Survival and disaster preparedness

[Alex]

QUOTE (workingcinderellaman @ Feb 11 2010, 05:51 PM)

This is from the "Name that Car" thread. I was told to post it in here as well. http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/2cv.jpg This very popular car is powered by an opposing two cylinder air cooled engine and is one of the only cars that can still function after a nuclear bomb blast; it's resistant to the EMP. A must have for the armageddon survival kit.

Aren't you going to get one, Jack?

[Jack Aubrey]

Some thoughts about water purification:

 

It's estimated that 85 to 90% of the world's rivers, lakes, and streams are contaminated with the nasty bugs giardia and cryptosporidium (do a Wiki search on these nasty bugs if you want to know what they can do to you). That being the case, you'll want to do your best to purify any water you find during your survival experience.

 

The most obvious purification technique is boiling. You'll hear people say that water must be boiled anywhere from 5 to 10 (I even read 20 somewhere) minutes. This has been proven to be untrue, you actually only have to bring water to a boil to kill any nasties living in it. just remember: "big bubbles, no troubles".

 

Another way to purify water is via chemical means. The best chemical to use for purification is iodine. You need to add ten drops per quart, give it a good shake, and let it stand for about twenty minutes for purification to take place. Just get a piece of masking tape and write: "10 drops/qt. X 20 mins. Shake well." on it and stick it to the iodine bottle. Don't worry about iodine poisoning because it takes a whole lot of iodine to kill you, even if you add so much that it turns the water yellow you'll still be fine. The only drawback to iodine is that it imparts a taste. It doesn't bother me all that much but I've seen it make people gag before. Some survival experts advocate packing some kool-aid or other drink mix in your kit to mix with water you've purified with iodine to help you better tolerate the taste (and also for the energy boost) so do that if you want. Of course, the iodine stands double duty as it's great for disinfecting wounds.

 

Get five to ten ziplock quart storage bags and throw them in your survival kit as they're great for storing and carrying water.

Edited February 17, 2010 by Jack Aubrey

[Jack Aubrey]

Someone mentioned signal mirrors in another post in this thread and I agree that they're a good investment. Here's the one that I have: StarFlash signal mirror. However, a piece of aluminum foil folded around a stiff piece of cardboard can be used as a signal mirror, too. You can also use mylar, which is that silvery-plastic stuff used for wrapping Power Bars and the like. A friend of mine super-glued a piece of mylar to a playing card and it works great as a signal mirror. You should also take time to familiarize yourself with the proper technique for using a signal mirror. Make a gun sight with you fingers (the V for victory two finger salute [or peace symbol if you're a dirty hippie type ]) and put whatever you're trying to signal right in the base of the V and shine the mirror so that you see part of it's reflection at the base of the V as well and move the mirror slightly up and down. That's pretty much all there is to it! Simple methods are the best. The purpose-built signal mirrors like the one I linked to have an open circle at their center, you look through the open circle at whatever you're trying to signal, and if the mirror is properly aligned with the sun, you should see a "ball" of light on whatever you're signalling and that means that the sunlight is properly reflecting onto the target. If you order the mirror to which I've linked, bear in mind that they scratch very easily. I covered mine with clear mailing tape, being careful to smooth out the air bubbles and it's now well-protected from scratches. The mirror also features a hole in one corner, so you know what goes there, right? Yes indeed, our old friend Mr. Para Cord Lanyard! Your signal mirror is something else you do not want to lose!

[tangy]

pretty sure i was the one who mentioned mirrors. an inexpensive or free mirror is a CD. thats what i got in my kit.

 

in terms of drinking and smoking. if is was lost in the woods i would not get drunk but if i am just sitting around at my house waiting for the power to come back on, i am definitely pickling. i stock up before every big storm.

 

i really don't care for cigars but will say they are an effective means of repelling insects and used to smoke them occasionally on Canadian canoe trips as the bugs were killer.

 

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (Mara @ Feb 16 2010, 09:51 PM)

'K, Jack. What's the deal on freeze-dried stores of food? The guy I was dating during the whole Y2K freakout bought $5000 worth in mid-'98 from a pretty reputable company. By late '99 he was feeling rather foolish and donated most of it to a food pantry. (He kept the 50 lbs. of orange drink mix because his son liked it). Is this something that needs to be considered seriously? Because I will admit I tend to poke fun at people who do this. Also - unrelated, but a great tip: get one of those miner's helmet type things with the headlamp. Seriously. You have no idea how handy it is to not have to worry about hanging on to a flashlight until it's an issue, like when you're poking around trying to relight the pilot light on the furnace during a power outage. They are awesome. Not sure where ours came from, as it was a gift, but I'm sure Jack has a good source.

I'm sorry, I missed this earlier.

 

Honestly I don't get storing huge amounts of food myself. I've enough on hand for me, my wife, and my dog for two weeks (and my wife and I are going to get real tired of ramen noodles), which is what most survival experts recommend. Anything more is pretty much overkill, and if the situation is so bad that I'll need more than 2 weeks worth of food, I'm bugging out to a wilderness area and I'll live off the land.

[Jack Aubrey]

The latest issue of 'Outdoor Life' magazine is chock-full of great survival skills, wisdom, and know-how! It's only four bucks so go get it, read it, practice the skills, and save it!

 

Oh, and tell all your friends and family to get it, too!

Edited February 24, 2010 by Jack Aubrey

[Mara]

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 24 2010, 11:28 AM)

QUOTE (Mara @ Feb 16 2010, 09:51 PM) 'K, Jack.  What's the deal on freeze-dried stores of food?  The guy I was dating during the whole Y2K freakout bought $5000 worth in mid-'98 from a pretty reputable company.  By late '99 he was feeling rather foolish and donated most of it to a food pantry.  (He kept the 50 lbs. of orange drink mix because his son liked it).  Is this something that needs to be considered seriously?  Because I will admit I tend to poke fun at people who do this.  Also - unrelated, but a great tip:  get one of those miner's helmet type things with the headlamp.  Seriously.  You have no idea how handy it is to not have to worry about hanging on to a flashlight until it's an issue, like when you're poking around trying to relight the pilot light on the furnace during a power outage.  They are awesome.  Not sure where ours came from, as it was a gift, but I'm sure Jack has a good source. I'm sorry, I missed this earlier.   Honestly I don't get storing huge amounts of food myself. I've enough on hand for me, my wife, and my dog for two weeks (and my wife and I are going to get real tired of ramen noodles), which is what most survival experts recommend. Anything more is pretty much overkill, and if the situation is so bad that I'll need more than 2 weeks worth of food, I'm bugging out to a wilderness area and I'll live off the land. I'll take ramen noodles over eating bugs and worms any day, though! (Sorry - Bear Grylls squicks me out with some of the crap he ingests).

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (Mara @ Feb 24 2010, 03:59 PM)

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 24 2010, 11:28 AM) QUOTE (Mara @ Feb 16 2010, 09:51 PM) 'K, Jack.  What's the deal on freeze-dried stores of food?  The guy I was dating during the whole Y2K freakout bought $5000 worth in mid-'98 from a pretty reputable company.  By late '99 he was feeling rather foolish and donated most of it to a food pantry.  (He kept the 50 lbs. of orange drink mix because his son liked it).  Is this something that needs to be considered seriously?  Because I will admit I tend to poke fun at people who do this.  Also - unrelated, but a great tip:  get one of those miner's helmet type things with the headlamp.  Seriously.  You have no idea how handy it is to not have to worry about hanging on to a flashlight until it's an issue, like when you're poking around trying to relight the pilot light on the furnace during a power outage.  They are awesome.  Not sure where ours came from, as it was a gift, but I'm sure Jack has a good source. I'm sorry, I missed this earlier.   Honestly I don't get storing huge amounts of food myself. I've enough on hand for me, my wife, and my dog for two weeks (and my wife and I are going to get real tired of ramen noodles), which is what most survival experts recommend. Anything more is pretty much overkill, and if the situation is so bad that I'll need more than 2 weeks worth of food, I'm bugging out to a wilderness area and I'll live off the land. I'll take ramen noodles over eating bugs and worms any day, though! (Sorry - Bear Grylls squicks me out with some of the crap he ingests). Me too! I honestly have to look away anytime he pops anything slimy into his mouth! The live bugs are pretty bad but at least I can watch when he does that. I have tried and tried and tried but I just can't suppress my gag reflex when it comes to eating worms. The sliminess just repulses me so I can't do it. I'm proud to say that I can, however, eat bugs! I just don't eat them raw because they harbor parasites (grasshoppers carry tapeworms, for example). I pull their heads off and string them on a piece of stiff wire and roast them over a fire. And yes, they're pretty good. I've eaten roaches, grasshoppers, and crickets and I want to try ant larvae because I hear they're really good. I don't know how, but even though they're slimy I can eat raw minnows, but only if I rinse them really well first. Just remember that if you're going to eat them, stab them in the head with the point of your knife or they'll wriggle in your mouth and it's best to swallow them whole instead of chewing. Trust me. Oh, and don't believe the hype about frog's legs, they're not all that good. In fact they pretty much taste like dirt. Roast snapping turtle, however, is delicious and tastes a lot like chicken!   Sorry if I've grossed you out.

[Jack Aubrey]

Cross post: new Bear Grylls show dealing with urban survival. Go here for the skinny: Clickety!

 

[Jack Aubrey]

Okay, while it is a good time and I do recommend it, should any of you ever plan to go on a survival trip always consult with a professional beforehand and if it's your first time, DO NOT go alone and make sure someone knows where you will be and when you'll be back! PM me and I'll give you more advice than you'll probably need!

 

'Survivorman' fan found dead in Muskoka wilderness.

 

[Jack Aubrey]

This was mentioned by Tarkus in SouthernJim's 'Maggots in a guy's head' thread, but I thought I'd post it in here just in case.

 

If you find yourself in a survival situation and you have a wound that's infected, try to find some maggots and put them in the wound. The maggots will only eat the infected tissue and leave the healthy tissue behind. Yeah, it's gross but it works.

[Jack Aubrey]

Today I want to talk about what to do should you ever be lost or stranded.

 

When you first realize that you are lost or stranded, panic can set in before you know it and your initial reaction is to pick a direction and take off. Unfortunately, what's when most people get hurt. Your adrenaline is pumping and you're rushing headlong through unfamiliar territory. Don't do this! Instead, you should resist the flight instinct and S.T.O.P., which stands for Sit, Think, Observe, and Plan.

 

Sit means exactly that. Sit down, get hold of yourself and wait for the adrenaline rush to subside. Putting your head between your knees and breathing slowly and deeply will help. Tell yourself that whatever happened to get you here is past and cannot be undone and remind yourself that you are now in a survival situation. Survival means keeping yourself alive so start devoting your energies to that.

 

Think: what are your resources? What gear and any others who are with you do you have and how can it best be used to help you?

 

Observe: Take a look around you. Assess your situation and options. Take stock of your supplies, equipment, surroundings and the capabilities of fellow survivors. Take a stick and write in the dirt everyone's training or knowledge that will be of benefit. Designate jobs such as the person with the most first aid training will be the medic, the person with knife experience will be in charge of making weapons and tools (I'll cover making some basic stuff in a later post), etc.

 

Plan: Prioritize your immediate needs and develop a plan to systematically deal with the emergency. Make a plan. Follow your plan. Adjust your plan only as necessary to deal with changing circumstances. Discuss the plan with anyone else who might be with you and use the best ideas only, discard the rest. Remember the KISS method: Keep It Simple, Stupid!

 

Your most essential survival tool is a positive attitude. Tell yourself and anyone with you that you're not only going to survive this experience, you're going to dominate it and come out smiling! Be tough, be strong, and kick ass!

Edited March 10, 2010 by Jack Aubrey

[JimboGames]

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Mar 10 2010, 10:24 AM)

Today I want to talk about what to do should you ever be lost or stranded. When you first realize that you are lost or stranded, panic can set in before you know it and your initial reaction is to pick a direction and take off. Unfortunately, what's when most people get hurt. Your adrenaline is pumping and you're rushing headlong through unfamiliar territory. Don't do this! Instead, you should resist the flight instinct and S.T.O.P., which stands for Sit, Think, Observe, and Plan. Sit means exactly that. Sit down, get hold of yourself and wait for the adrenaline rush to subside. Putting your head between your knees and breathing slowly and deeply will help. Tell yourself that whatever happened to get you here is past and cannot be undone and remind yourself that you are now in a survival situation. Survival means keeping yourself alive so start devoting your energies to that. Think: what are your resources? What gear and any others who are with you do you have and how can it best be used to help you? Observe: Take a look around you. Assess your situation and options. Take stock of your supplies, equipment, surroundings and the capabilities of fellow survivors. Take a stick and write in the dirt everyone's training or knowledge that will be of benefit. Designate jobs such as the person with the most first aid training will be the medic, the person with knife experience will be in charge of making weapons and tools (I'll cover making some basic stuff in a later post), etc. Plan: Prioritize your immediate needs and develop a plan to systematically deal with the emergency. Make a plan. Follow your plan. Adjust your plan only as necessary to deal with changing circumstances. Discuss the plan with anyone else who might be with you and use the best ideas only, discard the rest. Remember the KISS method: Keep It Simple, Stupid! Your most essential survival tool is a positive attitude. Tell yourself and anyone with you that you're not only going to survive this experience, you're going to dominate it and come out smiling! Be tough, be strong, and kick ass!

Awesome suggestions!

 

With regards to the survival kit, I suggest some steel wool and a 9-volt battery. Together, they provide another method for getting some fire started.

 

 

Also, get into the habit of carrying a multitool with you at all times. Mine is a Bucklite Model 355 by Buck Knives.

Edited March 10, 2010 by JimboGames

[blonde77th]

Awesome thread Jack !!

[Pags]

[Jack Aubrey]

Pags, you are the man!

 

Thanks for posting this, you steely-eyed fearless firefighter dude! I appreciate it!

 

[Jack Aubrey]

Edited July 16, 2011 by Jack Aubrey

[Jack Aubrey]

For Hurricane Irene.

 

Remember the Five C's of Survival:

 

Container. Make sure you can boil water in it.

Cover. A cheap tarp from Wal-Mart will do, just make sure you know how to rig it into a lean-to or tent.

Cordage. Para cord is your friend and mine, there's just so much you can do with it.

Combustion. A lighter, matches, magnesium bar, ferro rod, anything that makes fire!

Cutting tool. A good fixed-blade knife will get you out of almost anything.

 

Put those five items in a kit and you'll be well ahead of the curve should the worst ever happen.

 

Stay safe, my friends!

[Jack Aubrey]

I'm bumping this old thread to raise awareness and remind everyone that I'm here to answer any questions you might have.

 

Here's a tip: keep a small first aid kit in a kitchen drawer, that way you don't have to run all the way to your bathroom to dress a cut should you ever suffer one. There are also first aid kits available that come in a metal canister with a magnet on the back so you can stick it to your fridge. I've got one myself. Here's the link at Amazon: Magnetic first aid kit.

 

Stay prepared, and remember that hurricane season is right around the corner.

 

Edited March 21, 2012 by Jack Aubrey

[HowItIs]

Thanks Jack, I hadn't seen this thread before.

 

We have a river that runs through our property: 2 branches of it, actually. So water is good though we'd definitely boil it as there are possibly some livestock upstream. We have a woodstove and genny (we lose power out here a lot). We also like to keep the ol' pantry stocked with at least 6 months worth of food. We grow some of our own, too, as well as knowing what we can forage around here. We are also armed and have reloading equipment (we DO live in the boonies after all).

 

Our family has a plan in place should there be an event; get home immediately and lock down. It's nice to know there will be pockets of people who know this is important.

[JohnnyBlaze]

This is the most useful thread since different strings' Surf Babes thread!

 

Seriously, important bump Jack. Actually, I think it should be pinned.

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (HowItIs @ Mar 22 2012, 06:00 AM)

Thanks Jack, I hadn't seen this thread before. We have a river that runs through our property: 2 branches of it, actually. So water is good though we'd definitely boil it as there are possibly some livestock upstream. We have a woodstove and genny (we lose power out here a lot). We also like to keep the ol' pantry stocked with at least 6 months worth of food. We grow some of our own, too, as well as knowing what we can forage around here. We are also armed and have reloading equipment (we DO live in the boonies after all). Our family has a plan in place should there be an event; get home immediately and lock down. It's nice to know there will be pockets of people who know this is important.

Outstanding! Well done!

 

[workingcinderellaman]

My son is interested in wilderness survival. I was wondering if JA has any recommendations on a good book about edible plants.

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (workingcinderellaman @ Mar 22 2012, 10:43 AM)

My son is interested in wilderness survival. I was wondering if JA has any recommendations on a good book about edible plants.

Check this out: The Illustrated Guide To Edible Wild Plants. One of my favorites!

 

[workingcinderellaman]

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Mar 22 2012, 11:33 AM)

QUOTE (workingcinderellaman @ Mar 22 2012, 10:43 AM) My son is interested in wilderness survival. I was wondering if JA has any recommendations on a good book about edible plants. Check this out: The Illustrated Guide To Edible Wild Plants. One of my favorites! Thanks. I'll check it out at B&N.