When you are in the wilderness, it can be very hard to build an emergency shelter especially if you have no idea how to do it. But, with the right tips, you will be able to easily build an emergency shelter out of nothing at all and therefore stay protected from whatever Mother Nature has to throw at you! Here are 7 tips on how to build an emergency shelter. For your safety, it is recommended that you read each one carefully and apply as necessary before starting your adventure in the wilderness!
1) Choose a Safe Location
By far, choosing a safe location is one of the most important decisions you can make when attempting to build an emergency shelter. You want to select a spot that will be relatively easy for rescuers to find and difficult for wild animals or other threats (such as criminals) to get in. If you’re able, it’s also ideal if you can camp near a large body of water—this way, if things do go awry, your chances of rescue are much higher.
2) Build a Fire
Fire is one of your primary tools for survival. If you can’t build a fire in difficult conditions, such as rain or snow, then you are probably going to be in big trouble. Under such circumstances, building a fire could very well save your life. There are several methods you can use if you need to get a fire started in adverse weather conditions. The easiest way is to carry along some waterproof matches with you whenever you go into wilderness areas.
3) Build Shelters That Reflect Your Environment
The major types of shelters are those that reflect your environment. Naturally, if you’re in a desert, you don’t want to make a massive shelter out of leaves and sticks like you would in a forest. Likewise, if it’s winter time and there’s lots of snow everywhere, you want something that reflects that. The easiest way to do so is with a lean-to style shelter, which utilizes two trees and some branches for construction.
4) Emergency Shelters From Things You Have On Hand
Think you’ll never be stranded in a desolate location? Think again. You may not think it’s likely, but you never know when something might happen and leave you injured, stranded or otherwise helpless. If you want to ensure that your odds of survival are as high as possible, build a shelter right away.
5) Keep Warm Without a Fire
Though building a fire is one of our favorite ways to create warmth and comfort, it’s not always possible or even safe. So here are seven great ideas for staying warm when you have no other way of generating heat
6) Know When To Bug Out and When To Hunker Down
The most important part of any survival situation is knowing when to bug out and when to hunker down. Unfortunately, it is difficult for some people to determine which action is appropriate. Factors that influence your decision include how much time you have until nightfall and if/when a storm will approach.
7) Water, Water Everywhere
Proper hydration is crucial during emergency situations. You don’t want to be caught out in a natural disaster without water, or worse, injured and unable to move or access water nearby. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways you can find potable water in any environment—and it won’t take much time or effort at all. Here are some tips for finding and purifying water when you need it most
