10 rules for survival in the forest in summer

Outdoor recreation has become very popular in recent years. City dwellers like to go to the forest with tents, go for berries and mushrooms, go for long walks, hunting and fishing. But often they become heroes of sad news. Nobody thinks that you can get lost in the forest, and few people know even the most elementary rules of behavior in an emergency. If a person misbehaves, he can die. Therefore, it is worth spending a little time and learning how you can protect yourself. Below is a list of rules for survival in the forest in the summer, read them and try to remember. Then in the event of a force majeure situation, you will know what to do.

10 Stop and don’t panic

When a person realizes that he is lost, he panics. He starts running through the forest, screaming, crying. In no case should this be done, you can move even further away from the road or the original location. The moment you realize you’re wrong, stop. Try to calm down. Accept the situation, set yourself up for the best, but be prepared to spend a long time in the forest. The easiest way to deal with fear is to accept it. Try to visualize your fear. When you realize that you have come to your senses, begin to act.

9. Call 112 and take care of charging

If you have a phone, things are not so bad. The first step is to call the emergency services on 112, tell them everything you know about your whereabouts. The service operator will determine your location, within a radius of up to 600 meters. If you are near a road or a village, he will be able to guide you by giving directions over the phone. If you are unable to get out on your own, are injured, or are too far away, a search party will be sent for you. You, in turn, need to take care of the phone. The main condition is to save charging. Do not call friends and family for the purpose of “just chatting, because I’m afraid to be here alone.” No matter how scared you are, it is better to turn off the phone, having previously agreed with the operator about when you will call next time. Number 112 works everywhere, no matter if you have a connection and money on your phone account.

8. The forests

If you get lost, don’t be afraid to shout. You think that you can attract wild animals with your cries. On the contrary, they will be frightened by your cry and will not come close. Shout, make noise, sing songs, take a stick and knock it on a tree trunk. It is difficult to determine where a person is by the voice, it creates an echo. The source of the knock is much easier to determine. It is best to take care in advance. If you often take walks in the forest, love to go for mushrooms, berries, hunt, buy yourself a whistle.

7. View the area from your vantage point

Do not run through the forest looking for a way out. Not only can you go far into the depths, but you will also get injured or fall into a hole. Look around, observe the area from where you are. If you see a road or railroad in the distance, then you can leave this place. If you follow the road, it will be easier to find you. You may not see the road, but you will hear the noise. Then boldly go to the source of noise, if cars drive along the road, someone will definitely help you. Treat abandoned forest roads with caution. Such a road will not necessarily lead you to the settlement.

6. Have a snack

Be sure to provide yourself with water before the walk. Don’t be tempted by the thought that you won’t be long and that it’s tiring to carry water around with you. Remember that without food a person can live for almost a month, and without water only 3 days. But don’t eat or drink everything you have at once. You don’t know how long you’ll be here. In summer, finding food in the forest is easy: berries, mushrooms, plants. But be careful with the gifts of nature. If you do not know what kind of plant is in front of you and whether it is possible to eat it, do not risk it, you may get poisoned or get an upset stomach.

5. Wear bright clothes

Before going to the forest, consider your outfit. It must have bright things that can be seen from afar. This way you can be found faster. Lost mushroom pickers can be hard to find. They dress in dark, discreet clothing. Also, camouflage is held in high esteem by many, in which a person in the forest is not at all visible. If you don’t have a bright jacket or trousers, buy yourself a bright vest with reflective stripes. It can be purchased at any gas station. If you are taking a child with you, buy a reflective sticker for him too. So you can be seen even at night.

4. Go down to the pond only if you are confident in your abilities

You see a body of water ahead and rush towards it with all your might. So that you do not notice any snags or holes. Be careful, you will fall and break your legs. In addition, if the reservoir has a steep bank, you can fall into it and not get out. Get down to the water slowly. If you have children, teach them how to behave around water. Most lost children fall into a river or lake and drown.

3. Report a walk and arrange a follow-up call

It is better not to go into the forest alone. But in any case, tell your loved ones about the walk, tell them your approximate route and arrange a follow-up call. If you have gone for several days, at least once a day, find an opportunity to let them know that you are doing well. Because if you go hunting for a week, for example, and get lost on the very first day, no one will look for you, and precious time will be lost. And so, if you do not get in touch, they will already be able to sound the alarm.

2. Take a compass with you

Always take a compass for a walk. As soon as you entered the forest, determine the cardinal directions. If you don’t know how to use a compass, learn how. And be sure to teach this to your children. The end of the arrow must match the letter N, this is north. You just need to remember the number that the compass shows at the entrance to the forest. You need to return in the opposite direction. If you have not taken a compass with you, but at least know where you need to go to the south or north, you can determine the cardinal points with the help of nature. Look closely at the trees, moss always grows on the north side. If you come across anthills on the way, pay attention to them, on the south side they are more gentle. The resin on the trees stands out from the north side.

1. Make a fire

If you have matches, make a fire. If it’s already late and it’s getting late in the evening, it’s time for you to take care of the lodging for the night. You will have to look for firewood for a long time, so do not delay. At night in the forest, even in summer, it can be very cold. In addition, the search engines can notice the fire. It is better not to run through the forest at all, but to stop in one place and wait for help there. You can sleep during the day and listen at night. They are looking for you, if you fall asleep, you may not hear the call of the search engines. Do not lie down on damp ground, find branches, deadwood. If you can’t get warm and it’s been going on for a long time, put your thumb and little finger together. If you succeeded, then your body is still doing fine. If not, then you’re starting to get cold. Warm up in any way, run, jump, do physical exercises.

Now you know the ways to survive in the forest in the summer. Therefore, carefully prepare before each walk. Well, if you get lost, then do not give up, do not throw tantrums, do not indulge in despair. Peace of mind will help you save your life.