If you spend time in the mountains, would you know what to do if you got caught in an avalanche? Avalanches injure thousands of people—and kill more than 150—each year.

Don’t be a statistic. Learn what you need to do to survive an avalanche.

The following tips will help you build awareness of avalanche safety and help you survive in case you get caught in an avalanche.

1- Be prepared.

Before you head out into the snow, be aware of the snow conditions. Thin snow cover in early winter can become weak and unstable as heavier snowfall comes down on top. This instability increases the chances of an avalanche. If you can avoid it, don’t go out when the avalanche risk is high. Carry an avalanche beacon to help rescuers locate you if you get buried in an avalanche.

2- Travel in a group.

If you’re spending time in the snow, don’t do it alone. Travel with a group of people and make sure they are familiar with avalanche conditions and rescue.

3- Seek shelter.

If you’re caught in an avalanche, seek shelter wherever possible. Avalanches are powerful and send tons of snow quickly down a mountain, covering everything in its path.  Crouch down, turn away from the avalanche and cover your mouth and nose to prevent snow from getting in. Brace yourself against the impact.

4- Stay on top of the snow.

If you are buried in an avalanche, you need to get to the top. Depending on the severity of the avalanche, this may be easier said than done. You need to act quickly to stay on the top of the snow. Move your arms in a backstroke to stay on top of the snow.

5- If you’re buried, create an airway.

“If it comes over you and buries your face, you want to fight, you want to swing, you want to punch.” Sue Anderson of Wasatch Backcountry Rescue states. “You want to fight as hard as you can to stay on top of that snow. When the snow stops, it settles down as hard as concrete. You have about a second to punch to get that airway done.”

6- Remain calm.

This step may seem impossible when you’ve been buried in an avalanche. However, this step is the most important one for your survival. If you panic, you run the risk of making the situation worse.

7- Dig yourself out and call for help.

Your survival depends on your ability to get yourself on top of the snow. Do whatever you can to dig yourself out of the snow and call out for help.

If you’re faced with an emergency, your traditional communication sources may not be available. What do you do if you need assistance? Consider using these communication devices to help you communicate with others and get the assistance you need.

1) Cell Phone

Because you probably have your cell phone on you at all times, it should be your first option–as long as you’re in cell phone range. You can use it to contact your friends or family to let them know about the situation.

However, you should never rely solely on your cell phone as your sole method of communication if you’re faced with an emergency situation. In true emergencies, cell phone towers can get tied up due to a dramatic increase in usage and you may be unable to make a call or send a text. Similarly, if you’re out in the wilderness, you may be out of cell phone range and you will need another method of communication.

2) Social Network

These days, nearly everyone is part of a social network. Most people also have smartphones that allow them to access the Internet or use an app. Posting a message on a social media network will let you inform a large number of people about your emergency. Unfortunately, this form of communication only works if you have a smartphone with a data plan or a computer that can connect to the Internet.

3) Two-Way Handheld Radio

Two-way radios, commonly called walkie talkies, are relatively inexpensive communication devices. It is a good idea to carry walkie talkies when you’re traveling with a group to communicate navigation plans or to find each other if someone gets lost. Two-way radios are also useful tools for situations in which you are unable to communicate by cell phone. The communication radius for a two-way radio depends on the type, but they are limited to a maximum radius of about 35 miles.

4) Satellite Phone

Satellite phones are a type of mobile phone that connects to satellites instead of cell phone towers. Satellite phones are expensive, but a satellite phone may save your life if you’re stranded in the wilderness or if you’re faced with a natural disaster. Because satellite phones don’t use local cell networks, they are unlikely to be affected by a drastic increase in cell phone usage.

5) CB Radio

Citizens band radios, commonly called CB radios, are great to have in case of an emergency. They allow people to make contact with others via radio communications, which can be transmitted within an approximately 25-mile radius.

6) Ham Radio

The ham radio has been used during emergencies in the United States for more than a century. There is some skill needed to be able to operate a ham radio, and you must take a test to obtain a license to operate a ham radio. However, many survivalists feel that the ham radio is the most effective communication method in case of a widespread disaster.

Prepare for the worst by knowing your communication abilities. Preparing for an emergency means taking every possible scenario into account, so test and practice using these communication devices regularly.

The desert is an incredible environment to explore. Rock formations, vibrant colors, and varied landscapes make the hiking experience incredibly rewarding.

However, hiking in the desert comes with some serious risks. Even if you’re not planning to be gone for long, let someone know where you’re planning to hike and what time they should expect you to be back.

People who aren’t prepared to spend extended time in the desert frequently get in trouble due to dehydration, heat exhaustion, poor equipment, temperature fluctuations and flash flooding. These dangers can be easily avoided with preparation and awareness.

Around 80 percent of people who get lost are day hikers who aren’t prepared to spend more than a few hours in the wilderness.

If you find yourself lost, remember these seven priorities of survival.

1- Positive Mental Attitude: Maintaining a positive mental attitude is essential to survival. A clear mind will help you strategize a plan to keep you safe and help rescuers locate you. Your mental attitude will also help you conserve your energy so that you do not exhaust yourself by making poor choices.

2- Water: The desert is typically very hot and very dry. Because there are virtually no reliable water sources in the desert, you will need to pack at least a gallon of water per person for each day you plan to be hiking. Hydrate before you leave for the hike. Make sure you have iodine tablets or another method of purifying water so that you can safely drink water that you find.

3- Shelter: Temperatures can fluctuate dramatically in the desert. During the summer, temperatures can reach upwards of 115 degrees during the heat of the day. Wear long-sleeved clothing and a wide-brimmed hat to protect you from the sun. Carry an emergency blanket to provide a quick and effective shelter in case you get lost or injured.

4- Signaling: Always carry some sort of signaling device with you when you’re hiking. A whistle, signal mirror and brightly colored bandana can easily fit in a pack and can help rescuers locate you. If you’re in the backcountry, consider packing a satellite phone or personal locator beacon. You can use these devices to call for help in case of emergency.

5- Fire: The ability to make fire can save your life in case of an emergency. Fire provides an essential heat source to keep you warm when temperatures drop, and it also helps rescuers identify your location. Always pack fire starting tools and make you know how to use them before you hike.

6- First Aid Kit: The desert can bring many dangers. Make sure you have a first aid kit that is stocked with bandages, ointments, antiseptic wipes, allergy medications, painkillers and any other medications you may need.

7- Rest: If you are lost, you will need to conserve your energy. The desert sun is brutal. Avoid hiking in the heat of the day to reduce your risk of heat exhaustion and dehydration. Stay put and use your signaling devices to help increase the likelihood that you will be found.

If you are lost in the desert, these seven priorities of survival will help you stay calm and provide you with the tools you need to stay alive and get rescued.

If you are stranded in the wilderness, it is absolutely essential that you are able to start a fire. In many locations, temperatures at night can get dangerously cold. Even if the temperatures are not frigid, you still may be in danger. Hypothermia can occur in temperatures as warm as 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

When you are out in the backcountry, a fire can serve many purposes. It will not only serve as a heat source to warm your body, its flickering light and smoke may act as a signal to rescuers that will lead them to your location.

Because the ability to create a fire is so important, it is a good idea to have several fire starters in your survival kit.

  • Lighter. A Bic lighter is a convenient fire starter to have around a campground. It can be used to light a stove or a campfire. However, Bic lighters may not be reliable when you’re out in the elements. In addition, they require a significant amount of coordination to work. If your hands are numb from cold, you might not be able to light it. Further, these types of lighters are not reliable at high elevations.
  • Stormproof matches. Stormproof matches also provide a quick fire starter, and can be used in rainy and windy conditions. However, lighting a match also takes a significant amount of coordination that you may not have if you’re cold or injured.
  • Spark rod. Spark rods are reliable in wet conditions, and because they require gross motor skills to work, they can be used by individuals who may be suffering from numbness in their fingers. Spark rods come in many different varieties including ferrocerium, magnesium, or a combination of materials.
  • Tinder. All of the fire starters in the world will be of no use if there is nothing to ignite. For this reason, you should always include tinder in your survival kit. Cotton balls coated in Vaseline make excellent fire starters, even when wet. Vaseline-coated cotton balls can burn for up to five minutes (just make sure you pull them apart a bit to expose the fibers). These coated cotton balls can be stored in an empty film canister or in a plastic sandwich bag. It is a good idea to carry five or more of these in your survival kit.

Although fire starters are important tools to have when you’re stranded in the wilderness, building a fire is a skill that must be developed. Practice using your fire starters and make sure you understand the basics of building a fire before you hit the trail.

Fire provides many benefits to people in the wilderness, but wildfires are extremely destructive. If you build a fire, never leave it unattended. Make sure your fire is out cold before you leave the area.

A Boy Scout leader and a few scouts were out for a hike when he had a dangerous encounter with an angry bear. The bravery and survival skills of his son and two other Boy Scouts would end up saving his life.

Check out the video below to hear from the brave scouts and see the area of the attack.

The Bear Encounter
Christopher Petronino, a 50-year-old Boy Scout troop leader, was reportedly mauled by a bear on Dec. 20, 2015 while on a hiking trip at Splitrock Reservoir in New Jersey, about 30 miles from Newark. 

During the hike, Petronino climbed up a rocky hillside to a cave. He says that he has explored the cave on a regular basis since the 1980s, but had never run into a bear.

When he entered the cave, a black bear reportedly grabbed him and pulled him further into the cave.

After the bear grabbed his foot, Petronino struck the animal twice with a rock hammer, pulled his shirt up to cover his head, curled into the fetal position and pretended he was dead. This let the black bear know that he was not a threat, and the bear eventually left him alone.

Desperately Seeking Help
The injured Petrino then yelled to the Boy Scouts to get help. The boys immediately called 911 but could not describe their exact location. They left food outside of the cave in attempt to lure the bear from its den.

One of the Scouts, 13-year-old Frankie Lepore, credits his training for helping him remain calm during the situation. “I thought this was a serious situation—he might not make it alive if we don’t do something,” he told ABC News.

The boys also started building a signal fire to help rescuers locate them. Eventually, the bear left the cave and a dog that was with the Boy Scouts barked and frightened it, causing the bear to run away from the cave.

Petronino says he was in the cave with the bear for about an hour and 20 minutes.

Rescue crews were able to determine the party’s location based on one of the Boy Scout’s cell phone GPS coordinates, and rescued them several hours after the attack.

Petronino was airlifted out of the area and treated at a hospital. The bear had reportedly bitten his leg and both of his shoulders. He was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening and the three Scouts were unharmed.