Finding shelters in emergency survival situations

If you do not have any materials with you when you find yourself in a survival situation there are  ways to find emergency shelter. Look at your surroundings, look for fallen or standing hollow trees, find a cave or an overhang from trees or cliffs.

If you can stay under the dense canopy of tree branches, that will provide you with shelter from the rain and wind. You can also use Large logs and rocks to break up the wind around you.

Natural Shelters that you can make in emergency survival situations

If you don’t have a poncho or any kind of plastic sheeting, build one from natural items. It’s basically the same method as a tarp shelter, but you use foliage to cover the frame.

Natural materials can be effective insulators and rain shields. After you build the frame, use branches, palm fronds, and any other large leaves for your roof. Work in layers from the ground up and keep the branches pointed down for rainwater runoff.

A one-person tent from tree branches.

• Take a forked tree branch and wedge it into the ground about a foot deep, with the “Y” pointing up.
• The ridgepole is the center ceiling support and should be straight and sturdy. Run it from the ground to the fork, resting in the “Y.”
• Create an “A” for the tent door by resting sturdy diagonal branches opposite each other that meet at the fork.
• Use vine to lash together all three support points.
• Create a ribbed frame with branches set diagonally along the ridgepole, wide enough so you have room inside.
• After you have your frame built, use branches, palm fronds, and any other large leaves for your roof. Work in layers from the ground up and keep the branches pointed down for rainwater runoff.
  

If you want a fire, it’s best to keep it outside or near the mouth of the shelter. In extreme conditions, you can bring the fire inside, but it should be well-ventilated, and the flames should not be near the shelter walls.

• Heat up rocks in the fire and stack them inside the shelter for extra warmth.
• Always turn off your stove or gas/oil lantern inside your shelter — Carbon monoxide gas can kill you.
• Found metal isn’t good to use for roofs. It will deflect rain and wind, but also reflect sunlight needed for warmth.

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