Survival 101 Bad Attitude Can Kill You-Allen Macartney

Rating: **** This article demonstrates the risks that will be taken when you are in the outdoors and to make sure how to stay prepared for them. Similar stories to this were explained in our risk and crisis management unit. Survival 101 Bad Attitude Can Kill You tells the story of a middle aged man who went into Alberta's Northern back country and planned to canoe solo for 3 months. He planned to live off the land and water, with only a couple handfuls of rice. His canoe had dumped and he had been visited by a bear shortly after. Months later, a rescue team had found him in the bushes barely alive. The rest of the article explains short stories of examples when a bad attitude has resulted in severe consequences in the wilderness. When arrogance takes over and our minds assume others are ones to get hurt and die, but it won't be us. This mindset is what leads to the death of many campers and hikers taking unnecessary risks assuming they can handle them. This article has made me think back to our risk and crisis unit where we would hear similar stories of risks taken as they were not prepared for the consequences. It has also made me realize how much planning had been put into our canoe trip that I would not have even realized. For example knowing where the nearest hospital is located or making sure all first aid equipment is brought. Macartney, Allen. "Ottawa Outdoors - Summer 2014." Issuu. Web. 25 May 2015.