Desert Survival - Part Two

 

Poisonous Insects and Spiders: The potentially lethal species are the rock or bark scorpion, the black widow spider, brown recluse spider and honey bees:

• Rock or Bark Scorpion - Small very slim, light straw colored. The stinger, in the tip of the tail, injects a minute amount of powerful venom. Dangerous to all ages but most dangerous to small children, the elderly and those with high blood pressure, heart or respiratory ailments. There will be pain at the site, numbness, restlessness, fever, fast pulse, and breathing difficulty. Sting can be fatal.

• Black Widow Spider - Shiny black with red hourglass marking on the abdomen. Found in the dark corners of sheds and outbuildings, under logs, and in rock piles. Will bite if provoked. Bite can be dangerous to all ages, but is seldom fatal. Pain spreads throughout the body, accompanied by headache, dizziness and nausea. Extremities become cramped, the abdomen becomes rigid, pupils dilate, and spasms may occur after several hours.

• Brown Recluse Spider - Light brown colored, about 1/4 inch in length, active at night. Easily identified by the violin-shaped marking on the head and back. Rare in the desert. The bite causes severe tissue destruction which may take weeks to heal. Bite can be fatal.

• Honey Bees - Honey bee stingers are barbed at the tip and remain in the victim. The venom sacs are torn from the bee's body and remain attached to the stinger. Do not try to pull out stingers as pinching them injects additional venom. Scrape stingers out with a knife or other thin edge. There are more deaths annually from honey bee stings than from all other poisonous creatures combined. making mental pictures of the land behind you - this is what you will be looking at when you return to your starting point. Stay on established trails. If possible, mark your route. A slow, careful trip out will assure a rapid and safe return.

If you think you are lost, Do Not Panic. Sit down, survey the area and take stock of the situation. Try to remember how long it has been since you knew where you were. Decide on a course of action. It may be best to stay where you are and let your companions or rescuers find you. This is especially true if there is water and fuel nearby, or in winter, if there is some means of shelter. Once you decide to remain, do not move.

If, after thinking the situation over, you feel you can retrace your course, do so. Mark your spot or leave a note before moving on. Look for your tracks; you may be able to back-track and find the way to familiar ground. Do not try to take shortcuts as this may tend to further confuse you. If possible, climb a tree or find a high point and make a mental sketch of the area before moving.

REMEMBER, MOVE WITH A PURPOSE, NEVER START OUT AND WANDER AIMLESSLY.
Walking: There are special rules and techniques for walking in the desert. By walking slowly and resting 10 minutes per hour, a person in good physical condition can cover 12-18 miles per day -- less after becoming fatigued or suffering from lack of sufficient food or water. In the hot desert, it is best to travel in early morning or late evening, spending mid-day in whatever shade is available. When walking, pick the easiest and safest way. Go around obstacles, not over them. Instead of going up or down steep slopes, zigzag to prevent undue exertion. Go around gullies and canyons instead of through them. When walking with companions, adjust the rate to the slowest member. Keep together, but allow about 10 feet between each member.

At rest stops (if possible) sit down in the shade and prop your feet up, remove your shoes and change socks, or straighten out the ones you are wearing. If the ground is too hot to sit on, no shade is available, and you cannot raise your feet, Do Not remove your shoes as you may not be able to get them back onto swollen feet.