I won a survival bag of supplies

First Aid class got a lot more interesting when a group of classmates held a search and rescue demonstration. I won a survival bag of supplies at the end of the class. The team brought out a search and rescue dog so we could learn what to do if you are lost in the woods. The first step is to prepare well. Pack food and water, pack a compass and learn how to use it and include a first aid kit (just in case).

Otherwise, here are some of the suggestions they made for if you get lost in the woods.

1. Stop walking.
2. Take stock of your assets. Do you have water, food and shelter? What do you have with you?
3. Try your cell phone.
4. Three fires is the signal for help. If you can light them safely, do so.

The team gave us a great incentive to pay close attention. A backpack and a survival bag of goodies were given away at the end of the presentation. The items contained in the bag are suggestive of what should be packed in a survival bag. It is a representative sampling of necessities for our area in East Tennessee. My suggestion is to use the examples as a starting point. The needs for each bag will vary by person and by climate. Park rangers, sporting good stores, outfitters and hiking clubs are more good sources of information. I've included links to reputable sources below.

Items in the survival bag included:

Turkey jerky
Book on recognizing edible plants
First aid kit
Compass
MRE
Sharpie marker
Poncho
Plastic bags
Protein bar
Flint
Fishing kit
Glow sticks
Tissues
Hand wipes
Flashlight (I use this hand crank flashlight.)
Whistle
Solar blanket
Sunscreen

Additional suggestions were:
Bug repellant
Water purification tablets
Cell phone solar charger ( I also have the American Red Cross hand crank flashlight/cell phone charger.)
Socks
Dog food and treats if trekking with a four footed friend.

The photos show you what came in the survival bag. You may be happy to know that Tomlin approved of them.

These are only some of the suggestions that were made. I'm adding a couple of links for more information. 

What should you do if you get lost in the woods? Be prepared. - Allstate
Lost in the woods? Here's what to do Off Grid News
What to do when lost in the woods. National Forest Foundation