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![]() TYPES OF SURVIVAL SHELTERS
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When looking for a shelter site, keep in mind the type of shelter (protection) you need. However, you must also consider--
To answer these questions, you need to know how to make various types of shelters and what materials you need to make them.
It takes only a short time and minimal equipment to build this lean-to You need a poncho, 2 to 3 meters of rope or parachute
suspension line, three stakes about 30 centimeters long, and two trees or two poles 2 to 3 meters apart. Before selecting
the trees you will use or the location of your poles, check the wind direction. Ensure that the back of your lean-to will
be into the wind. To make the lean-to--
If you plan to use the lean-to for more than one night, or you expect rain, make a center support for the lean-to. Make
this support with a line. Attach one end of the line to the poncho hood and the other end to an overhanging branch. Make sure
there is no slack in the line. Another method is to place a stick upright under the center of the lean-to. This method, however, will restrict your space
and movements in the shelter. For additional protection from wind and rain, place some brush, your rucksack, or other equipment at the sides of the lean-to.
To reduce heat loss to the ground, place some type of insulating material, such as leaves or pine needles, inside your
lean-to. To increase your security from enemy observation, lower the lean-to's silhouette by making two changes. First, secure the
support lines to the trees at knee height (not at waist height) using two knee-high sticks in the two center grommets (sides
of lean-to). Second, angle the poncho to the ground, securing it with , as above. This tent ( provides a low silhouette. It also protects you from the elements on two sides. It has, however, less usable
space and observation area than a lean-to, decreasing your reaction time to enemy detection. To make this tent, you need a
poncho, two 1.5- to 2.5-meter ropes, six sharpened sticks about 30 centimeters long, and two trees 2 to 3 meters apart. To make the tent--
If you need a center support, use the same methods as for the poncho lean-to. Another center support is an A-frame set
outside but over the center of the tent (Use two 90- to 120-centimeter-long sticks, one with a forked end, to form the A-frame.
Tie the hood's drawstring to the A-frame to support the center of the tent. If you have a parachute and three poles and the tactical situation allows, make a parachute tepee. It is easy and takes
very little time to make this tepee. It provides protection from the elements and can act as a signaling device by enhancing
a small amount of light from a fire or candle. It is large enough to hold several people and their equipment and to allow
sleeping, cooking, and storing firewood. You can make this tepee using parts of or a whole personnel main or reserve parachute canopy. If using a standard personnel
parachute, you need three poles 3.5 to 4.5 meters long and about 5 centimeters in diameter. To make this tepee
You need a 14-gore section (normally) of canopy, stakes, a stout center pole, and inner core and needle to construct this
tepee. You cut the suspension lines except for 40- to 45-centimeter lengths at the canopy's lower lateral band. To make this tepee (
You use the same materials, except for the center pole, as for the one-pole parachute tepee. To make this tepee (
A one-man shelter you can easily make using a parachute requires a tree and three poles. One pole should be about 4.5 meters
long and the other two about 3 meters long. To make this shelter
The parachute cloth makes this shelter wind resistant, and the shelter is small enough that it is easily warmed. A candle,
used carefully, can keep the inside temperature comfortable. This shelter is unsatisfactory, however, when snow is falling
as even a light snowfall will cave it in. You can make a hammock using 6 to 8 gores of parachute canopy and two trees about 4.5 meters apart If you are in a wooded area and have enough natural materials, you can make a field-expedient lean-to (Figure 5-9) without the aid of tools or with only a knife. It takes longer to make this type of shelter than it does to make other types,
but it will protect you from the elements. You will need two trees (or upright poles) about 2 meters apart; one pole about 2 meters long and 2.5 centimeters in diameter;
five to eight poles about 3 meters long and 2.5 centimeters in diameter for beams; cord or vines for securing the horizontal
support to the trees; and other poles, saplings, or vines to crisscross the beams. To make this lean-to--
In cold weather, add to your lean-to's comfort by building a fire reflector wall (Drive four 1.5-meter-long stakes into
the ground to support the wall. Stack green logs on top of one another between the support stakes. Form two rows of stacked
logs to create an inner space within the wall that you can fill with dirt. This action not only strengthens the wall but makes
it more heat reflective. Bind the top of the support stakes so that the green logs and dirt will stay in place. With just a little more effort you can have a drying rack. Cut a few 2-centimeter-diameter poles (length depends on the
distance between the lean-to's horizontal support and the top of the fire reflector wall). Lay one end of the poles on the
lean-to support and the other end on top of the reflector wall. Place and tie into place smaller sticks across these poles.
You now have a place to dry clothes, meat, or fish. In a marsh or swamp, or any area with standing water or continually wet ground, the swamp bed (Figure 5-10) keeps you out of the water. When selecting such a site, consider the weather, wind, tides, and available materials. To make a swamp bed--
Another shelter designed to get you above and out of the water or wet ground uses the same rectangular configuration as
the swamp bed. You very simply lay sticks and branches lengthwise on the inside of the trees (or poles) until there is enough
material to raise the sleeping surface above the water level. Do not overlook natural formations that provide shelter. Examples are caves, rocky crevices, clumps of bushes, small depressions,
large rocks on leeward sides of hills, large trees with low-hanging limbs, and fallen trees with thick branches. However,
when selecting a natural formation--
For warmth and ease of construction, this shelter is one of the best. When shelter is essential to survival, build this
shelter. To make a debris hut (Figure 5-11)--
If you are in a cold, snow-covered area where evergreen trees grow and you have a digging tool, you can make a tree-pit
shelter (Figure 5-12). To make this shelter--
See Chapter 15 for other arctic or cold weather shelters. This shelter protects you from the sun, wind, rain, and heat. It is easy to make using natural materials. To make this shelter (Figure 5-13)--
In an arid environment, consider the time, effort, and material needed to make a shelter. If you have material such as
a poncho, canvas, or a parachute, use it along with such terrain features as rock outcropping, mounds of sand, or a depression
between dunes or rocks to make your shelter. Using rock outcroppings--
In a sandy area--
A belowground shelter (Figure 5-14) can reduce the midday heat as much as 16 to 22 degrees C (30 to 40 degrees F). Building it, however, requires more time
and effort than for other shelters. Since your physical effort will make you sweat more and increase dehydration, construct
it before the heat of the day. To make this shelter--
If you have extra material, you can further decrease the midday temperature in the trench by securing the material 30 to
45 centimeters above the other cover. This layering of the material will reduce the inside temperature 11 to 22 degrees C
(20 to 40 degrees F). Another type of belowground shade shelter is of similar construction, except all sides are open to air currents and circulation.
For maximum protection, you need a minimum of two layers of parachute material (Figure 5-15). White is the best color to reflect heat; the innermost layer should be of darker material. |
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