Book excerpt: The Extreme Survival Almanac is written specifically for the vast majority of regular people who may someday find themselves thrust into an emergency survival situation far from assistance - everyday travelers who have no specialized skill or gear to help them reach safety. It provides decision-making guidelines to walk the reader step by step from the first signs of trouble all the way through to the rescue. It includes thousands of useful tips and directions that can be understood and followed by panicked, possibly injured laymen stranded in the woods, in their vehicle or at sea, plus resource lists for scrounging usable survival equipment from a car, plane or boat as well as the natural environment.