As I mentioned a few months ago, I am working my way through the reading list.
I just finished SAS Desert Survival by Barry Davies, which is part of a series that also includes SAS Jungle Survival and SAS Mountain and Arctic Survival.
Because of the climate where I live, I chose to read this one.
“SAS” stands for Special Air Service, a regiment of the British Army. SAS personnel operate worldwide, often in hostile conditions, and they are thoroughly trained in survival techniques.
The book is pocket-sized but is chock-full of everything you need to know in order to survive in your location: finding water, making it safe to drink, finding shelter, methods of procuring food, fire starting, cooking, survival medicine, navigation and more. It includes photos and sketches which are a big help in understanding the methods described.
One thing I did not like about the book is the extremely small print, which could be difficult for people with less than perfect eyesight, especially in low light conditions. On the other hand, I can understand there is a lot of information being stored in a pocket sized book.
I enjoyed the section on survival medicine which had a discussion on maintaining good hygiene in extremely dirty conditions, various remedies – even a section on treatment using maggots, which was fascinating, but I hope to never witness. One of the recommendations which made sense was on maintaining a regular routine wherever you are to help with morale.
The description of food preservation methods while out in the field was another area of interest for me.
Having driven through the desert right out of El Paso, TX, through nearby states New Mexico and Arizona, it is not hard to picture how hard it would be to survive without supplies should you ever get stranded out there. I will keep a copy of this book in the emergency bag, just in case.
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