Warnings from the Ice

Student Handout

Icy Survival

Your team has been assigned to drill ice cores 40 km (25 mi) from base camp. You've just completed a week of survival training and know that it's essential to bring individual survival packs in case of an emergency situation. Freak storms can happen without warning. You might need to wait out a storm that prevents you from moving to safety, and rescue teams from reaching you. Your team must decide which items to put in the packs so that each team member could survive in severe weather for 24 hours. Choose carefully—your life might depend on it!

1. Read the list of possible items and decide which you think are essential or not essential. Use the Antarctic Conditions Fact Sheet to help make decisions.

Your main goals are to:

• protect your body temperature

• ensure a source of fluids

• ensure a source of calories

2. As a group, decide which ten essential items you will bring. Each pack must contain:

• the same eight items per individual agreed on by all group members

• two additional items which will be shared by the group; these two items should be different for each member's pack