Poor Man Survival
Self Reliance tools for
independent minded people…
ISSN
2161-5543
A Digest of Urban
Survival Resources
Interesting course
on wilderness survival called MEDIC
SOLO Disaster + Wilderness Medical School.
The
class was taught by a former engineer-turned-EMT who turned complex procedures
into easy to follow algorithms. (Amazingly simple, in fact.)
And
he’s working on an app that could help anyone become, if needed, an on-the-spot
disaster responder.
A
highly simplified version of the primary algorithm:
1]
Scene safety
2] Life-threatening injury checklist
3] Secondary assessment
4] Clear spine
5] Rescue plan
2] Life-threatening injury checklist
3] Secondary assessment
4] Clear spine
5] Rescue plan
The course takes you through scenarios where you’re either a patient or
a caregiver…
The
rub? The first 15 minutes after a traumatic injury is crucial.
The
national average response time for EMTs is 17 minutes.
While
impressive, many people die in the first 15 minutes because A] they lose too
much blood or B] they suffocate.
What
do YOU do while help is on the way?
Rely
on cell service? Panic? Or jump into action?
23%
of trauma victims die within 5 mins., by suffocating or bleeding to death.
And
many more die well before EMTs arrive.
Furthermore,
in a disaster scenario, EMTs can only treat so many patients.
Those
in need of help are dependent on the people immediately in their vicinity.
In
the Vegas shooting, as another example, 55 people died from bleeding to death.
Many
more could have…
Those
who were shot and lived only survived because someone helped to stop the
bleeding while help was on the way.
One
of my primary reasons for taking the course…
When
I read the course description, it gave me a flashback of Guatemala… almost
exactly two years ago, when I was almost
killed by a massive boulder.
Indiana
Jones saw the boulder coming. “Mine” landed in my bed.
By
pure luck, or divine intervention...
Despite
falling about 20 ft. out of the house (through the wall), I “came to” outside
without any major injuries.
But
had I been crushed or suffered heavy bleeding… I would’ve died.
No
question about it.
Though
a gracious neighbor helped clean the gash on my leg… nobody had any skills that
went beyond getting dirt out of blood.
The
closest formal hospital was a two-hour helicopter ride away.
There
were no roads, only footpaths, and the boat taxis had all closed down for the
night.
With
this training, however, provided I kept consciousness, I could’ve (likely)
treated any major wounds myself.
Albeit,
that was an extreme and rare occurrence.
But
people getting hurt isn’t.
And
widespread disasters aren’t that rare, either.
But
there’s more…
Getting
the skills necessary with proper training helps your “disaster psychology” too.
When
disaster strikes, the reptile brain kicks in.
Many
people go into denial…
Or
they freeze.
But
denial and freezing cause hesitation, and hesitation can kill.
Daisy
Luther, the “Organic Prepper” has laid it out:
“These
are the phases of psychological reactions in a crisis:
1.
Denial – People do not want to believe
the event occurred or is occurring. They simply cannot accept, for example,
that a plane just deliberately crashed into the building where they are
working.
2.
Delay – People often opt to do something
to delay the acceptance of what is going on. They might tidy up, put away food
in the refrigerator, or methodically gather belongings to give themselves
another few moments of perceived normalcy.
3.
Diagnosis – People then begin to assess the
situation. They begin to consider the input from their senses: the smell of
something burning, the sound of something crashing down or people screaming,
the sight of the devastation.
4.
Acceptance – People then accept that this
crisis is indeed occurring.
5.
Consideration– At this point, most people begin to
consider their best course of action. Others are so overwhelmed by the
situation that they shut down and have to be aided by first responders or other
victims of the crisis in order to survive.
6.
Action – Finally, a course of action is
chosen and implemented. Some examples of this could be escape, evacuation,
fighting back, performing first aid on injured people, or fortifying their
position
Proper
training gives you the tools to skip the denial phase and jump into action if
and when necessary.
Look
for a Meetup (I found SOLO on Meetup.org), or training in your area.
What To Do in an
Emergency
Yours in Self Reliance,
Bruce ‘the Poor Man’
USEFUL RESOURCES
How to Make a DIY Outdoor Toilet
When nature calls, a DIY
outdoor toilet can really save your tush. Check out our tutorial on how to make
your own DIY outdoor toilet and be sure to check out the full video at the end.
This portable outdoor toilet is great for a weekend camping trip. It can also
be kept with your emergency preparedness supplies to use in a SHTF survival
situation.
Out of food? Go to Trader Joe’s! But what if there is not a Trader Joe’s? 7-11 will do,
right? Who doesn’t like a Slurpee and beef jerky? No 7-11 you say? Yes, when
disaster strikes, there might be a possibility that stores will not be of
service and you will have to rely on Mother Nature to supply your food. After
all, 7-11 or no, you still have to eat. It’s crucial that you avoid vitamin and
nutrient deficiencies if you want to stay alive!
If you want to stay
nourished, you know you should keep a nice survival food stash. It’s only one
of the most discussed survival topics! Dried or canned meats, dried fruits,
nuts, peanut butter, and canned vegetables are good examples of highly
nutritious foods to keep around. In order to survive, keeping yourself
nourished is absolutely essential, especially if you want to avoid
deficiencies.
Depending on the
vitamin or mineral, deficiencies can affect the body in many different ways.
Everything from major illnesses or depression can be attributed to
deficiencies, and can affect all parts of the body, so deficiencies are not
something you can take lightly.
- Vitamin A deficiencies may
include slow bone formation, night blindness, dry eyes which can lead to
blindness, increased susceptibility to cold and virus infections, and
frequent infections of the bladder or urinary tract.
- There are six different
types of vitamin B: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12. Deficiency of any of
these B vitamins can range from mild to severe symptoms like chronic
fatigue, muscular weakness, or dry cracked skin to dementia and
depression.
- Vitamin C deficiency
symptoms include dry hair and skin, weakness, nosebleeds. Severe
deficiency of vitamin C can lead to scurvy which rare but not impossible.
- A deficiency of Vitamin D
can lead to irritability and depression, as well as bone and muscle
problems including, but not limited to, rickets, osteoporosis, and
skeletal deformities and retardation in young children. Vitamin D
deficiencies can also increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes and high blood
pressure. Vitamin D is a critical vitamin found in many foods ranging from
egg yolks, salmon and sweet potatoes, and has many healthy attributes
ranging from mental clarity and focus to maintaining the proper amount of
calcium in your blood.
Given that other
vitamins and minerals perform essential functions in our bodies, deficiencies
can cause major problems for our bodies if we don’t properly keep up with
healthy food intake. Deficiencies can lower our chances of survival during a
chaotic situation such as a major disaster. While the effects of vitamin
deficiencies may take a while to appear, the effects tend to linger once they
do.
Many crucial
nutrients can be found in nature. The most essential nutrients are (in order of
importance) protein, carbohydrates, fat, salt and potassium. Protein is most
commonly found in meat and fish, but protein is also found in dairy and nuts.
Carbohydrates are found in grains, fruits, and a lot of dairy products: dairy
products actually contain more carbohydrates than protein. Fat, which is
critical for energy and protecting the body from extreme temperatures, is found
in many foods, but the most preferred portable sources of fat are peanut
butter, canned fish (sardines in particular), nuts, and dried coconut, as well
as many food bars. Salt and potassium, which regulate heart and muscle
functions, are also found in many natural foods. Potassium is commonly found in
fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, cantaloupe and broccoli, but is also
found in yogurt and white beans. Salt is found naturally in meats and nuts, and
most vegetables have at least some natural salts.
Disaster can strike
when you least expect it, so it’s good to be prepared! Proper nourishment is
very important in everyday life, but imagine if you had no other option butto stay properly nourished to stay alive. To survive in the wild
with limited resources, keep the following in mind:
- Fish has a ton of survival
nutrients, including many necessary vitamins and minerals (something many
people aren’t aware of);
- Some sort of edible wild
berries grow in most US states and are rich in vitamins, C, E and K;
- Meat is rich in protein
fat, iron and minerals;
- Mushrooms are a great
source of vitamin D;
- Many US states have
watercress and asparagus, which are rich in vitamin C, B, Folate and a lot
more;
- Dandelions make a good
salad.
Get ready now by
studying local edible plant live, make sure you have plenty of seeds to plant a
garden and continue to grow your food stash. A fun fact before you go: most
basic essential vitamins can be found in broccoli and Brussels sprouts!
Growing your own groceries in
five-gallon buckets allows you to raise enough food to
feed a family of four in a tiny space. When growing food in buckets, you don't
need a 1/4 acre backyard to raise a bountiful garden as some people claim.
It is always best to
use a brand new bucket when growing crops. Buckets get filled with all kinds of
junk, fluids, and garden scraps that could kill your plants or make them
harmful to consume.
A bucket that has
previously housed swimming pool chemicals, asphalt, or chemical pesticides
should be avoided entirely. Plant diseases are often spread by the use of
contaminated tools and containers...
Rosefield is a classic traditional cabin, which can be built for less than $6,000. The cabin is open plan, which has the advantage of making it far easier, cheaper and quicker to build than more intricate cabins with separate rooms. This particular plan also includes a detailed cabin assembly diagram and step-by-step instructions which includes a foundation guide. [282sf’]
The NRA
has partnered with one of the world's most respected personal safety and
defensive tactics instructors to bring you personalized hands-on training close
to home.
Steve Tarani is an
internationally respected personal protection expert and former Central
Intelligence Agency employee. Together, he and the NRA are offering five unique
small-group opportunities to learn life-saving skills for you and your family.
This two-day training
course gives you the tactical skills and personal confidence needed for a
defensive solution where firearms are not an option. Employing non-ballistic
weapons from three separate categories -- edged weapons, impact weapons, and
flexible weapons -- you will be trained in the very same life-saving skills
used by protection professionals.
Small class sizes. First
come, first served. ALL 2018 classes sold out.
For
more details and to register, visit www.nraoutdoors.com/schools/non-ballistic-weapons-training?eventid=78.
Feed
Hungry Troops
If
you can spare packs of trail mix, tuna packs or ramen noodles, consider sending
them to Forgotten Soldiers [ForgottenSoldiers.og] – the nonprofit will include
the items in care packages it sends to deployed soldiers. Send to:
3550 23rd Ave S., Ste. #7, Lake Worth, FL 33461
A Final Note…
Contributors and subscribers enable the Poor Man Survivor to post 150+ free essays annually. It is for this reason they are Heroes and Heroines of New Media. Without your financial support, the free content would disappear for the simple reason that I cannot keep body and soul together on my meager book sales & ecommerce alone.
Useful
Resources
You Can’t
Buy Life Insurance After You’re Dead-Prepare NOW for Emergencies…
Finally,
grab an emergency power cell or solar/battery radio weather radio!
Having
the Patriot Power Cell on-hand for emergencies keeps your essential electronics
up and running in case you need to call for help.
“The Cell is a workhorse of power — it’ll charge your phone
soup to nuts 3 to 8 times… I think of the Patriot Power Cell as “everyday prepared.”
Awesome for travel or avoiding inconveniences while saving your bacon in an
outage. It’s a MUST HAVE for your survival lineup."
10,000 mAh Battery/Water Resistant/2 LED Flashlight/1.5 Watt
Solar Panel/6-Hour Charge Time
In stock again!
3 comments:
With spring coming [or more natural disasters] many of these resources and tips will prove useful-thanks!
I got one of those Patriot solar chargers-great item and your blog is always chock full of goodies! Thanks...
When nature calls-ha ha! I still recall my old Boy Scout days for some of this stuff, digging a latrine, basic first aid and more. Of course, we got a more intense dose of it in the Army basic but everyone should have a BSA manual and use it-sounds like a great course.
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