Life and Death on the Highway (home, cost, military)

[mitgreb]

In the middle of no where, on a Highway?

If I'm on the highway, I'm not in the middle of no where

Been stuck on the parks a couple times and pick up folks too.

[starlite9]

Road flares have a couple of good uses, one is to alert traffic of an accident of course, but you can start a fire with one when you are really cold. Where matches and lighters won't work if you can't feel them. If you are freezing and need heat, you can burn a spare tire for emergency heat and throw wood on it or other burnables, easier to replace a burnt tire than a hand or foot that has been frostbit. You do want to stab the tire with a knife or something to let the air out first before you burn it though so it won't explode on you! Start the fire along side the roadway, it will supply radiant heat and also let people see you. Oh, and stay out of the black smoke the burning tire puts out...

But I always carry at least six 30 min flares, they work good with snowmachines as well for part of the emergency equipment for starting fires. They are waterproof and will light under any conditions.

If nobody has shown up, you can burn the tires on the car for an emergency as well, heat is heat... unless you need it for shelter.

[Marty Van Diest]

You know..the people who left their car on the Denali Highway and tried to walk out could have taken a few pointers from you Mark, and prevented a tragedy.

[Dakster]

Originally Posted by SityData

Believe it or not: in an emergency; you can dress a wound with a DIRTY OILY RAG!!

STOP the bleeding with whatever you have available. That is what we were taught in many a first aid class.

Yes you could, but why would you have a used sanity napkin around?

I would rather use a piece if my shirt than a dirty rag...

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by Marty Van Diest

You know..the people who left their car on the Denali Highway and tried to walk out could have taken a few pointers from you Mark, and prevented a tragedy.

What suprised me is they were Natives with colds weather experience growing up in the Arctic. It was a sad event that they threw that experiance away and if I recall took their grandchild with them.

So many people that know what to do in a bad situation, throw that knowledge away and do something irrational...

You can even cut the Foam out of the seats to provide insulation, cigarette lighter can start fires... And the list of options is long!

[freezengirl]

It seems to me that it is often the people that are most familiar with the dangers of cold climates are the first ones to disregard the safety rules they have known all their lives. I have been thinking back over the years and most of the deaths or horrible accidents have been caused by thinking they would be safe this one time ignoring the rules. This thread has been a good reminder for all of us!

[MAINEr]

Good reminders for everyone everywhere. It has been very nice here this winter but the one or two times we have had a storm (really ice and flurries) I have been stuck in traffic for hours. It's good to have these supplies for anytime because you never know when something could happen.

[JavaPhil]

When hunting, carry sanitary napkins and tampons. They are sterile and tampons can plug a bullet wound. Ace bandage. And my boss always told everyone leaving the shop for a trip beyond Wasilla heading north to remember that the tires WILL burn. Use a flare. All company trucks have an action packer filled with these and all other emergency items. No tires as they don't fit.

[Huckleberry3911948]

i am fortunate no. but as a young man i hitchhicked in germany. all night long in the cold rain in black forrest. pitch black standing alone. suddenly a long slow moan in the dark middle of nowwhere, jumped outa my skin, it was another hitchhiker sleeping in the island in a sleeping bag at my feet.

[mizzile]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

These napkins are sterile already and can be used over open wounds.

Sorry to nitpick, but sanitary napkins are NOT sterile. Yes, you can use them to treat a wound (as others point out, you can use a lot of things to treat wounds), but in no way are they sterile.