1. Conditions Affecting Survival
AS 400 SURVIVAL
Lesson 1-2
Conditions Affecting Survival

2. How ready are you to learn today?
Not very ready... I forgot to find clean water.
A little slow to get going... Is it a PT Day?.
Good to go... I know my bug-out RP!
I am focused, I can make a fire with a fire starter! 1 15
(AS100-U1C1L1:LQ1)

3. You can count on this condition when waiting to be rescued.
That you will be rescued in 1 day
You can never be certain that rescue is near
Rescue will happen before your food is gone
That you will rescued in 3 days 16
(AS100-U1C1L1:VQ7)

4. Sources & Resources
AFR 64-4
Air Force Pamphlet
AFTP

5. Unit 1 The Elements of Surviving
Survival Preparedness
Conditions Affecting Survival
The Survivor’s Needs
Psychological Aspects of Survival
The Will to Survive

6. Lesson Overview Lesson Objective
Know the three basic conditions affecting survival.
Samples of Behavior/Main Points
a. Identify the three basic conditions that affect every survival situation.
b. List the three basic components of all environments.
c. Describe the four primary factors which constitute the survivor’s condition.
d. Identify four factors affecting survival duration

7. Conditions of Survival
There are three Basic Conditions that affect every survival situation.
Environmental Condition
Survivor’s Condition
Duration

8. Environmental Conditions
There are three Environmental Components that affect every survival situation.
Climate (Weather)
Terrain
Life Forms (Animal and Plants)
Each can present special problems
Each can be used to the survivor’s advantage
Each can contribute to the survival success or failure

9. This is not a basic condition that effects your survival situation?
Environmental Condition
Support System from home
Duration
Survivor’s Condition 30

10. Climate
COLD
JUNGLE
Temperature, moisture and wind are the basic climate elements.
Extreme cold or hot temperatures, complicated by moisture or lack of moisture, and the possibility of wind, may have life threatening impact on the survivor’s needs, decisions and actions.
The primary concern is the need for personal protection
Climatic conditions also have a significant impact on other aspects of survival.
Availability of water and food
Need and ability to travel
Recovery capability
SEA
DESERT

11. In regards to climate your primary survival concern is dealing with?
Signal for help
Building a snare trap
Securing clean drinking water
Personal protection 25

12. Terrain Terrain: The physical features of a piece of land or ground.
Mountains, prairies, hills and lowlands are only a few examples of the infinite variety of land forms which describe “terrain.”
The existing terrain will affect the survivor’s needs and activities in such areas as travel, recovery, food, water and personal protection.
Depending on its form, terrain may cause travel to be difficult; provide protection; or make survival a seemingly impossible task.

13. Life Forms
For survival purposes there are two basic life forms – plant and animal.
Plant Life. There are hundreds of thousands of different types of species of plants life. Some species can be very advantageous for food, water, camouflage, or shelter
Animal Life. Reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, insects and mammals are life forms which directly affect a survivor by posing hazards or by satisfying needs.

14. Survivor’s Condition Physical Psychological Material
Legal and Moral Obligations
III. The Survivor’s Condition.
A. Physical. The physical condition and the fitness level of the survivor are major
factors affecting survivability.
1. Survivors who are physically fit will be better prepared to face survival episodes
than those who are not.
2. High levels of physical fitness will enhance a survivor’s ability to cope with such
diverse variables as temperature extremes, rest or lack of it, water availability,
food availability, and extended survival episodes.
B. Psychological. The survivor’s psychological state greatly influences their ability to
successfully return from a survival situation.
1. Psychological effectiveness in a survival episode results from effectively coping
with the following factors:
a. Initial Shock g. Fatigue
b. Pain h. Isolation
c. Hunger i. Insecurity
d. Thirst j. Loss of Self-Esteem
e. Cold or Heat k. Loss of Self-Determination
f. Frustration l. Depression
2. A survivor may experience emotional reactions. Emotional reactions commonly
occurring in survival situations are:
a. Boredom g. Anger
b. Loneliness h. Hate
c. Impatience i. Anxiety
d. Dependency j. Fear
e. Humiliation k. Panic
f. Resentment
3. Psychologically survival episodes may be divided into the crisis phase and the
coping phase.
4. The initial crisis period will occur at the onset of the survival situation. During
this period, “thinking” as well as “emotional control” may be disorganized.
Judgment is impaired, and behavior may be irrational.
5. Once the initial crisis is under control, the coping phase begins and the survivor is
able to respond positively to the situation.
6. The most important psychological tool that will affect the outcome of a survival
situation is the will to survive.
7. Without it, the survivor is surely doomed to failure—a strong will is the best
assurance of survival.

15. Survivor’s Condition Physical
Survivors who are physically fit will be better prepared to face survival episodes than those who are not.
High Levels of physical fitness will enhance a survivor’s ability to cope with such diverse variables as temperature extremes, lack of rest, lack of water and food, and extended survival situations.
III. The Survivor’s Condition.
A. Physical. The physical condition and the fitness level of the survivor are major
factors affecting survivability.
1. Survivors who are physically fit will be better prepared to face survival episodes
than those who are not.
2. High levels of physical fitness will enhance a survivor’s ability to cope with such
diverse variables as temperature extremes, rest or lack of it, water availability,
food availability, and extended survival episodes.
B. Psychological. The survivor’s psychological state greatly influences their ability to
successfully return from a survival situation.
1. Psychological effectiveness in a survival episode results from effectively coping
with the following factors:
a. Initial Shock g. Fatigue
b. Pain h. Isolation
c. Hunger i. Insecurity
d. Thirst j. Loss of Self-Esteem
e. Cold or Heat k. Loss of Self-Determination
f. Frustration l. Depression
2. A survivor may experience emotional reactions. Emotional reactions commonly
occurring in survival situations are:
a. Boredom g. Anger
b. Loneliness h. Hate
c. Impatience i. Anxiety
d. Dependency j. Fear
e. Humiliation k. Panic
f. Resentment
3. Psychologically survival episodes may be divided into the crisis phase and the
coping phase.
4. The initial crisis period will occur at the onset of the survival situation. During
this period, “thinking” as well as “emotional control” may be disorganized.
Judgment is impaired, and behavior may be irrational.
5. Once the initial crisis is under control, the coping phase begins and the survivor is
able to respond positively to the situation.
6. The most important psychological tool that will affect the outcome of a survival
situation is the will to survive.
7. Without it, the survivor is surely doomed to failure—a strong will is the best
assurance of survival.

16. Survivor’s Condition Psychological
The survivor’s psychological state greatly influences their ability to successfully return from a survival situation.
Psychologically survival episodes may be divided into the crisis phase and the coping phase.
The initial crisis period will occur at the onset of the survival situation. During this period, “thinking” as well as “emotional control” may be disorganized. Judgment is impaired, and behavior may be irrational. 
Once the initial crisis is under control, the coping phase begins and the survivor is able to respond positively to the situation.
III. The Survivor’s Condition.
A. Physical. The physical condition and the fitness level of the survivor are major
factors affecting survivability.
1. Survivors who are physically fit will be better prepared to face survival episodes
than those who are not.
2. High levels of physical fitness will enhance a survivor’s ability to cope with such
diverse variables as temperature extremes, rest or lack of it, water availability,
food availability, and extended survival episodes.
B. Psychological. The survivor’s psychological state greatly influences their ability to
successfully return from a survival situation.
1. Psychological effectiveness in a survival episode results from effectively coping
with the following factors:
a. Initial Shock g. Fatigue
b. Pain h. Isolation
c. Hunger i. Insecurity
d. Thirst j. Loss of Self-Esteem
e. Cold or Heat k. Loss of Self-Determination
f. Frustration l. Depression
2. A survivor may experience emotional reactions. Emotional reactions commonly
occurring in survival situations are:
a. Boredom g. Anger
b. Loneliness h. Hate
c. Impatience i. Anxiety
d. Dependency j. Fear
e. Humiliation k. Panic
f. Resentment
3. Psychologically survival episodes may be divided into the crisis phase and the
coping phase.
4. The initial crisis period will occur at the onset of the survival situation. During
this period, “thinking” as well as “emotional control” may be disorganized.
Judgment is impaired, and behavior may be irrational.
5. Once the initial crisis is under control, the coping phase begins and the survivor is
able to respond positively to the situation.
6. The most important psychological tool that will affect the outcome of a survival
situation is the will to survive.
7. Without it, the survivor is surely doomed to failure—a strong will is the best
assurance of survival.

17. Survivor’s Condition Psychological
Psychological effectiveness in a survival episode results from effectively coping with the following factors:
Initial Shock g. Fatigue
Pain h. Isolation
Hunger i. Insecurity
Thirst j. Loss of Self-Esteem
Cold or Heat k. Loss of Self-Determination
Frustration l. Depression
III. The Survivor’s Condition.
A. Physical. The physical condition and the fitness level of the survivor are major
factors affecting survivability.
1. Survivors who are physically fit will be better prepared to face survival episodes
than those who are not.
2. High levels of physical fitness will enhance a survivor’s ability to cope with such
diverse variables as temperature extremes, rest or lack of it, water availability,
food availability, and extended survival episodes.
B. Psychological. The survivor’s psychological state greatly influences their ability to
successfully return from a survival situation.
1. Psychological effectiveness in a survival episode results from effectively coping
with the following factors:
a. Initial Shock g. Fatigue
b. Pain h. Isolation
c. Hunger i. Insecurity
d. Thirst j. Loss of Self-Esteem
e. Cold or Heat k. Loss of Self-Determination
f. Frustration l. Depression
2. A survivor may experience emotional reactions. Emotional reactions commonly
occurring in survival situations are:
a. Boredom g. Anger
b. Loneliness h. Hate
c. Impatience i. Anxiety
d. Dependency j. Fear
e. Humiliation k. Panic
f. Resentment
3. Psychologically survival episodes may be divided into the crisis phase and the
coping phase.
4. The initial crisis period will occur at the onset of the survival situation. During
this period, “thinking” as well as “emotional control” may be disorganized.
Judgment is impaired, and behavior may be irrational.
5. Once the initial crisis is under control, the coping phase begins and the survivor is
able to respond positively to the situation.
6. The most important psychological tool that will affect the outcome of a survival
situation is the will to survive.
7. Without it, the survivor is surely doomed to failure—a strong will is the best
assurance of survival.

18. During the _______ phase the initial crisis come under control and the survivor is able to reposnd positiviely to the situation
Coping
Initial Crisis
Shelter Building
Walk out stage 26
(AS100-U1C1L1:LQ5)

19. Survivor’s Condition Material
At the beginning or a survival episode, the clothing and equipment in your possession, the contents of the survival kit and resources recovered are the sum total of your material assets.
Special attention must be given to the care and storage of all materials.
The equipment available to a survivor affects all decisions, needs and actions. The ability to improvise may provide ways to meet some needs.

20. Survivor’s Condition Legal and Moral Obligation
Responsibilities influence behavior during survival episodes and influence the will to survive. Examples include feelings of obligation or responsibilities to family, self, and/or spiritual beliefs.
A survivor’s individual perception of responsibilities influence survival needs, and affect the psychological state of the individual both during and after the survival episode.

21. Duration
The duration of the survival episode has a major effect upon the survivor’s needs.
A survivor can never be certain that rescue is near.
Every decision and action will be driven in part by an assessment of when recovery or return is probable.
The survivor must consider several major factors that will affect the duration of the survival episode
Rescue capabilities
Distances involved
Climatic conditions
Ability to locate the survivor

22. You can count on this condition when waiting to be rescued.
That you will be rescued in 1 day
You can never be certain that rescue is near
Rescue will happen before your food is gone
That you will rescued in 3 days 1

23. This is not a major factor that will effect the duration of the survial episode
Rescue capabilities
Climatic conditions
Rescue will happen before your food is gone
Ability to locate the survivor 1 14

24. Discussion - Exercise
You have crashed your car at the end of snow covered road. You have your two year old baby sister with you, she was not hurt when you crashed your car. When getting out the car you fell into a creek but were able to pull your self from the water but have a broken ankle. You are wet and cold, you can see a cabin that is a one mile away that is up a very steep hill. You are two hour walk back to gas station on a flat road, and you know that it will be dark in three hours. You only have a one person survival kit. You have no cell service and your car will not start. What would you?
Try to hike to gas station
Shelter in place at the car
Try to hike to the cabin
Do something else

25. Lesson Review
a. Identify the three basic conditions that affect every survival situation.
b. List the three basic components of all environments.
c. Describe the four primary factors which constitute the survivor’s condition.
d. Identify four factors affecting survival duration

26. Unit 1-3 The Survivor’s Needs
Next
Unit 1-3 The Survivor’s Needs