WATER

 

 

Water is essential to life. A person can survive for three weeks without food but for only three days without water, therefore its discovery and conservation should be prioritised over food. Don’t wait until you have run out of water before you look for it. Conserve what you have and seek a source as soon as possible, preferably fresh running water, though all water can be sterilized by boiling or by using chemical puri-fiers. In a survival situation a 1 litre-jug (1¾pt) can be made to last 4 days, but if necessary the last ¼ litre (½pt) can be made to last 3 days. This is achieved by dividing the last ¼ litre into three, then drinking half of the day’s ration at mid-
day, and the balance at night, for 3 days.

Water is the coolant that keeps the body at an even temperature, it is needed to keep the kidneys functioning to eliminate wastes, is required for breathing, and for digestion. But the fluids contained in the body are limited. Lost water must be replaced or health and efficiency will suffer. The average human requires the minimum of ¼ litre (½pt) of water per day to survive.

Water loss
The average person loses 2-3 litres (3½-5¼pt) of water each day—even someone resting in shade loses about 1 litre (1¾pt). Just breathing loses fluids, and loss through respiration and perspiration increases with work rate and temperature. Vomitting and diarrhoea increase loss further. This must all be replaced to preserve the critical water balance, either by actual water or water contained in food

HOW TO RETAIN FLUIDS

Avoid exertion. Just rest.

• Don’t smoke.
•  Keep cool. Stay in shade. If there is none erect a cover to provide it.
• Do not lay on hot ground or heated surfaces.
• Don’t eat, or eat as little as possible. If there is no water available fluid will be taken from the vital organs to digest food,furtherincreasingdehydration. Fat is hardest to digest and takes a lot of fluid to break it down.
• Never drink alcohol.
• Don’ttalk—andbreathethroughthe nose, not the mouth

 

FINDING WATER

The first place to look is in valley bottoms where water naturally drains. If there is no obvious stream or pool, look for patches of green vegetation and try digging there. There maybe water just below the surface which will build up in the hole. Even digging in gullies and dry stream beds may reveal a spring beneath the surface, especially in gravelly areas. In mountains look for water trapped in crevices.
On the coast digging above the high water line, especially where there are sand-dunes, has a good chance of producing about 5cm (2in) of fresh water that filters down and floats on the heavier salt water. It may be brackish but is still drinkable. Where cliffs fall into the sea look for lush growth of vegetation, even ferns and mosses, in a fault in the rock formation and you may find a soak or spring.
If no freshwater can be found, saltwater can be distilled

Opuntia  cacti — Prickly pears, or Figilinda, have big, ear-like excrescences and produce oval fruits which ripen to red or gold. Their large spines are easier to avoid than those of many cacti. Both fruit and ‘ears’ are moisture laden.

Be suspicious of any pool with no green vegetation growing around it, or animal bones present. It is likely to be polluted by chemicals in the ground close to the surface. Check edge for minerals which might indicate alkaline conditions. ALWAYS BOIL WATER FROM POOLS. In deserts there are lakes with no outlets; these become salt lakes. Their water MUST be distilled before drinking.

Dew and rain collection

Despite the acid rain produced by industrialized countries, which can cause a build-up of pollution in the soil, rainwater everywhere is drinkable and only needs collecting. Use as big
a catchment area as possible, running the water off into containers of every kind. A hole dug in the ground and lined with clay will hold water efficiently, but keep it covered. If you have no impermeable sheeting, metal sheets or bark can beused to catch water in. If you have any doubt about the water you have collected, boil it. In climates where it is very hot during the day and cold at night, heavy dew can be expected. When it condenses on metal objects it can be sponged or licked off.

 You can use clothing to soak up water and then wring it out. One way is to tie clean cloths around the legs and ankles and walk through wet vegetation. These can be sucked or wrung out

REMEMBER: RATION YOUR SWEAT NOT YOUR WATER!
If you have to ration water, take it in sips. After going a long time without water, don’t guzzle when you do find it. Take only sips at first. Large gulps will make a dehydrated person vomit, losing even more of the valuable liquid.

 

LINK DOWNLOAD SAS SURVIVAL HANDBOOK

Guidelines for the management of snakebite

 

Essentials:
Snakebites are environmental, occupational and climatic hazards, predominantly of rural areas. Bites are usually inflicted on lower legs, ankles and feet of agricultural workers and their families. Know  your local snakes, their favourite habitats, and times of day and seasons when they are most active. Never handle, threaten or attack snakes. Do not attract snakes to homes by keeping livestock indoors or leaving food unprotected, encouraging rodents.
Sleep under a well-tucked–in mosquito net, ideally on a raised bed. Clear rubbish and undergrowth  from around the house.
Always use a light and prod with a stick when walking outside at night, visiting the latrine or  relieving yourself in the open. Solid shoes or boots are recommended especially during agricultural  activities.
Fishermen should avoid touching sea snakes caught in their nets.  Community education reduces the risk of snakebites. Involve all community workers, traditional healers and villagers. 

Distribute leaflets, banners and posters. Reformat these SEARO recommendations for national or  local use as guidelines, training modules, leaflets, video clips or posters, displayed in hospital and  clinic waiting areas and disseminate them via radio, TV and social networks. 

Reducing the risk of snakebites 

PERTOLONGAN DARURAT GIGITAN ULAR

Aktifitas di alam terbuka memiliki risiko yang besar. Salah satunya adalah ancaman risiko dari gangguan binatang. Gangguan binatang ini bisa bermacam-macam jenisnya, antara lain gangguan dari binatang ular. Pada prinsipnya ular adalah binatang pemalu yang cenderung akan menjauh bila bertemu manusia selama tidak merasa terganggu atau terancam.

Karakteristik serangan ular ada yang membunuh mangsanya dengan cara melilit sampai mati baru memangsa, adapula yang melakukan dengan gigitan. Ular dengan tipe serangan dengan gigitan memiliki bahaya yang berbeda, tentunya tergantung jenis ularnya berbisa atau tidak (nonpoisonous). 

Kejadian gigitan ular di lalm terbuka kadang tidak diketahui jenis ular yang menggigit. Apakah berbisa atau tidak. Salah satu cara menilai apakah gigitan tersebut dari ular berbisa atau tidak bisa dilihat dari bekas gigitan. Ciri-ciri ular berbisa memiliki dua gigi khusus atau taring yang berfungsi seperti jarum suntuk untuk mengalirkan racun ke obyek yang digigit. Jika bekas gigitan ada dua tanda tusukan berjejer dengan dekat dapat diamati pada kulit, maka dapat dipastikan bahwa gigitan tersebut dari ular beracun. Sedangkan untuk ular yang tidak beracun bekas gigitannya tidak beraturan karena tidak memiliki taring.

Yang harus diingat adalah, apapun bentuk gigitan ular baik dari ular berbisa maupun tidak boleh disepelekan dan harus segera dilakukan penanganan pertolongan.

Bekas gigitanan ular. (A) Ular tidak berbisa tanpa bekas taring, (B) Ular berbisa
dengan bekas taring

Gambaran gigian ular berbisa akan timbul rasa nyeri daerah gigitan (muncul segera setelah gigitan), daerah gigitan bengkak, ekimosis atau kemerahan memar (dapat cepat berkembang), reaksi emosi yang kuat, gejala sistemik yang muncul penglihatan kembar/kabur, mengantuk, sakit kepala, pusing dan pingsan, mual dan atau muntah dan diare, rasa sakit atau berat didada dan perut, sukar bernafas dan berkeringat banyak, kesulitan menelan serta kaku di daerah leher dan geraham. Yang parah bisa sampai kejang hingga koma yang apabila tidak mendapatkan pertolongan dapat mengakibatkan kematian.

Upaya pertolongan darurat sangat mendukung keselamatan korban sebelum ditangani secara klinis. Berikut tindakan darurat pada penanganan gigitan ular.

-        Tenangkan korban

Tenangkan korban. Kepanikan dapat menyebabkan kenaikan tekanan darah dan nadi, sehingga dapat mempercepat penyebaran racun

-        Bersihkan bagian yang terluka dengan cairan faal atau air steril.
-        Immobilisasi korban

Istirahatkan korban. Jangan banyak melakukaan pergerakan. Hal ini dilakukan juga untuk mencegah penyebaran racun dalam darah.

-        Jangan manipulasi gigitan!

Jangan memukul mukul daerah sekitar gigitan ataupun membuat luka sayatan pada gigitan dengan tujuan agar darah banyak keluar sehingga racun ikut keluar. Pada umumnya terjadi salah pengertian mengenai pengelolaan gigitan ular. Metode penggunaan torniket (diikat dengan keras sehingga menghambat peredaran darah), insisi (pengirisan dengan alat tajam), pengisapan tempat gigitan, pendinginan daerah yang digigit, pemberian antihistamin dan kortikosteroid harus dihindari karena tidak terbukti manfaatnya.

Imobilisasi bagian tubuh
menggunakan perban.

- Untuk efek lokal dianjurkan imobilisasi menggunakan perban katun elastis dengan lebar +/- 10 cm, panjang 45 m, yang dibalutkan kuat di sekeliling bagian tubuh yang tergigit, mulai dari ujung jari kaki sampai bagian yang terdekat dengan gigitan. Bungkus rapat dengan perban seperti membungkus kaki yang terkilir, tetapi ikatan jangan terlalu kencang agar aliran darah tidak terganggu. Penggunaan torniket tidak dianjurkan karena dapat mengganggu aliran darah dan pelepasan torniket dapat menyebabkan efek sistemik yang lebih berat.

-        Segera bawa ke dokter/RS.

Informasikan kepada dokter kronologi kejadian, termasuk berapa lama korban sampai ke rumah sakit, gejala yang muncul pada korban dan dan penanganan darurat yang sudah dilakukan.