After a Disaster, in an Emergency, Your Campsite.

Often, you may not have a great deal of choice; but you will always have some.

Avoid: 

• Wind
• Steep mountain sides (rock falls)
• Poorly drained areas and marches (especially if you want to avoid mosquitoes).
• Keep in mind that, especially in winter, temperatures may vary greatly over a rather small area. Avoid valley bottoms as often they are colder than the higher ground (sides of the valley). But, In winter especially; avoid sloping terrain to avoid avalanches and stay away from the bottom of hollows, as they will, likely, soon be filled with snow  Of course, the warmest areas are near the sea but you will not usually have that choice.
• Beginning too late,setting camp and/or building a shelter. Begin before it gets dark and  before you get exhausted.
• And, if caught in a blizzard; find or make a shelter/snow cave ASAP or you will probably die. Never, never, attempt to travel in a blizzard. 

Keep Your Campsite in Order.

It is important to keep the camp tidy and your survival kit/equipment in one place, safely stored and within reach. Keep your equipment in the kit, or hang it up at the same spot every time after use. It is not funny running around looked for lost or damaged equipment, when it is needed or wanted. And, in a high stress situation, a tidy camp makes the whole situation a lot more pleasant and tolerable.

Latrine: seldom ever seen, you are not  likely to hear even mention of the word on one of those "reality" survival shows; but if you feel your situation is likely to last for more than one day, it is important to dig a latrine.

• Dig a hole in the ground about 18 inches wide, long and deep. Make sure that the contents of the latrine wont pollute nearby water sources and that it is downwind of your site. To keep smell and flies away, toss a little earth in the pit after use.
• It is also a good idea to keep aa kit for washing up at the site. Hygiene is important in the woods and in all disaster/emergency situations.
• When the  hole starts to become full, just fill it over, and dig a new one.
• No need for "polluting" the woods, your environment with a lot of brown and white, striped, paper; toilet paper is definitely not a necessity; in reality, one could use grass, leaves, ferns, or moss. In winter, one could use snow balls, just like real pioneer survivors. Don't worry about frostbite, it is not as cold as expected, not nearly enough to hurt you, unless your use an exceptionally long time to wipe 

©Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan. Al rights reserved.