If you've encountered a polar bear or black bear, that likely could be your last performance, according to wilderness first aid instructor Dave Van Wert.

"Fight like your life depends on it," he advises, adding that these bears are often hungry and anxious to eat right away.

Grizzly bears, on the other hand, are a different matter entirely. They usually prefer to bury their prey and return for it later.

So, by curling into the fetal position, with your hands covering the back of your head, you might get dragged around a little and eventually have some dirt and brush scooped on you, but you'll probably get an opportunity to make a break for it -- if you're patient.

These and a variety of other life-saving skills are what Van Wert was offering students in his wilderness first aid course, sponsored by St. John Ambulance at the fire hall this past weekend.

He teaches his students how to combat "the enemies of survival." Among them are pain, cold, fatigue, thirst, hunger, loneliness and boredom.

"We've all experienced these feelings but in a survival situation, you might experience them all together," he explains, adding that being psychologically prepared is just as important as being physically equipped.

"You've got to know you have the means to survive out there."

Van Wert also covers components such as survival training, pre-trip and communication planning, environmental emergencies, first aid kits and survival supplies.

So, what's the one thing you should never leave home without?

"Your calling card," Van Wert jokes.

Good clothing, a sharp knife, rope and the means to start a fire are the more practical suggestions he made. As well, he warns campers never to go alone and avoid travelling at night.

He also encourages his students to improvise. In the classroom, they have bandages to work with, but in the wild, they may have to use a belt or a coat as a tourniquet.

Student Emelda King says she took the two-day intensive course to satisfy her own basic interest in survival.

"You can never have enough knowledge," she says.