Know your Rescue Signals

Three men were rescued from the tiny Pacific Island of Fanadik by a U.S. Navy plane that had spotted their H-E-L-P sign.

Do you know your signals? Try remembering at least these two. “V” means you require assistance. Maybe more noticeable from the air is the international “SOS”.  It’s also easier and requires less material than writing “HELP”. Most people know what SOS means (save our souls) and is less likely to be overlooked or confused with random debris than “V”. Also, try remembering the arrow signal. This can be very important if you decide to move away from the area so that search and rescue teams know the direction you took.

One final tip. During night time, a triangle of three fires is an international distress signal. This can done with three fires with about 100 feet between them, maybe using three flares or flashlights.

FerFAL

Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”.