Chapter 9: Mentality.
So much about Survival is just your mentality. the Ability to keep calm, place value in living, set aside your prejudice's and do what needs to be done. You wont last long if you panic or give up in the face of difficult odds. But digging in and finding this mentality is easier said than done. Human biology dictates that the center of our brain that creates your emotions is larger the the center that helps with rational thought. Reducing the average persons ability to stop and make the right decisive choices, in survival situations that can get you killed.
The Crucial moment
When you decide to act. you ever do something in a hurry and when you reflect on it later realize there was a better way? In life or death situations you may never get that second chance to reflect. so you cant afford to panic and rush. Many survival situations will start with an initial traumatic event. an earth quake, an explosion, a plane crash, car wreck, life throws crazy things our way, and at any moment conditions can change for the better or worse. Your first and most important step. is to Relax, for the moment your alive. Time to get a clear head and assess your situation. times like this you may be hyperventilating try to calm your breathing. your adrenaline is pumping, this can dull pain so take a minute to assess your self, and make sure there are no injuries you are not aware of. Assess your gear, what do you have with you, what condition is it in, and don't leave anything behind that's useful. The next factor is location/situation. Were are you, whats happened? Are you safe or do you need to move out of the area. If so, how, can, and where do you need to go.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Chapter 8:Nutrition
Calories
the average man needs about 2500 calories a day to maintain weight and functionality. Doing moderate physical labor or survival activities can easily increase that number to 3000+. When the calorie intake drops below 1200 (or half of the optimal number of calories for an individual) the body goes into a survival mode in which physical and cognitive functions are impaired. Extreme lethargy, indecisiveness, confusion and excessive sleepiness are some of the symptoms and are not beneficial to dealing with the stresses encountered when our lives are in peril. In a survival situation, therefore, calories are crucial and the more, the better. That is right, fat is your friend; remember that fat has 9 calories per gram, whereas protein and carbohydrates only have 4 calories per gram. If you only have 2 pounds of food at your disposal, what do want the composition of that food to be? Keep this in mind when you are making your preparations.
Very simply, when you are purchasing canned goods for preparedness, devote at least one-half of your purchases to high calorie choices with ample protein and fat. Include some starches like beans, corn and potatoes, since carbohydrates are easily metabolized and turned into the sugars that our brains require. Fruits and vegetables have fiber and some vitamins that cannot be obtained from other sources, so don’t ignore them.
Drying food is one of the oldest methods of preservation and is still a winner in terms of shelf life and durability. On the other hand, 1# bags of rice and dried beans are cheap, filling, and readily-available and supply complete proteins when used together. If you have a vacuum sealing machine, a good “ration pack” can be made by placing 1# of dried beans, 1# of rice, 1/3 cup of dehydrated onions, and 2 tablespoons of a salt-based seasoning in separate bags and sealing them together. The contents of that pack can easily feed 4 people for a day.In the event that you have meat that is ready to spoil due to a recent hunting success or a prolonged power outage, take a page from our ancestors and dry it. There are several methods for drying meat or anything else with a high moisture content. If you are in an arid environment, drying is dead easy. Cut the meat into ¼" slices, rub it with salt and spices (if desired), and either spread it out on a grating or hang it for 2-3 days in an area with decent air flow. Plastic bags hold moisture close to the food and will cause the food to partially hydrate and eventually rot. Dehydrated foods can be re-hydrated in hot water and used in soups or stews. The dehydrating process reduces the weight of most meat and produce to about 6-10% of its regular weight, so a lot more food energy can be carried per pound.
The individual vacuum packs of trail mix, nuts, jerky or individual sausages (such as "Slim-Jim”) make for a readily pack-able addition to your BOB that provide a lot of calories with minimal weight and space. The individual packs of sports drink powders are also a worthwhile addition. Everyone knows that feeling of lightheadedness and nausea that hits when your blood sugar or electrolyte balance goes low. The electrolytes and sugar in those packets is a quick fix for that.
This is not meant to try and convince anyone to switch to a diet of donuts and bacon. Obesity still carries a major penalty in many other aspects of survival both in our current reality and in a worst-case scenario. The ability to live without medications for hypertension, or cholesterol or diabetes is critical when the pharmacies all shut down. Too much fat will indeed kill you. The focus should be on general health and stamina, especially in terms of manual labor and walking. A person with a large muscle mass and very little fat effectively has a huge engine with a very small gas tank. The big engine is helpful, but the tank must always be refilled. A person with little muscle mass and a lot of fat has a small engine and a huge gas tank. It doesn't matter how much fuel there is if the engine is too small to do the job. A person with decent muscle mass, good cardiovascular health and a little extra “cushion” is the best suited to prolonged survival. The ability to walk while carrying weight and the ability to do strenuous work are the most vital elements.
Most of whats in this Chapter was taken from A great article you can find here
Calories
the average man needs about 2500 calories a day to maintain weight and functionality. Doing moderate physical labor or survival activities can easily increase that number to 3000+. When the calorie intake drops below 1200 (or half of the optimal number of calories for an individual) the body goes into a survival mode in which physical and cognitive functions are impaired. Extreme lethargy, indecisiveness, confusion and excessive sleepiness are some of the symptoms and are not beneficial to dealing with the stresses encountered when our lives are in peril. In a survival situation, therefore, calories are crucial and the more, the better. That is right, fat is your friend; remember that fat has 9 calories per gram, whereas protein and carbohydrates only have 4 calories per gram. If you only have 2 pounds of food at your disposal, what do want the composition of that food to be? Keep this in mind when you are making your preparations.
Very simply, when you are purchasing canned goods for preparedness, devote at least one-half of your purchases to high calorie choices with ample protein and fat. Include some starches like beans, corn and potatoes, since carbohydrates are easily metabolized and turned into the sugars that our brains require. Fruits and vegetables have fiber and some vitamins that cannot be obtained from other sources, so don’t ignore them.
Drying food is one of the oldest methods of preservation and is still a winner in terms of shelf life and durability. On the other hand, 1# bags of rice and dried beans are cheap, filling, and readily-available and supply complete proteins when used together. If you have a vacuum sealing machine, a good “ration pack” can be made by placing 1# of dried beans, 1# of rice, 1/3 cup of dehydrated onions, and 2 tablespoons of a salt-based seasoning in separate bags and sealing them together. The contents of that pack can easily feed 4 people for a day.In the event that you have meat that is ready to spoil due to a recent hunting success or a prolonged power outage, take a page from our ancestors and dry it. There are several methods for drying meat or anything else with a high moisture content. If you are in an arid environment, drying is dead easy. Cut the meat into ¼" slices, rub it with salt and spices (if desired), and either spread it out on a grating or hang it for 2-3 days in an area with decent air flow. Plastic bags hold moisture close to the food and will cause the food to partially hydrate and eventually rot. Dehydrated foods can be re-hydrated in hot water and used in soups or stews. The dehydrating process reduces the weight of most meat and produce to about 6-10% of its regular weight, so a lot more food energy can be carried per pound.
The individual vacuum packs of trail mix, nuts, jerky or individual sausages (such as "Slim-Jim”) make for a readily pack-able addition to your BOB that provide a lot of calories with minimal weight and space. The individual packs of sports drink powders are also a worthwhile addition. Everyone knows that feeling of lightheadedness and nausea that hits when your blood sugar or electrolyte balance goes low. The electrolytes and sugar in those packets is a quick fix for that.
This is not meant to try and convince anyone to switch to a diet of donuts and bacon. Obesity still carries a major penalty in many other aspects of survival both in our current reality and in a worst-case scenario. The ability to live without medications for hypertension, or cholesterol or diabetes is critical when the pharmacies all shut down. Too much fat will indeed kill you. The focus should be on general health and stamina, especially in terms of manual labor and walking. A person with a large muscle mass and very little fat effectively has a huge engine with a very small gas tank. The big engine is helpful, but the tank must always be refilled. A person with little muscle mass and a lot of fat has a small engine and a huge gas tank. It doesn't matter how much fuel there is if the engine is too small to do the job. A person with decent muscle mass, good cardiovascular health and a little extra “cushion” is the best suited to prolonged survival. The ability to walk while carrying weight and the ability to do strenuous work are the most vital elements.
Most of whats in this Chapter was taken from A great article you can find here
Chapter 6: Survival
teaching some basic survival skills needed to stay alive in urban or suburban environments.
basic concepts, We will talk about the priorities of survival, and the frame of mind. Bear Grylls has a great Acronym for remembering the priorities of survival. “Please Remember What’s First” Protection, Rescue, Water, Food. I want to add one more word to that. “Stupid” which would stand for “Scavenge.”
Please Remember What’s First Stupid
-Protection
Clothing is your first line of protection from the weather. Consider the climate in your immediate area but be prepared for anything. Hypothermia and Heat exhaustion is a common killer for people in survival situations. Your Bug Out Bag clothes should be similar to what you would pack for a weekend backpacking trip.
METHODS FOR MAKING FIRE - matches lighters and fire starters are worth their weight in gold, but there are other methods for making fire, the wood drill, Fire Saw ,and even car batteries.
when possible you should create a fire for cooking away from campsite or your shelter and many predators can smell food from many miles away and will come to investigate. unwelcome guests like bears, mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, and boar.
-Rescue
-Water
It should go without saying that water is a survival basic for any situation. In a survival situation water quickly becomes the most precious commodity.1 Liter per day per person is really the bare minimum. So your 3 day Bug Out Bag should have at least 3 liters of water.To expand your capability or survive longer than a couple of days you will need a Water purification system. This can be as simple as boiling water and iodine tablets, or a serious water filter.
-Food
For a 3 Day Bug Out Bag MRE's and Energy bars can be sufficient. Back pack meals are freeze dried meals that you just add boiling water to. They are lightweight and last a long time. Obviously you will need a longer term food solution in any type of wide area catastrophe, but for your basic backpack meals are a good set up.
-Scavenge
-Camping
teaching some basic survival skills needed to stay alive in urban or suburban environments.
basic concepts, We will talk about the priorities of survival, and the frame of mind. Bear Grylls has a great Acronym for remembering the priorities of survival. “Please Remember What’s First” Protection, Rescue, Water, Food. I want to add one more word to that. “Stupid” which would stand for “Scavenge.”
Please Remember What’s First Stupid
-Protection
Clothing is your first line of protection from the weather. Consider the climate in your immediate area but be prepared for anything. Hypothermia and Heat exhaustion is a common killer for people in survival situations. Your Bug Out Bag clothes should be similar to what you would pack for a weekend backpacking trip.
- A pair of sturdy boots or shoes (not really IN the pack but ready)
- A pair of long pants (preferably not blue jeans)
- 2 Pairs of socks (preferably not cotton)
- 2 Shirts (Maybe 1 long sleeve and 1 short sleeve for layering)
- A Jacket that is both warm and protection from rain
- 2 pairs of Warm long and short underwear of some kind
- A hat
- A Bandana
- Appropriate clothing
- appropriate clothing for protecting yourself from the elements.
- In cold weather multiple layers will keep you more insulated rather than one thick garment. in cold situations it's important to keep your core temperature up to prevent hypothermia. it is also best not to sweat if possible. sweat will dampen your clothes and sap heat from your body 25% faster.
- In warm weather staying cool and and protecting your head are important to prevent heat stroke. so a bandana or hat is important. using paint or ash on the skin under your eyes can reduce glare and keep your retina from burning.
- Shelter building
- whenever possible improvise natural or man-made things in your environment, no need to expend too much time or energy if you don’t have to.
- Consider the placement of your shelter. look for level solid ground. avoid game trails as it may put you in the reach of predators. in open areas if you want to be seen for rescue, but concealed and camouflaged if the opposite is the case. in wet areas, or the possibility of flooding, you may have to make a shelter thats off the ground like an A-Frame or Hammock.
- Give yourself time to build your shelter before it gets dark or it will be much harder.
- Types of shelters. A-Frame, Lean-to, Sheet shelter
- Fire
Fire serves many purposes. It offers protection from the cold. A way to cook food, boil water, ward off predators, mosquitos, and boost your moral. All of which are crucial in survival situations. It can also create smoke for signaling rescue.
METHODS FOR MAKING FIRE - matches lighters and fire starters are worth their weight in gold, but there are other methods for making fire, the wood drill, Fire Saw ,and even car batteries.
- All fires need fuel and tinder. tinder can be made of many dry and fibrous materials such as wool, grass, leaves, tree bark, and moss. Different types of tinder can be found many places. You can use the lint from your pockets or tear small pieces of clothing and fray them so they burn easier. Small scraps of paper, Q-tips cotton ends, the fluff from wool clothing are all great options as fire-starters. Other types of tinder that most people don’t think about are: alcohol prep pads, Carmex, chapstick, deodorant stick, hand sanitizer, insect repellent, Neosporin, petroleum jelly and even snack chips. Any of the items mentioned above can be used as tinder to get the fire started. as for the wood, any thing that makes a dry snapping sound when you break it, like the sound of a fire, is good to burn. make sure to gather enough wood to keep your fire going all night, so you're not looking for it in the dark. When trying to start a fire try to have the following items on hand: plenty of small twigs, bark, or any other type of flammable material you can procure. After gathering fuel for the fire,place the tinder on an area of ground that you have cleared as best you can. Next, surround the burn area with a nonflammable ring (barrier) made of rocks or an equivalent alternative (cinder blocks, bricks, scrap metal, etc.). Creating this barrier accomplishes at least three significant advantages in building and maintaining a fire:
- First, it keeps the fire contained.
- Second, the barrier becomes heated by the fire and retains this heat for a significant duration of time depending on what materials you are using. This material can then be placed around you to keep warm, heat up water (possibly even boil water which can help provide safer drinking alternatives for hydration), or even heat up and cook food.
- Third, it protects the fire from being snuffed out by a gust of wind. You will find that when you’re struggling to make a fire or keep it lit, it’s a game of margins. The smallest breeze can derail alot of hard work and deplete your resources quickly. Keep in mind that you will need to make sure to make the barrier open (wide) enough to let the fire breathe (fire needs oxygen) while keeping any significant breeze out.
when possible you should create a fire for cooking away from campsite or your shelter and many predators can smell food from many miles away and will come to investigate. unwelcome guests like bears, mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, and boar.
-Rescue
- Planning
- the first question is, are you in a situation where you want to be found. sometimes this is not the case. if it is, the then next question is rescue coming to you. in many situations. you are better served staying put. Try to put yourself in the rescuers shoes. where are they coming from and what will they be looking for.
- In other situations you may need to find rescue, civilization, or it may be that your current location is unsafe, and you may need to leave.
- its important to know were safe zones in your area are, rescue, hospitals,police military, CDC, or maybe some place rural away from crowds or danger, and the safest way to get to them. If possible, things to avoid along the way depending on the situations.
- Navigation
- knowing which direction to travel is crucial, so having a compass and map is a good idea. but you can still find your way without them.
- WATCH METHOD- and easy watch you know direction is to point the hour hand of your watch at the sun. and the intersecting line between it and the 12’oclock is your general north and south. in the southern hemisphere this would be reverse
- Stick Sundial, another method is to plant a stick in the ground and place a rock marking the tip of its shadow. wait 15 minutes and mark were the shadow has moved with another rock. the line between these two rocks is your general East and west. the first rock being west.
- extraction/evasion
- rescue signaling
-Water
It should go without saying that water is a survival basic for any situation. In a survival situation water quickly becomes the most precious commodity.1 Liter per day per person is really the bare minimum. So your 3 day Bug Out Bag should have at least 3 liters of water.To expand your capability or survive longer than a couple of days you will need a Water purification system. This can be as simple as boiling water and iodine tablets, or a serious water filter.
- Rules about drinking water
- when collecting water, boil it whenever possible
- stagnate water is never a good idea, it is a breeding ground for parasites, and bacteria.
- moving water is favorable, but again boil it whenever possible.
- rain water is typically good to drink. so when it rains find ways to collect it. cause you may not get so lucky in the near future.
- water filtered through the ground is typically clean. falling from the roof of a cave or run off from rocks, again boil it whenever possible.
- when near streams and rivers, search for signs of crayfish. they are good to eat, but also are a good indicator of clean water as they are intolerant of any kind of bacteria or contamination.
- Where to find water
- Desalination.
- Swimming
-Food
For a 3 Day Bug Out Bag MRE's and Energy bars can be sufficient. Back pack meals are freeze dried meals that you just add boiling water to. They are lightweight and last a long time. Obviously you will need a longer term food solution in any type of wide area catastrophe, but for your basic backpack meals are a good set up.
- Food prep
- Hunting
- Fishing
-Scavenge
-Camping
Chapter 5: Disaster Planning
Assessing how to be prepared for a number of disasters, and developing a plan for appropriate response. Assembling the appropriate gear needed to survive for 72 hours. Assessing the surrounding area to determine the best options for evasion, extraction, or survival.
Assessing how to be prepared for a number of disasters, and developing a plan for appropriate response. Assembling the appropriate gear needed to survive for 72 hours. Assessing the surrounding area to determine the best options for evasion, extraction, or survival.
- Gear
- BOB (Bug out bag)
- GHB (get home bag)
- Escape route
- Contingency. Is your way out double, triple, and quadruple backed up?
- If the highways are shut down do you have a surface street route?
- If no roads aren't plausible do you have an off road route?
- If driving is out of the question do you have a planned walking or riding route? (Do you have maps of your area in your Bug Out Bag?)
- Do you have a rendezvous point with other family members?
- Rally points
- Identification
- it's a good idea to carry identification papers or card with you. but you can also use a USB thumb drive to back all of that up along with other information like
- Driver’s License
- Handgun Carry Permit
- Passport
- Bank Account Documents
- Birth Certificate
- Social Security Card
- Insurance Information
- Marriage Certificate
- All of the above for all Children
- Important Family Pictures
- Safe zones
- Situation assessment.
- Bug In Plan
- Thinking long term
Chapter 3 Firearms <Beta>
In Dangerous situations history shows us that people don’t always act morally or rationally. so it may be necessary to protect yourself, particularly if you know local law enforcement or military will have their hands full. in the worst situations that may be who you need protection from. so personal firearms are a good Possibility.
This section is suppose to provide a strong familiarity with four common types of firearms, their operation, maintenance and safety. starting with a safety briefing, and shooting range exercises.
-Safety
A gun is probably Twice as volatile as any weapon, knife or tool, Its not a toy, don’t be irresponsible, treat it with respect or it will bite you in the ass. It’s also a responsibility. you are responsible for it, when not in use keep it stowed and safe from kids or anyone else that may get a hold of it. For your safety and those around you, and for the general sake of other gun owners don't be an idiot, Know what you're doing with it. If you ignore any of this, whatever happens is YOUR FAULT!
stress the Five rules of Gun safety
Understanding the condition of your weapon at all times.
-Handgun
-Rifle
-Shotgun
-Precision Rifle
In Dangerous situations history shows us that people don’t always act morally or rationally. so it may be necessary to protect yourself, particularly if you know local law enforcement or military will have their hands full. in the worst situations that may be who you need protection from. so personal firearms are a good Possibility.
This section is suppose to provide a strong familiarity with four common types of firearms, their operation, maintenance and safety. starting with a safety briefing, and shooting range exercises.
-Safety
A gun is probably Twice as volatile as any weapon, knife or tool, Its not a toy, don’t be irresponsible, treat it with respect or it will bite you in the ass. It’s also a responsibility. you are responsible for it, when not in use keep it stowed and safe from kids or anyone else that may get a hold of it. For your safety and those around you, and for the general sake of other gun owners don't be an idiot, Know what you're doing with it. If you ignore any of this, whatever happens is YOUR FAULT!
stress the Five rules of Gun safety
- Treat every weapon as if its loaded.
- Don't point your gun at anything you don not intend to kill.
- Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are on target and ready to fire.
- Keep your weapon on safe until you are ready to fire.
- Be aware of your targets foreground and background.
Understanding the condition of your weapon at all times.
- CONDITION 1, mag inserted round in the chamber,slide forward, safety on.
- CONDITION 3 mag inserted, chamber empty slide forward safety on.
- CONDITION 4 mag removed, chamber empty, slide forward, safety on.
-Handgun
- safety
- gun familiarity
- grip
- Stance “weaver/isosceles”
- sight alignment/sight picture
- marksmanship
- reloading
- Drawing
- kneeling and prone
- from cover
-Rifle
- safety
- gun Familiarity
- grip
- stance
- sight alignment/sight picture
- marksmanship
- reloading
- Kneeling/Prone
- From cover
- remedial action
-Shotgun
- Safety
- gun Familiarity
- grip
- stance
- sight alignment/sight picture
- marksmanship
- reloading
- Kneeling/Prone
- From cover
- ammo change
-Precision Rifle
- gun Familiarity
- grip
- Zero
- sight alignment/sight picture
- Kneeling/Prone
- shot calculation.
- Target acquisition.
- weapon cleaning.
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