Survival Techniques

Source: Krzysztof Kowalik en Unsplash

In class today we read how to cope with a variety of emergencies: earthquakes, charging bulls, broken legs and lightning strikes. Here is one more:

Being in an avalanche has been compared to standing on a carpet and suddenly having it ripped out from under you. It's an apt metaphor, except in an avalanche the carpet can weigh hundreds of thousands of tons and can travel at well over 100 miles per hour, destroying everything in its path. Around the world, avalanches are responsible for an average of nearly 150 deaths per year. If you're unfortunate enough to be caught in an avalanche, here's what you can do to increase your chances of survival.

Jump upslope. Most avalanche victims trigger the avalanche themselves, and sometimes the avalanche will start right beneath their feet. If this happens, try to jump upslope, beyond the fracture line. An avalanche happens so quickly that it's almost impossible to react fast enough to do this, but it has been done.

Move to the side of the avalanche. Whether the avalanche starts above you or beneath you, you may be able to make your way toward the side. Don't hesitate: move as quickly as possible to the side of the avalanche slope. If the avalanche begins well above you, you may be able to get out of its path before it reaches you. Even if the avalanche starts right beneath your feet, you may be able to make it to safety, and the further you get toward the side, the better. The snow will be moving fastest near the center of the flow, and that's also where the highest volume of snow will be.

Stay on your feet as long as possible. If you're skiing or on foot, the longer you can keep your balance and stay upright, the better your chance will be of making it to the side of the avalanche or to a sheltered area. Staying upright, however, is easier said than done if the snow beneath you is moving. Do your best, and if you fall, try to ditch your skis, poles, and/or backpack--they'll more than likely drag you deeper in the snow than you would normally go.

Hold on to something. If you're unable to escape the avalanche, try to grab on to a boulder or sturdy tree. If it's a small avalanche, or if you're near the edge of the avalanche, you may be able to hold on until the flow of snow passes you. Even if you get ripped away from the object you're holding, if you can succeed in delaying your departure downhill, you have a better chance of not being buried or, at least, of not being buried as deeply. Keep in mind, however, that a very powerful avalanche can carry away even large rocks and trees.

Swim to stay near the surface of the snow. The human body is much denser than snow, so you'll tend to sink as you get carried downhill. Try to stay afloat by using a swimming motion. It's no use to try to swim against the snow, so swim with it, as you would swim with the tide if you were bodysurfing. No particular stroke is recommended; just do whatever works to keep your head above the surface. As the avalanche slows down, quickly try to get yourself to the surface before the snow settles.

Give yourself some breathing room if you're going to be buried. Once the avalanche stops, the snow settles very quickly, and if you're buried more than a foot or so when it sets, it will be impossible to get out on your own. Your only hope then is to ward off asphyxiation long enough for people to dig you out.

• Create an air pocket near your nose and mouth. When the avalanche slows down--but before it stops--cup one or both of your hands in front of your mouth to create an air pocket. With a small air pocket to breathe from, you should have enough air to last at least 30 minutes.
• Take a deep breath before the snow settles. Right before the snow settles, inhale deeply and hold your breath for a few seconds. This causes your chest to expand, which will give you some breathing room when the snow hardens around you. If you don't have this breathing room, you may not even be able to expand your chest to breathe while you're buried.

Conserve air and energy. Try to move once the snow settles, but don't jeopardize your air pocket. If you're very near the surface, you may be able to dig your way out, but otherwise you aren't going anywhere. Don't waste precious breath by struggling against the snow. Remain calm and wait. If you hear people nearby, try to call them, but don't keep it up if they don't seem to hear you. You can probably hear them better than they can hear you, and shouting just wastes your limited air supply.

Source: wikihow.com 

Vocabulary Practice:

Use one of the above green words in its correct form to complete the following sentences:

1. It's almost a century since the Titanic ____ on its maiden voyage to New York.
2. I take lots of Vitamin C in the winter to ____ ___ colds.
3. I had to ____ myself to work yesterday. I didn't feel very well and just wanted to stay in bed.
4. Don't _____ your breath! You have told me this all before and you won't change my mind.
5. She managed to ____ ______ by holding on to the side of the boat.
6. I _________ to hear what she was saying because of all the noise.
7. The boat was swaying so much that I found it difficult to ____ my _______.
8. Don't __________ your chances of success by doing something silly.
9. Failure to reach an agreement could _______ confrontations between police and protesters.
10. It was windy so we looked for a _________ spot to have our picnic.