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The Rule of Threes (Survival)Four numbers between you and an emergency

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Ready for Anything0049

The Rule of Threes (Survival)

Four numbers between you and an emergency

Four survival limits that set the order of what to fix first.

I · You50 / 53

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0049 · The Primer50 / 53

3 minutes without air. 3 hours without shelter in extreme conditions. 3 days without water. 3 weeks without food. These numbers set your priorities in any emergency. Air first. Always. Then shelter, then water, then food. Most people reverse the order.

  • You can survive weeks without food but only days without water. Thirst is a late signal. Drink before you feel thirsty.
  • In any outdoor emergency, the first question is: what is the most immediate threat? The rule answers it.
SourceUS Air Force survival training manual
Wilderness Medicine Society guidelines

Rule · GKL 0049

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