Survival School

Games often use situations of unanticipated peril for the protagonist as the basis for the action about to unfold; but how realistic is that?  If you were thrust into an emergency situation with little or no warning, let alone preparation, would you be able to survive on your wits alone?  More importantly, have the games you’ve played taught you anything about survival?

On this episode of the Codec Call, Roger (@afro_gear), Cev (@cevynscott) and Graham (@tech_father) are given survival scenarios by the Survival School‘s Jonny Crocket (@survivalcourses).  They will use the skills that they’ve picked up from gaming in an attempt to survive against all odds; hopefully they’ve learnt more than just circle strafing and rocket jumps!

The scenarios, which are all based on real-life events, are:

• You are driving from Canada to Nevada.  You drive up over the hills and into the mountains.  Your SatNav leads you down an ambiguous road.  Nobody knows which route you have taken, but you are expected at a Hotel in Las Vegas.  It is March and there is snow everywhere.  Your car becomes trapped in a snow drift.  Your travelling companion heads off for help and is never seen again.  You have only packed a small amount of food as you assumed you’d be staying in a motel that night.
• You are in Australia and are trekking west to Uluru (Ayres Rock as was).  You set of with a rucksack and enough food to last you for 7 days.  Unseasonal storms flood the rivers on either side of you and the waters join behind you blocking your return route.  Your map is inadequate and you run out of food.  What should you do?
• You are flying over the Amazon Jungle when a freak lightening bolt hits your plane and tears it apart.  You are strapped in your seat and fall 2 miles to the jungle below.  The seat hits the canopy the right way up and breaks your fall.  You hit the ground with concussion, a cut arm, a cut leg and a broken collar bone.  You’re in summer clothing and only have one shoe.  You have no idea where you are or where help is.  There is no sign of any wreckage from the plane.

Will the team make it out alive to join the next Codec Call, or will Andy (@clinicalandy) have to find a whole new bunch of willing victims recruits?  Join in the discussion by tweeting how you would survive to @CodecMoments using #SurvivalSchool.  You can also detail your survival plan or thoughts in the comments below, or hit us up on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

Survival School was established in 1997 by Jonny Crockett to provide a place of learning for those who wanted to know more about bushcraft and the wilderness. Jonny Crockett still runs most of the courses himself. It is his personal attention to detail and his enthusiasm for the subject that has helped to make Survival School what it is – A place of good fun and good learning.

Jonny went on his first survival course when he was 14 years old and has been learning ever since. He has frequently been invited to work with the Royal Marines, the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force. However, his style is not military and he teaches with a common sense, logic and down to earth style that is not found in most Survival Schools in the UK. A lot of his techniques he has learnt from around the world where the skills are still used as a way of life. Jonny is a broadcaster, columnist for magazines and author, as well as appearing on television on a regular basis.