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Stopping Blood Loss

April 26, 2013 by

bandage
 
One of the most dangerous medical conditions in an emergency is uncontrolled bleeding.  Having the knowledge to stop bleeding is something each of us should have.  It can take minutes for an ambulance to get to the scene when times are normal.  In a large scale emergency or a survival situation, you may not be able to wait for the ambulance.  If it were not for the emergency first aid given to people who lost limbs and had other horrific injuries, there would have been many more than three tragic deaths in Boston.
 
 
Perfect Circumstances
 
In perfect circumstances, you would try to reduce or stop the bleeding until the ambulance arrives and you would have access to a well-stocked first aid kit.  You would also be able to wash your hands and put on gloves to avoid contact with the blood and spread of infection to the patient.
 
 
Basic Training

I think everyone should have some basic first aid training.  The Red Cross offers First Aid, CPR and AED training.  Our community education offers classes for a small fee as well. American Academy of CPR & First Aid, Inc. is a web based company that offers several first aid and CPR related classes online.

Basic first aid to stop bleeding; if possible have the person lie down and elevate the legs as well as the site of the bleeding.

If possible, flush the wound to remove any obvious dirt or debris.  Don’t try to remove any large debris or more deeply embedded things. 

Apply pressure to the wound, using clean bandages if you have them.  If you find yourself in a place where you don’t have many clean bandages, make do with what you have; use your hands if nothing else is available.

Do NOT remove the bandage to check on the wound!  If the bandage gets soaked through, add another to it and continue to apply pressure.

Arterial bleeding might not stop with applied pressure.  In that case, you can apply pressure to the closest pressure point.  The pressure point in the arm is on the inside of the arm, just above the elbow and below the arm pit.  Pressure points for the leg are behind the knee and in the groin.  Press the pressure point with your fingers flat, pushing against the bone.  Keep applying pressure directly on the wound with your other hand.

Tourniquets have a sort of bad rap, as complications from them can lead to tissue damage or even a loss of limb.  They should only be used when arterial bleeding cannot be stopped with direct pressure and as a last resort.   A proper tourniquet should be 1”-2” wide.  Any narrower and you may cause more damage or even cause a new cut.  The wider the tourniquet the more pressure needed to stop bleeding.  Here is a guide to applying a tourniquet.
 
 
Supplies

The average first aid kit is great for stopping small amounts of blood but won’t be very effective against severe bleeding.  You can add some items to beef up your first aid kit that will make it much more effective.  Members of the Preparedness Club get a 10% discount at First Aid Products.com and they carry almost everything I am going to list. Rolls of gauze and 4″ x 4″ bandages are great for stopping bleeding, as are feminine hygiene products.
 
Quikclot Sport Pack and CELOX

These two products are hemostatic agents that are very effective at stopping blood loss.  There was some controversy when they first came out, as they sometimes caused tissue damage in the process.  They have since improved greatly and are in use at hospitals and clinics.  In fact, I cut my leg pretty badly a few years ago.  I applied a bandage and used an ace wrap as a pressure bandage.  When I got to the clinic for stitches, the bleeding started again as soon as the bandages were removed.  They used Qwik Clot to stop the bleeding and then stitched me up.  Trudee underwent heart catheter ablation at a local hospital last year.  When they pulled the catheters out, Qwik Clot was used to stop the bleeding.

Both companies sell a variety of products.  I personally bought these Quikclot Sport Pack pads but another type might fit your needs better.
 
Israeli Battle Dressing

This is a type of patented pressure dressing that can be used for stopping bleeding, splinting or as a tourniquet if needed.  Using it is hard to explain, hence the video below.  I have purchased these as well and will be making a trauma kit for the vehicles and one for the house, as an add-on for the primary first aid kit.
 

 

Other Sources of Information

Here are some articles from two sites I subscribe to, with more information on stopping blood loss.

 

Doom and Bloom

Wound Care in the Wilderness

To Bleed Or Not To Bleed…

Treating The Hemorrhagic Wound
 
 
The Survival Doctor

Skin Lacerations: How to Treat a Cut, Scrape, Gash, Stab Wound

How to Tell How Bad a Wound Is

Arteries Vs. Veins: How to Tell the Difference and Stop the Bleeding

When to Get Stitches

Video: How to Repair a Cut With Duct
 
 
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Filed Under: Medical and First Aid Tagged With:

Lessons Learned From a Rollover Car Accident

April 22, 2013 by

I posted last week that our son rolled one of our cars.  He was wearing his seatbelt and was entirely unharmed.  Praise God he came out more than fine!  He was only a little sore the next day.  Thanks to all who prayed and gave well wishes from the other post.  Trudee and I went to the scene that night and I removed some items from the car.  I went to the impound lot the next day to get the rest.  I learned a few things and thought I would share them with you.

 

Passing Down Knowledge

I’m a bit embarrassed to say I don’t think we did a good enough job explaining to Logan what needs to be done after a car accident; how to get and use the escape tool (not that he could have reached the old one), how to cut the seat belt, how to break the glass, how to get into the trunk to get blankets or flares, if needed.  We didn’t explain that we call police first and then parents and we didn’t go over how to contact AAA.  Thankfully, a police officer from one town over was driving by at the time and saw the entire accident.  He contacted local police.

 

Car Kit

I keep a fair amount of supplies in the trunk.  There was damage to the trunk from the accident and it wouldn’t open.  The back window was blown out and I didn’t want to leave my gear in the car.  Luckily my back seats fold down to allow trunk access.  The accident happened very close to home.  If it had been more remote, it could have been longer for the police to arrive.  Knowing the kit that contains warm blankets (it’s still 30 degrees here) was there was a comfort.  As I mentioned, I don’t know that I have shown Logan how to get into the trunk that way.  You can bet I will now.

 

Topsy Turvey

We have the rescue tools shown below in the side pockets of the driver doors on both vehicles.  They will cut seatbelts, smash a side window and have a few other features.  We kept them in the pocket so that if we needed them, they would be within reach.  I hadn’t considered a rollover; I found the rescue tool in the back seat, well out of reach from the driver.  I have since replaced it with the ResQMe Car Escape Tool.  It is very light weight and fits on a key chain, so it WILL be within reach if needed.  It is designed so you can just pull it down to separate it from the keys.  You can then cut diagonally through the seatbelt.  To break the car window you just push one side of it into the window and a spring loaded pin will shatter the glass.

Old Rescue toolOld car ER Tool

ResQMe Car Escape Tool


Final Thoughts

Things could have been so much worse.  I know God was watching over the entire scene.  I am glad we had the opportunity to learn these lessons now, to have the chance to make changes that could make a big difference in the future.

 

Here is another resource with some more information on how to prepare ahead of time for an accident, by Car Insurance.org

Filed Under: General Preparedness

The First Things To Disappear

April 19, 2013 by

A quick update on the Preparedness Club; I had a software meltdown, leading to uninstallation and the purchase another product. Which led to me being locked out of the blog for almost 24 hours. There is a good chance I’ll be ready to launch on Monday but it might be later next week.

Have a great weekend,

Chris
 
 
The First Things To Disappear

 

bareshelves

 

I did a post last year called ”The First 100 Things to Disappear. It’s a list someone else came up with. I just added my $.02. Camping Survival recently came up with a list called The Top 50 Things to Disappear from Store Shelves during an Emergency”. For theirs, they asked their facebook fans what they thought were the emergency supplies that stores were most likely to run out of when people start to panic. They then compiled and shared them.”

I think both lists are useful for finding things you hadn’t thought of. Take a look and see if you have any holes in your preps.
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Filed Under: General Preparedness

Learning From Evil

April 17, 2013 by

I had planned on posting something else today but I feel the need to give some thoughts on the terrorist attack at the Boson Marathon.  First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out the families of those murdered and those who were brutally injured and their families as well.

We can learn from evil people and the evil deeds they inflict on others.  This article is not about me saying that those victims should have done something differently.  Instead, it is me offering something for you to grasp on to if you ever find yourself in any related type of situation.  Here are some things to keep in mind.

 

Avoid Brain Lock

In the book The Survivors Club, Author Ben Sherwood explores a theory developed by a man named John Leach called “The 10/80/10 rule”. In summary, the rule states that the top 10% of people in a crisis excel; they think clearly and take immediate action. The middle group comprises 80% of people; they are “quite simply stunned and bewildered”; “reasoning is significantly impaired and thinking is difficult”. The last 10% of people are the “ones you definitely want to avoid in an emergency”.

A few pages later, he explains something called ‘behavioral inaction’; “The current theory of behavioral inaction goes like this: As your frontal lobes process the site of an airplane wing on fire, they seek to match the information with memories of similar situations in the past. If you have no stored experience of a plane crash, your brain can’t find a match and gets stuck in a loop trying and failing to come up with the right response. Hence: immobility.”

One of the main reasons the following information is so important is to be able to avoid brain lock, allowing your mind to have something to pull forward.  Another way to build this skill is by mentally placing yourself in situations you see in movies or in the news and then thinking about what you might have done differently.

 

Situational Awareness

I have covered situational awareness in the past, as well as the Cooper Color Code.  Both of these are things that should be a part of your everyday life.  They can be harder to practice in large crowds, but that is probably the most important time to use them.  If you see someone who raises you from code yellow to orange (from the Cooper color code) try to keep tabs on them.  If something really seems off, let an authority know.  “If you see something, SAY something.”

If you find yourself in any type of terrorist attack, from a bombing to a mass shooting, situational awareness can save your life.  By practicing situational awareness, you can keep track of the closest exit, or fastest way to safety.  It can also help you avoid Mr. Dirtbag, who is committing the act of terror.

 

Cover and Concealment

I have explained Cover and Concealment previously but it is worth mentioning again.  Concealment is something that hides you, but will not stop a round.  Cover will stop a round and will usually hide you, except in the case of bullet proof glass for example.  If you are caught near a terrorist attack, getting away from the primary danger should be your first goal.  I suggest finding cover as a part of that goal.

 

Lone Wolves and Swarm Terrorist Attacks

I have written an article called Terrorism: Lone Wolf and Swarm Attacks, which goes into these types of attacks in more detail.   I think these are the types of terror attacks we will see more of.  Because these types of attacks consist of very few people, they are much easier to keep quiet and can be done on a very low budget.  A swarm attack of 10 people killed 160 people in Mumbai, India.  If there is one Mr. Dirtbag, there is always a chance he has a friend or two.  For this reason, if Mr. Dirtbag does show up, keep practicing situational awareness and the Cooper Color Code.

 

Emergency First Aid

I read about some of the carnage that occurred yesterday.  While absolutely tragic, that only three people died is a miracle.  There may have been some medical personnel on site but my guess is that the average Joe and Jane stepped in and assisted those who were in need.

Would you be able to assist a stranger or a loved one who needed emergency first aid?  I can’t recommend taking a first aid class strongly enough.  You can find a class from the Red Cross.

There are also items you can carry that will aid in stopping blood loss; QwikClot and Israeli Battle Dressings.  I will cover these items in more detail next week.

 

Summary

I think we need to learn from evil every chance we get.  Sadly, we’re given far too many chances to do just that.  By doing so, we can be more prepared to avoid brain lock and can put the above mentioned items into play.

 

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Filed Under: Mind Set, Security Tagged With:

The Assault on Gold to Save the Dollar

April 15, 2013 by

gold coin

Today is going to be a quick post, but something I think is important.  I want to thank AlertsUSA for tipping me off to the video below, which is an interview of Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, a former Assistant US Treasury Secretary.  In it, he explains that gold manipulation is real and that the Fed is behind it, in an effort to keep the dollar strong.  The true reason behind the talk of gun confiscation is also covered.  It is just over 22 minutes long, but well worth the time.

I’m not an expert on the economy, but what I saw in the video and what I read in the article ring true.  I don’t think you need to be a “gold bug” to see that what Dr. Paul Craig Roberts says makes sense; our economy has been in trouble for roughly five years. With the EU taking money from the bank accounts of the people of Cyprus and our President saying there should be a cap on retirement funds, with the Federal Reserve using Quantitative Easing, I see the potential for much harsher economic times ahead.

The article Dr. Paul Craig Roberts wrote that sparked this interview is called The Assault On Gold

Filed Under: Finance

7 Very Real Reasons to Start Prepping

April 12, 2013 by

Today’s article is a repost of an article written by Rob Richardson of Off Grid Survival called 7 Very Real Reasons to Start Prepping.

 

 7 Very Real Reasons to Start Prepping

We often get comments and emails from readers asking how they can convince their friends and family to start prepping.

From friends and family members that truly believe the government will save them during a time of crisis, to those that have been brainwashed into believing that preppers are all  tinfoil hat wearing nutjobs, prepping can often be a touchy or even taboo subject to talk about.

Here are 7 reasons that might help convince your friends and family that it’s time to become a prepper.

1. Unemployment

According to the most recent numbers, the actual unemployment rate in this country is close to 22%. The average time it takes to find employment is at a record high of 39.2 weeks. Even those that see little value in prepping for a SHTF situation should understand the need to prep for the possibility of being hit by unemployment.

Prepping isn’t always about preparing for an end of the world scenario. It’s also about being prepared for those small scale events in life that can feel cataclysmic if we’re not prepared

2. Economic Problems

You don’t have to buy into the possibility of a total economic collapse, but you should at least realize that our country is in big financial trouble. With over 16 trillion dollars in debt, and unfunded obligations that make the actual debt number about $120 trillion, it doesn’t take an economist to see that we are in for some major trouble in the months and years ahead.

3. Natural Disasters

A number of people woke up real quick after seeing what happened during Hurricane Katrina. In under 24 hours, the city of New Orleans became a prime example of how quickly civilization could break down. Before our eyes we got a glimpse of what would happen during a full scale collapse; as people took to the streets to loot, riot, rape and even murder their fellow citizens.

4. It’s just like buying Insurance

Some people find the subject of prepping to be a little bit out there. When I come across these people, I often ask them if they have health or vehicle insurance. In my opinion, having a dedicated section in your budget for prepping is no different than buying vehicle insurance or a health insurance policy.

5. Shooters, Lunatics and the Extreme Fringe of Society

While active shooter situations and terrorist attacks are still pretty rare, it’s a phenomenon that does seem to be increasing in regularity. From the recent mass shootings to the growing number of terrorist attacks around the globe, these events do happen and they are something that we need to be prepared for.

6. The Cyber Threat

Our society is becoming increasingly dependent on cyber technologies; but according to Cyber Security expert Eugene Kaspersky, co-founder of the Kaspersky Lab, that dependence has left us extremely vulnerable. In fact, he is warning that emerging cyber threats could spell “the end of the world as we know it”. The threat is real, and the threat has the ability to set the world back 200 years in a matter of days.

7. The Pandemic Threat

According to Jason Tetro, a microbiologist and coordinator for two research centers at the University of Ottawa, the Emerging Pathogens Research Centre (EPRC) and the Centre for Research on Environmental Microbiology (CREM), “the world is becoming increasingly more likely to see a major (pandemic) event.”

When that happens, it will affect our infrastructure severely. By not having the human resources to work, protect and maintain our antiquated infrastructure, things will begin to rapidly deteriorate and leave us even more vulnerable to attack.

 

Filed Under: General Preparedness

Survival Fishing

April 8, 2013 by

I haven’t fished much since I was a kid, mostly because I just don’t have the time.  I’m not going to cover the basics of fishing.  Instead, I want to go over some tactics for survival fishing.  Some of these ways to fish may or may not be legal in your area.  Check your local laws.  These are good things to have an understanding of.  If you find yourself in a survival situation, legal or not, you’ll do what you need to do survive.

 

Kit

I keep a mini kit in an Altoids Tin in my car.  In it, I have 25 feet of fishing line, some small sinkers, multiple hooks and some rubber minnows.  If I were to go hiking or find myself in a remote area, I would carry the kit with me.  I also carry a 100’ hank of para cord and a pocket knife.  I could make cordage and make a hook.  To me it makes more sense to carry those things, as they are so small and light weight.

 

Bait

Looking for bait should be fairly easy in non-frozen areas.  Turn over rocks and pieces of wood to look for worms and insects that you can put on a hook.  I have even read where people have successfully used flowers as bait.  Once you catch a fish, parts of it can be used for more bait.  One problem that might become an advantage is litter or trash.  If you have or can find a plastic bottle, you can turn it into a minnow trap.  The link shows bread for bait but worms or bugs should work as well.  Here is a link that shows how to make a lure out of a small section of paracord.

 

Trot Line

In a survival situation, there are a lot of things that need to be done.  While you could use traditional fishing methods, with a pole, line, hook and bait, that means you need to be there to watch the line.  With a trot line, once you have it set up, you’re free to go do other things.  As you can see from my very pretty (hand drawn by yours truly) image below, a trot line is basically one long strand of line with many smaller lines attached along its length and a hook at the bottom of each.  In my drawing, I have the line staked at shore, with one anchor in the middle keeping it all from floating to the surface and an anchor and float at the end keeping the line taut. You’ll need to bait each hook and keep them from getting tangled.  Leave it set for a few hours, when you start to “reel” the line in, hopefully you’ve caught more than one fish.

Trot line

Stakeout

This comes from the Army field manual on survival; FM 21-76.

“A stakeout is a fishing device you can use in a hostile environment (Figure 8-18). To construct a stakeout, drive two supple saplings into the bottom of the lake, pond, or stream with their tops just below the water surface. Tie a cord between them and slightly below the surface. Tie two short cords with hooks or gorges to this cord, ensuring that they cannot wrap around the poles or each other. They should also not slip along the long cord. Bait the hooks or gorges.”

Figure 8-18

Netting

If you have the cordage, you can also make a net.  Paracord would work perfectly for this!  Take off the outer shielding, which gives you seven thinner threads.  I’ve never made a net, but below are some instructions from the Army field manual on survival; FM 21-76.  Granted, making a net is fairly labor intensive, but once it is made you can set it and check on it periodically.

“Gill Net

If a gill net is not available, you can make one using parachute suspension line or similar material (Figure 8-19). Remove the core lines from the suspension line and tie the easing between two trees. Attach several core lines to the easing by doubling them over and tying them with prusik knots or girth hitches. The length of the desired net and the size of the mesh determine the number of core lines used and the space between them. Starting at one end of the easing, tie the second and the third core lines together using an overhand knot. Then tie the fourth and fifth, sixth and seventh, and so on, until you reach the last core line. You should now have all core lines tied in pairs with a single core line hanging at each end. Start the second row with the first core line, tie it to the second, the third to the fourth, and so on.”

figure 8-19

“To keep the rows even and to regulate the size of the mesh, tie a guideline to the trees. Position the guideline on the opposite side of the net you are working on. Move the guideline down after completing each row. The lines will always hang in pairs and you always tie a cord from one pair to a cord from an adjoining pair. Continue tying rows until the net is the desired width. Thread a suspension line easing along the bottom of the net to strengthen it. Use the gill net as shown in Figure 8-20.”

Figure 8-20

Here is a video showing how to make a net.

 

 

Fish Traps

Another option, trapping, is fairly labor intensive as well.  Again, once it is made you can set it and check on it periodically.  Here is some information, also from the Army field manual on survival; FM 21-76.

“You may trap fish using several methods (Figure 8-21). Fish baskets are one method. You construct them by lashing several sticks together with vines into a funnel shape. You close the top, leaving a hole large enough for the fish to swim through.”

 

Figure 8-21
“You can also use traps to catch saltwater fish, as schools regularly approach the shore with the incoming tide and often move parallel to the shore. Pick a location at high tide and build the trap at low tide. On rocky shores, use natural rock pools. On coral islands, use natural pools on the surface of reefs by blocking the openings as the tide recedes. On sandy shores, use sandbars and the ditches they enclose. Build the trap as a low stone wall extending outward into the water and forming an angle with the shore.”

Here is a site that shows you how to make a fish trap, not quite step by step, but many more pictures than what the Army manual has.

 

Spearfishing

Also from the Army field manual on survival; FM 21-76.

“If you are near shallow water (about waist deep) where the fish are large and plentiful, you can spear them. To make a spear, cut a long, straight sapling (Figure 8-22). Sharpen the end to a point or attach a knife, jagged piece of bone, or sharpened metal. You can also make a spear by splitting the shaft a few inches down from the end and inserting a piece of wood to act as a spreader. You then sharpen the two separated halves to points. To spear fish, find an area where fish either gather or where there is a fish run. Place the spear point into the water and slowly move it toward the fish. Then, with a sudden push, impale the fish on the stream bottom. Do not try to lift the fish with the spear, as it with probably slip off and you will lose it; hold the spear with one hand and grab and hold the fish with the other. Do not throw the spear, especially if the point is a knife. You cannot afford to lose a knife in a survival situation. Be alert to the problems caused by light refraction when looking at objects in the water.”

There is a type of spear called a “frog gig” that I actually like better than the one described.  Below is a picture.  Clicking the picture will take you to a video that explains how to make it.

Frog Gig

Cooking Fish

Also from the Army field manual on survival; FM 21-76.

“You must know how to prepare fish and game for cooking and storage in a survival situation. Improper cleaning or storage can result in inedible fish or game.

Do not eat fish that appears spoiled. Cooking does not ensure that spoiled fish will be edible. Signs of spoilage are–

  • Sunken eyes.
  • Peculiar odor.
  • Suspicious color. (Gills should be red to pink. Scales should be a pronounced shade of gray, not faded.)
  • Dents stay in the fish’s flesh after pressing it with your thumb.
  • Slimy, rather than moist or wet body.
  • Sharp or peppery taste.

Eating spoiled or rotten fish may cause diarrhea, nausea, cramps, vomiting, itching, paralysis, or a metallic taste in the mouth. These symptoms appear suddenly, one to six hours after eating. Induce vomiting if symptoms appear.

Fish spoils quickly after death, especially on a hot day. Prepare fish for eating as soon as possible after catching it. Cut out the gills and large blood vessels that lie near the spine. Gut fish that is more than 10 centimeters long. Scale or skin the fish.

You can impale a whole fish on a stick and cook it over an open fire. However, boiling the fish with the skin on is the best way to get the most food value. The fats and oil are under the skin and, by boiling, you can save the juices for broth. You can use any of the methods used to cook plant food to cook fish. Pack fish into a ball of clay and bury it in the coals of a fire until the clay hardens. Break open the clay ball to get to the cooked fish. Fish is done when the meat flakes off. If you plan to keep the fish for later, smoke or fry it. To prepare fish for smoking, cut off the head and remove the backbone.”

 

 
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Filed Under: Food Tagged With:

Suffering From Burnout Before and After the Fan

April 5, 2013 by

burnoutBurnout; noun;  Also, burn-out; fatigue, frustration, or apathy resulting from prolonged stress, overwork, or intense activity.

Have you ever been burned out?  I’m talking about being so tired of the “every day” that the thought of more of the status quo has an almost physical or very physical effect on you.  This is not a good place to be.  It can make one apathetic, bored, frustrated, depressed, angry and just all around unhappy.  This is a danger now, when our lives are normal, and a potential danger in a long term survival situation.

 

News Burnout

When you have your eyes opened and see what the world situation is, the constant bombardment of bad news can start to make you feel burned out and numb.  Shutting it all out might be ok for a small time, but we Watchmen (and Women) need to be alert.

 

Job Burnout

Suffering from occupational burnout is probably the worst kind.  We often work for/with people we might not associate with under other circumstances.  We might feel like we’re not where the Lord called us, and trapped because we need to make ends meet.

 

Prepper Burnout

This can be a blend of news burnout and partly from trying to fill all of the seemingly endless holes in our preparedness.  We never seem to have enough time to learn everything we might need one day, and we never seem to have enough money to purchase the items we need or want.

 

Post Fan Burnout

Most survival situations will be short in duration.  However, when faced with a prolonged survival situation, the stress, boredom and one day looking much like the next, among other circumstances can lead to burnout.

 

What can we do?

There are many other types of burnout, but you get the idea.  Suffering from burnout can be dangerous.  When you’re burnt out, you can become lackadaisical and your efforts in the area in which you’re burned out suffer.  But here are some ideas to help.

 

Take 5

If it is possible, take a small fast from what is causing the burnout.  This is great if you’re suffering from news, social media or other related kinds of burnout.

 

Add in Some Fun

Find fun things to do and take advantage of them.  Life can be hard!  Adding fun can help ease the burnout.  Plan fun activities so you have something to look forward to, and sprinkle smaller fun things to do until then.  When you’re really burned out, it might take a day or two of fun to help (if time permits).  Even when there is a lot of work to be done, you need to take time to have a little fun, or productivity, mood and other things begin to suffer.

 

Change of Scenery

If you are burned out and it is feasible, completely changing your circumstances can cure it.  This is much more in depth than just taking a 5.  This could involve changing jobs, a relationship, church or any other area where a more drastic change is needed.  I recommend discovering the reason why you are so burned out and trying the other items before going this drastic.  Sometimes, “Out with the old, and in with the new” is the only solution that can cure severe burnout.

 

What Can We do Post Fan?

In a long term survival situation, avoiding getting burnt out will be crucial.  Adding in some items to help break the monotony can help with burnout.  Fun games and contests or gatherings can be helpful.  In the book Lights Out, which is one of my favorite books in the survival fiction genre, they had a neighborhood potluck and dance.  In the book, it gave everyone something to look forward to, as well as something to remember going forward.

 

Prayer, Praise and Worship

There are times when God has called us to do something and no matter how hard we try not to, we get burned out. Taking 5 or a changing scenery isn’t an option, and adding fun doesn’t cure it all.  In these times, I pray, thank God for the chance to serve and give Him praise and worship.  In my last job I would often listen to worship music while I worked.  That seemed to help renew me for the day.

What tips do you have for either avoiding or curing burnout?  Share with everyone on the comments section.

 

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Filed Under: Mind Set

Government; the Good the Bad and the…What are They Planning

April 1, 2013 by

As I thought about writing this article, a couple different sayings came to mind; “don’t throw the baby out with the bath water” and “where there is smoke there is fire”.  Before you read any further, I feel the need to give a couple disclaimers.  First, I do not consider myself a conspiracy theorist.  In fact, I tend to dismiss the vast majority of subjects in the realm of conspiracy, unless there is enough smoke to hint at fire.  At those times, I get as much evidence as I can and use my rational, logical brain to decipher it.

Second, I am not anti-government.  I am just very pro-citizen.  When I say “government”, I mean government as a whole, not just one administration or party, unless otherwise specified.  I actually like idea of government the way it was intended very much; to protect the citizenry and do what it can to encourage “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.  Personally, I believe our local, city, county and state government should have a larger role in our lives than federal government should.  I do not believe that the Founders had the behemoth that has become of the federal government in mind.  There are many quotes from the Founders that evidence this.  Here are just two from Thomas Jefferson:

“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty.”

“My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.”

Don’t throw the Baby out with the Bath Water

In case you’re unfamiliar with this idiom, it means: don’t throw out something good when trying to get rid of something bad.  I have noticed a pattern with people who have seen government, over the years, do things that do not align with their beliefs who then become bitter toward government.  These people tend to “throw the baby out with the bath water”, and either forget or overlook that there are some very good things that come from government.

Our taxes are used to fund the strongest military the world has ever seen.  This isn’t to say I am pro war.  I actually wish we would never see another war, ever!  But since there is no chance of that, I want to make sure the hero’s in our military receive the highest training and are as well-equipped as possible.  I also think those who are injured while serving our great nation should be taken care of once they come home.  Taxes also fund the heroes who serve us locally, in police and fire departments all across the nation.

The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) takes a lot of flak.  Some of it is deserved but not all of it.  Some of the biggest complaints against FEMA came after hurricane Katrina when people claimed that FEMA took too long to respond.  Many people are not aware that the federal government needs to be invited in by the local government.  That invite was slow to come after hurricane Katrina.

“FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.”

I think FEMA’s mission is admirable.  However, I think there is some failure in the execution of that mission.  I have gotten a small glimpse behind the curtain to see how FEMA and local governments work together.  I have seen multiple trailers waiting for possible flooding, ready to go into action if needed.

FEMA also puts out a huge amount of information related to individual preparedness and encourages citizens to have a kit (albeit not enough) and a plan.  I am subscribed to some FEMA emails and have seen many seminars offered online that any citizen can attend for free.

I think one of the best things to come out of FEMA is the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).  Trudee and I went through CERT, which I wrote about here. CERT was created because of the huge response from citizens wanting to help after 9-11.  The training in CERT equips citizens to be able to act in local emergencies and assist authorities.  In Minnesota the CERT team in the county I was trained was activated for the 35W Bridge collapse.  The team was activated again when there was a Minneapolis police officer murdered.  They were activated to form a perimeter and keep people out of it.  The team has also been activated for floods that happen in the spring as well.

I have caught flak for supporting CERT and for having a widget on the right side of the blog so that people can find training near them.  I chock this up to individuals throwing the baby out with the bath water.  The training and knowledge we gained can’t be attained by regular citizens any other way.

 

Where There is Smoke, There is Fire (or at least enough heat to pay attention to)

This may not be the best idiom for this because, while there is definitely smoke, I’m not sure there is fire.  Something is causing the smoke.  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has done some things in the last few years that are concerning, especially in the last twelve months.

This portion of the article was very difficult to write about.  Covering things that are often seem as being topics of conspiracy theorists while maintaining an objective position and yet saying that there are some things that are concerning isn’t easy.  I have typed and deleted more sentences than I can count.  I debated even writing this portion, but I think these are things you should be aware of.

I get emails now and then about the government getting ready for martial law, FEMA camps, drones and other type things.  When the rumors of these things started, I blew them off, but in the last year the smoke has gotten thicker.  I’m not going to say “the President and DHS are coming for us”, but the smoke is too thick for me to outright dismiss it.  If you’re one of the people that send me this type of information, please understand that I am not making fun of you at all.  I appreciate it, as some of the articles you send are things I wouldn’t normally get to see.  Please keep them coming!

There is a lot of information that is presented as fact, when it looks like the author is drawing conclusions based on a few pieces of information.  Because of that, I’ll say now that I will only cover topics that I have verified to the best of my ability and I’ll only provide the information and give my opinion of it.  You draw your own conclusions, even if that means you dismiss it.  Like I said, I dismissed it until fairly recently.
 
FEMA Camps, Internment Camps, Labor Camps, Prison Camps

This is one of the items I have dismissed for years but it keep popping up.  There are two documents that are concerning.  The first is “R210-35 Civilian Inmate Labor Program”.  I was able to authenticate this as a real Army training manual.  I wasn’t able to authenticate FM 3-39.40 “INTERNMENT AND RESETTLEMENT OPERATIONS” as a real training manual, although the website Foreign Policy explains that the document is, in fact, real.  It isn’t quite the inflammatory document some make it out to be.  Both documents were created prior to President Obama being elected the first time.  One was written in 2005 and the other has a date of 2010.  I believe that is when it was most recently updated, though I could be wrong.

From “R210-35 Civilian Inmate Labor Program”, its purpose is:

“This regulation provides Army policy and guidance for establishing civilian inmate labor programs and civilian prison camps on Army installations. Sources of civilian inmate labor are limited to on– and off–post Federal corrections facilities, State and/or local corrections facilities operating from on–post prison camps pursuant to leases under Section 2667, Title 10, United States Code (10 USC 2667), and off–post State corrections facilities participating in the demonstration project authorized under Section 1065, Public Law (PL) 103–337. Otherwise, State and/or local inmate labor from off–post corrections facilities is currently excluded from this program.”

This document is obviously for American citizens.  It speaks about existing prisoners from federal prisons.  It doesn’t look like this document was created for prisoners during martial law.

FM 3-39.40 “INTERNMENT AND RESETTLEMENT OPERATIONS” was largely written for use overseas, but does speak a bit about use on the homeland.

“2-39. Civill support is the DOD support to U.S. civil authorities for domestic emergencies, and for designated law enforcement and other activities. (JP 3-28) Civil support includes operations that address the consequences of natural or man-made disasters, accidents, terrorist attacks and incidents in the U.S. and its territories.

2-40. The I/R tasks performed in support of civil support operations are similar to those during combat operations, but the techniques and procedures are modified based on the special OE associated with operating within U.S. territory and according to the categories of individuals (primarily DCs) to be housed in I/R facilities. During long-term I/R operations, state and federal agencies will operate within and around I/R facilities within the scope of their capabilities and identified role. Military police commanders must closely coordinate and synchronize their efforts with them especially in cases where civil authority and capabilities have broken down or been destroyed.”

The document does have information on how the prison should be set up, where to put towers and the like.  I suppose that information could be used if Posse Comitatus was enacted, which “R210-35 Civilian Inmate Labor Program” references in the “Related Publications” section.

 

National Guard Training For Riot Control, Mass Detentions

Here is an article from SHTF Plan that covers information I have read other places as well. It details how some National Guard troops are being trained to deal with Civil Unrest. Below is one picture from the article, make sure to make note of the sign that reads “Food Now”.

Vigilant Guard

 

My Take

I have read that these camps do exist but are not related to FEMA.  FEMA does not employ enough people to run the camps.  The camps are said to be on military bases.  This way there is already an element of security and prying eyes can’t see inside.  “R210-35 Civilian Inmate Labor Program” does speak about using multipurpose buildings.  This would mean an active base could be turned into a prison camp in short order.

Do they exist?  I hope not.  If there are no active prison camps waiting for civilian inmates, I do believe there are bases picked and plans in place to make prison camps on short notice.  This isn’t conspiracy theory.  The government has plans for just about everything.
 
Police Equipped Like the Military and Training With the Military

There are many cases of joint “Urban Warfare Training” with military and local police agencies.  This brings up many questions, some of which are; since the police and military have different objectives, why are the two training together?  SWAT is usually the premium tactical police unit.  Why would local police agencies need this type of training for other officers?  Since we’re spending millions of dollars a day on a foreign war, why not train there with equipment that is already there?  Why would the military need to train on American soil?

Several local police agencies have used DHS funds to acquire military style equipment.  This also brings up questions.  I can understand some border towns or towns with a high gang population needing some heavier firepower, but the article states that Fargo, North Dakota spent $8 million on equipment that at one time was reserved for military only.
 
Over a 1.5 Billion Rounds

In the last year, DHS has ordered over 1,500,000,000 rounds of ammunition to be delivered over the next five years.  It was reported on Infowars.com that:

“Congressman Timothy Huelscamp revealed this week that the Department of Homeland Security has refused to answer questions from “multiple” members of Congress regarding its recent purchase of huge amounts of weapons and ammunition.

“They have no answer for that question. They refuse to answer that,” Huelscamp said.

“I’ve got a list of various questions of agencies about multiple things. Far from being the most transparent administration in the world, they are the most closed and opaque,” the Congressman added.”

DHS said that it is for their 100,000 officers for use over the next five years.  Some quick math shows that will give each officer 15,000 rounds each, to use over the next five years.  That breaks down to 3000 rounds a year or 250 rounds a month.  That settles it, I want to become a DHS officer!  I also know, from going through our local Citizen’s Academy and other sources, most law enforcement agencies don’t go through that much ammunition in a year, let alone a month!
 
Drones

I don’t remember the year drone attacks started being used on foreign soil, but it was a year or two later before Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born member of al-Qaeda was killed by a drone strike in 2011.  I remember there was a lot of debate on whether or not the President had the authority to order the assassination of an American citizen without that citizen having due process.

To be honest, I had mixed feelings at the time; it’s not like we could send police to his American address to arrest him.  If we asked Yemen to hand him over, we would have been told to hold our breath.  On the other hand, it is a slippery slope, which recently has gotten a lot slipperier.

The Telegraph recently published an article called Barack Obama ‘has authority to use drone strikes to kill Americans on US soil’

Eric Holder argued that using lethal military force against an American in his home country would be legal and justified in an “extraordinary circumstance” comparable to the September 11 terrorist attacks.

“The president could conceivably have no choice but to authorize the military to use such force if necessary to protect the homeland,” Mr. Holder said.

This is a completely different ball game.  If the offending terrorist is on American soil, we should make every effort to capture them and facilitate due process.  We could send beefed up local law enforcement that has the military style gear and has been training with the military. (tongue-in-cheek)

Seriously, summarily killing an American citizen on American soil without a trial or any due process sounds a lot like Stalin’s Russia when people feared a knock on the door in the middle of the night.  We should do better!
 
Final Thoughts

There are a few other things that I didn’t include because I couldn’t find a source I trusted enough.  If those things are true, then we’re in a lot worse shape than I thought.  If I can confirm them, I will let you know.  I don’t know what all of this means, but there is just too much for it to simply be dismissed.  I’ve spoken before about cognitive dissonance, a term coined by psychologist Leon Festinger in 1954, which is a psychological phenomenon that refers to the discomfort felt at a discrepancy between what you already know or believe, and new information or interpretation.  These are often two opposing views.  The things mentioned in this article created cognitive dissonance for me.  The commonly held belief for me is the country I love and served.  The competing viewpoint is what it looks like it might be becoming.  I do not just blame President Obama.  President Bush gave us DHS, among other things.

Add it all up and it’s easy to see why people “throw the baby out with the bathwater”.  It can be hard to remember the good sometimes.

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Filed Under: Signs of the Times

School Safety Plans for an Active Shooter

March 29, 2013 by

school shooting

Image from the Washington Post

 

Anytime an issue is brought up multiple times by different people in very different situations, I take it as a sign from God that I should pay attention.  I feel I need to warn some of you; this topic is dark and very unpleasant to think about, especially if you have young children.  It is also very important.

In 2011 I wrote an article called “Terrorism: Beslan Style Attack At Our Schools”.  In it I explain:

“On September 1, 2004, Chechen Islamic terrorists stormed a school taking over 1,100 people hostage for three days. The terrorists were brutal, killing men and boys old enough to resist their attempts. Hostages were forced to stay in a sweltering hot auditorium with little to no food or water. Russian forces eventually stormed the school. In the end there were over 385 dead, including 31 dead terrorists. Wikipedia has a very detailed write up called Beslan school hostage crisis.”

I have read articles that say there were documents found in Afghanistan that point to Beslan being practice for a similar attack in America.  Whether a Beslan-style attack or the types of school shootings we have experienced far too many times, the threat of school shootings is very real.  It is my opinion that the plans many schools have in place are ineffective and dangerous.

 

What is the Plan at Your Childs School?

Many times your child might know the school plan, as they might do practice drills.  If they don’t know, you can ask the school administration.  Let them know you have a child who attends their school and you want to know what their action plan is for a school shooting.  They may give some resistance.  If so, reassure them that you just want to know their plan to keep your child safe.  If they won’t tell you what the plan is, go over their head.

When schools make any policy, they tend to be very black and white, ie. “zero tolerance”.  I believe there are at least two problems with enacting these types of plans.  First; they do not leave room for teacher discretion.  For instance, they enact a zero tolerance for guns on school grounds and then suspend children for playing with an army man that was holding a gun, making a gun shape out of their pop tart, or using their finger as a gun (These are all real events).  The second problem is that a static plan does not account for a dynamic offender.  The best example I can think of is the lockdown, which I will cover in more detail below.

 

Lock Down

There are different ways of initiating a lockdown.  In general, an announcement is made or shots are heard.  The teacher then closes the door and gets the children out of sight of any doors or windows.  I have heard of some plans that state that the teacher will also slip a colored piece of paper under the door.  The paper could mean various things, depending on it’s color what’s written on it.  To an active shooter, those papers are a sign that someone is or was recently in that classroom.  Some schools have a police officer on campus.  Either they or school administration will call for backup or call 911 respectively.  The police have their own response plans that have changed greatly as school shootings have become more frequent.

A static lockdown plan puts all staff and students hiding in a classroom, waiting for the police, even if the shooter is on the other end of the school and an easy escape could be made.  I wonder if the same people who have devised lockdowns at our schools are the same people who say “we don’t need to own guns because it is the job of the police to keep us safe”.

 

A.L.I.C.E.

Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate. From School Security.org

“The debate grows as a number of current and former self-defense trainers, individuals with military background, and some School Resource Officers and others in law enforcement advocate for this approach.  This is often referred to as ALICE Training, where ALICE stands for Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate. ALICE and other similar programs offer little-to-nothing new with alerts and lockdowns, and schools are already being trained to have evacuation plans, and the idea of “inform” questionably assumes that someone in the school will be able to visually monitor all of the suspects while simultaneously “informing” or communicating their whereabouts to everyone in the building.

The controversial issues rise over the Counter component to the approach which advocates training children to try to “distract” and “confuse” armed suspects by throwing items and attacking the armed intruder.  Many educators, law enforcement officers, parents and school safety specialists do not support this proposed approach for “training” students in preK-12 school settings.”

The article goes on to say:

“Trump says that advocates of such training are quick to claim that opponents of the training are forcing children to become “sitting ducks” waiting to be slaughtered.  While this emotional appeal obviously strikes the chord of anxious, concerned parents, it fails to recognize many critical implementation considerations ranging from child learning and development factors, to implementation issues such as whether school districts could even possibly provide the quality and quantity of training necessary.  Those experienced in school safety who have worked with schools know that with today’s academic demands, the vast majority of schools are struggling to provide the comprehensive and ongoing training needed for the adult crisis team members and staff we entrust with the care of our children. “

Ken Trump is a School Safety Expert with 25 years in school safety experience.  Mr. Trump lists various reasons why this type of training for children is ineffective and a poor idea; from not having the budget or an adequate amount of training, to possibly drawing unneeded attention to themselves.

 

My Take:

Mr. Trump points out that “it is unrealistic to expect 25 students and a teacher to react simultaneously with split-second accuracy and timing when a person with a gun unexpectedly walks into a room.”  I agree with him.  I also think that lock down drills are the equivalent to car a mechanic only using a pliers as his only tool in any situation.  Sure, it might be the perfect tool for some jobs, but there are going to be many jobs where it won’t work very well and others where it’s a complete failure.

This isn’t a pleasant topic, but I think it’s one all parents should talk to their kids about.  You might be afraid you’ll instill some fear, but you may be surprised to find out that their school already does lockdown or other types of drills. Even if you do install a bit of fear, that fear can be used to keep them safe later.  According to Trudee, instead of fear, she sees children feeling empowered by the information and ability to play an active role in keeping themselves safe.

Trudee and I started talking to our kids about this when they hit middle school.  The schools they’ve attended use lockdowns and have one part time officer.  Mr. Trump also makes the point that some teachers have used great courage and stepped in harm’s way to keep their students safe.  I commend those heroes and praise God for them.  However, I am not willing to bank our children’s safety on the decisions someone may or may not make.

A one-size-fits-all plan just doesn’t work.  I believe us parents need to make educated decisions based upon our thoughts on the school plans, our beliefs and our children’s abilities.  After all, we know our children best.

We told our kids to use their brains; that if they thought the directions being given by the teacher made sense, to follow them, but if the teachers’ directions sounded foolish or made them feel like they were in more danger, they could make their own decision.  For instance, if they heard shooting and it sounded far enough away, to get out of the school and meet us at a certain cross street a few blocks away.

If you don’t like the plan your child’s school has and you think your child has the ability to make critical decisions, you may want to come up with an alternative plan.  Introduce it to them as an option they can use.  Find a place they can easily get to off of school grounds that provides cover and concealment.  Walk them through different routes through the school they can take to avoid the sounds of gunfire or other trouble.

Police training has changed drastically since Columbine.  Once they arrive, they will immediately enter the school to engage the shooter(s).  What your child does in those few minutes until the police arrive are what you need to consider.  Here is a video that shows how adults should act in an active shooter situation.  Run. Hide. Fight.  It might be a good idea to watch it before talking to your kids.  You might even want to have them watch it, using your discretion, of course.

 

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