A Prepper’s Guide To Nutrition

By Tony

Prep Survival Guide Website

Despite the fact that preppers love to talk about nearly any topic under the sun, nutrition and how it applies to preppers is often a neglected topic. Very few, if any, preppers can honestly explain why it is better to eat fats and proteins than it is to eat carbohydrates.

Even fewer preppers can explain the benefits of vitamins or where calories come from. This guide is written to fill that gap.

To start off with, let’s begin talking about a basic calorie.

Calories And Preppers

Without getting into too deep of an explanation, calories are the tool your body uses to produce energy. No more, no less. With calories, our bodies can run, jump, breathe, swim, fish, and anything else we want to do.

Without calories, we starve. Simple as that.

While popular culture often sends us the message that calories are of the devil, a calorie (and a lot of calories) are a prepper’s best friend.

What most people don’t realize is that all calories come from three sources: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. You will never and can never get a calorie without one of these three things.

Let’s break them down separately.

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates (carbs) are four calories per gram. Most carbs reside in fruits, vegetables, grains, and sugars. Even though carbs are usually associated with all things evil in modern culture, carbs are necessary to survive and carry precious vitamins and minerals.

Even though they are necessary for survival, they are not ideal for a prepper’s perfect meal. Carbs carry less calories per gram than fats (discussed below) and are not as useful as proteins when it comes to rebuilding and strengthening muscles.

Carbs also have a fatal flaw when it comes to prepper meals: they burn quickly. This means that even though you may eat high calories while eating carbs (think donuts), your meal will not last as long as a meal that consists of mostly fat or proteins and you will find yourself feeling hungry more quickly.

Proteins: Proteins contain four calories per gram and are the food of choice for competition weightlifters and world class performers. Proteins are useful for rebuilding muscles bigger and stronger.

Proteins burn slowly in the stomach and after eating them, you’ll feel full for a long time. Most proteins are meats, nuts, or legumes. These make for excellent prepper meals.

After spending time outside doing whatever your current prepper projects are, your muscles will be fatigued and worn down. Proteins are the body’s way of rebuilding those muscles where they can do more work and last longer the next time you go out to work.

The best prepper meals are high protein.

Fats: Fats contain nine calories per gram and are our go to foods for prepper meals. Since fats contain a lot of calories per gram, you can eat less and survive longer than others (and it’s easier on your budget!).

This happens because fats have more calories per gram than other foods. In theory and in practice, you can eat half as much fatty food as you do carbohydrate food and survive more than twice as long on your fatty food.

This is also a boon to preppers because fats typically burn slowly, meaning that you will feel full for a longer period of time.

Fats are usually found in meats, oils, dairy products, eggs, and nuts. If you’ll notice, foods that have fat and foods that have proteins are very similar. These are the kinds of foods we want to eat as preppers.

Now that we understand what fuels the body, let’s take a look at the construction materials the body uses.

Vitamins & Minerals: Tools Of The Body

Before we get into vitamins and minerals, I would like to say this: if you find yourself in a survival situation, it is better that you focus on how many calories you are consuming than how many vitamins and minerals you are taking in.

All of humanity until the past 50 years has survived without spending any time wondering how their vitamin intake is. If a situation gets bad, worry about your caloric load and the vitamins will follow.

If you can think of calories like the fuel your body uses to run, vitamins and minerals are like a trusty hammer, drill, and other useful tools.

Vitamins and minerals are called micronutrients because your body doesn’t need a huge amount, but it does need some. Without necessary vitamins, you can develop blindness, scurvy, weak bones, or an assortment of other problems.

Interestingly enough, we are more likely today to have an overdose of a vitamin or mineral than we are to have a deficiency. Because of market competition and government intervention, most of the foods we consume today have plenty of all the necessary minerals.

If you take vitamin and mineral supplements, your body is capable of getting rid of most of the excess, but you may be doing an unnecessary deed or even harming yourself by taking supplements without being told to do so by a medical specialist.

What Makes A Balanced Diet?

As said above, most of the food we consume today has all the necessary tools for our body to survive and thrive.

But what if we don’t have the resources of today?

If disaster strikes, we would almost certainly lose access to supermarkets. So how do we balance our diets then?

If you find yourself without a supermarket, your number one goal should be calorie consumption. The average human burns 2000-3000 calories per day depending on how active they are. Your meals should have plenty of meat (which contains fat and proteins), but also eat as much fruit and vegetables as you are able to get your hands on. Fruit and veggies are high in carbs, but will almost certainly carry most if not all of the vitamins and minerals that you need.

If possible, eat as many nuts, beans, and home grown meals as possible. This should prevent any sort of deficiency in vitamins and minerals while making sure that you have enough calories to survive the day.

Even though nutrition can be a complex subject, when it all comes down to it, just remember to eat as much diverse food as you can while prepping or in the bush.

Hope you’ve enjoyed!

My Left Thumb, or How I Learned To Start Worrying And Love My Body

By Forest Puha

May 7, 2018

Note: the following article has graphic medical pictures. Viewer discretion advised.

A month and a half ago, I was cutting wood with a circular saw and then I cut open my thumb.

Yeah. I make that seem low-key, but it's actually more painful, time-consuming and life-altering than it sounds.

It was fun to drop everything, including my tools, and yell in pain. It was fun to run inside and watch my family try not to faint. It was fun to rush to the nearest clinic, freaking out the staff, getting injected with whatever painkillers they had and arguing about whether or not antibiotics are covered under insurance while I was mildly stoned. Fun times all around.

Partly as a record to remind myself of what NOT to do in an emergency, and partly as a teaching opportunity to everyone else, this article will go over what happened and how you can prevent the same thing from happening to you. I learned a lot, including that ignoring common sense will only result in bad things for myself and everyone around.

Here's what happened using re-created photographs of the incident.

The equipment I was using at the time. As follows: 3M-brand eye wear protection, 3M brand silicone earplugs, a Master Mechanic brand handheld electric circular saw, and cheap generic black elastic gloves with yellow leather finger protection.

Note that the gloves are neither full leather or employ knuckle protection. This is Mistake #1.

I was sawing wood for a project, using my wooden table as a cutting platform. Note that I failed to secure the wood to the table surface with a clamp. This is Mistake #2.

I operated the saw with one hand, while holding onto the piece of wood with another. This is Mistake #3. Never, never, NEVER hold a handheld power tool with only one hand, ESPECIALLY a saw.

When operating a power saw, sometimes the wood will shift while cutting. Because the saw blade can only move in one direction at a time (forwards) any subtle movement will gather more wood than the saw's engine can handle, which forces the blade to suddenly stop. The momentum generated by the blade will be transferred into the saw, and as a result, the saw kicked back on me while I was holding onto it. It's not a problem with two hands...

...but I was only holding onto the saw with my right hand, and holding onto the wood with my left hand. The kickback of a power saw is like the recoil of a full-size rifle or shotgun. I had no control and I paid the price. I felt the saw and it really hurt more than normal. I looked down, saw drips of blood and very gently pulled the glove away. It was a gashing, gaping wound. The saw had hit the spot of the glove that wasn't covered with leather or any protection, but simple black fabric. Which happened to be right on my Metacarpophalangeal, the middle thumb joint.

 

Photos taken two hours after stitches were removed.

I calmly rushed inside, while my family freaked out over my accident.

Mistake #4: I washed the wound with cold water. Don't do that. The wound has particles of dead skin, leather, plastic, fabric, oil, wood and heaven knows what else inside; it needs to be properly disinfected with sterile solution found at the neighborhood clinic. The clinic promptly informed me I was very lucky; my wound didn't completely expose the tendons in my knuckle, so I wouldn't have to be airlifted to the nearest emergency room for surgery. They could simply put in stitches where I was at.

Then they gave me a shot of something to numb the pain while they stitched up my hand. It took a couple of weeks to be able to grab things and use a computer's keyboard, and a month to where I could bend my fingers around and not be in constant pain.

I learned a great deal from this incident. Mostly, I learned that overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer, and that even when I thought I had the required safety gear, I didn't have the RIGHT safety gear. I nearly paid for it with my thumb. It could have been my hand, or my life.

I'm in the market for a new pair of gloves. These Youngstown Utility Kevlar-lined gloves seem like a good start, roughly $30 on Amazon. Supposedly the entire glove is lined with Kevlar, even the fingers. I think they're cheaper than surgery and I'll have to review a pair.

From top to bottom: a carpentry wood clamp, a cast iron C-clamp, and a spring clamp. These are three kinds of clamps I have on hand, cheaply found in any hardware store, and I recommend everyone not only buy them for their tool box, but also USE them whenever you need to hold something down. I neglected to do so and paid the price for my stupidity.

Step 1: slide clamp over object and surface. Step 2: tighten until they don't move. Step 3: you're done. They're so much better than using your hands.

And the clamps allow me to use both hands when operating my power tools now. I have more control over the tool now! It's amazing!

It could have been so much worse.

Survival firearms

By: Sebastian Berry

In a departure from my normal survival medical instruction but keeping in line with my recent theme of firearms, this most current installment is a total opinion piece.

The debate has raged on since firearms have been around about calibers, stopping power (don't even get me started), ballistics, and design. I personally am not partial to any one caliber, brand, or style. Friends and neighbors ask me pretty regularly, what firearms should I have to be the best prepared?

My answers are more thought provoking than actual advice for a specific product or device or item. In no specific order I tell people the following things.

• Have a firearm that you like.
• You have to like what you have. Even if it's ugly. I own a .45 HiPoint brand pistol, yes that HiPoint. Find it on youtube, you will be thoroughly entertained.
• Have a firearm that you will use.
• I know people that own firearms and then never do anything with them. For whatever reason they get something and it never sees the light of day again. You have to use your tools and be familiar with it. When you really need it, you need to know how to use it.
• Have a firearm you trust.
• We all have favorites, of everything. A favorite drinking glass, a favorite shirt or pair of shoes, and even a favorite tool. You have to have a firearm that is your go-to. One that you know is a no-fail and will hit your target. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

Usually after that question and series of answers and explanations, I get the question repeated. What firearms should I have to be the best prepared? Again, my answers are more thought provoking than pointing to actual products.

• You need a rifle or shotgun to hunt with.
• When the time comes, and it will, you need a firearm that can put food on the table. Whether that is a .22 for taking small to small/medium game like squirrels, rabbits, and birds or a 12 gauge with shot or slugs for small to large game from turkeys to deer.
• You need a rifle or shotgun for family defense.
• The weapon you hunt with may not be mutually exclusive from the on you use for family defense.
• I probably would recommend you have two separate weapons for hunting and for family defense.
• You need a pistol for personal defense.
• A .22 will kill you dead just a much as a .45. I am a non-believer in stopping power. Can you place shots on target? If you can place more shots on target with a .22 than anything else, then that is what you should use.

Be mindful, in the family survival scenario, firearms and ammunition may be in very short supply. Some of the more designer ammunition may be in even shorter supply. Your firearms and ammunition should be common and widespread. 

Below is the list of top selling ammunition from Federal for 2014:

1. .223 Remington/5.56mm NATO
2. .308 Winchester/7.62x51mm NATO
3. .30-’06 Springfield
4. .30-30 Winchester
5. .270 Winchester
6. .243 Winchester
7. .300 Winchester Magnum
8. 7mm Remington Magnum
9. 7.62x39
10. .300 Winchester Short Magnum
11. .22-250 Remington

I would be remiss if I did not point out that all of these are traditional hunting calibers. There will always be a place for .22LR and 00 buck. 

Keeping arms and ammunition in common calibers and in sufficient quantity will help you keep your family fed and safe when the time comes.

I am always open for comments. Have something to add, let us know!

Spring Foraging Survival Skills

When you think about sprint time, you may think of things like new wildlife being born or an abundance of new plant life popping up everything. Spring seems to be the highlight of abundance and new life, across the board. However, even though you might not imagine it, it’s just as easy to starve in the spring if you are completely dependant on wild food. In fact, spring is one of the leanest times of year.

In some areas, spring is known as “the starving season”, and for this very reason, the fall stockpile was laid up not only for the winter, but for the spring as well. There may be a great deal of plant life to eat at this time, but there aren’t many calories in what you might find. So if springtime survival becomes key for you, here are some important resources to keep in mind.

Dandelion

You can eat dandelion roots both raw and cooked, but they are incredibly bitter in the raw stage. This often discourages anyone from eating them. They are touch and are usually best used in stir frying, stewing or sliced and turned into snack chips. They are high in iron, boron, potassium, silicon, calcium and vitamin C.

Ounce for ounce, dandelion roots have even more beta carotene than carrots do. If you happen to have a craving for coffee, you can even chop and roast these roots into an alternative. There is no caffeine, but there is a bit of a coffee flavor. True coffee connoisseurs disagree on that flavor. Simply roast the roots beside your fire or in an oven, if you have one, until they become dark and brittle. They can be stored for future use, or you can use it immediately, soaking a teaspoon of the root in scalding hot water for about fifteen minutes. You can then strain it and sweeten it to your taste.

Thistle

Across the Northern Hemisphere of the United States and North America, you will find lots of different thistle species. There are none in the United States that are toxic to humans, but you will find some that taste far more bitter than others. Harvesting them is easy, as you’ll only need to use a shovel or some similar device to pull the roots up, then cut off the tops, which are spiny. The remaining portion of the root can then be washed, chopped up and eaten immediately, if you wish. Or, just like any other root vegetable, they can be fried, stewed or even simmered, and then eaten.

Wild Onion

There are about a dozen wild onion species in North America, some of which even grow well in the winter. They prefer sunny conditions, right out in the open, so you’re more likely to find them in meadows or fields, or maybe even in your very own yard. Some seem more like garlic, both in flavor and looks, while others more closely resemble and taste like chives.

However tasty these plants are to the general population, make sure you don’t just forage and eat everything that seems to be shaped like an onion. The fact is, they still belong to the lily family, and it’s one that does contain some toxic plants. First, make sure you’re really dealing with the onion class of the family by looking for the bulbous roots and round stem. Once you’ve verified the looks, then you can do the scratch and sniff test. Just bruise the bulb or top portion of the plant. If it’s the edible variety, you will immediately smell that familiar onion/garlic smell. You will be able to use these in the same way your would use onions bought from a store, cooked or raw.

Reasons To Consider Foraging

Even if you aren’t in a survival situation, spring foraging can be incredibly beneficial. There are as many economic benefits as there are survival benefits, and well worth knowing about. Consider these factors:

• Foraged food is free food, and makes an excellent alternative to organic produce that is often overly priced.
• Foraging is possible almost all year long, if you know what to look for and how to harvest it.
• Foraging can add to the wealth you harvest from a garden, or replace it all together.
• Foraging is a great way to get outside and get moving, so it’s beneficial as a means of exercise.
• Foraging familiarizes you with the immediate surroundings of your location.
• Food found through foraging is naturally higher in nutrients than foods you find in commercial settings, there is no genetic alterations of any kind, and the soil in which it is grown hasn’t been depleted by years of industrial farming.

Important Foraging Rules

The best way to learn to forage is to do so under the training of someone who is experienced in foraging. If you cannot find one, or a group in your local area, the next best advice is to get yourself a really good-quality edible plant guide book. Once you begin your foraging journey, be sure to adhere to these basic foraging rules:

• Don’t pick anything you don’t readily recognize and most certainly do not eat it.
• Take your guidebook with you – preferably a very good one.
• Never pick a plant that looks as if it has a disease of any kind.
• Wash everything well before eating it.
• Keep an eye out for bugs, snakes and other dangerous creatures that often use plants as hideouts.
• Wear gloves and other protective clothing in case you come in contact with poison ivy or other such plants.
• Stay in areas you are familiar with, so that you don’t accidentally get lost.
• Do not forage on private property unless you first get permission from the known landowner.
• Do not forage in national forests or public parks unless you are sure it’s permissible to do so. Some foraging is banned in areas such as these.

Unfortunate but necessary...

By: Sebastian Berry

Friends, I write this after our blog has been on hiatus for a while. Unfortunate events caused us all to be out of commission for a while as we regrouped and reset. I sincerely hope that absence truly does make the heart grow fonder.

It is my personal goal in writing to be able to better prepare people for emergency situations. My forte is medical however I have military and some outdoors experience that help guide me. In light of the recent cultural and political climate this post will probably be divisive but I will put it out there anyway.

AMENDMENT II

A WELL REGULATED MILITIA, BEING NECESSARY TO THE SECURITY OF A FREE STATE, THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED1.

The above is the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. It has been hotly debated for as long as I can remember. Tax stamps, papers, ATF, BATFE, assault weapons, magazine capacity, bullet buttons, etc. 

I personally like firearms. I have use for them, like other tools that I own. Like any of my tools that I own, they need someone to use them. I would love if the vacuum ran itself or the snowblower for that matter. I do not believe that the issue with guns lies in the gun itself. Guns do what we want them to do.

I own an AR-15 style rifle. Never once has it gone out and shot another person, albeit I have killed many paper targets and melons with it. I believe the AR style rifle is being targeted because it is what is popular. I have asked the question several times to people on both sides of the issue, why the AR? Answers vary from it looks scary to no one should be able to own that kind of rifle to it shall not be infringed.

Which leads me to my main point. The second amendment was written in a time and by people who were very distrustful of government. The founders (of our country) believed that government should be limited and that is why they came up with the constitution, and then the amendment process.

In my opinion the second amendment might have been transcribed in error. I believe there was supposed to be a period after the words free state. I personally think the framers (of the constitution) had two separate thoughts. I believe the amendment should read as follows...

AMENDEMENT II 

A WELL REGULATED MILITIA, BEING NECESSARY TO THE SECURITY OF A FREE STATE. THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.

The reason that I think this is simple. The people were and still are the militia. This is not the National Guard or Reserves. The militia are lay-people as opposed to professional soldiers. Think about it, people who served in the militia brought their own arms and ammunition. If our country called for a militia again, who would serve? Those who are already armed. The same principle of olden time applies to our time.

A friend of mine made a statement thus, "It seems like there is nothing that can be done constitutionally to stop people from shooting up children, given that law enforcement will fail again."

His position was to eradicate the AR-15 style rifle, in all its variants. I asked him how it could be done and he answered with confiscation. But how? I asked. He took maybe a half second and said that the AR would have to be illegal. But what about the second amendment? I asked. I would have to be done away with. How? I asked. He couldn't answer!

ARTICLE V

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate2.

Folks, there is a way to change our constitution. It is by amendment. It has been done 27 other times and can be done more if needs be. Allow me to be very clear, I am not suggesting elimination of the second amendment. I am also not suggesting the outlaw and confiscation of firearms. I believe the founders saw a time where the people (all of us) would be called upon to defend our country. In order for the people to be able to do that we must be able to be armed.

I heard a statement on the radio from the Cato Institute about the constitution last week, it went about like this- The constitution set up a government, no one ever said that it set up an efficient government.

Let's hear from you in the coments. Do you own an AR style rifle? Support gun control or bans? Tell us!

1-2. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/United_States_of_America_1992

6 Essential Things For Your Survival Backpack

Education Articles | March 28, 2012

Premium Author Justin Mountford

It sounds a bit dramatic but a survival backpack could mean the difference between life and death. In this article I share my 6 essential survival backpack ideas covering everything from food and shelter right through to essential first aid things.

Life and death-It sounds a bit dramatic, but a survival backpack could mean the difference between life and death. In a critical situation where you have to flee your house, workplace or local area, a backpack filled with survival gear transforms from being a "nice to have" and becomes your life in a bag. Imagine running for your life with your family only to discover you have no food, no water and no shelter. Not a good situation. Now imagine you have some basics, it could just be enough to get you through until help arrives.

Forget Armageddon-Armageddon is not really the reason I prepare. I like to be prepared for things like massive bush fires (really common where I live), floods, and man made disasters. I live in a quiet part of the world and it's easy to think "It won't                                                      happen to me"…..

6 Essential Ideas-I'm a survival enthusiast and love researching survival related ideas, theories tips and tricks. After extensive research, my own experimentation and years of camping I've created my own "essential survival backpack" checklist.

Checkout my 6 essential survival backpack ideas:

Water-To put it bluntly we need water to survive even for 1 day. For this reason, water is top priority. If you don't want to carry water you need ways to purify it, or boil it.Ideas:-Way to boil water e.g. portable stove -Purification System-Mechanical Filtration System like a Pocket Water Microfilter

Clothing-While you can certainly live with the clothes on your back, it's morale boosting to put on a fresh pair of socks while you clean the others. Pack a spare set of everything, you'll really appreciate this when the time comes. Ideas:-Waterproof coat with hood-Spare socks-Long sleeve shirt with quick dry- Quick dry pants

Shelter-Shelter is part of our basic human needs. Shelter can often be made from rubble, forest or natural features however, you can make things easier on yourself if you have a basic tent at the ready.Ideas:-Basic lightweight tent-Sleeping System-Mummy sleeping bag-Sleeping pad

Food-Not as important as water, however the morale effects of a little snack cannot be underestimated. It's easy to throw in a few MREs and some energy bars. Go for food that doesn't require much water to prepare.Ideas:-Energy bars- MRE- Freeze dried foods

Essentials-Many experts agree that the ability to make fire is extremely important. With fire you can cook, boil water and signal help. For this reason I suggest you pack a sparking device in your survival backpack. While multi tools (the plier type) a pocket chain saw and a flashlight (the wind up type) may not be considered critically essential, it will definitely help you in your survival attempts.

First Aid-Kit Nothing can assist a genuine survival situation more than a fully trained medicComputer Technology Articles, however since most of us don't get around with one of these we have to make do with a first aid kit. Ideas:- Bandaids- Insect repellent- Cloth Tape- Bandage- Large Safety Pins- Large Gauze Pads A survival backpack could make the difference between life and death. Keep one in your car and at home and be ready no matter what life throws at you.

Chimney Trap System 1

By:Stephen M. Vantassel
Ph.D., MNI, CNI, CWCP, ACP
Bio

http://wildlifecontrolconsultant.com/home/media-kit-for-stephen-m-vantassel/about/ 

     It was a beautiful Saturday Summer day in Western Massachusetts. I had lined up three chimney raccoon jobs and thankfully I was able to get my wife to come along and help. I am not very good on roofs and chimneys, let alone handling so many fireplaces in one day. Some of my colleagues talk about handling these jobs in an hour, I can only wish to be that fast. My chimney raccoon removal method at the time was Rich Daniotti’s Chimney Trap System 1. This is the trap system without the chimney brushes. You are supposed to set the trap and come back the next day. I never felt confident enough with that method, so I would just drive the female up the chimney and catch her the same day.

Chimney Trap System 1 hanging by bungee cords. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.

     The first two jobs went okay despite being rather long. The sun was shinning and the temperature was beginning to rise. I felt good about the money I was making but I was beginning to feel rather tired. The last job of the day was two floor house in a nearby town. We didn’t start there till after 3:00 pm. Already the sweat was pouring out of my body and it was not at all comfortable. After greeting the client and checking out the fireplace, I accessed the roof and installed the chimney trap. The roof was a little more pitched than I like and the tiles were beginning to get soft. I knew I had to move quickly in order to finish the job today. With the trap installed, I began to harass the mother to get her to climb the chimney and enter the trap. She was a little stubborn at first but in a couple of minutes, I heard the pleasant sound of the metal trap door closing. I thought it was a bit strange that it sounded so loud. I am partially deaf in my left ear, but I figured the acoustics were right. Feeling kind a proud of myself, I exit the building looking for the chimney to see my trapped raccoon. I was a bit surprised that I didn’t see the trap. I guessed that the roof line was blocking my view, so I stepped further away from the house to get a clearer ground view of the chimney. My stomach sank when I saw the top of the chimney with no raccoon and worst of all no trap. I felt even worse knowing that the chimney was surrounded by building so if my trap fell it would not fall harmlessly to the ground. I started getting worried about the cost of potential damages. By the way, did I mention that the client was a lawyer?

     I swung around the building looking for my trap. I passed a corner, looked up and there was my trap and trapped raccoon hanging by the bungee cords against the chimney. On the roof below, urine and feces were sprayed. It seems that the trap wasn’t stabilized enough or she flew out of the chimney so fast that the trap lifted up dislodging it from the chimney. Feeling that she was falling, she literally messed herself she was so scared. Thankfully, the bungee cords stopped the trap from falling on the asphalt shingled roof below. The house wasn’t damaged by the impact either because the trap only hit the side of the brick chimney. Thank God, I had truly dodged a bullet on this one. The client didn’t even notice my mistake. He was just glad that the job was getting done.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a Certified Wildlife Control Operator (CWCP®) who helps individuals, businesses, and agencies resolve wildlife damage issues through training, writing, expert witness, and research. He has written the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition. Reach him at wildlifecontrolconsultant at gmail dot com.

Family Survival of Cold Weather Injuries

By: Sebastian Berry

DISCLAIMER: Instructions and information provided here is not a substitute for professional medical care and treatment. If you are having an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number for assistance.

I do not claim credit to any images used unless specifically indicated. 

Stacey Lynn, in her previous post, wrote about some general winter safety/survival tips. In this most recent installment of knowledge building, let's talk cold weather injuries (CWI). These kinds of injuries go beyond what the general public would think of. Obviously we have to remember hypothermia and frostbite. We also have to keep in mind those injuries that are related to the cold weather and not just simply caused by the cold.

Thinking outside the box:

• Injuries from heaters/stoves
  
• Cold thermal burns
• Carbon Monoxide poisoning
• Injuries/accidents due to reduced physical/mental capacity from cold stress
  
• Dehydration
• Sunburn
• Snow Blindness
  

Believe it or not the Army actually knows some stuff about the various types of weather related injuries. Cold weather injuries slide show. The link with the slide show comes from the Army and is a general overview of various CWI and what to do to survive.

Let's start with the obvious-hypothermia. Hypothermia is defined as a core temperature of less than 95F/35C. The gold standard core temperature measurement is a rectal temperature. Believe me, when you tell someone that the first thing to check is a rectal temp, they will do whatever necessary to avoid that. Everyone knew what the silver bullet was, and it wasn't that cold can of Coors Light from the commercials
.

The premier treatment for hypothermia is rewarming and drying. This is accomplished by almost any method imaginable-from exercise to hot food to warm clothing and shelter. Rewarming must be done slowly however so as not to shock the body with too rapid a change. Getting and staying dry are just as important as getting and staying warm. If you get out of wet clothing to get warm and then get in wet clothing again, you are setting yourself up for failure and becoming a CWI.

If you talk to older folks about what they did to treat hypothermia, many might tell you that you needed to have a shot of brandy or rum. You may feel warmer for a moment from the flush that the alcohol might give but it actually does nothing to help you get warmer. While rewarming, avoidance of alcohol and nicotine are recommended.

Dehydration may seem  easy to prevent but in actuality we as humans suck at realizing we are getting dehydrated. Dehydration is much more sneaky in colder environments. There are many things that contribute to dehydration. Physical activity is probably the easiest to control. As we exert ourselves we use our hydration stores and we also sweat (which can also contribute to hypothermia). By the time you feel thirsty, you are already behind the curve when it comes to keeping hydrated.

Signs and symptoms of dehydration:

• Increasingly dark color of urine. Clear-->Yellow-->Orange-->Brown
  
• Thirst
• Excessive sweating
• Confusion
• Headache
• Rapid heart rate
• Cramps

In the way back, we used to be given salt tablets to mix in a canteen of water. A simple Google search shows that you can still find re-hydration salts. That has long since gone away in favor of sports drinks or other electrolyte replacements. Of course, the easiest treatment for dehydration is oral re-hydration if it can be tolerated. If not, then IV hydration needs to be accomplished and that is best left to the professionals.

Cold stress is exactly that-the increased stress put on your body by the cold. We hear all the time about folks that keel over and die of heart attacks while shoveling snow. It's more common than you think. So what do we do about it? You have to know your limitations and understand that being in the cold can limit your physical capability significantly.

Keep in mind that the type and amount of clothing you wear is important as well. I'll keep it simple- cotton kills! Yes, cotton is comfy and cozy when it is dry. As you begin to sweat though cotton will hold on to all that moisture making you a prime candidate for hypothermia via conduction and over exertion.

Something that people forget about in the cold are burns. In a previous post I wrote about burns here, any type of "hot" burn can also be caused by the cold. It doesn't matter the type of burn the initial treatment is the same-remove the source of the burn. You may not want to believe it but wearing sunscreen is just as important in the winter as it is in the summer. Some of the worst sunburns I have ever had were on my face after a day on the slopes.

One specific thing to the cold weather is snow blindness. Imagine a sunburn on your eye. It is incredibly irritating and can be very painful. It happens as UV rays are reflected off of snow and into the eye. The simple way to avoid snow blindness is to protect your eyes. I prefer polarized sunglasses and wear them regularly in almost every condition. This is the reason most skiers wear full goggles. Snow blindness is usually temporary and treated with prescription eye ointments.

Here's a breakdown of how to avoid CWI:

• Stay warm and dry
• Layer clothing
• Stay hydrated
• Avoid over exertion
• Protect your skin and eyes

Here's the breakdown of how to treat CWI:

• Get warm and dry
• Re-hydrate with oral fluids if possible
• Rest

I've only covered a few things here related to cold weather injuries and how to survive in the cold. What things do you have or do to survive the cold? Tell us in the comments.

Family Survival Christmas List...

Ladies and gentlemen, MERRY CHRISTMAS! This installment of practical wisdom may not really be classified as wisdom. However, I hope that my writing may give you some insight this giving season.

Have a person that is hard to shop for? Look no further, below is a list of things that any person might appreciate.

Being who I am the first thing that comes to mind to give to anyone is a simple first aid kit. Now, depending on the kind of giver you happen to be may determine how large or what kind of kit you give. In a couple of my previous posts, here and here, talk about things to include if you would like to build your own and make it personal. Otherwise you can buy a commercially available one using the following links:

First Aid Kit Hard Red Case 326 Pieces Exceeds OSHA and ANSI Guidelines 100 People - Office, Home, Car, School, Emergency, Survival, Camping, Hunting, and Sports

First Aid Kit Emergency Response Trauma Bag Complete

First Aid Kit - 163 Piece Waterproof Portable Essential Injuries & Red Cross Medical Emergency equipment kits : For Car Kitchen Camping Travel Office Sports And Home

Notice, I used all Amazon links. This is simply for my convenience. I trust you to be able to do your own research and shopping.

What is the Christmas season without some lights? Some of the staff here at Family Survival Farm were provided some light sources to test and review.

Tactical Flashlight, ThorFire 1100 Lumen Ultra Bright XPL2 Led Light with 5 Modes, VG10S Perfect for Camping,Hunting,Cycling, Powered by 18650 battery Not Included, VG10 Upgraded Version

ThorFire 18650 Flashlight with Battery and Charger, 1070 Lumen XML2 Led Ultra Bright EDC Pocket Light(VG15S) with 5 Modes for Camping, Hiking,Cycling

I really like both of these lights. They have been tough and the light is very bright, yet adjustable. I personally like the VG10 a little more only as a matter of preference. It is a little bit larger than the VG15. The VG15, to me, seems for suited for wear on a duty belt or a uniform and the VG10 is more of a worklight in the toolbox.

What survival-minded person couldn't appreciate a good multi-tool as a gift. Personally, it all comes down to preference. As a child I was gifted a Leatherman when I became an Eagle Scout. It has since seen several iterations due to damage and use (Leatherman has an awesome warranty policy). In the army they like to issue Gerber tools.  I think for ease of use and being tacti-cool, Gerber is a fine item to have in your kit. Leatherman is a classic, no frills, and no nonsense tool. As a nurse the Leatherman RAPTOR Emergency Medical Tool is my new gear crush. I have colleagues that have these and let's just say that I'm a little jealous. Even though these are marketed to Fire and EMS this kind of tool could see valuable use in the Family Survival situation.

Friends, what are you hoping to get for Christmas this year. Any new gear? Let us know what's on your list. Let us know what you get, send us some pictures in the comments.