ASG March 2018 by Vadim Koval

How-to: Stop The Bleed, Save Their Lives!

Vol. 7 Issue 3

BE READY TO ACT WITHIN 30 MINUTES AFTER SHTF

FOOD WATER SHELTER SECURITY COMMS HEALTH

MAKING

THE CUT

Testing the ESEE Junglas-II and PR4

SA’S SOCOM

16 CQB

Battle Tank Power With Sports Car Handling

SHARK

ATTACK?

Not as Deadly as You Think

PRESERVING

ONE’S SANITY

Stay Sane When You’re Solo DIGITAL ISSUES AVAILABLE ON WWW.ENGAGEDMEDIAINC.COM

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Hartland, WI U.S.A. / Toll Free: 1-877-BRAVO CO (1-877-272-8626) / Fax: 262-367-0989 / BravoCompanyMFG.com

FEATURES 12 WHEN THE COUNTDOWN STARTS

Be ready to act within 30 minutes after SHTF. By Brian Morris

30 PLAN OR PERISH

56 STOP THE BLEED!

Life-saving basics of hemorrhage control By Joe Alton, M.D.

98 PLAYING WITH FIRE How to make a DIY ﬁre kit

Organization and preparation are the keys to surviving disasters.

By Jim Cobb

By Dana Benner

REVIEWS

48 SURVIVAL, EVASION, RESISTANCE AND ESCAPE

U.S. Army Special Forces SERE School lessons you can use By Brian Morris

66 SHARK ATTACK?

It’s safer in the water than you think. By Al J. Venter

90 THE COMBAT CAREGIVER’S CONUNDRUM Keep your medic safe while you’re under ﬁre. By Joe Alton, M.D .

HOW-TO

40 MAKING THE CUT

The new Junglas-II and PR4 knives from the survival experts at ESEE By Paul Rackley

74 SPRINGFIELD ARMORY’S SOCOM 16 CQB

Main battle tank power in a sports car chassis

22 30

By Will Dabbs, M.D.

106 DOGWOOD CUSTOM KNIVES GO TO CAMP Putting the Echo-7 and Combat Kephart to the test By Reuben Bolieu

22 PRESERVING THE SOLO SURVIVOR’S SANITY

How to keep your head straight when you’re on your own By Michael D’Angona

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE (ISSN 2331-8937) is published eight times a year—January, March, April, June, July, September, October, December—by Engaged Media, Inc., 17890 Sky Park Circle, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92614. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to American Survival Guide c/o VSI, Inc. 905 Kent Street Liberty, MO 64068. © 2018 by Engaged Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. GST #855050365RT001 Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: PITNEY BOWES, INC. P.O. Box 25542 London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

GEAR GUIDE

READY FOR ANYTHING

Great gear you can use in multiple scenarios

By ASG staff

DEPARTMENTS

FIRST WORDS

NEW PRODUCTS

114

LAST WORDS

106

Some articles in this issue might include stock images that are the property of Getty Images.

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 03

EDITORIAL Mike McCourt Editor Kelly Nomura Executive Managing Editor Amy Maclean Managing Editor DESIGN Nadezda Sverdlova Art Director CONTRIBUTORS Joe Alton, M.D., Dana Benner, Reuben Bolieu, Jim Cobb, Michael D'Angona, Will Dabbs, M.D., Brian M. Morris, Paul Rackley, Al J. Venter

ADVANCING INTOTHE FUTURE

elcome to the newest evolution of

enhancing the longevity of the magazine in your archives.

American Survival Guide! We hope

For decades, ASG has been a trusted and dependable

you will like the improvements

resource, making us uniquely able to deliver articles

we’ve made.

that range across an expanding variety of topics. These

Prepping is about learning new

upgrades will not only look better, they will enable us to

skills, reﬁning those you already have and making calculated

improve the quality and usefulness of the information

adjustments to your everyday life so you will be ready for

we bring you. More than just cosmetic changes, ASG’s

changes to your environment and your way of life.

upgrades will include new content that will make you

ASG has been a significant part of the prepping and sur-

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In addition, ASG's 12 monthly issues will now include our annual Buyer’s Guide and three new special interest issues, making your subscription an even better value. This new strategy allows us to make more improvements

Shooter’s Journal, the venerable forebearer of ASG, hit the

to our online presence, as well. As many ASG fans have

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and title changes, course corrections and other updates

content available at ASGMAG.com, and we’re adding more

that have kept us at the forefront of the industry. Like the

every week. Online access is a convenient way to search

prepping and survivalist world, we’ve had an interesting

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see them in greater detail. The new cover and page papers

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we’re using are beefier and provide the added benefit of

We look forward to serving you better for many years to come. —Mike McCourt

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

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4 2

1 KUHL Free Rydr One of the best constructed pants we’ve encountered, KUHL’s Free Rydr features a modern cut with a slimmed-down, tapered ﬁt and a plethora of features perfect for any adventurer. KUHL pants are known for their comfort and ruggedness, which includes a gusseted crotch and articulated knees for freedom of movement without crowding your "crown jewels." Reinforced pockets and bottom cuffs help reduce wear and tear.

MSRP: $79 www.Kuhl.com

BioLite BaseLantern XL

Stanley Adventure Prep SAM Splint (36”) + Eat Frying Pan System Getting injured while on the trail is no laughing

BioLite’s “ﬂatpack” lantern combines variable brightness 500-lumen lighting with a 12,000 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery for a maximum of 78 hours of runtime. It is equipped with Bluetooth connectivity with your smartphone for complete lighting control, timer, proximity activation, lighting color change and real-time energy feedback. Its stainless steel legs fold for easy storage or to be hung from a tree branch or even your tent. It can also charge your other devices with its USB power port.

MSRP: $130 www.BioliteEnergy.com

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

Cooking is essential to living, even when you’re far from home. Stanley’s frying pan system allows you to pack the comforts of your kitchen into a space-saving package. This compact, nine-piece nesting set comes with a multilayered-base frying pan for even heating, place settings for two, a surface-protecting, heat-resistant silicone trivet, cutting board and a collapsible spatula.

MSRP: $35 www.Stanley-PMI.com

4 matter. Immobilizing broken or fractured bones is one of the ﬁrst steps for treatment. The SAM Splint is an aluminum splint covered with closed-cell foam that can be formed to almost any shape required for immobilizing a number of different injuries. It’s a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected; one way is to keep a SAM Splint available in your rig or backpack, just in case.

MSRP: $15 www.SAMMedical.com

8 6

7 5 5

Keyport Pivot

Lowa Innox Evo GTX QC

MSR Dromedary Bag

ROM Pack

Looking for a way to organize your unruly keychain? Combining a key holder with a Swiss Army Knife, the Pivot is a modular multi-tool that holds up to a combination of nine of your existing keys and Keyport’s tool inserts and tech modules. The optional inserts and modules include a USB flash drive, pen, knife, mini-flashlight and more. The Pivot also comes with a free, two-year subscription to KeyportID, an online lostand-found service that can reunite you with your lost keys.

A new quarter-cut version of Lowa’s popular Innox Evo trail shoes, this athletic-style, all-around activity shoe is suitable for exploring hiking trails. Yet, it is lightweight enough for comfortable everyday wear. The seamless upper construction is set on Lowa’s proprietary DynaPU midsole for lightweight cushioning, durability and comfort. It is equipped with Gore-Tex, ensuring it is waterproof and breathable.

Water is essential for survival, but how should you carry it? MSR’s completely collapsible Dromedary water storage bag is made with a tough, 1,000 Denier nylon exterior and is laminated with a BPA-free, foodgrade lining for better-tasting water. It can handle freezing and abuse from just about any adventure and still come out unscathed. Available accessories, such as Shower and Hydration kits, add to its versatility. This bag comes in 4-, 6- and 10-liter sizes.

Having a go-to backpack is important for any adventurer. Designed as a 3-in-1 system, the ROM Pack is a convertible backpack you can fully transform into either a wearable poncho with a hood or a blanket that’s soft on one side and water resistant on the other. Its many features include comfortable wide and padded shoulder straps for better weight distribution and a 3,000-cubic-inch load capacity.

MSRP: Starts at $20

www.LowaBoots.com

www.MyKeyport.com

MSRP: $190

MSRP: $40–$50 www.MSRGear.com

MSRP: $70 www.ROMOutdoors.com

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11 9

12 10 9

Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Explorer Kit

Ruko RUK0061BZ

UCO Flatpack Grill and Fire Pit

Vargo Titanium Folding Spork

Nothing beats the stainless steel Flatpack portable grill from UCO for convenience and versatility. It’s sturdy enough to cook a full meal on or for use as a fire pit that keeps your firewood clear of wet ground. Vented windbreaks on both ends protect your fire from gusts, helping to maintain a more uniform heat source. The grill unfolds from its compact 13 x 10 x 1.5 inch packed size and is ready to go in less than a minute. Weighing just 3.2 pounds, the Flatpack is as portable as it is durable.

Solve your eating utensil dilemma with this ultra compact and lightweight titanium folding spork! It ﬁts almost anywhere in your backpack, cooking pot or even a pocket. Features include folding for compact storage, a sliding lock for secure usage and pure titanium construction. This spork is available in four colors (natural [shown], blue, lavender and yellow) so that you will always know where it is and which one is yours.

MSRP: $49.99

www.VargoOutdoors.com

Don’t let a minor boo-boo sideline you from exploring the trail up ahead. The Explorer medical kit is designed for families or smaller groups on weeklong adventures. Suited for extended camping or long stretches on the trail, the kit is outfitted with first aid supplies to take care of a variety of injuries and ailments—from cuts and sprains to allergies and dehydration. Comprehensive, yet compact, the Explorer can easily fit into your rig or even your daypack.

Having an easy-to-spot, easy-to-grip knife within arm's reach when you’re exploring the backwoods is always a good idea. Whether you need it for everyday tasks or an emergency, this folding knife in Blaze Orange would be hard to miss. Features include a 440A stainless steel blade, nonslip rubberized aluminum handle with grip tape inserts, reversible pocket clip, ambidextrous thumb stud and locking liner design. This knife measures 4.75 inches closed, and its blade length is 3.25 inches.

MSRP: $59

MSRP: $27

www.AdventureMedicalKits.com

www.RukoProducts.com

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

www.UCOGear.com

MSRP: $15

15 13 14

16 13

Cauldryn Fyre Mobile

Nanuk 330 Nano

Cauldryn’s Fyre Mobile combines a vacuum bottle, heating element and a battery to provide you with the power to boil water or maintain your hot beverage’s ideal temperature. The 16-ounce, stainless steel vacuum bottle allows cold beverages to stay cold for long periods of time and hot beverages to stay hot—even without power to the unit. It has ﬁve heating modes: Boil (212 degrees F), Brew (195–205 degrees F), Extra Hot (160–170 degrees F) and two Hot modes (135–145/125–135 degrees F). Its rechargeable battery makes the platform a go-anywhere option for adventurers on the go.

Outdoor adventures mean exposure to the elements. Protect your gear with an impact-resistant, waterproof case. The Nano series cases are made to protect pocket-sized items such as smart phones, wallets and cameras. With three sizes and eight colors to choose from, the 330 is the largest in the series. Features include a Smart Strap for different carrying modes, a protective web to help hold gear in place and a PowerClaw latch system that helps keep it closed, even under stress.

SKB Cases Tackle Box 7100

Tenkara Rod Mini Sawtooth Package

A throwback to the tackle box your grandfather used, the Tackle Box 7100 uses vintage design with modern, state-of-the-art technology to create an efficient and rugged tackle box. The lid opens 90 or 180 degrees to access items through a clear acrylic door. There are four storage boxes with dividers, a hanging jig area that accommodates more than 40 jigs and four Rocket Launcher rod tubes. The unconditional lifetime warranty ensures this tackle box will stand the test of time.

MSRP: $35

MSRP: $290

Never again pass up an opportunity to fish! Small, lightweight and beautifully crafted from high-quality carbon fiber, the Mini Sawtooth fishing rod weighs only 1.1 ounces. When collapsed, it measures slightly less than 14 inches in length. However, when expanded, it is 8 feet, 8 inches long. This rod is recommended for catching fish weighing up to 1 pound. The Mini Sawtooth package comes with everything you need to fish: the rod, line, flies, line clips, 5x tippet, rod sock, rod tube—and a lifetime warranty.

MSRP: $130

www.Nanuk.com

www.SKBCases.com

www.Cauldryn.com

MSRP: $199 www.TenkaraRodCo.com

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Â© GETTY IMAGES

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

WHEN THE COUNTDOWN STARTS BE READY TO ACT WITHIN 30 MINUTES AFTER SHTF. BY BRIAN MORRIS

he ﬁrst 30 minutes after the SHTF could be the most critical

moments of your life and the lives of the ones you love. This short window could easily make the difference between whether you survive or just become another tragic statistic. If my more than 25 years of service with the U.S. Army and the

Special Forces taught me anything, it was that proper prior planning prevents pisspoor performance when things start to go downhill around you. You can have all the “high-speed/low-drag” gear that money can buy, and it won’t mean a damned thing if you have not devised a solid plan that you rehearsed and improved upon long before a SHTF event takes place.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

of things you need to purchase to get ready for the apocalypse; there are more than a few such articles, books and DVDs on just that topic. So, I will only say that thinking you are going to go to

i In a life-and-death scenario as a result of which your loved ones are vulnerable and in danger, your first priority, above all others, needs to be security.

I am not going to ﬁll this article with long lists

the grocery store, the pharmacy or Wal-Mart after a SHTF scenario kicks off is a lot of wishful thinking. If the past is indicative of what the future holds, you can look at any time the United States was hit by a major storm to be reminded that the shelves will empty almost immediately. The time to stock up on food, water, fuel, guns, ammunition and medical supplies is now. Enough said.

SETTING PRIORITIES So, now that we are prepared for the worst life has to offer, what do we do when the time comes to put all that preparation and training to use? Priority number one: security, security, security! Are you safe from any immediate threat? Can you help others to safety? This must take priority above all other situations that might be developing around you. In combat, when one of my comrades gets wounded, he is left to tend to his own wounds threat. Once we are able to suppress the enemy contact and are conﬁdent that the situation is secure enough, we go to the aid of the wounded. When the SHTF, it might not be a conventional direct-ﬁre combat scenario, but the approach should be similar, and it will serve you well to adopt it in a new and uncertain world. Your security and that of your loved ones takes precedence over medical aid, food, water, shelter … everything. Falling victim yourself because you failed to react in a timely manner is not going to do anyone any good. Break contact from the immediate threat, dress your wounds and the wounds of those you are with, and then, you can move on to the next step of assessing what has happened.

DETERMINING THE SCENARIO Once you are safe from any immediate threat, it is time to identify the problem. This might not be as easy as it sounds—particularly in a situation where all lines of communication might have been shut off, such as after an EMP (electromagnetic pulse). Certain government entities, the military and even some preppers might have the capability to maintain communication after such an event, but the general public most likely will not be able to contact authorities and others who could have critical information about what the current situation is. In cases other than a grid-down situation, news on television and radio stations through the

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

i One of the reasons to get away from huge population centers after a catastrophe is that there will be so many people competing for so few resources— which so often leads to violence and theft.

while the rest of us neutralize the immediate

YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE “HIGH-SPEED/ LOW-DRAG” GEAR THAT MONEY CAN BUY, AND IT WON’T MEAN A DAMNED THING IF YOU HAVE NOT DEVISED A SOLID PLAN THAT YOU REHEARSED AND IMPROVED UPON LONG BEFORE A SHTF EVENT TAKES PLACE.

PRIORITY NUMBER ONE: SECURITY, SECURITY, SECURITY! ARE YOU SAFE FROM ANY IMMEDIATE THREAT? CAN YOU HELP OTHERS TO SAFETY?

Emergency Alert System should be able to give you some idea of what the situation is so you can decide what to do next. In the event that such information is not readily available, you’ll have to do some investigating of your own before moving to the next step. First, assuming that the power grid has been affected, you will want to know what type of power outage has occurred. If it was just a standard outage, certain electronic items, such as your cell phone or ﬂashlight, should still work. You should also check your vehicle to see if it is functioning properly. Cars made after the late 1980s to early 1990s have a considerable amount of electronics that can be rendered nonfunctional by EMPs. This doesn’t necessarily mean an EMP will keep your vehicle from starting; we just can’t know now what would happen if such an event occurred. It would be dependent on the location, strength and altitude of the EMP, itself, as well as how well protected the electronic equipment in your vehicle is. Many preppers keep HAM radios and other electronic equipment inside a Faraday cage or similar enclosures to protect them from EMPs. The bottom

you are dealing with and then move on to step two and plan for the worst case.

awareness to determine the most likely scenario

line is that you will have to use all your situational

h Above: You don’t have to look too hard around the world to find examples—such as the war-torn Syrian landscape depicted here—of what could happen if a major catastrophic event were to play out in the United States.

h Left: If you wait too long to bug out, the roads will eventually jam up as cars begin to overheat or run out of fuel—at which point driving out will become futile.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

i Top, left: HAM radios are an outstanding way to stay in contact with others and to keep informed of the emergency situation when other lines of communication are not available.

i Top, right: A TV monitor shows the first test of the new Emergency Alert System (EAS) on November 9, 2011, in Washington, D.C. EAS alerts are transmitted over radio and television broadcast stations, cable television and other media services. (Photo: Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images)

i Above: Keeping an emergency get-home bag in your vehicle at all times will ensure you always have what you need in the event you are forced to abandon your vehicle and move on foot to get back home.

BUG IN OR BUG OUT? The next step is situationally dependent. Obviously, if you are in the vicinity of “ground zero” of any disaster, your ﬁrst priority is to put as much distance between yourself and the immediate danger as quickly as possible. Assuming the threat is not immediate, you need to make a decision to bug in or bug out. If you are planning to bug in,

there are a few things you can do to prolong your survivability in the days, weeks, and even months and years to come. Water should be one of your ﬁrst priorities, depending on where you live, what the nature of the event was and what type of water system provides you with fresh drinking water. Fill all your sinks, tubs and spare containers with fresh water

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

i Right: If the phone lines or cell towers are still functioning, take advantage of them by calling all your loved ones and letting them know the time has come to drop what they are doing and move to the predetermined rendezvous location.

from the faucet. There is no telling how long the

THE TIME TO STOCK UP ON FOOD, WATER, FUEL, GUNS, AMMUNITION AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES IS NOW. ENOUGH SAID.

water will continue to flow, and you can expect to go through your water supply quite quickly, even at the conservative estimate of 2 gallons per day per person for drinking water, personal hygiene and cooking. Even if you already have a dependable natural

h Left: The time to build your bug-out bag and stock up on emergency supplies is now—not after an emergency has occurred.

water source or are stocked up on water, it can never hurt to have a little more until you figure things out. Therefore, I would suggest storing every bit of water you can as soon as possible after a SHTF event begins. Remember that emergency situations such as this are often quite ﬂuid, and what is a safe haven one day might be overrun by lawless hordes the next. Because of this, it is a smart idea to have a bug-out bag (BOB) for each member of your party packed and ready to go at a moment’s notice. There is plenty of information online (including at ASGMAG.com) concerning what to put in your BOB. Be careful, though, because some sites will have you put together an 80- to 100-pound BOB Keep in mind that first and foremost, this is your bag, and its contents might be the only possessions you will bring to a new and uncer-

h Below: Make sure your bug-out plan is appropriate for the needs of all those in your family unit, including children, the elderly, pets and anyone with special needs.

tain location, so pack it according to your plan,

that you can barely lift or carry.

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i If the catastrophic event that takes place involves chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear contamination, it is absolutely imperative to seek out a decontamination station as quickly as possible. Monitor the media for information on locations of decontamination stations erected nearest to your location.

needs and capabilities. You must be brutally honest with yourself. If you are an overweight 40-something who has a bum shoulder, the Spec-Ops Grappling Hook you purchased online is probably not going to do you much good; maybe you should consider a tube of Aspercreme and a reusable heat pack instead. Finally, as quickly as possible, attempt to communicate with the remainder of your party in order to get them all back to your home location or ensure they have a safe place to take refuge. This can be a difficult task, because phone lines, if still intact, could be jammed with call volume. Often, the average American family is spread out across the state, country and even the world. If it’s a plausible option, it is imperative to have a plan for rallying together as soon as possible after disaster strikes. Put it into place now, because you can’t always count on electronic means to facilitate this reunion, and you will not have time to devise

and communicate a plan while you’re taking care of

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h Make sure everyone in your family has an appropriately sized backpack that is not so heavy they could not carry it for long distances.

IN THE EVENT YOU ARE FORCED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME, LEAVING A LOAD SIGNAL FOR THE MISSING MEMBERS OF YOUR PARTY WILL LET THEM KNOW WHERE YOU HAVE GONE SO THEY CAN HEAD THERE THEMSELVES.

h Left: If your bug-out plan is to go into the wilderness and live off the land, you had better become highly proficient at doing so long before such a decision becomes necessary to execute. Many people have starved to death in natural resource-rich environments due to inexperience, ignorance and unwarranted confidence in their own ability to survive in the outdoors.

h Below, left: Accurately shooting a firearm and being able to employ one in a life-or-death situation is a highly perishable skill set. You are no more than a liability if you own a firearm and don’t regularly practice using it. h Below, right: Being able and ready to make a fire is an essential skill you must master.

REMEMBER THAT EMERGENCY SITUATIONS SUCH AS THIS ARE OFTEN QUITE FLUID, AND WHAT IS A SAFE HAVEN ONE DAY MIGHT BE OVERRUN BY LAWLESS HORDES THE NEXT. business at home. It is also quite possible you will have to evacuate your homestead location before all members of your party are reunited there. In the Special Forces, when we engage in evasion and recovery operations, we set something called a “load signal,” which is noth© GETTY IMAGES

ing more than a visual signal displayed in a covert manner to indicate the presence of an individual at a given location. This technique will work well to assist in letting members of your party know you © GETTY IMAGES

bug-out location. In the event you are forced to leave your home, leaving a load signal for the missing members of so they can head there themselves. The signal can really be anything, as long as it can’t be easily removed, and everyone in your party knows what it represents. They should know where to go in the

your party will let them know where you have gone

h Bottom, left: It is a good practice to always keep on hand at least 90 days’ worth of all your most vital prescription medications in the event an emergency occurs that would leave pharmacies’ shelves empty. h Bottom, right: Fresh water should be one of your first priorities directly after an emergency situation takes place. Fill all your tubs, sinks and spare containers with water from the faucet. © GETTY IMAGES

have left your homestead and are headed to your

event of a major catastrophe and what to do next if it is not possible to go to the original link-up spot.

FORMULATE AN APPROPRIATE PLAN Your plan will be unique to your needs and situation, but the important thing is that everyone

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

knows and has rehearsed the plan with all the parties involved so you can work out any ﬂaws prior to having to put it into practice. Once you are in a relatively safe location, it is a smart idea to team up with other like-minded and trustworthy individuals in your area. This

FAILING TO ACT SWIFTLY AND PURPOSEFULLY DIRECTLY AFTER A SHTF SCENARIO OCCURS COULD SQUANDER ALL YOUR PREPARATIONS AND TRAINING.

larger group can assess the situation at large and start delegating priorities of work so you can pool resources, skills and manpower for the betterment of all. A true SHTF situation will be difficult—if not impossible—to go through alone, and you will need all the help you can get. Remember, you have to come up with a plan that ﬁts your group and your needs so that you’ll be organized and ready to move within 30 minutes after a catastrophic event strikes. If you have very young, very old or very sick members to take care of, you need to take that into consideration when you formulate your plan. God willing, a doomsday scenario will never happen to you, and life will go on in relative peace and harmony. But if the stuff ever does hit the fan, you have an opportunity now to prepare for it and potentially save the lives of everyone and everything that means anything to you by being ready to act quickly and decisively. Failing to act swiftly and purposefully directly after a SHTF scenario occurs could squander © GETTY IMAGES

all your preparations and training. Plan now so that when/if the time comes, you will be ready to survive

and thrive in an uncertain and volatile future.

h Above: In the event of a national disaster, it is quite possible that martial law will be declared. In such a case, you can expect curfews, armed military patrols on the streets and extreme restrictions on your freedom of movement.

h Left: If a national disaster or catastrophic event occurs, FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) will almost certainly establish local displaced-person camps for citizens who were forced to leave their homes. While this might be a viable option for you, there is no guarantee as to how quickly these camps will be established or information about how quickly they will reach maximum capacity after an emergency occurs.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

HOW TO MAINTAIN GOOD MENTAL HEALTH WHEN YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN BY MICHAEL D’ANGONA

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

umans are social animals. They

all forms of interaction, whether at work, school

naturally enjoy, and have a

or just having some fun.

need for, constant social inter-

But what happens when someone doesn’t have

action. Sure, everyone looks

the choice to be part of a social group? What

forward to some quiet time—

happens to their mindset when they’re abruptly

time to recharge their worn-down batteries,

separated from others, and verbal or physical

time to take things slowly. But then, the urge to

interaction between them and other people stops

be part of a group, to socialize with friends, fam-

cold? The short answer: It will eventually drive

ily and colleagues drifts back into their psyche,

them to the point of insanity. This fact, coupled

and they once again join other human beings in

with the idea that, at times, a person can’t control

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

kidnapper or predator, and even being lost in the

... A PERSON CAN OVERCOME THE MENTAL DETERIORATION CAUSED BY ISOLATION— BUT ONLY IF THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY AND, EQUALLY IMPORTANTLY, EMOTIONALLY.

wilderness, desert or other outdoor environment.

cases, stress is the first physical and mental obstacle someone in this type of situation will encounter.

Bear in mind, however, that a person can over-

Stress can then lead to a number of other, more-serious issues, including increased anxiety, paranoia

come the mental deterioration caused by isola-

and repeated obsessive thoughts. From there, the decline of mental facilities can become extreme as

the situation that forces them to become secluded from others, could result in a very scary, yet very possible, scenario. This can occur after such diverse events as a person’s boat capsizing, being trapped after a natural disaster, being held hostage by a

tion—but only if they know what to do physically, mentally and, equally importantly, emotionally.

THE EFFECTS OF ISOLATION The negative effects of being isolated from other humans can manifest, surprisingly, within a short amount of time for some people. This could mean a few weeks, days or, in extreme cases, a matter of hours. People have different

h Right: Isolation in a room completely devoid of color or objects can further add to an already tormented mind. Kidnapped victims are often locked away for days, weeks, months or longer in such conditions.

tolerances for being alone, and, once they are exceeded, their overarching need to interact with others becomes a potential liability. That said, even the most mentally tough individuals will exhibit some of the common symptoms brought on by this type of discomfort at some point. Isolation, especially if coupled with the aftermath of a man-made or natural disaster, will undoubtedly cause a person stress. In most

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

h Below: Going off by yourself can be a great way to relax— unless it was not by choice and you have no plan or provisions for getting back to your comfort zone.

hallucinations become common. Ultimately, the only way to escape the constant “mental pounding” is, unfortunately, suicide. Keep in mind that not all people will experience this entire range of isolation traits or in the same straightforward sequence. There are also plenty of independent variables that will be in play in such a situation. However, the individual’s overall level of co-dependency upon other human beings can have the greatest effect on their mental health. While some people can’t handle being alone, whether on a romantic level or by having friends constantly surrounding them, others fare well living a semi-isolated life with little interaction with others. Those with jobs that don’t require the need to interact with other people, such as

DOWNTIME EQUALS DISASTER Doing nothing can be disastrous. The idea of sitting and waiting for someone to appear and save you

work-from-home computer programmers, writers,

or that your situation will change with you literally doing nothing will be detrimental to your physical,

or third-shift watchmen or guards, constantly live

mental and emotional well-being. Keeping active physically and mentally will help a person maintain

a partially solo life and are better suited to deal

their sanity while also perhaps creating a means to save themselves—or, at the very least, increase their

with a situation in which they find themselves

chances of being spotted by rescuers.

disconnected from other humans. Conversely, those who constantly need interaction, whether on their social media networks or within a tight-knit group of regulars who work or socialize together, will be more likely to break down quicker mentally and will be overcome with the effects of isolation at a much greater rate.

h Above, left: Doing nothing is not only nonproductive, it will also deteriorate your mental, physical and emotional states at a much quicker rate than when you are constantly active.

The focus one should have during a period of isolation is on the small picture. This means that instead

ISOLATION, ESPECIALLY IF COUPLED WITH THE AFTERMATH OF A MAN-MADE OR NATURAL DISASTER, WILL UNDOUBTEDLY CAUSE A PERSON STRESS.

h Above, right: Extended periods of time spent alone outdoors can drive even the most stable person to the brink of insanity.

h Being alone in the woods could have a claustrophobic effect on a person’s mind: They might believe their surroundings are closing in on them.

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PUSH-UPS FOR YOUR BRAIN

KEEPING ACTIVE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY WILL HELP A PERSON MAINTAIN THEIR SANITY WHILE ALSO PERHAPS CREATING A MEANS TO SAVE THEMSELVES—OR, AT THE VERY LEAST, INCREASE THEIR CHANCES OF BEING SPOTTED BY RESCUERS.

Mental toughness is the number-one tool needed when enduring both a survival situation and isolation from others for an extended period of time. But, like lifting weights in a gym to transform your body from weak to strong, you need to exercise your mind constantly to keep it sharp and ready to tackle an unexpected stint of seclusion. The following activities can hone your mind to a razor-sharp edge, allowing you a distinct advantage when the enemy called “loneliness” rears its ugly head. Use your weaker hand. Positive, increased brain activity can occur when you attempt to do ordinary tasks such as brushing your teeth or eating your lunch primarily with your “weaker” hand. The longterm beneﬁt is that you will eventually become ambidextrous. Close your eyes to heighten your remaining senses. Do simple (and safe) activities while keeping your eyes closed. This will force your brain to use your other senses to get the job done, whether it’s folding clothes or showering. Turn your world upside down. Wear your watch, read a note or look at a painting upside down. This stimulates your brain and forces it to “go the extra mile” to interpret what is being observed. Change your routine. Your brain, on “autopilot” when taking the route to work, school or home, receives little new stimulation. Shake things up a bit by varying your path and changing your daily regimen, creating new stimuli for your brain and different scenery for you. Read with your mouth. Reading aloud engages the imagination in a different way than reading silently. The brain is stimulated diversely when a word is spoken, read or heard. Take up meditation. Train your brain to slow down its 70,000 thoughts a day. That is, without a doubt, a true mental workout! Go “old-school.” Ditch the cellphone (at least sometimes) and learn your friends’ and family’s phone numbers. Do basic math in your head or with paper and pencil, or follow a paper map. Get physical. This one is simple: The greater the amount of physical exercise you do, the more feel-good chemicals (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins) get released. Learn new things. Another simple one: Learning new things makes your brain do more work. Learning music, sculpting, knitting or nearly anything new can do the trick.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

i Focusing on one aspect of your situation, such as building a shelter, will enable you to keep your mind off the big, scary picture while meeting some of your immediate survival needs.

of constantly trying to figure out everything about how they can survive their current circumstances, a person should only focus on one small, but important, task and complete it. This could be creating a fire, building a secure shelter or even something as simple as laying out, organizing and inventorying all their gear and supplies. These are things that will distract a person’s mind from their perception of the doom and dread surrounding them and create a sense of accomplishment. When one “chore” is complete, another should be started to never let the mind slip into a state of downtime, which can further spiral into a full mental and emotional breakdown. Remember, as with so many other aspects of life, it’s easier to break down your entire “big picture” into many smaller segments and address those than it is to try tackling the incredibly large problem you face as

i Pastimes that keep your mind working and hands moving (such as wood-carving) help fend off boredom and seem to make the time you are alone outdoors go faster.

h Left: Even a simple figurine on a key chain can become an isolated person’s new “friend.” Talking to inanimate objects can help keep a person from literally losing their mind when alone for a long time.

h Right: A favorite toy or stuffed animal can become a companion if you’re on your own for an extended period of time. Talking to something other than yourself helps keep an isolated person sane and mentally sharp.

one, single challenge. If you don’t, you will be overwhelmed and will most likely give up far sooner.

DO THE UNCONVENTIONAL How can a person cope when isolated from other human beings for a long period of time? The key to literally not losing their mind lies in some unorthodox methods to keep their brain thinking that they are not truly alone. The first, and perhaps most-used, technique is to find a higher meaning, higher power or any comparable symbol. By viewing your situation as a test or a challenge put forth by an unexplainable powerful source, you will give your ordeal a meaning above that of just being lost and alone. Another common technique that can be utilized is to anthropomorphize objects around you. To prevent atrophy, talking to inanimate objects can stimulate your mind. This also will lessen the constant “talking to yourself” that, in the long run, can become detrimental to your mental well-being. Nearly any object can be given human traits and become your “friend” during your isolation period. This process can give a sense of comfort. The volleyball that was named “Wilson” by Tom Hanks’ character in the ﬁlm, Cast Away, comes to mind. When devoid of everyday objects you are accustomed to seeing and interacting with, creating one is the next best thing. From a stuffed animal to your backpack to even a tree exhibiting human facial features, it doesn’t have to make logical sense, but it will help maintain your sanity for a longer period of time than if you only spoke to and answered yourself. Sounds, too, can take on human characteristics. From the chatting of a flock of birds or insects at night, the unique sounds of nature can compare

i Changing the way you think about your situation, say, from fearing for your life to participating in an epic contest with nature, can reduce stress and fear and build a competitive and confident outlook.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

h Writing in a journal not only helps pass the time, it will also make a great reference book to help you reflect on your time alone after you get back home.

WHILE SOME PEOPLE CAN’T HANDLE BEING ALONE … OTHERS FARE WELL LIVING A SEMI-ISOLATED LIFE WITH LITTLE INTERACTION WITH OTHERS. h Far left: If you find yourself alone, use the advantage of higher terrain or man-made structures to try to identify where you are—a key requirement to determining how to get back to civilization. h Near left: Some of our best thinking is done when we're alone. Just be sure to keep thoughts positive and constructive ... or you might spiral into a dark emotional place.

to humans talking or children giggling. Still

is a difference between choosing to be alone and being forced to be alone, the way a person should

another technique is to find a true, living friend.

approach it is very nearly the same.

A squirrel always nearby, a woodpecker knocking

For someone planning a months-long excursion into the outdoors with minimal gear and supplies,

on a tree or a fish constantly swimming near the

isolation is a given. They use the time away from others to reflect on their life—free of the daily

edge of a pond can provide a flesh-and-blood

distractions that plague them regularly. They gain a greater respect for nature and become attuned

companion that will give you daily interaction.

to the “vibration” of the outdoors, as animals naturally do.

NOT ALWAYS A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE

conjunction with a person’s physical surroundings. Again, when someone is forced through no

As contradictory as it might sound, at times, isolation can sharpen the mind and brain in

Being alone doesn’t have to be a harmful, negative experience. While it’s true that there

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

fault of their own into a situation far removed from other humans, the experience, once panic has subsided, can be an enlightening one for the individual—if they can get past the negativity of the bigger situation.

FOR YOUR PEACE OF MIND The best way to deal with unplanned isolation is to avoid that situation ... easier said than done, of course, especially with the unpredictability of life. However, there are many gadgets and electronic devices one can use to help avoid such

a mind- and body-crippling experience. From simple-to-use to multi-featured, high-tech items, getting home will be a lot easier, and peace of mind will reign when you have one or more of these life-saving devices.

1. Spot Gen3 Satellite Personal Tracker When you crave outdoor adventure and travel much farther than cell phone coverage allows, the Spot Gen3 should be in your pocket at all times. Utilizing the latest GPS technology, this pocket lifesaver features track messaging that is programmable for variable intervals, motion-activated tracking, sending messages to friends and family, and an extremely long battery life. One push of the button, and rescuers will be on their way to your location. It couldn’t be easier. The Spot Gen3 is built tough to endure the rugged outdoors.

MSRP: $149.99 (service plan required) www.FindMeSpot.com

2. Yellow Submarine Motorcycle/ ATV GPS Tracker

Sometimes, you can’t stop yourself from racing through the backwoods on your motorbike or ATV as time and familiar locations ﬂy by. But then, you end up lost. This tiny tracker, weighing less than 1.5 ounces, is equipped to be GPS-, cellular- and Bluetooth-compatible and will constantly let others know exactly where you are at all times. You don’t need to worry about getting lost any longer. Enjoy your day and night with constant peace of mind that you will be found if the worst happens to you.

MSRP: $49.99 ($19.99/month; service plan) www.FindMyScout.com

3. Thuraya XT-PRO Dual Satellite Phone This revolutionary dual satellite phone allows you to move in and out of terrestrial coverage with ease, providing constant connectivity—no matter where you are in the world. The compact, handheld unit features satellite and GSM networks, two SIM card slots, multiple navigation systems and talk time up to an amazing 11 hours (100 hours of standby time). Shockproof, water- and dust-resistant, this phone will stand up to whatever nature throws at it and come back working for you when needed.

1 5 4

MSRP: $915 (service plan required) www.SatPhoneStore.com

4. Lezyne Micro C GPS Watch Designed for the ultimate outdoor sportsman, the compact, yet powerful, Lezyne Micro C GPS Watch performs when it counts. It is packed with cutting-edge features such as GPS tracking, connectivity to heart rate and speed monitors, turn-by-turn navigation, live tracking, and phone calls and messages (when paired with the app). A stylish band keeps this unit always nearby, and its included USB port makes charging easy—providing more than 100 hours of runtime and up to 14 consecutive hours in GPS mode. It includes a handlebar mount adaptor and is available in black or light-blue TPR bands.

MSRP: From $169.99 (service plan required)

www.Lezyne.com

5. ACR ResQLink Personal Locator Beacon Small and compact, the ACR ResQLink Personal Locator Beacon offers three levels of integrated signal technology. Utilizing GPS positioning, a powerful 406 MHz signal and 121.5 MHz homing capabilities, this pocket-sized device will quickly and accurately relay your position throughout a worldwide network of searchand-rescue satellites. The unit offers a durable, buoyant shell, a super-bright strobe light for night rescues, long performance battery output and no subscription fees. This personal locator beacon is a must-have for any outdoor adventurer.

MSRP: $249.95 www.ACRArtex.com

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

Â© GETTY IMAGES

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

ORGANIZATION AND PREPARATION ARE THE KEYS TO SURVIVING DISASTERS BY DANA BENNER

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watched as Hurricane Harvey rolled over the Houston area and Hurricane Irma destroyed parts of Florida. Then, it was Hurricane José making its way up the East Coast, swerving out to sea just before it

plowed into the Northeast. Then, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico dealt with the severe devastation created by Hurricane María. These recent disasters were just the hurricanes.

and the Midwest—not to mention the deadly earthquake in central Mexico? Whether it is a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, fire or blizzard, all

and the Northwest and tornados in the Plains

What about the massive forest fires in the West

these weather events have one thing in common: They all take innocent lives. None of these events is particular about whom they kill. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, black or white, or young or old. These events will kill anyone, especially those who are not prepared with a survival plan. Don’t say, “It can’t happen to me,” because it can. According to the Texas Division of Emergency Management, Hurricane Harvey damaged or

h Above, right: This home in Texas was flooded with about 4 feet of water because of the heavy rains from Hurricane Harvey.

WHEN THE FLOOD WATERS ARE UP YOUR KNEES IS NOT THE TIME TO START MAKING A PLAN. passed, and, according to the Texas Energy Department, some customers would be without power until as many as 21 days after the storm. Notably, 120,000 residents in Beaumont, Texas, were without water—many for two or more weeks—and this is just a small part of the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. In Florida, Hurricane Irma made landfall on a Sunday and knocked the power out to 6.2 million homes.

destroyed an estimated 185,149 homes. The Texas

A week later, about 40 percent of the state still lacked power. The Keys were the first hit. A week later,

Governor’s Office stated that more than 42,000

they still had no power, fuel to run generators, water or communication with the outside world (this

people were still in shelters after the storm had

information was according to officials in Monroe County, Florida).

h Above, left: If you can’t get to the airport due to flooded roads, it is obviously not a viable way out.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

h Traffic is backed up in Houston, Texas, as people flee before the arrival of Hurricane Harvey.

Hurricane María slammed into Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017. Six weeks later, 70 percent of the island was still without power. The island was also running low on fresh water, food and fuel to run generators. Aid is slow to arrive for a

i Downed trees and powerlines on Marathon Key, Florida, remain in place days after the weather cleared. Situations such as this can be very dangerous and severely delay help from arriving.

THE TIME TO MAKE THESE PLANS IS NOW, WHEN TIMES ARE GOOD, AND NOT JUST PRIOR TO SOMETHING HAPPENING.

few different reasons, but damage to the seaports and the airports have made it very difficult to get supplies to the people who need it. These people are looking at months before there is any sense of normalcy. I will bet many of them thought it couldn’t happen to them or that they could get by with the supplies they had on hand. Before you go out and dig some sort of expensive underground shelter and fill it full of “new and improved” special “survival food,” understand that © GETTY IMAGES

it doesn’t need to be this way. Survival comes down to having a plan. A plan can be changed, but it does no good if you don’t have one, update it and follow it. When it comes to making a survival plan, don’t rush simply to get it over with—but don’t wait until the last moment either. When the ﬂood waters are up to your knees is not the time to start making a plan. Always have two plans: plan A and plan B. Plan A is “Bug Out.” Plan B is “Hunker Down.” Each one is different and has its own pros and cons.

BUG OUT It is not always possible to see an issue coming, but with today’s technology, it is getting so that storms can be pretty accurately predicted days—sometimes, even weeks—out. This gives you time to review your plans and prepare to put them into action. When it

i Getting muchneeded fuel on Big Pine Key. This man’s generator will keep running for another day—but will everyone in the long line behind him be as lucky?

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

h It’s “cash only,” along with purchase limits on some items, almost a week after the storm passed through Puerto Rico. However, some people were finally able to begin restocking supplies.

comes to severe situations, it is always best to err on the side of safety and get out if you think you need to. Using a map, plot out two or three escape routes. You never know when one of the routes could be blocked with downed trees, power lines, flood waters or just crammed with other people trying to do the same thing as you. Know where you are going to run to and how to get there. Don’t rely on your GPS to get you there. GPS units have been known to be wrong. They are only as good as the signal they get;

and, like any electronic device, they can fail. Keep a list of friends to call in different areas along your routes whose homes you can stay at, if necessary. If you do decide to run toward safety, don’t wait until the last minute. Be proactive. Don’t wait until the order to evacuate is given. By that time, it might be too late. As an example, look at what happened in Florida as people tried to flee the Keys. Make sure the gas tank is full. Bring extra food

and water and any medications you need. Don’t h Hundreds of people wait in line to use the ATM outside of a bank in Caguas, Puerto Rico, on September 29, 2017. After Hurricane María, cash will be king in Puerto Rico for quite a while. Without power, credit and debit cards are worthless. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/ The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

WHETHER IT IS A HURRICANE, TORNADO, EARTHQUAKE, FIRE OR BLIZZARD, ALL THESE WEATHER EVENTS HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON: THEY ALL TAKE INNOCENT LIVES.

forget the family pet, and make sure you have plenty of food and water for it, as well.

HUNKER DOWN Maybe you decided to ride out the event, or maybe Mother Nature made the decision for you. If you are staying, you need to be prepared and have a plan that covers many of the things in your bug-out plan, along with the concerns you could face while staying at home: Will you include others in your plan? What backup energy, water and cooking options will you have? What do you need to do to prepare your house for the coming trouble? The time to make these plans is now, when times are good, and not just prior to something happening. Planning ahead, while not always fun, will allow you to acquire supplies you prefer a little at a time and avoid the mad rush, as well

as price-gouging.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

h A patient receives her dialysis treatment at HIMA San Pablo Hospital in Caguas, Puerto Rico, in September 2017. With her usual treatment center down and little gas in her car after the storm hit, this woman was unable to get dialysis for a week and feared she would die. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

CHECKLISTS To be viable, plans A and B both need to have checklists. These can be divided up into “musthaves/dos” and “should-haves/dos.” The list of items is not as extensive for Plan A as it is for Plan B, but there still is a checklist.

"PLAN A" CHECKLIST MUST-HAVES/DOS 1. Plot an evacuation route that includes several ways to get to your destination. 2. Make sure your vehicle is kept in good working

h Resourcefulness is key to survival, as shown here: This woman is collecting water from a natural spring created by a landslide.

order and is ready for the conditions you’ll face on your route. Breaking down en route to safety puts both you and others in danger. 3. Keep the gas tank full and all fluids topped off. You never know when or where you will find more. 4. Bring water and food for both you and your pets. 5. Pack a comprehensive first aid kit and know how to use its contents. 6. Accumulate some cash. Your credit and debit cards will probably do you no good during a serious emergency. Banks will be closed, and the machines won’t work without electricity. SHOULD-HAVES/DOS 1. Prepare a fully stocked bug-out bag for each person and pet. 2. Prepare communication devices in the form of cell phones, laptops or tablets, FRS, GMRS or ham radios. Make sure batteries are fully charged and that you have extras or rechargeable batteries. 3. Carry multiple means of self-defense and be prepared to use them. 4. Prepare sleeping gear, such as sleeping bags, air mattresses, sheets, pillows. 5. Keep everything in one location so you can grab it quickly when needed.

"PLAN B" CHECKLIST MUST-HAVES/DOS 1. Make sure your structure is sound. If something is broken, fix it now. 2. Stockpile things such as empty sandbags and sand, rock salt, firewood and other materials that suit the emergencies you’re planning for. They will be in short supply as a credible threat approaches. 3. Remove unnecessary hazards from the area around your home. Clean gutters, trim overhanging branches, take down questionable trees and clear flammable debris near the house. 4. Stock up on food and water. While FEMA subscribes to a three-day supply, consider storing at least double that. Better yet: Build a 10- to 30-day supply, depending on your location and the events you’re preparing for. (Key West was without supplies for a week or more, and it will be months before parts of Puerto Rico are back up and © GETTY IMAGES

running.) Have the gear and fuel necessary to heat

h Help finally arrived in the Florida Keys after residents went a week with nothing.

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h Filtering water using the Sawyer Mini is pretty quick, convenient and safe. h Left: Generators are great. Just be sure to keep them properly maintained, have plenty of fuel to last the duration of your emergency, and only run them outside.

h Below: This Solo Stove uses bio-fuel, sticks, twigs and other bits of combustible matter, which will probably be plentiful after a serious emergency. i The Midland E+Ready Emergency Crank Radio uses solar power, rechargeable batteries or crank power to stay connected, even when there is no power. In addition, it can charge your phone and other small devices.

water and cook. 5. Prepare water-purification devices. Whether it’s a stove you can boil water on or one of any number of quality water filters and purifiers, a quality filtration system is good to have—whether you are on municipal water services or have a well. 6. Pack a well-stocked first aid kit and know how to use it. 7. Prepare some sort of communication devices. A fully charged cell phone is a must, although it might not work if the towers are damaged or the network has lost power. FRS, GMRS and ham radios make good backups in these situations, depending on the terrain and distance to those with whom you need to communicate. You should also have a crank-powered weather-band radio (such as the Midland E+Ready) so you can listen

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

h A cache of supplies should be stored in case of a natural disaster. Supplies should include—at a minimum—a flashlight, backpack, batteries, water bottles, first aid kit, lantern, radio, can opener, masks.

SURVIVAL COMES DOWN TO HAVING A PLAN. A PLAN CAN BE CHANGED, BUT IT DOES NO GOOD IF YOU DON’T HAVE ONE, UPDATE IT AND FOLLOW IT.

h Below, left: The author’s BlackHawk backpack with removable medical kits for emergencies

h Below, right: This stash of propane bottles for the author’s camp stove should last about one month.

for additional warnings and other news. 8. Keep fresh batteries for all your devices. 9. Prepare a means of defending what is yours— the possibility of looters increases the longer the situation continues. 10. Accumulate some cash. In the short term, cash is “king,” but only use it for necessities. SHOULD-HAVES/DOS 1. Acquire a power source. Power will be down. If you have a generator to at least keep the refrigerator working and the heat on, you are good to go. 2. Prepare extra fuel. Generators will only work if they have fuel. Again, plan for the power being

h Bottom left: Mountain House five-day food supply. It’s a good start—but, as we have seen, this will not be enough to handle many emergencies. h Bottom right: Have a means to defend yourself, know how to use it, and be aware of the laws regarding ownership and use.

out for at least a week. 3. Have a supply of rechargeable batteries and some portable solar panels (such as the Bushnell PowerSync or a SunJack) so you can keep batteries charged. 4. Meet with neighbors you can trust. Discuss plans about working together. There is safety in numbers, and you can share resources. Another possible benefit is that you might be able to increase your purchasing power when buying larger volumes of supplies.

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WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING A SURVIVAL PLAN, DON'T RUSH SIMPLY TO GET IT OVER WITH— BUT DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT EITHER. FOOD AND WATER FEMA says you should plan to have 1 gallon of potable water per person per day of an emergency situation. I have three or four cases of bottled water on hand at all times. Then, when a storm is predicted, I will start filling 1-gallon jugs and my two 5-gallon Reliance water containers with © GETTY IMAGES

clean water. During the storm, while I still have running water, I will fill the tub. There is no such thing as having too much water. Food should be in the form of nonperishable boxes of Paleo Meals to Go and Mountain House Meals, I also have canned meat, fruit and vegetables. Cereal is always good to have

i Above: A Texas National Guardsman delivers food and water in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

items such as canned or freeze-dried food. Besides

on hand, too. Also keep in mind that fresh or frozen meat, prepared foods, eggs, milk and everything else in your refrigerator need to be kept cool or cold. Plan to eat those foods first so that if the power goes out for any length of time, they won’t be lost. Also keep in mind, “When in doubt, throw it out.”

COLLECTING SUPPLIES Collecting supplies for a “just-in-case” situation can be a daunting task, especially if you are trying to do it all at once. It is even worse, if not impossible, if you wait until the last minute to do it.

i Right: This Florida resident was living in his car but is now being evacuated. This is a good example of the reason you need a good escape plan.

Do yourself and your wallet a favor: Spread out this task over time. Whenever you go to the store,

route. All that does is add risk from additional exposure to panicked people along the way.

pick up a couple of extra cans of food, an extra box of cereal or another case of water. You will see that over time, your supplies will grow—and you won’t blow your budget doing it. If a major storm is predicted, decide which plan you intend to use, review the appropriate

In addition, don’t count on any level of the government to be there to rescue you when things go bad. As of this writing, it has been 45 days since Hurricane María struck Puerto Rico, and over 60 percent of its electricity-generating capacity is still offline. The three-day plan is a decent start. However, as we have seen, it doesn’t really give you much of a

checklist, and pick up those other things you are

safety net for surviving many emergencies and disaster scenarios. It’s entirely possible that you could be

missing. This way, you are not wasting time and

on your own for a week or longer.

you are prepared to act, no matter which plan

ON YOUR OWN

Those who have a realistic plan and are prepared to follow it will make it through virtually any bad

you are using. Don’t rely on being able to pick up

situation in much better shape than those who weren’t prepared. The choices are up to you—today.

those last few things at the store on your bug-out

Make the right ones now or suffer the consequences later.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

THE NEW JUNGLAS-II AND PR4 KNIVES FROM THE SURVIVAL EXPERTS AT ESEE BY PAUL RACKLEY

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

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h Below: Although small in comparison to the Junglas-II, the PR4 is up to most tasks required of a knife in the bush, including slicing shavings off an old board for starting a fire.

nives can be traced back to early man, who chipped flint and other types of rocks to create an edge for cutting. As centuries passed, man learned to process ore into iron and create steel to fabricate more-modern blades that were used as tools for hunting and fighting. However, early man could never fathom the quality of knives produced today that use modern materials, technology and manufacturing methods.

There are numerous different types of steel used to produce knives that provide various levels of

hardness, toughness, wear, corrosion resistance and edge retention. Of course, there is no “best” knife steel that maximizes each of the properties, so the steels used in knives are a compromise, or a balance, designed around the intended use of the blade. In general, however, harder steel holds an edge longer but is more brittle, while softer steel is easier to sharpen but loses that edge faster. To this day, carbon steel is still preferred by many designers, including the experts at ESEE Knives, for its balance of properties to make an excellent knife. ESEE, pronounced “S-E,” stands for Escuela de Supervivencia (School for Survival) Escape and Evasion. The company was started in 1997 in South America as a survival school to teach realistic tools and skills to both military and civilian students. A few years later, the founders, Jeff Randall and Mike Perrin, started a survival school in Alabama and then created a sister company to produce high-quality knives and gear to their specifications. The pair decided to make knives because they had a very good idea of what they wanted in a real-world survival knife—and they produced that knife. According to Shane Adams, project manager for ESEE, there is an important reason ESEE uses 1095 carbon steel for all of its knives: It is proven to be a strong steel that can handle the rigors of use, and it can be easily sharpened in the field. “You might have to sharpen it [carbon steel] more frequently, but it is easy to sharpen,” said Adams. “We’ve always said that users should sharpen their knives when they’re sharp—basically, to keep their knives sharp all the time.” ESEE knives are designed and developed by instructors with years of survival experience, along with intense knowledge and opinions of what is needed in a knife. Those knives are then prototyped and tested in the field to see if any design changes are needed before moving into production.

ESEE Camp-Lore PR4 Specifications • Length, overall: 8.90 inches • Blade length: 4.19 inches • Cutting edge length: 4.0 inches • Blade thickness: 0.125 inch • Steel: 1095 carbon, hardened to Rc 55-57 • Blade finish: Tumbled black oxide • Handle: Sculptured Micarta; removable • Weight: 6.3 ounces (knife only) • Sheath: Leather belt pouch

ESEE KNIVES ARE DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED BY INSTRUCTORS WITH YEARS OF SURVIVAL EXPERIENCE, ALONG WITH INTENSE KNOWLEDGE AND OPINIONS OF WHAT IS NEEDED IN A KNIFE. h Near left: The guard on the PR4 is compact but big enough to do the job. (Photo: ESEE Knives)

MSRP: $190.64

h Far left: While the handle on the PR4 takes some getting used to, it does provide a decent grip. (Photo: ESEE Knives)

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

i Far right: ESEE’s logo features a skull over crossed knives, as well as the name of the company’s survival school. (Photo: Paul Rackley)

i Near right: Whether chopping into boards or a stubborn stump in the woods, the Junglas-II cut quickly and confidently.

ESEE Junglas-II Specifications

h Below: These two knives differ greatly in size and style. But together, they make an excellent team for those who need to handle a variety of knife chores. (Photo: Paul Rackley)

• Length, overall: 14.50 inches • Blade length: 8.38 inches • Cutting edge length: 7.75 inches • Blade thickness, (maximum): 0.188 inch • Blade width: 2.0 inches • Steel: 1095 carbon • Blade finish: Tumbled black oxide • Handle: Micarta; removable • Weight: 19.8 ounces (knife only) • Sheath: Kydex, MOLLE compatible

MSRP: $309.50

Because of the intense testing performed throughout, from concept to development and into production, ESEE has one of the best warranties on the market. It provides a warranty that covers any type of damage to any knife for any reason, even if the knife is damaged because of use well outside the standard parameters for a knife. A customer once used a Junglas to pry a woman out of her wrecked car. While the blade didn’t not break, it did bend, and ESEE sent the man a brand-new knife. In fact, it states on the company’s website (www.ESEEKnives.com) that it even warranties modifications. “We warranty the knife, regardless of modifications. We may call you an idiot for doing a stupid modification or ruining the blade, but we will warranty the knife.” This unconditional warranty, which is transferable with no receipt required, covers all knives made by ESEE—but not knives designed by ESEE and manufactured by other companies—which means the ESEE

h Above: While mostly considered a chopper, the Junglas-II is also sharp and balanced well enough to slice whatever is needed.

Junglas-II and PR4 are both covered, no matter what.

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TO THIS DAY, CARBON STEEL IS STILL PREFERRED BY MANY DESIGNERS, INCLUDING THE EXPERTS AT ESEE KNIVES, FOR ITS BALANCE OF PROPERTIES TO MAKE AN EXCELLENT KNIFE. but still allows it to be a hefty chopper for camp work, cutting trees for shelter and whacking through bones on large game. The full-tang, black-coated blade is made of 1095 carbon steel, with an overall blade length of 8.38 inches and a cutting length of 7.75 inches. The blade width is 2 inches, with a maximum thickness of .188 inch. The Junglas-II feels big and robust in the hand. Its Micarta handle, which is removable, is textured for a secure grip but is still comfortable. In testing, the Junglas-II performed admirably for its intended purposes. This is a large survival knife designed for chopping through wood, vines and anything else that gets in the way of the h The PR4 (right) has a straight blade, spear tip and a lot of backbone. It can shave kindling quickly and easily. (Photo: ESEE Knives)

ESEE JUNGLAS-II KNIFE Like all ESEE knives, the Junglas-II comes in a nondescript, but durable, white box with a sleeve that shows the company’s name and logo, as well as the proud “Made In The USA” declaration in a corner. But most interesting is that the back of the box is printed with a variety of survival tips, such as how to use UTM with GPS and topo maps, ground-to-air distress signals, escape and evasion tips, declination and more, showcasing the company’s survival training roots while passing some valuable information to the new knife owner. The Junglas-II is a large, beefy knife with significant heft in its 14.5-inch length and 19.8-ounce weight. While in many ways it is a smaller version of the Junglas, Adams says the Junglas-II is a lot more than simply a scaleddown version. Removing the 2 inches from the length results in a much more-balanced knife

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

user. It is also big enough to attach to a wooden staff for use as a spear, as well as digging for food or water or to build a shelter. However, it probably wouldn’t make a good throwing knife. The flat-cut blade was extremely sharp out

of the box. It cut through a variety of materials with ease, including paper, rope, canvas and more. It was also excellent for chopping through wood—both limbs and an old, weather-hardened fence I was in the process of replacing. While the knife held its edge fairly well, it did become dull quicker than some other knives might have. Nevertheless, it was easily sharpened. The heavy blade made swinging the Junglas-II against anything it was put up against very forceful, providing deep penetration. The guards on both sides of the handle protected the hand from sliding forward onto the blade and kept the knife from flying out of the hand during the swing. It even comes with a hammer pommel for striking hard objects, if necessary, along with a lanyard hole for ensuring the Junglas-II does not get away if dropped during use or in a stressful situation. The sheath is a combination of Kydex and Cordura and holds the knife securely. The Kydex is molded to fit the blade and handle, and it has a snap for even more retention. It has multiple attachment locations for securing the knife to belts and packs, including a MOLLE style that

h Above: The Junglas-II is a midsized survival and fighting knife that is still fit for big jobs. (Photo: ESEE Knives)

works with most military rigging. While many companies seem to consider the sheath an afterthought, this is not the case with the Junglas-II. The sheath is as well made as the knife. If weight is not an issue, or if a user needs a knife that can perform many duties—from camp work to trail-busting and even digging and fighting—the Junglas-II has the necessary features to perform all these tasks and more.

ESEE CAMP-LORE PR4 KNIFE The PR4 is a much smaller and lighter knife than the Junglas-II: It measures 8.9 inches overall, with a 4.19-inch blade length and 6.3-ounce weight. The knife is basically Patrick Rollins’ take on a classic design by Horace Kephart. The knife features a full-tang 1095 carbon steel blade, which has a nonreflective, tumbled, black oxide coating. The scalloped Micarta handle has large impressions to enhance grip during use. The very straight handle provides a secure grip, but the handle texturing requires some getting used to. The guard, which prevents the hand from sliding during use, is fairly small but is significant enough to do its prescribed job. The blade edge runs very close to the handle and is straight, allowing good leverage for cutting, even when performing finer cuts such as making tools and carving. The edge on the PR4 was not quite as sharp out of the box as the Junglas-II, but it was very close. It performed well against all materials it was confronted

h The beefyJunglas-II knife makes chopping easy, but it’s still controllable and won’t tire you as quickly as a larger knife might. (Photo: ESEE Knives)

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RANDALL’S ADVENTURE & TRAINING ESEE makes some of the best knives money can buy, but the company got its start by training both military and civilians in the art of survival and woodcraft in the jungles of South America. When Jeff Randall and Mike Perrin brought their operation to the United States, they continued teaching survival to interested individuals at their facility in Alabama, located just a short drive northeast of Birmingham. The “Farm” sits on 170 wooded acres in Gallant, Alabama. It features a classroom for lessons, as well as a training tower and firearm ranges. Courses include Introduction to Survival, Field Survival, Technical Rescue Training, Advanced Bushcraft, Land Navigation, Human Tracking and more. The school even offers classes on survival in the modern world— Defensive Handgun and Lethal Threat Survival—to teach real-world skills for surviving in the insanity of today’s world. In many classes, participants stay on the grounds, learning skills that could save them if they are ever in a survival situation. For classes that don’t require living off the land, students can camp on the property or stay in a local hotel. The instructors are all experts in their fields. They have wide-ranging skills in order to provide their students with numerous ideas and proficiencies in the art of survival. In fact, many of these experts are the ones that design ESEE knives, because each knows what he wants in a knife, whether for survival, fighting or for everyday carry.

with, including paper, rope, wood and plastic. It even performed some excellent finework on a couple of pumpkins that were turned into jacko-lanterns featuring a witch and a cat. Even better, the PR4 comes with a beautiful

i Top right: The Junglas-II is a great multi-role tool that won't let you down, even against an old, weather-hardened board.

leather sheath that holds the knife securely. The sheath does, however, limit its ability to quickly access the knife, because it covers all but a small part of the handle. But, because the PR4 is designed more for work than for fighting, this is not really an issue. A user could probably draw the knife much faster with practice, but the PR4 was designed more as a tool than a fighter. That said, the handle can be removed. This allows the knife to be turned into a very good spear, which

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

i Bottom right: The Junglas-II made quick work of this weathered board from an old fence the author found in the woods.

i Above: The Junglas-II is a great chopper, making quick work of old, dog-eared fence boards. This was the first swing.

IF WEIGHT IS NOT AN ISSUE, OR IF A USER NEEDS A KNIFE THAT CAN PERFORM MANY DUTIES ... THE JUNGLAS-II HAS THE NECESSARY FEATURES TO PERFORM ALL THESE TASKS AND MORE.

IF ANYTHING EVER HAPPENS TO EITHER KNIFE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE ACTUAL FAULT IS PART OF THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OR USER ERROR, ESEE WILL REPLACE IT, NO MATTER WHAT.

can be used for both stabbing and throwing as a

tasks that it is put to in good order.

result of its excellent balance and a spear point. Rollins is a traditional bushcraft practitioner who wanted a knife that could perform the needed

THE PERFECT COMBO In fact, paired together, the Junglas-II and the PR4 just might be the perfect combination for base-

duties of the backwoods, such as camp work, skin-

camp and survival situations. The Junglas-II has the ability to slice through vines, saplings and bones,

ning, fire-making, tool-making and more. The PR4

as well as chop through most trees to clear an area for camp and make shelter. And the PR4 can

performs all of these tasks with stellar ability. The

handle pretty much any other camp chore, including making tools that might be needed. It can also

blade has the backbone for deep cuts but is still

skin game, process dinner and shave wood for kindling.

manageable for more-delicate cutting. This is the

If anything ever happens to either knife, regardless of whether the actual fault is part of the manu-

true beauty of this knife: It is an all-around knife

facturing process or user error, ESEE will replace it, no matter what. The knives are excellent and will

light enough to carry in a pack or on the belt on

handle years of use and abuse with a minimum of care (a little oil is needed to keep the 1095 carbon

pretty much any trip into the wild, whether hunt-

steel from rusting). In addition, the warranty is the best on the market and is a reason unto itself for

ing, fishing or just gathering with a group in camp.

users to consider these or another one of this companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knives. ESEE offers many good models that

It is not much of a chopper, but it can perform most

were designed by people who understand what is needed in a knife.

S O U R C E ESEE Knives (256) 613-0372 https://ESEEKnives.com

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AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

n last month’s American Survival Guide, I wrote an article describing the history and mission of the U.S. Army Special Forces SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) School and some of the training it conducts.

This month, I will expand on that by sharing with

you some of the SERE School lessons Green Berets are taught. I honestly believe they are relevant and useful for all Americans, whether we’re planning for an isolated emergency or the end of the world as we know it. I can’t discuss every lesson these soldiers learn at the school, but I have picked a few key survival, evasion, resistance and escape topics I think are the most beneﬁcial for ASG readers.

SURVIVAL, EVASION, RESISTANCE AND ESCAPE U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES SERE SCHOOL LESSONS YOU CAN USE BY BRIAN MORRIS

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SURVIVAL: WATER PURIFICATION In survival situations, water is one of the most precious commodities you need. Depending on

... MANY OF THE LESSONS TAUGHT IN SERE SCHOOL GO FAR BEYOND MILITARY APPLICATIONS ...

environmental factors and exertion levels, the human body can only survive for about three to seven days—at the longest—without water. Because of this, you need to make finding and purifying water a priority in situations where this essential liquid is not readily available. I say, “purify,” because all too often, people skip the purifying part of the process and go directly to drinking. I can see where they get this idea: Television is filled with so-called survival “experts” who drink any water at the first sign of it without taking the time to purify it. I’m not sure if this is for the sake of ratings or if these guys just don’t know what they are doing, but I will say that you should always purify your water before consumption, regardless of how bad the urge is to wet your whistle. Waterborne diseases and parasites can not only put you at risk of illness, they can also cause you to have explosive diarrhea and even dysentery. Take it from me: That is no fun, and it will speed your rate of dehydration tenfold. In a survival situation, that can be the final nail in your coffin. So, the next time you see some naked guy on TV drinking straight from the source, remember that at best, he will be back in civilization as soon as the shoot is over; at worst, he has medical help available just a few steps away. In a real-life situation, you’ll have no idea how long your survival

i Above: If you think you’re being followed, avoid turning to look for, or at, your pursuer, because this will let them know you’ve seen them. In turn, that could accelerate their efforts to catch you.

situation is going to last, and you might truly be on your own. Here are seven ways to purify your water prior to drinking it: 1. Boil Raw Water Boiling water is one of the most surefire ways to ensure your water is safe to drink. While many blogs, books, articles and instructors say to boil it for five minutes, the truth is that once your water has been at a rolling boil for one minute, it is purified of all biological contamination. Cool it to a temperature that is comfortable for you and drink it. Note that boiling will have no effect on chemical

h Right: Often, the best chance to escape is right at the time of capture.

contaminants, so you’ll need to address that concern separately. (See the Distillation and Personal Water Filters sections, to follow.) 2. Chemical Treatment

specific water-to-bleach proportions.) 3. Distillation Distillation is one of the most reliable methods of purifying water. While boiling water will kill biological

If you don’t have over-the-counter water treat-

contaminants, you might want to utilize the distillation process when you are trying to desalinate salt

ment chemicals (such as iodine, sodium chlorite,

water or when there are chemical contaminants in the water (for instance, heavy metals such as lead,

hydrogen peroxide or potassium permanganate),

mercury and arsenic). You can make a still using a copper tube coil running from a stainless steel con-

you can use simple, unscented household bleach

tainer filled with salt water or contaminated water to another container used to catch the distilled water.

in a dropper. Be sure to mark the dropper clearly

Put the contaminated water container over heat until it boils. The fresh water, in the form of steam, will

as containing bleach so it is not accidentally used

run through the coil tube, condense back to liquid and drip into the water-catch container that will hold

for eye drops. (See the sidebar on page 51 for

your decontaminated water.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

and green leaves. The more layers the better. Make sure the bottom layer of the container is made with green leaves so you don’t get sand or charcoal in your drinking water. Pour raw water into the top and puncture a hole in the bottom to allow filtered water to flow into a separate clean drinking container. Use this method only if you are simply trying to remove particulates or if there is no other possible means of filtering your water prior to consumption. 6. Solar Still To make a solar still, simply dig a hole in the ground and place a clean, empty container for harvested water in the center of the hole. Next, cover the hole with a plastic sheet and use rocks or sand at the edges to hold it in place over the hole. Then place a small rock in the center of the sheet directly over the empty container. When the sun shines on the plastic, it will draw water out of the earth and cause it to gather on the underside of the plastic. The rock in the center will

IN SURVIVAL SITUATIONS, WATER IS ONE OF THE MOST PRECIOUS COMMODITIES ... YOU NEED TO MAKE FINDING AND PURIFYING WATER A PRIORITY IN SITUATIONS WHERE THIS ESSENTIAL LIQUID IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE.

h Another trick to evading capture is to use waterways to try to hide your trail and attempt to throw off anyone who might be tracking you.

force the water to gather and drip into the container. You can speed up this process by putting a few green leaves on a twig or pouring some unpurified water on the ground under the plastic sheet. 7. UV Light You can purify your water using UV light by purchasing a battery-operated UV water purifier such as the SteriPEN. UV-light water purifiers are lightweight, compact and easy to use. They can

4. Personal Water Filters Personal water filters clean a very high percentage of contaminants from water, and they are compact and easy to use. You can find many great models on the market today, including the Etekcity 1500L, Survivor Filter Pro, LifeStraw personal water filter, Sawyer S3 Foam filter or, for a model with a really high output, take a look at the Katadyn Pocket water filter, which purifies up to a whopping 13,000 gallons. 5. Charcoal, Sand and Leaf Filter

WATERTO-BLEACH RATIO

This filter is one of the most primitive ways to clean your water, but keep in mind that it will only remove large particulates and is not guaranteed to get rid of biological and chemical contaminates. To make one of these filters, simply fill a container or a sock with layers of sand, finely crushed charcoal

VOLUME OF WATER

h You can only survive about three days without water. When venturing out into the wilderness, it is wise to take a personal water filter with you for emergency situations.

AMOUNT OF BLEACH TO ADD*

1 quart

2 drops

1 gallon

8 drops

5 gallons

½ teaspoon

10 gallons

1 teaspoon

50 gallons

5 teaspoons

*Repeat once after 30 minutes if the water is still cloudy. Discard water if it is not clear after that.

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purify your drinking water of up to 99.999 percent of all biological contaminants, including campylobacter, cholera, cryptosporidium, escherichia coli, Shigella, salmonella, hepatitis, protozoa parasites and other biological viruses. To use, simply place the unit in the water container and turn it on. Be sure to follow the time-to-water volume ratio that comes with the instructions.

EVASION Because we often focus on rural and woodland survival techniques, I wanted to discuss an area

IF THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE YOU ARE BEING FOLLOWED, AN OPTION IS TO TURN ON THE VEHICLE’S TURN SIGNAL. THEN, AT THE LAST SECOND, GO STRAIGHT AND SEE IF THE OTHER VEHICLE FOLLOWS.

h Above, left: A highly efficient way to evade capture is to simply blend into a crowd in order to lose a pursuer.

that is covered in depth in SERE School: urban eva-

h Above, right: The first step for maintaining personal security when you’re out in the public is to be aware of what’s going on around you. Don’t let your phone or other distractions reduce your focus down to your personal space.

tage. They might not even be following behind you;

sion. A person might ﬁnd themselves in a situation where others are following them on foot or in a vehicle in an urban setting. Once they learn your routes, they will use that knowledge to their advanbut, by anticipating your route, they might have cars or people all along your expected route. You have a better chance of “losing a tail” if you follow these simple rules: h You must determine if there is an individual or

team following along your route. You can do this by varying your pace and noting if the potential follower varies their pace. Turn in the opposite direction to see if they still follow or stop to tie your shoe in front of a store window, using the reflection to see the reaction of any person who might be following you. h If you determine there is a person following

h If you’re trying to evade a suspicious person while driving, stay calm and look for ways to separate from them— primarily at intersections, entrances and exits on freeways. If possible, contact the authorities to find a nearby police station.

you, continue to walk, make a mental note of what the follower looks like, and, as always, call the police if possible. h Try to speed up and duck out of sight. Once you

are out of sight, do everything possible to change your appearance. If you’re wearing a jacket, take it off. The same applies to hats, sunglasses or even eyeglasses, if you can manage without them. Do whatever is possible to look different from what the follower is expecting. h Once you change your appearance, you should

continue moving quickly. Go into a crowded area such as a shopping market and then immediately go out through another exit. Go upstairs and through hallways, doubling back occasionally. Try to confuse those attempting to follow. h As an absolute final option, you should

hide somewhere that decreases the likelihood of discovery and wait awhile before going back out again. h If you are driving a car, you can make several h Even if it’s not physically possible, never stop planning to escape. It will keep your mind sharp during what could be a lengthy captivity.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

turns off your intended route to see if the “tail” follows. If there is reason to believe you are being followed, an option is to turn on the vehicle’s turn signal. Then, at the last second, go straight and see if the other vehicle follows.

THE BEST THING HOSTAGES CAN DO IS TO “HUMANIZE” THEMSELVES BY ESTABLISHING WHAT I LIKE TO CALL “ONE-SIDED RAPPORT” WITH THEIR CAPTOR(S). h A captor might try to isolate you from other captives in order to break you down psychologically. It’s extremely important to remain mentally vigilant in a captivity situation; you might need to rely on your wits and your internal will in order to survive.

h Trying to outrun another vehicle is unsafe

and will most likely only place innocent people in danger. Instead, drive unpredictably: Make left turns when signaling a right turn, and go straight when indicating a turn. Slow down at a busy intersection just as the light changes. As soon as the light is about to go from yellow to red, drive through the intersection before the other cars have a chance to go. This technique will often leave your pursuers stranded at the light. Eventually, you will lose those who are following. If not, drive directly to the authorities. Alternatively, park the vehicle and then evade on foot and try to lose them.

RESISTANCE I won’t go into great detail on this topic, because, quite frankly, the majority of information available on the subject is classified secret and is not authorized for public release. That said, there are some resistance topics that are open source, such as how to handle yourself in a hostage situation, so I have included that topic here. This can be a very dangerous situation, particularly if a person is being held by an extremist group or a mentally deranged individual. The best thing hostages can do is to “humanize” themselves by establishing what I like to call “one-sided rapport” with their captor(s). However, if you are captured, always remain cognizant of the possibility of Stockholm Syndrome. This occurs when a captive begins to feel so much empathy for their captor that they begin h Tracking dogs are extremely efficient at locking onto human scent and leading a pursuer to an evader. However, they are generally limited to the speed and mobility of their human handlers.

to side with the captor's cause—as in the famous case of Patricia Hearst. The key for a captive is to get the captor to see them as a human being. This can be accomplished by being friendly and talking about non-inflammatory subjects such as missing one’s family, sports or any number of things. Stay away from hot-button topics such as politics and religion. Gauge the captor’s responses, and if something seems to be a sensitive subject, back away and talk about something else. Do not give up; it could take days, weeks, or even months or longer to establish rapport. In a hostage situation, doing this could save your life.

ESCAPE When it comes to escape, it is important to h In the event of a rescue attempt, try to stay low; and, for your own protection, keep your hands empty and visible to the rescue force.

keep your wits about you, assess the situation and come up with a plan of action. If you are thrown into a car, immediately try to open the door on the other side of the car, because that door is often left unlocked to allow

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

h The ability to start a fire during inclement weather could be the difference between life and death in a survival situation.

h Poisonous snakes, such as rattlesnakes, can be found throughout the United States and pose a dangerous threat to unsuspecting humans.

h Traps and snares can add small game to your survival diet and will greatly enhance your chances of feeding yourself when food is not readily available.

another kidnapper to enter from the far side of the vehicle. If possible, you can use your feet and the strength of your legs to kick out the rear window and then throw yourself out of the vehicle and make a run for safety. If thrown into a van, attempt to use the momentum to power through the back doors. You might break a rib or dislocate a shoulder, but that might be better than what you could face in captivity.

can ﬁnd as a weapon to ﬁght your abductor(s). Anything you can do to escape is fair game. Once you have committed to escape, try running into a crowd of people, if that is an option, or toward a police officer or anyone of authority in order to help persuade your pursuer to give up the chase.

If nothing else, make a scene. Try screaming out

SERE School is only for those members of the military who are at the highest risk of being captured

commands such as “Leave me alone!” or “Call the

and might need to escape and evade enemy captivity. However, many of the lessons taught in SERE

police!” Fight back by kicking, scratching, biting,

School go far beyond military applications—as evidenced by the popularity of various versions of SERE

small-joint manipulation—such as bending back a

manuals available in print.

pinky and breaking it; even grabbing onto stationary objects and not letting go; or using whatever you

WHEN IT COMES TO ESCAPE, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU, ASSESS THE SITUATION AND COME UP WITH A PLAN OF ACTION.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

Within those teachings are lessons to be learned by anyone who wants to be capable of surviving any situation that life throws their way.

STOP THE BLEED! LIFE-SAVING BASICS OF HEMORRHAGE CONTROL BY JOE ALTON, M.D.

Â© GETTY IMAGES

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

hether times are good

from traumatic wounds. It’s even clearer that

or bad, everything from

some deaths might be prevented by the quick

everyday accidents

action of nearby “Good Samaritans.”

to massive disasters can cause injuries and

In modern times, we have the beneﬁt of emergency medical personnel and high technology.

deaths. Some are natural events, such as hur-

These assets, however, aren’t always just around

ricanes and tornadoes; others are man-made,

the corner. An injury causing damage to a major

such as terror attacks and active shooters.

artery can kill a person in just a few minutes. If not

Regardless of how casualties are caused, it’s clear that many deaths occur due to bleeding

treated immediately, some victims will be beyond help by the time professional help arrives.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

In survival settings, the situation is even worse: There is no ambulance on the way or rescue helicopter on the horizon. There might not even be a way to contact professionals to get instructions for treating an accident victim.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MINIMIZING BLOOD LOSS Therefore, individuals at the scene must act, often with limited supplies, if they are to save a life. For someone who isn’t medically trained, it’s a major challenge. Just seeing a good amount of blood or a limb deformed from trauma gives the average person pause and sometimes induces a temporary mental paralysis that could be fatal to the victim. Delay in rendering care makes bleeding control, also called “hemostasis,” more difficult.

h Any injury that results in significant blood loss should be treated as quickly as possible to ensure the best chance for a full recovery.

The lack of blood volume caused by traumatic hemorrhage has various effects on the body based

the body. When there are fewer of them, the cells must travel faster to provide the same amount of oxygen.

on the percent lost. The human body contains 9

The heart must beat faster to accomplish this goal, so you’ll notice a rise in the pulse rate. The body begins

to 10 pints of blood. It can tolerate the loss of a

to feel a lack of oxygen, so the patient breathes faster, as well. Skin begins to pale and is cool to the touch,

relatively small amount with little ill effect. For

and some agitation might be noted. If bleeding is stopped, recovery may not require blood transfusion. From 30 to about 40 percent loss of blood volume, the victim’s ability to compensate for the loss of red

example, you can donate a pint of blood—10 to 11

blood cells begins to reach maximum capacity. The victim’s blood pressure becomes hard to maintain at

percent of your total blood volume—to the Red Cross every eight weeks. Once you lose 15 to 30 percent of your total blood volume, however, physical signs become apparent. The purpose of red blood cells is to deliver oxygen

to, and remove carbon dioxide from, the tissues of

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

h Removing a knife embedded in the body could worsen bleeding, so leave it in place until professional treatment can be accessed.

normal levels and drops, while the heart rate increases to the point that it might no longer be efficient in pumping blood. The patient becomes confused, lethargic and might lose consciousness. Blood transfusion is usually required at this point. Beyond 40 percent blood loss, the body can no longer compensate. Blood pressure, heart rate and respiration drop, and death is imminent without major intervention.

DELAY IN RENDERING CARE MAKES BLEEDING CONTROL, ALSO CALLED “HEMOSTASIS,” MORE DIFFICULT.

TAKE ACTION TO STOP BLOOD LOSS What can a medically untrained individual do to stop a major bleed?

personally in danger at the moment. Knowing the level of danger is important, just as your personal safety is your highest priority. If there is an active

For our purposes, we’ll assume the event that caused the injury has passed, and the caregiver is not

threat, you help no one by becoming the next victim. First aid steps for any injury should begin with identifying yourself and reassuring the injured person that you’re there to help. Just stating who you are and your purpose will increase the chances the victim will cooperate with your efforts. Ask simple questions such as, “What’s your name?” to get an idea of the level of consciousness and to gauge the ability to follow commands. The patient should be placed in the “shock” position—that is, lying supine (face up) with the legs elevated above the level of the heart. This might make it more difficult for the heart to pump blood out of the body. If the wound is in the chest or abdomen, however, bend the knees instead of raising the legs. Expose the wound(s) so you can see their full extent, preferably with an EMT shears or a bandage scissors, which are designed to avoid accidental injury. Don’t direct the victim

h Above: In longterm survival scenarios, don’t expect to see this on the horizon.

h Rapid action by those at the scene might have saved lives in this car accident.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

INTERNAL BLEEDING It might be obvious when a victim of a disaster is bleeding externally, but internal bleeding is more difficult to identify. Some signs include: Abdominal pain Distention (swelling) of the abdomen Blood in the urine or bowel movement Nausea and vomiting, especially if blood is present Chest pain Vaginal bleeding not related to menstruation

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information about treating hemorrhage from trauma, including knife and gunshot wounds, consider the third edition of The Survival Medicine Handbook: The Essential Guide for When Medical Help is Not on the Way (authors Joe Alton, M.D. and Amy Alton, A.R.N.P.)—a winner of the 2017 Book Excellence Award in medicine. The entire book is written as if a disaster has left you, the average citizen, as the highest medical resource left to your family. The goal is to make you effective in that role.

to remove their own clothes; movement could

i Top: Bystanders must act quickly when someone receives a significant bleeding injury. In other words, they should not continue to simply stand by. i Near right: Tightly pack dressings directly on the bleeding blood vessel to get it to stop bleeding.

i Far right: By itself, direct pressure might be able stop bleeding in some wounds. (Note that pressure is applied with the palm—not the fingers or heel of the hand.)

i Near and far right: The time the tourniquet is applied to the wound site should be documented.

cause additional injury if there are fractures or might cause unnecessary delay in treatment if the injured party is not fully alert. Once you’ve cut away clothing and removed loose debris over the wound, evaluate the injury. Is there an entry wound from a projectile? Is there an exit wound? (Be aware that exit wounds are dependent on the position of the victim at the time of injury and not always directly opposite the entry wound.) Is there a large object embedded in the wound, such as a knife? Objects stuck in the wound should not be removed, because doing so might provoke more bleeding. Don't probe the wound with, say, your finger. Your job is to stop the hemorrhage. If there are gloves available, put them on. Use some kind of barrier to try to stop the bleeding—

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

i Victims of hemorrhagic wounds lose vital body heat and should be kept warm during and after their injuries are being treated.

h Far left: A woman receives first aid from a bystander after being hit by a car. (Photo: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images)

h Near left: If not treated, arterial bleeding can kill in minutes, making it essential to include tourniquets in your kit. © GETTY IMAGES

IT’S IMPERATIVE TO FREQUENTLY REASSESS THE WOUND. DON'T REMOVE THE GAUZE OR BANDAGE, HOWEVER, UNLESS BLOOD IS OBVIOUSLY SEEPING THROUGH. preferably a sterile bandage—or at least a clean cloth. This will protect both the victim and the caregiver. Press the dressing firmly with your palm, one hand over the other, on the bleeding wound. Keep your arms straight, applying pressure directly over the wound itself. Many wounds will cease oozing simply with the application of direct pressure. In large extremity wounds, concentrate your efforts closest to the torso. In circumstances for which direct pressure fails to stop the hemorrhage, your bandage will soak through, making it clear that a more-aggressive response is needed. The placement of a tourniquet 2 to 4 inches above the wound (between the wound and the heart) is indicated for arterial or other life-threatening hemorrhages. Arterial bleeding can be identified by the presence of bright-red blood spurting from the wound. If you see this or a significant pooling of blood on the ground, placing a tourniquet should be the first course of action. Although tightening a belt or bandanna around a bleeding extremity might suffice, commercial tourniquets such as the CAT

i EMT shears are designed to allow exposure of a wound without cutting the victim.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

h It is imperative that everyone in your group trains to learn the proper use of tourniquets and other medical supplies.

h Far left: In survival situations, a dedicated hospital tent should be established, if possible. The larger your group is, the more important this facility is.

… IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES, HAVING THE KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPLIES TO STOP BLEEDING MAKES SENSE.

h Near left: U.S. soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division practice first aid techniques at the forward operating base in Ghazni, Afghanistan, in 2013. (Photo: Getty Images)

(Combat Application Tourniquet) and SOFT-T (Special Operations Forces Tactical Tourniquet), among others, are likely to be more effective.

effective in 90 percent of cases. If you’re using regular bandages and need to place more to achieve hemostasis, don’t remove the old ones; simply pack the added bandages firmly on top. With blood-clotting gauze, however, old gauze should be removed so you can see where the bleeding vessel is. The hemostatic dressing should be

DEALING WITH OPEN WOUNDS An open wound should be packed tightly with

Packing of wounds is useful in many situations, but not all. Wounds of the neck are problematic, for

dressings. In the April 2017 issue of the Journal

instance, due to the risk of compressing airways and affecting the patient’s ability to breathe. Packing

of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS), Dr. Peter

injuries in the abdomen, pelvis and chest might not be effective due to the deep nature of the bleeding

Taillac and EMT-P associates Scotty Bolleter and

vessels. This is one reason that in an off-grid setting, the death rate (called “mortality”) from these

A.J. Heightman put forth their recommendations

wounds is so high. For example, statistics from the Civil War put mortality rates for major injuries in these

for the packing of hemorrhagic wounds with

regions at close to 70 percent—a figure that might also be expected in long-term survival scenarios.

plain and/or special blood-clotting gauze such as QuikClot, Celox and others. The American College of Surgeons (of which I am a retired fellow) found these specialized “hemostatic” bandages to be

packed directly where the bleeding originates.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

According to Dr. Taillac’s team, proper packing of wounds with plain or hemostatic gauze should include the following steps: h Quickly and aggressively apply direct pressure with a gloved hand, a clean dressing or cloth—or even

the knee or elbow—while breaking out your supplies.

FIRST AID KIT FOR BLEEDING

A good first aid kit for bleeding will be compact, lightweight and contain the following contents at the minimum: Nitrile gloves (at least two pairs); Stainless steel bandage scissors or sturdy EMT shears to help expose wounds and to open packages made slippery by blood; Tourniquets (two is better than one: Sometimes, a second tourniquet must be placed above the first); Gauze dressings (H&H makes a vacuum-compressed dressing that, when opened, is 4.5 inches wide by 12 feet long); Hemostatic bandages (QuikClot or Celox products stop even arterial bleeding); 6-inch roller gauze dressings for coverage; Pressure bandage dressings to maintain pressure on treated wounds; Vented chest seals (packaged in one double pack for entry and exit wounds in the chest); Mylar blankets (to cover the victim and help prevent shock). Other items, such as nasal airways, might be useful for those with training. You can ﬁnd examples of several bleeding and gunshot wound kits, including some designed for multiple casualties, at www. DoomandBloom.net.

REGARDLESS OF HOW CASUALTIES ARE CAUSED, IT’S CLEAR THAT MANY DEATHS OCCUR DUE TO BLEEDING FROM TRAUMATIC WOUNDS. h Find the exact source of the bleeding. Tightly (and I mean, tightly) pack the wound cavity as deeply

Covering the victim of a bleeding wound to main-

as you can while continuing to apply pressure directly on the bleeding vessel. Although hemostatic

tain warmth does not mean your vigilance is no lon-

gauze is best, sufficient pressure with plain gauze might be enough in some cases.

ger necessary. It’s imperative to frequently reassess

h Utilizing the presence of nearby bones to pack against might be useful in certain wounds. If there is

a knife embedded in the wound, keep it in place and pack around it as best you can until you can get the victim to a more-controlled setting. h Maintain pressure on the packed wound for at least three minutes and see if the bleeding has

the wound. Don't remove the gauze or bandage, however, unless blood is obviously seeping through. Of course, having a medical kit containing the essential items (listed in the sidebar above) makes

abated. If you’re successful in stopping the hemorrhage, cover the wound securely with a pressure

this process much easier. However, simply having

dressing such as the Emergency Bandage (also called the Israeli Battle Dressing), OLAES Bandage

medical supplies is not enough. You should practice,

or another brand. These are designed specifically to keep pressure on the injury and control bleeding

for example, using the tourniquet in your kit so you

if placed correctly.

are proficient in its use.

h At one point or another, the victim should be transported to where further care can be provided,

I’ll admit that the likelihood you’ll have to save

whether it’s a hospital or, in a survival scenario, wherever the bulk of your medical supplies is. Keep in

the life of someone bleeding to death tomorrow,

mind that the jostling that might occur during this process could cause bleeding to re-start. Splinting

next week or next month might be small. Neverthe-

the wound will immobilize it and help decrease movement that could disturb your packing or tourni-

less, over the course of a lifetime in these uncertain

quet placement. Commercial splints such as the Structural Aluminum Malleable (SAM) can be bent or

times, having the knowledge and supplies to stop

cut into shape to conform to the injured extremity.

bleeding makes sense.

AFTER STOPPING THE BLEEDING

agree it’s time we instill a culture of medical

Add in your children’s lifetimes, and I think you’ll

A common issue that occurs in major hemorrhages is the loss of body heat. Keeping a person warm is

preparedness in our citizens. If a disaster leaves us

difficult when they are lying on the cold ground, so a barrier of some sort between the casualty and the

without modern medical care, have no doubt: Lives

ground will help. A Mylar or other blanket should be used to cover the person, as well.

will be saved.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

S O U R C E S C•A•T Resources (803) 325-9300 www.CombatTourniquet.com CELOX +44 (0)1270 500019 www.CeloxMedical.com Doom and Bloom www.DoomandBloom.net QuikClot (877) 750-0504 www.QuikClot.com Tactical Medical Solutions (888) 822-6331 www.TacMedSolutions.com

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AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

SHARK ATTACK? ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SAFER IN THE WATER THAN YOU THINK. BY AL J. VENTER

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he sight of a shark ﬁn circling in the ocean will frighten most people. Yes, sharks do kill people, but not as many as you might assume. There are a few premises with regard to

sharks and shark attacks that need clariﬁcation. However, before we begin discussing these premises, here are some facts about sharks and their behaviors: • Humans are way down on the shark food chain. • With a few exceptions, sharks are timid creatures. • Some parts of the coast are more predisposed to shark attacks than others. • When to swim is as important as where to swim. • Human blood is of no interest to sharks; there are many instances of divers with seriously bleeding wounds being totally ignored by nearby sharks. • Excited, overzealous or erratic actions tend to attract sharks. • My partner, Caroline, and I have often jumped into the middle of shark feeding frenzies and have never been attacked. • Sharks are predators: Like all such animals, they zero in on the disabled, ill, old, incapacitated or the frail.

A RARE THREAT Sharks do kill people, but not many. On average over the last decade—and these events are calculated by various scientific bodies—there are six deaths from shark attacks recorded globally each year, and the fatality rate for those suffering unprovoked attacks is well below 10 percent. That figure is miniscule if you consider that, at any given time of the day or night there are more than a million people in the oceans of the world, swimming, paddling, tending nets, fishing, launching boats, diving, snorkeling and the rest. Only a tiny proportion of them ever gets to see a shark in its natural milieu. Those who do encounter these predators are rarely threatened.

SHARK BEHAVIORS It is essential to accept that most sharks are timid creatures. I have dived with these predators for half a century, and almost always when I have encountered sharks underwater, they beat a hasty retreat as soon as I tried to get closer. There are exceptions. Great white sharks are in their own unpredictable category and must always be regarded as a threat, even by the most experienced underwater enthusiasts. Yet, shark specialist and documentary ﬁlmmaker Mike Rutzen has had hundreds of encounters with great white sharks, and he has never been harmed. As he told me, one or two run-ins have been close, but he has always had enough time to reach his boat and clamber on board. Had the critters that initially buzzed him been on

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

h As with every tale of conflict, there are two sides to every story. This photo was taken off the Zululand coast by Sijmon de Waal.

a killing spree, they could have attacked in the blink of an eye: Great whites can reach speeds of 30 miles an hour when on the hunt and are rarely left wanting. I have had two run-ins with great white sharks, both unintended. The ﬁrst, diving off Fish Hoek in South Africa—an area notorious for shark deaths over many years. I was with a buddy in about 30 feet of water. Suddenly, a large great white, easily 13 or 14 feet long, charged past us from behind and disappeared into the murky depths ahead. It ignored us. The truth is, this big “man-eater” could easily have chomped either

h An oceanic black-tip shark grabs the bait and runs. (Photo: Paolo Fossati; courtesy of Walter Bernardis)

of us, had it wanted to do so. The other time I encountered a great white close up was while wreck-diving in the Indian Ocean. After about 30 minutes below, I surfaced and returned to our tender. I was the last of ﬁve scuba divers to reach the boat. The dive, itself, was uneventful, because visibility was bad—perhaps 5 or 6 feet at best. In other words, looking down, I could barely see my ﬁns.

Having reached the boat and handed up my scuba tank to the skipper, I had just started to mount the ladder that would have taken me on deck when an enormous great white surfaced right alongside me

Carolinas and off Australian and South African coastlines, were all considered to have been opportunistic. Simply put: The victims were in the wrong place at the wrong time. That said, while we know that the great white shark is a killer, tiger and bull sharks are the two biggest culprits when it comes to actual attacks on humans—and for different reasons.

a little more than an arm’s length away. This was a monster, its upper body easily the size of one of those of old Volkswagen Beetles. The shark stuck its head vertically out of the water; and now completely immobile, it eyed me carefully with its huge black eye for three or four seconds. Then, it sank silently back into the depths and was gone.

[THE NUMBER OF SHARK ATTACKS] IS MINISCULE IF YOU CONSIDER THAT AT ANY GIVEN TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT THERE ARE MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE IN THE OCEANS OF THE WORLD ...

Clearly, that great brute must have been in the water with us during our dive, but not one of us spotted it. In any event, bad visibility in the water would only have allowed us to see a part of a

h Left: A female great white shark, Guadalupe Island, Mexico

leviathan that was easily 15 to 18 feet long. Again, had it wished to do so, it could have gobbled up any one of us in a moment. But it did not. It should be mentioned that most of the great white attacks at Fish Hoek over the years were on swimmers, almost all of whom had been warned beforehand that shark ﬁns had been spotted earlier. Still, they persisted in going into the water. As a consequence, they paid the price.

WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME Humans are very low on the feeding chain of the average shark. Attacks that do take place, such as several swimmers mauled by tiger sharks in Hawaii in recent years and by bull sharks in the

h Below: A small female white shark gets very close to divers inside a cage.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

We will deal with bull sharks ﬁrst. These sharks are regarded by divers (who encounter them most often) as the “terriers of the sea.” Bull sharks tend to hunt in packs—most times, in river estuaries or harbors where the water is dirty and visibility poor. They are the ﬁrst to spot a likely victim ... as they did with me a few years ago. I had suffered a serious bout of food poisoning and was laid low. On the third day, I decided to dive anyway. I had come from the States to dive with sharks and was eager to get into the water, even though I was still not well. The dive would cure all, I told myself. The boat took us to some deep water adjacent to a reef. We jumped overboard, checked that all was okay with the team and submerged. Shortly after-

i A memorable view from the deck of a boat following great white sharks (Photo: Sijmon de Waal)

ward, a pack of bull sharks, perhaps six or seven,

WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL SWIMMERS AND DIVERS TO REMEMBER IS THAT MOST TIMES, SHARKS DO NOT SIMPLY GO INTO THE ATTACK MODE.

rose up toward us from the bottom, clearly curious. Moments later, they started to circle us, obviously interested in something. It did not take the dive master very long to appreciate that the “something” attracting the sharks was me. He knew I’d been ill and had not yet fully recovered. Also, the sharks started coming at me at speed, veering off at the last moment. Then, some of these critters repeated the process a little later. It was all pretty unnerving. Eventually, by means of hand signals, our dive master indicated I should surface and return to the boat. He waved toward the other divers in his group and pointed at the circling sharks, obviously suggesting that I was putting them all at risk. I could not argue. With my forefinger and thumb, I indicated okay and headed toward the surface while keeping a wary eye open for sharks. Once alongside the boat, I didn’t wait to remove my gear or my tank but somehow found the strength to haul myself over the gunwale in a single, fluid move.

i This unnerving photo of a following great white shark was shot by Robert Pakiela.

After the dive group returned to the boat, they told me that once I was out of the water, the sharks kept their distance, showing little interest in their

about 6 or 7 feet long. Walter is precise about risk. He has never had a client attacked, because he is both cautious and vocal

presence. Lesson learned: Do not dive if you are not

about everybody staying together and not “wandering off on your own—because then, I’ve got to swim out

feeling 100 percent or have recently been ill.

and bring you back.”

SHARKS IN TROPICAL WATERS

occasionally, entangled in our air hoses. But black-tips are not a threat, because they are only interested in

By the time we enter the water, the black-tips are everywhere—around us, under us, through our legs and, The other prominent “culprit” in many shark attacks in recent years has been the tiger shark, which, in divers’ lingo, is a devious bastard! Partner Caroline and I often spent time in the water with Walter Bernardis’s African Watersports

or 20 feet long and usually arrive soon after the chumming begins. Diving with tiger sharks needs a good level of vigilance; this is something those who frequent tropical waters need to understand. These creatures usually (but not always) move slowly and will come toward you—up to the point at which

off South Africa’s coast. It is arguably one of the

they make eye contact. Once these sharks are aware that you know they are there, they will veer off and

most famous shark diving operations in the world.

try to approach from behind. Therein lies the threat. This is the reason that when diving, Caroline and I face

Weather allowing, viewing of sharks from up close

each other in the water and cover each other’s backs. If a tiger shark approaches, we turn and face it, and

is a regular event: Walter chums with ﬁsh bait, and

the predator moves off.

the sharks arrive. Tiger sharks are usually preceded by a couple of dozen black-tip oceanic sharks

ﬁsh bait; and anyway, the real reason we are in the water is because of tiger sharks, which are sometimes 18

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

What is notable here is that in several tiger shark attacks, these almost always came from behind. There are several instances of snorkelers in Hawaiian shallows having lost a leg (usually taken around the knee)

h This diver's safety was dependent upon his situational awareness—watching for aggressive actions among the large number of sharks in the area. (Photo: Getty Images)

to tigers. It would emerge afterward that the swimmers simply had no idea they were being stalked. The same was true for United Nations pilot Kevin Ellis, the son of mercenary helicopter gunship pilot Neall Ellis. Kevin was swimming in Mogadishu’s placid offshore lagoon (as he did every evening after

been a shark attack. Yet, the yacht basin is perhaps only a mile or two from the swimming pontoon. There are many other issues related to sharks, but

work and for many months) when he was suddenly taken from behind by what was obviously an

space precludes me from tackling them all, although

enormous tiger shark. Kevin’s right leg was severed at the knee—so cleanly that it looked as if a band

I did cover most in my book, Shark Stories by Al

h This is what happens if you stick your hand out while diving with sharks. It was a nip, rather than a bite, and an oceanic black-tip was responsible.

saw had been used. Two other factors need to be considered when swimming in the ocean. The ﬁrst is that sunset is usually feeding time for the majority of sharks. Although most sharks will devour anything at any time, there is a greater risk of attack toward dusk. Statistics kept over decades indicate this is a distinct likelihood, which means it could cause problems if you are in the water as the sun sets. The same applies to swimming in tropical waters at night. For a start, if there are sharks, you won’t be able to spot their fins prior to entering the water; nor will you see a tiger shark approaching from behind. The other issue is dirty water. Here, I cannot be more specific. Never, ever dive in dirty river estuaries. Rivers flowing into the sea often carry with their flow a lot of detritus from yesterday’s events in the interior: an animal that drowned or the entrails of a deer shot by hunters and discreetly disposed of in the nearest stream. Bull sharks, the culprit here, are aware of this, and they patrol those waters. Many a swimmer has been taken by these predators in those conditions. The same applies to harbors. I have many friends who dive. Quite a few of them slot in a bit of extra work, such as cleaning hulls or clearing anchors that have fouled, and their stories about shark encounters are legendary. Also, it is no secret that big ports (such as Sydney) have a large shark presence; sometimes, these can be lethal. Kenya’s biggest harbor, Mombasa, which is an island connected to the mainland by several bridges, also has shark problems. However, in some regards, these are peculiar. Mombasa’s main shipping area is Kilindini, located on the south side of the island. It has seen many attacks. Over the years, numerous sailors (usually drunk) who have fallen into those waters while trying to board their ships have been taken by sharks. Then, there was an historical event that affected a good friend, Conway Plough, who lived and worked in Mombasa. I dived often with Conway, who knew the ropes about sharks. So, it was surprising that he was attacked. Conway would often spend a few hours over weekends in Mombasa’s yacht basin cleaning the hulls of some of these craft. Then, one Saturday, he and another diving enthusiast, Dr. Jonathan Higgs, were cleaning a yacht when they were attacked by a pack of bull sharks. Higgs was killed. Conway survived, but a large chunk was taken out of his leg. It was notable that the approaches to the yacht basin were troubled that day, and visibility underwater was perhaps a few feet. For all that, also in Mombasa, opposite the north side of the island, there is a large pontoon that has been well used by several generations of school children as a swimming platform, and there has never

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

h Far left: Sharks continue to generate a lot of interest, even though the incidence of fatalities has been trending lower for decades. (Photo: Morne Hardenberg, founder, Shark Explorers)

h Near left: The moment of truth for an underwater cameraman as a shark hits the bait (Photo: Stuart Philpott)

GREAT WHITES CAN REACH SPEEDS OF 30 MILES AN HOUR WHEN ON THE HUNT AND ARE RARELY LEFT WANTING.

those involved never wavered. This underscores the need to always make a serious effort to reach the shore, no matter the odds. What is important for all swimmers and divers to remember is that most times, sharks do not simply

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go into the attack mode. The majority will ﬁrst “mouth” the potential victim by “tasting” whether

SHARKS IN OPEN WATERS I would be remiss if I did not mention attacks in open waters on divers who are sometimes separated

times two or three bumps, from the shark’s snout.

from their boats. This was the subject of a particularly thought-provoking 2003 movie, Open Water. In this

Most times, after mouthing wetsuit neoprene

ﬁlm, a pair of scuba divers surfaces, only to ﬁnd that their dive boat has left them behind. Both victims are

(hardly edible), the sharks will move on. But, when

eventually taken by sharks ... not a pretty picture.

exposed swimmers’ limbs are mouthed, an attack

But there are many other remarkable events where divers have survived sometimes impossible situations. I was present at one of several incidents such as this along South Africa’s Indian Ocean coast, when a diver i Shark conservationist Sijmon de Waal's photo of a diver with a juvenile whale shark

he or she is edible. That can involve a bump, some-

might well result. The bottom line here is that if you are bumped

had disappeared in choppy seas after a dive. Although boats and helicopters searched for hours, the man

while swimming or diving, get back to shore or onto

appeared to have vanished—until he swam ashore about 100 miles down the coast the following morning,

your dive boat as quickly as possible.

having been carried by currents all night long—in an ocean swarming with sharks. Something similar happened again a year or two later. That time, it was an 80-mile swim. In both cases,

Also, the reality of shark attacks is vastly overblown. With the Chinese removing almost 100 million sharks from the oceans every year with their armadas of long line boats (they remove only the ﬁns to make shark ﬁn soup), sharks today are far more threatened than a threat.

SHARK ATTACK FACTS In 2016, the International Shark Attack File investigated 154 worldwide alleged interactions between sharks and humans. About 55 percent of these attacks were unprovoked, meaning that a live human was attacked in the shark’s natural habitat and there was no human provocation of the shark. This is what was found: • 84 were conﬁrmed cases of unprovoked shark attacks; • 46 attacks took place in continental North American waters; • 35 of these 46 attacks occurred in Florida; • 10 of the 84 attacks took place in Hawaii; • There were no fatalities in North American waters; • Australia had 15 unprovoked shark attacks that resulted in two deaths; • The remaining attacks occurred in nine other countries; • Of the 84 attacks, four were fatal.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

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AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

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[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

NO MATTER THE SITUATION, IN A GENUINE SURVIVAL SCENARIO, YOU WILL BE SHOOTING UP CLOSE OR NOT AT ALL.

like punching concentric holes at ridiculous distances just as much as the next gun nerd. However, there is really no imaginable circumstance wherein we might be called upon to do that for real. No matter the situation, in a genuine survival scenario, you will be shooting up close or not at all. The M16 and its progeny have served U.S. forces in combat longer than any other military rifle in American history. When it was initially introduced, the M193 5.56x45mm round was derided as a

â&#x20AC;&#x153;poodle-shooterâ&#x20AC;? not worthy of utilization in real-world combat. Alas, we have found out after literally decades of gritty combat experience that the 5.56mm is, indeed, adequate for its intended applications. However, the 5.56 prevails not because of its breathtaking effectiveness, but rather because it is easy to carry and even easier to shoot. For those times you need to punch a little bit deeper without sacrificing maneuverability, Springfield Armory offers the M1A SOCOM 16 CQB.

h Left, top: The nasty end of the M1A SOCOM 16 CQB has had a total facelift. The front sight incorporates a tritium insert, and the stubby muzzle brake siphons a great deal of the recoil out of the gun.

h Left, middle: The safety on the M1A SOCOM 16 CQB is an ambidextrous pivoting tab in the front aspect of the trigger guard.

h Left, bottom: This angle provides a better view of the tritium insert on the front sight.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

i Far right: There is a nice scope mount rigidly affixed to the near end of the barrel. This is the perfect spot for a long eye relief optic or an EOTech Holosight. i Near right: The indestructible polymer chassis is from Archangel. There are five positions for the buttstock component, and the cheek riser is adjustable.

Springﬁeld Armory M1A SOCOM 16 CQB Specifications • Caliber: 7.62x51mm • Length: 35.5–38.5 inches • Barrel: 16.25 inches; 1:11 right-hand twist; six groove • Barrel finish: Parkerized carbon steel • Weight (empty): 9.3 pounds • Front iron sight: 0.125-inch blade with tritium insert • Rear Iron sight: 0.135-inch Ghost Ring aperture with MOA adjustments • Electronic sight: 3 MOA Vortex Venom • Magazine: 10-round Parkerized steel (5-, 20and 30-round versions available)

MSRP: $2,420

MODERN SPECIAL OPERATORS HAVE LONG SEEN THE NEED FOR A COMPACT, AUTHORITATIVE .30-CALIBER BATTLE RIFLE THAT COULD PROJECT POWER BEYOND WHAT 5.56MM WEAPONS MIGHT ADDRESS.

version of the selective-fire M14 service rifle) and the classic 1911 handgun. In recent years, Springfield Armory has expanded into polymer-framed pistols, as well as modern sporting rifles. The good folks at Springfield Armory have also seen fit to modernize the classic M1A. The newest variation is designed specifically for the close fight and is called the M1A

ORIGINS The Springfield Armory had its beginnings in 1777 as a place to store artillery pieces and gun carriages

SOCOM 16 CQB. Modern Special Operators have long seen the

that our newly minted nation might need to prevail in the face of myriad existential threats. George

need for a compact, authoritative .30-caliber

Washington signed the original charter. Over the centuries, America’s armory served as a national

battle rifle that could project power beyond

repository, safeguarding the science and engineering required to produce cutting-edge small arms. In the

what 5.56mm weapons might address.

tumultuous 1960s, the Springfield Armory got axed as part of budget cuts and was no more.

Nowadays, the SCAR 16, HK 417 and various

In 1974, the Springfield Armory name became a private holding. The Reese family set out to resurrect

modernized AR10 variants fill this need. Back

the Springfield Armory to its former greatness as a provider of quality firearms to America’s civilian

when I wore the uniform two decades ago,

shooters. Those first few early offerings included the M1 Garand, the M1A (a civilianized semiautomatic

this meant customized M14 rifles brought out

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

h Top left: The author’s M1A SOCOM 16 CQB came with a Vortex Venom micro-red-dot sight mounted atop the stripper clip guide. This tiny sight points the gun quickly with no significant weight or bulk penalty.

h Middle left: Certain applications demand a bit more power than might be coaxed from the diminutive 5.56mm round. The M1A SOCOM 16 CQB offers .30-caliber power in a compact, maneuverable chassis.

h Bottom left: There are three M-LOK rails that come with the gun. These accessory rails are perfectly scaled to accept a quality compact illuminator such as this Streamlight TLR-1. The TLR-1 snaps easily on and off, and the controls are thoroughly functional.

THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY M1A SOCOM 16 CQB RETAINS ALL THAT IS RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY ABOUT THE M14 WHILE SUPERCHARGING THE GUN FOR CLOSE-QUARTERS USE. capable of remaining lethal out beyond a kilometer. In response to new trends in mobile warfare, the Germans contrived the 7.92x33mm Kurz intermediate round and the radical StG44 Storm Gun to fire of mothballs and put into service once again.

it. This selective-fire meat grinder left a deep impression on the American and British dogfaces who

Today’s Springfield Armory M1A SOCOM 16 CQB is

encountered it in combat.

arguably the toughest of the lot.

While the entire planet seemed to be transitioning to smaller, lighter intermediate rounds, we Americans clung dogmatically to our full-power rifles. We were then a nation of riflemen; and, despite

HERITAGE

compelling evidence, we simply failed to embrace the well-trod path. Our new 7.62x51mm cartridge was

The M14 emerged from a murky competition to engineer a replacement for the venerable M1 Garand in the aftermath of World War II. The M1 had served with distinction in all theaters of war, but those few long years of combat had utterly transformed the tools with which infantrymen conducted battle. Seeing the Garand growing rapidly long in the tooth, the U.S. Army pushed forward for something new with which to face down the Russians, our erstwhile allies in that most recent conflict.

.308 Factory Ammo Performance Results VELOCITY (fps)

GROUP SIZE (inches)

Federal American Eagle 150-grain FMJBT*

2,677

1.6

HSM 168-grain HPBT^ Match

2,408

1.1

Federal 175-grain Sierra MatchKing

2,502

1.7

AMMUNITION

Gorilla Ammunition 175-grain MatchKing

2,415

1.9

state, had actually been the impetus behind

Winchester 147-grain FMJ

2,693

1.0

a cosmic shift in small-arms design. Most of

Winchester Match 168-grain HPBT^

2,680

1.2

The Germans, in their thoroughly defeated

the world’s militaries had entered World War II wielding the weapons with which they fought during World War I. However, the Germans ultimately appreciated the unnecessary excess behind equipping all of its troops with rifles

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

Notes: A Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph was set 10 feet from the muzzle. Accuracy was the product of the best four of five shots at 100 meters from the prone across a simple rest. *FMJBT = Full metal jacket boat tail ^HPBT = Hollowpoint boat tail

THE SOCOM 16 CQB HANDLES CORNERS AND MANEUVERS WITHIN AND AROUND VEHICLES AS WELL AS YOUR FAVORITE AR MIGHT. HOWEVER, ITS .30-CALIBER CHAMBERING CARRIES FAR MORE DOWNRANGE THUMP.

h The SOCOM 16 CQB is a satisfying blend of maneuverability and firepower.

incrementally smaller and lighter than the World War II-era 7.62x63mm .30-06 ... but not by much. What

for accessories. The new SOCOM 2 offers a more

we got for that tactical intransigence, however, was an immensely powerful combat rifle.

extensive external railed aluminum chassis, but

In 1952 and '53, several new rifle designs battled for supremacy to determine the Army’s replacement for the M1 Garand. The prototype M14 was the T44. The counterpart derived from the FN FAL was the T48. While the T48 was deemed superior in most respects, the T44 was found to be more reliable under

railed real estate. The magazine well is fortified and flared

arctic conditions while remaining a full pound lighter. The T44 was subsequently polished into the M14

slightly for rapid magazine changes. However,

that served as the standard American service rifle from 1959 until it was supplanted by the M16 in 1964.

this extra material precludes the use of an X-Products 50-round drum. SOCOM models

INFORMATION AGE UPGRADES The Springfield Armory M1A SOCOM 16 CQB retains all that is righteous and holy about the M14 while supercharging the gun for close-quarters use. The forged steel receiver and detachable box magazine

with more-conventional furniture will still accept the drum. There is a mount for the red-dot sight incorpo-

remain the same, while the 22-inch barrel gets pruned back to 16.25 inches. Interestingly, losing half a

rated into the stripper clip guide over the near

foot off the barrel only costs about 50 feet per second at the muzzle. The previous long, slotted flash

end of the bolt raceway. There is also a more

suppressor got sacked in favor of a stubby muzzle brake.

substantial mount affixed to the barrel forward

The fire control system remains the same as that which drove the M1 Garand. The front sight now

of the receiver. This mount would be a natural

includes a tritium insert, while the rear sight is an easily adjustable, wide-aperture ghost ring peep. My

foundation for a long eye relief scout scope or

gun came standard with a Vortex Venom micro-red-dot sight, as well. There is no provision for a bayonet,

an EOTech Holosight.

and the muzzle anatomy is such that the gun will not readily accept a sound suppressor. The classic oiled walnut furniture has been replaced with a modern polymer chassis from Archangel Manufacturing. This high-tech stock incorporates a sliding buttstock component with ﬁve detent positions, as well as an adjustable cheek riser. The stock comes with one seven-slot and two three-slot M-LOK rails

S O U R C E S

I have found my SOCOM CQB to have plenty of

PRACTICAL TACTICAL The manual of arms is identical to that of any

Springfield Armory (800) 680-6866 www.Springﬁeld-Armory.com Federal Ammunition (800) 379-1732 www.FederalPremium.com Gorilla Ammunition (772) 564-0777 www.GorillaAmmo.com HSM Ammunition (406) 777-2106 www.TheHuntingShack.com Streamlight (800) 523-7488 www.Streamlight.com Vortex Optics (800) 426-0048 www.VortexOptics.com Winchester Ammunition (618) 258-2900 www.Winchester.com

other M14-series rifle with which you might be

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

VORTEX VENOM SIGHT The Vortex Venom is a 3 MOA LED red-dot sight small enough to go

familiar. The safety is a pivoting tab in the front

The bolt automatically locks to the rear after

aspect of the trigger guard. With a little practice,

the last round is fired. Swap the magazine by

it is a simple task to flick this appendage forward

slightly rocking the old one out and a fresh one

most anyplace. Although the Venom is adequately compact to ride

with the trigger finger—no matter your handed-

in. Give the bolt handle a quick snatch to the

atop your favorite combat handgun, it will also render ﬁne service on

ness. The right-sided charging handle is rigid and

rear to release it over the new mag. There is a

a tactical riﬂe. Flush 1 MOA windage and elevation adjustments make

reciprocates with the bolt. Right-handed opera-

manual latch that can be used to lock the bolt

tors must cant the gun and reach across it to jack

open in the absence of a magazine for either

the bolt, but this is easier to do than to describe.

inspection or service.

zeroing breezy, while the easily accessed, side-mounted controls make for simple brightness adjustments on the ﬂy. The Venom runs off a CR 1632 button battery, available at any pharmacy. The battery is easily exchanged from the top of the sight, so you need not worry about upsetting your zero. The Venom is a genuine 1X both-eyes-open sight without distortion or noteworthy parallax. The machined aluminum housing is as robust as your weapon, and the whole rig weighs only 1.1 ounces. The Venom is waterproof and shockproof while offering 10 different brightness levels.

The rigid nature of the charging handle means you can manhandle the gun if things get sticky. The magazine catch is also located along the centerline for easy access with the thumb of the

Basic fieldstripping is straightforward without tools. Disassembly of the gas plug does require a special wrench, but this is included in a GI cleaning kit.

weak hand, no matter which paw is dominant. Magazines must be hooked at the front and rocked in place in the manner of a Kalashnikov.

TRIGGER TIME So, how does she run? She runs really, really

While this might take an extra heartbeat in action,

fast—and really, really loud. The SOCOM 16

around 150 hours of operation on a single battery. Lower brightness

it also means that the resulting leverage makes it

CQB handles corners and maneuvers within

settings can extend that out to 30,000 hours. For a reasonably

easy to seat a full magazine against a closed bolt.

and around vehicles as well as your favorite

priced, reliable and rugged red-dot that will not weigh you down,

This can be a serious chore in AR-pattern guns.

AR might. However, its .30-caliber chambering

The Venom shuts itself off automatically after 14 hours and offers

the Vortex Venom offers all that—and more.

h The Springfield Armory M1A SOCOM 16 CQB packs .30-caliber power into a package more typically associated with 5.56mm guns. The resulting weapon maneuvers quickly while retaining all that big-bore downrange thump.

… WITH THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY FROM WHICH TO CHOOSE, IT IS MY M1A SOCOM 16 CQB THAT SITS NEXT TO THE DOOR, READY TO GRAB AND GO.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

carries far more downrange thump. The proprietary muzzle brake does a great job of taming recoil. Recoil with the SOCOM 16 CQB is really not markedly more abusive than is the case with typical 5.56mm guns. However, all that recoil management comes at the expense of muzzle blast and pure, unfiltered racket. (Did I mention this gun is loud?) Follow-up shots are as smooth as on any .308 battle riďŹ&#x201A;e I have ever run, despite the gunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compact geometry. I attribute this to the superlative muzzle brake. With the Vortex Venom red-dot sight in place, the gun swings on target quickly and indexes like your favorite poodle-popper.

WHAT IS IT REALLY GOOD FOR? Should the zombies roll up onto your lawn, mechanized and in vehicles, this is the gun that will take all the ambiguity out of that exchange. The same can be

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said if they are lurking behind modest cover. .308 ammo is heavier and bulkier than 5.56. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why the Army made the swap back in the 1960s in the first place. However, as our boys and girls serving downrange have found out, sometimes, you just need a little more horsepower than the 5.56 can offer. For proper barrier penetration and thoroughly reliable downrange performance, sometimes it just has to be .30-caliber or nothing at all. The niche that the SOCOM 16 CQB occupies is unique. The gun does what your favorite small-caliber black rifle might doâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;up close at bad-breath rangeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;with a

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modest penalty in weight and literally no penalty in length. However, if the threat is tough to reach, the SOCOM 16 CQB punches deep enough to root him out. After nearly three decades of writing for the gun press, my personal stable is ably stocked. However, with the entire industry from which to choose, it is my M1A

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e live in "interesting"

This can complicate our prepping plan, because

times, to put it nicely.

it broadens the scope of scenarios we need to be

Last year’s terror attacks,

ready for. Then, again, the upside is that prepar-

extreme weather events

ing for many of these scenarios requires the same

and angry mobs woke

basic gear and supplies.

up a lot of people to the increasingly common

The collection we’ve assembled in this month’s

realization that a quiet life is not something we

"Gear Guide" highlights a number of necessities that

can take for granted. Survival situations weren’t

transcend the types of disasters you might face.

contained within urban or coastal areas, further

Most are also great items you can use every day—not

emphasizing the probability that life-threatening

sock away until the alarm sounds. In our book, that’s

circumstances could occur anywhere at any time.

the best kind of investment you can make.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

The North Face Base Camp Duffel, Large Overview

Specifications

A great multi-use duffel, the Base Camp features interior mesh pockets to help with organization and separated end caps to store dirty clothes or gear. It comes with a detachable storage strap for easy transport out of the vehicle and side handles for maneuverability. The Base Camp is water resistant, but driving through a hurricane probably wouldn’t be the best idea. With many color choices, you can blend in with the black duffel or go bold with Summit Gold.

• Capacity: 95 liters • External dimensions: 15.75x27.56x15.75 inches • Weight: 4.6 pounds • Material: 1,000-D phthalate-free TPE fabric laminate and 840-D Jr. ballistic nylon • Warranty: Lifetime

MSRP $145

URL www.TheNorthFace.com

UST 30 Day Duro Lantern

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

Overview

Specifications

You can find this lamp, even under a moonless night sky. The body of the 30 Day Duro lantern glows in the dark. Its LED bulb has three continuous lighting adjustment levels that max out at 700 lumens. A fourth setting allows the lantern to flash an emergency SOS signal for up to 15 days. It runs 30 days continuously on “low” and 22 hours continuously on “high.” Its impact-resistant, rubberized housing and unbreakable lifetime LED make this lantern strong enough for the most rugged adventures.

• Output rating: Up to 700 lumens • Battery type: 3 D cells • Runtime: 30 days on “low”; 22 hours on “high”

MSRP $50

URL www.USTBrands.com

Watershed Colorado Duffel Overview

Specifications

Watershed bags have been used by boaters and river rats for years because of their watertight, no-frills functionality. These bags are ideal for packing clothes or other soft items where the interior space can be maximized. They feature several hard-plastic lash points and come in a range of colors, including black, orange, tan and MultiCam (at an additional cost). Durable and light enough to carry as standard duffle bags, these are great multipurpose bags.

• Capacity: 105 liters • External dimensions: 18x31x16 inches • Weight: 3.13 pounds • Material: Backpack-grade nylon laminated with polyurethane film • Warranty: Lifetime

MSRP $185

URL www.DryBags.com

Gear Aid ARC LED Light & Power Station Overview

Specifications

With 60 LEDs, USB charging capability and a 10,400 mAh battery that gives you light and power for up to four days, the ARC Light & Power Station is small enough to go everywhere you do. It can be adjusted for 10 brightness levels and three color temperature settings. The ARC’s sturdy legs allow it to be hung or mounted for 180 degrees of lighting for any task or adventure. It also includes a threaded mounting point for attaching to tripods and Gear Aid, RAM and GoPro mounts. The ARC Light & Power Station includes light, diffuser bag, USB charging cable and stainless steel hook.

• Output rating: 20–320 lumens • Power type: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery • Battery life: 8–96 hours

MSRP $100-$155

URL www.GearAid.com

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

Nite Ize Radiant Microlight Overview

Specifications

Powered by two 2016 lithium coin cell batteries, the Radiant Microlight packs some surprisingly powerful performance. With an effective range of up to 50 feet and 1-mile signal visibility, the Radiant Microlight features four lighting functions, including “high,” “low,” “strobe” and “signal.” It also features a water- and crush-resistant body and a stainless steel universal clip that attaches to keys, zippers, purses, backpacks and more.

• Maximum output: 6 lumens • Maximum runtime: 22 hours • Length: 1.85 inches • Weight: 0.35 ounce

MSRP $8

URL www.NiteIze.com

Olight 13E EOS Overview

Specifications

The 13E EOS keychain light can be taken virtually anywhere and is ready to provide a surprising amount of light for such a small package. Simply twist the head to activate the light. The aircraft aluminum body has a tough, MIL-SPEC Type III anodized ﬁnish and is waterproof to the IPX8 standard. Replace the alkaline battery with a NiMH AAA battery to increase your runtime to 70 minutes.

• Maximum output: 90 lumens • Runtime with included battery: 45 minutes • Length: 2.38 inches • Head diameter: .55 inch • Weight: .68 ounce • Includes (1) AAA alkaline battery • Available in numerous colors

MSRP $10

URL www.OlightStore.com

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

SureFire Titan Plus Light Overview

Specifications

Building on its groundbreaking Titan keychain light, SureFire has added several useful features to Titan Plus, including over twice the maximum output, taking it to 300 lumens of blinding white light. It can also be switched to 75 lumens at its “medium” setting and 15 lumens on “low.” The small and stylish light is constructed of durable nickel-plated brass that resists scratching and corrosion. This rugged light features a removable pocket clip and a stainless steel split ring for attachment to your keyring.

• Outputs: 300, 75, 15 lumens • Runtimes: 1, 2, 7 hours • Length: 3.375 inches • Weight: 2.0 ounces

MSRP $100

URL www.SureFire.com

ARB Fridge/Freezer 50 Qt. Overview

Specifications

If you’re looking for a tough, portable refrigerator/freezer to store critical meds or other items that must stay cold—come hell or high water— consider the 50-quart ARB Fridge Freezer. This unit works with both AC and DC power inputs, so you can take it with you when the need arises. It will even maintain subfreezing temperatures in 90-degree (F) external temperatures! If things really get rough, this power miser is compatible with generator and solar power sources. Two internal compartments help keep contents organized.

• Dimensions, external: 20x15x27.8 inches • Dimensions, internal: 15.8x11.2x13.3 and 8.1x11.2x6 inches • Weight: 49.6 pounds • Runs on 12/24V DC and 120V AC • Internal LED light • Recessed, front-mounted digital control panel • Removable hinged lid • Other sizes available

MSRP $924

URL www.ARBUSA.com

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

Black Diamond Creek Transit 22 Pack Overview

Specifications

Inspired by life on the trail and built for life on the move, the Black Diamond Creek Transit 22 Pack is a modern, commuter-style pack that provides sleek and functional storage for your daily gear. Built with a durable, waterproof shell fabric that offers rugged toughness, the Creek Transit sports a zippered-top lid with internal pocket storage.

• Exterior-access laptop sleeve that secures a 13-inch computer • Padded shoulder straps and back panel • Removable webbing hip belt • Bottom sits flat for easy loading

MSRP $100

URL www.BlackDiamondEquipment.com

KEEN Men's Targhee EXP Waterproof Boots Overview

Specifications

The Targhee boot's fit, durability and performance have earned it a loyal following. With a bold, new design, this update is tough, lean and ready for the next chapter of epic adventures. It features a KEEN Dry waterproof, breathable membrane and a polyurethane-coated leather mud shield for durability and easy cleaning.

• Reinforced eyelets for easy lace adjustments • Injected TPU heel-capture system increases stability • ESS shank provides lightweight support

MSRP $140

URL www.KeenFootwear.com

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

Grundéns Stormlight Jacket Overview

Specifications

This superlight jacket keeps adventurers dry during light squalls or heavy downpours. Tailored from nylon neo-stretch material that is waterproof and breathable, Stormlight delivers comfort and freedom of movement, whether you’re rigging gear or hiking a tough trail. This jacket features a waterproof zipper, adjustable hem and hook-and-loop adjustable cuffs to help seal out rain and spray.

• 40-D two-layer nylon shell with polyurethane laminate • Provides UPF 30 UV protection • Sizes: S–3XL • Available in five colors • Fully adjustable hood

MSRP $180

URL www.Shop.Grundens.com

Mechanix FastFit CR5A5 Gloves Overview

Specifications

FastFit CR5A5 cut-resistant gloves protect working hands with CE level 5 and ANSI A5 cut-resistance on the trail and at the campsite. An internal layer of high-tenacity Armortex on the glove’s palm and fingers prevents abrasions and lacerations when working with sharp tools and materials.

• Features touchscreen-capable palm and fingers • Breathable TrekDry material helps keep hands cool • Elastic cuffs keep debris out of gloves

MSRP $25

URL www.Mechanix.com

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

KEEP YOUR MEDIC SAFE WHILE YOU’RE UNDER FIRE. BY JOE ALTON, M.D..

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

SOURCES

C•A•T RESOURCES (803) 325-9300 WWW.COMBATTOURNIQUET.COM CELOX +44 (0)1270 500019 WWW.CELOXMEDICAL.COM DOOM AND BLOOM WWW.DOOMANDBLOOM.NET QUIKCLOT (877) 750-0504 WWW.QUIKCLOT.COM TACTICAL MEDICAL SOLUTIONS (888) 822-6331 WWW.TACMEDSOLUTIONS.COM

TALON DEFENSE HTTPS://TALONDEFENSE.US.COM.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

i Right: Government snipers targeted medics and journalists during the Ukrainian revolution.

h If you can’t get to the airport due to flooded roads, it is obviously not a viable way out. h This home in Texas was flooded with about 4 feet of water because of the heavy rains from Hurricane Harvey i Below: A wounded Syrian, who was evacuated from rebel-held neighborhoods in the embattled city of Aleppo, is carried by a medic. (Photo: AFP/ Getty Images)

h Bottom: It was probably a terrible surprise to him, but this medic wasn’t spared in a firefight. Be prepared, because you won’t be spared either.

am dying.” This was the tweet posted by Oleysa Zhukovskaya, a 21-year-old woman who volunteered to work as a medic during the Ukrainian revolution in early 2013. Government snipers were targeting medics (who were marked with red crosses) and journalists. Zhukovskaya was struck in the neck by a bullet.

Seeing this drama unfold, I considered long-term survival scenarios in which civil unrest and other events could put the group medic in harm’s way. This might involve situations in which the medic is with his/her group in foraging operations or simply at “base camp” when hostile forces arrive, as happened in the Ukraine. Our young medic might have thought a red cross identified her as a “noncombatant” and, thus, made her immune to enemy fire. Indeed, firing on a clearly marked medic is considered a war crime by the Geneva Convention. Unfortunately, few respect the Geneva Convention these days and have no problem © GETTY IMAGES

shooting noncombatants. Some even use children as shields. We should realize that if the defecation hits the oscillation, medical personnel are fair game. In fact, killing the medic is a time-honored way to damage morale and decrease a unit’s effectiveness. Avoid wearing a big, white armband with a red cross; it won’t protect you. U.S. combat medics today wear much less-noticeable insignia. In the military, it’s clear who the medic is. In survival, the same should be true. Most hostile encounters will be unexpected, and not having assigned someone in the foraging party as the medic might lead to paralysis on the part of group members as to who needs to attend to a casualty.

PRACTICAL PRIORITIES FOR THE SURVIVAL MEDIC Doing the right thing at the right time is the cornerstone of tactical combat casualty care (TCCC). The

Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (CoTCCC) developed a re-evaluation of care with a specific

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

… KILLING THE MEDIC IS A TIME-HONORED WAY TO DAMAGE MORALE AND DECREASE A UNIT’S EFFECTIVENESS.

h In a survival scenario, the evacuation helicopter isn’t coming, so you need to be able to handle as many challenges as possible on your own.

goal in mind: to decrease preventable deaths from hostile encounters. One in five deaths from hemor-

3. Avoid exposure to enemy fire while attempt-

rhage in these situations might be prevented with quick, rational action. It is thought that 2,500 combat

ing to reach the casualty. Clearly, this is easier

deaths occurred in Vietnam due to extremity hemorrhage, some of which might have been avoided by

said than done, but getting shot isn’t going to

following current TCCC recommendations.

help your injured group member.

While the CoTCCC focuses on military engagements, the strategies put forth work in any unsafe environment. Not only are these strategies prudent in survival settings, they might also save lives in

4. Once there, get the casualty and yourself to reasonable cover if exposed. Don’t confuse

h Below: A medic tends to a man on November 13, 2013, in Paris, France. Gunfire and explosions in multiple locations had erupted in the French capital. (Photo: Getty Images)

active-shooter events. It should be noted that actions appropriate for the medic facing hostile fire are different from what you might consider to be the practice of “good medicine.” In these situations, good medicine could be bad tactics—and that could get people killed, especially the medic. This poses the question, Should medics be armed? Because the “gentlemen’s agreement” that protects medical personnel in a combat scenario is rarely taken seriously by the enemy, the answer can only be ... Yes. The most important goal in this case is to abolish all threats, and this means helping provide suppressive ﬁre when needed. The best medical care when under ﬁre is eliminating the enemy—or at least keeping their heads down and weapons silent. This philosophy might be difficult to absorb for the medic, because they will want, first and foremost, to selflessly attend to wounded comrades. Without dealing with the threat, however, they are likely to become the next casualty if they run into the line of fire. History shows us that this was a common way for medics to meet their demise, sometimes on the way to evaluate casualties who were already beyond help. Another issue for the medic is that many of the standard medical tools used to evaluate a victim will be useless in a firefight—forget trying to listen to a casualty with a stethoscope if there is gunfire. In addition, it’s foolhardy to use a headlamp at night to treat the wounded unless you have cover; it might as well be a target bull’s-eye. When under fire, therefore, here are my thoughts on what your priorities as medic should be:

2. Determine the level of consciousness of the injured party. If the casualty is alert, direct them to get to cover and begin self-aid. If they are clearly exposed and can’t move to cover, direct them to lie flat and

1. Abolish or suppress the threat. Remember: The best medicine is ﬁre superiority. Additional suppression provided by the medic might be essential to achieve this goal.

motionless so as not to attract fire.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

COMBAT CASUALTY CARE TRAINING COURSES If you have the intestinal fortitude, there are many combat casualty care training courses out there. One demanding, but useful, one is conducted by the folks at Talon Defense. There, you’ll be put through rigorous simulations of live-fire scenarios and learn, hands-on, how to deal with wounds in the chaotic atmosphere of a hostile encounter. If you’re interested, you can find videos of “team runs” on YouTube.

JUST BECAUSE A TOURNIQUET IS INITIALLY SUCCESSFUL IN STOPPING THE BLEED, IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT IT CAN’T RESTART. CONSEQUENTLY, FREQUENT REASSESSMENT OF THE WOUND AND TOURNIQUET PLACEMENT IS IMPORTANT. an extremity is another example of when bleeding might be life-threatening. All these victims could be in various degrees of shock, pale, confused or unconscious.

USE OF TOURNIQUETS concealment with cover. Kneeling behind a rose bush might constitute concealment, but it doesn’t stop bullets. While providing aid, position yourself

i Training all group members in self-aid and bleeding control will save lives.

so that you can see likely areas of hostile advance.

When a tourniquet can be applied, it is the first course of action that should be undertaken. Traditional restrictions on tourniquet use were based on issues such as losing a limb due to cutting off the circulation. In the end, losing a limb is preferable to losing a life. In a 2008 study of 232 instances in Iraq when tourniquets were used on 309 extremities, no ampu-

5. If the casualty has altered mental status,

tations were necessary due to lack of circulation. Three percent of casualties had temporary nerve

disarm them. If alert and oriented, have them

continue to return fire—or at least assist you in providing first aid for their wound. 6. Assess the wound(s) quickly but thoroughly, including the back and head. In the case of a life-threatening extremity hemorrhage, use tourniquets as a ﬁrst line of action. You might ask, “When is bleeding life threatening?” This seems like a simple question, and it will often be obvious. The presence of bright-red arterial bleeding that spurts out in correlation with the victim’s pulse is one sign that you must act quickly. When an artery is traumatized, you will likely have only a few minutes to save a life. Steady bleeding from veins, however, can be as dangerous, especially when clothes are soaked and blood pools on the ground. When simple, direct pressure fails to slow bleeding, and bandages become saturated, it is clear your casualty is in trouble. Of course, a traumatic amputation of

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

i If the victim was shot, be sure to look for exit wounds.

CARE UNDER FIRE This article contains my thoughts on medic actions during hostile encounters. Below are the official recommendations of the 2017 CoTCCC for care under fire:

or less resulted in few complications. Indeed, in some modern surgical procedures, tourniquets are left in place for longer periods of time. Which tourniquets are preferred by the military for care under fire? The CoTCCC recommends two tourniquet brands: the CAT (Combat Application Tourniquet) Gen 7 and the SOFT-T (Special Operations Forces Tactical Tourniquet). This preference is based on previous reviews of their effectiveness in the field, but these items also have the advantage of ease of use with one hand. This is not to say that other brands might not be effective. Various types of tourniquets are on the market, and each has its own characteristics. Although a basic aspect of care when not under fire is fully exposing the wound, this takes time. As a result, apply the tourniquet over clothing; and, unless you know the exact extent of the injury, apply it “high and tight.” That means significantly proximal (closer to the torso) to where the bleeding appears. Later, when the encounter is over, the wound can be better evaluated, and the tourniquet can be converted

Basic Management Plan for Care Under Fire 1. Return fire and take cover. 2. Direct or expect the casualty to remain engaged as a combatant, if appropriate. 3. Direct casualty to move to cover and apply self-aid, if able. 4. Try to keep the casualty from sustaining additional wounds. 5. Casualties should be extricated from burning vehicles or buildings and moved to places of relative safety. Do what is necessary to stop the burning process. 6. Stop life-threatening external hemorrhage, if tactically feasible: j Direct the casualty to control hemorrhage by self-aid, if they are able. j Use a CoTCCC-recommended limb tourniquet for hemorrhage that is anatomically amenable to tourniquet use. j Apply the limb tourniquet over the uniform clearly proximal to the bleeding site(s). If the site of the life-threatening bleeding is not readily apparent, place the tourniquet “high and tight” (as proximal as possible) on the injured limb and move the casualty to cover. 7. Airway management is generally best deferred until the tactical field care phase.

to a different position, if appropriate. Don’t be surprised if tourniquet application is painful to the injured group member. If applied properly, it should hurt. In addition to stopping the bleeding, correct application should also stop pulses distal (farther from the torso) to the wound. There will be times when one tourniquet is not enough. If the first tourniquet fails to control the bleeding, apply a second tourniquet above (proximal to) the first. Avoid placement over a joint,

and be aware of items in pockets that could prevent adequate pressure application. Just because a h Far left: Just as military units have medics, so must survival groups—if they are going to stay healthy and minimally impacted by injuries.

h Near left: A United States Army Ranger medic treats the wounds of his injured comrade.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

tourniquet is initially successful in stopping the bleed, it doesn’t mean that it can’t restart. Consequently, frequent reassessment of the wound and tourniquet placement is important. Do not remove or loosen the tourniquet while

h Medics evacuate an injured person after the November 14, 2015, terror attacks in Paris, France. (Photo: Getty Images)

still under fire, especially if the casualty is in shock, an extremity has been traumatically amputated or you cannot closely monitor for re-bleeding. When things quiet down, however, every effort should be made to convert tourniquets in less than two hours if bleeding can be controlled with other means.

OTHER WAYS TO STOP BLEEDING This can be achieved with Combat Gauze, a bandage impregnated with Kaolin and made © GETTY IMAGES

by QuikClot. The CoTCCC also accepts the use of CELOX Gauze or ChitoGauze—dressings that contain chitosan. These products are called “hemostatic agents,” which means they help stop bleeding by either helping the body form a clot or by forming a

AVOID EXPOSURE TO ENEMY FIRE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REACH THE CASUALTY. CLEARLY, THIS IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE, BUT GETTING SHOT ISN’T GOING TO HELP YOUR INJURED GROUP MEMBER.

clot themselves. Hemostatic and other bandages are also important for non-extremity bleeding. QuikClot Combat Gauze is the preferred product of the CoTCCC, but CELOX Gauze and ChitoGauze might be especially useful in casualties with depleted clotting

h Even after a tourniquet or pressure bandage is applied, it’s important to keep a close eye on the patient, because bleeding might restart during transport.

LUNG COLLAPSE Besides hemorrhage, open chest wounds might cause the collapse of a lung, also known as a “tension pneumothorax.” In this case, wipe away blood and place a vented chest seal (Hyfin, Asherman, FoxSeal or another brand) directly over the entry and (if present on the chest) exit wounds. A chest seal can be improvised with a plastic bag or other occlusive item taped over the wound on three sides. This will allow air that is causing pressure on the lung to leave the chest cavity and allow the lung to re-inflate. This is a temporary solution, but it might give you time to get the casualty to where more-advanced care can be rendered.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

factors due to massive hemorrhage. Placing the hemostatic bandage involves tight packing directly on the bleeding blood vessel after removing any previous dressings. Application of direct pressure is then conducted for a full three minutes. A pressure dressing, such as the Emergency Bandage (also known as the Israeli Battle Dressing or IBD), is then used to cover the wound. Leave the loosened tourniquet in place for quick re-application if needed. If the bleeding is not controlled with Combat Gauze, re-tighten the tourniquet until bleeding stops.

First Aid Kit

h Comprehensive— almost to the point of intimidating the uninitiated—the Doom and Bloom Medical Gunshot kit is equipped with contents for one incident.

Tightening enough to eliminate the distal pulse will help ensure the application was effective. Notice that I don’t mention airway management or cervical spine immobilization while under fire—two basic steps in evaluation, care and transport of victims of trauma in a safe environment. This is good

h Get the casualty and yourself to the best cover available as soon as possible.

medicine, but control of hemorrhage will be the most likely way you’ll save a life in this scenario. Airway or cervical spine injuries play less of a role in injuries from most hostile encounters. You don’t have the luxury of time to do much else, so concentrate on stopping hemorrhage.

WHEN THE SHOOTING STOPS When you are no longer under fire, a more comprehensive phase of medical evaluation and treatment, known as “tactical field care,” can then be initiated. This is followed by evacuation (CASEVAC) to your hospital tent or wherever the bulk of your survival medical supplies is located. This duty is difficult enough for military medics, even when helicopter rescue and modern field hospitals are available. The survival medic’s job is even more difficult because of limited supplies and transport options and the

CROSS-TRAINING CAN BE CRITICAL Something apparent to me in these settings is the importance of cross-training. Everyone in your

responsibility to deal with the wound until full recovery is achieved.

group should know how to apply a tourniquet correctly to themselves and others, as well as other basic hemorrhage-control strategies. If the medic is the wounded party, the ability to give concise instructions to others could save a life (yours!). If you are the medically responsible member of your group, think about what you would tell other group members to do if you were bleeding, had broken a bone, were sick, or had other health or medical problems. The more people who know how to deal with medical issues, the higher the chances to succeed, even if everything else fails. Tactical combat casualty care is challenging and complex, especially under ﬁre. I have the highest respect for the combat medic, who has a tough job in the best of circumstances. The survival medic has a tough job, too, and must understand that the compulsion to do good can sometimes be hazardous to their health. Abolish the threat, have the right supplies, and you’ll save more lives ... maybe even your own. By the way: Our Ukrainian medic, Oleysa Zhukovskaya, was transported to the hospital and survived.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

HOW TO MAKE A DIY FIRE KIT BY JIM COBB

f all the different components

and comforting. In a true survival situation, this

that go into a properly packed

can calm us down and clear our head, allowing us

bug-out bag, get-home bag or

to make an intelligent plan for what to do next.

just an extensive survival kit, the fire gear is, to many, the most fun.

We survival types do love making fire, don’t we?

Fire requires three ingredients. The first, oxygen, isn’t something you are likely to be carrying with you in your fire kit. Truly, what we mean when we

Being able to get a fire going, even in less-than-

say fire needs air to breathe is just to make sure

ideal conditions, is an important survival skill. Fire

you’re not smothering it. A smothered fire might

will keep us warm and dry us out. It will cook our

smolder, but you’re not going to get much water

food and boil our water to make it safe to drink. It

boiling that way. Always make sure you have good

will light up the night, shoo away critters and can

airflow to your fire.

be used to signal for help. Just as important is the psychological compo-

The other two pieces of the puzzle are heat and

and maintain a fire gives us some control over the

fuel. For the purposes of creating our fire kit, we’re

situation. This, alone, can boost the spirit.

looking at fire starters and tinder to fill those roles.

For many of us, sitting by a campfire is relaxing

FIRE STARTERS

nent at work with creating fire. Being able to make

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

A fire starter is a tool that provides the initial

SOURCES

EXOTAC (888) 568-9347 WWW.EXOTAC.COM HRK MACHINING HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/HRK-MACHINING INSTAFIRE (888) 482-4868 WWW.INSTAFIRE.COM

SURVIVAL RESOURCES (845) 471-2434 WWW.SURVIVALRESOURCES.COM UCO GEAR (888) 297-6062 WWW.UCOGEAR.COM UST BRANDS (904) 786-0033 WWW.USTBRANDS.COM

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

heat needed to ignite the tinder. This is the first

addition to the kit. Just bear in mind that it will need to be filled with fuel in order to work. The Exotac

step toward building a sustainable fire. There are

titanLIGHT is a great option in that it has two O-ring seals to prevent any fuel leakage or evaporation.

several types of fire starters, of course, from the

Matches: These are the next best things to lighters. It should go without saying that paper matches

simple to the complex. The key is to play around

aren’t the best option for a fire kit. Instead, opt for good-quality, strike-anywhere stick matches. You’re

with a few different kinds and choose the ones

not going to find the awesome blue-tip matches that grandpa used, however. As with so many things

that seem to work the best for you.

today, they just don’t make them like they used to. However, the UCO brand strike-anywhere matches are quite good.

INSTANT FIRE Cigarette lighter: All other things being equal, nothing will get tinder ignited quicker than a simple cigarette lighter. Most survival instructors,

When shopping for matches, pay very close attention to the packaging. I know more than one person who bought the strike-on-box variety because the package was almost identical to the strike-anywhere variety. Storm matches, which are matches specially formulated to light and burn in windy or rainy conditions,

no matter how hardcore their classes, will carry at

aren’t a bad addition to the kit. However, they are more expensive than the standard strike-anywhere

least one lighter in their pockets or kits. Avoid the

kind, and they must be lit using a special strike strip.

cheap ones sold three for a buck at gas stations

If you plan to add matches to your fire kit, consider storing them in a crush-resistant and waterproof

and convenience stores. They have a tendency to

container. If you can find one, an old, plastic 35mm film canister works great. However, you’ll have to cut

break or leak. Spend the extra few pennies on a

down the matches a bit for them to fit. Otherwise, the Exotac MATCHCAP is worth considering.

brand name, such as BIC. Disposable lighters don’t like cold weather. This can sometimes be mitigated by keeping the lighter in a pocket, close to your skin, or by holding

SPARKS Next on the list are fire starters that utilize sparks to light the tinder. Flint and steel: The traditional tools are flint and steel. A sharp edge of the flint is struck against the

it in your closed bare fist for a couple of minutes.

steel. This carves off little splinters of steel that are ignited by the friction, and we see them as sparks

However, nothing will help if it gets wet—other

falling down into the tinder. There is a bit of a learning curve to using this fire starter, but it doesn't take

than the time it takes to dry out.

long to get the hang of it.

The lighter you select need not be disposable, of course. A Zippo or a stormproof lighter is a great

Ferrocerium rods: Flint and steel are good, but a ferrocerium rod might be better for some folks. Often called "ferro" rods, these come in a variety of sizes—from small enough to fit on a necklace or keychain to

IN A TRUE SURVIVAL SITUATION, [FIRE] CAN CALM US DOWN AND CLEAR OUR HEAD, ALLOWING US TO MAKE AN INTELLIGENT PLAN FOR WHAT TO DO NEXT.

100

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

BEING ABLE TO GET A FIRE GOING, EVEN IN LESS-THANIDEAL CONDITIONS, IS AN IMPORTANT SURVIVAL SKILL. big enough to be used as a self-defense weapon. To create a spark, hold the ferro rod in one hand and the scraper in the other. Point the ferro rod at your tinder and keep the rod just above it. Hold the scraper tight against the rod as you pull the rod back. This should send a shower of sparks raining down to light the tinder. Neither flint and steel nor ferro rods are affected by rain or cold.

larger sparks. The original Spark-Lite was invented

h Above: Always do what you can to clear the area around your fire to help keep it under control. Being lost in the woods is one thing. Being lost in a forest that is on fire is a different matter entirely.

by Oak Duke Norton Jr. in 1979 and required two hands to operate. About five years later, he came up with the one-handed design we see today. The Spark-Lite is available in aluminum, plastic and brass. Exotac recently came out with a similarly designed fire starter that incorporates a small storage area for tinder.

SOLAR Magnifying glass: Many of us played with

disposable lighter, just without the fuel and with

h Using a good-quality disposable lighter is often the easiest and fastest way to get a fire started. Always have a lighter in your pocket, as well as another in your fire kit.

magnifying glasses and sunshine when we were kids, burning holes in leaves and such. That same principle can be used in our ﬁre kits. A small magnifying lens can be carefully packed in a bandanna or some other fabric for cushioning. Fresnel lens: Another option is a Fresnel lens. While these lenses come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, the ones that are about the size of a business card or credit card work great for fire kits. Naturally, these only work when the sun is shining. Hold the lens above the tinder and move it around a bit until you see a bright spot on the tinder. By moving the lens up and down, you can adjust the size of that spot where the sun's rays are being concentrated. The smaller and brighter the dot, the quicker you'll get the tinder to ignite.

similar designs. These operate similarly to a

Spark-Lite, et al.: Another type of fire starter in this category is the Spark-Lite and others with

h The “teepee” is one of the basic fire lays. Create a teepee shape with your kindling, leaving a small opening on one side. Build a tinder bundle, light it and place it through the opening into the teepee.

TINDER The final element needed for making fire is tinder. Natural types of tinder include things such as dry grass, pine needles and dead leaves ... basically, anything that is dead, dry and light. You should have at least a few different types of tinder in your

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

101

THE BEST APPROACH IS TO PLAY AROUND WITH THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS AND SEE WHICH ONES SEEM TO BE THE EASIEST TO USE. fire kit for those times you are unable to source it from the wild. Petroleum jelly and cotton balls: One of the most common homemade types of tinder is to add petroleum jelly to cotton balls. These work very well and light easily. A great way to package them is in an inexpensive waterproof match case. Tie a piece of cordage to one cotton ball and stuff it down into the case; then, hold the end of the cordage outside the case as you fill it with the rest of the cotton balls. Screw on the cap as normal. To use, open the case and tug on the cordage. The bottom cotton ball will push the rest upward, and you can just pluck the top one off.

h Ferrocerium rods come in many sizes. From left to right: Michigan Wildfire, LT Wright Knives, generic, a mini and a full-sized rod from HRK Machining, and a ferro rod striker from Survival Resources.

Dryer lint: Provided your clothes are mostly cotton or other natural fibers, dryer lint works well as tinder. Depending on how many dogs or cats you have, there might be a fair amount of fur in the lint as well—which can lend a less-than-pleasant odor when it burns. However, this dissipates rather quickly. Keep the lint dry by storing it in a plastic bag or other container. WetFire Cube: This is a white petroleum-based product that ignites very easily and burns hot. You don't have to use an entire cube, either. Just shave some off into a small pile and light it. The cubes are small and lightweight, so it is easy to toss several into a ﬁre kit. InstaFire: Another store-bought tinder, InstaFire

h Good match cases will keep your matches safe and dry until they are needed. The one on the left is plastic; the Exotac MATCHCAP is aircraft-grade aluminum.

h A match case will also hold tinder. Tie a string to a cotton ball soaked with petroleum jelly and stuff it into the case, leaving the string hanging outside. Stack more cotton balls on top. Then, pull the string to expose the top cotton ball for removal.

h Spark-based fire lighters—all of which are useful tools. From left to right: steel, flint, Spark-Lite and Exotac nanoSPARK.

h Exotac’s nanoSPARK lives up to its name: Sparks fly when you spin the thumb wheel.

works incredibly well. It is a mixture of volcanic rock, wood fibers and paraffin wax. InstaFire will light from a flame or spark and burns quite awhile. Pour the amount you want to use into a small pile and store the rest for later. What's nice is that InstaFire will light and burn, even when it is wet. In fact, it will burn while floating on water. Tinder-Quik Fire Tab: Another excellent product to consider is Tinder-Quik Fire Tab. It is sold under a few different brand names, although the original was invented by our friend Oak Duke Norton Jr., who gave us the Spark-Lite. The Fire Tab consists of a small bundle of cotton that has been treated with chemicals to allow it to light fast and burn long. To use it, simply pull the fibers apart to fluff them up and then light them.

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ASSEMBLING THE KIT As with many areas of preparedness, what works best for one person might not be the ideal solution for someone else. The best approach is to play around with the different components and see which ones seem to be the easiest to use. Keep in mind that when it comes time to use the fire kit in the field, it might be under less-than-ideal conditions. It might be cold, windy or wet. You might be shivering, soaked to the bone and exhausted. Practice using your kit components until you can't get it wrong.

h Tying a short piece of jute twine under the gas button on the lighter prevents it from accidentally discharging and coming up empty. The twine can also be used as tinder in an emergency.

TWO TYPES OF FERRO RODS

A ferrocerium rod is made of a mixture of iron oxide, magnesium oxide and what is called "mischmetal"â&#x20AC;&#x201D;an alloy of rare-earth elements such as cerium and lanthanum. The original type of ferro rod is very hard. When it is scraped with a sharp steel edge, the sparks that fly from it, while abundant, die quickly. In recent years, a new sort of ferro rod was developed. It has a lower iron content and more magnesium. The end result is larger, hotter sparks that tend to continue to burn after they land. The downside, though, is that this type of rod is softer and will get eaten up far quicker than the older type. Play around with one of each to determine which you prefer.

h Above: Store-bought tinder is an excellent addition to a fire kit. Left to right: InstaFire, WetFire Cubes and Tinder-Quik Fire Tabs.

i A sample DIY fire kit. From top to bottom and left to right: Ferro rod from HRK Machining, Spark-Lite set from Survival Resources, orange plastic match case with cotton balls inside, WetFire Cubes from UST, ferro rod striker from Survival Resources and a BIC lighter with jute twine.

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SCROUNGE FOR TINDER

Whenever possible, use natural forms of tinder that can be found in the field. Conserve the tinder in your fire kit for the times when you absolutely need it. You might even want to carry a couple of small plastic bags in your pack or kit. When you come across a great source for natural tinder, grab a handful or two and save it for later.

Strive for at least three fire starters and enough tinder for several fires. Consider mixing up the tinder types so you have a little of each. At a minimum, include at least a couple of different types so you have options in the field. As for kit containers, these are as varied as i Far right: Using the sun to light your fire is a great way to conserve your resources. The magnifying lens on the right can be worn around the neck by the attached lanyard. The Fresnel lens on the left is sold by Survival Resources.

kit components. Some folks (including me) prefer a waterproof box of some sort. While it does add a few extra ounces to the overall pack, it protects the contents from breakage, as well as water. A comprehensive fire kit will keep you warm, dry and safe ... and, admittedly, it is fun to put a kit together and use it. h Far left: Natural forms of tinder: shredded cedar bark on the left and fatwood on the right

h Near left: A ferro rod will send a shower of sparks down onto your tinder. It might take a few strikes, but sometimes, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part of the fun of making a fire.

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AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

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h Dogwood Custom Knives Echo-7 (top) and Combat Kephart (bottom) are two versatile, hard-use knives that are proudly made in the U.S.A.

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AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

PUTTING THE ECHO-7 AND COMBAT KEPHART TO THE TEST BY REUBEN BOLIEU

was first introduced to Dan Eastland of

Each of Dan's knives fit snugly into the sheath

Dogwood Custom Knives while roaming

and deployed smoothly and predictably. Matt

the aisles of a popular outdoor trade show

manufactures all the leatherwork for Dogwood.

in Atlanta, Georgia.

In addition, he produces his own line of custom

Dan Eastland has qualifications that

would make most hardened outdoorsmen look

sheaths and â&#x20AC;&#x153;possibles bags.â&#x20AC;? After a few encounters with Dan, I knew I wanted

like greenhorns. From his firefighting background

to try out his masterpieces and familiarize myself

to his engineering, woodworking, landscaping and

with his lineup. Once we decided on the knives, it

military experience, he knows what works. He is a

was time to use them in my primitive bush camp

guy who uses the tools he makes, which is a huge

in the Northeast.

plus in my book. Upon visiting his booth, I was also struck by the simple, effective-looking designs and the stellar leatherwork sheathes made by Matt Gilenwater.

DOGWOOD TOOLS I tested two knives for this article: the Echo-7 and the Combat Kephart. The Echo-7 has an overall

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length of 8½ inches and has a 4-inch blade. It features Micarta scales that are textured yet still hand-friendly. Thickness is about 1/8 inch with a flat grind and micro bevel. The blade features a black coating to help protect the O1 tool steel. This piece is based on the Echo-5 model that Dogwood offers, which is the workhorse of its custom line. The Combat Kephart has a blade made of CPM-154 with an antique finish that gives it a bit of style and helps kill any unwanted reflection. This one is 9¾ inches overall, with a 5-inch blade.

ONCE I GOT BOTH KNIVES INTO MY WINTER CAMP, I NEVER HIKED THEM OUT UNTIL SPRING. I CACHED THEM IN A LOG OR UNDER A PILE OF FIREWOOD DURING THE RAIN AND SNOW. SOMETIMES, THEY WERE KEPT IN THEIR SHEATHS, AND SOMETIMES, I PUT THEM IN A PLASTIC BAG.

The Kephart-style blade is a go-to knife for the kind of field work many soldiers do. By adding a false edge to the top, it becomes a great blade for the one-in-a-million chance that it is needed for hand-to-hand combat. However, there are many other uses for a false edge in wilderness camping. Each knife is clothed with a beautiful

h Below, top left: Both the Echo-7 (orange) and Combat Kephart (brown) have slightly contoured Micarta scales. All the contours are rounded to eliminate any hot spots.

leather belt sheath.

PROVING GROUNDS Winter is the best time of the year to test outdoor

h Bottom: Dan Eastland only makes comfortable, rounded scales for his knives. The author has never experienced any hot spots or discomfort during testing—which includes a total of six knives so far.

h Above: The Echo-7 (top) and Combat Kephart (bottom) are two very different “animals” from Dogwood Custom Knives. Both are comfortable, full of utility and don’t shirk when there’s work to be done.

h Below: The exposed pommel often found on Dogwood Knives makes for a less-than-lethal weapon or glass breaker.

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AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

Echo-7 Specifications • Overall length: 8½ inches • Blade length: 4 inches • Blade thickness: ¹⁄8 inch • Blade finish: Subdued black • Handle length: 4½ inches • Handle material: Micarta • Sheath: Leather • Steel: O1

h Above: The leather belt sheath you receive with a Dogwood knife is sure to fit snuggly and look handsome.

MSRP: $120

h Below: Dan often uses an exposed tang on the pommel for smashing and cracking materials, as well as providing a positive place to strike with a baton for splitting and penetrating hard materials.

Combat Kephart Specifications • Overall length: 9¾ inches • Blade length: 5 inches • Blade thickness: ¹⁄8 inch • Blade finish: Antique • Handle length: 4¾ inches • Handle material: Micarta • Sheath: Leather • Steel: CPM-154

MSRP: $265

gear in the wilderness, especially knives. In a “winter” camp, there are extra imperatives for having a ﬁre going constantly: warmth; and, if camping, the ﬁre will be needed as a light source during the long winter nights. A comfortable, sharp knife is paramount for this to be done efficiently. A thin-beveled blade, complemented by a comfortable handle, will do more work in a camp all day long than will a thick-beveled knife meant only for heavy work. Dan makes knives that cut, slice and carve with all the comfort needed for regular use in conjunction with a heavier tool meant for chopping and splitting. A combo such as this is a godsend for most wilderness outings. So, most of my testing was done in tandem with a bow saw or tomahawk.

h Above: All Dogwood knives come with leather sheaths that feature a generous belt loop. This section can also be used to strop the edge of a knife.

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h Left: Two formidable blades from Dan Eastland at Dogwood Custom Knives, the Echo-7 (left) and Combat Kephart (right) are highly capable in the wilderness and for combat and survival duty.

A THINBEVELED BLADE COMPLEMENTED BY A COMFORTABLE HANDLE WILL DO MORE WORK IN A CAMP ALL DAY LONG THAN A THICKBEVELED KNIFE MEANT ONLY FOR HEAVY WORK. heat source. With a simple point on each end, it’s nothing fancy, but this is the fine work a thin bevel does well. I often use a chest-lever grip for more control when sharpening thin sticks. The handle has a bit of a contour to it (which I am not a fan of), but the Echo-7 doesn’t have so large a belly on the front of the handle that it gets in the way of a chest-lever grip. It was comfortable and versatile, as all knife handles should be. I went on to make a ﬁgure-4 deadfall trap with the

h Below: Straight, green witch hazel was used to make a figure-4 deadfall trap. The Echo-7's handle proved to be comfortable, and the blade was razor sharp. The knife performed all tasks well and was durable when cross-grain batoning into dry and green wood.

The Echo-7 was used first for my early-winter outings, because it was the lighter of the two. It readily handled fire preparation and basic carving of utensils needed to cook some tilapia over an open flame. For this, I selected a piece of wood about broomstick thick as my main cooking pole. Green wood is ideal, because it won’t burn; however, dry hardwood is also acceptable if it is a hardwood such as maple, beech or hickory. As long as it is not rotten, it will work, because the wood is not over a direct flame. Rather, it is over hot coals or a very low flame. The knife was used to first make a split about 7 or 8 inches down the straightest part of the branch. Once the split was established, the ends could be cleaned up a bit by lightly carving the end to get any dirt and bacteria off that might come in contact with the food. Small, thin, green twigs a little thinner than a pencil are needed to impale the fish and keep it rigid while over the

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knife to see how comfortable it really was. I strongly believe that if you want to see how hand-friendly a knife is for long-term use, make something! A figure-4 trap, although simple, has a few cuts that are repeated and need to be set in the proper place for maximum efficiency. This trap requires both fine, detailed work carving clean notches, as well as some medium-hard work when it comes to cross-grain batoning into thick

green wood or dry hardwood. This is done by placing the knife blade where the stop cut (straight edge) needs to be and giving the blade spine a few whacks to penetrate deep enough to create a straight notch where the carving will end. Then, the shavings are cleanly released. This type of cross-grain baton work is a regular part of many woodcraft chores, such as sectioning wood down to size and making notches on green and dry wood. Dan’s edges were just ﬁne for these sorts of tasks. And, regardless of the amount of carving and batoning, loss of sharpness or edge degradation was never an issue. I treated the Combat Kephart as a “solo survival knife,” relying on it for many forms of survival without the aid of a saw or chopper. Naturally, I started out with fire preparation, one-stick-fire style. I selected some hardwood maple and softer poplar wood for my winter fire. The maple log was split with the help of a wooden maul I fashioned. I split the log until I had pieces that were thick enough for fuel and pieces thin enough to be used as pencil- and finger-thick kindling. The false edge on the front of the spine gets a bad reputation and is often criticized for not being a good surface on which to use a baton, mainly because it eats up the baton/beater stick and doesn’t allow enough effective energy transfer. In reality, if that’s the blade design you prefer, who cares? Just grab another stout stick and continue working, despite how it might shred your baton. The softer poplar wood was split and used as my

h Above: A simple fish-roasting pole was made with the Echo-7 by splitting the stick, shaving down the wood contacting the fish and sharpening a couple of skewers to hold the fish inside the pole.

tinder. It made fine, thin shavings that would be used to catch a spark from a ferrocerium rod. This is where the thin edge geometry shines on Dogwood knives. The shavings need to be curly

h Left: The Echo-7 was used to split the stick to fit the fish to the pole.

and densely grouped to catch a spark easily. When it comes time to make the ignition, the false edge was used as a striker by stabbing the knife into a stable log and placing the fuzz stick against the false edge. A ferrocerium rod was used to scrape

DAN’S EDGES WERE JUST FINE FOR THESE SORTS OF TASKS. AND, REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF CARVING AND BATONING, LOSS OF SHARPNESS OR EDGE DEGRADATION WAS NEVER AN ISSUE.

S O U R C E Dogwood Custom Knives www.DogwoodCustomKnives.com

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FIRE FLY HANDLE SCALES Dan told me that he has crawled around in debris looking for his knife, hoping to find the handle—before the blade. From his desire to reduce this nuisance for others, he developed what he calls Fire Fly, and it is definitely a game-changer. Fire Fly is a proprietary material that provides eight to 10 hours of glowing light after just 30 minutes of exposure to direct sunlight. The bright-colored resin makes it highly visible in dim or dark environments. Dan said that having chunks suspended in the handle scales

i The author made a survival spear for roasting meat, as well for use as a quick, field-expedient weapon for camp protection.

increases the surface area of the glow material, making the knife easier to find. Also, light passing through the translucent material gives a greater perceived glow. Fire Fly is very resistant to the elements, making it suitable for everyday-use items. Small pieces that have been drilled out are being tested as hammock attachments to help campers see the lines in the dark or as zipper pulls for a backpack or pouch. Dan mentioned that they would also make handy trail markers.

against the false edge, creating a shower of hot sparks onto the thin wood shavings. From i The Combat Kephart has a natural place to strike a ferrocerium rod on the false edge (spine). When stabbed into a stump with a fuzz stick underneath it, it took only a few swipes to ignite the poplar wood shavings.

there, it was just a matter of transferring the tinder to the main fire lay for a good camp fire. I made a four-prong gigging spear that could be used for camp security, frog or fish gigging, or as a caveman-style meat roaster—which is my preferred way to use it. Again, green wood is ideal, but it is always good to use what nature provides with the minimum amount of work required. I located a downed tree from the winds we had in late autumn and used a baton stick to beaver-chew through a long pole that was about wrist thick. Once I cut it free, I cleaned up the cut end so it would be smooth enough to handle without gloves. I found the straightest end to baton into four sections with two perpendicular cuts about 8 inches down the length, also with the aid of a baton stick. Once I had my four prongs, I sharpened them first as one unit while securely holding the ends together and then individually for fine-tuning. The Combat Kephart was just the right size—not too large or too awkward to do serious work.

WEAR AND TEAR Once I got both knives into my winter camp, I never hiked them out until spring. I cached them in a log or under a pile of firewood during the rain

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i The author made a one-stick fire using only the Combat Kephart and baton. All the splitting and fuzz sticks, as well as various-sized kindling sticks, were processed with this knife.

i Using a heavy maul (right) on the false edge portion of the Combat Kephart to split wood was not as hard on the maul as many would think. In any survival situation, it wouldn’t matter how chewed up the maul got.

h Fine sharpening in a chest-lever grip was easy and comfortable with the Echo-7. Even out near the tip, at the belly of the knife, control was never an issue, because the sharp, thin blade shaved wood effortlessly.

AD INDEX March 2018 ADVERTISER

PAGE

BATTLBOX LLC .............................................................................................................................. 21 BRADFORD USA...........................................................................................................................65 h Splitting scrap wood to help feed a winter fire was done with the Combat Kephart. Altogether, it built about 10 fires in the early winter months.

... IF YOU WANT TO SEE HOW HANDFRIENDLY A KNIFE IS FOR LONGTERM USE, MAKE SOMETHING!

BRAVO COMPANY.......................................................................................................................2-3 CONDOR OUTDOOR....................................................................................................................116 HOLOSUN....................................................................................................................................... 55 KAHR ARMS ..................................................................................................................................65 KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP. ...........................................................................................73 MIDLAND RADIO ............................................................................................................................. 7

and snow. Sometimes, they were kept in their sheaths, and sometimes, I put them in a plastic

NIGHTLOCK ....................................................................................................................................73

bag. The coating on the Echo-7 kept the blade rust free. The inherent properties of CPM-54

READY MADE RESOURCES ....................................................................................................... 39

kept the Combat Kephart from rusting. The edges were never retouched, because they never got dull. The leather sheaths remained rigid and tough—while looking classy all the way. If you are looking for knives that can be used with ease and comfort, check out Dogwood Custom Knives. Dan takes custom orders and is a guy who stands by his work.

TITAN RELOADING .......................................................................................................................81 TOPS KNIVES ................................................................................................................................115 TORMACH LLC ...............................................................................................................................81

I asked him about his goal and mission when it comes to Dogwood, and he said, “If,

WATERWISE INC. .........................................................................................................................113

one day, a grandfather hands his grandson one of my knives and says, ‘My dad gave me

WORLD GONE SILENT................................................................................................................ 63

this knife when I was your age,’ then I will consider myself a success.” I think Dan has already achieved this! The Advertiser Index is provided as a service to American Survival Guide readers. American Survival Guide is not responsible for omissions or typographical errors on names or page numbers.

BY BRIAN MORRIS

ire; it’s a beautiful thing. It can purify water, cook meat,

natural oils, such as birch. Hickory, white oak, elm and other similar woods

sterilize, cauterize, provide lifesaving heat and light up

work quite well for friction ﬁre-starting tools.

the darkest night. Our mastery of this element is one of the things that sepa-

rate us from our primate cousins. Yet, for most of us, without

friction ﬁre will probably not be number one on your list of go-to methods for

the ability to produce it on demand is not a skill set most people have.

starting a ﬁre, it is the most skill intensive, so it should not be ignored when

and fuel. So, why did it take humans so long to master it, and why is it that

you are managing your survival training priorities. Because you are a squared-away student of survival, you will have a ﬁre kit

even today, most humans still have no idea how to produce it in the absence

with lots of alternative ﬁre-starting devices that give you the best chance of

of a mechanical instrument designed to do so by a relatively few number of

getting a ﬂame going when you need it the most.

people on this Earth? Well, to begin with, the conditions to make ﬁre have to be just right, or it

There are a few things that no ﬁre kit should be without. Less obvious than a good lighter and waterproof, strike-anywhere matches are fatwood

simply won’t happen. Anyone who has ever tried to master the bow drill or

shavings (“lighter knot”). I ﬁnd that these work great at taking a ﬂame, even

the pump drill can tell you that.

in inclement weather. In addition, I always have a bar of magnesium and a

When it comes to ﬁre, my rule of the “7 Ps” stands true more than ever—and

ferrocerium rod. I prefer to pre-shave a small pile of thin slivers of magnesium

that is, "Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss-Poor Performance." The worst

onto a square of duct tape, which I then roll up and keep for when I’m ready

situation you can ﬁnd yourself in when it comes to ﬁrecraft is having no avail-

to strike a spark and start my ﬁre.

able combustion-enhancing devices and having to try to use manual friction,

I also keep a ﬁre piston in my ﬁre kit. A few chunks of solid fuel in a small

such as rubbing two sticks together, to eventually make an ember you can

plastic bag, along with some cotton wadding saturated on one side with

finesse into a flame. That said, if you do find yourself in this dire situation,

petroleum jelly and the other covered in wax, also make a nice addition to

technique and proper materials will certainly make the difference between

any ﬁre-starting kit. Dryer lint, char cloth, jute twine, a magnifying glass,

frustrating failure and triumphantly warm success.

compressed cotton wads and, space permitting, a road ﬂare with the tip

a survival skill is not after an emergency situation has commenced. While

a lighter or matches, ﬁre-starting might as well be alien technology, because What is ﬁre? It seems simple enough: It’s just a concoction of heat, oxygen

114

Once you have the right materials, it’s all about getting your technique down to a science. And, as I’ve said many times before, the time to work on

sealed with a layer of wax round out a dependable ﬁre kit.

selection. You want to either use a combination of a hardwood and softwood

Don’t be just another monkey with a lighter—get out there and learn how

or a hardwood and hardwood to create friction. One key point to remember is

to make ﬁre today so that when the time comes, you will be more than ready

that you should try to avoid woods with a high resin content, such as cedars

to provide this amazing and life-saving resource for yourself and the people

and pines. It is also wise to avoid trees that produce high concentrations of

you care about.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [MARCH 2018]

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