Show Notes
I begin this week
with the Blizzard Survival Discount offer then Packing your BOB, Prepared for
Disaster, Support these Companies, What
I Carry Daily-My EDC, Bugging-out, Here are some more companies to support,
LT Interview, Further companies to
support, UK rules on wild camping, Inland fish for food, The Human Factor, Survival and Stress, Dirty Bomb Attac.
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Packing your BOB
There are a few types of Bug-Out bags out there; I generally
put them into 2 categories... They each serve a specific purpose.
The get Home Bag is usually stored in a vehicle or at work.
It is used to give you the essentials you would need to get back to your home
in case of emergency while you are away.
The Bug Out Bag is Used to get from wherever you are to your
pre-planned Bug-Out location or other location of relative safety.
If you are going to bug out by car, you have a lot more
choice in equipment and gear selection as you have much more room to pack gear.
However you must also plan for the worst case scenario, which would be having
to hump your gear on your back. Pack only essentials! I am here to tell you
that every ounce counts, and saving even 1 pound worth of gear that you don't
have to drag along with you will make your life much better.
Be careful and deliberate in your gear selection don't
sacrifice light weight for something that isn't durable. Remember that what you
have is it-Make sure you buy quality gear that will serve you for the
long-haul. You probably won't be able to replace any of it soon
There are so many kinds, makers and styles from the
plain-jane to the Uber Tacti-Cool models. What should you look for??
Well as far as size goes, usually bigger is better. I would
rather have more room than less. I would try to resist the urge to pack it to
the gills. For some reason, if I have extra space I try to fill it up with more
stuff.
Try to remember you are going to have to carry this thing
for (sometimes) many, many miles. It does you no good to have a bag that weighs
in at 1 ton fully loaded if you can't pick it up. Make sure that you can sling
it on your back by yourself, there may come a time you have to...
Take a close look at the stitching on the bag. Make sure
that it is solid, and double stitched (at least). Inspect the straps I like
wide straps that have a high load-bearing rating to them. Ensure it is
generously padded as your bag can get awful rough to carry when it is digging
into your back and shoulders etc...
If it has zippers, I like large polymer teeth rather than
the close-together zipper teeth. This allows for a more secure bag, and reduces
the chance that the zipper will have a sudden failure.
Nothing stinks worse than having a large portion of your
gear dropping out of your bag or worse, having it fly down the side of a hill
or into another area where you can't get at it.
I would also suggest a bag that has Molle-style attachment
points to it. This makes it easier to attach other gear to it and remove it
easily. I would put things on there that you may want to get to in a hurry
(like medical gear) and not have to download most of your bag to get to it when
you need it.
Try to remember that you may be in this for the long-haul so
you will need both warm weather and cold weather gear!
I prefer a lightweight waterproof hiking style boot, there
are also some nice swim-style shoes on the market that won't take up much space
in your bag and can come in handy.
Bring a few pairs of socks, something that will keep your
feet warm and will wick moisture away from your feet. You won't be able to
travel, gather food and water or do most things if your feet are out of action.
PROTECT THEM!
I am a fan of the lightweight rip-stop style of pants. This
is a place where military surplus gear is just fine in my opinion. Make sure
you have some under-layer garments available to insulate them when it gets
cold. The rip-stop pants are lightweight but not designed for any serious cold
weather insulation by themselves.
Bring both long sleeve and short sleeve shirts. Again,
select a material that will wick moisture away from your body. This will keep
you more comfortable when it is hot, and keep you from losing body heat when it
is cold!
A sturdy belt will allow you to carry your gear that you
need close at hand. I like the Blackhawk web duty belt as it is very study and
has a buckle that has a high load bearing weight rating.
Keep a “woolly cap” and/or balaclava type mask available for
when it gets cold. A bandana can be used to keep the sun off you as well.
Sunglasses- protect your eyes! Get something that is UV
rated, my all-time favourites are the Survival I shield from Survival Metrics
they are UV rated and store in a small 35mm type canister.
Consider a lightweight breathable Parka for cold weather. A
light windproof jacket is also a must. A tactical vest that you can load out
with your essential “at-hand” gear is also a nice option.
Even though you can make your own shelters with materials at
hand, it may also be handy to have some equipment on hand to make the process a
little easier.
Sleeping Bags- are a nice option, but take up a lot of
space. If you go this route, get one that compacts down and is as lightweight as
possible.
Space blankets are lightweight and compact, but don't have a
long service life. They are useful as a waterproofing method when you make a
shelter out of natural materials.
I know they are supposed to reflect body heat, but are only
effective if there is an air pocket between you and the blanket. They are
almost a “one use” kind of item, as they are very easy to puncture. They are
also very noisy if that is of concern to you.
I recommend buying the SOL bivy bag at around £17 as it
reflects 90 per cent of body heat back on the user is reusable and only weighs
3.8 ounces.
A decent option for one person is a hammock as they are
lightweight and compact. All you need are 2 trees. It will also get you up off
the ground and away from creepy-crawlies. I would say you have two choices the
Hennessey or the DD travel hammock.
Probably most people’s favourite shelter option is a tarp.
They are very versatile and you can insulate them by putting natural materials
on top. You can use them from a stand-alone tent, to ground cover, and
water-catcher when it is raining.
They can be a little heavy depending on the type you get but
can be folded up to fit in a relatively small space, and you can use them over
and over again. They are also easy to repair with a little Duct tape.
A MUST HAVE in
your kit is a survival blade. While I carry the Utility multi lite on me every
day, you would be hard pressed to find me without a fixed blade knife if I am
in the woods.
I would suggest having at least a couple available in your
bag and one or two on your person you can access readily. From cutting cordage,
dressing an animal, making shelter stakes and fire starting tools to a last
ditch defensive tool, a knife is almost too handy not to have one on you at all
times. I carry the Chris Caine Companion while out in the wilderness as well as
his survival knife.
Don't forget to pack a way to re-sharpen your knives and
tools. A good diamond knife sharpener is the way to go. You can get a lot of
use from it, and there are models that fold down to a very small size, remember
a blunt knife is a piece of metal.
A few disposable lighters (in waterproof containers) are
must haves. I say have as many fire starting methods available to you as
possible.
That being said- keep a small Ferro rod (or flint steel) and
magnesium fire starting equipment and a fire piston in your bag.
There are so many Youtube fire lighting methods from Bow-Drills,
Hand-Drills to reflection methods (just to name a few) which have been in use
long before we invented the disposable lighter or matches.
So I recommend using
these other methods as interesting and even fun and keeping your “sure fire”
methods of fire starting in reserve, for when getting a fire going now may be a
matter of life and death.
Remember practice as if you cannot light a fire with these
methods in your back garden then what chance will you have on a clod wet windy
evening in the woods.
There is no way you can carry enough water in a Bug-Out bag
to sustain you long term. It takes up too much space and is way too heavy. So
keep water purification items in your bag to purify the water you find along
the way items like Iodine, Bleach, Tabs and water filters. and carry a hydration back pack to sustain you between
fill-ups I like the Highlander Trojan Hydration Pack.
Better still buy a
Purificup which will save you having to boil water to drink.
Also another area that you are not going to be able to carry
enough of to sustain you for an indefinite amount of time is FOOD. Things I do
suggest you pack in your bag are MRE style meals, Freeze Dried Meals, Emergency
Ration Bars, Honey, Peanut Butter.
This is not the time to be worried about fat or calorie
content or rather, yes it is. You will be expending a tremendous amount of
Calories, even more if it is cold outside. Calories are King, and the more you
have access to the better off you will be.
A personal medical bag to treat injuries that may occur is a
must. Even a small wound in the field can turn into a major life-threatening
problem if not treated promptly and properly.
At a minimum I would keep: Sterile Gauze, Cohesive gauze
(sticks to itself), Clotting agents (cellox, quick clot) for more serious
wounds, Tourniquet, Oral and/or Nasal Airway, Antibacterial ointments, Safety
Pins, Duct Tape, Benadryl, Skin stapler or suture, scalpel, tweezers, Burn
ointment or dressing, Pain relievers and various sorts and Gloves.
Keep an ample supply of any medications you may be taking
for chronic health issues. Also if you have a good Doctor, he/she may write you
a prescription for small amounts of antibiotics and pain meds that can be used
in emergency situations or just buy animal antibiotics as they are the same as
human ones just with a different label.
Keep a few books (paper kind, no batteries needed) on
survival skills, medical procedures/treatment, plant identification and the
like available for reference.
You can also make your own “Prompt Sheets” on things like
water purification, emergency medical procedures... and get them laminated.
This way they will not be destroyed if they get wet, or torn when shifting
around in a Bug Out bag. Or use my survival tip sheet.
Navigational equipment
must include a compass-not just the one that may be built into your GPS
or Watch, Maps, a cooking pot (for cooking and water purification), a good
torch I prefer the Elzetta ZFL-M60 Tactical Weapon-Grade LED Torch and don’t
forget some spare batteries, Solar charger for recharging your electronic gear,
a quality multi-tool.
Duct Tape, Paracord, wire (or other) saw, fishing/trapping
equipment, sewing needles and thread for clothing repairs, personal hygiene
products, Passport/ID, savings/bank and other account numbers, Immunization
records (if you have them), Money and/or and precious metals that could be used
for barter/trade/purchase if the possibility arises.
I know it sounds like
a lot, and it is. Just remember that everything you select must have a viable
and essential purpose. Always have backup methods available for the most
important issues such as: Starting Fire, Food gathering, Water purification,
Shelter and Medical needs. Remember toilet roll.
Keep an eye on any expiration dates on items like: Medical supplies,
Food rations, sterile medical packages and other gear. Rotate them out as they
expire.
Don't let putting together
a Bug Out bag intimidate you, you have probably done one already. Every time
you go on holiday you pack a suitcase, it's just a scaled-down version of a Bug
Out bag. It just isn't as in depth.
Prepared for Disaster
Are you prepared for a disaster that could affect the daily
function of your life or the lives of your family members? Or do you even
believe a disaster will ever affect you?
Blizzards, floods, power cuts, and who knows what else
happens all the time. Still, most of us ignore the warnings. "It won’t
happen to me," and if it does then "The government will take care of
me.
But not only do these things happen, they can happen to you.
And when they do, you will be on your own. The recent UK flooding events have
proved this. Look at the total disruption to transportation when it snows for
example.
This was followed by the immediate and complete paralysis of
air transportation at major international airports. Thousands were stranded for
days on their own in strange cities.
As serious as these events were, they pale in comparison to
the possibilities. Consider a major biological or nuclear attack or accident.
Hundreds of thousands of casualties are predicted in some scenarios.
These disasters or attacks would overwhelm local, regional,
and national emergency resources and cause widespread panic.
Transportation would stop, markets would be stripped of food
within hours, essential emergency services would be overwhelmed, and food,
medical supplies, and emergency service workers would be sent to the disaster
area, leaving critical shortages in local areas.
Are you prepared?
Now, more than ever, you need to prepare for the possibility
of disasters or attacks on a scale and type never before imagined. It is your
duty to yourself, your family, and your country to be prepared.
Some of us need to be prepared for being at "ground
zero." Certain areas are the most likely direct targets of terrorists,
manmade or natural disasters. All of us need to be prepared to be indirect
targets, those affected by the temporary collapse of our nation's
infrastructure.
In short, we all need
to be able to live self-sufficiently for a period of time.
What you prepare for will depend on your geographical area.
Natural disasters and the risk of major terrorist attacks vary by where you
live. The first thing you need to do is make a list of the possible disasters
for which you need to prepare.
Some of the things you will want to consider include natural
disasters, such as blizzards, floods, and even wild fires, as well as
technological disasters, such as nuclear, biological, chemical (NBC) attacks,
and hazardous material accidents.
Don't forget cyber-attacks, the possibility that an enemy
could attack our computer systems, shutting down electrical, gas,
communications, transportation, and emergency and medical services.
Incidentally this is happening right now with the recent
exposure of a dedicated Chinese military unit whose job is to launch
cyber-attacks on the west.
What about an EPM
attack or a CME?
What about attacks on our farms and agricultural processing
plants? While they would likely affect only a small number of people directly,
they would completely shut down food production and distribution systems.
What about an attack
on our water treatment plants?
While there are many things to plan for, your response to
all of them will be one of two things: stay at home or evacuate. For blizzards,
earthquakes, cyber-attacks, nuclear fallout, quarantine after biological
attacks, and collapse of the infrastructure, you will want to stay at home.
For floods, hurricanes, or with some advance notice of NBC
attacks, acts of terrorism evacuation may be your course of action.
Whenever possible, staying at home in your own environment
and with your own emergency supplies is the best choice.
When you evacuate, you are essentially a refugee at the
mercy of evacuation centres or the compassion of the local population.
In a major disaster, don't expect to be welcomed by the
locals who will be struggling with their own survival.
In all situations, you will need to be able to think for
yourself. Confusion always accompanies a major disaster and initial information
and instructions may be conflicting and incorrect.
So, monitor the radio and television for official
instructions on what to do, such as whether to evacuate or not, but don't
assume they are correct. Make your own decisions based on your plans and
preparation.
Riding it out at home
Key to your survival is preparing a disaster supplies kit,
essentially the stockpiling of all materials that you would need to live on if
you are cut off from outside utilities, water, and supplies. Once a disaster
occurs, there won't be time to do it then and anyway the shelves will be empty.
How long you will need to be self-sufficient is hard to say.
My advice would be that everyone stores enough food, water, and supplies to
take care of their family for a minimum of three days.
Preparing a "72-hour kit" is a good idea. It can
be used for immediate evacuation and part of your overall disaster supply kit.
Place items in a portable, easy-to-carry container, such as a large plastic box
or duffel bag, ready to grab at a moment's notice.
But, is it enough? A blizzard, earthquake, quarantine, or
nuclear fallout could confine you for much longer. You need to be able to take
care of all the needs for your family for a period of at least two weeks and
possibly longer.
Having supplies for
one to three months is not all that unreasonable or hard to accomplish.
There are six basics that should be part of your home
disaster supplies kit: water, food, first aid supplies, tools and emergency
supplies, clothing and bedding, and special needs items.
Tools and emergency supplies should include such things as
battery-operated radios and torches with extra batteries, or wind-up/solar
powered options cups/plates/utensils, non-electric can opener, matches,
lantern, fire extinguisher, hand tools for repairs and to turn off household
water and gas, a whistle, and plastic sheeting.
For sanitation, include toilet paper, soap, toothpaste,
personal hygiene items, disinfectant, and household chlorine bleach. Many more
items can be added.
Think through the
things you use on a daily basis.
Clothing and bedding Clothing and bedding would include a
change of clothing and footwear for everyone in the household, rain gear, cold
weather clothes, hat and gloves, and blankets or sleeping bags. Remember, a
house or car can get very cold without heat.
Prepare for the worst
weather that you might encounter.
Store your disaster supply kit in a convenient place that is
known to all family members and make sure they know your family's disaster
plan. Evaluate your kit once a year and update it according to family needs.
Evacuation
You may not have much time to prepare when you need to
evacuate. A hazardous materials spill could mean instant evacuation, so always
have a smaller version of your home disaster supply kit in the boot of your car.
When you have advance warning of an evacuation, bring your
portable "72-hour" disaster supply kit, along with additional food,
water, and clothing near to the door. Keep important family documents in a
waterproof, portable container, ready to bring with you in an evacuation.
These may include your will, insurance policies, contracts,
deeds, stocks and bonds, passports, bank and credit account numbers, family
documents (birth, marriage, and death certificates), inventory of valuable
household items, and important telephone numbers.
It would be a good idea to always keep some cash in this
container, so you have it for an emergency and don’t forget coins for the
telephone box and if there is time, valuable family heirlooms or photographs
can be added.
Now that you have a
basic plan for any emergency, let's consider plans for some specific risks.
Nuclear
attack/accident
A nuclear disaster could result from an accident at a
nuclear power plant, a detonation of a nuclear device by terrorists or a rogue
nation, or an explosion of a "dirty" bomb, which basically is an explosive
device surrounded by radioactive material. Individuals at "ground
zero" will not survive a nuclear attack buy if not affected by the initial
blast should survive a dirty bomb attack
The risk for others
is the exposure to radiation.
Radiation is dangerous because of harmful effects on the
body. In large amounts, radiation can cause radiation sickness, thyroid and
other cancers, and death.
These effects are greater the longer a person is exposed to
the radiation and the closer the person is to the source. If radiation is
released into the atmosphere, it can travel for thousands of miles,
contaminating the ground and living organisms as it settles back to earth as
dust or in rain.
This is called
fallout radiation.
Time, distance, and shielding are the factors that minimize
exposure to nuclear radiation. Most radiation loses its strength fairly
rapidly, but it is important to limit the amount of time spent near the
radiation source.
The farther away an individual is from the radiation source,
the less exposure. Shielding is a barrier between an individual and the
radiation.
Concrete, earth, and structures are good shields. Depending
on the distance from the source, the best protection from radiation fallout is
to remain indoors.
After a nuclear disaster you may be advised to evacuate. If
so, remain calm, pack your evacuation survival kit in your vehicle, and follow
the evacuation routes out of the area. If there is time before leaving, close
and lock windows of your house turn off air conditioning, vents and fans.
Doing these things will make your house safer when you
return by minimizing exposure to the inside of your house from fallout.
If you are advised to remain at home, bring pets inside, secure
your house from fallout by closing and locking doors and windows, closing
fireplace dampers, turning off air conditioning, vents and fans.
If your emergency supplies are stored in a garage or barn,
bring them inside and, if there is time, store additional water in tubs, sinks,
and available containers. Inside the house, the safest area is a basement or
underground area, followed by an interior room with no windows and as far from
external walls as possible.
Stay inside until authorities say it is safe to go outside.
When coming in from the outdoors after exposure to fallout, shower and change
clothes and shoes. Put the contaminated items that were worn outside in a
plastic bag and seal it.
Open water sources (streams, creeks, lakes), fruits and
vegetables from outdoor gardens, and livestock will all be contaminated. Do not
eat or drink products from these until you know it is safe.
Bioterrorism
Very few people were actually infected in the anthrax
attacks in the USA after 911 because it took direct physical contact with the
bacteria to develop the disease. Other biological agents are contagious (passed
from person to person), however, and are much more dangerous.
Biological agents are
microorganisms (bacteria or viruses) or toxins that produce diseases in humans.
In America the Centre For Disease Control (CDC) lists 17
biological agents that may be used as weapons, including anthrax, smallpox,
plague, and botulism.
They are not immediately detectable, they may take days to
grow and spread, and it is impossible to know when an attack occurs. While
preparations are being made for defence against such attacks, nobody really
knows what to expect.
Fortunately, most of these biological agents are hard to
make into weapons. Worst-case scenarios, such as suicide terrorists infected
with smallpox traveling through metropolitan areas, are staggering,
however.
Thousands of victims
would overwhelm medical services and die.
Is it likely? Hopefully not, but who knows? Those at
"ground zero" who are infected will need professional medical help.
With air travel, people will spread the disease all over the
country before we even know an attack occurred.
Remember to start a
pandemic all you need is two feet and one cough.
The rest of the
country will shut down as soon as authorities realize what happened
Expect widespread closure of the country and mandatory
quarantines. Transportation, food, and vital services will stop. Plan to stay
at home if advised or ordered and avoid exposure with outsiders who may carry the
disease.
Your stockpile of food and supplies should get you through
this disaster. You may want to have some medical-type masks and gloves on hand.
Should you stockpile antibiotics in preparation for such
attacks? Authorities say no and this may be practical advice. I say yes if you
can.
A large number of different types and amounts of antibiotics
would need to be stored to protect your family against all likely biological
weapons.
Many of the diseases are viruses, not treatable with
antibiotics, and those treatable by antibiotics might be altered to make them
resistant to available antibiotics. Besides, you will need professional medical
care if you are exposed.
Chemical terrorism and hazardous spills may occur. Chemical
agents are gases, liquids, or solids that are poisonous to humans. Depending on
the type and amount of the material, exposure to chemical agents can cause
illness or be fatal.
Chemical agents include chlorine or ammonia gases that are
transported on trains daily, other hazardous industrial chemicals, and chemical
warfare agents, such as nerve agents, blister agents, blood poisons, and
others.
The CDC lists 58
known chemical warfare agents.
Some nerve agents, such as Sarin, used in the attack in
Japan, kill quickly. If you are at "ground zero" in such situations
your only chance is to evacuate immediately.
A hazardous materials spill is probably more likely than a
terrorist chemical attack. For gases and other chemicals that spread in the
air, evacuation to avoid exposure is critical.
Leave the area as soon as you are aware of the incident.
Full face respirators (gas masks) may be useful for escape in such situations.
Buy good quality, new masks designed for industrial or rescue use, not army
surplus masks.
Remember these chemical agents like radioactive fallout can
only go where the wind blows it.
Natural disasters
Natural disasters are somewhat easier to prepare for—you
either get out of their way (evacuate) or you protect yourself indoors.
In floods Sandbag doors and windows, move furniture and other
items to higher ground, and evacuate if necessary. Do not drive or walk through
flood waters and stay off bridges when they are covered with water.
Be prepared
Bad weather Preparation should include boarding up windows
and flood-proofing your home. Bring in outside furniture, bicycles, and rubbish
bins. Listen to recommendations from emergency officials and evacuate if
advised. If not advised to evacuate, stay indoors and away from windows.
When blizzards happen Stay indoors and use the telephone
only for life-threatening emergencies. Use fires safely and properly ventilate.
It there is no heat, cover windows, close off un-needed rooms, and stuff towels
in cracks under doors.
Wear layers of warm clothing. Eat and drink plenty. Food
generates body heat and water helps circulation to keep the skin warm.
It is important to know what to do and have a plan before a
disaster strikes. The internet can provide additional information for preparing
for and dealing with natural disasters and terrorist attacks.
Consider your risks, develop a plan, prepare your disaster
supplies kit, and discuss with your family what to do in case of an emergency.
Remember, the future
belongs to those who prepare. You must be ready before disaster strikes.
If you are looking
for some new kit then please Support these Companies
The following
companies have supported this station and I will support them they are:
You will never need to boil water again
For I-shields UV Protection
For top quality 550 Paracord
For Survival Knives and Survival Kits
For the Nano Striker fire starter
For tasty MX3 Meals
The Lifesaver bottle
For the Knot Bone Lacelock
For the Wild and Edible Nutrition E Book
Browning Night Seeker Cap Light RGB
Multi lite Multi-tool
For the Ghillie Kettle
For the Blackbird SK-5 or his handmade leather sheaths http://www.hedgehogleatherworks.com
For the Farside Outdoor Meals
The Survivor knife
For the Chris Caine companion survival tool
What I Carry Daily-My EDC
So what is EDC?
“EDC” is an acronym for “Everyday Carry”. EDC refers to the gear that is carried on
your person or with you all the time. This normally includes gear in your
pockets, backpack, briefcase, etc.
Most EDC gear I think is carried for one of the following
reasons:
Security - Defensive
tools, keys for example
Convenience - Mobile, torch, wallet, pen/paper
Style - Watch
Comfort - Handkerchief, breath mints
Entertainment - MP3 player, e-reader
Job/Legal Requirements - Identification
Health/Safety - Medical gear, water bottle, medication
A person’s choice of EDC (everyday carry) gear is intensely
personal and for that reason, people often take great pride in the EDC gear
that they have chosen. EDC gear should
be chosen based on your individual lifestyle, environment, and individual
needs.
Everyday carry gear philosophy varies widely. Some approach EDC gear with an emphasis on
minimalism, while others want to have equipment on hand for every possible
situation.
Typical EDC (Everyday Carry) gear can include:
Mobile phone
Wallet
Watch
Keychain
Writing tool
Flashlight
Pocket knife
MP3 Player
USB Key
Water bottle
Defensive tools(impact weapons, etc)
GPS
Paper
E-reader
Laptop
Medical Kit/First Aid
Mints
Medical
Sunglasses
Camera
Child care products
Handkerchief
So everything in that list is normal and things that most
people already carry and the difference between them and what I carry is not
only the quality but the fact that my EDC has multi-purpose uses.
For example my tactical pen writes and my tactical torch
lights up the dark and even my Timex e expedition watch tells the time as well.
Firstly I have my Timex Expedition E-Instruments Compass
Tide and temp chronograph Watch T45601which is waterproof to 100mtrs or in old
money 333ft on my left wrist and my 550 paracord bracelet from paracord.com on
my other.
Depending on what I am wearing I could have my Black Hawk
web duty belt with the True utility multi-tool +lite and a Stoppa Red marker
spray on it which I carry whatever belt I have on.
On my key ring I have the kaufmann-mercantile.com EDC steel
tools including a mini lighter and on my feet a pair of Regatta Mens
Ad-Scursion Boots which are completely waterproof and offer total protection
and comfort.
In my wallet is a Tool logic survival 11 credit card
A Matthew Martin Tactical Pen in my personal planner
On my back or in the car with me I carry the 1 Person BASIC
Backpack Survival Kit from More prepared .com supplemented as it is designed to
be by additional kit to make it what I call complete.
The extra kit that I put in is:
A UK motorway map and two local OS maps
A Purificup
Elzeta ZFL tactical Torch
A SOL Bivy bag
The Solo Stove with cotton wool and Vaseline balls stored
inside
A Nano fire starter
i-shields
My own survival meals, tea, 3 in 1 Nescafe coffee sachets,
Toilet roll
So what do you think is it too much? Is it not enough? You
know whatever you think will not change what I carry just in case, for the what
if’s and oh no’s.
Have fun designing
you EDC and remember multi-function and quality.
Bugging Out
If the situation around you is so bad that you have to
leave, then go. The military referred to it as "Bugging Out".
This can be a complete disaster all by itself, but a little
prior planning will certainly help. There are three things that you should
consider before going anywhere:
Where are you going?
How are you going to get there?
What will you do when you get there?
You should plan for the worst possible situation. If you
live in a highly populated area the roads will be blocked there is nothing
surer. The airlines may or may not be flying in or out of your area.
Busses, trains and taxis will be full, if working. Walking
may be dangerous. So what do you do?
Consider first:
Stay at home. Bunker In. Everything you have is already there. You and your
family know where everything is, and you are in an area you are familiar with.
But are you safe staying at home? Is there a raging fire
heading towards you? Is there a flood? Terrorist threat or actual terrorist
activity?
Is there a nuclear,
biological or chemical problem in your area?
Is the electricity and water still working? Are thugs
running rampant? Is it summer or winter with lots of snow? Is there a wild
elephant in your back garden? You have to consider all the facts before you decide
to bug out. If, after all this thinking, you still have to leave, what do you
take with you?
Most travel today has to be by private vehicle. Even with
the streets blocked and with others trying to get away, it is still your best
bet for getting out safely. If you haven't already done it, prepare a vehicle
emergency kit.
This kit depends a lot on the size of your vehicle, and the
number of people in your party. Here's a list of some items you may want to
include in your own vehicle emergency kit:
VEHICLE EMERGENCY KIT
CONTENTS (Minimum)
Extra fuel in an approved container.
Warm clothing for everyone in your party.
First-Aid kit
Fire lighting kit
Maps of the area you are leaving/going to.
12 Volt tire inflation pump.
Spare tire... a real one.
Blankets, towels, pillows.
Roll of plastic sheeting or large plastic bags.
Torch with spare bulbs and batteries.
Fire extinguisher.
Small shelter or tent.
Small cooking set & charcoal briquettes.
Individualized personal non-perishable items.
Snow Chains for tires.
Folding shovel.
Compass
Tools for vehicle repair
Extra oil for engine and transmission
Change of clothing for everyone in your party.
1 Gallon of water per person in your party, per day. Plan on
3 days
Emergency food for up to 3 days without re-supply, preferably
dehydrated types.
Books suitable for all members of your party.
A heavy knife, axe, or machete.
Weapons of choice.
All the above items, except the water, can be kept locked in
your car all year long. Water can only be included when the outside temperatures
will stay above freezing. A frozen water container will crack, and when it
thaws will leak out all over your stuff. Space permitting; feel free to add any
other items you think you will need it is after all your emergency vehicle kit.
KEEP YOUR VEHICLE IN
TOP MECHANICAL CONDITION, ALL THE TIME. KEEP THE TANK FILLED. NEVER LET THE
TANK GO BELOW 1/4 FULL.
The Best Place to go is the place you've already set up.
Where are you going? And for how long? If you can safely
travel, try for a safe place the shortest distance away from your home that you
can find.
Is it a hotel on the other side of town, or Grandma's house
in another county? The shortest distance to safety gets you off the roads the
quickest.
Did you make arrangements with a friend or relative, in
advance, to use their home as a "bug out" location? Did you agree for
him/her to come to your house if they have an emergency? You should have.
Consider the following when deciding WHERE to go:
Is the location you have pre-arranged under the same threat
as you are? Floods and bad weather will cover huge areas, but forest fires are
generally smaller in area.
Does the location you choose have all the facilities that
you need in order to survive? Is their water and electricity still on, or is it
questionable? Are hospitals available?
Does every member of your party agree to where you plan to
go?
Is food and water available where you plan to go?
Is the shelter large enough to handle you, your party, and
everyone else who may show up to use the same facility?
Is the area you pick in a relatively safe location, or will
the situation later deteriorate and force you to pack up and move again?
Are you comfortable
with your decision?
Once you've considered all the items above, and you've made
your decision, it's time to pack up. Everyone in your party must know ahead of
time how much space they will be allotted in your vehicle.
If you have a small car and someone shows up with a trunk
full of clothes, you've got a problem. Like a ship at sea, if it's your car,
you are the Captain. Your decisions stand...don't back down. Pack all the
things you absolutely HAVE to have first.
Then add all those "nice to have" items next.
PACKING CHECKLIST
("Need to Have" items)
The relevant maps with or without a sat nav
Medications for a 30-day supply. Prescriptions for refill,
if necessary.
Glasses and spare glasses, sunglasses.
Warm clothing for cold weather, regardless of the time of
year.
Extra shoes, belts, gloves, and hats.
Mobile phone/s and 12 volt charger.
At least one change of clothing each.
Extra shoes and shoelaces
Dental care items. Includes false teeth care.
List of names, addresses and telephone numbers for family,
friends, co-workers
Elderly care products, hearing aid batteries.
MONEY. As much as you can get. Hide it.
Female hygiene products.
Baby care items: nappies, food/milk mix, bottles, etc.
Personal hygiene items: Top of list: Toilet Paper
Laundry detergent, softeners, personal soap.
Lose change for vending machines and telephones.
Credit cards, ID cards, Insurance papers.
NHS card/number and National Insurance number
Handicapped persons - special equipment and supplies needed
for daily life.
Any special item of apparel that anyone in your party needs
to live day-to-day.
Everything else is on the "Nice to Have" list.
There are just a few items that I include on my "Nice to Have" list.
Most of them involve entertaining children. But, in planning for any trip,
water, food, and shelter have to be considered:
WATER: The number
one priority on your list of survival items. One gallon per person per day.
There must be a means of refilling or re-supplying your water while you travel.
If your travel is planned for 1 day...and the roads are jammed...it may take 3
days.
You must have water to live. If the electricity is out all
along your route, you will not be able to get either food or fuel. Most of the
shops and restaurants on the route will be closed.
Don't depend on
someone else to help you...they're probably worse off than you are.
FOOD: Dehydrated
food requires water to re-hydrate it so it can be eaten. Pre-plan what foods
you ALL can eat, and add them to your car. Plan at least for 3 days’ worth of
food.
You can live a long time without food, but only a short time
without water. Do not take foods that are overly salty or make people thirsty.
Small children need
milk, so don't forget that item.
Include some snacks to augment the above supply. Don't be
afraid to have the same thing 3 days in a row. It's boring but it cuts down on
buying supplies. If you include perishable food, you must eat it the first day
out, or it will spoil.
Every car should already have an emergency first aid
kit.
There are many commercially available kits out there that
have adequate supplies for up to 3 days, barring catastrophic accidents.
However, most kits only include enough plasters for one
person, for 2 or 3 days. Consider buying extras and throwing them in the kit.
If you don't have a
first aid kit...get one.
SHELTER: Shelter
includes the time you are traveling as well as when you get there. Nobody can
drive continuously for 3 days without relief. Eventually, you will have to
stop, eat a meal, and sleep.
Hotels and motels may not be available. The roadside rest
areas will already be full, if you're allowed in them at all. What to do? If
you can find a friendly local in the area off the main road (particularly
farmers), you can ask to camp on their property.
Be sure to assure them you will clean up your mess before
you leave. You can even offer to pay them for their inconvenience. Private
property is safer than public areas in a mass evacuation. But public campsites
(parks, forests, etc.) may still be open.
OK: You've got your
vehicle fully packed with everything you need to travel. You've counted heads,
and everyone is present and ready to go. Are you ready? Not yet.
HOW TO GET THERE?
The route of travel between two places in the UK is almost infinitely variable.
. Remember there's a lot to think about on how you are going to travel to your
destination:
Route Planning
Considerations
Does your planned route avoid major populated areas? More
people = more problems.
Are all the roads open?
How many drivers are available you trust?
Are there places available where you can reasonably expect
to get water, fuel, and food?
Are the civil authorities still available to direct traffic
and provide emergency services?
Is another route available, even if it's longer?
Are all the bridges and tunnels open?
Does this route avoid bad weather conditions, or take them
into account?
Can this route safely be driven at night?
Can anyone unfamiliar with the route drive it while you are
resting?
Does an alternative route offer better conditions and safety
than the originally proposed route?
Are there safe areas within a reasonable drive that you can
use for emergency sheltering, including camping overnight, if required?
Is driving time a
planning factor?
Are mountains or hazardous terrain a problem for your
vehicle?
Can you safely get to "A" from "B"?
You made your decision, you're on the road. You left word
with friends in the area you just left on where you were going, and how you
plan to get there. You promise to keep others informed of departure and arrival
times.
You know someone will miss you if you don't show up in a
reasonable time period. Your plan works perfectly, and now you have arrived
where you were supposed to be.
Once at your destination, quickly evaluate the shelter
arrangements. Is it too crowded? Is it safe or unsafe. Are there people there
you don't trust? Evaluate everything.
If something doesn't "smell right", move on to
another shelter.
The last resort is to
sleep on the side of the road or in the car park of a shopping centre.
Ask the local police if there is a safe place to park and
sleep. You probably will not be allowed to cook over a campfire in the local
shopping centre car park.
Putting tent pegs in concrete is very difficult too. But,
assuming the current shelter will be OK, the next logical step is to ask
"NOW WHAT?"...
WELL YOUR GUESS IS AS
GOOD AS MINE!
You're alive and
well. You have money and the tools to survive. Get on with your life.
Post-Disaster Recovery is an entirely different problem.
Here are some more
companies to support
72 hour survival pack
Blizzard Survival jacket
Survival Ration Packs
SOL Complete Survival Kit and SOL Bivy Bag
The answer to rough ground sleeping
Simply your EDC supplier
For all your military equipment needs
NEW MRE’s
The Fire Piston
Great tasty MRE’s
The 95 Puukko Survival Knife
Gold Standard Whey Protein Isolates which are 90% pure
protein by weight
Tonight I have with
me LT from Blind Horse Knives
Blind Horse Knives or
BHK are makers of top quality handmade knives in the U.S.A. and they also have
a Custom Shoppe where they can show off their artistic skills as quality hand
crafted knives.
Their aim is quality,
quality, and did I say quality in what they do from the design conception
through to the knife marking and delivery to the after sales policy that sees
replacement or refund should that be necessary.
BHK are about old
fashioned service and customer satisfaction along with top quality materials,
handling and craftsmanship at every stage of the knifes life and combined with
customer input and unparalleled customer support it is recipe for success.
LT Interview
That was a great
interview LT really is an interesting guy when it comes to talking about and
making hand-made knives and he is also very knowledgeable on bushcraft,
survival and prepping as well so I will
have him back on my show again to talk about that. But for now check his
designer knives out at www.blindhorseknives.com
Further Companies to
Support
Uses natural fuel
www.kaufmann-m
EDC steel tools
Highlander Trojan Hydration Pack – Multicam
CUDEMAN HEAVY DUTY OLIVE WOOD BUSHCRAFT KNIFE - 111L
Alum Crystal and natural spa products
Tool logic Survival 11 Credit Card
BackHawk Web duty Belt
Guppie Multi=tool
Go Survival Pack
Beautiful Handmade Catapults
1 Person BASIC Backpack Survival Kit, the back pack that
does it all
DD Hammock –The ultimate in Travel Hammocks
Elzetta ZFL-M60 Tactical Weapon-Grade LED Torch
Ultimate Adventurer Survival Kit everything in one kit
Adjustable Knife Lanyard Review
Handmade knives by James D. Sanders
UK Rules on Wild Camping
Prepping to bug out or practicing to survive in your back
garden is one thing but have you tried doing so in the wilds and if not why
not, someone once said to me that they could not find anywhere to train, well I
have to say that they did not look very hard at all.
Camping in a camp site is fine, but there are many who want
to get even closer to nature.
They enjoy wild camping, which is pretty much what it says
on the tin, camping away from civilisation, and without the modern conveniences
of the camp site and living off your knowledge helped by your equipment,
training and fitness.
It’s not for wimps, since this is real 'roughing it', but
those who have the taste absolutely love it and you know when SHTF it will
become the norm.
The thing to remember, though, is that all the land in the
United Kingdom is owned by someone, meaning that there are laws that apply to
wild camping, those that apply in England and Wales, and different ones in
force in Scotland.
Wild Camping In
England and Wales
For the most part there’s little problem with wild camping
in England and Wales, although if you’re going to be relatively close to a farm
the farmer could tell you to move from his land, but as long as you’re being
careful and responsible, there should be no problem.
Generally wild camping is quite acceptable if you’re more
than half a day’s hike from a camp site, although, within the UK, that’s
generally unlikely.
Within the National
Parks, wild camping is a right. However, there are certain limitations.
It has to be on access land (and not all land in a National
Park is access land), more than 100 metres from a road, and you must use a
tent, not a caravan – for pretty obvious reasons. You can also use tarps basha’s and bivy’s etc.
In Dartmoor the right
allowing wild camping is enshrined in an amendment to the Countryside Act of
1949.
There will also be exceptions at times. In the Peak
District, for example, wild camping has often been banned when the moors are
dry to avoid the danger of fires which can be difficult to put out and can
easily destroy acres of land.
When wild camping, you do need to observe good camping
etiquette, by leaving the land just as you found it, taking all litter with
you, making sure there’s only a small group of you, and ensuring that your
toilet is more than 30 metres from any water, taking care to carefully bury
your toilet waste – so be sure you have a small digging implement with you.
You should never
spend more than two nights in the same camp, whether on private or National Park
land.
Wild Camping In
Scotland
New laws about wild camping in Scotland came into effect in
2005, and set out exactly where it’s permissible to camp.
What it largely boils down to is that wild camping is fine
except in building sites, schools (and their grounds), around houses, in areas
where admission is charged, quarries, golf courses, sports fields (but only
when they’re in use), and around buildings.
You also need to be more than 100 metres from a road (there
are exceptions here with sites close to lochs, for instance, that have
traditionally been used for camping but might be close to roads).
Where no access rights exist, wild camping is not permitted
without specific permission, so you need to be very aware of where you are and
what kind of land it is before trying to set up camp.
You should not exceed two, or at most three, nights in any
one spot. So get out there and practice, the UK is full of diverse environments
from the seashore to the mountain tops which gives us loads of choices of where
to train.
Inland Fish For Food
Millions of anglers catch fish only to put them straight
back again. Isn't it time we discovered the culinary potential of freshwater
species?
While Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has been raising awareness
about sea fishing with his Fish Fight campaign which by the way I fully support
it seems to me that it is a good time to cast an eye inland to our native
freshwater species: the pike, perch, zander, chub, carp and bream amongst many
others that swim largely un eaten in our lakes and rivers and canals.
Britain has a rich
history of consuming freshwater species.
In the past those who didn't live near the sea ate whatever
they could coax out of inland waterways.
Monastic gardens and manor houses almost always had a fish
pond or moat where freshwater species were farmed for Friday fish suppers and
feasts.
You would struggle to find any of the species above
displayed on a fishmonger's slab in the UK these days, but they all make a
worthy feast.
Recently a local fishmonger had a mirror carp on sale the
whole fish costing £17 would you believe, OK it would have been around 8lbs but
I thought that was quite expensive as not many people would pay that for one
fish.
Some cultures have never forgotten the taste of fresh water
fish - the British angling press is frequently peppered with tales of
resourceful eastern Europeans taking prize carp, something of a delicacy in
their part of the world, home for tea.
With an estimated three million anglers in the UK regularly
pulling fish out of the water only to put them straight back, why is it that we
don't we eat more of our native freshwater species?
One of the main reasons must be that we are a nation of
sporting folk; freshwater species are targeted on both quality and quantity
criteria.
Specimen hunters invest plenty of time and money in the
pursuit of large individuals of species such as pike, carp, barbel and the
non-native catfish.
The reward is twofold: an epic fight and the possibility of
a new personal best or even a record-breaker.
On the other hand, match fishermen go for quantity and any
species is welcome regardless of size.
All these perfectly edible fish are put into a keep net to
be weighed up at the end of the day before being released back into the water.
Many cultures would view this practice as verging on
insanity, but it is our quality of life and today's convenience culture that
has turned fishing in the UK from a necessity into a mass-participation sport.
Only those fishing
for trout, sea trout and salmon seem to take something home for the table.
People are also nervous about the legality of fishing.
There's no need; in England and Wales as long as you are in
possession of a £27 rod licence and have permission from the water's owner, the
Environment Agency states that on any given day an angler may remove 15 small
(up to 20cm) native species including barbel, chub, common bream, common carp,
crucian carp, dace, grayling, perch, pike, roach, rudd, silver bream, smelt,
tench and zander (non-native) as well as one pike of up to 65cm and two
grayling of 30-38cm.
Another reason this subject is often approached with
apprehension is that many people believe freshwater fish will taste muddy.
Fish from free-flowing waters don't tend to suffer from this
problem, although those from still waters can.
As seen an episode of River Cottage Forever, the only
antidote is to cleanse the fish through a de-mudification programme of 3-4 days
in a spring-fed tank.
I'm afraid the bath
tub just won't do.
To ensure these fish find their way into your kitchen, you
have to catch them yourself. So what to catch? I've been fishing since
childhood and over the years I have eaten my way through a number of freshwater
species.
My favourite used to be eel, but as the number of young eels
returning to European rivers has fallen by 95% it is now illegal to remove any
caught by rod and line, but there are plenty of other options.
Perch are a beautiful fish, green scaled with black stripes
down their flanks, an impressive spiked dorsal fin and a ferocious pack-hunter
mentality.
Although nearly wiped out in UK waters in the 1970s and
1980s by a lethal virus, thankfully they have made a remarkable comeback.
Perch have firm white
flesh similar to bass.
To cook, simply de-scale, fillet, toss in seasoned flour and
pan fry with lemon juice: a recipe the French refer to as filet de perche.
The chub is deemed to be an inedible fish, Izaak Walton
referred to it as being "full of forked bones, the flesh is not firm, but
short and tasteless".
And I could not agree
more.
If any freshwater species is guilty of tasting muddy, then
it is the carp.
Due to increasing pressure on our saltwater stocks and
adoration from Eastern Europeans in the UK, consumption of this fish is
beginning to rise for the first since the middle ages.
Again, the flesh is firm and meaty and stands up to a
variety of different ways of cooking, although baking is the best method.
The sinister pike is another excellent eating fish, I have
had a few in restaurants in France Not only are they cannibals, regularly
feasting on other pike often more than half their own size.
Their mouths contain a series of backward-pointing teeth:
once something goes in, it's not coming out.
Pike can also grow to alarming size - the British record
presently stands at a mighty 46lbs 13oz.
Even dead pike have a secret weapon; once cooked they
possess a substantial number of Y-shaped bones along the fillet.
Although once removed
they have a mild taste which is quite pleasant.
As with growing and eating your own vegetables, catching and
cooking a fish you have wrestled out of the depths gives a feeling of deep
satisfaction.
With the pressure on our oceans at an all-time high, perhaps
it is time to look at less familiar options.
For those who do fish, please consider tasting your catch.
And if you don't, consider taking fishing up: you'll be in a position to get
your hands on some of the freshest possible fish.
Many of the fish I've mentioned above have been staple foods
in the past, so why are we so put off by them now?
If you've tucked into
some of our lesser-known freshwater fish you will know what I mean.
The Human Factor
When two vehicles pass on a two-lane road the space between
them can be as little as a few feet!
As long as the vehicles stick to their side of the road
everything works well but a moment’s in attention can result in catastrophe.
The more I think about it the more I think this concept can
be applied to many other scenarios.
The difference between surviving and dying, especially in
the wilderness, is indeed a thin one. In
fact I believe that we are the thickness of a piece of paper away from a
disaster at any given time!
As a society we have become so dependent on technology to
keep us safe that we no longer think about the threats to our safety and what
we would do in the event that our lives are placed at risk.
We have come to depend on others to keep us free from harm.
The government, our employers, family members and others have a role in keeping
us all safe but ultimately we each have to recognize that no one is more
responsible for our safety than we are.
That “buck” cannot be
passed!
Our safety is dependent on the preparation we accomplish
before an event. Our safety is dependent
on our ability to recognize danger and react quickly enough to ensure our
safety.
Is it possible to
guarantee personal safety in the outdoors?
Of course not!
But you can increase your knowledge, improve your survival
skills, outfit yourself with reliable equipment, thoroughly evaluate the risks
and then measure your skills against those risks before undertaking an activity
in the wilderness.
A comprehensive analysis of the threats to your safety must
be followed by an honest, objective appraisal of your skill level and ability
to cope with those threats.
It is easy to talk about the impact of weather, or terrain
hazards or perhaps the threats posed by animals when you travel in the
wilderness but the part of risk management and accident prevention that is hard
to come to grips with is what the academics call “The human factor.”
Here are a few “human
factors” that you should think about:
Complacency- a
product of boredom, distraction, lack of awareness, or failure to question old
habits results in a belief that“ I’ve done this before successfully therefore there
won’t be a problem the this time!”
Not necessarily!
Sometimes we are suckered into complacency by our past successes!
Risk perception –
a situation that is familiar, controllable, pleasant, predictable and avoidable
is perceived to be of less risk.
Consequently when an activity becomes routine the likelihood of an
accident increases.
Also keep in mind that to be able to deal with a dangerous
situation you must first be able to recognize a dangerous situation!
Over confidence–
an unrealistic belief in one’s ability to cope with life threatening
situations. Men are particularly prone
to over estimating their ability to cope with a crisis. Sometimes brute strength isn’t enough!
Goal setting –
the inability to adjust goals as situations change often leads to
accidents. You must get to the “summit
or die” mentality.
Remember –it is never
wrong to turn back!
Impatience–
patience is a virtue, impatience can be disastrous. Continuing on in the face of bad weather,
rough terrain, darkness or other hazards in an effort to “get-back-at-all-cost”
can be fatal.
Commitments– do
not allow previously made commitments to influence what you should do when you
are in trouble. Do what is in your best
interest and don’t worry about what your spouse is thinking or what your
employer is going to think when you don’t show up for work.
Their concerns are no
longer important. Keeping yourself safe
is.
Peer pressure -
Don’t concern yourself with what others may think. You can survive teasing, ridicule, and the
comments of others but you may not survive the impact of the environment if you
fail to protect yourself
Failing to test –
Nothing gets people in trouble quicker than accepting, at face value, the
advice of others, Test everything
before your life’s on the line. Practice
your survival skills and experiment with your equipment before you need to use
them in a crisis.
Experience can
help you through a tough situation or it can betray you by setting you up to
fail when your experience doesn’t take into account a new situation.
Put another way:
“People are often set up for a disaster, not by their inexperience, but by
their experience.”
While the tangible risks can usually be managed, the
subjective, intangible issues, the human factors, are much more difficult to
come to grips with.
To be a survivor you must prepare for what you hope will
never happen while accepting the possibility that a crisis can happen at any
time.
At some point you
need to ask yourself “What do I want my newspaper headline to say?” “Survived in Style” or “Deceased?”
Survival and Stress
We've all said at one point or another about having a
stressful day. But most of us don't have a clue as to how debilitating stress
can be especially in survival situations.
To reduce its impact and to increase the chance of survival
in the wilderness, it's important to not only understand stress but to also
overcome it.
The environment, your physical and mental condition, and the
availability of materials all affect the amount of stress you will have to
manage.
Environment Stress
There are three environmental factors that will directly
impact you in a survival situation. They are the climate (temperature, moisture, and wind), terrain (mountainous, desert, jungle, arctic), and life forms (plants and animals).
At first glance these obstacles may seem insurmountable and
history has provided plenty of examples of people perishing as a result of
unfavourable environmental conditions.
Still, there are other stories of survivors that
successfully adapted to the given conditions or travelled to another location
that was better equipped to meet their needs so we know it can be done.
Understanding how the environment might affect you is the
first and necessary step to overcoming the unpredictable hardships of nature.
Physical and
Psychological Stress
Both the physical and psychological stresses of survival
will directly affect your outlook of your situation. If you're not careful, you
may lose all hope virtually guaranteeing your death.
These stresses may also end up dictating the order in which
you meet your needs which is not the ideal way to prioritize.
Instead, it is
important to make decisions based on logic and not emotion.
Physical stresses are brought about by the physical
hardships of survival. Overcoming them requires proper preparation. The six Ps
provide a good rule for all wilderness travellers: prior proper preparation
prevents poor performance.
So what does preparing mean? It involves the following:
ensuring that your immunizations are up-to-date, staying well hydrated both
before and during any wilderness adventure, and being physically fit prior to
traveling into the wilderness.
The amount of time a survivor goes without rescue will have
a significant impact upon his will or drive to survive. As time passes, the
survivor's hopes of being found ultimately begin to diminish.
With decreased hope comes increased psychological stress.
This sort of stress is much more insidious than other forms and you need to be
on the lookout for it.
The basic stresses that will affect you, the survivor,
psychologically are as follows: pain, hunger and thirst, heat or cold, fatigue,
loneliness, and fear.
Overcoming Survival
Stress
The most important key to surviving is the survivor's will.
The will or drive to survive is not something that can be bought or taught.
However, your will is directly affected by the amount of
stress associated with a survival situation.
Prior preparation, keeping a clear head and thinking
logically, prioritizing your needs, and improvising all will help alleviate
some of this stress.
When a problem arises,
remember the acronym STOP:
S: Stop - Clear your thoughts and focus on the problem.
T: Think - Identify practical solutions. Consider each in
detail.
O: Organize - After looking at your options, pick one.
Develop a step-by-step plan from beginning to end.
P: Proceed With Your Plan - Be
flexible and make adjustments as necessary.
Dirty Bomb Attack
A Dirty bomb attack is now a 'real threat' to Britain as
nuclear waste smugglers swap tips online, Foreign Office warns
Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt used a speech in
London to warn of the dangers posed by a rise nuclear weapons being smuggled
around the world.
Alistair Burt said countries around the world face a 'real
and global threat' of a nuclear terror attack. South Korean radiologists have
been pictured taking part in an exercise in dealing with a possible radioactive
terror attack at the Kimpo airport
He warned that
information freely available on the internet combined with nuclear material
becoming more widely available means an attack, once ‘unthinkable’ is not a
‘real and global threat’.
Mr Burt, who has responsibility for our counter-terrorism
policy, said the UK’s National Security Strategy identified nuclear terrorism
as a primary danger to Britain.
He said: ‘Nuclear terrorism is a real and global
threat. A successful attack, no matter
where in the world it came, would be catastrophic.
Catastrophic for the immediate devastation and terrible loss
of life, and for the far-reaching consequences – psychological, economic,
political, and environmental.
Such an attack was unthinkable just a generation ago. But it is now a possibility we need to
confront with the utmost vigilance.’
In today’s world of modern communication, information is
spreading faster. Like nuclear energy,
this brings huge benefits, but it also brings significant risks. There is more information about nuclear
weapons on the internet than there ever has been.
As is the case in cyberspace, the danger is stateless in
geographical space. It is impossible for
any national government or police force, no matter how advanced, to contain on
its own.
Global smuggling networks are thriving. Criminal cells operate across borders and
across continents.’
He said the UK has been at the ‘forefront’ of tackling
illicit trafficking of nuclear material.
He also lifted the lid on the UK’s secretive Atomic Weapons
Establishment which works on detecting the trade in nuclear material. ‘This is a rare opportunity to publically
acknowledge that their work has been central to the defence of the United Kingdom
for over 50 years,’ he said.
Mr Burt’s stark warning came as he addressed a meeting in
London of experts from around the world discussing ways to prevent a
devastating attack.
His warning comes as global experts gather in London to plot
how to thwart catastrophic attacks that could kill thousands.
Fears were high that a bomb attack would target the London
Olympics this summer. Last month Senior Foreign Office Minister Baroness Warsi
warned: ‘Nuclear terrorism remains one
of the greatest threats to our global peace and security.
The Foreign Office is working with dozens of countries to
bolster the UN Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.
The convention allows for international cooperation in the
investigation, prosecution and extradition of anyone plotting terrorist acts
involving radioactive material or a nuclear device.
You know I believe that we cannot prevent these terrorists
from attempting a “dirty bomb” attack, but as preppers and survivalists we can
bloody well learn what to do if it does happen.
Remember that a dirty bomb is not a nuclear bomb OK, it is
in fact a chemical explosion with radioactive material and or either mixed in
to the explosive or encasing the explosive so that when detonated the blast
throws the radioactive material into the air which is then spread by the wind
downwind.
The initial causalities would be very low as the explosion
would not need to be large, and in any case the objective of the explosion is
not to kill but to disperse the radioactive material around the explosion site.
It is for this reason that I classify a “Dirty Bomb” as a
denial weapon, by that I mean denial of access to an area for some length of
time, i.e. a Dirty Bomb detonated in Dover for example with its 7,000 lorries
alone coming into the UK everyday would do what the German U-boats failed to do
in one fell swoop.
And don’t forget the
tourist and business travel from our busiest channel seaport-Dover
The same denial effect would cause absolute economic havoc
if a Dirty Bomb was detonated in and around the City of London square mile, at
Canary wharf or indeed the centre of any major city in the UK.
The length of the denial period would depend on the levels
of radioactive materials used in the explosion and the delivery method.
By this I mean that if a Dirty Bomb was detonated in a
confined area say a ships hold or an underground car park both of which I
doubt, as its effects would be reduced in relation to one that was detonated on
a ship’s deck or on a street in a city centre.
Remember that our first line of defence against a Dirty Bomb
is the wind as the radioactive material can only go were the wind blows it so
it you are upwind then you are OK.
If however you are downwind then you must react as if it was
radioactive fallout heading your way and stay indoors until the all clear is
given.
This period I would have thought would be quite short as the
radioactive material will not be blown too high in the air so it will naturally
settle closed to ground zero in any case and also it will be less intense in
radioactivity.
Here are two great Bushcraft shows for you to attend this year
The Bushcraft Show
It’s a jam-packed, three-day event filled will amazing
bushcraft activities that will take you, your friends and family on a bushcraft
and survival adventure that you’ll never forget. Whether you come for the day
or stay for the weekend, you can try your hand at woodland crafts, fire
lighting, shelter building, tracking, foraging, woodland games and so much
more. Click onto their site to learn more http://www.thebushcraftshow.co.uk
See YOU there between the 25 and the 27th of May
The Wilderness Gathering
If you've never been to the Gathering before and you love
nature and the outdoors, then we have the family show for you - Wilderness
Gathering, the original Bushcraft Show, is the premier festival of bushcraft,
survival and primitive living skills.
The Gathering has become a social event and brings together
families and friends, all those interested in Bushcraft and Wilderness living
skills to enjoy a weekend of knowledge sharing in a relaxed and family friendly
atmosphere.
Onsite you will find leading Bushcraft schools and an
international band of professional instructors hosting introductory lessons on
all kinds of skills, trade and demonstrator stands, acres of woodland to
practise your skills in and yes individual campfires are permitted, two lakes
plus a heard of North American Bison! The Gathering has established itself as
the ideal outdoor FAMILY EVENT of the year and is recognised as the original
bushcraft show.
It takes place between the 15th and the 18th of August in
Wiltshire for full details go to www.wildernessgathering.co.uk
See YOU there
So dear listener don’t forget the 20% discount at
www.blizzardsurvival.com by inserting the word “Prepper” at the checkout.
Please support our service personal who are in harm’s way http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk
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