Tag: edc

Posted on

Autumn is here it’s time to update your kits, winter is coming!

I love spending time in the Central Oregon high desert during the transition from summer to fall. One thing that hits home in the NW when you are east of the Cascades is the extreme temperature variance that occurs each day. It can swing as much as 40 degrees on any given day. Granted the desert is typically the land of extremes, but it started me thinking.

Update your kits

We should all have a schedule, albeit flexible, that we live by when it comes to our kits. Just like our smoke detector batteries, we need to update our kits for the season ahead. In the high desert during this time of year, a night out without the proper outerwear or shelter will be extremely miserable if not worse.

Not just when, but where

It is important for us to not only consider where we are but what season is coming.

West of the Cascades it is generally a swing between moderate temperatures and miserably wet. If you are not prepared to protect yourself from the wet you could suffer from hypothermia in weather as warm as 60 degrees. We need to carry rain gear and synthetic or non-cotton clothing, I would say all year in the NW.

East of the Cascades it is critical to be prepared to handle extreme cold, low humidity, snow, and ice. When the temperature quite often drops into the 20’s at night we also need to consider carrying an emergency shelter for the event that we need to spend a night out. Without it, we may not survive.

Choose wisely

There is an old adage, “cotton kills”, that we live by in the outdoors. It comes from the fact that when cotton gets wet, be it from sweat, rain, melting snow or falling in the river, it will quickly deplete our ability to maintain our body temperature. Cotton holds on to water and when against our skin our bodies spend a lot of energy trying to warm it up. Often leading to hypothermia in the wild. Although you will almost certainly find a cotton t-shirt in my pack, nothing is as cozy to sleep in, it will not be my primary clothing.

Natural fiber substitutes for synthetic

I am a big fan of natural fiber clothing and will always choose it over synthetic, call me old school if you like. Two of my favorite natural fibers for the outdoors are wool and silk. Most people are familiar with the value of wool. We see it in the movies. Pre 1990 veterans are all too familiar with wool and how well it works in all climates. It is a natural wicking fiber and hydrophilic, which keeps the moisture off of you.

Silk, on the other hand, is not as well known for its value in the wild. I personally have been using silk in the wild for at least 30 years. It is light, durable, warm, and fire resistant. Not to mention how wonderful it feels against your skin. Silk is also a great wicking fiber. But for me, perhaps odd to you, its most valuable quality is its fire resistance. One thing I spend a lot of time doing in the wild when it is cold is messing with fire. Whether it is for cooking, warmth or entertainment. I have found that a good pair of silk glove liners, very thin gloves meant to be worn inside a pair of gloves, are indispensable. They offer great tactility and dexterity, but most importantly they don’t melt.

Always remember your feet

I cannot stress this enough, if you don’t take care of your feet, they will not take care of you. I have a proclivity for the wilderness, but the truth of the matter is that most of us will find ourselves in an urban or suburban area when we need our kits to survive. In the wilderness, the rule is to stay put and wait for help. In an urban or suburban environment being able to walk 2 miles could mean the difference between a hot meal and a miserable night.

We don’t always dress for survival, in fact, it is quite rare that we do. So we need to have good sturdy footwear in our kits. Even if we stay put and wait, a cold night with boots will be a lot better than with your flip-flops.

Forethought is your friend

The most important tool you have, is your mind, use it. If we devote just a small amount of time at the turn of each season to look ahead and update our kits appropriately, it will make a world of difference should we need to use them. Remember, we don’t plan on having a house fire, but we still have fire extinguishers and smoke detectors. If you don’t have an emergency kit in your house and car, now is a good time to fix that. There is nothing more important than our families, let’s take care of them.

As Always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Posted on

Being prepared is a journey, not a destination

Winter storms

Here in the Northwest we recently experienced an extreme weather event. One that is unusual for this neck of the woods. We received a large amount of heavy wet snow in a short period of time. This caused a myriad of issues with our roads, the power, and even our railways. The impact of the storm was mostly felt in the Southern Willamette Valley and the Cascades in the same region.

I know of several people caught unprepared. They were without power and water for an extended period. Their house is on well water and the pump doesn’t run without power. Some friends and family were without needed medications with no way to get them due to road closures. Neighbors helping neighbors, as well as the young and strong coming to the aid of those less capable, was a normal day.

I myself was in Klamath Falls when the storm hit, 6 hours from home and on the wrong side of the Cascades. With multiple passes closed and another front moving in that threatened to close the remaining passes, I made my move.

 

Being Prepared

Don’t take this lightly, I travel in a 4-wheel drive vehicle with traction tires and chains. In my rig, I carry the tools, equipment, and supplies to survive for a week or longer without aid of any sort. I also have my General class Ham license and have a radio in my rig. I am prepared to take those kinds of risks. There were many times, in fact, most of the journey through the mountains, when there was not another vehicle in sight, I was mostly on my own.

 

Staying Vigilant

But, this is nothing new to me, I am constantly assessing my level of readiness and making improvements as needed. Seasonal adjustments are constantly being made to my equipment and supplies. Always erring on the side of being overly safe. I have the training and equipment (in my vehicle) to hike out, in any weather, if necessary. Do not attempt anything that you have not been trained to do or do not have the proper equipment.

As is very common, most don’t consider the threat going without until it hits them in the face, because of this we have a run on the store for supplies. Be responsible for your safety and security. Plan for the inevitable disaster. Get your supplies, equipment, and training before a disaster strikes. One second after the disaster strikes is too late.

 

Staying Calm

The most important consideration aside from physical training and equipment is mental preparation. You must spend the time and energy to train your mind. It is imperative that we are able to remain calm in the face of adversity. Remember the rule of threes, you will not survive for more than 3 seconds without staying calm, I can not put enough stress on this. It is vital to your survival that you develop this skill. Without it all else is worthless.

 

As Always,

Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

 

 

Posted on

Extended/Prolonged Field Care

If you are injured exploring the wilderness there likely won’t be EMS available

Extended/Prolonged Field Care as a topic is extremely broad in nature, but simply being aware of Key/basic concepts will go a long way. As with anything starting at the ground floor and gaining a firm grasp on the fundamentals will give you a solid foundation to build upon. I’m going to touch on a couple of key points, by no means is this a comprehensive list. So I may not touch on certain points, but feel free to ask questions in the comments. So what are some good things to keep in mind with Extended Field Care:

Ask them questions –

If the patients LOC permits them to be a credible reporter of their condition, ask them how they’re doing. For the sake of establishing trends, you can compare their answer to how they were feeling before you started their treatment. Ask yourself “has there been an improvement or are they deteriorating, what’s the trend? Have you noticed any additional symptoms, has their pain radiated to a different area than before?

Fluids going in and fluids moving out-

I&Os should NEVER be overlooked, you must monitor the patients fluid intake and urine output stringently. It goes without saying hydration is incredibly important; it’s not unheard of for patients to die of dehydration post initial injury in remote environments. So traditionally most of us have been taught to adopt the mindset of not giving the patient/casualty anything to drink. The way I see it is unless we’re dealing with an instance where the patient is in hypovolemic shock that way of thinking should be ignored at all costs in remote environments. You as the provider will make the call as to what is needed:

⚠️ If the casualty is saying they are thirsty, they aren’t friggen lying to you, they’re thirsty, but you should encourage small sips at a time. No tippin it back like it’s a Friday night at happy hour.

⚠️ You give small sips to watch and see if the patient vomits, this is a clear indication their body is saying it doesn’t want it or simply can’t tolerate it.

Hydration status of patient –

As the care provider, ensure the patients’ hydration is maintained to produce a urine output of approximately 0.5-1ml / kg/hour. Hydrating with water will work but a rehydration solution is preferred by the World Health Organization and they recommend :

⚠️ 30g (approx. 6 teaspoons) sugar
⚠️ 2.5g (approx. half teaspoon) salt.
⚠️ 1 Litre clean water

So if your patient isn’t able to tolerate hydration by the oral route, you could always consider rehydration rectally unless contraindicated.

Risk/Signs for Infection-

Any and all wounds should be appropriately cleansed, properly dressed and monitored for signs of infection (which I’ll cover in detail next month), such as:

⚠️ expanding redness around the wound.
⚠️ yellow or greenish-colored pus or cloudy wound drainage.
⚠️ red streaking spreading from the wound.
⚠️ increased swelling, tenderness, or pain around the wound.
⚠️ fever.

Secure ALL equipment and continually reassess –

Some procedures, such as airways, IV tubes, catheters, chest drains or needle decompression, must be assessed frequently to ensure they are still patent, firmly fixed, and clean. Any of the aforementioned equipment should be taped to the patient to ensure they are not dislodged, especially in the event the patient needs to be transported

Analgesics and Pain relief –

Modalities of pain relief are more often than not thought of as drugs, but there are so many other, and effective, ways to help your patient achieve a degree of comfort, such as:

⚠️ Being present for emotional support and reassurance with an injured patient should NEVER be underestimated.
⚠️ Ensure that all dressings are assessed frequently and changed when they need to be
⚠️ Temperature modalities such as heat or cold can be utilized to treat sprains and strains
⚠️ You can unbeknownst to the patient distract them by continuously engaging the patient in their treatment. Be sure to splint injuries that require it, therefore, avoiding unnecessary movement.
⚠️ OTC medications can also provide some relief if accessible and not contraindicated

DOCUMENTING!!! –

Earlier I mentioned noticing “trends” in your patients’ condition. By documenting your initial findings; history, Signs & Symptoms, baseline vital signs and all of your interventions. A sharpie should be an essential carry item for you so you can continue to record your observations, assessments, and any interventions/treatments administered, you WILL forget and you will not be prepared for the end game.

Overall Sanitation Standards –

Hygiene practices such as hand washing, disinfecting if applicable, water collection and treatment, food storage, cooking and washing-up processes, waste disposal should be at the top of your priority list.

Be aware of the Elements and their Impact on the Patient-

The casualty must be protected from the environment. If they are immobile they will have reduced peripheral circulation. Any immobilized patient who’s on a stretcher will be more susceptible to heat or cold and should be they “packaged” appropriately. Something as simple as routine monitoring of the patients’ temperature in the armpit will go a long way. Remember don’t forget to document your findings, because if it isn’t documented, it never happened.

This article is reposted from The Medical Survivalist Facebook page

As Always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Posted on

Why is November 11th so important?

November 11th

It was not so long ago that I have forgotten, though many of you may have never been told. But the origin of the world’s celebration on November 11th is not what most think it is. And yes, I said the world, November 11th is celebrated in several countries around the world. Belgium, France, The United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and many more. On November 11th, most of the world celebrates Armistice Day, the end of World War One!

Celebrating our veterans

In the United States, Veterans Day was originally celebrated on the 4th Monday of October. On this day we honor all of our veterans, living and dead, for their sacrifices and service to our country and its citizens. This should never change! It was moved to coincide with Armistice day in 1975. Many people mistakenly blame the men and women of the armed services for the decisions made by our government. The truth is that most of them have or had the noblest of intentions when they chose to take on the largely thankless mantle of a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.

They chose to put others before themselves and be the ones to go, when asked, into the fray to secure freedom and security for all the citizens of their country. With only one wish, If we must fight, let it be our generation so that our children will not have too.

The World celebrates Nov. 11th on its 100th anniversary

The rest of the world still celebrates Nov. 11th for the original reason. The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, one hundred years ago today. It is with a solemn heart and clear mind that I write this article. I am hoping to remind us all, especially in the U.S.! That on this most significant of all days, after years of brutal and inhuman fighting in the trenches on all fronts, the world as a whole had the collective mind to say enough is enough and ended all hostilities! There was peace on earth, we all stopped fighting!

Remember their sacrifice

If we fail to celebrate this day for its most important aspect we fail to remember that the world can exist in peace. We can stop the fighting, we can choose a different path! That is why most veterans serve, to be the one of many that stand against tyranny and those that would force their will on others for whatever reason. They stand against the wolves that would have their way with the flock if it were not for them. They shield us from the evils of the world. They sacrifice their peace and security for ours!

As Always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Posted on

You will become proficient at whatever you practice

Open your mind

It is important to remember that in a crisis you will fall to your highest level of skill. The myth that you will rise to the occasion can have dire consequences. With that in mind, we must always practice with a purpose to avoid becoming proficient at doing it, dare I say wrong. What I mean by wrong, is not black and white, there are many ways to skin a cat. Many of which could be considered correct. The test is, does the method provide an efficient and effective solution to the problem. One could argue ad nauseam as to which one is more effective or efficient, just pick one that passes the basic test and suits you. But always keep your mind open and ready to learn.

Empty Your Cup

There’s a tale that every martial arts student knows about the Samurai Master and the prospective student; this tale is as relevant in the world of the firearm as it is in any martial art.

It was in the seventeenth century during Japan’s Tokugawa era that there was a prestigious school dedicated to the art of the sword. The school was headed by a Master sword fighter who accepted only one student every year. When the time came to bring a new student into the fold, prospective hopefuls from around Japan would make the pilgrimage to the school in the hopes of being accepted, but before this could happen, the potential student must present himself alone to the school’s Master during the tea ceremony.

In one of these interviews a prospective student presented himself to the Master and after formalities were exchanged, the Master asked his guest to tell him about himself and his experience. The student went on to share his experience with the master, the schools he had attended, the techniques he’d perfected and the recognitions he’d received. As the student continued, the Master poured tea from the pot into the student’s cup and continued to pour until the cup was full. Despite this, he poured the tea until it spilled out onto the ground and continued to pour. The student seeing this admonished, “But Master, you’re wasting tea, the cup is full.” The Master responded, “As is yours”. Accepting you as a student would be a mistake because teaching you would be almost impossible; your cup is full and you are not open to new concepts; my knowledge would be wasted. The ceremony ended.

Our friends at High Desert Training Group LLC shared this ancient wisdom in their latest newsletter. It is from a long time ago but stands the test of time.

Practice often, practice well

Once you have found a set of practices that suit your individual needs and pass the basic tests. You must practice them to the point where they become a habit. If you can perform the task you are practicing under stress and chaos without conscious thought, you have developed a skill. Skills are what we will fall to when the adversity demands their application.

As Always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

 

Posted on

Your enemies are not always obvious

Often times we think that our enemies will be self-evident, and usually, they are, but not always.

Sometimes we will find it necessary to fight an enemy that we failed to plan for. It is important for us to plan for as many adversaries as possible, even though it may be impossible to cover them all.

When putting together our kits for survival we tend to focus on the root needs, those determined by the rule of threes, at least we should. One thing all of us need to consider is the personalization of our kits to address any specific needs we may have. Often times it is overlooked or sparsely addressed when discussing the contents of our kits.

Factors to consider when personalizing your kit include medical conditions, environment, and special needs to name the most obvious.

Medical conditions

Probably the least forgotten because those with them are acutely aware, but none the less, it is critical to include whatever medicines are necessary for you to deal with your individual conditions. Unfortunately, a large number of us are on antidepressants, can you go 3 days without them?

Environment

In the NW we have a diverse set of ecosystems ranging from the high deserts of central Oregon to the coastal regions to the temperate rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula. These various regions will require different areas of additional preparations. They present their own specific weather, flora and fauna issues. Do you need to consider bears or rattlesnakes?

Special needs

This is definitely on an individual basis, these will include eyeglasses (contacts), hearing aids, knee braces, and orthotics. These may seem benign to some but to those that depend on them, life without them will be miserable if not dangerous.

Sometimes the simplest omission can spell disaster. For example this last weekend we were out in the Santiam Wilderness doing long-range dead reckoning exercises, something everyone should practice.

We stopped for lunch and picked a spot near a downed tree to settle in and eat. One of us dropped our pack directly on a yellow jacket nest, needless to say, they were pretty upset and I was stung a number of times clearing the area. Four times on my hand and twice on my eyelid. Now I am not allergic to bees or yellow jackets specifically so there wasn’t any immediate threat to me and no one else was stung thankfully. But, this doesn’t mean I didn’t pay for the encounter. Even if you are not allergic it is still quite painful and you will still have to deal with the effects of the stings.

This is one example, of many,  of a not so obvious enemy. If I were in a bug out or get home scenario and didn’t have the appropriate medicines to deal with the swelling and pain associated with this encounter it could be very dangerous, notwithstanding if I were allergic.

In closing, when planning your kit you must go beyond the guidelines developed to fit the masses and take the time to consider your specific needs based on your medical conditions, environment and special needs.

As Always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Posted on

Will you survive or thrive?

Do you want to survive or thrive?

Quite often during our mission to survive a disaster, whether short-term or long, we neglect to address this question. Do I want to simply survive or do I want to thrive? This is a very important question as it adds an entirely new level of preparation that is required.

Survival

This is where we focus most of our energy on during our preparations. It makes sense as this will be the first phase of surviving any disastrous event. It is at best short-term preparation. It is focused on immediate needs for prevailing against the coming storm. We must be able to protect ourselves and have the ability to secure or acquire our basic needs. It will get us through the initial crisis but then what? How long do you plan on surviving?

Thriving

In order for us to thrive after the coming storm, we must put time and energy into planning for our long-term self-reliance. We were at a friends ranch last weekend and helped them erect their greenhouse. This is a major step in preparing yourself to be self-reliant and thrive after the storm. You must accept the fact that if you want it you will have to grow it, kill it or make it in the post-disaster world. We shouldn’t think of our long-term (thrive) preparations as only useful after the storm. They are used here and now. When we start to adopt the self-reliant lifestyle we become less dependant on the whims of our grocer and butcher. We empower ourselves to grow and harvest healthy foods that we choose. We gain a sense of empowerment.

One step at a time

Now I know we are not all in a place where we have the means or wherewithal to have a greenhouse as nice as the one we built. But, if we are serious about thriving we must do what we can when we can. The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Please joins us as we continue to discuss our future after the storm. It really isn’t a question if, but when! If you are thoughtful and diligent in your preparations you will provide for the generations that follow us. We have lost so many skills and so much knowledge of how to thrive in a world without the modern conveniences of electricity, refrigeration and the internet. We can and will thrive after those are gone, whether for a week or a year if we spend just a little time preparing.

As Alway,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

 

Posted on

Is your fitness a liability or an asset?

Can you hang?

I will just get straight to it, how many pushups can you do? How far can you go with a 50lb pack on your back? How fast can you run a mile? Can you run a mile? How far can you swim before you are exhausted? Do I have your attention? Are you wondering what this has to do with your survival?

If you are not scared, you are not prepared!

I have found that a large number of us neglect our fitness as a whole. I am not talking about the general population, that neglect is obvious. I am talking about the people in our community. Ones that are dedicated to being prepared to weather the storm, whatever it may be. But, the truth is most will not because they do not take their fitness seriously.

Certainly, they have stockpiled supplies and equipment meant to facilitate their survival. They have Go Bags, BOBs (Bug Out Bags), and INCH (I’m Never Coming Home) Bags. They spend time learning the skills necessary to survive the world WROL (Without Rule of Law), well I hope they are. If you aren’t we can help you with that. They have food stored for the long term. They have weapons and ammunition, I hope they know how to use them. You get the picture. But, they are missing one important piece, fitness!

You are going to die!

If you fail to address your lack of fitness, you are going to fail at your task of surviving the storm. You will not survive the road that lies ahead of you. The stark reality is that in a WROL situation you will be met with extreme violence. The likes of which you can’t even imagine. If you are not strong and fit, as well as trained and equipped, you are going to die!

If you are serious about your survival, you must address your fitness. You must become an asset and stop being a liability. I’m not saying you need to be Jason Bourne, although if you are please get in touch with me. I am saying don’t be the Family Guy. Take some personal responsibility, spend 15 minutes a day getting stronger. If you are not trying you are dying. So drop and give me 25!

As Always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

 

Posted on

Just owning a gun, is simply not enough!

Scott

It is a simple truth, when shit goes down, you will not rise to the occasion, you will fall to your highest level of training!

I have bought and sold a few guns in my time, and intentionally not sold guns. It has always been my belief that if you choose to own a firearm it is your responsibility to know how to use and care for it responsibly. Don’t misunderstand me, your right to own a firearm is inherent to your existence. That being said, when you engage in the ownership and operation of anything with destructive potential, you bear the weight of responsible ownership.

Concealed Carry

If you plan to carry a firearm for self-defense, you need to know how to effectively use it. Going to the range once a month and punching holes in a paper target on a flat range will only give you a false sense of security. Life is not a flat range and your adversaries will not stand there and wait for you to aim. If you depend on this training paradigm, when you have an encounter requiring the use of your firearm, you will not like the results.

Carrying a concealed firearm requires a certain mindset and a lot of discipline. You must always be aware of your surroundings. You don’t want to go where you shouldn’t. You must study the laws, as well as the martial art of concealed carry.

Home Defense

If you are only buying a gun for home defense the same truths apply. You need to master the skills necessary to effectively use your firearm in your home. Effective application of firearm use in home defense is a very complicated skill. If you don’t get professional training on this skill you will most likely get someone killed, someone you didn’t want to die.

There are also laws that specifically address your rights and responsibilities when using a firearm in defense of persons and property. It is your responsibility to know them before you need to.

 

 

Training

Train often, with a purpose. Our goal is to provide the appropriate training to individuals seeking to develop their skills and knowledge in the art of survival. We believe the martial art of the firearm is a critical piece of the survival paradigm. NW Survival is developing a curriculum for hands-on firearms training classes coming this fall. Also, stay tuned for our video series on survival that is coming soon.

Whether or not you choose to train with us, we strongly encourage you to seek the appropriate professional training. Your life and the lives of your loved ones depend on it.

Join us next week when we discuss physical fitness and its role in your survival!

As Always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Posted on

Are you going to lose your shit?

Fail to plan, Plan to fail. Truer words do not exist, if you don’t have a plan for you and your family you will surely fail.

Make a Plan

There are so many aspects of a preparedness plan that I am not going to cover them all now. The short of it is you need to have a plan, one that covers all the possible scenarios that could or will present themselves when disaster strikes. This plan needs to cover everyone in your immediate purview. If you leave someone or something out, it could cost someone their life.

Practice

Once you have a plan you need to test it and make certain it is valid and reasonable. If you don’t test it, how do you know it will work or be sufficient? You won’t and this is why you will lose your shit. The best way to make certain you will be able to maintain your composure, keep it together and put your plan in action is knowing it is a good plan and being confident in its execution. People are depending on you. Do you want to look into their eyes when you have failed to provide basic safety and security? I can tell you I don’t!

Documentation

So you have a plan and you tested it, good start. Now you need to put it on paper and organize it so when you don’t make it home they will know what to do. It is a fools gambit to assume you will be there for them to help execute your well thought out plan. Chances are you won’t be. You could just be separated by a failed transportation system and working your way back home to them. Will they be safe while they are waiting for you? Will they BE waiting for you?

Be Prepared and confident

So the short of it is if you don’t want to lose your shit, get it together, make a plan and put it in action. This is your best hedge against panic and anxiety, believe me, you will still be afraid there is no way around that. Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the ability to function while afraid. Make a plan, practice it, and document it, be courageous!

Join us for our online Urban Preparedness Series this fall. Our goal is to be your guides to preparedness and survival, you owe it to yourself and your family. Sign up for our newsletter to never miss our latest news.

As Always,

Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared