Tag: prepare

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Tarp Shelters, learn them, love them

Having a good quality tarp in your kit is essential, that is why it is one of the 10 C’s, Cover. Learning how to use it to create adequate shelter will serve you well in an emergency as well as everyday applications. A shelter is critical to keeping you dry, preserving heat, safety, and some comfort.

Tarp shelters and fast and easy to create with a single tarp. There are many ways to accomplish this we will show you a few of our favorites.

Before you begin:

  • Plan the location of your shelter carefully, you should stop and think about it before building your shelter.
  • Consider the direction the wind is coming from.
  • The ground should be clear of sharp rocks and debris.
  • The ground should slope slightly for the water to runoff.
  • If there is no slope, you will have to dig some trenches around your shelter to aid drainage.
  • Only make it as large as it needs to be, smaller is better.
  • Consider the weather and chose a model that is stable and won’t collapse if rain or snow are expected.

For all the shelter examples provided here, you can use a 10×10 foot tarp.

The A-frame tarp shelter

The A-Frame shelter is probably the most common shelter one can make. It can be made by stringing the paracord between two trees. Draping over the tarp and staking it down are the final steps required to make this common shelter. This shelter provides a good rain and snow runoff and a good wind deflection. The downside of the A-frame shelter is that there is no floor and if you haven’t stretchered the paracord tight enough, there will be sagging in the middle.

The Lean-To tarp shelter

This is another shelter that is simple to make and it’s great for deflecting wind or providing sunshade. To make this shelter you need to secure the tarp to the ground on the windward side and support it with the paracord between to anchor points. This is an “on the go” shelter because it’s easy to erect and you can quickly take it down. The downside of this shelter is that there are no sides and no floor to offer protection against other elements.

The tube tent tarp shelter

This is a sturdy shelter that provides a floor and, if properly secured to the ground, will prevent rain from seeping in. To make it, you will need to secure the paracord between to trees and drape over the tarp with the opposite ends secured together. This should be enough room for a single adult.

 

The cornet tarp shelter

This shelter utilizes the entire length of the paracord strung from a tree to the ground. The tarp is draped over the paracord diagonally, while the leading edges fold under to form the floor. The corner of the shelter should be faced towards the wind. You will also need to tie off some drip lines above the entrance of the shelter to prevent rain from running down the paracord and into the shelter. This is a good design for wind deflection and rain/debris shedding. The downside of this design is that it doesn’t offer too much headroom and if you are a tall person, you might not have enough room for you and your gear.

The wind shed tarp shelter

This type of shelter requires a little practice to get it done the right way. You will need to fold the tarp into thirds and make sure the leading edge of the roof hangs over the groundsheet for adequate rain runoff. The main ridgeline has to be secured with paracords while stretched between two trees. A length of paracord must be added to the bottom fold, where the back panel meets the groundsheet. It provides great wind deflection, but it requires a lot of secure points. The hanging roofline could also sag under rain loads and channel the water onto the groundsheet.

The Fold-Over Wind Shed tarp shelter

This design is similar to the traditional wind shed, but it provides more coverage by sacrificing the groundsheet. The height of the paracord ridgeline determines the angle of the roof and the footprint of the shelter. It provides great wind deflection and rain runoff, but it doesn’t protect completely against the elements due to its lack of floor, flaps or sides.

The diamond fly tarp shelter

This shelter is suitable for two persons and it’s easy to make. You will need to secure the paracord to a tree and the ground then drape over the tarp at a diagonal. The length of the paracord and the angle with which it is tied to a tree will determine the overall headroom and width of the shelter. The steep walls will shed rain and will deflect wind if they are well staked. This model will require drip lines, just like the cornet shelter. Depending on the size of the tarp, this shelter can accommodate more than two persons or more equipment, but the lack of a floor and flaps won’t keep out the elements. If the wind changes direction frequently, the shelter can be compromised.

The arrowhead shelter

Start this shelter by supporting the center of two perpendicular edges with five foot long poles or by attaching those edges to trees using a paracord. You will need to stake to the ground the opposite corner so that it creates a series of four triangles. This design will provide 35 square feet of living space and five feet of headroom at the opening. The flap will hand down and make a partial closure. The poles need to be supported by paracord tie-downs. This shelter deflects wind with its low profile and it’s very roomy.

The shade sail tarp shelter

This is an easy and quick to build shelter and it requires to diagonally drape the tarp over a length of paracord attached to two anchor points. The opposite corners of the tarp are staked to the ground. This is an open and airy shelter and the lower the angles of the sides are, the better it will deflect wind and the more shade will provide. It provides all day shade and it requires minimal stakes and set up, but it’s not weather resistant and it will not keep you dry.

What not to do when building a tarp shelter:

  • Don’t build your shelter over an ant nest or any type of burrows
  • Don’t set up your shelter beneath a dead tree or near one
  • Don’t attach tarp lines to a tree standing alone or tall trees. Always go for the short tree in a group of taller trees.
  • Don’t set up your shelter below the high tide mark of a shoreline
  • Don’t set up your shelter on top of a hill or ridge.
  • Don’t set up your shelter on a river bank

Making a tarp shelter is not difficult and with a bit of practice, anyone should be able to make one. Learning these tarp shelter patterns will come in handy during an emergency.

As Always,

Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

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The path to joy

What is yours?

It has been a very active spring and looks to be all summer as well in regard to my CERT involvement. It has been a great resource for not only training and awareness, it has been a great source for meeting like-minded individuals (LMI’s). I have had many good conversations with several other CERT members and find that a good portion of them are involved so that they can become more self-reliant during a disaster, no matter what size, but I digress.

The focus of this post was spurred by a particularly enjoyable conversation I had during a recent CERT exercise. We talked of many things in a whirlwind of sharing ideas and philosophies and one stuck with me more than others, the path to joy. It was a posed to me as a question, when have you last experienced joy? It came from a conversation about social paradigms, liberty and defining oneself through our own set of values.

It was a very thought-provoking topic that I feel we could have spoken about in greater detail, time permitting. Both of us have gone through circumstances that inspired us to rewrite ourselves, search for the root of our essence and listen to our hearts. Through this process, you find that your existing paradigms, ones you were taught from childhood are challenged. These are very personal journeys that are unique to each individual, but I believe they all have one thing in common. The path to joy.

My personal belief is that liberty is the enabler of all great inspiration. With the freedom from restrictive paradigms and structures, we are able to explore, learn and grow in the most creative way. It empowers us to focus on our individual path to joy. I find my greatest joy when I am teaching, no matter what the subject is. What is yours?

As Always,

Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

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Beyond first aid

Are you ready to help?

In the survival community, we spend a lot of time talking about what equipment you need and what supplies you should stockpile. We also spend a fair amount of time talking about the most important asset anyone can bring to the proverbial table, skills, and knowledge. Through many exercises and practice scenarios, we come to find that a common weakness in the skill department is first aid and especially advanced first aid. In an austere environment, even the smallest injury can spell disaster if not properly attended.

In a recent CERT training session, I was fortunate to spend the evenings’ exercise with a physician. She has years of experience responding to emergencies in less than ideal environments. During the course of the exercise, I discovered that the vast majority of responders she has dealt with have little or no training in first aid. Something seemingly as simple as taking a pulse, doing an injury assessment, or recognizing the signs of shock. Let alone how to properly attend to any potential injuries.

What can you do?

I have to be honest, this concerns me. If I am in an accident and require the assistance of another, I really want them to know how to help me. With that said, then doesn’t it become my responsibility to be sure that when someone needs my help, that I know how to help them? Of course, we can’t all be paramedics or trauma nurses. But we can take the initiative to learn some essential first aid skills. Skills that could potentially be the difference between life and death for someone in need.

Wilderness First Aid

We encourage everyone to seek professional first aid instruction and advanced first aid instruction that focuses on rendering aid in an austere environment. Most Wilderness First Aid courses will fit the bill. This type of instruction will empower you to effectively deal with most injuries when emergency services are not readily available. Make yourself an asset to your community.

 

As Alway,

Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

 

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Guatemala’s El Fuego eruption

View of damage caused by the eruption of El Fuego volcano in San Miguel Los Lotes, a village in the Escuintla Department

If you think you are safe from an event like the one currently unfolding in Guatemala, here in the northwest, you have forgotten your history. 38 years ago last month, we here in the NW experienced an event that was identical in every way aside from the lava flow. We had a volcanic eruption that sheared over 1,300 ft of the top of Mt. St. Helens, spewing ash all the way around the world. The landslide that accompanied the eruption was 23 sq miles, the largest on Earth in recorded history. The death toll was 57 even though we had warnings and evacuations in place.

The recent events in Guatemala bring back vivid memories of the events that unfolded that spring, in the NW. And it reminds me just how fragile we are. Are you prepared to survive such a cataclysmic event? Is your family going to suffer? Do you have plans in place should such an event occur, while you are separated, to reconnect? Most likely the next major cataclysmic event we encounter will be, what they are calling the “Big One”, a catastrophic Cascadia Subduction Zone event that will change life as we know it.

Bob Brown, left, and his brother John attempt to lead three horses to safety out of the Weyerhaeuser 19 Mile camp in Kid Valley, Washington. The yard was flooded by the Toutle River following the eruption of Mount St. Helens.

In the Pacific Northwest, the area of impact will cover some one hundred and forty thousand square miles, including Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Eugene, Salem, Olympia, and some seven million people. When the next full-margin rupture happens, that region will suffer the worst natural disaster in the history of North America. It is NOT a question of IF it will happen, but WHEN, The risk is greater than we thought. Will you be an asset to your family and community or a liability?

Remember the rule of 3’s that apply in every situation. Use them to make your plan. They will help you decide what skills are important to develop and what supplies are important to have an emergency supply of. Always start with the 5 C’s when building a survival kit. Whether it is a vehicle kit, a Get Home bag, or a home stored kit the 5 C’s are critical and should always be included. I urge you to take just a little time each week to address whatever shortcomings you and your family have in regard to your preparedness. It just may be the difference between life and death.

 

As Always,

Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

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Water is life

WaterBrick - Emergency Water and Food Storage Containers

Toxic Water
The recent water crisis in Salem, Oregon has brought this topic to the forefront. We must take responsibility for our own health and survivability by preparing for such crises. It is not enough to react to any given crisis; at that point, it is too late. This philosophy is supported by the public reaction to this crisis. There was a run on the stores, water supplies were quickly depleted in the stores, chaos and panic were the order of the day.

Fortunately, the neighboring town of Keizer has an independent source of water that is not affected. They are providing water fill stations for all those impacted free of charge, a truly altruistic gesture. Need water? But it makes no sense to leave ourselves at the mercy of someone else’s generosity. We must take personal responsibility for our own welfare.

Water storage
The best way to prepare is to have at least a weeks worth of potable water stored. This can be accomplished in many ways, some better than others, but the important thing is to make it happen. If you are storing water long term make certain the containers you use are BPA free and designed for long-term water storage. Although convenient, I do not recommend individual bottles of water, they are not practical for this purpose. You will need approximately two (2) gallons a day per person for cooking and drinking, this does not cover water for hygiene.

We recommend the following storage containers – WaterBrick – Emergency Water and Food Storage Containers – 8 Pack Blue. They offer great flexibility for transportation and compact storage. Their size makes it possible for most individuals to carry and use effectively. We carry them in our vehicles and stack them in our storage area. They are easy to share if so inclined. But, as always the choice is yours, we only hope that for you and the sake of those that depend on you, that you choose wisely.

As Always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

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Basic Skills – Why are they important?

If you are reading this you have already come to the conclusion that you need to be prepared to handle whatever comes your way. It should be said that solutions are not found in equipment or supplies, they are found in the skills that allow you to use them. Don’t misunderstand me, we need the supplies and equipment. But, we must first and foremost get training and education that will empower us to use them.

We don’t get to decide when or where a disaster or emergency will strike. The best we can do is prepare ourselves and be ready for it when it comes. It is important to assess your given needs and activities in order to build the appropriate skillsets. There are constants that apply to every given situation and our survival will always be dependant on certain basic needs. The rule of 3’s addresses these basic needs to maintain life.

The Rule of 3’s
3 Minutes without air
3 Hours without shelter
3 Days without water
3 Weeks without food

These are general guidelines, of course, and your mileage may vary. When you consider these it becomes easier to prioritize what skillsets you need to foster and develop. It also becomes clear that you should have some minimum basic supplies at all times. One thing that is often overlooked is the need for PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) we need to protect our physical assets first, it will be difficult to survive without them.

Basic PPE

Wraparound Safety Glasses – if you wear prescription lenses get the kind that fit over your glasses.
Dust mask (N95) – you need to protect your lungs
Gloves – both leather and nitrile
Sturdy footwear – you will be dependant on your feet to get you to safety.

Get your First aid/CPR/AED certification

You can never have too much training especially when it comes to first aid. More times than not your immediate care will depend on you, your skills and equipment. The more prepared you are to handle medical issues the better, for you and those around you. So get the training and the equipment to match your skills.

The Great Outdoors

It is important to remember we don’t get to choose when or where a disaster strikes. You could potentially find yourself in an outdoor survival situation. Take the time to develop at least a basic set of survival skills. Consider what season you are in and adjust your kit to match. Carry extra clothing including socks and underwear. Think about shelter, if you can put a tent in the trunk, do it. Carry potable water in a sturdy container. Put a yoga mat in your trunk it is a great insulator. Simple things that can make all the difference.

Seek out training in outdoor survival there are plenty of resources. Learn how to start a fire, learn how to find drinkable water, learn how to find your way home and tie some basic knots. But, remember Learning is not knowing!

As Always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

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Learning is not knowing!

Learning is not knowing

I want to make sure you understand there is no substitute for education in all its various forms. We must always keep learning. I consider myself a student for life, I will never stop seeking knowledge and skills. That being said, let us get to it.

So, why is learning not knowing? To get the answer we first must define what I mean by each of these terms. Learning is acquiring new information or skills. Knowing is the mastery of information or skills. This is an important distinction that becomes evident to anyone paying attention.

Student for life

I am a student for life which means I am constantly taking classes or going to training. When you start to adhere to this same paradigm you begin to notice the difference between learning and knowing. It is very much like the difference between intelligence and wisdoh5.

My Point

My main point here is that taking a class to learn a skill is only the first step. We must spend the time training with this new skill to know it. Then we must continue to train using this knowledge to maintain it. All skills and knowledge are perishable. The old adage if you don’t use it you lose it is absolutely correct.

The path to knowing

So, if your only source of education is watching videos you might be learning, but you do not know. As I often say and hear, real life is not a flat range. The only way you can master (know) a skill is to use it in the real world. Get dirty, train hard and get out there and practice what you have learned, often. This is the path to knowing.

As Always,

Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

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The Art of Field Expedient Triage

I use the term field expedient triage because it needs to be differentiated from clinical triage. Triage in the field, whether it be in a disaster situation, in the wilderness, or a major car accident, is much different than clinical triage. Let me take a step back and define triage for you. Triage is the art, and I use the word art because science seems too rigorous for something that is so fluid and subjective, even though it is based entirely on science. Where was I? Oh yes, triage is the art of sorting mass casualties based on the severity of injuries, the likelihood of survival, and available resources. Field expedient triage is different because of the severe lack of resources. There is no supply chain, little or no equipment and few human resources. You must do what you can with what you have as best as you can.

Statistics indicate that rapid assessment and medical care can save as many as 40% of disaster victims that require medical assistance. That being said, the primary focus of field expedient triage is to provide the greatest good, to the greatest number, in the shortest amount of time. This will often put you at odds with yourself, and given enough time and exposure you will run into a situation where there is a victim that needs help that you must decide not to help. This is a challenge for all of us. Let me elaborate so as not to sound callous.

Here is the scenario: you come upon a group of people that were just overcome by a rockslide, there are multiple injuries, there are only two in your group, and you are 30 minutes from any help. It is chaotic, as all disasters are, you do a quick count and find that there are 8 victims. The rockslide is stable, so you do a quick triage. This means you can spend 30 seconds to a minute assessing each person, any more than that and someone might die. I will talk about how to triage later. So, you quickly determine that there are three broken legs, a crushed skull who’s not breathing, a dislocated shoulder, a large deep cut to the upper arm with arterial bleeding, and one trapped under a large boulder with rapid breathing and no radial pulse.

How do you prioritize these victims? In the field where resources are limited the three primary killers are airway obstruction, bleeding, and shock. Without immediate assistance, these will lead to death. Always remember that only one thing is guaranteed in life, change. No matter how you find your victims they will do one of two things, they will get better or they will get worse. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you can save everyone, in fact, the odds are often against it. You must be able to rapidly assess your victims based on these three killers.

If a victim presents any of the three killers they are RED or Immediate. If the injuries do not jeopardize the life of the victim they are YELLOW or Delayed. If you have victims that have only minor injuries but are still functional they are GREEN or Minor. If the victim has no respiration after two attempts to clear the airway they are BLACK or Expectant. And you would treat them in that order, RED, YELLOW, GREEN, and BLACK. How would you triage the victims based on the information given? Will you be able to deal with a situation that requires this kind of training?

Field Expedient Triage

Here is a general guideline for conducting triage:

  • Step 1: Stop, Look, Listen, and Think  Before you start, stop, assess the situation, look around, and listen. Ask yourself, is it safe to help? Do I have the capability? What are my limitations? If you decide to help, make a plan and make sure your group knows what it is.
  • Step 2: First things first, clean the green Do a voice triage, announce yourself and ask anyone that can hear you, to come to your voice. Hopefully, this will be most of them. This will immediately give you most of your greens and get them out of the way. Remember, this is about time. You can also use these survivors to assist you by having them do simple tasks.
  • Step 3: Start where you are and follow a systematic pattern Start with the closet victim and work your way outward in a systematic pattern.
  • Step 4: Evaluate each victim and tag them as quickly as you can Tag or label each victim according to the guidelines.
  • Step 5: Treat RED or Immediate, immediately Clear their airway, stop the arterial bleeding, or treat for shock as needed. Remember, in field expedient triage we do NOT administer CPR, it is too resource intensive. We are trying to do the most good for the most people in the shortest time.

Note, this is NOT training, it is only a small little piece of insight into what you might need to know if you want to be prepared to assist those in need during a disaster. Everyone should seek professional instruction.

 

As Always,

Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

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Desperate times, desperate acts

Hello everyone, As I sit here at my desk this morning I am reflecting on an incident that occurred just yesterday. I was in the shop working on some holsters for an order when I received the call. My neighbor Luke was calling and I didn’t get to it quickly enough because of my gloves. It’s unusual for him to call in the middle of the day so I stripped off my gloves and called him back straight away. He answers on Bluetooth from his car, it’s easy to tell because of road noise. He is with his brother Jonah and they are searching the neighborhood for someone they say just pilfered something from in front of my garage.

This sends me into overdrive, what in the hell, it’s broad daylight. I go to my office and check the security cameras and sure enough, a young woman walks right up to my garage door and snatches the two car batteries I have sitting there waiting to be returned for the core charge. Bold and audacious to say the least. My garage is a good 40 feet off the road. I have her recorded on three separate cameras from different angles.

And I get the call, this is Deputy Smith, name changed to protect the innocent, I have two people in custody can you describe the person and the property. Well, it turns out that Luke actually found them in the neighborhood and followed them home while on the line with 911, what a neighbor. Just to be clear I told him earlier that I appreciated his effort but I didn’t want him to put himself at any risk.

So, back to the phone with the deputy, I tell him what I know and that I have videos of the incident. He asks me to burn them to a disk and send him a screenshot via text so he can arrest the proper person. I sent him before and after pictures. 45 minutes later, a deputy shows up at my house with the batteries in tow and collects the evidence.

If not for the quick action and tenacity of my neighbors I can say that I would probably never had noticed in time to do anything about it. It is proof that we are all in this together. A community is vital to our survival and together we will make it.

When times are desperate, people will act in desperation!

 

As Always,

Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

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Fit to fat to fit

My year-long Keto journey

Let me start my story with a little background. Every since my Sophomore summer, when I grew 7 inches, I was a slender man. When I joined the service I was probably 175 pounds and 6’ 1”. I met what was then the standard for a healthy height/weight combo. The service, however, put some meat on my bones and hardened me a bit.

Through this process and the 25 years that followed, I developed an internal image of myself as a strong and capable man. One that was fit and dynamic aside from smoking nearly a pack of cigarettes a day. Which had been a constant companion since the early age of, let’s be conservative and say, 11 years old. Everyone is known for something, I was the smoker. But I was fit, I played on softball teams and volleyball teams. I went on long distance backpacking trips with friends and by myself. I was always unstoppable, indomitable.

When I was 46 years old I decided to quit smoking at the behest of all my loved ones, but mostly my constantly dogged daughter, Samantha. It wasn’t an easy road, but I prevailed. As in most things, I refused to fail permanently. This, and my now near 15 years of working a sedentary job started taking its toll on my body and fitness level, even though I spent a great deal of time golfing. No, not riding in a cart, but carrying my clubs on my back and walking the 7+ miles. It was such a gradual, almost imperceptible process, I didn’t even notice. In fact, my own internal image of myself had remained unchanged.

BEFORE

The awakening came during the summer of 2016. Just before my daughter Samantha’s 25th birthday in May, I asked her, “If you could have anything for your birthday, what would it be?” Now mind you, in my genetics lies a small unusual defect that has been the death of my father, his brother Ray, and their father Lloyd. It is to this point unknown exactly what it is, as the three led vastly different lives, as have I. But, the three of them died instantly from cardiac arrest at the age of 54. My father having recently, within 6 months, been given an A+ rating on his Cardio Pulmonary workup. My next birthday was my 54th, this probably added to her impetus.

Her answer was simple, “I want you to take me into the wilderness, to those magical places you have told me stories about my whole life”, this was very emotional for me. We had gone on adventures before, this would not be the first. But, it had been a long time since she had shown an interest in the wild and it stirred me greatly that she wanted me to take her there.

We had a bit of time to prepare, sort our gear, and plan our meals. It was exciting! We were going on a grand adventure into the wilderness that I had called home so many times. It is there that I truly feel at peace, it is there that I belong. My internal self-image, you know the one I mentioned earlier, failed me at this point and I did little physical preparation. After all, I was a strong and capable man! This was my folly.

Our adventure started with the excitement that is usual for such an endeavor. We laughed and talked excitedly about the days ahead and the wonders we were anticipating. When we got to the ranger station to get our passes we were blindsided and found that what we thought we needed to do to get the permits for where we wanted to go, was totally wrong, and we wouldn’t be going there. But, we found an alternative, and after much grumbling, and a few tears, we set ourselves against the adversity and made the best of it. But, that is another story.

Through this adventure, my internal self-image was destroyed. I was humbled and humiliated by my sheer lack of fitness and my inability to perform at the level I was used to. My will had not suffered the same fate as my physical ability and I managed to push through, but not without a large serving of embarrassment. I was supposed to be this larger than life man of the wilderness taking my now grown daughter out to show her the wonder that I was fond of. Instead, I was this broken down old man that was having difficulty keeping up. Barely managing not to be a burden on her and the others. It was a rude awakening, one I don’t care to have again.

When we got home from our adventure, which turned out to be wonderful, despite my failures, I resolved myself to fixing this problem and getting myself realigned with my self-image. I was not ready to acquiesce to the ravages of time and accept my lot as a broken down old man. I spent the next 6 months trying to find my way back there with little or no progress. Until March of the next year when I was watching a live feed from ReadyMan and Josh Tyler was talking about how he used a Ketogenic diet to maintain his muscle while burning the fat, all while eating bacon, among other things.

AFTER

I spent the next month doing research and preparing myself to convert to this new dietary paradigm. I had a complete blood panel and cardiac workup for a baseline and started my journey on April 1st, 2017. With the support of my family, and a lot of longing for all those things we are used to eating, like bread, potatoes, and the hardest for me, ice cream, I persevered. It was not without stumbles and cheat days or cheat months, but I kept coming back to it and have made much progress. Over the course of the last year, I have lost 47 pounds, more than that if you count the weight I lost more than once! I still have further to go, but I wanted to share this with all of you. Partly to reinforce it with me, but also to maybe give someone else some hope.

At the beginning of this year, I started swimming to get more cardio fitness and am swimming 1 ½ miles, 3 times a week now. I feel better than I have in nearly a decade and I am looking forward to this years adventures in the wilderness.

As Always,

Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared

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