Wildlife Attack

Michael and Lindy Chamberlain took their 9-week-old daughter Azaria on a camping trip to Ayers Rock, the famous monolith in the Australian desert. It was August, 1980. Sometime during the night of August 17th, little Azaria disappeared from camp. Her body was never found.

Lindy and Michael reported that their baby had been dragged away by dingos — Australian wild dogs the roam the desert regions, hunting prey at night. The authorities didn't believe that story, because the popular beliefs were that a dingo was not dangerous and would only attack if provoked. Not only that, but the theory was that a dingo was not strong enough to carry away a baby human.

An initial coroner's inquest found that a dingo had taken Azaria. A second inquest (after some of the baby's clothing was discovered in the desert) ended with Lindy being charged with murder and Michael being charged as an accessory. Lindy was accused of slashing her daughter's throat with nail scissors and making it look like a dingo attack.

Lindy was prosecuted for murder, was found guilty, and was sentenced to life in prison with hard labor. Ultimately, she spent more than three years in prison before being cleared of those charges when further evidence was found that backed up her story. But in spite of being exonerated, public opinion ran strong against the Chamberlains for years. Some spat on Lindy, others gathered outside her home and howled like dingoes.

A third inquest came to no conclusion one way or the other. At that time, no similar dingo attacks had been verified.

Then new evidence emerged of dingo attacks, including three fatal attacks on children that happened after the third inquest. A fourth inquest was held, and Australian authorities finally made it official that Azaria was killed by an attack of dingoes.

In an interview, Lindy said, "No longer will australia be able to say that dingoes are not dangerous and only attack if provoked."

This outcome is important for two reasons. First, it finally and officially clears the parents of the heinous crime they had been accused of.

Second, it illustrates to the world that the "Disney" version of life in the wilderness is not true. Nature is not all warm and fuzzy. It's harsh. Predators are always on the hunt for their next meal, and sometimes they will attack humans.

For those of us who enjoy being out in "nature" this is a clear signal that we need to take precautions to avoid a tragic encounter with wildlife.

Panic — A Contagious Breakdown in Judgment

People sometimes behave in curious ways when events happen that are out of the ordinary, and by doing so they can turn a non-disaster into a disaster all by themselves.

An example — a moderate earthquake shook the buildings in Turkey recently, causing a small amount of damage to a couple of mosque minarets.

So, how did the local residents react to the quake? Gripped by fear that evolved into panic, some of them decided to jump off of buildings and out of windows, injuring themselves and causing a bit of a local emergency medical crisis.

No one else was injured by the quake, which illustrates how poor judgment and misguided reaction to a situation can cause problems that didn't need to exist.

Panic is an interesting reaction that can become almost like a contagious disease. If you yelled "fire" in a crowded theater, then got up out of your seat and raced for the exit, there's a good chance the rest of people in that room would react as if there were some danger, joining you in the race for the exit. Pandemonium would erupt, people would get injured, and you would end up in jail because it's illegal to create a panic. Then you would probably get sued by all those injured folks. A bad idea all around.

But back to Turkey. If bystanders feeling the quake watched someone jump off the building, some of them might think that was a rational survival strategy and follow like a bunch of lemmings.

The lesson for us is to learn to think for ourselves, analyze the situation, examine rational options, then decide on a proper course of action. Don't let the unhinged reactions of other people cause you to make poor judgments yourself.

In order to be able to make good judgments when unusual circumstances present themselves, learn as much as you can about how to survive a variety of situations. Think about what you would do if… (fill in the blank to describe the scenario).

Maintain situational awareness, so you don't get caught by surprise, and can act rationally. Study the lay of the land (so to speak) and look for alternate exits or escape routes, sources of supply, and potential tools or weapons you could use if necessary. That will give you a more solid psychological foundation, and help resist the urge to panic.

Tinder Tales

In my ongoing research about fire-starting materials and techniques, I recently tested the value of dry cattail heads as a tinder material.

The old seed heads dry out late in the season and can last through the winter. They stand there all brown and fluffy, tempting anyone in need of fire-making tinder to snatch it up and use it. But here's what I found.

Cattail fluff is mostly just that — fluff. There's not much body to it. When I struck my spark into the pile of fluff, it instantly flashed into flame, giving me hope … then just as instantly the flame died out. Only the outer tips of the fluff would ignite, and they burned so fast and furiously that the flame was gone again in a heartbeat. No matter how hard I tried, huffing and puffing, manipulating the rest of the pile of fluff and encouraging it to join in the fun, it wouldn't work. I could get a coal to last for a while deep in the pile, but that coal required constant attention and air flow to stay alive. And no amount of work on my part could make the rest of the fluff pile ignite.

So, what does all that mean? In my opinion, it means that cattail fluff is a useful addition to a normal tinder bundle. Because it so readily flashes into flame, it can be considered a natural "accelerant" material that might enhance the ability to ignite the rest of a tinder bundle.

But on its own, it's not much good. For tinder to do its job, it must sustain a flame long enough to ignite fine slivers of kindling. And for kindling to work, it must sustain a flame long enough to ignite the fuel wood. Cattail fluff doesn't maintain a flame long enough to be considered good tinder on its own. But, again, I would readily add it to my normal tinder bundle because of its ability to be easily provoked into flame by a small spark.

So, by all means, add cattail fluff to your tinder bundle and see if it helps with your fire starting technique.

By the way, another material that is tempting to use is dry pine needles. My experience with these is that they don't work well. In fact, it's hard to get them to burn at all. It's as if they contain a natural fire retardant.

My favorite tinder materials are dry grasses, juniper bark, or cedar bark, shredded and worked into a birdnest shape.

Survival Story

Alec Brown and Erica Klintworth, both 21-year-old college students from the U.S., took a hike into the mountainous wilderness of New Zealand's South island — where they promptly got trapped for nine days.

The plan was to hike and camp for a few days near a hot springs. But you know how plans sometimes run amok. This was one of those times.

Torrential rain turned to sleet and then to snow, then back to rain. The foul weather continued for days on end, pinning them down beneath a makeshift tarp shelter hung over their sleeping hammocks while the river rose to a threatening roar.

Unfortunately, they weren't prepared for a 9-day stay in the wilderness. If they had been prepared, it would have been nothing more than an extended camping trip. But as it was, this turned into a dicey survival situation as they rationed their meager food supply and hoped the weather would break.

One day, it was a biscuit and jelly, shared between them. The next day, it was even less. Rations were running out, and still the storm raged, getting worse with each passing day.

After 8 days of no sign of the couple, a friend finally notified authorities and a search was begun.

When the weather abated, Alec and Erica decided to attempt to hike out of the mountains. They crossed an icy stream and were concealed by the dense forest canopy when they heard a helicopter. Eventually, they came to a road, and encountered the search and rescue team.

In the debrief, some interesting points were raised.

• The couple exercised good judgment by staying put in their survival camp during the stormy weather. If they had left the shelter and tried to hike out of the mountains in the storm, they might not have survived the exposure to the elements. 
• They didn't attempt to cross the river when the water was high and the current strong, and that was a good choice. 
• Alec made the comment that he relied on past experience hiking and camping and was confident that they would survive. But in my opinion, past experience should have prompted him to go better prepared for the the unexpected. "I believe when you go into the bush," he said, "that you take your life into your own hands and need to be prepared to handle whatever conditions occur." Then he added, "We could have been more prepared."

The good news is that they got out alive, and hopefully with a fresh perspective about what it means to be prepared for the unexpected.

On the negative side, Alec sounded flippant about the helicopter, stating, "We were climbing the mountains under dense tree cover when we first heard the helicopter we assumed was looking for us. The copter never saw us and we walked out just fine and met up with the search and rescue by the road."

What he apparently fails to understand is that the helicopter wasn't out there for a joy ride. Men and women on SAR teams risk their lives to try to save people who have gotten themselves into trouble. If you hear a helicopter, don't just stand there picking your nose — get to a clearing and do everything in your power to make yourself visible to the crew. They're out there looking for you, so don't let your ego get in the way of their rescue attempt.

Testosterone overdose is a dangerous thing. And in this case, he was responsible not only for himself, but for Erica as well. Time for him to take the next step in his maturity as an outdoorsman.

Father's Day Gift Ideas

For all of you who have dads that are outdoor enthusiasts, here are a couple of recommendations for Father's Day gifts.

• The Ultimate Survival Manual is divided into three major sections — Wilderness, Urban, and Disaster — covering 333 survival topics in brief, easy to understand segments. If you want to know how to survive an alligator attack, when the beast has grabbed you and dragged you to the bottom of the swamp for a death roll, that's #48. Or how to survive a home invasion (#253) or a hostage situation (#292). Or survive a wildfire (#160). This book's got it all. Number 40 tells you how to tell a black bear from a grizzly — important knowledge, because they respond differently to a human encounter, and what you do next can mean the difference between a happy ending … or not.  

• Rich Johnson's Guide to Wilderness Survival. This book is written in traditional chapter format with in-depth information about all the most important wilderness survival subjects — from the psychology of survival to how to forecast the weather, to building fires and shelters, to hunting and trapping for food. There are chapters to guide you through the most common wilderness medical emergencies, how to navigate your way to safety, signal for rescue, and what kind of equipment to choose for your outdoor adventure. This one is a "must have" book for anyone who loves the backcountry. 

Both of these books are available on Amazon at discounted prices, and will make great gifts.

Here's the link to the Ultimate Survival Manual: http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Survival-Manual-Outdoor-Life/dp/1616282185/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327072409&sr=1-1

And for the Wilderness Survival book, the link to Amazon is:
http://www.amazon.com/Rich-Johnsons-Guide-Wilderness-Survival/dp/0071588337/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205259668&sr=8-1

Evacuation — When It's Time To Run

Over the past couple of days, hundreds of residents have been forced out of their homes as they flee wildfires in Colorado and New Mexico. If history repeats itself, the same will probably happen again this year in southern California, as the wildfire season matures. The scene of people scrambling to get out of the path of disaster might be duplicated in the southeast and along the eastern seaboard, if the hurricane season becomes unruly. And it could take place across the midwest as tornados tear thing up.

There is hardly any place in the country where raging weather or geologic or manmade disasters can't turn  our lives upside-down. Sometimes it's possible to hunker down and do the best you can where you are. But sometimes the best course of action is to get out of the area. That raises the subject of evacuation, and how to safely get away from a disaster site.

There are five primary factors when considering evacuation:

• How to prepare your home before you go
• When to leave
• Where to go
• How to get there
• What to take with you

In some cases, you won't have a chance to do anything to prepare your home. If the crisis is at your door, you might have to just scramble to save your life, leaving all your worldly goods to fend for themselves. But if you do have time, work from a personal priority list of what you want to make sure is safe — perhaps family photos, journals, heirlooms and such. If the problem is a flood, move these items to the highest point in your home (maybe the attic). Everything else can be replaced, so focus on getting yourself out alive.

It's best to evacuate ahead of the official order for evacuation, so you can get out of the area ahead of the crowd. Listen to radio and TV reports about the advancing crisis, then make your decision early about leaving. If you get out of the area early, you can probably choose your route. If you wait too long, the highways might be clogged with traffic, making evacuation impossible or at least much more difficult.

Plan ahead to have alternative destinations in the event of an evacuation. Talk with distant friends and relatives who might take you into their home if you have to leave your own. Locate the official shelter sites in your community, so you will know how to get to them when the time comes.

Have alternative methods of transportation. If the roads are blocked, underwater, or broken up, you might not be able to use a car or truck. A motorcycle or bicycle will go places a 4-wheel vehicle cannot go. It might come down to walking, so have good walking shoes that will protect your feet from sharp or hot objects, and allow you to hike for several miles in comfort.

Prepare an evacuation bag that contains basic personal items. You don't want to end up in a community shelter and have to borrow somebody else's toothbrush. Take season-appropriate clothing, a water filter, some energy bars, basic toiletries, prescription medications, a change of underwear and socks, a flashlight, fire starter, emergency blanket — stuff like that will go a long way toward making your life as an exile more bearable.

The New Ten Essentials — A System Approach

The point of the Ten Essentials list (developed by the Mountaineers Club, with origins in the climbing course taught by the Club since the 1930s) has always been to help answer two basic questions: First, can you respond positively to an accident or emergency? Second, can you safely spend a night—or more—out? The list has evolved over time from a list of individual items to a list of functional systems; the updated Ten Essential Systems list is included in Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 8th Edition.

Ten Essentials: The Classic List

1. Map
2. Compass
3. Sunglasses and sunscreen
4. Extra clothing
5. Headlamp/flashlight
6. First-aid supplies
7. Firestarter
8. Matches
9. Knife
10. Extra food

Ten Essential Systems

1. Navigation (map & compass)
2. Sun protection (sunglasses & sunscreen)
3. Insulation (extra clothing)
4. Illumination (headlamp/flashlight)
5. First-aid supplies
6. Fire (waterproof matches/lighter/candle)
7. Repair kit and tools
8. Nutrition (extra food)
9. Hydration (extra water)
10. Emergency shelter (tent/plastic tube tent/garbage bag)

1. Navigation — Always carry a detailed topographic map of the area you are visiting, and place it in a protective case or plastic covering. Always carry a compass. Climbers may also choose to carry other navigational tools such as an altimeter or global positioning system (GPS) receiver; other aids include route markers, route descriptions, and other types of maps or photos.

2. Sun Protection — Carry and use sunglasses, sunscreen for the lips and skin, and clothing for sun protection.

3. Insulation (Extra Clothing) — How much extra clothing is necessary for an emergency? The garments used during the active portion of a climb and considered to be the basic climbing outfit include inner and outer socks, boots, underwear, pants, shirt, sweater or fleece jacket, hat, mittens or gloves, and raingear. The term “extra clothing” refers to additional layers that would be needed to survive the long, inactive hours of an unplanned bivouac.

4. Illumination — Even if the climbing party plans to return to their cars before dark, it is essential to carry a headlamp or flashlight, just in case. Batteries and bulbs do not last forever, so carry spares of both at all times.

5. First-Aid Supplies — Carry and know how to use a first-aid kit, but do not let a first-aid kit give you a false sense of security. The best course of action is to always take the steps necessary to avoid injury or sickness in the first place. At a minimum, a first-aid kit should include gauze pads in various sizes, roller gauze, small adhesive bandages, butterfly bandages, triangular bandages, battle dressing (or Carlisle bandage), adhesive tape, scissors, cleansers or soap, latex gloves, and paper and pencil.

6. Fire — Carry the means to start and sustain an emergency fire. Most climbers carry a butane lighter or two instead of matches in a waterproof container. Either must be absolutely reliable. Firestarters are indispensable for igniting wet wood quickly to make an emergency campfire. Common firestarters include candles, chemical heat tabs, and canned heat. On a high-altitude snow or glacier climb, where firewood is nonexistent, it is advisable to carry a stove as an additional emergency heat and water source.

7. Repair Kit and Tools — Knives are so useful in first aid, food preparation, repairs, and climbing that every party member needs to carry one. Leashes to prevent loss are common. Other tools (pliers, screwdriver, awl, scissors) can be part of a knife or a pocket tool, or carried separately—perhaps even as part of a group kit. Other useful repair items are shoelaces, safety pins, needle and thread, wire, duct tape, nylon fabric repair tape, cable ties, plastic buckles, cordage, webbing, and parts for equipment such as tent, stove, crampons, snowshoes, and skis.

8. Nutrition (Extra Food) — For shorter trips, a one-day supply of extra food is a reasonable emergency stockpile in case foul weather, faulty navigation, injury, or other reasons delay the planned return. An expedition or long trek may require more. The food should require no cooking, be easily digestible, and store well for long periods. A combination of jerky, nuts, candy, granola, and dried fruit works well. If a stove is carried, cocoa, dried soup, and tea can be added. There are many possibilities.

9. Hydration (Extra Water) — Carry extra water and have the skills and tools required for obtaining and purifying additional water. Always carry at least one water bottle or collapsible water sack. Daily water consumption varies greatly. Two quarts (liters) daily is a reasonable minimum; in hot weather or at high altitudes, 6 quarts may not be enough. In dry environments, carry additional water. Plan for enough water to accommodate additional requirements due to heat, cold, altitude, exertion, or emergency.

10. Emergency Shelter — If the climbing party is not carrying a tent, carry some sort of extra shelter from rain and wind, such as a plastic tube tent or a jumbo plastic trash bag. Another possibility is a reflective emergency blanket. It can be used in administering first aid to an injured or hypothermic person, or can double as a means of
shelter.

Adapted from Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills, 8th Edition by The Mountaineers, The Mountaineers Books, $29.95 (paperback), $39.95 (hardback).

Keeping in mind that the list was generated by and for mountaineers, and is being used by search and rescue organizations, it also has application for all outdoor enthusiasts. With that in mind, I would add an eleventh category — Signaling / Communication. When you're in a survival situation, the faster you can establish contact with the outside world, the faster you get out of the survival situation. Items to include in the additional category include such things as a signal mirror, whistle, 2-way radio, cell phone, personal locator beacon.