create ketones for energy.
This results in major weight loss.
Oh, I almost forgot to
tell you about sex.
Sorry guys,
but the ladies
have an advantage this time.
Females naturally store
more fat on their bodies,
and that will help them
to survive longer without food.
If weather allows it,
you can begin to
forage through nature for food.
As a general rule of thumb,
you can eat insects
such as ants,
termites,
grasshoppers,
or crickets.
Yum.
But you should avoid
eating spiders.
And anything with
bright colors could be dangerous to eat.
If you catch something that
has more than six legs,
you should probably
go looking for plants instead.
The average person will
find it difficult to locate
safe plants to eat,
but if you are knowledgeable,
this could be your time to
dine on nature's salad buffet.
Remember,
your body needs time to recover
and balance
its energy consumption,
so resting
and getting a good night's sleep
is essential for surviving.
It is important that your shelter
protects you from nature’s fury
so you can get that
desperately needed shut-eye.
This is why finding shelter
is your first priority
when you're stranded.
A cave could offer
the shelter you need to
save your life.
But what if you're in a cave
and it collapses?
Don't panic.
Find out here,
on How to Survive.