SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea

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Overview

The SAS Survival Handbook is the Special Air Service's complete course in being prepared for any type of emergency. John 'Lofty' Wiseman presents real strategies for surviving in any type of situation, from accidents and escape procedures, including chemical and nuclear to successfully adapting to various climates (polar, tropical, desert), to identifying edible plants and creating fire. The book is extremely practical and is illustrated throughout with easy-to-understand line art and diagrams.

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More About This Book

Overview

The SAS Survival Handbook is the Special Air Service's complete course in being prepared for any type of emergency. John 'Lofty' Wiseman presents real strategies for surviving in any type of situation, from accidents and escape procedures, including chemical and nuclear to successfully adapting to various climates (polar, tropical, desert), to identifying edible plants and creating fire. The book is extremely practical and is illustrated throughout with easy-to-understand line art and diagrams.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780060578794
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 3/2/2004
  • Pages: 576
  • Product dimensions: 5.42 (w) x 10.90 (h) x 1.07 (d)

Meet the Author

John 'Lofty' Wiseman served in the British Special Air Service (SAS) for twenty-six years. The SAS Survival Handbook is based on the training techniques of this world-famous elite fighting force.

Table of Contents

Introduction 8
1. Essentials 12
2. Strategy 50
3. Climate & Terrain 62
4. Food 108
5. Camp Craft 244
6. Reading the Signs 348
7. On the Move 372
8. Health 392
9. Survival at Sea 480
10. Rescue 504
11. Disasters 528
Postscript 572
Index 573

First Chapter

SAS Survival Handbook
How to Survive in the WIld, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea

Chapter One

Essentials For Survival

The human species has established itself in almost every corner of the Earth. Even in territories too inhospitable to provide a regular home mankind has found a way to exploit their resources, whether by hunting or by taking wealth from the ground, and has often pitted its skills against nature simply for the satisfaction of doing so.

Almost everywhere nature provides the necessities for survival In some places the provision is abundant, in others very meagre and it takes common sense, knowledge and ingenuity to take advantage of the resources available. Even more important is the will to survive. Men and women have shown that they can survive in the most adverse situations, but they have done so because of their determination to do so -- without that, the skills and knowledge in this book will be of little use if you find yourself really up against it.

Survival is the art of staying alive. Any equipment you have must be considered a bonus. You must know how to take everything possible from nature and use it to the full, how to attract attention to yourself so that rescuers may find you, how to make your way across unknown territory back to civilization, if hope of rescue is not on the cards, navigating without map or compass. You must know how to maintain a healthy physical condition, or if sick or wounded heal yourself and others. You must be able to maintain your morale and that of others who share your situation.

Lack of equipment should not mean that you are unequipped, for you will carry skills and experience with you, but those skills and experience must not be allowed to get rusty and you must extend your knowledge all the time.

We are all used to surviving on our home ground -- though we may not think of our lives in that way -- but the true survivor must learn how to survive when taken from familiar surroundings or when those surroundings are drastically changed by man or nature. Anyone, young or old, from whatever walk of life, can find him- or herself in a survival situation. As more and more people fly the globe, sail small boats or cross the sea in large ones, walk the hills and climb mountains and take their holidays in ever more exotic places, the situations to which they could become exposed are increasingly diversified.

But survival skills are not only concerned with the extremes of the air crash on a mountain peak, a shipwreck in the tropics or a vehicle breakdown in the middle of a desert. Every time you fasten a seat belt in a car you are giving yourself a greater chance of survival. Checking each way before crossing a road or ensuring that an open fire is safe before you go to bed are survival techniques that you carry out instinctively. It is these habits of mind that you must develop as much as acquiring skills.

The main elements of survival are Food, Fire, Shelter, Water, Navigation and Medicine. To put these in order of priority we use the acronym PLAN. No matter where you are in the world this will never change be it the arctic, desert, jungle, sea or seashore.

P - for Protection
You must ensure that you are protected from further danger, ie impending avalanche, forest fire or exploding fuel. Always stay on the scene of the incident as long as it is safe to do so and then make sure you are protected from the elements. This means making a shelter and often lighting a fire. There are several reasons why you should always stay at the scene:

  1. You can utilize the wreckage for shelter, signaling etc.
  2. It's a bigger signature on the ground, making it easier to find.
  3. There are probably injured people that cannot be moved.
  4. By staying where you are you conserve energy.
  5. Because you have booked in and out and have stayed on the route, rescue time will be minimal.

L - for Location
The next step after building a shelter is to put out emergency signals. You must draw attention to your position. Do this as soon as possible to help the rescuers.

A - for Acquisition
While waiting to be rescued, look for water and food to help supplement your emergency supplies.

N - for Navigation
Good navigation will keep you on route and will often avert a survival situation. But if you find yourself stranded, always stay where you are.

Medical
You must become your own doctor and carefully monitor yourself at all times. Treat blisters as they occur, don't let them become sceptic. Keep an eye on your companions and deal with any unusual problems as they arise. If they are limping, falling behind, or behaving strangely, stop and treat immediately.

BE PREPARED

The Boy Scouts' motto is the right one. Anyone setting out on a journey or planning an expedition should follow it by discovering as much as possible about the situations likely to be faced and the skills and equipment called for. It is the most basic common sense to prepare yourself, to take appropriate gear and to plan as carefully as possible.

Your kit could make the difference between failure and success, but, especially when back-packing, many people initially take too much and have to learn from bitter experience what they really need and what they could have done without. There is no fun in struggling with a huge pack full of superfluous items while wishing that you had a torch or can opener with you. Getting the right balance is not easy.

Make sure that you are fit enough for what you plan to do. The fitter you are, the easier and more enjoyable it will be. If you are going hill-walking, for instance, take regular exercise beforehand and wear in your hiking boots. Walk to and from work with a bag weighted with sand and get your muscles in condition! Mental fitness is another factor. Are you sure that you are up to the task, have prepared enough and have the equipment to accomplish it? Eliminate any nagging doubts before you set out ...

SAS Survival Handbook
How to Survive in the WIld, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea. Copyright © by John Wiseman. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.
Customer Reviews
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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 29, 2008

    I Also Recommend:

    Survive- anywhere.

    No need for a long review here. This book was written by a professional soldier who was in the SAS, or the Special Air Service. For those not in the know, that's an elite unit of the British Army trained to carry out operations in ALL parts of the world. Eventually, the author became a survival instructor to the SAS, so you can be sure that this guy knows his stuff.

    The book covers all you'd ever want to know about the essentials of surviving in climates such as: the polar region, mountains, seashores, islands, tropical regions, or even at sea. Here's few of the many topics the book covers:

    -food, what you can and can't eat
    -animal tracking with numerous pics
    -color pics of edible plants
    -pictures of traps and how to trap things
    -how to handle animals you've killed for food
    -how to make a camp and various shelters
    -knot tying pics
    -first aid
    -color pics of medicinal plants
    -picures of dangerous/poisonous critters
    -things to have in a survival kit

    A very handy resource for anybody who enjoys outdoor/wilderness activities, it's just a darn good thing to have around in case of emergencies- or even just to look at the pictures! Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a shoulder problem that is interfering with your outdoor activities.

    6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 11, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    Awesome Book

    This book is awesome. I read it almost everyday. It explains every type of survival skill from trapping animals to surviving a nuclear holocaust. Some parts I think they could've wrote a little more detail but for the size of the book it still holds alot of information. All in all a great book.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 18, 2008

    Survive- anywhere.

    No need for a long review here. This book was written by a professional soldier who was in the SAS, or the Special Air Service. For those not in the know, that's an elite unit of the British Army trained to carry out operations in ALL parts of the world. Eventually, the author became a survival instructor to the SAS, so you can be sure that this guy knows his stuff...... The book covers all you'd ever want to know about the essentials of surviving in climates such as: the polar region, mountains, seashores, islands, tropical regions, or even at sea. Here's few of the many topics the book covers: -food, what you can and can't eat -animal tracking with numerous pics -color pics of edible plants -pictures of traps and how to trap things -how to handle animals you've killed for food -how to make a camp and various shelters -knot tying pics -first aid -color pics of medicinal plants -picures of dangerous/poisonous critters -things to have in a survival kit..... A very handy resource for anybody who enjoys outdoor/wilderness activities, it's just a darn good thing to have around in case of emergencies- or even just to look at the pictures!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 9, 2007

    An incredible wealth of knowledge!

    Wiseman truly understands what it takes for outdoor survival. This book will prepare you for the mental and physical obsticles that you will encounter should you ever be in danger in the wild. I have read it 4 times and continue to read it to keep sharp.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 6, 2006

    SUPER-DUPER

    This book is totaly rad. It gives great info on almost any enviroment you may be in. It didn't say to much about the desert, but that hasn't bothered me in the least. As for surviving with extreme temperatures, harsh terrain, and any general situation with may be stuck in, it is a great source of knowledge.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 15, 2006

    Useful for some, but not all environments..

    Because of the sheer volume of information required, it's probably impossible to write a survival book that is accurate and authoritative on all environments and all areas of the world, and this is something to keep in mind when purchasing a general survival book like the SAS Survival Handbook. For the most part, it's quite good and gives excellent information on outdoors survival in most temperate climates. HOWEVER, one place the book does fall down is in areas such as desert survival. There is little specialized information for deserts here, which differ greatly even between each other in plant life, temperature range, and terrain. Deserts also require additional survival training on navigation, GPS, map & compass (please don't try the watch-hand method in remote desert!), water collection, heat illnesses, sun protection. Animal/plant hazard information is also very different. What there is in this book on desert survival is often too optimistic (i.e., desert survival still and transpiration bag) or too general and vague to be of much use (one example: the barrel cactus is listed as a source of moisture, but - one variety has drinkable sap, one will make you somewhat sick, one can kill you - better know how to identify them). For those interested in desert survival I would definitely recommend more specialized books that are written by persons with daily experience of the various deserts of the world.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 16, 2004

    OUTSTANDING!!

    A must read for anyone that spends alot of time in the woods or traveling abroad. Especially those that spend alot of time looking for the lost.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 5, 2004

    suvival plane and simple

    This was a helpful book and I used it meny times to help me when I was lost in the north Maine woods for three days and when fooling around in the wilderness

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 4, 2004

    best all in one surival book you can buy

    This book is fantastic, i myself have used if for real, and everything in it are real tested methods used by the SAS. it has suvival tips for all occasions, even nucluer holocausts.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 5, 2003

    Mostly OK survival book, with some missteps

    Good basic book overall for most survival enthusiasts, but does have a few flaws. Concentrates mostly on forest and alpine survival, especially in the edible plants section. Navigation information, critical to survival in some environments, is almost nonexistent, and in the case of some dated advice, such as using your watch to tell direction is a great way to get very lost, very quickly. (If you can arrange to have a survival kit and knife with you at all times, surely you can keep a map and small compass handy?) Some of the improvised hunting tools may not really be workable as depicted, build before needing!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 19, 2002

    It was GREAT!!!!!!!

    The Book told you how to: make shelter,find berries and plants that are edible ETC.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 30, 2000

    Survive

    With this book, I can build a better shelter for the Arctic than an Eskimo. This has to be the #1 reference for survival anywhere. Read this book, and remember whats in it. It is a very good book, I would reccomend it for camping, backpacking, sailing, first-aid, or just for info. I never knew you could kill an octopus instantly by turning it inside out.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 21, 2000

    VERY GOOD BOOK

    This is one of the best books I have read on survival in the outdoors. Its informative, it has color pictures of plants, berries, etc. Of stuff you can eat and you should stay away from.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 27, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 22, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 29, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

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