Survival Tools and Signals to Get You Rescued

Is your vehicle equipped with survival gear? How would you fare if you were trapped somewhere and needed to be rescued? How Stuff Works put together a list of survival tools and signals for such an event. Here are the top three:

Fire. According to the article, the internationally recognized distress signal is three fires in a triangular formation, or three fires in a straight line about 80 feet apart.

Smoke. If it is daytime, smoke sends a better signal than fire. Three puffs of smoke in the air is the international signal for trouble. You can achieve the three puffs by covering the smoky fire with a wet item, such as a jacket or blanket, then pulling it off.

Mirror. A mirror or other shiny object can help you signal an airplane or helicopter flying overhead. Tilt the object back and forth to get their attention.