They're the people you hope you'll never need: search and rescue crews.  Civil Air Patrol cadets from ten different states are training this weekend at Hawk Mountain in Berks County.  Even if you never go on a resuce missions yourself, what they're learning could benefit you as well.

A rock may just be a rock, but in an emergency, it could save your life.

Rocks, when stacked and combined with leaves and branches serving as a roof, become a shelter from wind, rain, or snow if you're lost in the woods.  It's just one of the many survival techniques Civil Air cadets are learning this weekend.

"They're learning land navigation, learning first aid skills, learning a little bit of fire building, radio work, search procedures," said Lt. Daniel Krakower, a cadet from Belmar, N.J.

What's more impressive is that many of these cadets are teenagers, fully trained to assist in all kinds of search and rescue missions, including small plane crashes.  When they're needed, time is crucial for victims.

"Shock can set in, bleeding can be an issue, so you want to find them as quickly as you can," said Capt. Pete Shuntich of the Pennsylvania Civil Air Patrol.

The skills they're learning may be for professional search crews, but they can also help campers and hunters avoid a dangerous siutations.

"Prepare ahead of time for [the worst] situation," said Krakower.

Shuntich said the most important things sounds the most obvious.

"You should have people aware of where you're going, what time you're expected to get back," he said.  "It's a good idea to a carry a compass and a map with you." 

Gear you should always take into the wild include:

- Compass, map, or GPS

- Cell phone

- Food: freeze-dried, jerky, or cans of stew and soup

- Gloves and a hat

- Space blanket

- Zippo lighter (they work in all kind of weather conditions)

- Paracord (for tying branches together)

- Tarp (for insulation)

- Whistle

"Because your voice gives out after a certain amount of time of yelling," said Shuntich.  "It's pretty quick how fast your voice will go out."

Cadets hope you're prepared, because this group's best mission is the one they never have to go on.

Kids can join the Civil Air Patrol once they turn 12 years old.  Click here for more details.