cold weather survival tips

After a couple of beautiful days this last week I have been looking forward to some outdoor recreational activities. Then I saw the weather for this weekend. That's right it is supposed to snow again. This made me think of what I would do if I got stuck out in this kind of weather while camping or hiking or any other outdoor activity. So, I decided to share a few survival tips for inclimate weather. I thought this would be good for anyone who lives in a climate like our region of the world. Being from Missouri we know how quick the weather can change from 50 and sunny to 30 with freezing rain and snow.

First off you should always let someone know where you are going and about when you should be back. It would be a good idea to map out the area before you go and check the forecast for the area. You should also charge your cell phone before you leave your house. If you do have cell phone service where ever you are going it would be a shame not to be able to use it because of a dead battery.

You should always carry a first aid and survival kit in your vehicle even if you aren't planning a trip or recreation. There is no telling when you might need it. In the first aid and survival kit you should include but is not limited to the following
bottled water
matches or a lighter
a blanket
a change of clothes
some food like granola bars or energy bars
a flashlight and extra batteries
a water proof jacket
a utility tool
an assortment of bandages (ace bandages and band aids)
medicine (like benadryl, ibuprofen, and Tylenol)

If you know that the weather might turn cold you should dress in layers and try to avoid cotton clothing. Cotton is the most common fabric for our clothing because of comfort. But, if it gets wet it will hold the water longer than other materials. Wool clothing is the best because of its insulating properties and it does not hold water as like cotton. I have an acronym to make clothing easy to remember.
C- Keep clothing clean. Dirty and oily clothing loose there insulating properties.
O- Avoid overheating. When you overheat you sweat and when you sweat which is the bodies process of cooling itself. It also dampens your clothing which takes away from their insulating properties.
L- Dress loose and in layers. The layers allow you to prevent sweating by taking of or opening a layer of clothing. Loose clothing allows air in the spaces between layers to add insulation. Also dressing in restrictive of tight clothing decreases blood circulation.
D- Keep clothing dry. The easiest way to do this is to wear a water proof outer layer and avoid sweating to keep the inner layers dry.

If you can not leave the area you are in or can not reach your car, it would be beneficial if you could make a shelter or find something to block the wind. Just getting out of the wind will help to keep you warm.

One of the most important aspects of survival in cold weather is to keep a positive attitude. The will to survive can do a lot for a person even if they are not well equipped for the cold weather.

I found a pretty cool quiz about winter survival through Field and Stream if you would like to assess your own understanding of cold weather survival. I hope some of this information can help you if you ever find yourself in a bad situation.