Application
This unit describes the skills required to erect a survival shelter in a survival situation. The individual is not expected to be an expert in building construction, but rather to have the requisite skills and knowledge to identify the elemental threats to his/her survival such as sun, wind and rain, and to establish a survival shelter to provide the necessary protection. The shelter may take advantage of established natural features or may demand stand-alone construction from natural resources. This unit assumes that manufactured resources are not available.
This unit was developed for Defence personnel but may be relevant to others
The skills and knowledge described in this unit must be applied within the legislative, regulatory and policy environment in which they are carried out. Organisational policies and procedures must be consulted and adhered to.
Those undertaking this unit would act autonomously, while performing concrete tasks, in a broad range of contexts which may be highly unpredictable.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions section. |
1. Prepare resources for erection of survival shelter | 1.1 Identify potential threat to personal survival posed by the elements and use natural features to provide immediate protection. 1.2 Optimise survival shelter’s siting for protection from the elements and to minimise hazards to the survivalist, taking advantage, where possible, of existing natural resources. 1.3 Collect resources to construct survival shelter to maximise shelter strength and protection, while minimising physical effort. |
2. Construct survival shelter | 2.1 Construct traditional two 2.2 Establish survival shelter’s framework, taking maximum advantage of the strength of natural junction points such as forks, by using and binding with improvised cordage. 2.3 Protect survival shelter from wind and rain, using shingling (bark sections and large leaves) and thatching (bound grass and bundled grass) for roofing and siding. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the candidate must demonstrate evidence of performance of the following on at least one occasion.
tying knots and lashes
constructing at least two shelters capable of withstanding a vertical or horizontal loading to the framework of 300N; that repels all water when twenty litres is poured along the top/leading edge of the structure to simulate rain; whose tiling and thatching remains adhered to the shelter under wind conditions of Beaufort scale 4 (11–16 knots)
using and binding with improvised cordage including at least one of
animal skins/gut
bark strips
reeds and grasses
traditional two
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the depth of knowledge demonstrated must be appropriate to the job context of the candidate.
priorities of survival
threats to survival from elements
Assessment Conditions
Competency must be assessed in a simulated workplace environment, including access to an appropriate remote survival area that has suitable natural resources and natural features; and a knife.
Consideration must be given to holistic assessment with other survival units.
While a person can demonstrate the technical ability to construct and maintain a shelter, doing so in a survival situation is crucial. Assessment under simulated survival conditions includes:
food restrictions
absence of normal living conditions and amenities
significant period of time
Refer to advice in the companion volumes.
Assessors must satisfy the NVR/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
The foundation skills demands of this unit have been mapped for alignment with the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). The following tables outline the performance levels indicated for successful attainment of the unit.
ACSF levels indicative of performance:
Further information on ACSF and the foundation skills underpinning this unit can be found in the Foundation Skills Guide on the GSA website.
Competency Field
Survival