Tips from Arctic Survival Published Sept. 29, 2010 By By Senior Airman Broc Allen Det.1, 66th Training Squadron EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- Winter is right around the corner, so it's time to start thinking about how to take care of yourself. I always tell people Alaskan winters aren't too bad, it's like living in a rainstorm of cold. Think about it...when it's pouring rain outside, you simply run from your home to your car. You're not too worried about the rain hitting you in those few seconds. During the extreme cold Alaska offers, you also run from your home to your car and you're not too worried about the few seconds where you're cold. Now, what if your car breaks down? In a rainstorm, simply sitting in your car can protect you from the rain. The cold however, you can't hide from. It'll slowly seep into your vehicle creating a nice refrigerator effect. "Well I'll just keep the car running," one might say. Running your vehicle is fine and dandy, until you run out of gas or fall asleep, not to mention the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Simply put, your vehicle is a good place to formulate a plan, not hunker down until someone comes to find you. Don't get me wrong, if "rescue" is coming within an hour or two, ok, hide out in your car and stay warm. But what if you're somewhere and don't see another vehicle for days. You need to be prepared. Whether you're hunting, running to town or visiting family during the holidays, you never know what's going to happen. This past winter I found myself in a sticky situation not 30 miles from Eielson. I was predator hunting in the Yukon Training Area where I so expertly placed my front right tire in a snow bank. I spent 45 minutes desperately trying to get the tire out, only to realize I had gotten my right rear tire buried as well. Luckily, I had told a buddy where I was and when I'd be back. I grew impatient and started wondering if he'd come looking for me. While I knew I had cell reception at the top of a hill...the hill was eight miles away. I grabbed my gear and my gun and took off, the whole time hoping my cell phone would get a signal. It was around 5:30 p.m. and +5F when I left my car. By the time I got to the hill, it was about 7:45 p.m. and minus 12 F. I got my cell on with one bar of service. I had enough time to get "I'm stuck out on the range. Main road. Bring tow straps. Hurry. I'm cold. Building a huge fire." His response, "What?" and the phone cut out. I remember thinking, "what if he doesn't come?" I hadn't realized how cold I was until I tried speaking. A slow, slur of words was barely able to come out and that's when I knew, I might be in trouble if I didn't get warm and quick. My game plan: build a fire first and dry myself out from the eight mile hike. Hypothermia can set in quickly and it's a downward spiral of trouble that can lead to death. Second: build an arctic shelter to hunker down in through the night. I started building a fire and didn't stop working until I saw headlights coming. This was a simple mishap that could have lead to a great disaster. If I didn't have the gear I had with me, or know I had cell reception where I did, things could have gone bad quickly. Even with all my training I had made one mistake: leaving my sleeping bag & knife in my car by accident. It's important to have some sort of winter survival kit in case of emergency. Here are a few items you may want to throw in the trunk of your car, which can all fit inside an A-3 military duffle bag. Thermals (light and mid weight) Headlamp (plus extra batteries) Socks x 2 Stocking Cap Gloves Fix Blade Knife Tinder 550 Cord Tow Strap Jumper Cables First Aid Kit Extreme Cold Weather Sleeping Bag Scarf Cold Weather Boots Road Flares Cold Weather Clothing (i.e. Parka, Fatboy pants, etc.) Water Container (preferably metal) Mtn. House Meal or MRE (food with lots of calories) Sleeping Pad Ice Scraper Compact Snow Shovel Gazetteer/map Magnesium Stick (for starting fire) Water-proof matches Survival Stove ***use outside vehicle or in well ventilated area - will deplete oxygen*** Moral of the story... be prepared, formulate a game plan, and make it work.