Ranger Award Core Requirements

Requirements

7. Wilderness Survival

   (Before you begin wilderness survival, you must have completed the cooking, land navigation, and first aid core requirements.)

   1. Write a risk management plan for an upcoming crew high adventure activity such as a whitewater canoeing or rockclimbing trip. The plan should include nutrition, health, first aid, supervision, insurance, safety rules and regulations, proper equipment, maps and compass, in-service training, environmental considerations, emergency and evacuation procedures, and emergency contacts.
   2. From memory, list the survival priorities and explain your use of each in a survival situation.
   3. Learn about and then make a tabletop display or presentation for your crew, another crew, a Cub or Boy Scout group, or another youth group on the following subjects:
      
      1. Emergency signals used in the outdoors
      2. Search and rescue patterns
      3. Evacuation procedures and value of when to move and when not to move in a wilderness emergency
   4. Explain the following environmental exposure problems. Discuss what causes them, signs and symptoms, and treatment.
      
      1. Hypothermia
      2. Frostbite
      3. Sunburn
      4. Heat exhaustion
      5. Heat cramps
      6. Heat stroke
   5. 1. Explain dehydration and the necessity of conserving fluids in a survival situation.
      2. Explain at least four methods of obtaining water in the outdoors and demonstrate at least two ways to purify that water.
   6. 1. Demonstrate at least two different fire lays-one for cooking and one for warmth.
      2. Learn and discuss the use of fire starters, tinder, kindling, softwoods, and hardwoods in fire making.
   7. Explain and demonstrate how you can gain knowledge of weather patterns using VHF band radio and other radios, winds, barometric pressure, air masses and their movements, clouds, and other indicators.
   8. 1. Explain the different rope materials and thicknesses that are best for wilderness use and how to care for them.
      2. Know the use of and demonstrate how to tie the following knots and lashings:
         
         1. Sheet bend
         2. Fisherman's knot
         3. Bowline
         4. Bowline on a bight
         5. Two half hitches
         6. Clove hitch
         7. Timber hitch
         8. Taut-line hitch
         9. Square lashing
         10. Shear lashing
   9. 1. Explain the usefulness and drawbacks of obtaining food in the wilderness, including things to avoid.
      2. Prepare and eat at least one meal with food you have found in the outdoors.
   10. 1. Make a list of items you would include in a wilderness survival kit and then make copies to hand out to visitors to your wilderness survival outpost camp.
       2. Using your list, make a wilderness survival kit. Explain the use of each item you have included.
   11. 1. Set up a wilderness survival outpost camp and spend at least two nights and two days in your site.
       2. Use and demonstrate several knots and lashings from requirement (h) in your wilderness survival campsite demonstration.
       3. Know how to plan a wilderness shelter for three different environments and then build a shelter as part of your wilderness survival campsite demonstration.
       4. Have your crew, another crew, a Cub or Boy Scout group, or another youth group visit you in your outpost for a presentation you make on wilderness survival (at least one hour).