If lost or stranded in the Gobi Desert, a desert, or any remote area, stay put next to your vehicle. First, transmit your location, then shield yourself from the sun and retain body heat, conserve water, and avoid wandering off

Before venturing into such areas, inform someone of your planned route, destination, return date, vehicle type, and license plate number. You’ll need at least 4 liters of water per person per day. Satellite communicators or BeiDou short-message devices cost thousands of yuan; rental fees range from several hundred yuan per use. The real challenge is simply remembering to stay put and not wander away.

The National Park Service's Mojave Desert page contains three original sentences. One is "At least 1 gallon (approximately 3.8 liters) of water per person per day; hikers and bikers 2 gallons per person per day." Another is "Tell someone your route, destination, return date, vehicle type, and license plate number." There is also a sentence stating "Cell service is intermittent." Regarding Death Valley: "Do not hike in the valley floor or at low elevations when it is hot," and wilderness areas have "almost no cell service," with a recommendation to carry a satellite phone. The original text on the Mojave desert driving page states: "In an emergency, staying with your vehicle is the most important thing you can do." The page also notes that while such incidents are uncommon, people have indeed died from exposure to extreme heat or cold while walking back to the highway. The priority is divided into five steps. The first step is to report your safety and coordinates; send your location first before calling when there is a signal. The second step is to seek shade and maintain warmth; the vehicle is your largest source of shelter. The third step is conserving water. The fourth step is to avoid wandering aimlessly. The fifth step is signal. The Chongqing Municipal Emergency Management Bureau advises: three piles of fire arranged in a triangle is an internationally recognized distress signal. If you are close by, shout "three short, three long, then three short," repeating every 1 minutes. When the sun is out, use bright objects like mirrors or tin can lids to reflect light. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism reminds self-driving tourists to be cautious when entering uninhabited areas, try to travel in groups of multiple vehicles, and rent satellite phones if necessary.

US National Park Service. Mojave National Preserve Safety. https://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/safety.htm ; US National Park Service. Death Valley Safety. https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/safety.htm ; US National Park Service. Desert Driving Safety. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/desertdrivingsafety.htm ; 重庆市应急管理局 (2024). 应急科普>>在野外你需要了解的求救信号（长图）：「燃放三堆火焰是国际通行的求救信号，将火堆摆成三角形」「三声短三声长，再三声短；间隔1分钟之后再重复」. https://yjj.cq.gov.cn/yjkp/scshaq/202409/t20240918_13639172.html ; 文化和旅游部 (2018). 文化和旅游部提醒游客谨慎选择户外探险旅游：「谨慎前往无人区和人烟稀少区」「尽量多车同行，提前准备对讲机，必要时租用卫星电话」. https://www.mct.gov.cn/zxbs/cxts/201811/t20181127_836244.htm

This C rating reflects that these recommendations stem from official guidelines rather than empirical research data. The recommended water intake levels, mandatory reporting procedures, known signal coverage patterns, the directive to remain near one’s vehicle, and the prescribed distress signals all originate directly from official sources. The commonly cited “three short bursts, three long bursts, then three short bursts” phrase could not be verified in any official documentation; consequently, it has been replaced with the officially endorsed method of deploying three fire piles and repeating the three-short-three-long-three-short pattern. Additionally, it is vital to avoid hiking in search of help during midday heat, never drink urine, and under no circumstances withhold water intake merely to conserve supplies.