Cedar Goslin
The Broadside
The difference between life and death could be the contents of a metal coffee can.
Any moment in time can become a survival situation, according to Rebecca Barrett, local wilderness survival enthusiast. Barrett, who teaches wilderness survival at Redmond High School, stresses the importance of always being prepared with a well-stocked survival kit, not just when going out into what’s considered “wilderness.”
“Wilderness can be anything… it can be your car if you’ve had an accident and need to survive,” said Barrett.
Barret teaches her students to be prepared for the worst by building a kit, every piece of which is a tool for survival, including the container: a metal coffee can. Each item in the can should cater to one of the five basic needs, according to Barrett. Those five needs are ranked in the order of will to live, oxygen, shelter, water and food. The other four items on the list are tangible and self explanatory, but Barrett explained that the inclusion of
“will to live” is based off brain research, and is meant to remind survivors that they have a reason to keep going.
“Most people don’t give up because they don’t have a skill, they give up for negative thinking… thoughts of family and prayer are two things that help the brain divert the panic cycle,” said Barrett. The item for “will to live” can be anything from a picture of family, a religious talisman or a small stuffed animal.
You can contact Cedar Goslin at [email protected]