The big 3 of survival

In the unfortunate situation where you do find yourself lost in the bush, follow the big three of survival: shelter, signal and fire.

1. Shelter: Shelter is essential to protect you from the elements. Always mark your shelter using blaze orange flagging tape, a blaze orange vest or some article of clothing that is brightly coloured. Rescuers will see the colour and investigate.
2. Signal: A distress call can be any series of three signals: three blasts of a plastic whistle, flashes with a reflective device such as a mirror or from a torch, or smoke from a fire. When signalling, it is important to stay where you are so rescuers can find you.
3. Fire: Fire can be used to boil and purify water, to keep you warm and calm, or to signal for help. For signalling with fire, add green plant material or wet timber to your flame — this will produce a lot of smoke.