have used a number of methods to be prepared in case of trouble, such as small pouches on a belt holding a number of essential items, a fanny pack holding necessities, a small backpack and a vest. Over the past 35 years I have been in and out of vehicles, helicopters and planes looking at properties, and even though I don’t anticipate running into trouble, I have on a couple of occasions just done that. Consequently, I have tried a number of methods and found the best solution is a vest, which I always wear in and out of my vehicle when in the bush. The reason I wear a vest is that I never take it off. You can remove a fanny pack or backpack (you might store it in the back of a car or plane) and then you might end up forgetting it.

The vest I use is very lightweight with many pockets and in each pocket I have stored

1. For a raincoat, by cutting a holes for your head and arms, and then putting it over your clothes to make a fairly good raincoat.

2. For warmth you could take a garbage bag again and cut holes for head and arms and use it as inner clothing over a T-shirt this will create a lot of "short-term" warmth. Because this will cause you to sweat (you do not not want to sweat), it is recommended for a short time only. If you are really desperate you could add grass or straw underneath the garbage bag as this will give you an insulated vest.

3. A garbage bag can be used for building a lean-to, by opening the bag up and putting it on top for a roof and on the sides for a waterproof shelter, which will also act as a windbreaker.

4. A mattress can be made by taking the ends of spruce boughs (about the first 6 inches), then breaking them off and filling into a garbage bag. Remember, cold comes up from the ground therefore you have to keep some kind of a barrier between yourself and the cold ground.

5. If you get a hole in your boot you can wrap garbage bags around your feet and put them inside your boots to create a waterproof barrier.

6. You can create a good waterproof hat, which will hold in the heat, If you put a garbage bag over your head, tie it with a shoelace and let it drape down your back.

7. Spread out a garbage bag overnight and moisture will form. This puddle of water will be small in summer but bigger in the fall.

• Three different size Ziploc bags - they are small and easy to put into a vest or even your pocket. If it starts raining, a large Ziploc bag will hold air photos and maps and a smaller size will hold lighters, matches and anything you need to keep dry but most important you can collect water and carry it with you.

• Four leather shoelaces. I found a leather shoelace could fix many things, e.g. a tear in your coat or your pants…It is one of the easiest ways to hang things on your pants or your vest. A leather shoelace will fix a snowshoe better than anything I have ever tried. If you carry your coat and it gets too hot, it is easy to tie both ends around the end of your coat and loop it over your shoulder and create a sling.

When you first get our of your vehicle determine with your compass which way the road is running - e.g. northeast/southwest - and then when you enter the bush, watch where the sun is in relationship to your body. If you walk into the bush and the sun is on your right shoulder then you know when you walk back out of the bush the sun has to be on your left shoulder. This gives you some idea, which is north and south. Remember that the sun rises in east and sets in the west.

• When you realize you are lost, the first thing that you do is find a comfortable place to sit down, think and analyze your situation. Try and figure out where you think you are. In your mind retrace your steps where you came from to where you are.

• The first thing you should do is to determine where north, south, east and west are. The easiest way to do this is by using your compass. Take out your compass and determine north and south and lay a stick in a north south direction or mark it in the ground. If you don’t have a compass look at the sun and determine where you are approximately. You know that around noon the sun should be the highest, so determine approximately where north is. (The sun rises in the east and sets in the west).

• If you don’t have a compass and it is a cloudy day you have to go by the hints given by the land. You know that the southern slope gets the most sun. This is where the game feeds in the wintertime. Everything is brighter on the southern side than on the northern side. In dense bush you will find moss growing on the north side of a tree. Hills will have more grass and less snow in wintertime. There are lots of little hints that will tell you where south is by the terrain. Creeks and rivers - remember that British Columbia has the Rocky Mountains on one side and the coast range on the other side. The Fraser River and the Thompson River run down into Vancouver. The Skeena River and the Bulkley River run out into Prince Rupert. All rivers and creeks run into these major systems. It should give you an indication of which way the water system is draining and will give you some idea where north and south is.

• Once you have determined where north/south is, try to remember where you came from. If you have a map locate yourself approximately. Analyze which is the easiest way out. And this is not always going back to where your vehicle is parked. Sometimes you are closer to a main road and it is better going to that than circling back through the bush. Once on the main road you can possibly get a ride back to your vehicle or walk.

• Listen for sounds - cars on highways, railroads, human voices. Sound carries a long way in the bush, so stop and listen.

• Never start running, always walk at a good steady pace. Do not panic. Once you panic and start walking fast or running you will sweat and could get a mild hypothermia. Stumbling, falling off a cliff, or getting a twig in your eye are other possible hazards.

• Half an hour before dark be prepared to set up a camp. Find a shelter or build a lean-to and be prepared to spend the night.

• Light a fire and make it large and as quick as possible using the fire kit that you carry with you at all times. The two most important things out in the bush are warmth and water. You can live for 30 days without food but if you go into hypothermia from lack of warmth, or you do not have any water, you won’t survive very long at all. Once you get your fire lit you must, before dark, gather a lot of firewood, grabbing anything you can. Gather an enormous pile of wood. If you think you have enough for one night, double it, that way you will have enough for sure. Remember that once your fire is lit and you have good coals, any log will burn, even a wet green one. You never want to let your fire die out in the middle of the night. There is nothing more important than getting a fire going. Continue to work your way out the next morning.

• If you do spend the night and still have not determined direction, look into the sky. Look for the North Star, which is at the end of the big dipper. Again take a stick and aim the stick towards the North Star and let it drop so the next morning you will know which way north is.

• Always carry a map of the area. The best thing, of course, is an air photo. If you do not have one, use a detailed contour map. As a last resort, draw a map yourself of the area before you leave your vehicle.