So, What’s in Your Possible Kit!? ©

 

The author’s possible kit, photograph by the author.

This is the fourth installment of the Oelslager Files, articles inspired by the works of the late Dr. Robert William “Doc” Oelslager.  Also, since everyone around the world is dealing with COVID-19, I thought something lighter and non-virus would be a good thing. – Author’s note

So, what’s in your “possible kit”!? 

Have you even ever heard of a possible kit?  It’s possible you might be asking yourself right now, “what’s a possible kit?”  And maybe you are thinking, “isn’t that just another name for a survival kit?”

In my mind a possible kit isn’t a survival kit, it is more like a toolbox, or maybe, depending on your level of organization, a junk-drawer, full of a little bit of everything.

Personally, whenever I head out into the wilderness, I always bring my possible kit, my personal first aid kit and my survival kit.  I always have both my personal first aid kit and my survival kit on me, and I keep my possible kit in my pack.  A possible kit should complement your survival kit and it should be available for everyday use, while a survival kit is for emergencies only¹.  Think of it as a kit for “it’s possible it might happen” or “it’s possible I might need it”

“So, What’s In Your Possible Kit!?”

My possible kit only weighs 8 ounces (227 grams) and here is what I keep in it.

 

The author’s possible kit, enumerated, photograph by the author.

1)     A zippered pouch to hold all the “possibles”.

2)     A LED flashlight, a spare in addition to the one in my survival kit and first aid kit.

3)     3 spare AAA batteries for my headlamp and the flashlights in my first aid kit, survival kit and possible kit.

4)     A Swiss+Tech®, multi-tool, with needle nose pliers, a saw, a Philips head screwdriver, can opener and knife.

5)     A flat head and a Philips head screwdriver for repairing eyeglasses.

6)     An eye glass repair kit: screws, spacers, nose pads and a cleaning cloth

7)     16 feet (almost 5 meters) of 15-pound test, braided nylon line, for use as heavy sewing thread.

8)     2 feet (.6 meters) of 22 gauge (.73 mm) galvanized steel wire.  I have used wire like this in the past to reattach the sole of a water shoe to its upper.  Wire can be used for repairing just about anything.

9)     2 large eyed, heavy duty sewing needles: the smaller one is a # 17 carpet needle that is 2 inches (52 mm) long and the other one is a #14 darning needle that is 3 inches long (78 mm).  Both are stuck into a piece of heavy-duty nylon patch cloth.  The large elongated eyes on the needles make threading them, much simpler.

10)   4 large safety pins stuck into another piece of heavy-duty nylon patch cloth.

11)   A pencil.

12)   A pencil sharpener.  This is also very useful for making fine tinder to help you get your fire started.

13)   A file to sharpen my axe with, an axe without something to sharpen it, is just an oddly shaped hammer

14)   A whetstone to sharpen my knives.

15)   A 5 foot (1.5 meter) long tape measure.  I have used this to measure and diagram an old logging blaze on a stump on the shore of Lake Louisa, Algonquin Provincial Park (for pictures of the stump and my drawing, see “The Madawaska River Loop: Whitefish, to Pen, to Harry and Louisa…And Back Again! Part One ©”, HERE)

16)   A thermometer, emergency whistle, magnifying-glass, pocket compass, all in one all-purpose tool.

17)   5 mini-zip ties.  When I reattached the sole of the water shoe to its upper, I also used some small zip ties to complete the repair.

18)   3 heavy-duty rubber bands.  These originally came wrapped around celery stalks from the grocery store, they have literally 1,001 uses.

 

An excerpt from the 1969 edition of Survival Training Edition, AF Manual 64-3, page 1-4.  Notice how many of the items in this list are in my possible kit, which is why I say that possible kits can and should complement your survival kit2.

Now the nice thing about possible kits, is that you can put anything into them, whatever you think you might need at some point in your travels. 

 

An excerpt from Scouting magazine, March/April 1982, page Scout 3 Jul 82, also reproduced in R.W. Oelslager’s The Winter Experience, figure 639, page 325

The possible kit shown in Scouting Magazine, March/April 1982, which was also reproduced in R.W. Oelslager’s The Winter Experience, included aspirins and band-aids, which are things that I keep in my personal first aid kit.  Since, I always keep my personal first aid kit in my pocket when I am in the wilderness, I don’t include first aid supplies in my possible kit.  Additionally, this kit included matches, a razor blade, fishhooks and tape, which are things that I keep in my survival kit.  It also included a dime, which for all of you who were born into the age of cell phones, was needed to make an emergency phone call home from a pay phone.

 

An excerpt from a Ziploc® advertisement, found in Field & Stream, May 1988, page 124

And you don’t have to be to fancy with the pouch for the possible kit either, many people simply keep their possible kit in a Ziploc® bag. 

So, what’s in your possible kit!?

I hope that you continue to enjoy The Woodsman’s Journal Online and look for me on YouTube at Bandanaman Productions for other related videos, HERE.  Don’t forget to follow me on both The Woodsman’s Journal Online, HERE, and subscribe to BandanaMan Productions on YouTube.  If you have questions, as always, feel free to leave a comment on either site.  I announce new articles on Facebook at Eric Reynolds, on Instagram at bandanamanaproductions, and on VK at Eric Reynolds, so watch for me.

That is all for now, and as always, until next time, Happy Trails!

Notes

¹ In case of emergency, there is a good chance that I will end up separated from my luggage and my possible kit.  And even though there might be some duplicated items between my possible kit and my survival kit, as long as I can carry the extra weight, I’m OK with the overlap.

² A good PDF copy of the 1969, Survival Training Edition, AF Manual 64-3, is available at https://books.googleusercontent.com/books/content?req=AKW5QafWD_tnrQah_123Vdzf3cUpFscGc1tFZ-mbT-8cLuvT6d1JOFoeQlpZjQbXWlXEO-JRFjM2zPz-X6Onjky9dyQvtAsro4vU1ZyTDJZU2lPkGAIbXdRTWZjN_ADI4wxK69JTKD-WtXPfLP_9sXVUEJgUJUgaNEHZBDz_cCT8MAu1Gh2rvykD-jv0vtmQtE1Lk6RTR3yH4u_3X1lFrKXyAqoFohpKGI1xiMRoW0iOYD3g5JH6DHIjKdb6uFLL07Ijf42tXamK

Sources

Department Of The Air Force, Survival Training Edition, AF Manual 64-3, [Air Training Command, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., August 15, 1969], p. 1-4

“Possible Kit”, Scouting Magazine, Vol. 70, No. 2, March/April 1982 [Boy Scouts of America, Irving, Texas], p. Scout 3 Jul 82, https://books.google.com/books?id=XSsbxPzAVfUC&pg=RA5-PT21&lpg=RA5-PT21&dq=scouting+%22we+ought+to+take+a+minute%22&source=bl&ots=vxOmVqq7Ak&sig=ACfU3U02ibVcmaTtuT10LmaPJSeYRwcNWA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi-s8PJxY3oAhUOTN8KHVNNDQcQ6AEwAHoECAMQAQ#v=onepage&q=scouting%20%22we%20ought%20to%20take%20a%20minute%22&f=false, Accessed March 9, 2020

Ziploc® advertisement, Field & Stream, May 1988, Vol. XCIII, No. 1, [Times Mirror Magazines, New York, NY] p. 124

https://books.google.com/books?id=rX5eHMAsXywC&pg=PA120&lpg=PA120&dq=%22Field+%26+Stream%22+%22when+trout+that+are+surface-feeding%22&source=bl&ots=eBd84pjFcL&sig=ACfU3U0e6KRSK2iAO_uSCjKQIHALxzU6mw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi-6uGdyo3oAhVKh-AKHSsNDtAQ6AEwAHoECAIQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Field%20%26%20Stream%22%20%22when%20trout%20that%20are%20surface-feeding%22&f=false, accessed March 9, 2020

COVID-19, And A Simple, Homemade Respiratory Mask ©

 

An excerpt from “Simple Respiratory Mask”, page 1033

For a video demonstrating how to put on the mask built according to the study a "Simple Respiratory Mask", go HERE or HERE, -- Author's Note  

With the current concerns over the COVID-19 and shortages of masks, and with the sincere hope that you never need this information, I am writing this article.  I am not an alarmist, I haven’t bugged-out for the woods...yet, laugh out loud!  I like to read about prepping though, my Father says that I would stop to read soup labels and he’s probably right.  I am also not a doctor and I don’t even play one on TV.  I just read a lot and I found this article several years ago and thought that I would pass it on to you. 

I am not saying that you need to stockpile N95 masks or make homemade, simple respirator masks because of the coronavirus, however “forewarned is forearmed”¹ and it never hurts to know how to do things.  A simple homemade respiratory mask, equivalent to a N95 mask, made with locally available materials, which can be washed and sterilized with methods available worldwide, “...may be a solution if commercial masks are not available”². 

However, before I begin I need to share the opinions and disclaimers of the CDC with regards to this article, since it was published on their web site: “The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above”³.  So, draw your own conclusions from the material below, I am not offering medical advice and I do not represent, endorse, guaranty or warranty this information: it is simply provided for your continuing education and enlightenment.

 

Photograph by the author.

There are two types of face masks, and the air purifying respirator masks like the N95 masks offer more protection than a simple disposable medical face mask or a surgical mask, both of which are generally loose fitting.

Disposable face masks simply create a barrier between your nose and mouth and splashes or large particles and droplets.  They cannot filter out the very small particles or droplets that are created when people talk, sneeze or cough.  They also do not fit tightly around your face and therefore, they allow air to leak under the mask and into your mouth and nose.  This type of mask, by definition, is disposable and if they become damaged, dirty, soiled or stained they should be disposed of and replaced with a new mask.

The U.S. Department of Labor recommends air purifying respiratory masks, either N95, N99 or N100 masks for workers working with victims of viruses.  Remember viruses like the corona virus, COVID-19, spread when infected people sneeze, cough or talk, spewing droplets containing the virus into the air and possibly into the eyes, mouth, nose, throat or lungs of a nearby person.  The greater the N-value of a mask, the greater the protection a properly fitted mask provides: N95 respiratory masks are 95% efficient at filtering the 0.3µ (micron) particles created when people talk, sneeze or cough.  Another thing to know about N95 masks is that they can be fatiguing to wear, the authors of a “Simple Respiratory Mask”, noted that while the testers wore this mask for an hour without any difficulty, they could not comment on what it was like to wear while performing strenuous work or in adverse environments.

 

Photograph by the author.

To make this simple respiratory mask you will need a heavy-weight T-shirt.  The authors of this study used a Hanes Heavyweight 100% cotton T-shirt made in Honduras, I used a Gildan Ultra Cotton, 100% pre-shrunk T-shirt, made in Nicaragua.  You will also need a pair of sharp scissors and a ruler or tape-measure, and a magic marker doesn’t hurt. 

Before beginning, boil the T-shirt for ten minutes and then air dried it, this maximizes shrinkage and sterilizes the cloth: this method of sterilization is available worldwide.

 

An excerpt from “Simple Respiratory Mask”, page 1033

   

Step One: The Outer Layer

To make the outer layer, you need a piece of T-shirt that is 14-½ inches tall to just over 28 inches long (37 cm tall by 72 cm long).  I found that if I cut upwards to the bottom of the sleeve and then around the back of the T-shirt to the bottom of the other sleeve and then another 5 inches (about 13 cm) further around towards the front of the shirt, I would end up with a piece of cloth with the correct dimensions.

 

Photographs by the author.

  

Step Two: The Inner Layers

In this step you will make the eight inner layers for the simple respiratory mask from pieces of T-shirt that are 7 inches tall by 7 inches long (18 cm tall by 18 cm long).  I found that I was able to cut out three of the inner layers from the material on the back of the shirt between the sleeves.  The other five pieces came from the front of the shirt. 

If you have a wide face, the authors of this study, suggested that you make and use inner layers that are larger than 7 inches square (18 cm by 18 cm square), so that you will have less air leakage when you wear the mask.

 

Photographs by the author.

  

Step Three: Making the Ties

This step is the easiest.  First, I assembled the inner layers; two layers cross-grain, two layers straight, or lengthwise-grain, two layers cross-grain, and finally two more layers laid straight-grain.⁴  I placed the assembled inner layers onto the bottom center of the outer layer.

 

Photographs by the author.

  

Next, I measured down 5-½ inches (14 cm) from the top edge of the outer layer and then made a 9 inch (23 cm) long cut in towards the center of the outer layer, I did this on both sides  This creates tie “A” which is then rolled down, in a roll that is about 1-¼ to 1-½ inches wide (32 to 38 mm), stopping at the top edge of the inner layers.  Measure up from the bottom edge of the outer layer by 6 inches (15 cm) and then cut in toward the center on both sides, making a cut 9 inches (23 cm) long; and these two cuts create ties “B” and “C”

 

Photograph by the author.

  

Step Four: Making the Nose Slit

 

An excerpt from “Simple Respiratory Mask”, page 1033

 

Photographs by the author.

  

Make a “nose slit” for the bridge of your nose in the center of tie “A”.  Measure in from either edge about 14 inches (36 cm) and make a slit about a ¼ inch (64 mm) from the top and bottom edge of the 1-¼ to 1-½ inches wide roll that is tie “A”.  This slit should be 1 inch long (25mm) and penetrate through no more than three layers of tie “A”.

 

An excerpt from “Simple Respiratory Mask”, page 1033

  

Now that the mask is made it is time to put it on.  I found that it is easier to put the mask on in front of a mirror.  Start by putting the “nose slit” in tie “A” over the bridge of your nose and then tie, tie “A” below the back of your neck.  Adjust the fit around your nose and cheekbones to eliminate any air leakage.  If the seal is not tight and there is air leakage, the authors of a “Simple Respiratory Mask” suggest that you push the rolled fabric of tie “A”, up or down on your cheekbones until the leakage stops.  If the seal is still not tight the authors further suggest that you push extra T-shirt material under tie “A”, between your cheekbones and your nose.  I cut out an extra 7 inch by 7 inch (18 cm by 18 cm) piece of T-shirt to use as an air leakage cloth.

 

Photograph by the author.

  

Next tie, tie “B” over and on top of your head.  If the ties are too short, knot extensions to each end of tie “B”.  I cut out extensions which were 3 inches wide by 9 inches long (8 cm wide by 23 cm long) from the remains of my T-shirt.  These are about the same dimensions as tie “B” and should give you plenty of length to knot this tie over your head.

And the last step in putting on this mask, is to tie, tie “C” behind your head and voila, you are masked.

 

Note the roll of cloth, just visible on the bridge of my nose, tucked under my mask to stop air leakage

 

Photographs by the author.

  

The authors of a “Simple Respiratory Mask” noted that commercially available N95 respirators required a fit factor of 100 against aerosol contaminants to be considered adequate in the workplace.  The homemade mask featured in the “Simple Respiratory Mask” study, achieved with one author, a fit factor of 67 and a fit factor of 13 and 17, with the other two authors, who had larger faces.  The authors felt that this homemade N95 respiratory mask would have a lower fit factor and therefore be less effective than commercially manufactured N95 respiratory masks.  They felt that this would be especially true when these homemade masks were made by amateurs.  Additionally, they thought there might be problems due to variations in locally available materials, cultural practices, facial structures, beards, etc.  It should be noted that when using any respirator, you need to be clean-shaven...sorry guys!  The authors of this study did not recommend using this homemade mask in place of a commercially manufactured N95 mask, however they did feel that this homemade mask provided a good fit and a measurable level of protection from aerosol contaminants.  In the end it comes down to “something is better than nothing”.

I hope that you continue to enjoy The Woodsman’s Journal Online and look for me on YouTube at Bandanaman Productions for other related videos, HERE.  Don’t forget to follow me on both The Woodsman’s Journal Online, HERE, and subscribe to BandanaMan Productions on YouTube.  If you have questions, as always, feel free to leave a comment on either site.  I announce new articles on Facebook at Eric Reynolds, on Instagram at bandanamanaproductions, and on VK at Eric Reynolds, so watch for me.

That is all for now, and as always, until next time, Happy Trails!

Notes

¹ “Forewarned is forearmed” means that you can be appropriately prepared if you know something in advance.  Knowledge in advance enables one to be prepared in advance. This expression originated as a Latin proverb, Praemonitus, praemunitus, which was translated into English by the early 1500s as “forewarned, forearmed”, and it has a similar meaning to the saying “a word to the wise”.  From the Free Dictionary by Farlex, https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/forewarned+is+forearmed and The Phrase Finder , https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/forewarned-is-forearmed.html

² Virginia M. Dato, David Hostler and Michael E. Hahn, “Simple Respiratory Mask”, page 1033

³ CDC, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Emerging Infectious Diseases

⁴ According to the web site, The Spruce Crafts, “What Is a Fabric's Crosswise Grain?”, cross grain is “The crosswise grain of a piece of fabric is a term that describes the threads that run perpendicular to the length of fabric as it comes off the bolt”, this grain runs across the width of the cloth.  Therefore, straight or lengthwise grain of a fabric is the term that describes the threads that run parallel to the length of the fabric as it comes off the bolt.

Sources

CDC, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Emerging Infectious Diseases, June 2006, Volume 12, Number 6, https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/12/6/05-1468-f1, accessed March 5, 2020

Dato, Virginia M., Hostler, David, and Hahn, Michael E. “Simple Respiratory Mask”, Emerging Infectious Diseases, June 2006, Volume 12, Number 6, p. 1033-1034. https://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1206.051468, accessed March 5, 2020

Kekatos, Mary; “Mask mania”, February 27, 2020, Dailymail.com, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8051799/Can-face-mask-really-protect-against-coronavirus.html, accessed March 5, 2020

Wickell, Janet; The Spruce Crafts, “What Is a Fabric's Crosswise Grain?”, https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/what-is-a-fabrics-crosswise-grain-2821571, accessed March 10, 2020

What Are You Scared Of?! ©

 

The Canadian bush, near the shore of Lake Louisa, Algonquin Provincial Park, photograph by the author.

You are “misplaced”¹ in the woods and the Sun is going down!  According to your finger clock, you have about four-fingers or an hour, till full dark (for more information on “Estimating The Time Till Sunset”, click HERE).  You are alone and the night-time sounds of the forest scare you.  You are tired, but you are afraid to sleep because your fire might go out or maybe you will freeze to death while you sleep?  Maybe you are afraid of the dark?

No one likes to be scared; however, fear is a normal emotional response to an unexpected and stressful situation.  It can and will happen to you, if you ever become “misplaced”.  It even happens to experienced guides and survival writers, like me, from time to time.  There is no sin in being afraid, however giving into to your fears and panicking is dangerous!  If you panic in the woods, or in any situation really, the situation will only get worse.  Panicking in the woods means that instead of being simply “misplaced”, you are now “lost” and on the path to death!

Should you become “misplaced” or worse yet “lost” your greatest enemy will be your fears, and once fear has set in, it is swiftly followed by the rest of the “Seven Enemies of Survival”²: cold, thirst, hunger, boredom, loneliness, pain and fatigue; all of which can make your fears worse and lead to panic.  These enemies of survival may attack in groups, and in which case they have a cumulative effect, or singly.  Since they are familiar to us, we sometimes overlook them, until it is too late.  These psychological enemies of survival are real and your mental reactions to them, if not firmly controlled can increase your fears and lead to panic: not to be too melodramatic, your reaction to them will determine if you live or die.

Name Them to Tame Them...

The best thing to do if you are scared is to name your fears and talk about them aloud to yourself.  Simply by verbalizing and naming your fears you can start to control them.  Things are never as scary as you imagine them to be.

  

An excerpt from “Psychological Aspects and Seven Enemies of Survival”, by Flight Officer E. M. Beldam, page 31

So just what are we afraid of?  Below are some of the common fears that plague people, both adults and children, when they are “misplaced” in the wilderness.

Scary Night-time Sounds...

“Shhh...What’s that?!  I think I heard something!”  Have you ever had a conversation like that while sitting around a campfire late at night?  Imagine that you are alone, without a fire and you are “misplaced”.  Now imagine that you are injured or a child.  Wow, that just got scary very, very fast, didn’t it?  So, what do you do in a situation like that? 

 

Information on the International Whistle Code from the back of a Fox 40 Whistle package, picture by the author.

Simple, if you hear a noise in the woods, a good rule is to “answer a noise with a noise”.  Pull out your whistle and blast three, three-second long whistle blasts at it, wait a minute and do it again, and keep doing it until you feel better.  Usually you don’t have to worry about wild animals, since they don’t like to be near people.  If it was an animal that made the noise, then it will run away, if it was a rescuer that made the noise, then you are found. 

“What if I don’t have a whistle?”  If you don’t have a whistle, and you should always have one if you go into the wilderness, sing your favorite song, bang a stick on a log or a rock, or as a last resort, shout.

 

An excerpt from “Scouts and Outposts”, The Climbers’ Club Journal, page 178

  

“Why is it important to always have a whistle”, you ask?  I often ask students of my survival classes, “how long can you yell for help, before you become hoarse?”  Another question that I always ask, “How far do think your shouts for help will carry?”  The answers to these questions are, unfortunately, not very long and not as far as you would like.  Shouts for help can only be heard for about 100 meters or yards, depending upon the atmospheric conditions and whether there are leaves on the trees or not, which in the grand scheme of the wilderness isn’t very far.  A whistle on the other hand can be heard for much greater distances, between 200 to 400 meters or yards, depending on what type of whistle that it is³.  This is why whistles are important survival tools and you should never leave home without one. 

If I Fall Asleep...

Have you ever been “misplaced” in the wilderness and thought, “If I fall asleep, I might freeze to death!”  What about “If I fall asleep, my fire might go out!”

An excerpt from “Survival In The Open”, by John T Flynn, M.D., page 62

  

I have slept outside, rough⁴ a number of times and I have been pretty cold, and sometimes I had a fire and sometimes I didn’t.  What I noticed was, whenever the fire burned down or I was too cold to sleep, I shivered myself awake.  Sometimes if your fire burns low, you will have do more than just throw wood on it, you might have to blow it back to life from the hot embers!  This is why you should always keep plenty of tinder on hand.  If you are sleeping without a fire and you wake up because you are cold, it is time to do some exercises; jumping jacks, deep knee bends, walking around and around a large tree trunk, whatever it takes to warm you up and get the blood flowing again.

In the Dark of the Night!

 

A campfire on Lake Louisa, Algonquin Provincial Park, photo by the author.

  

Have you ever been all alone in the woods at night without a fire?  It is really dark and kinda scary.  It’s hard not to be afraid when you can’t see your hand in front of your face.  Don’t forget that there is nothing wrong with being scared of the dark, a lot of people are.  Also, remember that nothing changes just because the sun goes down and it gets dark.  You can overcome your fear of dark by memorizing your surroundings, while it is light, so that you can see with your memory when it gets dark.

No matter what you are scared of, remember to keep busy and to keep calm by singing, whistling, making plans for what you will do later to help yourself survive, or even by telling yourself jokes or stories. Talk to yourself out loud; go ahead, no one but you can hear you anyways.  Use your imagination to pretend you are somewhere else that you really enjoy, imagine doing something fun or eating a big meal.  Do whatever it takes to make yourself feel better and to keep your fears from turning to panic.  Remember, it okay to be scared and “misplaced” things are found, but if you panic you are “lost” and sometimes “lost” things are just never found. 

I hope that you continue to enjoy The Woodsman’s Journal Online and look for me on YouTube at Bandanaman Productions for other related videos, HERE.  Don’t forget to follow me on both The Woodsman’s Journal Online, HERE, and subscribe to BandanaMan Productions on YouTube.  If you have questions, as always, feel free to leave a comment on either site.  I announce new articles on Facebook at Eric Reynolds, on Instagram at bandanamanaproductions, and on VK at Eric Reynolds, so watch for me.

That is all for now, and as always, until next time, Happy Trails!

Notes

¹ For years I have taught that, you are never “lost”, only “misplaced”, because misplaced things are found, lost things are not and that is scary.  The reason that this distinction is important, is that in the woods, panic kills, and sometimes word-games make all the difference in your ability to deal with “wood shock” and overcome panic.  For more information read “You Are Never Lost, Only Misplaced…©”, HERE.

² The “Seven Enemies of Survival”, or as they are sometimes called “The Seven Deadly Enemies of Survival”; are pain, cold, thirst, hunger, fatigue, boredom and loneliness.  Your psychological reaction to these enemies of survival largely determine if you will or won’t survive an unexpected situation in the wilderness.  The “Seven Enemies of Survival” as a concept was first developed by Ellis Paul Torrance, in 1953.

³ Scott Free, the author of “Whistle Test: Bigger, Better, New & Improved”, stressed in his article that the greater the distance over which your whistle could be heard, the greater the lung power required to blow it.  If you are injured, exhausted, elderly or a child the more powerful whistles might be impossible for you to use.

⁴ “Sleep rough”, this is a British phrase, which means “to sleep outside because you do not have anywhere to live”, which if you are “misplaced” in the wilderness is true.  Macmillan Dictionary, https://www.macmillandictionary.com/us/dictionary/american/sleep-rough

Sources

Andrews, Arthur Westlake; “Scouts and Outposts”, The Climbers’ Club Journal, Vol. VII, No. 28, [George Philip & Son, London, 1905], p 178 https://books.google.com/books?id=sU5NAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA180&dq=scout+how+far+shout&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&ppis=_e&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiRrYTP7v_nAhVOmuAKHTiGBxAQ6AEwBnoECAQQAg#v=onepage&q=scout%20how%20far%20shout&f=false, accessed March 3, 2020

Beldam, Flight Officer E. M.; “Psychological Aspects and Seven Enemies of Survival”, Medical New Letter, Vol. 31, No. 12, [United States Navy, Bethesda, Maryland, June 30, 1958] page 31, https://books.google.com/books?id=0ONHAQAAIAAJ&pg=RA12-PA31&dq=seven+enemies+of+survival&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjL3Pi55_7nAhXsm-AKHRqTDQIQ6AEwAXoECAUQAg#v=onepage&q=seven%20enemies%20of%20survival&f=false, accessed March 3, 2020

Free, Scott; “Whistle Test: Bigger, Better, New & Improved”, October 25, 2011, https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/whistle-test-bigger-better-new-improved.894108/

Department of the Air Force, Survival Training Edition, AF Manual 64-3, [US Government Printing Office, Washington DC August 15, 1969] p 1.13 - 1.15

Flynn, John T, M.D., “Survival In The Open”, Flying, January 1961, Volume 68, Number 1, [Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, New York, NY], p. 62, 80-82, https://books.google.com/books?id=1ZUDOCzJUrcC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Flying+Magazine+Jan+1961&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiu0OuB3eznAhWIlHIEHcs4D8AQ6AEwB3oECAUQAg#v=onepage&q=Flying%20Magazine%20Jan%201961&f=false, accessed 2/25/20