Dark FaultSurvival priorities
When things go wrong, deal with what kills fastest first. The rule of threes is a rough guide, not a medical fact. People can last less, or more.
| You can survive about | Without | So deal with |
|---|---|---|
| 3 minutes | Air, or with severe bleeding | Breathing and bleeding first |
| 3 hours | Shelter in harsh cold, wet or heat | Shelter and body temperature |
| 3 days | Water | Water |
| 3 weeks | Food | Food |
The first ten minutes
- Stop. Sit down, breathe, and think before you move.
- Check for danger: traffic, fire, water, falling rock, weather.
- Treat life threats: severe bleeding, not breathing. See First aid.
- Get out of the weather: wind, rain and wet ground take heat fastest. See Shelter.
- Tell someone: a call, a text, a radio call or a signal. See Signalling and Radio.
- Make a plan, then act on it.
Search and rescue teams teach the same order as STOP: Stop, Think, Observe, Plan.
Stay or go?
Staying put near a vehicle, a trail or a clearing usually makes you easier to find. Leave only when staying is more dangerous, or when you know the way out and someone knows your plan.
Sources
- Ready.gov: Build a kit and make a plan (FEMA, US government, public domain)
- US Army Techniques Publication ATP 3-50.21, Survival (US government work, public domain)