PHOTO: JAMES SMEDLEY
SURVIVE
“Hey Honey, do you smell smoke?” PHOTO: HAP WILSON
#2 5 A Forest Fire
Forest fires spread quickly—up to eight kilometres per hour—much faster than we can run or paddle. The smell of smoke, a light dusting of ash on canoes or tents and unusual behaviour from birds and mammals are usually the first signs of an encroaching fire. The SAS Survival Guide recommends staying calm, upwind of the fire (if possible) and moving to the closest body of water such as a lake or river. If you become trapped in the fire, do the following:
• Keep your clothes on, as they protect you from the intense heat of a fire. Cover any exposed skin.
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• Semi-immerse yourself in the water. Care should be taken to avoid hypothermia.
Lightning Lightning strikes down more
people than tornadoes, snowstorms and hurricanes and remains a top offender in storm-related deaths. According to Environment Canada, nine to 10 people are killed and 92 to 164 are severely injured in Canada each year. And if you’re a guy, the stats don’t point in your favour. NASA says you’re four times more likely to be struck. So here’s how to avoid this 27,760°C bolt.
• Head to shore as soon as you see a flash of lightning or hear a rumble of thunder.
• Avoid being the tallest thing around. Stay away from tall trees, hilltops, cliffs, open water and caves . Find a level spot of terrain.
• Adopt the lightning ready position. Crouch down with your feet close
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• Cup your hands around your nose and mouth or breath through a bandana.
Ewww… PHOTO: JAMES SMEDLEY
Blood Sucking Leeches Do thoughts of the scene in the 1986
hit movie Stand By Me, where child actor Wil Wheaton pulls a fat, slimy leech out of his underpants, send chills up your spine? If so, there’s little reason to worry—only a few species of leeches feed on humans. However, if one attaches to you, here’s what—and what not—to do.
DO: The best method is to wait 10 to 20 minutes until the leech detaches itself. But if that’s too gross, use a sharp fingernail to dislodge its sucker. Remember to always wash the wound with soap and water.
DON’T: As tempting as it might seem, don’t rip the leech off. This tears your skin and can cause infection. Another treatment commonly prescribed is the application of salt or heat from a flame. While these methods work, they cause the leech to regurgitate into the open wound, which can cause infection, or worse, disease.
together, preferably on an insulated Therm-a-Rest or PFD, to wait out the storm.
• Remove any jewellery and stay away from metal objects—this is not the time to be fiddling with aluminum tent poles.
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If you’re in a group, spread out—it’s your best chance of survival.
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The First Scratch The chalk-like squeal of Kevlar
grinding over granite isn’t pretty, especially when you notice the trail of red gelcoat left behind. Before playing the blame game or signing divorce papers, understand this law of attraction: shiny, new, expensive canoes are magnetically attracted to rocks. Install skid plates for good measure.
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Broken Tent Pole Remember, prevention is key, and
yes—even 10-mm aluminum poles can break. When putting poles together, make sure that they are well seated into each other and be careful not to drop them on hard surfaces. If your pole breaks on trip, a pole sleeve in your repair kit really comes in handy. Fresh out of pole sleeves? Grab a strip of birch bark (from a dead tree), wrap it around the pole a few times and slap on some duct tape to hold it in place.
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