WATER PROCUREMENT METHODS Omi ò l'ôtàá o!Water is one of your most important needs in a survival situation. In an ideal situation a human can survive for about three days with no water. Drinking sufficient water regularly is a good way to prevent dehydration. Some signs and symptoms of dehyrdation are as follows:
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- Decreased urine output
- Dark yellow or amber colored urine
- Dry skin
- Dry mouth
- Decrease skin elasticity (pinch the skin and it stays there for more than 2 seconds)
- Constipation
- Headache
- Thirst
- Few or no tears when crying (children)
- Lack of sweating
- Sunken eyes
- Sunken fontanels (the soft spot in infants's skull)
- Low BP, High HR, High RR
- Decreased LOR (Level Of Responsiveness/consciousness)
').'")."n[/list]"'Note that thirst is a poor indicator of dehydration as a person is usually already dehydrated if they begin to feel thirsty. Watch for these signs/symptoms of dehydration in yourself and your group.
Water ProcurementAs Kmtyw scientists we know that we can use each phase of the water cycle to procure water.
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1. Evapo-transpiration
Create a solar/plant/tree still. This setup takes advantage of the natural evapo-transpiration process of plants (basically plants "sweat" water vapor into the air)
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2. Condensation
You can use a towel, or cloth, or shirt, or your socks to collect dew in the morning.
3. Precipitation
Use your rain poncho or some other collection device to collect rain as it falls. If you're unfortunate enough to be in an environment with snow, you can melt snow as a source of hydration. Never eat snow directly - the resultant drop in body temperature will actually dehydrate your body.
4. Runoff/Overland flow
Procure water from lakes, rivers, streams, ocean (if you have the means to desalinate it). Flowing water is better than stagnant water, but all water that you procure should be treated.
5. Groundwater
If you are in a low-lying area, on a beach, or near a dried river/creek bed many times that means that the water table is relatively close to the surface. You should be able to dig down a little ways and reach water.
Plants
You can also get water from cacti, banana/plaintain trees, tropical vines (do not mistake these for poison ivy vines), green bamboo thickets, palm trees and in the base/trunk of many trees.
Finally, never drink blood, urine, seawater, or alcoholic beverages.
**All water (even if it looks clear and pristine) should be treated prior to consumption. **
And always remember that our Nananom say: Nsa kɔ na nsa ba. So be sure to pour a little out for our Ancestral sistas and brothas (and mamas and babas)!
**Keep in mind that the solar still is more of a science experiment than an emergency survival technique. It is unlikely that you will have a plastic sheet, and it requires a lot of energy for little return.**