Assess your dilemma.

Recognize early that you are in a survival situation and think about what you can do about it.

Will someone be looking for you right away? Does anyone know where you are? Do you?

Your job now is short term survival until rescue. You must prioritize your immediate needs and then consider how you can facilitate your own rescue. Once you have established that you are out of imminent danger, you must now focus on your short term survival needs, in this order:

Shelter from harsh elements - within minutes
Fire - within a few hours
Water - within a day
Food - within a few days

Evaluate all of you resources including survival kits, your training, natural shelter, the wreckage, people in your group with special skills, foliage, even the terrain.

Remember to look at everyday items in a different way now that you life depends on them. You not only need to use these items to keep you alive, but you may also need them to aid in your own rescue.

As a former search and rescue team leader, I always instruct people to help the rescuers find them by considering what the rescuers are looking for. They’re not looking for you, as much as they are looking for signs of where you are.

Take inventory of your equipment, surroundings, and skills:

Everyday objects in your possesion take on a lot more importance during a survival situation. Some items may not seem useful at first. An airsickness bag is perfect for collecting drinking water. So are life jackets when cut open a little at the top. Food trays are good for digging.

-Salvaged items from the accident:

Seats, carpeting, blankets and headliner
Aircraft engine plugs and covers
tires and pieces of wreckage
fuel and batteries
wires and cables
aircraft charts, road maps, compass
luggage

-people in your group with special skills such as:

doctors and nurses
military or pubic safety personnel
avid outdoorsmen or Scouts
anyone with local area knowledge

-Examine your location

Look for area naturally protected from elements

Decide how best to use your limited resources to satisfy the immediate needs, and the possible long term needs. Then figure out how you can assist in you own rescue.