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Description

Practise different ways to send messages and stay safe in a survival situation.

Resources

Torch or phone
Pens or pencils
Scrap paper
Small mirrors

Instructions

Get organised
The person leading the activity should explain that preparing for an emergency situation before you set off on an expedition will help if there’s a crisis such as becoming lost, injured, or stranded. These situations can quickly become life-threatening, especially in extreme weather conditions. Being able to signal for help in your group, and being able to ask for outside assistance, are vital skills as they make a rescue much more likely.
Everyone should split into four groups.
If the groups are too big, you may want to split into eight groups and set up two of each base to run side by side.
Each group should go to a different base. They should get stuck into the activity there.
After 10 to 15 minutes, the person leading the activity should make a signal. Everyone should move to the next base and give it a go.
Everyone should change bases every 10 to 15 minutes (when the person leading the activity makes a signal) until everyone’s completed all four bases.
Everyone should come back together and reflect.
Ground to air
The person leading the base should explain that the ground to air symbols and body signals are internationally recognised symbols for communicating with emergency air crews, so they’re useful to know if you’ll be walking or climbing in remote areas.
The person leading the base should show everyone the symbols and signals. They should explain that the symbols should be marked out on the ground as big as possible, so they can be seen from the air. The recommended size is three metres wide by ten metres long (with about three metres between symbols).
Everyone should think about the different things they could use to make the symbols. In a survival situation, they could use rocks, logs, backpacks, or groundsheets – or even dig grooves in the ground. Anything that stands out from the ground works.
In real life, it’s important to think about the size of the materials you’re using. Small rocks or sticks could get blown around by a helicopter and hurt people.
Everyone should split into two groups. Both groups should choose a message they’d like to send to the other group.
One group should make their message using the ground to air symbols. They should use whatever’s available to make the symbol, whether they’re outdoors with access to sticks, leaves, and rocks, or indoors with access to jumpers, bags, or paper.
At the same time, the other group should practise the body signals they’ll use.
If this doesn’t take as long, they could spend some time thinking about their scenario. Where are they? Why do they need help?
The groups should take it in turns to show each other their signals. Does the other group know what they mean?
The groups should swap methods and repeat steps four to seven so everyone gets to practise their ground to air symbols and body signals.
Morse code
The person leading the game should explain that on a sunny day, reflective surfaces can be used to attract attention. They can be used to reflect the sunlight towards rescue aircraft.
Mirrors reflect the sunlight well, but you could also use other objects such as a piece of tinfoil, a foil emergency blanket, a metallic water bottle, or reflective clothing like belt buckles.
The person leading the game should explain that at night, a torch can be used to signal. It’s important that people make sure they have fully charged batteries before they head out on an expedition. Some people have wind-up torches so they don’t have to worry about the batteries running out.
Everyone should split into two groups. Each group should have a copy of the ‘Morse code information’ sheet. One group should have a torch or mirror, and the other should have a pen or pencil and a piece of paper.
The group with the mirror or torch should choose a short message to send to the other group. They should send it using light and Morse code.
If you’re using mirrors, be careful not to reflect the light into anyone’s eyes. A different reflective surface will work with weaker reflections – this may be safer.
The other group should write down the message and use their sheet to help them decode it.
Once the group’s successfully received the message, the groups should swap roles so everyone has a turn at sending and decoding a message.
Tracking signals
The person leading the base should explain that tracking signals are useful if people need to move location or head out to get help.
Everyone should split into two groups.
One group should plot a short route in the meeting space. They should wait out of sight at the end of their route.
The group can use whatever they can find to make the signals – natural items like twigs and rocks and everyday items like pens and coins all work well.
Once they’ve finished, the second group should follow the marked route to find the first group.
The first group should tidy up their route, and the groups should swap so everyone has a turn at setting and following a route

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Badge Links

• Communicator - Morse Code
• Survival Skills - Signals