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S.T.O.P. 
In almost any emergency, but especially in a survival situation, it is
very important that you first
S.T.O.P
"S" is for Stop. Take a deep breath, sit down if possible, calm yourself and recognize that whatever has happened to get you here is past and cannot be undone.
"T" is for Think. Your most important asset is your brain. Use it! Don't Panic! Move with deliberate care. Think first, so you have no regrets later. Take no action, even a foot step, until you have thought it through. Unrecoverable mistakes and injuries, potentially serious in a survival situation, occur when we act before we engage our brain.
"O" is for Observe. Take a look around you. Assess your situation and options. Consider the terrain, weather and resources. Take stock of your supplies, equipment, surroundings, your personal capabilities and, if there are any, the abilities of your fellow survivors.
"P" is for Plan. Prioritize your immediate needs and develop a plan to systematically deal with the emergency and contingencies while conserving your energy. Then, follow your plan. Adjust your plan only as necessary to deal with changing circumstances.
YOU WILL SURVIVE!
Stay Put!
Nobody likes being scared or frightened, but if you become lost you can remember these things that will help you to be less scared.
If you become lost you can help yourself by keeping calm. To do this you can sing, whistle or even telling yourself jokes or stories. Do anything it takes to make yourself feel better. Try using your imagination to pretend you are somewhere else that you really like. Your family will be looking for you and they will call the police department and search and rescue people to find you.
It's very important that you STAY PUT!
If lost, the odds that you will find your way out are not very good. If
you're hurt, you'll only make it worse by trying to travel. If it's just gotten late, you stand a good chance of getting lost in the darkness. However, if you stay put you will be found, likely in only a few hours. Don't make it harder for searchers by moving around.
If you are with another person or a group, always stay together. Do not separate, do not split up, and never move out of sight or hearing of each other.
When you are discovered to be missing, there are friendly strangers who will help you. Some of these are police officers, fire fighters,
rescue squad personnel and Search and Rescue teams and search dogs. You don't need to hide. Don't be afraid of
searchers who may be wearing uniforms. Friendly strangers always work in groups. There may be a helicopter or airplane looking for you too. If you hear searchers get in a clearing or meadow where they can see you.
If you see or hear a helicopter get out in the open and lie down flat like you are making a snow angel. This will make you look bigger so that the helicopter pilot can see you.
Don't be afraid of a search dog. It will be wearing a vest so that you know it
is a friendly dog there to help you. If it is night time the dog may even be wearing a bright light on its collar.
It will probably look like a
monster at first, but you will find it is just a fuzzy friend looking for
you.
Shelter
Shelter is a basic necessity. Find or make temporary shelter. Pick the best convenient location for your shelter, as dry as possible in wet or cold weather, and away from natural hazards. Don't go far to find something better, make do with the best you can find right where you are.
Your shelter can be as simple as sitting under the overhanging branches of a large tree or rock outcrop. Beneath the bottom branches of a large evergreen there is often a clear dry area, even in heavy snow. Avoid sitting on the bare ground or snow. Sit or lay on gathered small branches or shrubbery or on a downed tree for insulation.
A large garbage bag (a bright color is best, but any will do) is a very effective, inexpensive and compact personal emergency shelter or poncho that will fit in your pocket. Always carry one or two when you go off into the wilderness. Use the garbage bag to cover yourself and to keep heat in and the weather out.
To use, hold the bag upside down and go to one of the corners (a bottom corner, but now on top as you hold it), drop down about eight inches along the crease, and cut or tear a slit or hole only big enough for your face. Pull the bag over your body so that the corner rests on top of your head and your face sticks through the hole. Be sure to keep your head out where you can breath, you can suffocate inside the plastic if it covers your mouth and nose. If you have another bag and you're tall enough so one bag won't cover you completely, pull the other bag up from your feet. If you can, stuff the bags and your clothing with dry leaves for added
insulation.
Using rock outcropping for shelter. You can also use the bag as a small shade tarp, if the sun is a problem. A cap or hat is always useful to keep your head dryer, and warm or
shaded.
Use a tree, downed tree or piled up snow to break any wind. Curl into a tight ball to conserve heat. If there is more than one person, huddle together for warmth. In hot sunny weather, seek shade. If the ground is soft and you can do so without overexerting yourself and wasting precious water, scoop out a hollow in the shade, it can be 30 degrees cooler 12 inches below the surface. Once you have shelter, stay there. If you've taken shelter where it might be hard for anyone to see you, try to leave some sign or marker, sticks or some rocks, out in the open pointing to your shelter.
When you are lost and really cold, it is o.k. to go inside a cabin or inside of a car or truck, even if it is not yours. If there is a phone there you can dial 911. If you see signs that say "Keep Out" you can still go in, because you are lost and the owner will understand.
Attract Attention
The more you can do to attract attention to yourself, the quicker someone will find you. The way to do this is by making lots of noise and by making yourself easy to see. You can be hard to see when wearing dark clothing, so it's always a good idea to wear bright colors when you go out. If you hear a helicopter, lie down in a clear dry space to make the biggest possible target for them to see.
Using a bright garbage bag as a ground signal. If you have something to use as a flag (an excellent reason to carry a brightly colored bandanna with you, it also has many other uses), that will be far more effective than your arms and hands alone.
Most survivors are found by ground search teams and a whistle is the most effective signaling device. A whistle is far
better than shouting because your voice just doesn't carry very far, especially in the woods. The whistle will be heard for 1/2 to 2 miles or even more in the wilderness where your voice may only carry for a few hundred feet, at best. You will also be able to signal for much longer periods of time, whereas your vocal cords will give out very quickly. You should never leave home without a whistle hung around your neck.
Whistle Loud for
HELP!
The
blast of a whistle repeated three times is a universal signal for help and will definitely attract the attention of anyone within earshot. Blow three clear blasts, pausing for a few seconds between each, then wait for five minutes and repeat until you are rescued. If you hear a whistle, respond immediately with three blasts every time. If you don't have a whistle, you can make a loud signal by banging two rocks together or beating on a dead tree with a stick or rock (but, be careful you don't hurt yourself or that the tree or branches don't fall on you if it is still standing).
Fear
You usually do not have to worry about wild
animals. They do not like to be near people. If they hear or smell you, they will usually run away. A good rule is: answer a noise with a noise. If you hear a noise in the woods, make a noise back. If it is an animal it will run away. If it is a searcher then you will be found. Sometimes small animals make noises that sound big in the dark.
If you are afraid of the dark here is a trick you can try. Memorize your surroundings during daylight so that you can see with your memory when it gets dark. Try practicing this trick in your bedroom.
Remember, nothing changes just because it gets dark.
Water
For the limited length of time you might be out, water is a lot more important for you than food. It's always a good idea to have at least a quart of water with you at all
times.
Always carry water with you. The best place to store water is in your stomach, so don't be afraid to drink what you have. Don't drink to excess, but if you have water, drink it when you feel the need. If you don't have any water, keep from sweating and breath through your nose to retain as much as you can.
While it is best to purify water found in the wilderness before drinking, don't let a lack of purification stop you drinking from a stream or spring, as long as the water looks reasonably clear. Keeping your body fluids at a safe level (hydrated) is more important than the slim chance you might catch some bug from the water. There's nothing you can get from the water that a doctor can't easily take care of. Do not eat snow to obtain water, it will just make you colder.
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