“I work on the principle that each day I am going to work for 24 hours until my eyes bleed – anything less is a bonus”. Bear Grylls, a man who knows how to survive in the most remote places on Earth. For most of us however, our idea of survival involves having a sufficient overdraft and the number for the cheapest takeaway. But what would we do if we really did have to survive in a jungle other than the cosy urban one that we are so accustomed to? What would Grylls do?

Water

Without it we would cease to exist. The human body can survive up to 8 weeks without food but only 3-5 days without water. Your lungs, brain and heart consist of 86%, 75% and 75% water respectively. The average person must consume about 2 litres of water daily to function.

To obtain water in a hostile environment you will need; Sunshine, a rock, a container and a plastic sheet. Dig a hole deep enough to reach moist soil, place the container in the bottom, attach the plastic sheet over the hole and place the rock in the middle. The sun will evaporate water from the moist soil onto the inner surface of the plastic sheet, which in turn will drip into the container. Bear, on the other hand, would drink his own urine. Up to you.

Shelter

Each environment and disaster requires a different form of shelter:

Hurricane: Inside, preferably the centre of a building away from any windows or external walls

Flood/Tsunami: Head inland, or if it’s too late the roof!

Earthquake: Inside, preferably under a door frame.

Tornado: Underground

If you find yourself in the wilderness, Shelter will protect you from the elements, whether from the scorching midday sun or from a menacing tropical storm. Above all it will also give you a sense of purpose and achievement and is often the turning point in whether a person maintains their will to survive. A shelter must be large enough to protect you but small enough to contain your body heat. Making a covering/roof out of leaves is advisable, an above ground shelter is even better.

You have limited natural resources so choose them carefully. Look for rocky outcrops and depressions in the land such as between sand dunes. Once you’ve found a well sheltered spot, dig an area large enough for you to lie in and use the excess sand to pile around the hole. Any material you may have will be priceless, use it to cover you from the heat of the sun and to keep warmth in at night. Securing another layer of material 30-45 centimetres above this cover can reduce the inside temperature of your shelter up to 22 ºC during the day. Life-saver.

Fire

Look in your pocket – if there’s a battery and two wires, then you are a lucky one. Attach a wire to each terminal and touch the ends of the two wires together near some ready prepared tinder and you’ve got fire. Failing that a piece of flint struck hard against a rock is the most reliable way to get a fire started.

So there it is; three survival tips that could save your life, hopefully without making your eyes bleed.

Tim Knight