Local interview with Ted Nugent

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3gZ7HaztzZHUVIxcVhJSXRoVUE/edit?usp=sharing

A Different look at Cold Weather Survival

Check it out: http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/phillips-on-cold-weather-survival

A Letter from a Military Vet, To the State of NY

http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/a-letter-from-a-military-vet-to-the-state-of-ny

Jack Spirko's Bug Out Bag

Check out Jack's presentation on Bug Out Bags: http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/power-point-deck-from-my-bug-out-bag-presentation

What is Gun Culture? It's Much More Than You Think

Preparedness: Family Cloth (Toilet Paper)

Guest Post: General Preparedness

You don’t know when an emergency may hit you or when a national emergency might
befall your area. Most people fall short of being prepared whenever something like this
happens and that is exactly what we want to avoid. That’s why even in times when
there’s no imminent danger of being caught in a calamity or any kind of emergency, you
should still be prepared and ready for whatever situation that might come.

Get enough food stored
Stored food for emergencies should be the first thing that you have to think about since
food supply might be scarce during an emergency or a calamity. On the onset of an
emergency, make sure that you have enough supply of ready-to-eat food for your family
(at least a week’s supply) that you will get the nourishment that you need. Also consider
that you need water in the process and having enough portable water jugs ready will
help you carry them faster. If you want to stay nourished with your family, make sure
that you have stored food for emergencies right in your cupboard. It beats having to wait
and depend on dole outs!

Make sure a medical kit is ready
Having injuries and being sick during an emergency may happen and it pays to be
ready with the proper cure than let a little cut cause a sever infection. Your medical kit
should include basic medicines like paracetamol, antibiotic, loperamide and amoxicillin.
You should also include cotton balls, hydrogen peroxide, betadine, forceps, gauze,
medical tape, scissors and some cloth strips for a tourniquet if you can. You would
need those medicines especially when you’re moved to an evacuation center where
everything is for public use: drinking stations, toilets, and even places to sleep. It’s not
really sanitary so you need medical reinforcements if ever you or one of the members of
your family catches a flu, cuts themselves or requires any first aid attention.

Prepare back-ups for communication
If you have your phones, always make sure that they are fully charged so you can
communicate with the outside world when you get stuck. Having a satellite phone would
be better as it won’t rely on local carriers. Stash an extra battery if you can and make
sure that you use your phone only for important and emergency purposes. Keep a
portable radio that may be recharged and battery-powered so that you’ll stay in touch
with the news even when there’s no electricity.

Remember to keep a list of possible evacuation areas. Being prepared a step ahead will
always work to your advantage and knowing exactly what to do in emergency situations
would help you and your family make your way to safety.

About the Author
Adeline is a food preparation expert from Orange County. If you like her articles about
preparing stored food for emergencies, please visit DailyBread.com.

References
American Red Cross: Prepare Your Home and Family;
http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family

United States Department of Labor: Emergency Preparedness and Response;
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypreparedness/index.html

72 Hours: Are You Prepared?;
http://72hours.org/

Free for Three Days – Don’t Pass this Up!

Winter Survival

Many survival rules apply across the board to everyone.  I would like to talk about survival in the winter.  The cold completely changes your priorities.  You can die from it in as little as three hours.  That makes it a top priority around here.  Whether you are in a house with no heat or lost in the woods, your number one priority needs to be shelter.

There are many layers of shelter to be considered.  Your first layer of defense is your clothing.  You need to be able to keep in your body heat while getting rid of excess moisture.  Cotton clothing will not do this for you.  Cotton will absorb moisture and leave you cold and wet.  The best way to control your body temperature is with layers of clothing.  Start with a base layer made of a breathable material such as polypropylene.  This will wick up any sweat and it will evaporate away from you.  Be aware that polypropylene will melt if it gets near an open flame or high heat.  Next comes an insulative layer.  Wool retains between 80 and 90 percent of its insulative properties when it is soaking wet.  Some synthetic materials may also be suitable for this as well.  Finally, a shell to keep you dry and to break the wind.  I personally prefer Gor-tex for this.  It is available in the military surplus market as well as the sporting goods market.  With these layers you should be able to last a while on foot.

Your next priority should be heat.  In the wilderness, this usually means fire.  In your home this may be your only option if there is no electricity.  You need to be able to start a fire and sustain it.  This will require fuel and an ignition source.  These are simple things you can carry all the time.  For example, you can carry a cigarette lighter for ignition and a piece of cloth or cotton for a starter fuel.  In wet conditions sustaining a fire can be a real challenge.  You may have to start small and as your fuel wood dries work your way up to a good fire.  You want to establish coals at the bottom to keep the fire alive through the night.  You must also be mindful of your exhaust.  Carbon Monoxide WILL kill you.  Make sure your smoke has a place to go.

The final priority should be a shelter from the elements such as snow, rain, and wind.  If you are in a building already than this is already accomplished.  If you are in the wilderness, you may have limited options.  Look for a natural shelter such as a cave or underneath a tree.  Avoid hazards like trees that are fallen.  They call them widow-makers for a reason.  If you can’t find anything already constructed, try to burrow in the snow or under a pine tree if it is available.  You need to insulate yourself from the ground or it will suck the heat right out of you.  Make a platform from whatever material you have to keep you off the ground.  If you are seeking rescue then you need to make yourself visible outside of your shelter.  Hang a brightly colored piece of material above you.  If you can, make a large X on the ground for over-passing aircraft.  Three fires in a triangle shape is also a sign of distress.

When you are done with your shelter you can concentrate on other priorities.  Food isn’t very important in the short term because you can last quite a while without it.  You will need water next.  Melting snow is a very slow method of obtaining water but it may be necessary.  If you get water from a stream or other source, make sure to boil it before drinking to avoid illness.  The last thing you need is to be sick in this situation.  You need to keep hydrated to keep your body temperature up.

I hope this has been informative to you.  Keep alive and keep safe.