Matt Petrie

KEPA 119

4/16/09

Shelter : Home Away From Home

If there is a situation where a shelter is going to be needed then it should be one of first things to taken care of.

People cannot survive in harsh weather conditions for more than a few hours where people can go for weeks without food.

An emergency blanket or tarp, some rope, and a knife can be very useful.

The shelter should not be too much bigger than the person or too smaller either. It should be enough to keep the warmth in and big enough to be comfortable.

Things to Keep in Mind

The shelter must protect you from the heat, cold, rain, snow, and wind.

It should be comfortable for resting and sleeping.

If your lost you want to be found, which may be hard if the shelter is made of the surroundings.

If the need for shelter arises it is you against the elements and the wilderness so think against the environment you want a solid shelter.

One of the easiest and fastest to set up.

Need a tarp, some rope and some trees or stakes.

Tie the rope from one tree or post to another one and hang the tarp over it.

Use rocks the hold the corners down so you don’t have to make holes in the tarp.

Tarp Shelter

The above is a variation of the tarp shelter it provides better cover and protection from the wind

Tarp Lean-To

The tarp lean to is very similar to the tent because it is made with using the same materials .Wrap the tarp around so it is even and pull the string tight. Use rocks or stakes to secure the back end of it.

Tarp TepeeThe tarp tepee is another easy and fast shelter.

It uses a rope to tie the tarp together at the top after it is wrapped around like a tepee.

Then pull the rope over a tree and tie it off use rocks on the bottom to hold the tarp down.

The tepee is ideal for wet or windy environments because it closes off.

A good shelter if you have a lot of branches and leaves available to you.

Lean one branch against another to form a sloped roof.

Add branches to the sides for walls using the smaller branches to help keep the insulation from falling in then cover them with leaves, grass, pine needles, anything that will help cover.

More is better you want your shelter to be water proof.]

Leave a pile of insulating materials by the door so you can pull them to you to cover your entrance.

Debris Hut Shelter

For use in wooded areas, using trees ass posts works best.

Use rope or vines to tie the first support beam across the posts. Then tie 5-8 posts to the support beam to create the frame work for the lean to.

Add brush, grass, ect… for cover. Build from bottom up like roof shingles to waterproof.

A fire reflector can be added by stacking up green logs with post and covering them with dirt on the side with the flame

Field-Expedient Lean-To

In a swamp or marsh area with continually wet ground the swamp bed is a good choice to make sure you are above the flow of the water..

Find 4 clustered trees or cut 4 poles and drive them to the ground so they form a rectangle. Secure 2 poles or branches long ways make sure that the structure can support your weight and your equipment.

Then tie posts across going down the structure and cover it with bedding material so its comfortable.

Swamp Bed

If you are in an area with evergreens and snow you can build this shelter

To build the tree pit snow shelter a shovel is needed

Find a tree with bushy branches that provide overhead cover . Dig out the snow around the are until you get to the size you want to hit the ground.

Pack the snow around the top and inside of the hole to add support.

Use evergreen boughs over the top for cover and on the inside.

Tree Pit Snow Shelter

Look for a depression in the ground or dig a hole.

Drag branches to cover the hole then cover them with leaves and other materials to keep dry.

Then put a tarp or dirt to cover the leaves other materials to keep them from blowing away.

A nice shelter that provides cover using natural supplies.

Dug Out Shelter

Collect drift wood or other natural material to use a support beams.Select a place that is above the high water mark. Then dig a trench

running north to south so it receives little sunlight.Mound soil on three sides of the trench the higher the mound the

more space inside. Use the support beams that span the trench on top of the mounds

to form the framework for a roof.Use grass and leaves for bedding.

Beach Shelter

Depending on if you are in a sandy or rocky area the method for building the shelter will be different.

Dig a trench between two dunes or rock formations, large enough for comfort and pile the sand on 3 sides. On the open end dig out more sand so you have easier access . Then cover with your tarp or material.

If possible fold the tarp in half leaving an a gap in between this will provide for a cooler shelter.

Or shelter that is open from all sides can be constructed.

Desert Shelters

Find a hilltop or small ridge where it is not too hard to dig you need to be able to dig to the other side. This shelter could provide for a group if made large enough.

A rugged and Heated Shelter

Dig away the hillside to give you enough space to move around in. There should be a large flat area for you to sleep in.

Cover the dug out area with logs or poles. Then dig out a fire pit. The reason this shelter uses the terrain it does is so that it can have a chimney for the fire there are other ways to vent as well. Careful not to use dry or dead material because they will burn easily.

For the door make a small dug out so the fire can draw in air without brining it across the sleeping area then add leaves and soil to cover the poles.

You want a few feet of covering to make sure the shelter is water proof.

You can add grass and other materials to the ground for bedding and comfort. This is a side view and gives a good example of how some shelters will conceal you which could prevent rescue if you need it.

“Survival Shelter Building Skills.” Shelter. April 16 2009. <http://www.m4040.com/Survival/Skills/Shelter/Shelter.htm>

“Shelter Building.” April 16th 2009. <http://www.basegear.com/shelters.html>

FM 21-76 US Army Survival Manual“Types of Shelters.” April 16 2009.

http://www.wlderness-survival.net/shelters-2.php

Works Cited