Stay Alive

Jack.

Any Ideas of a contact for this Aid To Survival book?? Is it just from the WA Cops?

Thanks
Bruce

Hi Jack,
Hope you get a lot of good reading from the book.
Cheers, Willem
Never a dull moment

Hi Truckster:
Can't remember where I found it .. but I am quite happy to email you a copy if you want a look at it. It is a .pdf file, around 590k in size, 88 pages in length. Just give me your email and I can shoot it off to you..
Cheers
Jack

jack pls do!

vfr750fv
at
yahoo
dot
com

Thanks again
Me.

If you contact the Police Academy in Joondalup they will give you the number for the Land Operations Training Unit. It is part written by a copper by the name of Bert O'Meagher. He has lived and worked in the far north almost all of the various tracks through the Western Desert. I had the priveledge of being instructed by him on a Outback survival course. Did you know you can eat Grass Tree's! Anyway the book mentioned is the best I've seen as a Country Copper and the fact that it's free is a bonus.

As for surviving in the outback, most people with common sense will be prepared, in my experience it's those who don't evben give it a second thought that get in trouble. I'm a copper in Newman WA and we get tourists in here heading out to the Stock Route or Rudall River national park. After they have asked us questions about the roads, etc ,we then ask our own questions. I had two german female tourists in a few months back asking for a map to Rudall River. They hadn't even planned the trip just thoght they'd pop in for a map on the way out. I gave them my copy of "Aid to survival" and contacted the Cotton creek aboriginal community to get permission for them to obtain fuel. I checked thier vehicle and recommended them buying a few items before heading off. No wonder we get guys like the German fella who got bogged at Savory Creek on the Stock Route after leaving Wiluna with 10 litres of water thinking it would take him two days to get to Well 33. I had to arrange the rescue for him. Lucky for him two guys in a landrover came across him (he only had two litres of water left, no tent, no shovel, no recovery gear and the daytime temp was about 45 degree's with no shade.) The guys in the landrover had a sat phone which was fantastic from a Police point of view! Although tracks like the Canning are fairly busy these days it pays to have left your itinery with the local coppers and don't forget to check in when you get in at the other end. (We are always chasing up people you have long since got home safe).
Anyway I've waffled on long enough.

pilbaralad,
As you said, bush survival is mostly common sense.
Yes, some people have no idea. We did a solo Canning in 94. Met up with German tourists in a rental 4x4. They were running out of water and had no means of collecting it. Luckily we were at a well and helped them out. They had come in a Well 33 and were going north and were in a hurry to get to darwin to catch a plane. Don't know if they made it.

Just before Savory Creek we met a convoy of 7 vehicles absolutely caked in mud and salt and they told us that we did not have a hope in hell of crossing the creek on our own as it had taken them a couple of hours to winch themselves through. We got to the creek, turned upstream and drove for 2 or 3 km and found a bone dry crossing. You just have to figure that one out.

Then at Well 7 we met a 70 yo fella in a small diesel vehicle. 2 jerries extra fuel and no arranged fuel drop. No bucket, no shovel, no first aid kit, no spare parts and enough food for a week.............But his vehicle does 10km to a litre he proclaimed. We learned much later that he had to be rescued when he ran out of fuel. There were other incidents as well which I mention in my article Canning Stock Route in my website www.kempen.id.au.

Cheers, Willem
Never a dull moment

Hi Martyn:
I can recall being in Cairns and wanting to visit a friend .. had the street directory .. no glasses .. could not see a thing ... ended up going to a shop and asking them to point the way for me .. now I carry a pair of the $20 "cheapies" in the car all the time. So I can realat to your comment on reading glasses ... lol
Jack

Martyn,
Thanks for the info. I have just had a look at their website and they sell a whole lot of gear. It looks like the book retails for $24.95.

I have soved the glasses problem. Wear them all the time and forget about the vanity. I have graded glasses with tint and they work well...at a price however. ..My missus drives me insane losing her glasses which are of a colour that blends with everything.
Cheers, Willem
Never a dull moment

Thanks Macca, The link works & this is a much later version than the one I had previously & has 105 pages. Very useful publication & best of all its free.
Cheers

Many thanks Macca. Your link was a success and it looks like a good publication to have. Cheers

Thanks for the link, Macca, have printed it off, and am going to put it in loose leaf folder, for staff(and me) to read. Looks to have lots of good info in it, and might just kick the commonsense muscle into gear for some.

Hooroo...

Cheers for the link Macca!