Survival Definition

Merriam-Webster OnLine defines survival as “the act or fact of living or continuing longer than another person or thing; the continuation of life or existence”. So then death is the opposite of survival.  If we don’t die from a life threatening situation then we survived it.

In this first article I want to try to explain the scope of survival since it involves many things.  It certainly covers issues of disaster and wilderness preparedness.  I believe it also extends beyond the traditional concept and includes other disciplines as well.

Business Survival

Recovery Managers deal with business survival every day.  As a former member of BRMA (Business Recovery Manager’s Association) in the San Francisco bay area, I was privileged to rub shoulders with the best minds in the recovery business.  These corporate managers are responsible to ensure that their organizations survive major calamities of all types. They regularly conduct tabletop exercises and mass casualty drills to prepare their companies to work with emergency response agencies. It was fascinating sitting in on the Hurricane Katrina debriefings from four large companies.  The lessons learned were invaluable.

Centenarians

Seniors that have survived to a hundred years old are the ultimate survivalists. The majority of them arrived at the century mark because their bodies produce an abundance of the good HDL cholesterol. They can eat whatever they want and not worry about it.  My mother-in-law has been concerned about her high cholesterol for the past thirty years. She is now 93 and has outlived all her friends.  I told her to quit worrying about high cholesterol since she is obviously immune to it. It’s hard to change old habits.

Health Survival

Survival also deals with issues of personal health. In the past year I survived the discovery that one of my arteries was 80% blocked.  I felt the helplessness of not being able to walk a short distance without my heart feeling like it was going to explode.

Thanks to medical marvels I was back to normal in a week after diagnosis.  After an inconclusive stress test, my cardiologist performed an angiogram through an incision in the femoral artery in my groin. He then injected a special dye and quickly discovered a blocked artery. While he was inside my heart he installed a stint to keep the artery open. This procedure took about an hour and a half and I was home the next day.  Luckily I didn’t experience a heart attack.

The key for me was being in tune with my body through regular vigorous exercise. I knew something was wrong when I had to sit down on the curb after walking two miles. I felt nauseated and had to rest for thirty minutes before going home. Then later I had sushi for lunch and the salt in the soy sauce sent my blood pressure up over 200 systolic. What a terrible feeling. I’m determined to never let that happen again if I could help it.

Survival Psychology

Survival also delves into human psychology as we try to understand how the mind adapts to horrific situations in order to cope. I’m disgusted as I read about the recent discovery of the 11-year old girl in California that was kidnapped and held for 18 years in a couple’s backyard. How did she and her family members manage to survive this ordeal?  Is there any hope now for a normal life?  They will certainly need professional help for a long time.

Risk Taking

Survival for many means not taking any risks and just staying at home to become a couch potato.  As an extreme risk taker I can’t embrace their lifestyle.  They would say I’m lucky to be alive by living on the edge. I’m sure they would be partially correct.

Survival Thinking

Survival requires being able to think clearly in life threatening situations. It doesn’t do us any good to know what to do in an emergency if you don’t apply it in time.  It’s hard not to panic and freeze up when facing death.  Hopefully we can practice in less threatening situations to gain experience.  I have a habit of daydreaming about what I would do in emergency situations. This helps me act with muscle memory if something similar comes up.

Why Do People Survive?

Survival sometimes involves examining the reasons for survival.  Understanding how a person survived a life threatening event is important to future survival training. Did the person apply a survival skill; was it fate or divine intervention or was it just dumb luck?

Survival Priorities

Survival is looking at the threats we face and prioritizing them based on the likelihood of encountering each one. If a person lives in Hawaii then they probably don’t need to be concerned about whiteout conditions from a blizzard. On the other hand everyone should be concerned about a swine flu pandemic and should prepare now to prevent exposure. My next series of articles will present the facts about novel H1N1 influenza with suggested extreme prevention methods.

Quality of Life

Survival also touches on quality of life issues. At what point is it no longer practical to survive? I don’t think any of us wants to survive in a vegetative state with no chance of recovery. I have given my wife Lorrie permission to assist in my departure if I become terminally ill. I instructed her to put me in my kayak and launch me down a class-VI rapid without a life jacket and helmet. The rapid should then be renamed Lorrie’s Revenge.

Summary

As we have seen survival touches on many areas. I hope you will join me as I dive into the specifics of daily survival. Today about 7,000 people will die in the US. Remember that survival is an option, so choose to survive with me.