Signaling to Rescuers

Once you've addressed the immediate concerns in a survival situation such as ensuring you're safe and that you have an appropriate shelter, you should start thinking about how to signal rescuers that may be looking for you. An important thing to remember is that seconds can be the difference between life and death so be prepared at all times to activate your signal.

Signal Location

To maximize the effectiveness of a signal you need to use it at the appropriate time and in a good location. Use the following guidelines to select a proper signaling site.

1. The site should be close to your camp or shelter.
2. It should be located in the largest available clearing you can find.
3. If possible, the site should have a view that extends 360 degrees.
4. If no clearing is available, placing the signal next to a stream is a good alternative.
5. Be careful to avoid shadows and overhangs so that your signal will not be obscured.

Types of Rescue Signals

Illumination and Smoke Flares
Flares can be very useful, but don't wait until you need a flare to become familiar with how to use one. Things will go a lot smoother if you study the instructions before finding yourself in a survival situation. Here are some general guidelines for using a signal flare.

• If practical, prepare your flare for use in advance, taking care to keep it dry. When signaling for an air rescue, don't ignite the flare until the rescuer has been sighted approaching your direction.
• Since flares have the potential to burn you, always handle them with care and never point them toward yourself or someone else. It's best to hold them away from the body, at a 45 degree angle and pointed toward the ground. Be sure the bottom is not pointing toward your body as there have been incidents where flares have ignited out of the bottom, severely burning the operator.
• Most day flares emit a bright orange smoke that lasts approximately twenty seconds. For best results, use these flares on calm, clear days only. If the weather is bad, chances are that the smoke will dissipate before being seen.
• Most night flares emit a bright red flame that lasts approximately twenty seconds. For best results, use these flares at night.

Signal Mirrors with Sighting Holes
On clear, sunny days, signal mirrors have been seen from as far away as 70 to 100 miles. Although such mirrors make for great signaling devices, they require practice to become proficient in their use. The following are instructions on using a commercial signaling mirror.

1. Hold the signal mirror between your index finger and thumb of one hand. Reflect the sunlight from the mirror onto your other hand.
2. While maintaining the sun's reflection on your free hand, bring the mirror up to eye level and look through the sighting hole. If done properly, you should see a bright white or orange spot of light in the sighting hole. This is commonly called the aim indicator or fireball.
3. While continuing to hold the mirror close to your eye, slowly turn it until the aim indicator is on your intended target. If you lose sight of the aim indicator start over.
4. Since the mirror can be seen from great distances, it's a good idea to sweep the horizon periodically through the day even if no rescue vehicles are visible.
5. When signaling an aircraft, stop flashing the pilot after you're certain he's spotted you, so that the flash doesn't impede his vision.
6. When signaling form land, jiggle the mirror slightly to add movement to the signal.
7. When at sea, hold the mirror steady so that it appears different than the sparkles created by the natural movement of the water.

Space Blankets
These blankets have two sides with one being silver and the other being dark. In a snowy environment, place it in a clearing with the dark side up since it will contrast nicely against the white snow. Otherwise, place the space blanket in a clearing with the silver side up. In either case, weigh down the edges so it won't blow away. As you go about meeting your other survival needs, a well-positioned space blanket can be a passive, yet effective alert to potential rescuers of your location.

Note: The space blanket should be used as a signaling device ONLY when it's otherwise not necessary to meet more immediate survival needs such as staying warm and dry.

Whistles
With no moving parts, a whistle will never wear out and its sound travels father than the screams of the most desperate survivor. As such, always carry a whistle whenever you're out in the wilderness. As soon as you become lost or separated, begin blowing your whistle in multiple short bursts and repeat every 3 to 5 minutes. If rescue doesn't appear imminent, go about meeting your other survival needs while stopping periodically throughout the day to blow the whistle. It may alert rescuers of your location even if you're unaware of their presence.