MILITARY WINTER SURVIVAL MANUAL:VOL.1

SURVIVAL MANUAL
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
Mountain Warfare Training Center
Bridgeport, California 93517-5001
WINTER SURVIVAL COURSE HANDBOOK
TABLE OF CONTENTS
C HAP C ONTENTS
1 REQUIREMENTS FOR SURVIVAL
2 SURVIVAL KIT
3 WATER PROCUREMENT
4 EXPEDIENT SHELTERS AND FIRES
5 CORE VALUES AND MOUNTAIN LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES
6 SURVIVAL SIGNALING AND RECOVERY
7 SURVIVAL NAVIGATION
8 TRAPS AND SNARES
9 USES FOR GAME
10 SURVIVAL FISHING
11 FIELD EXPEDIENT TOOLS, WEAPONS, AND EQUIPMENT
12 EXPEDIENT SNOWSHOES
13 WINTER TRACKING
14 SURVIVAL MEDICINE
15 WEATHER
16 INTRO TO EVASION
17 AVALANCHE AND ICE HAZARDS
APPENDIX
A EVASION PLAN OF ACTION FORMAT
B “THE EDGE” GUIDED DISCUSSION
C SURVIVAL QUICK REFERENCE CHECKLIST
D ANIMAL HABITS
E TACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
F GRADING STANDARDS
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
Mountain Warfare Training Center
Bridgeport, California 93517-5001
WSVX 02.01
02/06/05
STUDENT HANDOUT
REQUIREMENTS FOR SURVIVAL
TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE In a cold weather mountainous environment, apply the
requirements for survival, in accordance with the references. (WSVX.02.01)
ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVES
(1) Without the aid of references and given the acronym “SURVIVAL”, describe in writing the
acronym “SURVIVAL”, in accordance with the references. (WSVX.02.01a)
(2) Without the aid of references, list in writing the survival stressors, in accordance with the
references. (WSVX.02.01b)
(3) Without the aid of references, list in writing the priorities of work in a survival situation, in
accordance with the references. (WSVX.02.01c)
OUTLINE
1. REQUIREMENTS FOR SURVIVAL
a. This mental “mind-set” is important in many ways. We usually call it the “will to survive”
although you might call it “attitude” just as well. This basically means that, if you do not
have the right attitude, you may still not survive.
b. A guideline that can assist you is the acronym “ SURVIVAL”. (WSVX.02.01a)
(1) Size up.
(a) Size up the situation.
1. Conceal yourself from the enemy.
2. Use your senses to hear, smell, and see to determine and consider what
is developing on the battlefield before you make your survival plan. (b) Size up your surroundings.
WSVX 02.01 01-1
1. Determine the rhythm or pattern of the area.
2. Note animal and bird noises and their movement.
3. Note enemy traffic and civilian movement.
(c) Size up your physical condition.
1. Check your wounds and give yourself first aid.
2. Take care to prevent further bodily harm.
3. Evaluate condition of self and unit prior to developing survival
plan.
(d) Size up your equipment.
1. Consider how available equipment may affect survival senses;
tailor accordingly.
(2) Undue haste makes waste.
(a) Plan your moves so that you can move out quickly without
endangering yourself if the enemy is near.
(3) Remember where you are.
(a) If you have a map, spot your location and relate it to the surrounding
terrain.
(b) Pay close attention to where you are and where you are going.
Constantly orient yourself.
(c) Try to determine, at a minimum, how your location relates to the
following:
1. The location of enemy units and controlled areas.
2. The location of friendly units and controlled areas.
3. The location of local water sources.
4. Areas that will provide good cover and concealment.
(4) Vanquish fear and panic.
01-2
WSVX 02.01
(a) Realistic and challenging training builds self-confidence and confidence for a
unit’s leadership.
(b) The feeling of fear and panic will be present. The survivor must
control these feelings.
(5) Improvise and Improve.
(a) Use tools designed for one purpose for other applications.
(b) Use objects around you for different needs. (i.e. use a rock for a
hammer)
(6) Value living.
(a) Place a high value on living.
(b) Refuse to give into the problem and obstacles that face you.
(c) Draw strength from individuals that rise to the occasion.
(7) Act like the natives.
(a) Observe the people in the area to determine their daily eating, sleeping, and
drinking routines.
(b) Observe animal life in the area to help you find sources of food and
water.
NOTES: Remember that animal reactions can reveal your presence to the enemy.
Animals cannot serve as an absolute guide to what you can eat and drink.
(8) Live by your wits, but for now, learn basic skills.
(a) Practice basic survival skills during all training programs and exercises.
2. STRESS. Stress has many positive benefits. Stress provides us with challenges: it gives us chances
to learn about our values and strengths. Too much stress leads to distress. While many of these signs
may not be self-identified, it remains critical that all survivors remain attentive to each other’s signs
of distress. Listed are a few common signs of distress found when faced with too much stress:
a. Difficulty in making decisions (do not confuse this sign for a symptom of
hypothermia).
b. Angry outbursts.
c. Forgetfulness.
WSVX 02.01 01-3
d. Low energy level.
e. Constant worrying.
f. Propensity for mistakes.
g. Thoughts about death or suicide.
h. Trouble getting along with others.
i. Withdrawing from others.
j. Hiding from responsibilities.
k. Carelessness.
3. SURVIVAL STRESSORS. (WSVX.02.01b) Any event can lead to stress. Often, stressful events
occur simultaneously. These events are not stress, but they produce it and are called “stressors”. In
response to a stressor, the body prepares either to “fight or flee”. Stressors add up. Anticipating
stressors and developing strategies to cope with them are the two ingredients in the effective
management of stress. It is essential that the survivor be aware of the types of stressors he will
encounter.
a. Injury, Illness, or Death. Injury, illness, and death are real possibilities a survivor has to face.
Perhaps nothing is more stressful than being alone in an unfamiliar environment where you
could die from hostile action, an accident, or from eating something lethal.
b. Uncertainty and Lack of Control. The only guarantee in a survival situation is that nothing is
guaranteed. This uncertainty and lack of control also add to the stress of being ill, injured, or
killed.
c. Environment. A survivor will have to contend with the stressors of weather, terrain, and the
variety of creatures inhabiting an area. Heat, cold, rain, winds, snow, mountains, insects, and
animals are just a few of the challenges awaiting the Marine working to survive.
d. Hunger and Thirst. Without food and water a person will weaken and eventually die. Getting
and preserving food and water takes on increasing importance as the length of time in a
survival setting increases. With the increased likelihood of diarrhea, replenishing electrolytes
becomes critical. For a Marine used to having his provisions issued, foraging can be a big
source of stress.
e. Fatigue. It is essential that survivors employ all available means to preserve mental and
physical strength. While food, water, and other energy builders may be in short supply,
maximizing sleep to avoid deprivation is a very controllable factor. Further, sleep
deprivation directly correlates with increased fear.
01-4
WSVX 02.01
f. Isolation. Being in contact with others provides a greater sense of security and a feeling
someone is available to help if problems occur.
4. NATURAL REACTIONS. Man has been able to survive many shifts in his environment throughout
the centuries. His ability to adapt physically and mentally to a changing world kept him alive. The
average person will have some psychological reactions in a survival situation. These are some of the
major internal reactions you might experience with the survival stressors.
a. F ear. Fear is our emotional response to dangerous circumstances that we believe have the
potential to cause death, injury, or illness. Fear can have a positive function if it encourages
us to be cautious in situations where recklessness could result in injury.
b. A nxiety. Anxiety can be an uneasy, apprehensive feeling we get when faced with dangerous
situations. A survivor reduces his anxiety by performing those tasks that will ensure his
coming through the ordeal
c. A nger and Frustration. Frustration arises when a person is continually thwarted in his
attempts to reach a goal. One outgrowth of frustration is anger. Getting lost, damaged or
forgotten equipment, the weather, inhospitable terrain, enemy patrols, and physical
limitations are just a few sources of frustration and anger. Frustration and anger encourage,
irrational behavior, poorly thought-out decisions, and, in some instances, an “I quit” attitude.
d. D epression. Depression is closely linked with frustration and anger when faced with the
privations of survival. A destructive cycle between anger and frustration continues until the
person becomes worn down-physically, emotionally, and mentally. At this point, he starts to
give up, and his focus shifts from “What can I do” to “There is nothing I can do.”
e. L oneliness and Boredom. Man is a social animal and enjoys the company of others.
Loneliness and boredom can be another source of depression. Marines must find ways to
keep their minds productively occupied.
f. G uilt. The circumstances leading to your survival setting are sometimes dramatic and tragic.
It may be the result of an accident or military mission where there was a loss of life. Perhaps
you were the only, or one of a few, survivors. While naturally relieved to be alive, you
simultaneously may be mourning the deaths of others that were less fortunate. Do not let
guilt feelings prevent you from living.
5. PRIORITIES OF WORK IN A SURVIVAL SITUATION. (WSVX.02.01c) Each survival
situation will have considerable aspects that will alter the order in which tasks need to be
accomplished. A general guideline is to think in blocks of time.
a. F irst 24 hours. The first 24 hours are critical in a survival situation. You must make an
initial estimate of the situation. Enemy, weather, terrain, time of day, and available resources
will determine which tasks need to be accomplished first. They should be following.
(1) Shelter
(2) Fire
WSVX 02.01 01-5
(3) Water
(4) Signaling
b. S econd 24 hours. After the first 24 hours have passed, you will now know you can survive.
This time period needs to be spent on expanding your knowledge of the area. By completing
the following tasks, you will be able to gain valuable knowledge.
(1) T ools and weapons. By traveling a short distance from your shelter to locate the
necessary resources, you will notice edible food sources and game trails.
(2) T raps and snares. Moving further away from your shelter to employ traps and snares,
you will be able to locate your shelter area form various vantage points. This will
enable you to identify likely avenues of approach into your shelter area.
(3) P athguards. Knowing the likely avenues of approaches, you can effectively place
noise and causality producing pathguards to ensure the security of your shelter area.
c. R emainder of your survival situation. This time is spent on continuously improving your
survival situation until your rescue.
6. GROUP SURVIVAL. In group survival, the group’s survival depends largely on its ability to
organize activity. An emergency situation does not bring people together for a common goal; rather,
the more difficult and disordered the situation, the greater are the disorganized group’s problems.
a. G roups Morale. High morale must come from internal cohesiveness and not merely through
external pressure. The moods and attitudes can become wildly contagious. Conscious wellplanned
organization and leadership on the basis of delegated or shared responsibility often
can prevent panic. High group morale has many advantages.
(1) Individual feels strengthened and protected since he realizes that his survival
depends on others whom he trusts.
(2) The group can meet failure with greater persistency.
(3) The group can formulate goals to help each other face the future.
b. F actors that Influence Group Survival. There are numerous factors that will influence
whether a group can successfully survive.
(1) O rganization of Manpower - Organized action is important to keep all members of
the group briefed; this way the members of the group will know what to do and when
to do it, both under ordinary circumstances and in emergencies.
(2) S elective Use of Personnel - In well-organized groups, the person often does the job
that most closely fits their personal qualifications.
01-6
WSVX 02.01
(3) A cceptance of Suggestion and Criticisms - The senior man must accept
responsibility for the final decision, but must be able to take suggestion and
criticisms from others.
(4) C onsideration of Time - On-the-spot decisions that must be acted upon immediately
usually determines survival success.
(5) C heck Equipment - Failure to check equipment can result in failure to survive.
(6) S urvival Knowledge and Skills - Confidence in one’s ability to survive is increased
by acquiring survival knowledge and skills.
REFERENCE:
1. Barry Davies BME, SAS Escape, Evasion, and Survival Manual, 1996.
2. FM 21-76, Survival, 1992.
3. John Wiseman, SAS Survival Guide, 1986.
4. AFM 64-5, Search and Rescue Survival, 1969.
5. B-GA-217-001/PT-001, Down but not Out.
WSVX 02.01 01-7
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
Mountain Warfare Training Center
Bridgeport, California 93517-5001
WSVX 02.02
2/6/05
STUDENT HANDOUT
SURVIVAL KIT
TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE. In a cold weather mountainous environment,
construct a survival kit, in accordance with the references. (WSVX.02.02)
ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVES.
(1) Without the aid of references, list in writing the components for a survival kit, in
accordance with the references. (WSVX.02.02a)
(2) Without the aid of references, list in writing one example of each component for a
survival kit, in accordance with the references. (WSVX.02.02b)
OUTLINE
1. COMPONENTS FOR A SURVIVAL KIT
a. The environment is the key to the types of items you will need in your survival kit.
How much equipment you put in your kit depends on how you will carry the kit. A kit
on your body will have to be much smaller than one carried in a vehicle.
b. Always layer your survival kit, keeping the most important items on your body.
c. In preparing your survival kit, select items that can be used for more than one
purpose.
d. Your survival kit does not need to be elaborate. You only need functional items that
will meet your needs and a case to hold them. The case might be a first aid case, an
ammunition pouch, or another suitable case. This case should be-
(1) Water repellent or waterproof.
(2) Easy to carry or attach to your body.
(3) Suitable to accept various sized items.
(4) Durable.
02-1
WSVX.02.02
e. When constructing a survival kit, you should have the following components:
(WSVX.02.02a)
(1) Fire starting items.
(2) Water procurement items.
(3) Food procurement items.
(4) Signaling items.
(5) First aid items.
(6) Shelter items.
2. ITEMS CONTAINED WITHIN EACH COMPONTENT (WSVX.02.02b)
a. Fire Starting Equipment
(1) Matches.
(2) Magnifying glass.
(3) Flint and Steel.
(4) Lighter.
(5) Potassium Permanganate, with container of sugar or anti-freeze.
(6) Prepackaged Tinder.
-Commercially Manufactured
-Cotton Balls and Petroleum Jelly
b. W ater Procurement Item.
(1) Water Disinfecting Chemicals.
-Iodine Tablets
-Betadine Solution
-Iodine Solution
-Bleach
(2) Metal Container. (Serves for boiling water)
-Canteen Cup
-Survival Kit Container
-Any Suitable can that contained no petroleum products.
2
(3) Water Carrying Items.
-Canteen
-Plastic Bag
-Plastic/Metal/Glass Container which contained no petroleum products.
c. F ood Procurement Items.
(1) Fish.
-Various sized hooks
-Various sized sinkers/weights
-Metal leaders and swivels
-Small weighted jigs
-Fishing line
-Think about the size of fish for that environment when selecting weights
and sizes.
(2) Game.
-Snares
*Commercially Manufactured
*Aircraft Cable
*Tie Wire/ Comm Wire
-Bait
*MRE Cheese Spread, Jelly, or Peanut Butter Package
*Fishing Bait
-550 Cord for Gill Net and Trap Construction
-Engineer/Marking Tape
-Sling shot rubber and pouch
-Large treble hooks
d. S ignaling Items
(1) Day
-Mirror
-Whistle
-Pyrotechnics (Smoke, Pen Flares)
-Air Panels/ Brightly colored material
(2) Night.
-Pyrotechnics (Pen Flares, Star Clusters)
-Lights (Flashlight, Strobe, Chemlight)
-Whistle
-Buzz Saw
02-3
WSVX.02.02
e. Shelter Items
(1) Cordage.
- 550 Cord.
- Wire.
-Communication wire
-Tie wire
(2) Finger Saw.
(3) Sewing Kit with Needles for construction/repair of clothing.
(4) Tentage.
-poncho
-space blanket
(5) Candle.
f . F irst Aid Items
(1) Band-Aids.
-Steristrips
-Adhesive Tape
-Non-stick pads, 4x4’s, Gauze, Battle Dressings
-Muslin Bandage
-Butter flies w/ Super glue
(2) Ointments.
-Burn
-Anti-septic
(3) Miscellaneous.
-Salt
-Sugar
-Eye Wash
-Alcohol prep pads
-Suture Kit
-Scalpel
-Vile of Yarrow
g. Miscellaneous items.
(1) Fingernail clippers.
4
(2) Compass.
(3) Notebook with pen or pencil.
(4) Wood eye screws and nails.
(5) Surgical tubing.
Note: It is assumed that the Marine is always carrying a high quality fixed bladed knife, a
multi-tool knife, and a sharpening stone.
REFERENCE:
1. Barry Davies BME, SAS Escape, Evasion, and Survival Manual, 1996.
2. FM 21-76, Survival, 1992.
3. John Wiseman, SAS Survival Guide, 1986.
02-5
WSVX.02.02
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
Mountain Warfare Training Center
Bridgeport, California 93517-5001
WSVX.02.03
2/6/05
STUDENT HANDOUT
WATER PROCUREMENT
TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE In a cold weather mountainous environment, and
given water procurement materials, obtain potable water, in accordance with the references.
(WSVX.02.03)
ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVES
(1) Without the aid of references, describe in writing why ice is more preferable than
snow for melting into drinking water, in accordance with the references. (WSVX.02.03a)
(2) Without the aid of references, list in writing the hazardous fluids to avoid
substituting for potable water, in accordance with the references. (WSVX.02.03b)
(3) Without the aid of references, list in writing the methods for disinfecting water, in
accordance with the references. (WSVX.02.03c)
(4) Without the aid of references, and given a military bottle of water purification tablets,
state in writing its self-life, in accordance with the references. (WSVX.02.03d)
(5) Without the aid of references, and given the water temperature and chemical
concentration, state in writing the contact time to disinfect water, in accordance with the
references. (WSVX.02.03e)
(6) Without the aid of references, construct a water generator, in accordance with the
references. (WSVX.02.03f)
OUTLINE
1. WATER INTAKE
a. Thirst is not a strong enough indicator.
b. The best plan is to drink utilizing the OVER DRINK method. Drink plenty of water
when it is available especially when eating.
WSVX.02.03 03-1
c. Dehydration is a major threat. A loss of only 5 % of your body fluids causes thirst,
irritability, nausea, and weakness; a 10% loss causes dizziness, headache, inability to
walk, and a tingling sensation in limbs; a 15% loss causes dim vision, painful
urination, swollen tongue, deafness, and a feeling of numbness in the skin; also a loss
of more than 15% body fluids could result in death.
d. Your water requirements will be increased if:
(1) You have a fever.
(2) You are experiencing fear or anxiety.
(3) You evaporate more body fluid than necessary. (i.e., not using the proper
shelter to your advantage)
(4) You have improper clothing.
(5) You ration water.
(6) You overwork.
2. LOCATING WATER.
a. The environment may sometimes provide you with opportunities to acquire water. In
a cold weather mountainous region water can generally be located in the following:
(1) S now. Snow can be melted for potable water. Melting snow will result in a
higher fuel usage. Uncontaminated snow does not need to be disinfected.
(2) I ce. (WSVX.02.03a) Ice can be melted for potable water. Melting ice is
preferable to melting snow due to the higher concentration of water per
volume. However, since ice is frozen water it needs to be disinfected.
(3) S treams and Rivers. Streams and rivers can generally be found in a
mountainous region. Extreme caution must be used when approaching the
edge to avoid accidental cold-water submersion.
(4) S ea Ice. In time, sea ice loses its salinity. You can identify this ice by its
rounded corners and bluish color. Gray ice has not yet lost its salt content.
b. The following are some general considerations when using snow and ice for water.
(1) Never melt snow or ice inside your mouth. This removes body heat and
increases the chance of cold weather injuries.
03-2 WSVX.02.03
(2) When on the move, use body heat to melt snow. Place snow or ice in a water
bag and place the bag between your layers of clothing, not directly on the skin.
(3) Do not waste fuel to melt snow or ice when drinkable water (i.e., stream) is
available.
(4) If melting snow in a container by a fire, utilize a hot rock to speed up the
process and conserving fuel.
3. HAZARDOUS FLUIDS (WSVX.02.03b)
a. Survivors have occasionally attempted to augment their water supply with other fluids
such as; alcoholic beverages, urine, blood, or seawater. While it is true that each of
these fluids have high water content, the impurities they contain require the body to
expend more fluid to purify them.
(1) S eawater. Seawater in more than minimal quantities is actually toxic. The
concentration of sodium and magnesium salts in it is so high that fluid must be
drawn from the body to eliminate the salts and eventually the kidneys cease to
function.
(2) A lcohol. Drinking alcoholic liquids will dehydrate the body, reduce body
heat, and cloud judgment. Ingesting a super-cooled liquid can cause
immediate frostbite of the throat and possible death.
(3) B lood. Blood is considered a food. Drinking blood will require your body to
expend additional fluid in order to digest it.
(4) U rine. Drinking urine is foolish. Urine is nothing more than body waste.
Drinking urine returns waste into your body and requires more fluid to expel
it.
4. WATER QUALITY. Water contains minerals, toxins, and pathogens. If consumed in large
enough quantities these may be harmful to human health. Pathogens are our primary concern.
Pathogens are divided into Virus, Cysts, Bacteria, and Parasites. Certain pathogens are more
resistant to chemicals and small enough to move through microscopic holes in equipment (i.e., Tshirt,
parachute). Certain pathogens also have the ability to survive in extremely cold water
temperatures. Water quality is divided into three levels of safety. Disinfection as the most desired
level followed by purified then potable.
a. D isinfection. Water disinfection removes or destroys harmful microorganisms.
Giardia cysts are an ever-present danger in clear appearing mountain water throughout
the world. By drinking non-potable water you may contract diseases or swallow
organisms that could harm you. Examples of such diseases or organisms are:
Dysentery, Cholera, Typhoid, Flukes, and Leeches.
WSVX.02.03 03-3
b. Impure water, no matter how overpowering your thirst, is one of the worst hazards in
a survival situation.
c. The first step in disinfecting is to select a treatment method. The two methods we
will discuss are as follows: (WSVX.02.03c)
(1) H eat. The Manual of Naval Preventive Medicine (P-5010) states that you
must bring the water to a rolling boil before it is considered safe for human
consumption. This is the most preferred method.
(a) Bringing water to the boiling point will kill 99.9% of all Giardia cysts.
The Giardia cyst dies at 60OC and Cryptosporidium dies at 65C. Water
will boil at 14,000 ft at 86OC and at 10,000’ at 90C. With this in mind
you should note that altitude does not make a difference unless you are
extremely high.
(2) Chemicals. There are numerous types of chemicals that can disinfect water.
These chemicals are called halogens. In a survival situation, you will use
whatever you have available.
(a) Iodine Tablets.
(b) Chlorine Bleach.
(c) Iodine Solution.
(d) Betadine Solution.
(e) Military water purification tablets. (WSVX.02.03d) These tablets are
standard issue for all DOD agencies. These tablets have a shelf life of
four years from the date of manufacture unless opened. Once the seal is
broken, the shelf life is one year not to exceed the initial
expiration date of four years.
49703
Month / Year / Batch Number
(3) Water Disinfection Techniques and Halogen Doses.
03-4 WSVX.02.03
Iodination techniques
Added to 1 liter or quart of water
Amount for
4 ppm
Amount for
8 ppm
Iodine tablets
Tetraglcine hydroperiodide EDWGT
Potable Aqua
Globaline
½ tablet 1 tablet
2% iodine solution (tincture) 0.2 ml
5 gtts
0.4 ml
10 gtts
10% povidone-iodine solution* 0.35 ml
8 gtts
0.70 ml
16 gtts
Chlorination techniques Amount for
5 ppm
Amount for
10 ppm
Household bleach 5%
Sodium hypochlorie
ml
2 gtts
ml
4 gtts
AquaClear
Sodium dichloroisocyanurate
1 tablet
AquaCure, AquaPure, Chlor-floc
Chlorine plus flocculating agent
8 ppm
1 tablet
*Providone-iodine solutions release free iodine in levels adequate for disinfection, but scant data
is available.
Measure with dropper (1 drop=0.05 ml) or tuberculin syringe
Ppm-part per million gtts-drops ml-milliliter
Concentration of Contact time in minutes at various water temperatures (WSVX.2.3e)
halogen
5 C / 40 F 15 C / 60 F 30 C / 85 F
2 ppm 240 180 60
4 ppm 180 50 45
8 ppm 60 30 15
Note: These contact times have been extended from the usual recommendations to account for
recent data that prolonged contact time is needed in very cold water to kill Giardia cysts.
Note: chemicals may not destroy Cryptosporidium due to its extremely tough membrane.
d. P urification. Water purification is the removal of organic and inorganic chemicals
and particulate matter, including radioactive particles. While purification can
WSVX.02.03 03-5
eliminate offensive color, taste, and odor, it may not remove or kill all
microorganisms.
(1) C ommercial Water Filters. Commercial water filters are generally available in
most retail stores and may be with you. Understanding what the filter can do is
the first step in safeguarding against future illnesses.
(a) A filter with greater than a .03 micron opening will not stop
Cryptosporidium.
(b) A filter system that does not release a chemical (i.e., iodine) may not
kill all pathogens.
(c) A filter that has been overused may be clogged. Usage may result in
excessive pumping pressure that can move harmful pathogens through
the opening. Filter chambers may become plugged causing the
pathogen to mutate.
e. P otable. Potable only indicates a water source, on average over a period of time,
contains a "minimal microbial hazard," so the statistical likelihood of illness is
acceptable.
(1) S edimentation. Sedimentation is the separation of suspended particles large
enough to settle rapidly by gravity. The time required depends on the size of
the particle. Generally, 1 hour is adequate if the water is allowed to sit without
agitation. After sediment has formed on the bottom of the container, the clear
water is decanted or filtered from the top. Microorganisms, especially cysts,
eventually settle, but this takes longer and the organisms are easily disturbed
during pouring or filtering. Sedimentation should not be considered a means
of disinfection and should be used only as a last resort or in an extreme
tactical situation.
5. WATER GENERATOR. (WSVX.02.03f)
a. G eneral. Ice is a better source for obtaining water than snow because of higher water
content. It takes approximately 3-4 cups of snow for each cup of water.
(1) Never let the generator completely run out of snow or ice.
(2) Once started the generator will supply more than enough water for 2 people.
b. C onstruction. Material will be determined by what you are carrying: parachute, plastic
bag, T-shirt, or bark.
03-6 WSVX.02.03
(1) If wood is available, gather three poles, approximately six feet long and three
inches in diameter. Tie them together forming a tripod.
(2) Fill the material (T-shirt, parachute, or plastic bag) with snow and tie
completely shut. Constantly bang it on the ground to compact the snow,
making it dense. Add more snow and repeat the process until the material is
completely full.
(3) Tie the material of snow to the tripod and place near the fire. Ensure the
material is safe from being burnt from the fire.
(4) In about 1/2 hour, the generator will start to drip from one spot. Place any kind
of container under this drip.
(5) Add snow as necessary.
(6) If wood is not readily available to construct a tripod, a variation can be
constructed by securing a single pole to a tree. Tie the bag of snow to this
single pole. Snow can be placed on bark. The bark can be placed near the fire
at a slight angle and the melted water collected.
WSVX.02.03 03-7