Seal Survival Guide

by Cade Courtley

  If you are in a forest or brush area, the smell of smoke should be an immediate call to move to a safe area. The problem is that the smoke alone will not indicate from which direction the fire is approaching. You can assume that fires will travel more intensely in the same direction as the wind is blowing. However, as mentioned, embers that emanated from the fire may jump ahead of the main wall of flames and could easily surround you. Before you plan an evacuation route, take time to observe the direction of the wind and consider the type of terrain in which you will move. Fire burns more rapidly in an upward direction, so with fire, do not head to high ground. The best choice is to evacuate toward low-lying areas, waterways, or roads. Sometimes, you might need to cross a section of burning grass to get behind a fire, where the already-scorched earth might be the safest place to be. Do not panic. Use the Rule of Three—then make the decision and go.

  SURVIVAL CHECKLIST

  Be familiar with fire-hazard conditions.

  Avoid or evacuate well in advance of a fire. If you live in a high-fire-hazard area you should already have valuables packed and ready to go—don’t delay your evacuation to do this! (See “Gear,” page 295.)

  If within range of smoke, wear a respirator, or use a moistened cloth over your nose and mouth.

  In a wildfire or forest fire, head to low ground. Get to firebreaks, rivers, lakes, gullies, ditches, or ravines.

  If overtaken while in your vehicle, do not leave the car. It should sustain you for at least two to three minutes and might allow the intense flames to pass. Staying in a car longer than that will mean death, and you may have a better chance of fleeing in the direction from which the fire approached.

  If you must cross a fire, douse all clothing with as much water as is available. Remove any clothing that is made of synthetic fiber (material that will melt) and remove jewelry. Cover your head and all extremities with moistened blankets or with whatever is at hand. An outer layer will prevent your clothes from igniting and give you an opportunity to get to an area already scorched.

  If your clothes catch fire, do not stand, as the smoke will enter your lungs. Roll on the ground to extinguish clothing— stop, drop, and roll!

  Building and House Fires

  There are more than 350,000 home fires in the United States every year, which account for approximately 3,500 deaths and 15,000 serious injuries. Nearly 85 percent of all U.S. house and building fires are primarily caused by unattended cooking, space heaters, cigarettes, or candles. (Candles are responsible for approximately 6,800 fires annually.) Most fire-related deaths result from toxic fumes and smoke inhalation.

  PREPARATION CHECKLIST

  Although the discovery of fire has been a major factor in humankind’s dominance and survival since prehistoric times, once fire goes unchecked and is burning rampantly, it is a fearsome enemy. Like an especially combative opponent, it is ruthless, indiscriminate in its destruction, and will not stop until extinguished. In addition, its attacks are unannounced and can happen at any time. Considering these characteristics of fire, the first course of action is prevention and preparation.

  • If you live in an apartment building or work in an office building, know the location of the nearest fire exits. You should know no less than two evacuation options for each floor of your residence. Never use the elevator, as these are virtual wind tunnels for fire to move between floors. If bedrooms are located on the second floor, for example, rope ladders can be used and stored in easily accessible areas.

  • As for physical toughness, you should be at least in minimally acceptable physical condition to use the fire escape or designated stairways.

  • Practice evacuation during nonemergency conditions so that in the event of a fire you are familiar with it. You should know this escape route thoroughly, counting the number of doors from your office, for example, to the fire exit door. Rehearse this route several times, and when rehearsing at home, include your family. Be able to find your way to the exit with your eyes closed. The evacuation path then becomes a mental file you can draw on in the event of an emergency. There could be no visibility during an actual fire, in addition to your being impeded by other panicking occupants.

  • Install and check smoke alarm batteries regularly. It’s a good practice to make this test at a designated time, such as when the clocks have to be changed in the spring and fall. This is especially important if you are renting a place and are unaware of the age or reliability of the smoke alarms installed.

  • Install fire extinguishers and check expiration dates. Secure fire extinguishers in areas that are close to likely fire hazards, such as stoves, but not in cabinetry.

  • Practice varying evacuation routes, and have alternate paths, depending on the origin of the fire.

  • Have means to escape from upper floors. Ensure all fire escapes open and operate correctly, especially in older and multistory buildings.

  • Establish a designated meet-up point, so that all escaping family members can be accounted for immediately.

  FOR RENTERS

  If you rent, you must rely on others to correct hazards you observe. You should know the building you live in thoroughly in order to respond effectively to any number of life-threatening situations. If you find any flaws that could impede your survival, such as padlocked exit doors, do not hesitate to contact the landlord or management company (by phone and in written format) to have these unsafe items corrected. It is better to be a politely persistent person and demand to live in a safe environment now than to have a tag on your toe as a temporary tenant of the morgue later.

  WHAT TO DO IN A FIRE

  If a fire breaks out in your house, attempt to extinguish it primarily with the proper fire extinguisher. If you have a garden hose near the front or back door, make sure it is long enough to reach kitchen areas. You could attempt to extinguish the fire with water if it remains locally contained, but do not use water if the source of fire is electrical. As a final attempt to extinguish the fire, use a nonflammable blanket or coat and attempt to smother it, but do not create a gust of more air by beating at it. As mentioned, most fire fatalities are due to smoke inhalation. If the fire is beyond any reasonable attempt at control, immediately evacuate. The smoke will kill you before the fire does.

  FIRE EVACUATION CHECKLIST

  Use a previously established code word (as discussed in other emergency scenarios) to alert all family members to the hazard and the call to action.

  Close doors when leaving rooms. This will slow down the spread of fire.

  Just as fires do in forests, flames move upward in a house or building. Heat and smoke rise; move rapidly, but stay low and as close to the floor as possible.

  Cover your mouth and nose with a moistened cloth.

  If trapped by flames in a room with a window and the window does not open fully, smash glass in the center with an object and cover jagged ends around the frame with a towel or blanket before exiting.

  If evacuation is blocked by flames while on an upper floor, tie bedsheets together and fasten to a firm object, such as a bed leg. If the distance to the ground is more than twenty feet, attempt to use something to decrease the distance.

  If you must jump, use the parachute landing fall, or PLF, method. Lower yourself as far as possible while holding on to the window frame or the makeshift rope from bedsheets, and then push off from the wall. Keep your legs slightly bent, with your knees and feet together. If holding onto a rope or ledge, your arms will be raised at first; after you let go, bring both of yours hands in front of your body with your fists close to your face. Roll sideways as you land. This spreads the landing impact throughout the body.

  Trust me when I say PLF works. On my fifth jump at Airborne Jump School, I exited the aircraft and looked up to see a nice hole in my canopy. Now, the rule was anything larger than your helmet and you need to ditch the parachute and go for your reserve. Okay—the unwritten rule is the reserves don’t work very well, so I decided to ride it in “as is.” Well, I hit
the ground like a bag of shit and even cracked my hip but was able to limp away, thanks to the old PLF.

  BTW—round chutes suck, unless you are landing in water.

  Get away from the burning structure and head toward the preestablished regrouping area.

  FLASH FLOOD, FLOODING, AND TSUNAMI

  An unexpected surge of flowing water—that’s the simplest way to describe a flash flood. In the U.S., flooding is the number one cause of weather-related deaths. Sudden and heavy rainfall (especially during tropical storms or hurricanes), melting snow, or dam breaches and water pipe breaks are common causes of flash flooding. The source of the flash flood could be miles away, but water does what it always does and seeks lower-lying ground.

  For example, Colorado’s Big Thompson Canyon flash flood of 1976 was due to a severe thunderstorm higher up in the canyon. Twelve inches of rain fell in less than four hours. The victims, including 143 dead, had seen little or no rain when the flood rushed down the canyon in a wall of water twenty feet high. Water is a powerful element, weighing 8.3 pounds per gallon, and when moving at flood speed, it sweeps away cars and trucks, demolishes houses and other buildings, ruins roadways, and collapses bridges. Against such a force, evasion is the first course of defense.

  In the spring of 2010, an Atlanta woman was driving home during a light rain. Even though the soil surrounding Atlanta’s normally hilly roadways was saturated, no flood warnings had been issued. While crossing a small bridge over a creek, the woman’s car was suddenly hit by the headwaters of a flash flood. Her car was instantly carried away and tumbled along for miles, without allowing her an opportunity to escape.

  During a Flood

  Certain areas are prone to floods, such as communities surrounding rivers and lakes, and those at low elevations. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have maps showing likely flood areas. These should be consulted as part of preparing your dwelling for all possible hazards. In a flood event, the following actions are necessary:

  • If at home, turn off electrical power at the circuit breaker. Close windows and doors and get to the highest level. If you have an attic, bring a ladder to the upper levels and a tool that could help you escape through the roof in the event floodwaters rise to exceptional heights.

  • If in a vehicle, do not attempt to drive through water. The rule is, turn around and find another route for evacuation. If water rises suddenly around your car, get out immediately. The threat of drowning from being trapped is very real. Note, however, that you will not be electrocuted if your car battery becomes wet.

  • Except when unavoidable, do not try to walk or swim across floodwaters deeper than one foot. The water during a flash flood is filled with fast-moving debris of all types, as well as irregular currents that can change swiftly. In addition, the waters are likely carrying many other unseen hazardous objects, such as timbers or even cars, which, if they hit you, can render you unconscious, or worse.

  • If outdoors, always head to high ground, and if you must walk, test waters with a stick as you go to avoid hidden deep spots, and be observant of downed power lines.

  • If you find shelter on a roof or on an upper branch of a tree, for example, tie yourself to it, using a belt or whatever is at hand, in the event of a passing flood surge.

  Even for SEALs, for whom the water is a second home, river crossings were always a challenge. If we wanted to make a rendezvous point, we would trek at least a quarter mile upriver to account for strong currents and the weight of our gear knocking us off-course. This way we could reach the other side, more or less, at where we planned to be. That’s how unpredictable rushing waters can be even to expert swimmers.

  Aftermath

  If the floodwater was due to a flash flood, the volume will usually recede quickly. You must be mentally tough and physically prepared to ride out the initial surge, which usually lasts no more than thirty minutes. If it is a prolonged flood, such as those caused by breached dams or continued rains, assess the place where you are sheltered and determine if it is structurally sound enough to wait there for rescue. If not, try to get to the nearest roof or tree by latching on to and riding anything that floats. You want to avoid getting into the floodwaters, as they will be highly contaminated with everything from fuel to sewage. Additionally, public drinking water will be contaminated. Drink only bottled water until advised otherwise. If you have prepared and stocked up on water and nonperishable foods, your shelter, if reasonably secured, is the best place to be until a safe means of evacuation arrives.

  Tsunami

  “Tsunami” is the Japanese word for “harbor wave.” It is a giant wave caused by earthquakes or underwater volcanic eruptions. These colossal tides cause massive destruction to coastal regions and often give short notice of their approach. These rogue waves can reach heights of more than two hundred feet. It wasn’t until recently that some areas prone to this occurrence began to install tsunameters, monitoring devices anchored to the ocean floor that send signals to buoys and satellites, attempting to offer some warning of a tsunami’s approach.

  SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

  If you live in or are visiting a coastal area, be alert to any known earthquake activity that happens anywhere in the world. One recorded tsunami stemmed from an earthquake in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and sent giant waves a distance of 2,300 miles toward Hawaii. The only warning people had before it hit the small village of Hilo Bay was an unusual receding of the ocean’s level before it struck. The bay water suddenly receded two hundred feet from the normal tide line. This lasted for more than thirty minutes, causing schools of fish to flop about without water. People rushed out with baskets to harvest the bounty, believing it was their lucky day to reap such an abundant catch without effort. However, shortly afterward, a 115-foot-high wave surged, moving at 150 mph, and eventually drowned 159 people. This was nothing compared to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, to which more than 250,000 deaths were attributed. Against such odds, evacuation to the highest ground is the best chance of survival. Be alert to anomalies of nature, because its power is unpredictable and lethal.

  • As part of your vacation and sightseeing excursions, get maps of coastal areas you are visiting and find possible evacuation routes. Know which roads lead to high ground.

  • If you see water leaving or draining from a coastal area, don’t watch it in amazement—haul ass to high ground.

  ANIMAL BEHAVIOR AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

  Natural environments have baselines of normal activity just as urban or suburban regions do. Animals, in particular, have historically predicted natural disasters up to two weeks in advance. In 1975, Chinese officials observed hibernating snakes unexpectedly emerging from their burrows, so they immediately ordered the evacuation of the city of Haicheng. Several hours later an earthquake of 7.3 magnitude struck. In Indonesia, local fishermen discovered an unusual pattern of fish migration two weeks prior to the tsunami. They tried to warn officials but were ignored. In addition, flocks of shore birds were seen abandoning their seaside nests days before the incident. Hours before the tsunami struck, elephants were seen actually sprinting up into the hills. In general, many animals’ sensory perceptions can pick up on environmental disturbances even ahead of modern technology. Dogs, cats, and livestock often seem unduly agitated before a disaster strikes. Be alert to changes in animal behavior as part of your situational awareness when in rural or more natural environments.

  FOOT PURSUIT AND BEING CHASED

  There will be situations when escape is the best option for survival. In any number of life-threatening scenarios, moving off the X will require you to flee. After you have performed your threat assessment and your body’s fight-flight-freeze response is screaming flight, then you must do so without hesitation. In many cases, the attacker or predator will follow you.

  If you find yourself in a situation where you are being chased on foot and the outcome of getting caught is potentially lethal, there are methods t
o follow that will increase your chances of success. Here is a time when the physical toughness you have been working on to improve yourself will play a significant role, and could in fact be the deciding factor in whether you live or die. This is trigger time—because getting caught is simply not an option. When fleeing an attacker:

  1. Adjust your mindset to change your goal priority. By this, I mean tell yourself that you are running to safety. This has a positive impact and allows you to be far less crippled by fear than merely telling yourself you are running from danger.

  My team was in a foreign country watching an area where we were not supposed to be. Unfortunately, we were discovered by a group of kids. There is always the dilemma of what to do when a recon goes bad because of someone that you can’t necessarily “neutralize.” The one cold, hard fact is that when you are “rolled up” (discovered), the op is over, period. So within minutes, the three of us were on foot, putting as much distance between us and the hide site as we could. Even more regrettably, the best and fastest way out meant booking through an area that was known to have land mines. I told my boys to stay in single file behind me and keep up. Won the lottery that day.

  2. Keep looking forward and be aware of your surroundings. Your instincts may tell you to look behind to see how far away or close your pursuer is. This is not a track-and-field event, with a ribbon as a prize. Looking back not only will slow you down but will increase your chances of falling over an upcoming obstacle or getting run over by a car. Keep your eyes ahead and your mind focused on what’s directly before you, not what’s behind.