9781422287842

Survival in the Arctic 13

Make Connections: Tips for Sheltering

If you do not find shelter quickly, you could find yourself falling victim to a wide range of illnesses, including dehydration, hypothermia , trench foot , and frostbite . Other dangers of the polar regions include sunburn and carbon monoxide poisoning. Sunburn occurs due to rays of the sun reflecting upward from snow and ice. Carbon monoxide is a dangerous chemical that has no color or smell and is given off by any gas or stove. In extremely cold climates, shelters are likely to be small and well sealed against the elements. This means that carbon monoxide can build up to dangerous levels, potentially causing death. The symptoms of carbonmonoxide poisoning are difficult to detect, especially Here are some tips for finding shelter in freezing climates: • Do not sleep on bare ground. Use insulating materials such as spruce or pine boughs, dry grass, dried moss, or leaves. • Do not cut wood that is too big for your shelter; it uses valuable energy. • Do not scatter your equipment on the ground. Keep it in one place to stop you losing it. • Have a fire going while you are building a shelter. It can be used as a heat source, a morale booster, and can provide boiling water for a hot drink.