Survival Myths

[LSThiker]

I was internet surfing the other day and ran across numerous "survival myths" websites.  Doing a quick search here, I find no direct pages discussing survival myths (unless it is buried in another thread somewhere else).  We have all been told survival myths claimed by expert, which some are down right dangerous and can lead to death.  What are some you have heard while taught in a CAP/GT setting?

For example, a few (but no way a complete list):

Cacti hold drinkable water and are great for dehydration
Drink urine if no water available
Eating snow (not melted) is great way to rehydrate
When building a shelter, do not worry about the ground
Suck snake poison out
Rationing water in the desert

[THRAWN]

I was internet surfing the other day and ran across numerous "survival myths" websites.  Doing a quick search here, I find no direct pages discussing survival myths (unless it is buried in another thread somewhere else).  We have all been told survival myths claimed by expert, which some are down right dangerous and can lead to death.  What are some you have heard while taught in a CAP/GT setting?

For example, a few (but no way a complete list):

Cacti hold drinkable water and are great for dehydration
Drink urine if no water available
Eating snow (not melted) is great way to rehydrate
When building a shelter, do not worry about the ground
Suck snake poison out
Rationing water in the desert

FM 21-76 is the funniest book ever published.

[a2capt]

http://www.pssurvival.com/ps/military_fms/fm_21-76_us_army_survival_manual_2006.pdf

[LSThiker]

That is an excellent reference and have read it cover to cover numerous times. I used to own a copy of it but lost it during one of my moves.

So anyway what about incorrect information that you have heard being passed on?

[EMT-83]

Carry a cell phone. You can always call for help if you're otherwise clueless.

[Eclipse]

Much of the GT curriculum is taken from AFR 64-4.

AFR 64-4 (1985): http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/USAF-Survival-Manual-644.pdf
or: http://www.mediafire.com/download/yc16dnagd52vfrg/USAF-Survival-Manual-644.pdf

There's a newer version published in 2002, but I can't find it as an eBook or .PDF,
you can still get it on Amazon, but if anyone has an official ebook I've love a link.
(I came across this in a bookstore in 2002 or 2003 for about $5, eventually gave my copy to a cadet.)

And here's the 1999 version of the Multi-Service SERE Guide: http://www.equipped.org/multiservice_ser_manual_1999.pdf
(I have a hard copy signed by Ultimate Kirt!)

[Luis R. Ramos]

Yep. Carry a cell phone and rely on it.

But be sure to have one of those "unlimited use" batteries that last weeks or months on one charge...

Carrying a cell phone, while it is a great idea, is only as good as the battery lasts.

[LSThiker]

Carry a cell phone. You can always call for help if you're otherwise clueless.

It is funny how much we rely on cell phones now. 

I have heard people say "oh I will just use the compass on my phone"

[Storm Chaser]

Still better than carrying spare change for a pay phone.

[Eclipse]

^ If you can find a payphone these days...

If it's "important" to your like (physically, financially, whatever) it needs a backup.

Whether that's extra batteries, multiple services, an analog analogue to a digital device, etc.
Also, knowing how to use them is important, too.  Knowing which way North is, means nothing
if you don't know which direction help is.

[Storm Chaser]

Exactly.

[LSThiker]

True.  Although the use of a compass vs a digital compass is more of a personal preference than a survival myth. 

[ReCAP]

One issue I often see confused is the distinction between things that can be improvised and preparing yourself with the right tools for the job to begin with.  More than once I've seen someone that has some steel wool and batteries packed in his survival kit as an "emergency firestarter" because he saw it in a survival manual. 

My all-time favorite survival myth and pet peeve is "collect enough firewood to last the night".  If you just crawled out of the drink and your clothes are freezing on you, by all means build a big fire in front of a lean-to.  Otherwise, if at all possible build a fully enclosed, insulated shelter and enjoy a good night's sleep. 

[lordmonar]

That's why you teach the priorities.....shelter, fire, water, food.

[Eclipse]

That's why you teach the priorities.....shelter, fire, water, food.

Agreed - the problem with the CAP GT program is that we teach survival, which is rarely, if ever going to
be needed, but not "working in the wild" (if you can see the distinction).

So the emphasis is on Armageddon instead of what's needed from a practical perspective.

If you're building fires to eat, shelters to live, or kitty holes to poop while on a CAP SAR, your
attention is decidedly in the wrong place.

[LSThiker]

Agreed - the problem with the CAP GT program is that we teach survival, which is rarely, if ever going to
be needed, but not "working in the wild" (if you can see the distinction).

Since most of the GT survival tasks have already been removed, that really is not a problem any more.  The only tasks remotely covering such topics is "field sanitation" and "conducts actions if lost".  The "identify natural hazards" task might be included as well.

Either way, what the GT curriculum teaches and what it should not teach is irrelevant to the question.  The question is "what are some survival myths that you have heard taught in a CAP/GT setting?".  This can include false information about incorrect animal and plant identification, incorrect priorities of work, things to do when lost, things that lost people do, etc.

[lordmonar]

One of my biggest peeves with show like survivor man or Bear Guiles (SP?) is that they violate the first law when lost in the woods.....say put!

Stay with the boat, with the car, with the aircraft, where ever you are if on foot.

Sure.....you can move to higher ground or to a safer location, or to a clearing......but keep your movement to an absolute minimum.

[a2capt]

Someone might have seen something, made a report, and you left.

[blackrain]

Carry a cell phone. You can always call for help if you're otherwise clueless.

It is funny how much we rely on cell phones now. 

I have heard people say "oh I will just use the compass on my phone"

You know I actually sprung for a cheap Roshan Cell (with scratch card minutes) in Afghanistan as back-up means of comms. Ironically it was more reliable than most means especially in the Kabul area....though even in RC-East it worked pretty much everywhere....not secure but in a pinch it could be a lifesaver. I could reliably reach the Operations Center along with the various team members. I was reading "Lone Survivor" and I found myself wondering if they had had such a simple device if the outcome would have been different.

As for the US I recall some areas in southern Arizona that were like the dark side of the moon for cell reception......

[lordmonar]

Carry a cell phone. You can always call for help if you're otherwise clueless.

It is funny how much we rely on cell phones now. 

I have heard people say "oh I will just use the compass on my phone"

You know I actually sprung for a cheap Roshan Cell (with scratch card minutes) in Afghanistan as back-up means of comms. Ironically it was more reliable than most means especially in the Kabul area....though even in RC-East it worked pretty much everywhere....not secure but in a pinch it could be a lifesaver. I could reliably reach the Operations Center along with the various team members. I was reading "Lone Survivor" and I found myself wondering if they had had such a simple device if the outcome would have been different.

As for the US I recall some areas in southern Arizona that were like the dark side of the moon for cell reception......

Some Air Bases too....Creech in Nevada and Cannon in New Mexico both have crappy cell coverage.