Show Notes
This week I begin
with the Wilderness Gathering, then The Blizzard Survival 20% Discount Offer, GMO Dangers, Support these companies, The
Ribzwear 30% Discount Offer, Warm weather changes Nature’s timetable, Wilderness121’s
10% Discount Offer, Ebola Warning, Buggrub’s 10% Discount Offer, Caching Preps,
Frozen Food Vs Organic Food, Field Leisure’s 10% Discount Offer, Caching Preps,
More companies to support, CB Radio, Knowing When to Turn Back, How to use a
Paracord Bracelet, Prevention and Treatment of Burns in the Wilderness, Further
companies to Support, Urban Survival kits, Urban Survival Preparation– Testing
the Bug out Plan, Preppers Shop Press Release.
Have you booked your
ticket for the Wilderness Gathering? You can get full details at www.wildernessgathering.co.uk
or call 0845 8387062
THE WILDERNESS
GATHERING 2014 14th to the 17th August
The Wilderness Gathering has over the years become a firm
date in the diaries of those who enjoy bushcraft, nature and wilderness
survival skills. The previous ten years have seen this event grow from a small
event in one field with some traders and schools sharing bushcraft skills and
knowledge to a festival of wilderness living skills encompassing
bushcraft/survival and woodland crafts.
The show has grown into an event with something for all the family with stories and music by the campfire in the evenings and skills workshops and activities throughout the three whole days of the festival.
The Wilderness Gathering has without a doubt become the premier family event for all those interested in bush crafts and the great outdoors.
The show has bushcraft clubs for all age groups of children to get involved in plus more activities for all including den building and wilderness skills classes for all.
There are hands on demonstrations of game preparation, knife sharpening, basha boat building, bow making, greenwood working, archery and axe throwing and primitive fire lighting to name just a few. There are talks on survival phycology, classes on falconry and wilderness survival fishing. All of these skills are there for everybody and anybody to participate in.
You can probably pick up information on nearly all the skills needed to live in the wilderness and prosper at The Wilderness Gathering.
There is a wealth of good quality trade stands that are carefully selected to be in theme for the show selling everything from custom knives to tipis and outdoor clothing to primitive tools. The organisers have even laid on a free service bring and buy stall where you can bring along your used and unwanted kit and they’ll sell it for you.
There are local scout and explorer group’s onsite promoting the World Wide Scouting Movement as well helping out with some of the classes and site logistics.
The catering is within the theme of the event with venison and game featuring on the menus plus organic cakes and drinks. The woodland and open field camping facilities (with hot showers) giving you the option to visit for the whole weekend or just to attend as a day visitor.
Check out www.wildernessgathering.co.uk or call 0845 8387062 you really won’t regret it.
The show has grown into an event with something for all the family with stories and music by the campfire in the evenings and skills workshops and activities throughout the three whole days of the festival.
The Wilderness Gathering has without a doubt become the premier family event for all those interested in bush crafts and the great outdoors.
The show has bushcraft clubs for all age groups of children to get involved in plus more activities for all including den building and wilderness skills classes for all.
There are hands on demonstrations of game preparation, knife sharpening, basha boat building, bow making, greenwood working, archery and axe throwing and primitive fire lighting to name just a few. There are talks on survival phycology, classes on falconry and wilderness survival fishing. All of these skills are there for everybody and anybody to participate in.
You can probably pick up information on nearly all the skills needed to live in the wilderness and prosper at The Wilderness Gathering.
There is a wealth of good quality trade stands that are carefully selected to be in theme for the show selling everything from custom knives to tipis and outdoor clothing to primitive tools. The organisers have even laid on a free service bring and buy stall where you can bring along your used and unwanted kit and they’ll sell it for you.
There are local scout and explorer group’s onsite promoting the World Wide Scouting Movement as well helping out with some of the classes and site logistics.
The catering is within the theme of the event with venison and game featuring on the menus plus organic cakes and drinks. The woodland and open field camping facilities (with hot showers) giving you the option to visit for the whole weekend or just to attend as a day visitor.
Check out www.wildernessgathering.co.uk or call 0845 8387062 you really won’t regret it.
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GMO Dangers
Genetically modified foods…
Are they safe?
Are they safe?
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM)
doesn’t think so. The Academy reported that “Several animal studies indicate
serious health risks associated with GM food,” including infertility, immune
problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation, and changes in major
organs and the gastrointestinal system. The AAEM asked physicians to advise
patients to avoid GM foods.
Before the FDA decided to allow GMOs into food without
labelling, FDA scientists had repeatedly warned that GM foods can create
unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new
diseases, and nutritional problems. They urged long-term safety studies, but
were ignored.
That is in the USA so since then what has happened?
Thousands of sheep, buffalo, and goats in India died
after grazing on Bt cotton plants
Mice eating GM corn for the long term had fewer, and
smaller, babies
More than half the babies of mother rats fed GM soy died
within three weeks, and were smaller
Testicle cells of mice and rats on a GM soy change
significantly
By the third generation, most GM soy-fed hamsters lost
the ability to have babies
Rodents fed GM corn and soy showed immune system responses
and signs of toxicity
Cooked GM soy contains as much as 7-times the amount
of a known soy allergen
Soy allergies skyrocketed by 50% in the UK, soon
after GM soy was introduced
The stomach lining of rats fed GM potatoes showed excessive
cell growth, a condition that may lead to cancer.
Studies showed organ lesions, altered liver and pancreas
cells, changed enzyme levels, etc.
Unlike safety evaluations for drugs, there are no human
clinical trials of GM foods. The only published human feeding experiment
revealed that the genetic material inserted into GM soy transfers into bacteria
living inside our intestines and continues to function.
This means that long after we stop eating GM foods, we
may still have their GM proteins produced continuously inside us.
This could mean:
If the antibiotic gene inserted into most GM crops were to
transfer, it could create super diseases, resistant to antibiotics
If the gene that creates Bt-toxin in GM corn were to
transfer, it might turn our intestinal bacteria into living pesticide
factories.
Although no studies have evaluated if antibiotic or Bt-toxin
genes transfer, that is one of the key problems.
The safety assessments are too superficial to even identify
most of the potential dangers from GMOs and recent health studies provide
growing evidence of harm from GMOs.
The poultry producer Inghams Enterprises (NZ) has received a
warning from the Commerce Commission that it risked breaching the Fair Trading
Act with claims that its chickens contained no genetically modified
ingredients, even though they are fed on soya feed which comprised 13 per cent
genetically modified soy.
A new European study "clearly reveals ... new side
effects linked with GM maize consumption" affected the liver and kidneys,
but also other organs for three Monsanto GMO corn varieties.
Herbicide Used in Argentina Could Cause Birth Defects the
herbicide used on genetically modified soy – Argentina’s main crop – causes
brain, intestinal and heart defects in fetuses, according to the results of a
scientific investigation.
Damaging Effects of Roundup (and its active ingredient
glyphosate) Glyphosate was patented by Monsanto as the active ingredient in
their Roundup brand. Monsanto also introduced genetically modified (GM)
“Roundup Ready” (RR) soy, corn, cotton, canola, sugar beets, and alfalfa—all
designed to withstand Roundup’s normally deadly effect.
Glyphosate also accumulates in the food portion of Roundup
Ready plants, for which allowable residue herbicide thresholds have been
increased by up to 200-fold. Glyphosate exposure has been linked to sterility,
hormone disruption, abnormal and lower sperm counts, miscarriages, damaged
human embryonic and placental cells, placental cell death, birth defects, and
cancer. It is also toxic and lethal to amphibians.
From the start, GM crops have performed no better than their
non-GM counterparts.
Evidence for the “yield drag” of Roundup Ready soybeans, for
example, has been known for over a decade with the disruptive effect of the GM
transformation process accounting for approximately half the drop in yield.
Field tests of Bt corn showed that they took longer to reach
maturity and produced up to 12% lower yields than non-GM counterparts.
In spite of these and other studies, the biotech industry
continues to claim that GMOs are the answer to higher yields. Two reports have
conclusively contradicted these claims.
GM crops are a source of self-propagating genetic and
environmental pollution. The experience over the last 15 years demonstrates
that GMOs are uncontainable. They inevitably contaminate non-GM crops and
sometimes wild relatives, and will persist in nature for many years.
So with all these GM threats to our food chain and therefore
to ourselves what can be done?
On a windswept Arctic island 1000 kms from the North Pole, a
group of Norwegian engineers and scientists have been constructing a gigantic
seed bank inside a frozen mountain.
To be managed by the Global Crop Diversity Trust, a group
dedicated to the ongoing diversity of plants through a variety of genetic
strains, the International Seed Bank will open this week.
Known as the Doomsday vault, the seed bank has the capacity to
hold 4.5 million batches of seeds from all known varieties of the planet's main
food crops -- more than "...twice as many varieties of agricultural crops
as we think exist," says Dr Cary Fowler, executive director of the Global
Crop Diversity Trust and project mastermind.
"It will not be filled up in my lifetime, nor in my
grandchildren's lifetime," he says.
The seed bank is located on the Norwegian archipelago
of Svalbard and has the capacity to store samples from all the world's existing
seed banks so they can be replaced should they come under threat from a natural
catastrophe or war.
The Svalbard site was chosen because of its remoteness and
freezing temperatures where the mercury plummets to an average of minus 14
degrees Celsius in winter.
It is also testing the storage of seeds in permafrost
conditions.
"It’s also an experiment, what they call a 100-year
experiment" says Dr Fowler. "They’re testing the germination rate of
the seeds here under permafrost conditions."
"We have no mechanical refrigeration in this Nordic
collection here and the seeds have been just fine since 1984. This experiment
is what enables us to know that the seed vault will be working quite well for
decades even if the mechanical refrigeration in the seed vault goes off,"
he added.
The vault has an alarm system and is protected by fortified
concrete walls and an armoured door. The seed bank has also been built to
withstand nuclear missile attacks or a plunging plane and, at 130 metres above
current sea level, is high enough that it is not in danger of flooding should
the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets melt due to global warming.
BREAK
You are listening to
the UK preppers Radio network on KPRNDB-UK I’m your host Tom Linden
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Warm weather changes Nature’s timetable
Blackberry pickers should be at the ready as the fruit has
been found ripening by the bucket-load across the UK, and nearly a month ahead
of schedule. Four times as many early-ripening fruit bushes have been noted
this year compared to 2013.
The warm weather has helped to boost the growth and ripening
of blackberries up and down the country. Blackberries are not usually seen at
their fullest until August and can stay succulent until well into September.
But this year the fruit has already been sighted in abundance.
The blackberry season can span July to November, and early
ripening is not entirely uncommon, but this year's crop is "unusual".
I suppose one benefit is that they may be sweeter and
more nutrient-dense, due to the high light levels and low rainfall.
And the mild winter was responsible for a bumper crop of
strawberries, which also ripened earlier than usual.
There is a huge difference between the south and the north
of England, and indeed Scotland. Different varieties of blackberry tend to
flower in different times of the month, I think that the overall warming of
climates has had an effect on the times that the fruit grows and ripens.
Driving home last night I could have been forgiven for thin
king it was autumn as the roads were covered in dropped leaves.
Now I mentioned the above because one of the most obvious
effects of climate change and global warming is the occurrence of what researchers
call “extreme weather”. Extreme weather conditions manifest in long, drawn out
droughts, super typhoons, and torrential rain.
And each one of these will affect us in different way and as
such we must rethink our survival and prepping plans.
The proof is right there, and one must only look at the
weather reports of the past decade. The last few years have given rise to some
of the most destructive natural disasters in history. Super typhoons in South
East Asian countries, Pakistan, and the United States have caused immeasurable
flooding and the destruction of thousands of homes.
In the 2010 Russian heat wave decimated 9 million hectares
of food crops with an excess of 10,000 human deaths.
I think that we are controlling the weather, OK, not you and
me, but dark forces set upon developing a weather weapon.
The chemtrails work in league with microwave towers, the
GWEN, ELF tower system and HAARP installations (expanding more each year around
the world) to control weather in any direction desired.
The recent "mile wide" so-called
"tornado" that wiped out an entire town in the midwest of the USA I
believe was artificially created. There is no such thing as a "mile wide
tornado" The covert weather manipulators and their corporate propagandists
CALLED it a "mile wide tornado", but it was an ARTIFICIALLY created
mile-wide WIND STORM created with Tesla-based scalar technology.
The five destructive hurricanes of August-September of 2005
(E.g. Katrina) were also artificially created, pumped up, and steered right
smack into targeted locations (New Orleans, etc.)
You are seeing the same artificial manipulation of weather
in the UK. Tornadoes occurring in areas that never traditionally have tornadoes
is a clear tip off of HAARP activity.
I can only guess at the reasons for forcing destructive
weather:
They want to increase their control over our lives and they
do that by artificially creating "crisis" situations that
"require" drastic and urgent emergency responses. Extreme and
destructive weather obviously serves that agenda.
They want to push the bogus "Global Warming"
thesis in order to install draconian controls and greater regulations-making
money off of us, all the way down the line. Look how much obscene windfall
profits were gained by Cheney's rip-off Haliburton Corporation as a result of
the artificially induced Iraq War. There's Big Money to be made in the
Emergency Response Game, very big money.
Remember the phrase “a good day to bury bad news” Well
weather storms fill up the News Hour with extensive coverage, pushing other
matters off the screen; particularly POLITICAL matters that are robbing you of
your liberties and privacy. Diversion is the first rule of Machiavellian
subterfuge.
Water is often referred to as the elixir of life, but the
demand for water will continue to grow as the population increases, and global
warming means less rain, which means less water will be available in the hot
months.
Neither local water managers nor water supply companies will
be able to function if there IS no water to supply.
A shortage of water will not only affect drinking water, but
also water for agriculture.
I think there will be more droughts in Africa, Australia,
southern Europe, the Middle East, most of the Americas, and Southeast Asia.
Droughts cause crop failures and huge loss of grazing land for livestock.
No food for livestock equals no livestock which equals no
humans.
The severe weather is causing billions of pounds of damage.
Property damage, loss of jobs, diminished tourism, and rising food and energy
costs; disaster clean-up costs, increased insurance premiums, increased health
costs and many more soaring costs could cripple economies.
Industries will also all but come to a halt as water is
needed in most manufacturing spheres.
So, in conclusion, global warming will affect the quantity
and quality of drinking water and that used for various industries. Wars are
likely to break out over the most valuable resource to human life and life as
we know it.
You have been warned.
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Ebola Warning
The first symptoms
include a fever, headache and sore throat
Within days as the
Ebola virus attacks the immune system, chronic abdominal pain, muscle aches,
vomiting and diarrhoea take hold
The virus pierces
blood vessels causing bleeding from the eyes, ears, mouth and other orifices
The whites of the
eyes turn red and blood blisters form under the skin
Ebola is highly-infectious
and has a death rate of up to 90 per cent
So far, 672 lives
have been lost to the disease during this outbreak
The virus has spread
from Guinea to Sierra Leone and Liberia
And on Friday the
first victim was declared dead in Nigeria
You have a temperature and no appetite. Your head is aching
and you're throat is sore.
It may appear as though a common cold is lurking, but
unbeknownst to you the vicious Ebola virus has started to attack your immune
system.
The virus destroys the same cells as those targeted by HIV,
though the Ebola infection is more aggressive, wiping out the building blocks
of the body's immune system.
It has an incubation period - that is the time from
infection to when the first symptoms present themselves - of between two and 21
days, increasing the risk of the highly-infectious illness spreading.
As soon as a victim starts to suffer the sudden onset of the
disease, the fever, crippling headache and muscle pain, they are already
contagious.
The virus is transmitted through close contact with the
blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals.
Once a human is infected, the disease can spread quickly
within a community, with health workers and family members of victims at
particular risk.
The current outbreak rampaging through West Africa, began in
a small village in Guinea and since February it has claimed 672 lives, leaving
another 1,200 people infected.
It has spread into neighbouring Sierra Leone and Liberia.
And on Friday, U.S. citizen Patrick Sawyer died in the
Nigerian capital of Lagos, having travelled there by plane after attending his
sister's funeral, after she too died of the disease.
The fact the virus mimics the symptoms of a common cold in
its early stages, is the very aspect that makes the disease so difficult to
diagnose.
Ebola is introduced into the human population through close
contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected
animals.
In Africa, infection has been documented through the
handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest
antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest.
Ebola then spreads in the community through human-to-human
transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin
or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids
of infected people, and indirect contact with environments contaminated with
such fluids.
Burial ceremonies in which mourners have direct contact with
the body of the deceased person can also play a role in the transmission of
Ebola.
Men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit
the virus through their semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery from illness.
So what can we do to protect ourselves from being infected
with Ebola, Well what I am going to do is prevent myself from knowingly coming
into contact with anyone coming from the affected
areas of West Africa including these countries Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
areas of West Africa including these countries Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Hand sanitizer kills 99.9 % of bacteria but not a virus,
bacteria is different from virus.
According to the WHO Ebola can be prevented by washing hands
with soap under running water and the use of chlorine or bleach.
The other main way to prevent being infected with Ebola is
to avoid eating wild animals especially monkeys, chimpanzees and bats,
including those found dead and also to avoid eating fruits that bats have
partly eaten. No problem there then.
Frozen Food Vs Organic Food
Struggling shoppers told they are better off buying more
fruit and veg
Government says conventional crops are in no way
'nutritionally inferior'
Calls for Defra to end £20million in subsidies to organic
industry
The British government now says Cash-strapped families
should not waste their money on organic food because they think it is
healthier.
Shoppers should instead spend their money on whatever they
can afford, even if it means eating tinned or frozen vegetables which are in no
way ‘nutritionally inferior’
Government frontbencher Baroness Jolly said Organic products
provide a useful extension of consumer choice, but it is worth emphasising
that, nutritionally, they are no better and no worse than conventional
products.’
She said the only benefits of organic farming were enjoyed
by ‘birds, insects, mammals, plants and fungi’.
I have heard this argument many times and I personally would
chose to only eat organic if that were possible of course I would.
Perhaps we should all grow our own meaning that we are aware
of our food source and we save money in the long run as well.
But this government stance is very strange to me, why are
they saying this? Who would benefit from a drop in organic food sales, I think
these are the questions that we need to address.
Organic food sales drop for the third year in a row
improving outlook for science and sustainability
As sales of organic food in the UK fall for the third year
in a row – a 25% drop since 2008 in real terms and organic farmland conversion
rates fall by more than two thirds over the same period, the UK Crop Protection
Association (CPA) is calling on politicians and policy-makers to give less
weight to the views of the organic sector over the future direction of
agriculture and farming policy.
Dominic Dyer, CPA Chief Executive, said: “From its opposition to food irradiation and
the use of pesticides, to irrational campaigns about the development of GM
crops, the organic movement risks closing the door on a wide range of
scientific innovations and technologies which will be key to meeting the
enormous challenge of feeding a growing population, coping with climate change
and safeguarding precious land, water and energy reserves.”
“Organic
agriculture has a role to play as we shape the future of agriculture and food
production” continued Mr Dyer “however,
policy-makers now have the facts before them - organic farming systems alone
cannot feed the world.
The latest research
indicates that any attempt to convert world agriculture to organic production
would lead to lower crop yields, greater risk of crop loss and a rapid increase
in world food prices, which would have a significant impact on the poorer
nations of the world.”
Mr Dyer added “The anti-science agenda of the organic
movement has had a negative influence on the direction of agriculture and food
production policy; I call on the leaders of the organic movement to keep an
open mind on the contribution of science and technology.”
“The decline in organic agriculture is a signal and
opportunity for decision makers. To ignore science, and neglect innovation is
to compromise a sustainable future for food and farming” concluded Mr Dyer.
Crop Protection Association’s website states the following
“The Crop Protection Association (CPA) is a key voice of the
UK Plant Science Industry. We promote the role of modern plant science in
safeguarding our food supply from seed to shelf.
Our members are involved in the development and manufacture
of a wide range of plant science technologies which are of crucial importance
to the cultivation and protection of food crops, protecting our gardens,
woodlands, and infrastructure and public places.
These include the formulation and manufacture of synthetic
and bio pesticides, seed and plant breeding, agricultural biotechnology and the
breeding of bees. Our strength comes from our ability to combine the industry's
expertise and skills to analyse and address key issues.
We are committed to explaining the role of the Crop
Protection industry in these sectors and the benefits of its products to the
community.
This includes engaging in constructive and intensive
dialogue with relevant stakeholders to ensure that these benefits are fully
recognised and accepted”.
So there you have it, organic foods are no better than
normally grown foods, so we must introduce science into the equation and you
know what that means, yes you have got it GM crops.
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Caching Preps
Cached items in this case refer to emergency survival
supplies, tools and materials. A cache by definition is a secret hiding place
for items to be used in the future. For example, you cached some money and
jewellery in the basement, or you buried some treasure in the garden.
There are various reasons for caching emergency supplies. If
your home is damaged or even destroyed during any type of disaster, you may
very well lose any supplies you had stockpiled. You would need a means to
resupply.
You would also need supplies if you had to evacuate because
you may not be able to carry enough or you may not even have time to pack any,
in particular if you had to leave on foot. Imagine for a moment you are in a
SHTF situation and after coming back to your home, you find it has been taken
over or ransacked.
Do you have a cache of supplies you can go to, a cache of
weapons, food and other essentials?
Cache Locations
Underground caches are the hardest to detect thus, are more
secure. Some experts recommended using commercial storage facilities because of
the space provided and protection from the elements. However, you do not
control your cache once inside the storage locker.
When disaster strikes, commercial storage facilities will be
prime targets for looters and others. You may not be able to get to your cache
because of damaged roads and bridges. What happens if you do get there and the
facility is burnt to the ground?
Your cache must be in an area you have unlimited access to
and it must be a secret location. It is never a good idea to share a cache or
“partner up” with others. Once disaster does strike, you may find there is
nothing left in your cache if anyone but you knows the location.
Ideal locations are secluded and slightly elevated woodland
areas. Pick a high spot to prevent flood damage. Obviously, you do not want to
cache supplies and then find out a developer is now building homes or factories
over your supplies.
Consider remote areas inside state or national parks.
Development is not allowed there of course and all you have to make sure is
that it is well hidden and accessible. Caching on your own property is also
ideal for grabbing supplies if you have to evacuate or if your home becomes
damaged.
Use a map and a compass to plot your location and I
recommended you use a topographical/contour map that shows prominent landmarks
and elevation lines. GPS systems may not be available during a disaster and if
you used one to cache your supplies you may not be able to find them again.
Keep in mind your supplies can be cached for years, and you
may not remember, so it is important you have plotted locations on a map and
keep the map in a secure place. Using obvious signs and markers in and around
your buried cache will only draw attention to it.
Map showing grid squares and coordinates.
Use the Internet and satellite imagining software (Goggle
Earth free version) to find remote locations. The images will show how remote
the area is, population density and possible infrastructure in place that you
may be able to use during a crisis.
Ideally, you already have a safe location picked out that
you would evacuate to so you should have supplies cached nearby and along the
route.
What to Bury Your Survival Supplies In
PVC is good for a survival cache
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) tubing can be used for smaller
items such as coins, paper money and other valuables and even ammunition. A
good idea is to paint the container with a natural colour say Olive Drab green.
Keep in mind the tubing will be buried in the ground so
camouflaging it is not really needed. The paint does not add any value as far
as waterproofing or making the cylinder airtight.
PVC is an ideal material because it simply will not
deteriorate. Use silicone caulking around the cap treads to ensure it is
waterproof/airtight.
Waterproof and air tight when the lid is properly attached
You can of course build wooden boxes and bury them but they
are difficult to make watertight, which means you would need to put your
supplies inside of something that is waterproof then place inside the box. It
is recommended for large caches, you use food grade plastic water barrels. They
come in any number of sizes, are airtight, and waterproof.
You simply bury the barrel upright and to add or remove
items you only need to remove the lid. If you are burying items that cannot be
frozen then you must bury your cache below the frost line. In some areas of the
world, this can be as much as three feet. This means the top of the barrel
would need to be at three feet or below in some areas.
What Can You Can Put In Your Survival Cache
You can cache anything but before you do make sure, you know
all the expiration dates. Medical supplies, tinned or dry foods and certain
other items will have an expiration date. There is no point in putting items in
there that will expire in a few weeks or even months because once in the ground
you do not want to be going back and forth that often.
You location must be secret and if you are known as one that
is prepared your cache may be a target. People will assume there are weapons
and other valuables in your cache so once again do not collaborate and share a
cache or allow someone else to use it in the event of an emergency.
You simply do not know how some people may react when under
extreme stress. You have to look to your family and your own survival first.
You can visit it every three to six months to make sure it
is still there because you do not want to find out your supplies are missing
during a crisis. Look for signs people have been around and if needed move your
cache if it looks like people have been searching.
People today use metal detectors to find hidden treasures so
make sure they do not find yours.
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
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
The RIBZ Front Pack
The LuminAID
Your own water purification system
Nut, gluten- and milk-free foods for nearly a decade here.
The Survival Slingshot
Nigel at www.hunters-knives.co.uk has offered
you dear listener 10% on all his products simply by using the code PREP10.
CB Radio
No, you don’t have to call out “Breaker breaker good buddy”
when using one, or listen to Truck Driving Hits of the 1970s on 8-track tape
while operating it.
Citizens Band radio is a free to use public radio
communications service. It enables members of the public to communicate without
the need to pay any subscription, fee or charge per minute.
It really is free,
you don't even have to register to use it.
Simply get the correct equipment, connect it up, and get
chatting. No license is required in the UK nowadays. Most C.B. Radios these
days come with 80 channels (40 UK and 40 European).
All these channels can be used in the UK, but only the 40
channels designated for use in mainland Europe should be used in the rest of
the EU. However, this point seems largely to be ignored.
The C.B. radio is actually an outstanding option for your
post-emergency communication. In fact, it makes sense to have more than one on
hand — one in the glove box of your car or motorcycle, one in your bugout bag,
and then one at home.
Entry levels are extremely affordable and offer you instant
plug and play communications.
Since a majority of Britons now have mobile phones,
75,750,000 wireless connections and most of them assume mobile phones will
suffice in an emergency situation.
But mobile signals rely on a network of advanced towers,
cables, satellites, super computers and droves of maintenance workers. One big
disaster could bring the whole network down- or the region you rely on, and I’m
sure you’ve experienced times when you really needed to use your mobile phone
just to have the screen say “no service”.
You can’t rely solely on a mobile phone for emergency communications.
Imagine there’s a huge storm headed your way and you need to
get home- there may not be a way to know if the bridge over the river ahead of
you is still there.
Our infrastructure is in bad shape and being able to
communicate with other motorist is more important than ever.
Radio towers which transmit important information can be
easily taken out with high winds, electrical storms, water damage and debris.
Their towers are all over, most people receiving a signal
from within a 40 mile radius so that the information is tailored to your local
area.
The downfall to BBC emergency/weather warnings on your
vehicle radio is that it is only a receiver. This means you can listen, but you
can’t call for help for help.
A CB radio (Citizens Band) doesn’t rely on towers and
connects you directly to anyone else in your range with a CB radio. The range
of signal transmission and reception can vary depending on different factors
but you can usually count on 2 to 5 miles of range with a CB.
Add better antennas
and signal boosters and you could increase your range upwards of 20 miles.
This may seem like a limited range, and it is but our roads
are filled with CB radio users and in rural areas the farmers and tractor
drivers use CB’s to communicate between each other around the farm.
This means that there will almost always be someone to
communicate an emergency situation to no matter where you are. As long as you
have an operational CB radio.
Tip: Be prepared for
a loss of power at home. CB radios operate on 12 volt car batteries.
I’ve personally used a CB radio when travelling and the
information I’ve received about road conditions, police speed traps and other
situations have been very valuable. Especially during bad weather when I’ll
need to watch for ice, snow, wind and other dangerous conditions.
In a SHTF scenario a CB radio could be of great importance
to find out which roads are closed or opened, and where you can go to get help!
There are 40 channels on the CB radio with channels 19 and 17 being the most
common used motorist channels to communicate over.
Channel nine is reserved for emergency use and is the
channel where emergency information is transmitted.
I’ve heard of lives saved in blizzard conditions because
motorist could communicate their positions.
But you’re not limited to only using a CB radio in your
vehicle. There are many kits where you can install one in your home to
communicate with the outside world and there are even hand held radios as well.
Being more local and commonplace than a HAMM radio, and much
more affordable it‘s a great way to boost your communication network.
To guarantee it availability when needed I suggest that you
keep a spare set in a faraday cage as should an EMP attack/event occur then you
will need a comms system that works. Check out www.cbradio.co.uk/
Knowing When to Turn Back
It’s easy sometimes to get wrapped up in reaching your goal
and then pig-headedly remain on a course even if doing so puts you and your
companions in an increasingly dangerous situation.
Let’s say you are making your way to your BoL when the
weather takes a turn for the worse. Or perhaps you’re flagging unlike your
friends who are stronger and more experienced, and you don’t want to appear
weak by admitting that you’re having a difficult time.
In situations like these, surviving may mean simply giving
up on a goal for the moment and going home while you can still make it there
safely. And if that goal continues to nag at you, then you can always try again
to attain it.
Be especially willing to go home for the sake of survival
when confronted with these scenarios:
Sickness and Injury
As soon as you or someone in your party becomes sick or
injured in a remote, outdoor setting, everyone in the party becomes at greater
risk of further injury or distress. Instead of continuing when someone becomes
sick or injured, make sure that you assess the situation carefully, and return
to safety as quickly as possible if someone in your group needs medical care.
For example, if you’re in a group of three people when one
person falls and breaks his ankle, then the other two people will now need to
help that person by providing wilderness medical care and helping him to
safety.
If the person has fallen into a dangerous area full of
exposed cliffs, then the other hikers are now endangered as well if they need
to help get him out. Helping an injured person to safety takes unplanned time
and energy expenditure, which can endanger the healthy members of the party.
You should always carry a wilderness first aid kit with you,
and be prepared to turn around immediately when you or someone in your party
becomes sick or injured in a remote outdoor setting.
Bad or Deteriorating Weather
Only the most experienced and prepared should go forth in
bad weather--and only in certain situations. Lightning, rain, sleet, snow, fog,
and high winds can all be considered components of bad weather, but often they
come together to create even more dangerous conditions.
A high mountain trail above treeline, for example, can
quickly become difficult when whiteout navigation is required.
If the trail becomes faint, and cliffs are in the area, the
terrain will become treacherous as rain turns to sleet and then to snow. If you
become panicked you can slip to your death in situations such as these, and
lightning is also especially dangerous above the treeline.
Avoid falling prey to bad or deteriorating weather by
studying forecasts carefully in advance of setting off and by having the tools
and experience you need to navigate safely in difficult weather conditions.
Otherwise, choose to set off on a different day or to turn
around on the trail as soon as you realize that it’s not safe to proceed.
Lack of Supplies or Gear
Being prepared in the outdoors is key to survival. Before
each hike, use a checklist for packing essential gear so that you don’t forget anything.
And if you break something essential or lose something essential along the
trail, then you will have to make the choice either to improvise gear and
create something to replace it--or to go home while you still have the
opportunity to do so safety.
Essential gear could be something such fuel for your stove,
if you plan on melting snow for water on a multi-day snow time training
exercise.
And if you realize on a rainy night that you’ve forgotten
the tent fly for your tent that has a mesh exterior, then you’ll need to
improvise by building a survival shelter or keep warm by going back home.
Be vigilant about carrying essential survival gear, and know
how to make improvised gear when you need to replace a lost, broken, or
forgotten item.
Above all be safe and
enjoy the great outdoors.
How to use a
Paracord Bracelet
So you have a
paracord bracelet and you may even wear it every day but do you know how to use
it?
1. Survival Bracelets Can Be Used to Create a Makeshift
Shelter
When gutted, the inner strands of the survival bracelet can
be used to lash together branches to make a lean-to or other type of shelter.
If stranded outdoors, shelter is crucial for protection from the elements (sun,
wind, rain, snow).
2. A Survival Bracelet Can Build Snares & Traps for
Food
The inner strands of your survival bracelet can be used to
make traps for catching small game. Having the ability to catch food is
invaluable if you are lost with no food supply - and it could save your life.
3. Easily Create Fishing Line or a Gill Net with a
Survival Bracelet
Use the inner strands of your survival bracelet to make a
fishing line or a gill net. This is yet another way to provide lifesaving
sustenance until help arrives.
4. Out of Matches? Use Your Survival Bracelet to Craft a
Bow Drill to Start a Fire
Use the paracord survival bracelet to spin the bow drill to
create maximum friction and heat. Quickly start a fire for warmth and cooking.
5. Use Your Survival Bracelet as a Trip Line When Being
Pursued by an Enemy
Survival bracelets can be deployed and used as a trip line
for catching game or gaining an advantage if being pursued by someone with bad
intentions.
6. Save Your Life with a Survival Bracelet Tourniquet
Quickly deploy a survival bracelet to stop blood flow if
severely injured and bleeding profusely. 7. Create a Makeshift Sling or
Splint with Your Paracord Survival Bracelet
Paracord survival bracelets can be swiftly used to make a
sling to immobilize an injured arm, or use to secure a splint to injured
fingers or limbs.
These are just a few of the practical and potentially lifesaving uses of a usparaband.com survival bracelet. There are many more, just use your imagination and be sure you are wearing your survival bracelet, you never know when you may need it!
These are just a few of the practical and potentially lifesaving uses of a usparaband.com survival bracelet. There are many more, just use your imagination and be sure you are wearing your survival bracelet, you never know when you may need it!
Prevention and
Treatment of Burns in the Wilderness
Burns are among the most common camping injuries. Camping
and cooking in the outdoors can be dangerous, especially if you plan to cook
over an open fire or if you light a campfire for heat.
Because you may have to rely on a limited wilderness
first-aid kit or improvise your gear when you’re in the wilderness, the way
that you treat a burn in a wilderness setting may differ from how you treat a
burn in an indoor setting, but most general burn treatment principles remain
the same.
Be especially careful around open flames such as campfires
and around camping stoves when you are cooking food. Make sure everyone in your
group knows how to operate your stove properly and that you have the correct
tools to use, such as a pot gripper, when you remove boiling water or other hot
items from the heat source.
Clear brush, grasses, and other flammable materials in a
three-foot radius from your fire site. Pitch your tent upwind of a campfire,
and make sure that it is a safe distance from any sparks that may jump from the
fire.
If you are cooking in the tent’s opening, allow adequate
ventilation and space for your stove and other gear. Have a plan for escaping
your tent if it starts on fire, and be prepared to cut through the tent
material to escape, if necessary.
Supervise children carefully around campfires because
they’ll likely be less stable moving over uneven terrain, and they may not
fully understand the dangers that an open flame, such as a campfire, poses.
Common Camping Burns
Camping burns commonly occur around the campfire or the
camping kitchen. Cooking at night without an adequate light source or cooking
in a cramped space such as a tent opening can pose challenges for even the most
experienced camp cook. Avoid cooking injuries by knowing how to use your stove
properly and by cooking on a solid, even surface.
Communicate clearly with others when you are cooking in a
group camping setting so that they are aware of dangers such as hot surfaces,
boiling water, and stoves. Be especially careful when pouring boiling water
into pans or cups to avoid burning others.
Backcountry Burn Treatment
The following treatment guidelines will help treat shock,
relieve burn pain, help promote healing, and offer protection against infection:
If clothing is on fire, follow the common advice to stop,
drop, and roll. Do not run; instead, drop to the ground and roll to put out the
flames.
Stop the burning process by cooling burning skin with cold
water. Use water that you have purified for drinking, and pour it over the
burned skin in a steady stream for five to 10 minutes.
Soak clean dressings or clean clothing in cold, purified
water. Apply the dressings as a compress to the burn.
If clothing is burned along with the skin, wait to remove it
until the burn has cooled to prevent pulling off excess skin. Apply a wet
compress on top of clothing that’s stuck to the burn to soften it, and then
remove the clothing.
Determine the severity of the burn, and plan for immediate
evacuation for the following types of dangerous burns: burns to the face or
genitals, charred burns, burns that cover most of a hand or foot, burns that go
all the way around the waist or cover an arm, leg, or ankle; and burns that
cover an area larger than the chest.
For substantial burns, have the burn victim lie down and
elevate the afflicted area above the heart. Treat the victim for shock by
wrapping him or her in warm blankets, and keep the victim hydrated.
Dress the burn to prevent infection until the victim can seek
further medical attention, especially if the burn will be exposed to dirt and
other elements on a hike out of the wilderness.
Use a sterile dressing from your first-aid kit or use the
cleanest material you can to make an improvised dressing. Cover the burn, and
use adhesive tape to secure the dressing.
Do not puncture any blisters that form on burns.
Reduce burn pain by taking over the counter pain relievers,
but seek medical attention before applying ointments to burns and for
additional advice about treating more severe burns.
Further Companies to
Support
Uses natural fuel
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
Mini alarm Device with an Ultra bright White LED
Lightload towels
The LUCI light
Fire Dragon Gel
TBS Boar Folding
Pocket Knife
Live Fire Emergency Fire Starter
THE ultimate Emergency Survival Fishing Kit
Gerber Mini Remix -
Drop Point, Fine Edge
The Mule Light
The BodyGard is the
Rolls-Royce of keychain emergency tools. Its two essential (and life-saving)
tools are its seat belt cutter and door glass breaker.
The BodyGard also includes a sonic alarm (to attract attention and ward-off a would-be attacker), LED flashlight, and distress flasher (a bright red flashing light).
The BodyGard is compact and smartly attaches to your keychain so it's within reach during an emergency. You owe it to yourself and to your family to carry a BodyGard.
The BodyGard also includes a sonic alarm (to attract attention and ward-off a would-be attacker), LED flashlight, and distress flasher (a bright red flashing light).
The BodyGard is compact and smartly attaches to your keychain so it's within reach during an emergency. You owe it to yourself and to your family to carry a BodyGard.
The powermonkey
explorer is not just for adventure travellers.
Compatible with the majority of smartphones including iPhone and
BlackBerry, mobile phones, iPods, MP3 / MP4, PDAs and portable games consoles,
the powermonkey explorer is a portable charger for your 5V devices - giving you
96 hours of standby on your mobile, 40 hours on your iPod, 5 hours on your
games console, 48 hours on your PDA and 6 hours on MP3/MP4 players.
Urban Survival
kits
In 1986 John
"Lofty" Wiseman's book "The SAS Survival Handbook" bought
the concept of Survival Kits to the public attention.
Tobacco tins were
looted and crammed full of fishing hooks and candles and anything else small
and useful you could fit into them.
After a time, when
people realised you couldn't eat them and they didn't keep you warm at night,
the realisation dawned on schoolboys up and down the country that carrying
survival tins for wilderness situations was, perhaps, a little foolish.
I would say that 25 years ago survivalism was a niche
area - the preserve mainly of the military.
There is no evidence
to suggest that the number or scale of natural disasters have increased in
modern times but the explosion of the travel industry into more remote areas, a
greater number of independent travellers and increased urbanisation in and
around areas with high probability of Natural disasters have increased our
exposure to such events.
Other heightened
threats include political uncertainty, civil unrest, military action and the
Post-9/11 7/7 world of modern terrorism.
'Survivalism' is experiencing a resurgence in the form of
'Preparedness' for major incidents in urban environments, at home and abroad.
In the same way that
the contents of your First Aid kit should reflect your needs and situation, the
equipment you might consider should similarly reflect your:
Geographical
location, areas of political / civil / military unrest. Terrorist targets -
typically western city centres, especially business districts.
Your occupation
Diplomatic service, NGO's, financial sector, frequent traveller Proximity to
definitive safety
Urban versus remote,
Home nation versus travelling abroad
What do I need?
To best answer that,
it is worth considering the likelihood of experiencing a hostile situation
(kidnapping, terrorism etc.) or natural disaster (earthquake, flooding etc.)
and deciding which Tier of preparedness is appropriate for you.
Tier 1 - Every Day Carry
Every Day Carry
(EDC) is an American term for the items you would always want to have about you
to help get you home safely or safely out of harm’s way.
The key to it being
an 'everyday' list is that it needs to be a small list and things that you
would really have the tenacity to carry with you all day, every day. It is very easy to let this list grow.
Before you know it
you have a belt full of pouches and your bulging key ring is full of whistles,
torches, compasses, knives and so on, which becomes an inhibitor to carrying
it.
Your EDC should be
small, unobtrusive and be able to fit in your pockets.
Mobile Phone
The cheaper the
better as it is less likely to get stolen.
If you have a smart phone there are a range of useful Apps which in
tandem with most smart phone's GPS will be able to give you an accurate
location which is important when trying to establish help, be it in a foreign
country or a nondescript British B road in the dead of night.
Credit Card
It is a good
insurance policy to have a credit card with as much limit as you can negotiate
which you never use. This requires
willpower. In most urban areas, anywhere
in the world, having a Visa or MasterCard with £1000 can get you food,
accommodation or even a plane flight home.
Money
Of course not all
places will accept your flexible friend and sometimes real money is actually
worth more.
Carry as much as you
can afford to lose - if that makes sense.
Remember, this is
emergency money, not spending money.
An old travelling
tip is to carry two wallets; your real wallet secreted somewhere and a
sacrificial wallet with a few pounds which you are willing to hand over if
forced.
For added
authenticity (nothing looks more suspicious than a brand new wallet with a
single bank note in it) use an old wallet and add a couple of supermarket club
cards, some stamps and a photo.
Watch
As with the phone,
in many ways cheaper is better. A posh
watch will draw attention to you which is not wanted in a hostile situation and
a cheap one won't hurt if it gets stolen or broken.
The key thing with a
good watch is to ask yourself "what do I need it for?" The answer should be 'to tell the time' and
nothing else.
It doesn't matter if
it is analogue or digital; the face needs to be uncluttered and easy to
read. Esoteric chronographs have
overtones of the 'professional pilot' but you will never need to time anything
down to 1/100th of a second.
Similarly, a digital
watch laden with accessories and features is unnecessarily bulky, unnecessarily
difficult to read and unnecessarily expensive.
Numbers, Day, Date. That is
it. If it glows in the dark or
illuminates properly, all the better.
Mutlitool
Again, it is about
functionality. Don't go for the biggest
tool with the most features as its size and weight will put you off carrying it
around with you all day.
Torch
A small AAA battery
torch like the Fenix E05 or a lithium LED 'pinch' torch which is small enough
to fit on your key ring. Whilst you
would not expect it to illuminate you journey home, these powerful little
torches provide enough light to guide you out of a dark or smoke filled
building or even signal your location over short range.
Disposable Lighter
Permanent Pen
A fine point marker
pen is more use than a thick marker for making notes and can write on more
surfaces than a ballpoint pen. Don't
worry too much about carrying a notebook as you can usually lay your hands on
some writing material somewhere.
Tip - Be frugal.
Each item should have a purpose and they should be essential. Avoid gadgets or gimmicks such as credit card
sized multi tools or carabiners with a built in torch and compass.
Tier 2 - Grab Bag
The Grab Bag is for
higher risk settings or when your need to be self-sufficient for longer. Again, less is very often more. It is very easy to choose an overly large bag
and fill it with things you do not need.
A 25-30 Ltr rucksack
should be plenty. Messenger bags have
their advantages as well, being less obtrusive in a cosmopolitan area and it is
easier to carry a messenger bag if already carrying another, larger
rucksack.
Food
Enough for 72 hours
or more. Cramming 3 days of food into a
30Ltr rucksack means it won't be fine dining but make sure that whatever you
carry is high in calories and easily digestible. Try several brands of dehydrated food or
foil packed 'wet' food such a Wayfarer meals to ensure they do not disagree
with you.
Water
A 2-3Ltr bladder
system is ideal in a rucksack, taking up next to no space when not in use. Also consider carrying a larger fold-flat
water carrier such as the ones from Ortlieb or Platypus, if you need to stock
up on clean water when it becomes available.
For short term use,
water purifying tablets will suffice but in areas where water is expected to be
dirty as well as contaminated, or when larger quantities of clean water will be
needed a water purifying system such as those available from Purificup and
Lifesaver systems and the watertogobottle will solve the problem
Lighting
A torch is an
essential Grab Bag item. The brighter
the better; the Zebralight SC600 offers a ridiculous 750 lumens on full power
and a range of lower level outputs for longer lasting usage. Headlamps have the 'hands free' advantage.
The Zebralight H600
is a headlamp version with similar output levels. Both of these torches are some of the most
powerful on the market but require expensive and obscure 18650 rechargeable
Li-Ion batteries.
Other well-known
high power torches include Elzetta, Fenix, Led Lenser and Sure Fire which use
more commonly available CR 123, AA or AAA batteries. Always carry spare batteries.
A couple of chemical
lights ticks have their place too, notably for marking people and places.
You should also
check out the LumiAid, the LUCY light and the Mule Lite
Documentation
Birth certificates,
insurance documents, tickets, passports, details and contacts of the nearest
hospital, Embassy and transport hubs.
Either carry the
originals or photocopies. If you do carry
the originals, have photocopies kept separately but secure.
Of course nowadays
it is possible to store scans of these documents and carry the information on
memory sticks but hard copies are more user friendly in developing countries or
when there is no electricity supply.
Aloksak make the one
of the best waterproof reseal able bags and don't cost the earth. These documents may be the difference between
getting home or not, so keep the dry, clean and safe.
Phone Charger
Your phone might
have 300 hours standby time but the 12 hours talk time will quickly be eaten up
if trying to arrange repatriation home from abroad or if you are the only point
of contact via phone with the emergency services.
Check out these
solar chargers the powermonkey explorer, and this site http://www.mobilesolarchargers.co.uk/
For a fantastic
non-solar charger check out the PowerPot.
Personal Hygiene
No need for
deodorants or make-up but wet-wipes, toothpaste and toothbrush. Wet wipes have the advantage of not needing
water to give yourself a rudimentary clean.
Shower Gel in an arid environment or when there is no water will just be
frustrating.
It is not so much
about personal appearance but more about good hygiene. Hygiene prevents illness and infection which
can be debilitating.
Check out the Paper
Shower
One spare change of clothing
Appropriate for the
climate and environment.
Waterproofs
Even if you don't
think you will need them, pack a small, lightweight waterproof jacket and
trousers together with a hat and pair of gloves. The warmest of places can become very cold on
a cloudless night.
First Aid Kit
Enough for you, with
your medication plus a First-Aid training manual.
A small, basic GPS
unit (with spare batteries) is of more use abroad or when evacuating an urban
area. Maps of the local area and a
compass and knowledge of how to use them are always useful.
Sleeping Bag
A good night’s sleep
can have a profound effect on your psychology, whether it is on the floor of an
airport waiting area or an emergency refugee camp. Down filled sleeping bags provide the best
warmth to weight/size ratio but provide no insulation when wet.
Modern synthetic
bags are nearly a good in terms of warmth to weight. Choose the lowest warmth rating (expressed as
'Seasons') as you can get away with.
A combination of a 1
Season sleeping bag with a 3 Season sleeping bag can provide a more flexible system
depending on the climate at less than the cost of one down filled sleeping bag.
Shelter
If your risk
assessment includes the risk of over nighting without shelter then a solution
must be considered. The two best
lightweight shelter systems are a bivvi bag with tarp (or 'basha') or a Hammock
with tarp.
Hammocks are more
comfortable and don't require an even, flat surface beneath you to get a good
night’s sleep but they do require two good fixing points from which to
hang.
Hennessy Hammocks
make very good hammock/tarp sleeping systems.
Conversely, you will probably find more suitable locations to bed down
in a bivvi bag. .
Para Cord
A good length of
Para Cord will satisfy a multitude of uses, not least for setting up your tarp
to sleep under.
Cooking
Several
options: The Hexamine stove is often
favoured for its diminutive size but it is far from the most efficient of
stoves and is limited in fuel choice - typically hexamine fuel block, fire
lighters, charcoal etc.
To cook in you will
need pans. Traditional army style mess
tins really can't be beaten, certainly not on price. At the other end of the scale the MSR
Titanium Kettle is favoured with alpinists as their all-in-one camp
kitchen.
An 850ml pot with
lid that is large enough to cook something in and small enough to drink
straight from as a mug. Whatever you
choose it is an added benefit if your stove can fit in you pans to save space.
Save more space and
weight by just packing a spoon or a 'spork'.
But do pack a green hairy scourer and a small bottle of washing up
liquid. This may sound luxurious but
hygiene is not a luxury, it is a necessity to prevent illness.
Tier 3 - Vehicle Equipment
If you have use of
your own vehicle you are instantly able to carry more equipment, expedite yourself
away from danger and remain self-sufficient for longer. The contents should be securely and
unobtrusively stowed.
Most accidents on
expeditions involve vehicles so seek further training if appropriate and learn
the basics of vehicle repair.
Most serious
accidents which happen abroad - whether package holidays, business trips or
pioneering expeditions for unexplored areas - are caused by vehicles.
The incidence rate
of accidents increase ten-fold when driving off road. The use of a vehicle should be seen as a
responsibility rather than a luxury.
Additional First Aid
Kit - more substantial, especially with more wound dressings for serious
bleeding.
Additional Food and
Water - sealed water if possible. In a
vehicle Hot Cans can easily be carried
Blankets
GPS & Software
for your area.
Phone Charger
Tow Rope
Additional Torch
Jump Leads
Fluids - Antifreeze,
Coolant, Oil and Spare Fuel
Spare Tyre, Jack,
Wheel brace and Foot Pump
Tool Kit (minimum)
Selection of
spanners - open and ring
Socket set
Selection of
screwdrivers
Pliers
Hex & Torx bits
and driver
Hacksaw
Hammer
Rescue Equipment
Shovel
Bow saw
Pry Bar
Sledge Hammer
Axe
Bolt Cutters
Ensure your vehicle
is maintained and roadworthy. The word
POWER is a useful prompter for long journey checks:
P Petrol or
Diesel: Enough fuel in both the main
tank and a reserve Jerry Can
O Oils: Check levels of Engine Oil, Brake, Clutch and
Power Steering Fluids.
W Water: Engine coolant and Anti-Freeze levels are
checked.
E
Electrics: Check all lights and wipers.
R
Rubber: Check tyres (including the
spare) for tread depth, pressure and uneven wear. Check wiper blades and drive/fan belts. Carry spares of both.
Urban Survival
Preparation– Testing the Bug out Plan
The Urban
Survivalist in Planning and having completed his basic Survival Bug out Bag,
needs to develop the when the shit Hits the Fan”, known by its acronym of SHTF,
Bug Out plan.
The Urban Survivor
will have to develop or otherwise have an idea on when it is he needs to leave
his urban environment for his safe haven or BOL.
Human nature being
what it is, that is hoping and expecting things to get better – hoping that the
government will fix things, may hold the Urban Survivor back from leaving or
delaying the departure to a point when it becomes riskier.
Without stocks of
food, the ability to provide security and defence and a source of water, the
Urban Survivor cannot afford to wait.
The Bug Out will need to be put to the test.
This testing is a
process of “what if’ing” the plan. It is used to determine the problems and
develop solutions.
For example:
Time to put the Bug
out Plan into action, you will need a full tank of fuel to get from the house
to the safe haven.
Problem: What
if I only have a half tank and the ability to get commercial fuel is no longer
an option?
Solution: At
an appropriate time when things are getting worse, you would need to ensure
that you stock fuel at your house which will require fuel storage tanks such as
2, 3 or 5 gallon containers available at garages or motor accessary shops.
Problem: Fuel
stored for a long time will go bad.
Solution:
Routinely replace the stored fuel.
Problem: The
vehicle has a mechanical problem during the movement from your house to the
safe haven.
Solution:
Carry parts and tools for common problems that are within your ability to fix
such as a broken belt or flat tire. In fact, having two full spare tires
complete with rims are a good idea, or you could take a basic mechanics course.
Problem: The
primary route from the house to the safe haven becomes clogged with traffic or
otherwise too dangerous to drive.
Solution:
Plan Alternate and Emergency routes on less travelled roads.
Problem: You
may have to stop and hide the vehicle during darkness as driving during the
night with lights on is a very bad idea.
Solution: You
need a large canvas or earth tone tarp to cover the windshield and a camouflage
net to drape over the vehicle. You will also need green or brown duct tape to
cover exposed shiny parts of the car.
Problem: Your
route becomes impassable and there is no option to take another and/or the
vehicle becomes disabled.
Solution:
Plan to walk overland to the safe haven. You will probably needs maps and have
areas selected along this foot route that would be tentative safe areas to hole
up in for a day or two. If you need maps, you probably need some map reading
and land navigation training.
Can you carry enough
food, water (water is more important) in your Bug Out Bag to make the trip on
foot? If you are initially traveling in a vehicle, you should drink and eat
stocks placed in your vehicle rather than use it from your Bug out Bag.
Remember your Survival Bug out Bag is your last ditch
option for when you are on foot or on the run.
If you carry this
testing through to arrival at your safe haven, you would need to plan how you
are going to approach and identify yourselves to people at the safe
haven.
You may even have the
forethought to pre-place supplies and material at a safe haven, either stored
openly at a safe haven that is full time occupied or cached.
Sit down and think
about your trek from your house to your safe haven and imagine what can go
wrong. This will identify what contingencies you need to plan for. Remember
Murphy’s Law, What can go wrong, will go wrong.
Preppers Shop
Press Release
RISE IN PREPAREDNESS HELPS LOCAL
BUSINESS GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH
We may not be on the verge of a
zombie apocalypse, but a rise in demand for preparedness products has helped
local Bedfordshire based business Preppers Shop make the transition from online
retailer to a bricks and mortar shop
Kicking the trend of businesses
leaving the high street due to the growth of the Internet, young entrepreneur
Lincoln Miles has launched the online business after noticing a rise in
popularity of the prepper way of life.
‘Being a prepper isn’t all about
zombies, the end of the world and the apocalypse’ laughs Lincoln, ‘it’s much
closer to home than that. We live in a society where we increasingly rely on
services that we have no control over.
What would you do in the event of a
power cut, or a flood? What if the local supermarket couldn’t receive any
deliveries? It’s not about preparing for the worst, but it is about
acknowledging that in the complex modern society, these scenarios can and do
happen.’
The store was launched in 2014 as an
online shop, and has had great success as the UK prepping scene develops.
‘The USA leads the way in terms of
the prepping scene itself, and we’re now seeing this growth in the UK. The
economy does have a lot to do with it, and uncertainty in the stock market does
drive sales of prepping supplies, but more and more people just want to take
control over their lives and acknowledge that supply chains, water pipes and
food stuffs can all be compromised’
Preppers Shop sells a variety of
items, from water purification tablets and dry food supplies right up to
weapons for the keen hunter-gatherers of the community.
“Being able to make a fire, build a
shelter and provide clean water are the most important things in an emergency,
but many people wouldn’t even know where to start, even neglecting simple
prepper steps such as keeping candles in an accessible place in case of a power
cut – modern life is so easy that people have forgotten the basics!”
Preppers Shop will launch on
Saturday July 26th, where visitors will be able to see products and take advantage
of 10% off everything in store to celebrate the launch.
To browse the products online or
find out more about being prepared, head to www.preppersshop.co.uk
The stores address:
Preppers Shop UK
Unit 18
High Barns Farm
Roxton
Bedfordshire
MK44 3ET
Unit 18
High Barns Farm
Roxton
Bedfordshire
MK44 3ET
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