Survival
OK, being I am always trying to come up with subjects out of
the norm and as I say unusual, here is one that may be of interest.
So you are middle age somewhere between 45 and 60 and all of
a sudden the power is off everywhere, the roads are blocked and the sewers
don’t work. The police and emergency folk are overwhelmed and there are no fire
stations in operation.
You’ve boarded up the house, turned loose the dog and
counted your cans of beans and whats left rotting in the refrigerator you can
eat. You just ran out of the bottle water you had and now you’ll beginning to
panic.
The last time you exercised was in college of high school
and you did watch a lot of football and even went down to the exercise place
and lifted weights every once in a while but you are a little over weight and
so is your wife or live-in partner. All this flashes through your head as you
think about the next meal and where you might find clean water to drink. You
are thankful the kids are away in the military and in college, safe you hope.
Now what do you do, that old back pack hasn’t seen light in
years and its somewhere in the attic. As you rummage through the bath room
looking for items to pack and think about where to get food you remember you
had an old knife in the garage somewhere and your watch do work. There are no
telephone service, cell or land line so you can’t call anyone and that four-wheeler
don’t have enough gas to make it across the street. “What the heck am I going
to do” you think. At this point you begin to feel like an idiot knowing you
should have attended those sits downs with George when he talked about ways to
survive in an emergency and not thought he was crazy and just a military idiot.
Where is he now?
All those cooking parties, menu and recipe pictures you
shared with your friends and the pounds you gained as your friend kept hinting
you were gaining weight as you viewed what you imagined a well-shaped beauty in
the mirror don’t look so well shaped now as you wonder why you let yourself get
out of shape. What are you going to do, no one is coming to help you, and
you’ve got to find a way to get to a place of safety with food, water, shelter
and available sanitation.
Panic is in. What to do? Who to look for now?
Back to now. What do you do? Should you prepare for the
unexpected? Should you have an emergency kit available at all times easy
accessible and ready to move with?
My answer is yes, yes, and yes. Also all in your house whole
should be prepared too. Now don’t go overboard with this preparedness but be
ready, just in case.
A natural disaster could happen. An unnatural could also.
Our leaders and other leaders can cause such and so could your co-workers. Just
think what the possibilities are and you will get the idea.
So to begin remember you can’t carry enough water to survive
long. There is food available in many places if you know what to look for, in
most cases. Travel will most likely be on foot in a real emergency. Help may
not be available and others may be roving to take what you have or may have
including your life. (People do strange things in disasters) So pack light and
everyone that walks carry a pack.
(This picture is of
the type backpack the adult should carry, it’s water proof and will carry all
you need and note the tools, you’ll need them)
The two year old carry one too and remember travel is
restricted to the ability of the oon
e with the most difficulty unless the life
of all is dependent in which case you will have to carry or leave the one that
can’t make it.
Got your attention? Remember packing is critical so here are
some thoughts on what to carry.
First, if you do not have weapons knowledge, don’t carry
one. If you do teach the rest of your group how to use it properly and carry
the less weight and as little ammo as possible, by packing the ammo last then
carry as much as you can handle. Example, each person carry three bullets plus
which may be used to gain food and protect from others. (Last resort,
remember?)
Now select a compass, learn to use it and how to find
direction without it. You may have to learn this on the move if not prepared.
Carry a good watch, don’t have to be expensive but it should work, a good
working battery and one that works without a battery too if possible, a flash
light, the LED type, in each pack. Each person should carry a watch. Next is a
knife, all persons with pockets carry a knife, the adults, that’s 14 and older
carry a large knife, the kind that you can cut trees down with but not too big.
(You can cut down a tree with a small knife it just takes forever) A map is
next, get one that covers all the US or a large portion and a one sheet type
may work. If possible get a terrain map and learn now how to use it. A map is a
most critical item if a real emergency should happen, you will need it along
with a compass. A first aid kit will be a must carry, one with bug bite and
antibiotic ointment, iodine, aspirin, thermometer, garbage bags, rubber gloves,
work gloves, soap, duct tape, eye wash, cigarette lighter, matches, (Keep
matches in dry container like a film case or water tight zip bags) safety pins
and fish hooks in it along with band aids and tournaments. A hand full of those
plastic bags you find in grocery stores should be carried too. Remember you can’t
carry enough water or food; you’ll have to scavenge for water and food along
the way. Remember carry as much water as possible and food for three days. That’s
survival food not restaurant food and not a lot. Don’t forget to carry at least
three changes of clothing, extra socks, a heavy stocking cap, good boots and
three garbage bags in each pack.
Now the question is can you read a map? If you haven’t taken
the time to learn how to read a map you may be in trouble. Knowing how to avoid
the rough areas, steep hills, the larger parts of rivers and the thickets may
be a life saver. Learn now.
Can you build a shelter, large enough for your group, just
you, or you your wife and kids? This is necessary to keep you out of the rough environments,
rain and snow, wind storm, hail storm, etc. Remember to survival is staying
healthy as you find your way to safety and support systems.
This information is simple a guide, modify it to meet your
requirements and keep a go bag ready (One for each member of the family) at all
time and remember in a real, (emphasis on real) emergency you may not have time
to do anything other than pick it up and go.
Use this guide if you
do not already have one and go over it to add or deduct as necessary making
sure that the smallest and the affirm in your group has packed per their
requirements. Last is to make sure you pick up all the medicines you have. (I
always try to keep a 90 day supply in storage using first in first out as a
guide to keep all fresh.) Try to ween yourself off all medicines prescribed with
the doctor’s support if possible. Survival may be dependent on your ability to
live without prescriptions. Also, learn to substitute prescriptions with wild
plants, berries and fruits in the forest. Learn what is best for you based on
the prescriptions you take. They may prolong your life until you make it to a support
area.
(Note this kit will carry all the pins and fish hooks plus
and small enough to fit in the smallest backpack without taking up much room)
I am a radio enthusiast so I have portable radios. That is
the kind that don’t need a cell tower and I try to always keep one working, you
may want to do the same even a CB portable works in an emergency. Also carry a
small portable am-fm shortwave radio, one of those you have to buy and keep the
batteries fresh. When radio stations come on the air there may be instructions
as to where to go for support.
OK now you at least have some idea as to how to be ready.
Remember travel will be on foot and highways will not be accessible in a real
emergency. Trees will block all roads and those not blocked by trees will be
blocked by other broken down vehicles. Those all-terrain vehicles will not make
it either. They will be limited to good paths and roads that will also be
blocked. River-ways may be possible to some extent but don’t expect long travel
on narrow waterways.
How you navigate, make shelter, kill small game for food,
eat certain safe plants and fruits, cross rivers, protect yourself in rough weather,
and obtain drinking water is all another subject and all one in which you need to
be comfortable with.
You are probable thing now that this appears to be a lot and
you just can’t be concerned with it. OK.
Hope you have enjoyed the read and find it worthwhile. See
here for more: http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2013/02/04/diy-survival-101-15-clever-kits-tricks-hacks/
