Desert Survival Handbook : How to Prevent and Handle Emergency Situations [Paperback]

Dennis Smith (Author), Diane M. Fessler (Editor), Charles A. Lehman (Illustrator, Author)

Book Description

Series: Outdoor and Nature | Publication Date: June 2003

Survival situations can and do happen to average people, as well as adventurous explorers. You have the capacity to handle these situations if you know and follow the fundamental principles of survival. Desert Survival Handbook contains the basics to get you started: Prepare yourself for actual emergencies by solving real-life scenarios; Increase your survival odds by knowing how to protect your body; Improve your chances of rescue; Make survival situations easier with a survival kit.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A must for anyone going into the desert! A very readable collection of anecdotes and tips that can help anyone experiencing a problem to become a SURVIVOR!" -- Edwin L. Rothfuss, former Superintendent, Death Valley National Park

"This is a great book for those of us who often leave our common sense at home when we go out to camp, hike, or bike - or even for a drive." -- Linda Macklem, Coordinator, Arizona State Parks

From the Back Cover

Could you survive an emergency in the desert? Survival situations can and do happen to average people, as well as adventurous explorers. You have the capacity to handle these situations if you know and follow the fundamental principles of survival.

Desert Survival Handbook contains the basics to get you started: * Prepare yourself for actual emergencies by solving real-life scenarios. * Increase your survival odds by knowing how to protect your body. * Improve your chances of rescue. * Make survival situations easier with a survival kit.

Carry Desert Survival Handbook in your backpack, car, boat, airplane, or saddlebag as an extra confidence factor. If an emergency should arise, it will be a handy reference as you wait for rescue, for the weather to clear, or for the cool of desert evening.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Primer Publishers; Revised edition (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 093581065X
• ISBN-13: 978-0935810653
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #790,709 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #60 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Outdoors & Nature > Hiking & Camping > Instructional

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, not great, February 18, 2009

By 

Denny Garcia "Dgarc" - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Desert Survival Handbook : How to Prevent and Handle Emergency Situations (Paperback)

I think this is a pretty good book for beginner desert hikers that dont get to far from their vehicle and have basis survival gear on them, or in their vehicle. The book is not very detailed on many aspects of survival but does give you the proper mind set (which may be all you need to survive). At most, it gives basic knowledge for surviving one or maybe two night in the desert but that's it. I would read this book first and then more detailed books before venturing into the desert for a hike.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have Book!, January 31, 2000

By 

Donna Atwood (Phoenix) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Desert Survival Handbook : How to Prevent and Handle Emergency Situations (Paperback)

This is it, the original desert survival book, written by the man who did all the field research himself. Buy it, read it, and keep a copy in your car. It's full of useful information which may save your life.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent BASIC survival information, November 13, 2008

By 

Mariah R. Tilman (Nevada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Desert Survival Handbook : How to Prevent and Handle Emergency Situations (Paperback)

I was born and raised in Arizona, but we moved away for about ten years, so when we returned to the desert southwest, I thought I should get a book to brush up. I chose this one partly on its brevity, and partly on the reviews. My review ends up being mostly in response to the review by "Peter." This book is NOT a cyclopedic live-off-the-land survival book, it is a basic stay-alive-till-rescued handbook, and the author says this repeatedly throughout. I thought this quote from page 71 sums up the intent best:

If you are intrigued with living off the land by 'root cooking and bug eating,' there are many manuals and guides available. This book's primary emphasis is on getting you home.

Understand that, and you will find this book really gives you all the mental tools to be ready, to survive, and to get rescued. You just have to supply the physical tools and the mind to put them all together and use them.