Comments on: Survival and prevention tips: Share your suggestions

After the James Kim tragedy, some of our readers have offered survival and prevention advice. Post yours here, and we'll summarize.

[dinajwhite]

Basic Information & Preparedness

If you have young children or babies in the car, take extra precautions and do not take risks. If you need to be at work on Monday, but there is a severe winter storm - too bad. Your and your family's safety comes first.

When going on a road trip, always notify someone of your route and planned travel time.

If your car does not have GPS, or you cannot afford a portable unit, do more than bring a paper map. Check routes on the Internet prior to departure and/or hotlines for up-to-date road closures and conditions.

When driving through snow, be prepared for outside conditions in case you need to get out of the car for any reason (e.g., to change a tire, put on snowchains, dig yourself out of a jam, etc.). Have gloves, proper footwear, head coverings, chemical heater, etc...

If you do not have a 4 x 4, then chains are a must. Definitely do not drive through mountainness backroads without a 4 x 4 or chains. Never drive through backroads at night, unless absolutely necessary.

If your car does not have LoJack or TelAid (two way communication), then consider a portable beacon, two-way radio, or CB radio that family's commonly used on ski slopes.

Always have a basic emergency/survival kit, which includes candles/matches, rope, gloves, space blanket, chemical heaters, high range whistle, flares, water, food bars. These are fairly inexpensive and you can put them together yourself. I've gotten several survival and emergency kits as gifts from family. Give one to a friend. Order kits online for convenience.

If you miss a turn off, TURN AROUND right away, especially if young children are in the car. Never let your ego or angry passengers take control. Stay calm.

Never let your gas run low. Always keep filled up while on the major highways. Many highways will tell you when the next GAS or Food is available. Be prepared.

Stay in the car. If you've informed someone of your trip and you don't arrive at your destination, someone will come looking for you. It's easier to spot a car, then a person.

Get an early start. Drive while you are refreshed and there is light. This can make all the difference. Tired people don't always use good judgment.

[SharpD0g]

Extra clothes and signalling gear in winter

In addition to the basic emergency/survival equipment mentioned in the article I would add a dozen road flares, a warm hat and gloves, an extra coat, sweatshirt and sweat pants and a wool planket. Also a basic first aid kit with a good amount of bandanges and tape. All of this extra stuff will take up a significant amount of room in the trunk or elsewhere in your vehicle but it doesn't weigh a lot.

[ohcdc1]

basic survival

i realize having some extra technology will definitely help... but as we advance into the future, we'll definitely become more and more dependent on them. however, the only best and sure way in a situation like this is learn the basic rules of survival.

[JoeF2]

GPS, blankets, water, etc.

A handheld GPS can be used to actually determine your location. Maps are nice, but are useless if you don't know where you actually are. Some GPSes have emergency locator beacons that broadcast on certain emergency frequencies that are picked up by search & rescue, and even by commercial airliners, who then alert the authorities.
Blankets are important, of course. Shelter and keeping warm is essential.
Water is also essential to survival. Earthquake survival food packs. Such stuff should be readily available in grocery stores in earthquake areas like SoCal or San Francisco.
Something as simple as a mirror is helpful too, to signal search & rescue crews, e.g., search helicopters. I carry a signal mirror in my first-aid pack. Flares serve the same purpose.
Several European countries, btw, require that each car has a first-aid kit.

And finally, one of the most important things is to combat "get-there-itis." If the weather turns bad, change plans and stay in the town you are, instead of pushing to try to reach the originally planned destination.

[hsteffee]

James Kim's tragic death

This is to all the people who knew him. If you want to prevent a tragedy like this then make sure that road has a gate on it in winter that can't be opened by vandals. Another man died in almost the same spot 11 years ago. He staved to death in deep snow in his pickup truck. He left notes to his wife during his 3month ordeal. This gate blocked the road and was opened by vandals
Put a gate up in the name of Kim and make it so vandals can't open it.

[carlyee]

Gates can't be put everywhere

FS 23 from which the Kims turned off is a main USFS arterial that
provides access to multiple ownerships. The BLM was gated, but
the lock was cut by vandals (I have questions about that, since
most BLM gates have alock guard around the actual lock that
pretty much prevents some one using a bolt cutters on the lock
or shooting it off.)

As for the death in 1995, this guy never left his truck during all
the time he was keeping his diary. "God, will provide
(paraphrase)", he wrote. He wasn't in the same place as Kims. If
he had walked just a short distance he would have been out of
the snow lcoals had related.

[planalto]

Gate locking idea using technology

Thinking that whomever had broke that lock,the idea comes to mind,had some form of lock device been attached between the lock and the bar that closes the road access, some beam of information technology could be forwarded to local law officals or park police to access area,in advance of future problems.
When viewing that CNN report of road on left or road straight ahead,i would have also chose road straight ahead too and would not have been good choice.
So, get some computer genius guy or gal to invent some form of anti-lock breaking alarm system so detection is known today and not only when people are in trouble?

[jmmejzz]

Never, ever leave the main road...

As Someone for Whom Driving long distance is a daily reality, NEVER EVER leave the Interstate or a state highway in bad conditions or in threat of bad conditions. The state will always clear those roads first or if they can't and your are stuck you can easily be found. As bad as weather can be, conditions will always be worse for longer on secondary roads.

[FoolsGold]

Major roads ?

Often the primary roads are closed for precautionary reasons or for the convenience of snow plow crews and secondary roads are indeed passable at these times. It is a risk. And during the search for Mr. Kim, a great of time was spent "searching" the major routes on which it was unlikely anything untoward had taken place and not been detected.

[LFlood]

Need More than Technology

I live in Sierra snow country and spend considerable time in the backcountry. The things that I see over and over:

People driving way too fast on snowy, icy roads. 35 is the speed limit, even on the highways when they are snowy or icy. Yes, that means with 4WD! There are times on these steep and windy Sierra roads that going 15 you still need to back off a bit.

People in street clothes on a Sunday drive on unplowed roads that get stuck and have no snow shovel. Living here, my snow shovel is in my vehicle until the last snow falls on the dogwoods and summer begins.

People assuming their cell phones will work. They did not work where the Kim family was, and they don't work in my literal neck of the woods.

People out on back roads getting lost with no map or topo. I just rescued some hunters a month ago who had travelled 5 or more miles cross country in the dark, because they were lost. They had no maps, compasses, GPS, flashlights. They had walkie talkies, but were out of range of their family and vehicles.

I love technology, but it is not a magic bullet. The only technology that may have helped your dear collegue would be GPS. Maybe if people did some geocaching and learned how to use one, but he still would have needed a topo of the terrain.

I just pray that this horrific incident jars people into awareness, so that more don't suffer and die. Also, I know that rescuers frequently are risking their lives to save people who are taking unnecessary risks in the backcountry, like skiing when the avalanche danger is too great. Bad things can occur out here, even if you are prepared, but I constantly am seeing unnecessary risk here.

[beads1]

"Need" More than Technology...

Couldn't agree more. We don't need more technology applied to this increasingly prevelent problem. Technology is not going to save you in all cases. Wether the situation is in the Sierras or the Upper Penninsula of Michigan. Any place we see people outside of there normal comfort zone and in a semi-harzardous area; we see people get caught in situation they are simply untrained to adapt.

It doesn't matter if its a dessert; glacier; national forrest or on some unmaintained back road in the Pacific Northwest. Mr. Kim failed to take local expert advice trusting his sense of risk and technology far more than his level of his own expertise in a survival situation. Again, many of us who do or have lived in remote regions of the world have seen this story hundreds if not thousands of times before often with the same result. The death or dismemberment of a well meaning but ill prepared motorist/camper/tourist/etc. that found themselves over their ability levels and paid a significant - if not - ultimate price for their own self inflicted folly.

No, technology alone will not "save" you unless you learn the survival basics early on. I suspect by the time he left the vehicle even the best GPS would have been worthless to him as people often disregard if not disbelieve what all those technology goodies tell them on the screens. I have seen people disbelieve a whole set of compasses they they "knew" the real direction of "North" better than the three compasses all pointing in the same direction at the same time. But they "knew" better. Its no different with any other technology but after a point in time they can all become just as "wrong" once the mind decides otherwise.

Had Mr. Kim been just a "Joe Smoe" type and not a editor of a news organization, nobody would have even had noticed. Much less cared for more than a day or so. There are simply too many other stories with much the same plot line all year long. Brutal but true. So, no I certainly don't consider him to be a "hero" by any means. He was just another citified guy who thought he knew more than "Mother Nature" and could beat both the elements and risks that preclude them.

Technology is not the answer. Basic survival training and travel planning seem to be more of the order of the day here.

[Moto Man]

survival tips 101

There are probably a lot of things that we could all look back at and think of that would have helped JAmes and his family. I will try to point out somne of hte basic tips I've picked up over the last 25 + years of backroad travelling with my family, nad hope that maybe something will prevent this from happening again.
First and foremost, know where you are going, have a map, and today, you should probably have a small GPS along with you. If you are traveling in inclement weather, or thinking if driving through snow or even heavy rain, you should have the proper warm clothing, rain gear, and blankets wiht you. You should anticipate the worst case scenario that could happen to you or your route and then prepare for it.
If you are traveling with small children, you should have enough to keep them well fed and warm and dry for the duration of your trip. I've seen a few psots that give the advice to ALWAYS let someone know where you are going, and that is good advice even if you are driving somewhere and not just going on a backcountry backpacking trip!
IF you should get stranded somewhere, somehow, on fooot, in a car, you should always stay at camp, or with the vehicle. Use mirrors, flashlights, smoke, loud whistles, to help serarchers find you. I like to carry a daypack with all the emergency gear I might need if I get stranded, that usually includes a headlight/flashlight, GPS or compass, warm clothes/rain gear, and maps of the area that I'm travelling through.
Lastly, taking a last minute, side road during a rain or snow storm that you are unfamiliar with is not a good idea. Bad things can and as we are all painfully aware, do happen. NEVER trust yourself or your family to chance, always take the extra time to remain safe, taking a shortcut is only prudent if you are familiar with it and know where it goes.

[totosplatz]

Underestimating risk

Pushing along an unfamiliar road in daylight in summer is low risk, after dark in winter it is much more risky.

Don't be unwilling to stop and turn around when lost, get back to a known location before going on again.

If anyone asks why, just say "Remember James Kim!"

[volterwd]

Dress for the weather

If you are passing through any cold areas or it's just plain winter... you should have your winter jackets, and be dressed as if you had to walk. You can skip this is you simply drive in the city for most purposes... but you have no idea when your car will break down... you need appropriate clothing for the weather.

[kc0clc]

staying alive

Take a AMERICAN RED CROSS WILDNESS SURVIAL COURSE AND TAKE EMERGENCY SUPPLIES, buy some kind of emergency kit( prefer a Red Cross kit) Take some kind of radios( family radio service, or General Mobile Radio Service, best bet get your Amateur Radio License. or a plain old C.B. radio, and a cell phone,NEVER RELY ON JUST A CELLPHONE EVER!!!!!!!

[kc0clc]

staying alive

Take a AMERICAN RED CROSS WILDNESS SURVIAL COURSE AND TAKE EMERGENCY SUPPLIES, buy some kind of emergency kit( prefer a Red Cross kit) Take some kind of radios( family radio service, or General Mobile Radio Service, best bet get your Amateur Radio License. or a plain old C.B. radio, and a cell phone,NEVER RELY ON JUST A CELLPHONE EVER, AND YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TAKE CPR AND FIRST AID CLASS AND KEEP UP TO DATE.

[mjd420nova]

Survival

Having completed a survival school in the mid 60's and done numerous wilderness camping trips in northern Minnesota, I'm very familiar with the most basic rules of survival. Number one of them is to remain with your vehicle or transportation. If you don't stay in on place, no one will be able to find you. Keeping yourself prepared, be it travel by road in either winter ofr summer is simple as loading a box with simple supplies. However, with the advance of technology, the simplest devices are real life savers. My most important these days is a $50. handheld GPS device. I like to hike in the woods, and it has made it so simple. I can just turn it on and walk off in any direction I choose. When I get tired or hungry, I can have the device show me which way to go and how far it is to get there, or simply follow my own track back to the campsite. Too easy, but essential equipment for hikers. This summer it has been important for boating in the San Fran Bay Delta which is filled with multiple channels and dead ends, without the device, I'd never have found my way back to the boat launch.

[wen yu]

simple GPS may help

If the Kims had possessed of a hand held GPS system, they could had at least pinpointed their exact location and worked (walked) their ways out, maybe. I would guess as a hi-tech guy that they should have carried a laptop with them all the time. A simple GPS receiver together with electronic maps such as Microsoft Streets and Trips, or Delorme Street Atlas USA, (only about $100) works very well in any laptop. We were able to pinpoint the exact locations, regain our orientations several times in the New Mexico and Nevada deserts during our cross-country driving venture.

[beads1]

After 6 days in a vehicle

After six days in a vehicle your mind tends to start to loose cohesiveness. People tend to disbelieve what advanced technology tells them. Even simple compasses. Hunger and dehydration play funny tricks on the mind not to mention boredom and anxiety. Its easy enough to say: Oh look! The GPS will tell me the waypoints and direction out. Unfortunately, GPS is best combined with a good physical topography map and some map reading skills. Batteries do die and I am usually more accurate with a physical map than the GPS.

The best advice is to really LEARN how to read a map. Learn to identify the terrain around you and learn how to effectively naviagate before putting your life in the hands of a pair or weak or dying Duracells or any other battery manufacturer. Do you really want to risk your life to set of batteries? Its still possible from what I hear to do simple math: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and even (*gasp*) division by hand without a calculator! Think of the possibilities. Math anytime, anywhere without batteries.

You should never allow you or your families survival on a set of lead batteries.

[jdscardino]

Don't Need High-Tech

Some of the low tech things work best in survival situations.

Always keep an extra blanket or two in your car. Keep them laid out in your trunk - it'll take up, what? 2 inches MAX of vertical space.

Always travel with water and 'snacks'. I don't care if you're only driving 1 hour or 11. Having some type of candy or food to snack on is beneficial. Water, same thing. Once the bottle is finished, don't toss it at some rest stop. If you're in a crash in a snowy or rainy situation, you can collect snow to melt into water, or drink the rain.

Mirrors. You can break the rear view mirror off your car's windshield, use a companion's make-up mirror, even a shiny object like the inside of a bag of chips to reflect the sunlight back up into the sky. It'll make it easier for planes, satellites, etc. to find you from above.

ALWAYS stay where you are. Build a shelter of some sort, and stay put. Going out alone in cold weather or wooded areas is a big mistake. No matter how desperate things may be, your best chances are to stay put and conserve energy.

High-tech GPS units and cell phones are only an added bonus. It's always the low-tech stuff that'll get you by in dangerous situations.

[Remo_Williams]

Low-tech always trumps high-tech for survival.

The simplest solutions have worked for a million years, use them before even considering the solar-powered helicopter drone.

Having said that, anything solar powered might've kept their heater working a little longer (by keeping the car battery topped off or semi-charged). Solar would be the one key piece of my car kit of I did any kind of serious travel outside of NJ (because in NJ, a ten-mile walk in any direction leads me to safety).

Have a map in the car for the route. My Wife will never laugh at my map collection again (modest, four Hammonds of the 200-mile radius of our home) because my ritual of plotting the route on a map has gotten us out of every single wrong turn within minutes of making them.

James Kim didn't have a map, didn't know the route, didn't know the roads. He bravely went for help, but he was ill-prepared for the trip. This is not heroic, it's tragic and sad. I could never hold him up as an example of what to do, but I can understand why he did it.

-R

[dkr133]

Back country lifesavers

First, let me express to all my deepest regret that the Kim Family and the CNET family have suffered this loss. I can only say that I "wish" I had known James Kim. As a parent, I know that I would do whatever it takes to keep my children safe.

I live in the Rocky Mountains and while the altitude is much higher here - terrain is quite similar.

The man I date is the Director of Search and Rescue for our county and of course, all information I receive is from experiences with him and from the events our teams participate in here.

1. Keep the basics in the car - extra clothing (especially socks), flashlights/mirror, candles and coffee can to put them in, matches, energy bars/granola bars, whistle, water. (I have my provisions in a rubbermaid container with a lid -in the trunk - I change out the food/water every 6 months and the batteries every year)

2. Stay put; other than short excursions around a corner or to higher ground(hoping for cell service)stay where you are. It's easier to find an object that is standing still.

3. Be certain to relay any change in plans to a family member or a friend before you do it. No matter how minor of a change.

4. Shelter is your number one priority - if you don't have it, make it, before you do anything else.

5. Pay attention to the area you are in. If you do have cell service, try to describe your surroundings to whomever you are talking to, make mental notes about roads, turns, any signs, outcroppings, etc... Most of the volunteers in rescue groups know the areas like the back of their hands and will get a much better idea of where you are.

6. Never let your gas tank get below half - ever.

7. During daylight hours, take the mirror and try to use the sun to reflect to specific areas, while there may not be helicopters out, someone, hiking or hunting may see it and if it continues will more than likely call it in to authorities, (true story).

I hope this helps, I'm sure you've heard it before my post but just in case you didn't, it might save a life.

D

[daidone2005]

Lost in Oregon Mountains

I have to ask a question that is on the minds of everyone I spoke to about this tragic situation. Why didn't Mr, Kim just back track where he came from on the same road he drove in there on??????

A simple GPS tracking device on his car would have helped and always tell relatives your plans and iterinerary ahead of time before leaving on any road trip and an expected day of arrival so they can alert police if you don't show up.

Please answer the above question. I watch a lot od survival shows on TV and it is possible to eat many plants and ways to obtain water in the wilderness. Always keep extra blankets and an emergency kit in your trunk.

My heart goes out to the Kim family.

Truly,
Shoejunkie

[Raptor_k]

Sat Phone??

Such a tragic set of unfortunate circumstances and I am deeply saddened for the Kim families loss.

It seems as though James' loss has sparked a national interest in totally avoiding a similar sequence of events or being more prepared if forced into a similar situation.

There have been so many low and high tech tips provided in this discussion thread and I'd like to add the idea of a sat phone survival kit. I personally do not own one, YET, but I've always been intrigued by them with cost of both hardware and service plans being price prohibitive. Not to mention the size but lately hardware prices are coming down and service plans are becoming as affordable as cell plans once were with emergency usage plans being, in my opinion, very affordable.

If placed in the same situation, this is yet another tool to assist along with the layered overlapping low and high tech systems and items that an individual or family could rely on.

[Sylvestk]

Employers can signout Personal Locator Beacons

One idea that came to mind was for companies/employers to purchase a few "personal locator beacons" to check out to employees. At around $600 they are to costly for most people to purchase alone. But an employer can easily afford a few of these to sign out for employee vacations where it may be needed (winter road trips, backpacking, boating, camping, etc.)

REI Sells this model on their website.
ACR Electronics Terrafix 406 GPS Personal Locator Beacon
http://www.rei.com/product/47799529.htm

And remember, these are to be used in extreme emergencies only. If you press the button just because you're tired from a long hike. You're going to have some ticked off rescue personal along with a nice bill for that airlift & rescue effort.

[Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

Use common sense

1) Make sure you have a full tank of gas
2) Stick to the main roads

Apparently they missed their exit off I-5 and decided to take an alternative, less-traveled road. Big mistake - mountain country and back roads are a deadly combination. How heartbreaking - my prayers are with the Kim family during their loss.