How can survival training prepare you for open water emergencies?

Open Water Navigation and Signaling Techniques

Proper navigation is crucial in open water emergencies. Survival training teaches techniques such as using a compass and chart to navigate back to land or to a designated safe zone. Students learn how to use visual and auditory signals to alert potential rescuers, including flares, mirrors, and whistle signals. For example, a whistle signal can be as simple as three short blasts, followed by a minute of silence, and then three more short blasts. This pattern can be repeated to signal “help” to potential rescuers.

Life Raft Deployment and Shark Avoidance

Survival training also covers the deployment and use of life rafts, including how to inflate, stabilize, and secure them. Students learn how to minimize the risk of shark encounters by avoiding areas with known shark activity, wearing shark-repellent wetsuits, and using noisy and colorful objects to deter sharks. For instance, a life raft can be equipped with shark-repellent devices such as shark repellent balls or electric shark deterrents, which can be purchased or homemade using certain materials.

Desalination and Hydration Techniques

In open water emergencies, access to clean drinking water is critical. Survival training teaches techniques for desalination, including solar stills, sand filtration, and water purification tablets. Students learn how to collect and store rainwater, and how to use the sun’s heat to evaporate seawater and collect fresh water. For example, a solar still can be built using a plastic container, a rock, and a clear plastic sheet. By placing the container in the shade and weighting down the plastic sheet, students can collect clean drinking water.