Most likely you’ll only really need your survival gear when you don’t have it, so if you ALWAYS take it, it’s kinda like insurance against Mr. Murphy and his crazy law.
Well I was all set to write a blog on another subject when my automatic web search plopped a story in my lap that was too good to pass up, perfectly timed for the season as well. Let me begin by stating that people sometimes try to poke fun at me, because I always have my Bug Out Bag with me. I tell them I’d just like to be more comfortable if something were to go wrong. Before getting into the story from the Anchorage Daily News, I’d like to note the following observation from about a week ago.
It was just beginning to get light outside, I had let my car warm up for about 10 minutes to defrost all the windows. The
temperature outside was 8 degrees F, and a steady wind was blowing as it does about 364 days out of the year in my town. I stopped by the gas station to top off my tank, before heading South twenty five miles to the Wilderness Innovation shop to work for the day. I got the gas pumping, and while waiting I started to look around at all the others. I saw a number of people dressed for the chill, and I saw others dressed for a day at the office driving a desk. On the next island over a young man was pumping gas for his car, he had on a thin cotton casual shirt, short sleeves. I watched him intently as he braced himself against the wind, waiting for that familiar click, signaling the tank being full. I could tell he was anxious to get back in his warm car.
temperature outside was 8 degrees F, and a steady wind was blowing as it does about 364 days out of the year in my town. I stopped by the gas station to top off my tank, before heading South twenty five miles to the Wilderness Innovation shop to work for the day. I got the gas pumping, and while waiting I started to look around at all the others. I saw a number of people dressed for the chill, and I saw others dressed for a day at the office driving a desk. On the next island over a young man was pumping gas for his car, he had on a thin cotton casual shirt, short sleeves. I watched him intently as he braced himself against the wind, waiting for that familiar click, signaling the tank being full. I could tell he was anxious to get back in his warm car.Out of curiosity I walked by his vehicle, glancing inside to observe what kind of cold weather gear he may have had, amazingly, there was nothing, empty seats other than a laptop computer bag. My mind automatically began to process a scenario; he gets out on the highway on his way to work in the next town, something happens, a serpentine belt breaks and suddenly the engine dies. He has to check things out, standing outside totally unprotected from the brisk wind and the biting cold, if not careful he could easily become hypothermic in a very short period of time. Another scenario pops onto the stage in my mind; in his travels a storm comes up and he slips off the road, perhaps it’s hours or longer before help arrives.
All of us at times do something like this man, whether it’s with a car, a snowmobile, ATV, a boat, a plane, or just on a little day hike. In fact did you know the most dangerous thing you can do outdoors is go on a day hike? Most of the accidents or survival rescue operations occur to people just out on a day hike. Their guard is down, it’s supposed to be short, easy, no sweat, now that’s when things always seem to go wrong.
The Story
Clifton, a mechanic for a utility company in Nome, Alaska, decides at a little before 8 pm one evening to go for a little drive, perhaps cabin fever or curiosity, he decides to take a road North to see how far it’s still open. Just a quick little trip was all. About 40 miles North of town his truck suddenly lunges deep into a snowdrift. Clifton tried to dig himself out, all to no avail, and with temperatures well below zero and a wind blowing; things are complicated further by the fact that he’s dressed in gym shoes, jeans and a light jacket and it was nearly 10 pm. No one was at home, no one knew where he went, and no one would miss him for a couple of days. Sound like the plot for an interesting movie? It is a good story.
Read the full story by clicking below, think about it.
Until next time this is Perry Peacock, for “Simplifying Survival,”
READ CLIFTON’S STORY HERE – IT’S A TIMELY REMINDER TO ALL OF US
The Boy Scout motto is so appropriate, Mr. Peacock … Be Prepared! Thanks for another good warning at a very appropriate time of the year.