Wonderous Bags of Holding!

Ahh... the magnificent plastic bag! What a marvelous wonder of modern technology. I am only half-kidding here, plastic bags really are very useful. Now, despite what well-meaning but misfocused environmentalists will tell you about the evils of plastic bags, I can think of few more useful and versatile configurations of .5 oz pieces of petroleum molecules than a plastic bag. Sincerely. When scavenging, salvaging, or taking stock of ones assets during a disaster or a survival situation, I feel fortunate indeed to find at least a few plastic bags. You probably think I am joking now, but in the following essay I plan to make you a true believer.


Applying MacGyver-like thinking to any decent sized plastic bag... say a 1 gallon Zip-loc, what you have is a strong, transparent, lightweight, airtight, watertight, impermeable membrane with a useful tensile strength and a sealable container that has the special property of being able to change in size (volume) and shape. When not in use, it can compact down to an inch square. It was well-designed for storing, carrying, and organizing, which is mainly why you should have lots of them in your kit (separating food from dirty laundry, organizing loose gear into logical categories, keeping socks clean and dry). I tend to re-use them over and over, gradually down-grading their status, until they get one final use for waste and rubbish recepticle. I almost always have at least one plastic ziploc in one of my pockets.

In the case of a shopping bag or a garbage bag, it can be "butterflied" open to form a large, smooth, waterproof panel (for collecting water, making solar stills, shelters, ponchos). Or, cut into thinner lengthwise strips, it can be braided into dynamic rope. With some plastic bags and some duct tape, I have fabricated a complete set of clothing (hat, shirt, poncho, pants, even shoes!). Solar distilleries are an important method for obtaining one of the key survival priorities, water.

A plastic bag is a handy multi-purpose carrying container able to hold solids, liquids, even gases). Lot of loose items can be collected in a bag, even messy (bloody/greasy) things like meat. Only ones imagination is the limit as far as what liquids can be held in a plastic bag (gasoline, alcohol, dyes, sun tea, blood, urine). A simple Ziploc bag makes a decent water bladder, and interestingly, plastic bags can be used as a "sandbag" that is, filled with water, sand, rocks or dirt, to provide cover. Filled with air, sealed plastic bags form "balloons" which are in fact insulative. Lighter than air gases will make plastic bags float, useful for signalling or perhaps carrying something aloft. Depending on what gases plastic bags are filled with, they can serve a variety of useful functions, including explosive/flammable booby traps. With a little practice, a small zip-loc can be used to hold a "breath" of air so that an extended underwater swim can be made. A larger, transparent plastic bag filled with air, sufficiently weighted to negate it's buoyancy should in theory be usable as a "diving bell".

A plastic bag can be a useful aid in medical emergencies and I keep many on-hand in my kit. Besides being a good containers and organizers, plastic bags make good ice bags. They can contain amputated parts. They can be occlusive dressings for pneumothorax and penetrative wounds to the pleural sac. They can be a receptacle for vomitus or other excreta. They can be filled with sand or water for c-spine immobilization. Combined with other elements (tubing, duct tape, valves, funnels, filters) other useful devices can be fabricated with a little imagination.

I've occasionally found plastic bags useful in field cooking. Primarily of course for storage, but also for coating breading/flour onto meat and fish, for steeping herbs, teas, and foraged vegetable matter in the sun or hot water (trapping all the nutrients in the resultant broth). Plastic bags can serve as a protective barrier when storing food in special conditions, like caches, burying perishable food in the cold ground or permafrost, or for submerging food in cold streams.

Plastic bags can be useful impromptu floatation devices, both for personal survival and for floating equipment and gear across water.

Finally, I shall just mention that as with most other things in the world, a plastic bag can be a deadly weapon or a component in weapons. Again, all it takes is a bit of imagination. A simple rock in a plastic shopping bag swung at high speed can indent a human cranium, but a plastic bag is inherently hazardous because of suffocation. And, as mentioned, it can hold solids, liquids and gases, sometimes poisonous, which can cause death or serious bodily injury if accelerated, ignited, inhaled, or exploded.

The simple plastic bag can contribute to saving your life in a survival situation. Despite the consternation that it causes people involved in environmental causes, I find it rather an ironic advantage that plastic bags are so frequently found among the detritus, flotsam and jetsam of human society. So don't discount it when foraging for assets.

Med Kit for EMERGENCIES

Of course any serious discussion of emergency preparations must include some thought of medical supplies and medicines for trauma and illness. It is in fact one of the most important preparedness considerations. One can write whole books on what supplies are vital and how they may be used.

As I finally get around to tackling this subject, I am actually very torn along multiple axis about how I should proceed with this subject here. Should I assume that readers are completely untrained novices? moreover, do I stick strictly to established medical guidelines for medical training and standards of care (what the law allows) or do I assume that all bets are off during a survival emergency? also, I know from experience that there is not a more contentious and opiniated group in the medical community than emergency responders. Everyone seems to have an unwavering opinion on what's right and useful, and if you wait around long enough, there will be someone who has a "valid" counter-argument against everything (from CPR to C-spine precautions). I see it every time I go to a training class or re-cert. Inevitably, the various highly trained debaters will start to "pull rank" and start whipping out their level of qualification and years of experience to support their position and to see who has the biggest "cert" in the room.... LOL. Seriously, I've seen medics almost come to blows over proper strapping procedures for a backboard, or how to figure the rule of 9s.

Personally, I am of the school of thought that what is most important is the knowledge (and later, experience) that a medical responder carries in his/her head. Bags full of nice shiny medical gear would be great to have on hand in case of emergency, but, really, most of the emergency techniques and gear can be improvised (especially in an urban disaster setting). Those really effective and helpful pieces of equipment or medicines are expensive, hard to get and harder to carry (and have on hand) i.e. AEDs, O2 tank, IVs, and perishable, controlled meds like Epi or morphine. Secondly, I am greatly disappointed at what is generally sold in the civilian world as so-called First Aid Kits. Even the largest and most extensive kits are really not good for much more than lacerations and maybe some splinting. What I think of when I speak of Medical Kits are for major trauma (battlefield/disaster wounds, burns, fractures) or life threatening illness (cardiac arrest, diabetic shock, aniphyllactic reactions). One will not die (immediately) from minor cuts and scrapes. Also, related to this, is the fact that no matter how well supplied one is, many medical supplies and medicines have a finite shelf life or expire rapidly without refrigeration. Thirdly, and perhaps most controversially, though I do believe in proper training, certifications, continuing education, and following current standards of care, I also believe that in an emergency situation, whatever you do for a patient (with consent) in a good faith attempt to help (as opposed to doing nothing) is all good. In other words, I will do what has to be done to the best of my knowledge.

A decent, practical medical kit IMO should have those band-aids, antiseptics and aspirins that store-bought kits have, but then you should have at least enough bulky dressings for 2 serious hemorrhages (like two GSWs or stab wounds), plus enough tape or bandages to hold them on. Ten 4 x 4 dressings will do. Or two US military field first aid dressings. Cloth medical tape is good multi-purpose tape (but don't forget duct tape which works just as well and can even be an occlusive dressing!). Roller gauze, Kerlex or even an ace bandage will suffice for holding dressings on. A pair of scissors (bandage scissors or medic shears) would be handy (but remember anything sharp can cut bandages and tape). If you don't have the training or the means to get sutures, adhesive steri-strips and/or butterflies are the next best thing. In fact, skillfull use of steri-strips can leave lacerations healing with no scars (don't forget super-glue, originally invented for surgical purposes!). A small bottle of beta-dyne or hydrogen peroxide is good for general anti-septic use and even irrigation (don't forget the other uses of iodine and H2O2 for water purification, dyeing and incendiaries).

My personal medical kit for emergencies has about 7 "modules". You can buy a handy medic pouch (stocked or unstocked) or a nice commercially available FAK with multiple pockets, or, you can place your medical supplies in clear Zip-loc bags and just carry them around in a paper sack for all it matters. As I said, the container that you carry your medical supplies is not terribly important, but that is not to say there are not certain desirable features. Waterproof or water resistant is good. Organized into separate pockets, pouches or sections is helpful for quickly accessing the requisite module, and labeled or colour coded (ROYGBIV) is further advantageous. Clear see through plastic windows or mesh screens are helpful seeing the contents of each module at a glance.

The first and perhaps the most important module is the (black) first responder kit. This module is usually on my belt or separate from the rest of my medical bag. It basically contains the Universal Precautions, and the most basic tools to assist with the initial assessment, gain access, and conduct a head to toe survey. Universal precautions are the gear that protect the medic from the patient... nitrile glove (not latex), mouth barrier breathing device, safety glasses, and liquid hand sanitizer. Basic assessment tools include a reliable penlight, EMT shears, pen (for field notes on glove, tape, or notebook), and a small prying tool of some kind (for light rescue). Though not necessary, intermediate level diagnostic tools like a stethoscope, sphygmomanometer, and are useful. Actually this module can be quite small (about the size of a small belt pouch) but of course if you included everything (like translation book, pediatric conversion wheel) then it can get to be a sizeable pouch (perhaps like a fanny pack in size). I will mention that for most urban medical emergencies (99%), merely this first module is often sufficient... to do the ABCs, get a history, quick survey, and to stabilize (c-spine or control bleeding).... until someone calls 911 and paramedics arrive.

Because of its immediate relation to the basic ABC steps, the next (green for 02) module is primarily about supporting respiration. If I had my druthers, I'd of course like to have an O2 bottle. Oxygen is a treatment that is indicated in a large range of medical and trauma emergencies, if for nothing else to prevent shock. Unfortunately, O2 bottles are heavy, bulky, and not always practical to carry around in a portable med kit. Additionally, they require certification (license or prescription), servicing (refills), and maintenance (annual corrosion check). My recommendation is if you have the time and the means, by all means get O2. Get lots of O2. Probably the main thing that I keep in this module is an Ambu-bag and pocket mask with 02 adapter. This allows rescue breathing without direct contact. I also have an NRM and nasal cannula. The rest of this module is airways, nasal-pharyngeal and a complete set of oral-pharyngeal.

Probably the most conventional and recognized module of a medical kit is (red) for bleeding/hemorrhaging control. Indeed, this is what most commercial/civilian first aid kits concentrate on. This includes lots of 4 x 4 sterile gauze dressings, bulkier abdominal dressings, rolled bandages, rolled Kerlex, and perhaps some occlusive dressings (with petroleum jelly) for pneumothorax. A pair of bandage scissors and first aid tape would normally complete this part of the kit. Now I always like to point out at this point that (sterility aside) direct pressure, dressings, pressure points, and even tourniquets do not really require special equipment or supplies. I will improvise and use whatever materials are on hand (sheets, towels, napkins, feminine products, t-shirt, a belt, a necktie, power cord, plastic sandwich bag). The military designs neatly compacted, sterile, camoufluaged dressings of various sizes, specifically for various battlefield wounds (such as GSW), so if you can secure a source, military dressings and bandages will save lots of time, space, and have proven effectiveness. The core of my hemorrhage control measures are military dressings and surgical dressings. I would like to briefly mention two highly effective military products for controlling bleeding. One is the so-called "Israeli" bandage which is a field first aid dressing that a wounded soldier can deploy by oneself, even one handed! very useful. And two, there is a current wave of popularity of this coagulant powder called Quik Clot. Quik Clot can be very effective for certain types of wounds (like penetrative trauma where arterial bleeding is not involved), but should be used with caution by the untrained because of the hazard of doing more harm than good by using it inappropriately.

I don't mean this to be a field first aid training class, but I think it is worth mentioning that although stopping ex-sanguination is a medical priority, a human can bleed out quite a bit before it becomes life threatening. One good training exercise is to pour out some water and actually "see" for oneself what a cup of water looks like poured out onto the ground or soaked into clothes. One may be surprised how big a puddle a small volume of water can make. About 4 to 5 cups is when the danger of hypo-volemic shock (reaction to life threatening blood loss)sets in. Even in the case of amputations, the human body reacts rapidly to shunt blood flow to the core and not as much blood as one might expect gets lost after the initial hemorrhaging. And finally, because humans are such brain-intensive animals, head wounds tend to bleed profusely and always look horrible and serious even from small lacerations. I mention all of these things perhaps to bring calm and comfort to the emergency responder and victim, that bleeding, though serious, is not always critical (say, within 10-20 mins) and rudimentary measures, like simply slapping your hand over a wound firmly, greatly extends that time. The main exception is arterial bleeding or major organs. True story, during training we saw video footage of Oakland paramedics saving a gunshot victim hit 9 times with a 9mm pistol. The GSW victim survived because no major arteries or organs (except one punctured lung) were hit, medics immediately supported volume and a vascular surgeon repaired all the tiny punctures.

Probably the last "conventional" (as in, might be found in standard first aid kits) module is my (orange for) ortho kit which might be the largest in my med kit, containing supplies for C-spine immobilization, splinting, taping, and cold-packs. An adjustable cervical spine collar is the main piece of gear in this category. Generally, I would rely on improvising for splints, but I do stock a couple of compact, versatile Sam Splints which are like these fully padded rolled pieces of metal mesh which can be extended, folded and shaped into adequate splints for any extremity. The rest of the kit is medical tape, elastic bandages, velcro strapping, and instant chemical cold packs, for sprains, strains, and reducing swelling. Now in my bigger "battlefield" kit, which is a big backpack, I would also carry a KED and KED Sled which is another immobilization device and a sort of drag sled/emergency stretcher.

The final three modules are generally beyond the scope of basic first aid, and most people are not trained in the use of this equipment. Nevertheless, I'm going to mention them here perhaps as suggestions as to what you might consider supplying yourself with just in case (as in just in case a medic or someone more highly trained becomes part of your survival group).

The obstetrics kit (actually sold in complete kit form) is obviously for delivering babies in the field. It contains drapes, swabs, sterile gloves, scalpel, bulb suction device, umbilical clamps, surgical mask, and pads. Once again, I will mention that there is nothing "special" about this gear in particular. Everything can fairly easily be improvised or fabricated with some imagination, and when it comes right down to it, women have been successfully giving birth without assistance for many millenia (so when it comes right down to it, birth is not necessarily a medical emergency unless there is some complication). That's why it's yellow and bright (yellow and mellow).

Probably my most controversial module as far as course and scope (legally) is my (surgical blue) surgical kit. Yes, I said surgical. I have not been formally trained as a surgeon and I hold no medical license. However, through my science education (dissections, anatomy and physiology, pre-med training), private studies, life experiences, and on the job training, I have amassed knowledge in certain basic surgical procedures such as suturing, phlebotomy, administering IVs, and emergency procedures like crichs and needle thoracostomy. I would not presume to do any surgery on anyone else (I might on a family member in a dire, dire emergency when there is no other alternative). However, I can aver that I have sutured myself, I have surgically removed foreign objects from myself, I have drained and debrided my own wounds, and I have even extracted my own teeth (plural)so far without ill effects. Basically, I just bought this ready-made Surgical Kit from a mail order source. It contains needles/sutures, syringes, scalpels, hemostats, forceps (kelly, metzenbaums, banjo), surgical scissors, and beta-dyne swabs. It also comes with Catheters for IVs. IV bags of NS, D5W and LR are great to have (for supporting volume, administering drugs, rehydration/nourishment), however, they are bulky, heavy, fragile, and perishable, so unless someone is financing me, I don't carry them with the exception of a small 250 ml plastic bottle of normal saline for irrigation. The other plastic bottle that I carry in my kit is Beta-dyne (staining iodine solution) for use as a topical anti-septic.

Lastly, my (magical purple) module is for my medications. One can get all the basic medications over the counter. Analgesics (pain killers), anti-pyretics (fever reducers), and anti-inflammatories (relaxants) are the core meds... i.e. acetominophen, aspirin, ibuprofen and anaprosyn. Next come meds for specific maladies... decongenstants, anti-allergy, anti-diarrheal, anti-emetics (stopping nausea and vomiting). Most of these are most commonly in pill or capsule form. Whenever possible, I like liqui-gels, or liquid forms of these meds because I think they are faster acting and more absorbable. I like fast acting and multi-use meds like Alka-Seltzer with Aspirin, or Sudafed PE (allergy medicine with decongestant). I also prefer medicines sealed in individual single dose packages or blister packs (rather than bottles full of pills). There are common OTC meds available for just about every symptom from acid reflux to toothache so what you choose to stock is up to your medical needs and concerns. Some good readily available specialty meds to have on hand are Insta-glucose (for insulin shock), activated charcoal (for poisoning) and Ipecac (for inducing vomiting). Certain controlled or prescription drugs are very useful to have on hand, most importantly, a good general anti-biotic. I prefer Amoxycillin, however, be aware that some people are allergic to penicillin compounds. I suppose it's no big secret that meds like anti-biotics are readily available without much hassle online or mail order. Another handy source if you happen to live near the border is foreign pharmacies. The last few meds that I will mention are genuinely hard to get (legally) but I consider them essential if you are going to travel to an area where you might be separated from modern medical facilities or might be in imminent danger of serious injury (like a conflict zone).
Epinephrine in a convenient auto-injector pen mainly for allergic reactions, Atropine also in an auto-injector (used to re-start the heart), and Morphine Sulfate in pill form for moderate to severe pain. These are powerful and potentially dangerous medicines which unfortunately have recreational allure. I have possessed all three of these important medications legally and extra-legally, but again, they are tightly controlled, expire rapidly, and are expensive to obtain, so I will put out the recommendation but the practicality of actually getting them are problematic at best.

All of these supplies are stored in one of my waterproof "disaster" tubs and are logically divided into a large (backpack), medium (medic shoulder bag), and small (belt pouch-fanny pack). My medical bags are military OD green, advantageous if the situation is tactical, but I have reflective emblems and panels attached with velcro for highway safety and identification. I used to have bright safety orange bags, but found them too... gaudy... and attention/curiosity attracting.

Booby Traps

I know that the word "booby trap" has a somewhat sinister connotation these days, being tainted by their current, vivid association with enemy insurgency groups that we are fighting (Iraqis), or enemies we've fought in the past (Viet Cong, Japanese) who have used them effectively. This is partly why I feel that this subject should be discussed, or, at least should not be discounted. Booby traps are a tremendously effective force multiplier, useful when economy of personnel is critical or when an area or route must be denied but you have few resources, a good alternate source of food that works by itself, at the very least as an early warning device, and even just to have a psychological effect on an attacker or pursuer.

For safety and legal reasons, I shall NOT be describing the details of how to build booby traps. But I will merely suggest their general utility in certain survival situations. I have personally used or field tested all of these methods and can aver that they are practical and effective. If you wish to learn the "how to", I suggest consulting an expert or learn the basics from a field manual. As with all things, practice is important and much of the early learning curve on this tactic is worked out by trial and error.

I guess I started messing around with booby traps as a kid thinking up ways of doing little practical jokes on my friends, brother, dog, and sister remotely. With kite string, scotch tape, scrap paper, and paper clips, I would rig envelopes full of 3-ring dot confetti, rubber bands, party poppers, caps, and cups of water to pour down, launch or loudly explode, startling the victim and giving me a remote feedback and a good laugh. I used to devise ever more complex Rube Goldberg-like machines which worked sometimes, but more usually came crashing down as the weak point in the system failed. I did learn from these failures.

There can be additional components to a booby trap, but I find it useful for the sake of visualizing it to think of booby traps as 3 main component sub-systems. The trigger, the power, and the payload (or payoff). The good thing, with a few exceptions, is that variations of each of these sub-systems are interchangeable, like you can use trigger type B (trip wire), with power source C (a 5 lb rock lifted to tree top level), hooked to payload A (wire noose snare).

The trigger is usually some type of moving part which activates the trap. It can be a tripwire or cord, a bent nail, a knotched branch, a door, a drawer, a hinged lid, or just about any free-standing object that can be moved.

The power can be the trigger or payload itself (i.e. the movement of an object, or explosive in the case of a bomb), but it is the potential energy source that powers the device, whether it be mechanical, electical or chemical. Examples, springs, twisted elastic, branches that are pulled back, weights that are lifted or suspended, flowing water, bowstrings, batteries, gunpowder, explosives.

The payload (or payoff) can be non-lethal, simple noise-maker, glowstick, flare, smoke, bucket of water, confetti, banana cream pie. However, it is usually assumed to be something more dangerous, sharpened stakes, deadfalls, pitfalls, swing weights, projectiles (arrow, rocks, spears), shotgun shells, IEDs, frag grenades, mines, not to mention, live poisonous animals or insects. Perhaps more pertinent to our blog theme is the payoff which is specifically for survival like snares, jaw traps, and fall traps.

My favourite booby trap (most used) is the spring tension trip wire flare or trip wire snare. This is a trap that I learned in the Army, and we used it mostly to deny certain avenues of approach when we did not have enough personnel (and occasionally to scare the bejeezus out of one of the FNGs... lol). Game trails, doors, windows, paths, canyons, corridors, and choke points are what this booby trap is ideal for. It is mechanically simple, can very hastily emplaced (about 2 mins each), and allows for many options on same basic trap... noisemakers, flares, grenades, or a self-tightening game snare. With some special parts (a frame) one can also use 12 gauge shotgun shells (for noise, flare, or shrapnel).

I actually have a booby trap "kit" which I can attach to my tac gear, but a quick trip to the hardware store or drugstore can supply one with all the requisite components for many good traps.
-flexible wire (10 gauge or less), sold in coils, I recommend the coloured type (not metallic silver). I happen to have bought a personal supply of military surplus tripwire in green and sand colour. It should be flexible enough to shape and tie, harder to see is a big plus, and strong enough so that small game cannot escape easily.
-twine, string, cord - a ball or spool of string or twine might be the next best thing. Parachute cord is great multipurpose cord.
-monofilament fishing line makes handy snares and traps. Tends to shine and stand out too much to be a good trip wire, but may be useful for "fake" booby traps.
-duct tape, our old friend is ever useful for quickly attaching objects to other objects. I especially like it for handling/attaching explosives.
-cable ties, are surpringly useful for quick, durable tie downs, sliding components, hanging components. Remember, multiple cable ties can be daisy-chained to make larger "loops".
-springs, almost any type/size of spring is useful, but the optimum ones for booby traps are about 4 to 6 inches long, providing about 12 to 20 lbs of pressure.
-nails, smaller nails about 2 inches long are very useful
-u-tacks, almost as useful as regular nails, allows simple redirection of cords and wires
-staple gun/staples, I used to "hammer" nails and u-tacks with the end of my Kabar or a rock, but then I discovered that a good staple gun with u-staples saves me a whole lot of time and energy. One click and I have a firm anchor point.
-plastic sandwich bags, filled with napthalene, kerosene, gasoline, mixed with liquid Palmolive so it sticks, or two bags that combine for a bipolar reaction (acid/base, chlorine/ammonia, etc),
-mousetraps or rat traps are an excellent trigger for many traps
-party poppers, the cheap little noisemakers have a friction activated detonator
-shotgun shells, blanks, birdbombs, flare, and... #8 shot (note: always wear safety glasses when handling or modifiying live ammunition or explosives for booby trap use)
-black rifle powder, preferably 4F (extra fine grained) is a stable low-velocity explosive that can be purchased without much hassle or regulation.

Most of the rest of it can be "improvised" from garbage and objects found around you. Scrap metal, glass, cans, twigs, tree branches, rocks, twine, wire, cigarettes. All of these useful items are not always handy together in the same location, so I usually forage for useful components as I hike along.

If you don't already have a nice multi-tool, you might need a knife, pliers, wire cutters, and file.

Notice that all of the above listed items are perfectly legal, readily available household products, sold pretty much off the shelf ready to go. I am NOT listing or suggesting in any way, the creation of any homemade explosives, which are dangerous and illegal. Also, I am conspicuously omitting electronics.... batteries, wires, foil, capacitors, soldering iron, mercury switches, and alligator clips. Using electronics in booby traps is a bit more advanced/tricky (requiring professional training), and, it almost always involves the use of explosives, which I am not discussing here.

I mentioned the "fake" booby trap above, which is another useful tactic. For every real booby trap that I set, I find it a decent investment in time to set up a fake booby trap or two (like just stringing wire between two trees). It has a significant psychological effect on an enemy or pursuer, causing them to stop to investigate or to move more slowly/cautiously not knowing which ones are "live". They can even be annoying harrasments, like clothes-lining an equestrian or tripping someone on a dark stairwell.

Yet another step in booby trap construction can be camoufluaging, concealing or disguising it. Unless you want the trap or fake trap to be seen, it is often prudent to take the additional step of hiding it using natural foliage, dirt or objects in the vicinity. Hiding a trip wire with foliage, or burying a pressure release switch in dirt may seem obvious, but don't forget that one can also "hide in plain sight", like a booby trapped aluminum can may look perfectly natural among other garbage, or a booby trapped folding chair (in an urban setting) would raise no suspicion among other folding chairs. "Bait" much like it's purpose in angling can lure animals and humans into a trap trigger, like leaving something interesting or alluring to bring prey to trap killzone.

Finally, a brief word about explosive mines. A mine is an advanced variant of booby traps, cousin to the IED. A mine may be indistinguishable from a IED in mechanics and effect. I mention this because mines, like booby traps, raise a certain "moral" issue in that a booby trap or mine indescriminate as to it's target (victim). Emplacing dangerous unmarked traps and mines in proximity to civilians (though not yet specifically forbidden by the Geneva Conventions) is a tactic that must be carefully weighed (exigent benefit vs. potential collateral damage). In the end, it is just that, a tactic. A method or technique. Used responsibly, I believe the effectiveness of the booby trap makes it far too valuable a tactic to disavow simply because of complaints by civilians. I'm sorry about the innocent bystanders but all's fair in war. Warfare is about horror and violence of many, many types. If you don't like it, vote against war. I basically feel the same about barbed wire and nukes.

Let There Be Light

We happen to live in a very advantageous nexus in technological history for portable, personal lighting when various technologies have come together to produce many excellent, efficient, durable, and cost effective illumination options. I mean just in the last decade or so the advances in flashlight technology have been revolutionary. Around 1980, I was still using this thin, stamped sheet metal flashlight, with a cast plastic head, an incandescent bulb which cast a pale yellowish light and burned out every few months, and most commonly these big honkin' D cell batteries, or worse, those giant "lantern" sized batteries. Nowadays, you have the option of high intensity halogen lamps, like xenon, or energy-efficient, super long lasting LEDs, in a virtually indestructible machined aluminum case, and powered by a variety of very compact power cells (from AA, AAA, AAAA down to N-cells and CR123s).

In the following essay, I will mention many different brands and types of personal lighting (some with purposes not ideally suited for a "survival" or "disaster" flashlight but nevertheless useful for some special applications (like explosive atmospheres, underwater, for the intense shock of being attached to a weapon, hands free use around camp or while mountaineering, or casting a more general light over a wider area). But in general, I would like to bring up 3 very desireable characteristics that are easy to find when you go to a sporting goods, camping/outdoors, surplus, or police supply store. Even Target nowadays stocks good "emergency" flashlights suitable for shelter use. The main characteristics to look for are: 1) LED lamp instead of an incandescent bulb 2) durable body, with 0-ring seal, and 3) uses a common battery type, like a D, C, AA, or AAA.


First of the popular light types for consideration is the headlamp. Headlamps have been around of course for centuries in mining, rescue and spelunking, but with the advent of bright, lightweight and cost effective LED technology have recently seen a resurgence in popularity. Around a modern campsite, mountaineering, adventure racing, or expedition , they are pretty much standard. With a headlamp, everywhere that you turn your head and look is illuminated, conveniently casting a light just where you need it. For a relatively inexpensive $20 up to $100, one can obtain a good, reliable headlamp. Just remember the three criteria I mentioned, and in particular for the third criteria, I think, the smaller and lighter weight the battery is, the better. Like I prefer a good single AA battery headlamp (made by Eddie Bauer), even though a 2 D-cell headlamp might be brighter and last longer, I don't like being "tethered" to a heavy battery pack that you have to schlep around. For my rescue/combat helmet, I use a military grade waterproof, OD green Princeton Tec Quad 4-LED headlamp which uses a reasonable 3 AAA batteries in a single self-contained unit (as opposed to a separate lamp unit and battery pack). I'm not particular about headlamps as long as it can sufficiently illuminate the ground 6 feet in front of me around a dark campsite, or allow me to find some piece of gear out of my pack. Lumens aside, I would pick a headlamp based on battery type (which effects weight) and battery life. No matter how blindingly bright a headlamp will illuminate, I would go with LED, NOT incandescent.

Back in the day, I was a Maglite fanatic and I think I owned about 10 of them (various sizes, lengths, and colours) at one time. Smaller, brighter, longer lasting LED flashlights have supplanted most of my Mags and I relegated most of my Mags to "fixed" positions (closet, stairway, garage, auto emergency kit, etc) where weight is not an issue. The availability of after-market LED retrofit kits for the Maglights have given several of my old Mags new life (because, let's face it, there is absolutely no more socially acceptable excuse to carry an aluminum club in plain view than a big honkin' flashlight.... LOL). They perform great, bright white light, great range. They turn your Maglite into a "modern" LED flashlight and as a side benefit, batteries will seem to last forever. Win win.

I understand (I am aware) that there is much current enthusiasm for some small, extremely bright "tactical" flashlights with crenulated bezels and machined alloy bodies that can shine an amazing 200 metres, and I too think that they are excellent, cool, sexy. However, as superbly engineered as they are, they tend to be exorbitantly expensive ($100-$200), use expensive exotic batteries and lamps, and are not known for their long battery life (usually single digit peak use). I suppose these high-tech illumination tools are for people whose price is no object, or have an agency or employer footing the bill.

For far, far less cost, you can get a decent (waterproof, durable metal body, compact, lightweight) LED flashlight that may not be as bright, but will perform adequately for 20, 30, sometimes 40 hours, using inexpensive COMMON batteries. In the field, I find it far more practical to have multiple inexpensive LED lights using common AA batteries than carry around a valuable Fenix that I'm worried about setting down (and losing), or abusing (as an impromptu hammer or whatever). There are so many of these decent LED flashlights available practically everywhere (surplus, electronics, discounters, drug, and even grocery stores) in the $10 to $25 range that it's hard to endorse any one brand or model in particular. There seem to be two main classes of these LED lights. Ones that provide general lighting in a wide cone, sometimes utilizing multiple LEDs, and ones that focus the LED beam tightly, like the excellent Inova line.

In the first category, my kudos to the CMG Infinity. Running on a single AA battery this LED light lasts for a loooong time, it puts out a decent cone of light, it's small (and can be clipped onto a shoulder strap or hat), very durable ("soldier proof"), and waterproof. I have the original version also in matte black, which was issued to me in the late 80s and is stamped with "U.S. Government". Light output on that is slightly dimmer on this one, but the flipside is that the light seems to last forever. I use one Infinity as my keychain light, mainly because it has a counter-intuitive on-off system. You must tighten (screw in) the lens bezel to turn it ON, and loosen (screw out) the lens bezel to turn it OFF. This neat feature makes it very hard indeed to accidentally turn it ON (and break light discipline), because screws don't tend to spontaneously tighten. This BTW I found was the fundamental design flaw in the old Mini-Maglites and Maglight Solitaires which used the more intuitive but opposite system (tighten to turn OFF and loosen to turn ON). I can't tell you how many batteries I've wasted because of this idiosyncrasy.

My (excuse the expression) "glowing" endorsement of this product is withdrawn for the GERBER version of the Infinity light. Gerber took over manufacture of the Infinity light from CMG and made two design changes. They re-worked the tail cap section to form a more conical shape, which is both more aesthetic and probably better for things like lanyard attachment, AND, to the Infinity's detriment, they moved the on-off twist switch from the lens bezel (head) back to the tail cap. Now, it may seem like an insignificant change but because the tension spring is also in the tailcap, I'm sorry to report that (at least in the 2 Gerber Infinitys that I've owned) it has led to odd and not entirely explicable performance problems. Like, my first one stopped working reliably. I could not get it to turn on when I needed it (and the problem had nothing to do with the battery or the LED bulb). It would only turn "on" intermittently after much turning of the tailcap. The second one lasted a bit longer, but on this one, the problem was that the light would spontaneously turn on. I would respond by further "unscrewing" the cap, which would turn it off temporarily, but then a few minutes later, the light would be on again. It was making sporadic contact somewhere because the LED would flash on and off (annoyingly) as I walked or moved my keyring around. I went back to using my original CMG brand version of the Infinity, and, so far, the problems did not manifest itself. Since 2 out of 2 of the Gerber Infinity's failed, it is my subjective opinion that their is a design flaw with the tail cap on-off switch system.

I've been a longtime fan of the Fisher Space Pen, especially the Bullet model which I've used since the mid-80s, so when I heard that Fisher would be making a compact focused beam LED flashlight I was thrilled. It was going to be smaller and thinner that the excellent Inova lights that I had been using/carrying. It certainly looks really cool, like some alien technology. It's slightly larger and fatter than a Fisher Space "Bullet" Pen. The light is "hella" bright and very, very tight (almost too focused, as it is has zero "spillover" light). It makes a sharp 1 metre circle at about 6 paces. The package specs reads an incredible 1250 lumens... but that sounds very high to me. The light beam does look painfully bright so perhaps it is true.

I don't like that there is not lanyard hole or any possible attachment point. It's just a smooth casing with the one seam. The so-called pocket clip is useless right out of the box. It barely stays on the light. It will slip right off the end. I had to glue it down. I also added a rubberized "bite grip" for both hands free use.

Finally, I'd like to mention the so-called Krill Lamp which is a small, single AA, low power "glow" lantern, much equivalent to a small chem light. It casts a dim coloured, even glow in a 360 degree radius. Just as a chem light would, a Krill Lamp is most useful as a marker, in tent night light, or dim light to read a map by without blowing ones night vision. The advantage over a chem light though is that you can turn it on and off at will. My other lantern style LED light that I use is that Guyot Firefly water bottle light that I've mentioned before. It uses 2 AA batteries and provides a 360 degree cheery light bright enough to read by.

Desirable features checklist:
LED - for long life and brightness
compact - no longer than 6 inches, no thicker than 1 inch in diameter
durable - all metal, machined body
waterproof - 0-ring seals, submersible to at least 1 meter
common battery powered - AA or AAA is probably best, no rechargables!
lanyard hole - to guard against accidental dropping
dark coloured or matte finish - so it doesn't shine in sun
screw off/on activation - preferred over push button (which is always a weak point)
common diameter, crenulated bezel - attachments and lens are available for 1" diameter and the crenulations can make even small flashlights into weapons

Poncho-based Shelter

Let me properly attribute and disclaim upfront that the excellent innovations and gear adaptations I'm about to write about are NOT my original ideas. I have been using my poncho (and sometimes grommeted tarps) for shelter since my earliest years outdoors and camping. I have been using my quilted poncho liner as my warm weather sleeping bag since my early days as a G.I. A couple of years ago, I read about this nifty idea on this website of this guy Warlord, who essentially re-used some collapsing shock-corded tent poles left over from an old tent, attached it to a military poncho and invented the "Alpha Tent". I thought the idea sounded great and eventually got around to buying my own tent poles and testing the concept this past winter season. Around 1986, while thumbing through my U.S. Cav catalogue, they offered a modified poncho liner, called the Delta Liner, for sale which had a long zipper along 2-edges that formed a bag, plus a velcro lined opening for the head so that it could be worn. This clever adaptation was thought up by a survival expert who goes by the name Ranger Rick. Traveling around in various environments over the years, this same basic core shelter system has served me well so I thought I'd describe it.

I do own my share of conventional tents, and high tech bivies and sleeping bag systems, along with self-inflating pads, chemical heaters, bug nets, and suspension systems. These are still great alternatives for extreme weather specialized expeditions and casual camping with all the amenities. And on the other end of the spectrum, I almost always carry around those Emergency Bivy sacks and space blankets as lightweight minimal back-ups, just in case I get caught in an unexpected overnighter in the woods. I now believe this shelter system based on the Alpha Tent and the Delta Liner is an excellent fast-deploying, lightweight, compact, portable, versatile compromise between the deluxe and the sparse.

I had mentioned this Alpha Tent and its website before, stating that I had not personally tested it yet. Well, after a season of field testing, I am very pleased to report that the Alpha Tent works remarkably well for such a relatively shallow draft shelter. Technically, it is essentially a "rain fly", the outer waterproof nylon shell that covers most tents. It provides sufficient shelter against rain (especially if you have other layers) and with tie-downs and stakes, it is an effective wind shelter. It's lightweight and compact (moreso than any tent or bivy). It is mechanically simple and fast erecting. It is even reasonably insulative. And, as the originator Warlord stated, it reduces redundancy (as the poncho is still available for myriad functions, esp raingear) and even the tent poles can be adapted to other functions (avalanche probes, emplacing protection using a carabiner clip, extended camera monopod, receiving antenna extension).

With full credit and kudos to Warlord, I've been able to make a few improvements to the original design and possibly a more convenient source for the tent poles. I found an internet seller of replacement aluminum tent poles and accoutrements, Quest Outfitters. Just search "replacement tent poles". For about $40 (US) I was able to purchase 12 black custom length aluminum tent poles, 4 metal end caps with requisite holes and protrusions, and 1/8" diameter bungee shock cord. The actual poles were 108" each (breaking down into six 18" sections each). As you see the diagram on the order page it will become clear that one must buy 10 sections with sleeve inserts, and 2 sections without sleeve inserts. BTW, the customer service at Quest is just outstanding and I was surprised to receive my pole order in just 2 days! Assembling the poles is quick and pretty self-explanatory. The hardest part was threading the shock cords through all the poles under tension and then tying and melting down the ends through the endcaps. It must be variations in poncho models, but I found that the 108" poles to be perfect for my ripstop camo poncho. It formed a nice domed shape with about about a 24" center peak. I found that placing a rubber band at the intersection point of the poles makes the tent more stable. Later, I started to place a custom "tent shelf" there, both to store small items (mini-lantern) and as a rain catch, channeling the poncho hood. The Alpha Tents best feature definitely is that it sets up and breaks down in about 2 minutes and it is so simple that it can be done in complete darkness.

In use, I start by finding a slightly elevated area, preferably level. If I can, I pile insulative foliage in a large rectangle (about 8' x 3'). I built up the sides so it forms a sort of "nest".
-I place my proprietary self-inflating, reflective insulative pad ("Beta Bed"... LOL) on the foliage, remembering that more heat can be lost through the ground than by exposure to the air.
-My camo Gore-tex bivy cover, the outer waterproof, windproof shell to the current military sleep system goes on top of that. These great outside layers are now readily available at a reasonably price separately at eBay.
-Then next goes my customized version of the Delta Liner (based on a thermal Halofil II poncho liner with an anorak-style belly pocket).
-A sleep cap (my Nomex balaclava rolled into watch cap) is an essential sleeping accessory that can preserve a LOT of body heat and in emergency survival situations, can save your life.
-I then wear a mesh sniper veil over my head, wrapping the ends around my neck. This is ostensibly for bug and mosquito protection, however, I find that it also tends to pre-warm/re-warms the air that I breathe at night and greatly reduces my tendency to catch respiratory infections from the cold.
-Finally, I anchor one of the long length sides of the poncho tent down using these bungee extensions and screw-in tent hooks. The anchored side should be windward, and the edges of the tent should actually sit on the insulative foliage, not the ground. This allows easy access/egress out one side and extra space within the tent (like I prefer to sleep on my side). In very high winds, the poncho tent can be completely staked down (6 anchor points) and easily unhooked when necessary.

Just like the poncho, the poncho tent makes a good sun awning. And the camouflaged colour makes it a decent base for a prone or sitting blind just as it is. I've been toying with the idea of attaching camoufluage attachment points, like a ghillie suit, to the exterior of the poncho and seam sealing it (to keep it waterproof) further adding to it's versatility.

A slightly off topic tangent here, but this is what I spend a lot of time doing at night, constantly improving or thinking of ways to improve existing kit or ways of doing things.

Got My Gat, G

I thought I'd discuss a more philosophical issue, rather than a technical one, the private ownership of firearms. It's actually one of the subjects that I usually don't discuss (part of my policy of being a "grey man" and I even try to appear politically neutral). Maybe it is fear or paranoia that motivates me. I don't care. I just know that proceeding through life from a position of strength and security brings me comfort. And since I don't effect anyone else (unless they go out of their way to come bother me) I see no harm being done, no net effect. Whereas if I proceeded through life from the obverse position, helplessness and vulnerability, sure, most likely I will never need to ever defend myself and I can rely on the law level of my society to protect me, but if I ever did, I have severely disadvantaged myself. It's simply sound logic to use technological advantages (tools, devices) that readily exist that make life easier or give us control or protection from the natural world. So to ask me, why own a gun? is equivalent to asking me, why drive a car? why use a cell phone or the internet? why use a wrench, knife, hammer? or perhaps more pertinent to our theme here, why store disaster supplies? why have a fire extinguisher handy? why lock your front door? the likelihood of being a victim of a natural disaster, fire, or burglary are slim, right? well, essentially, I feel the same way about firearms (a precautionary defensive tool).

I don't plan to blow smoke here. I won't falsely claim to be a hunter or "sportsman". As a biologist, I don't buy into that specious line of necessary "wildlife management" (culling herds), as nature will find it's own balance if left without interference. And the "preserving traditional skills" justification is rather weak too, unless you are actually tracking and stalking prey with a bow and arrow and not sitting up in an aluminum tree blind dressed in Mossy Oak with a scoped 7mm rifle scanning a patch of ground soaked with deer attractant. I wish they could just admit that they derive a primal pleasure from playing with guns, the concomitant camaraderie, and the thrill of actually shooting something (animals), legally. I also personally believe that the prepositional phrase "A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State," which proceeds the more oft-quoted "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed" means that the founding fathers probably intended for the citizenry to be prepared to militarily support the Federal army (or not if a state so chooses), and therefore in modern times (due to technology and tactics) this really means the National Guard (come on, with today's modern computers, satellites, robots, night vision, thermal vision, smart missiles and cluster bombs, artillery, tanks, helicopters, jet planes, titanium super subs, nukes, body armour, and fully automatic air burst laser guided individual weapons... and the word "militia" was meant to justify the possession of rifles and handguns???).

However, despite these flawed arguments, I for one am glad that the 2nd Amendment has been misinterpreted to mean de facto private ownership of arms by continued convention.

So, why have firearms? My short answer to the question might simply be, why not? First of all, very fundamentally, beyond laws, governments, Constitutions, both the right to arm oneself and the inalienable right to self-defense is a human right under Natural Law. One never waives this right, even (rarely) to law enforcement or government. Furthermore, in Nature, any tool that I may opt to utilize in any manner is not subject to any artificial limitation or restriction by the rules of a society or the universe. I feel no moral obligation whatsoever to explain why I happen to possess anything that I legally purchased, fabricated, foraged, or otherwise obtained through legal means. In a free society, the reason why I possess something is irrelevant and should not be a concern to anyone else unless I am infringing upon the rights of others.

"There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so" --from Hamlet


But perhaps more helpful to the spirit of the "discussion" i.e. in practical terms, I frequently travel long distances, conduct business/run errands in the middle of the night, and/or hike in remote wilderness areas by myself, sometimes away from the rapid assistance of the authorities. I happen to be nocturnal, sleeping by day and being active at night (which is perfectly lawful and my right). I'm a reasonable (not paranoid, not a hot head), non-violent, law-abiding citizen and I just feel that I encounter situations where I feel like I am basically on my own should I need protection from external agents (hate criminals, muggers, carjackers, burglars, predators, drugged/intoxicated assailants, dangerous organisms). I admit, maybe I am being fearful and paranoid... but imagine, traveling alone on a stretch of highway unknown to you, it's 3am, and you need to pee... you see a "rest stop" with a few other cars around, no police... and you have a nice vehicle, travel cash, pricey electronics... maybe you happen to be female (not that gender is necessarily an issue here). So, do you have a legitimate reason to worry about your physical safety? If you answer "no", then good luck to you and I'm glad you have such trust in the law and your god. But as for me, I would take a little personal responsibility and precaution. I would choose to arm myself. "I'd rather have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it", or, specific to weapons "I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6" (When in doubt, I'd rather be alive and sorting out the legal consequences than dead).


As I've stated before in this blog, a weapon is a tool just like anything else I supply myself with to be prepared. It is just a tool optimized for causing injury or death. As a military veteran and a former MP I have been well trained in their use. As a civilian I took the firearm certification classes and got a permit. I take the responsibility seriously and maintain proficiency by practice, and upgrade equipment as technology advances. I don't hunt with firearms and I am not a member of any club, organization, or involved in "gun culture" at all. I am a quiet, tax paying, law-abiding private citizen without even an overdue library book on my record and absolutely no demonstrated propensity for violence. And more than anything else, I sincerely just want to be left undisturbed.


Interestingly, being quiet and law abiding (not drawing attention to myself in any way if possible), I have never been lawfully pulled over in my vehicle or been subject to a search when I was carrying my weapon. Aside from the "Sobriety Checkpoints" which I consider un-Constitutional, I've been pulled over in traffic stops exactly twice in my adult life and both times, it was for the wrong car and for nothing that I did. The few times that I have been searched or scanned were always when I expected to be searched (at concerts, airlines, court houses, the White House, etc). So, really, I am not legally concerned about "being caught". I don't show off or brandish. As far as my family or even my closest friends are concerned, I don't own a weapon and I'm the most peaceful, non-violent gentleman around. As far as you readers (including government authorities) who know me by this name are concerned I own no weapon, right?

As a side note, I have spent some time in the great state of Alaska. I love it there (in all seasons) and I still plan to retire there someday. Much of the state is still pristine, wide open wilderness. Drive a few hours outside the major towns and you will be the only human within 100 miles. Therefore, there are parts of the state where you must carry a firearm and aren't supposed to hike out without one, by ordinance. This is because humans are still on the food chain there (and not necessarily at the apex, if you know what I mean).


I have numerous personal anecdotes about justifying my being prepared, but the following are 3 well-documented events that made me grateful that I owned a defensive weapon.

The first was the big Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989. I immediately went out to help in the rescue and relief efforts, but there was clearly a time in the first few days afterward, when the authorities were overwhelmed and society had broken down to smaller, simpler elements (neighbourhood groups). Nothing bad happened for the most part, but for about a day, if you called 911 (if you could find a phone that even worked) you would not have gotten a police or emergency responder. It was every man for himself and everyone was on the honor system. This was the time that I worked a 30 hour shift, and afterwards, it brought up for me the issue of the "haves" (those that took the time and money to prepare) vs. the "have nots" (those that didn't even have rudimentary food/water or a friggin' flashlight!). I had all my stuff, and, sure, I was willing to share with my family and neighbours, but if things turned ugly, yes, I would defend myself and what is legally mine. My loaded and ready weapon brought me much comfort through those dark nights.

The second was the rioting in the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict in 1992. It really surprised me how quickly the authorities in our area lost control. And make no mistake, they did lose control. What I thought of the King verdict was irrelevant. The fact was, there were several thousand people outside in the city smashing windows, turning over cars (including police vehicles), burning tires and setting fires to newspaper stands, and apparently joyously looting. People were shooting at each other, beating people after dragging them out of their cars, burning homes and businesses, and the police were completely powerless to stop them. I can tell you some alarming anecdotes of police brutality/over-reaction also, but I understand, there was much confusion and the police were stressed and scared also. So once again, I loaded up my magazines, put on my "doomsday" gear, and patiently waited for civilization and civil order to return. And I was grateful once again that I had a weapon and was not a totally defenseless source of supplies at the mercy of the mob outside.

The third and most recent occasion was the great "Y2K" scare. It turned out to be a big "non-event". In hindsight we laugh at it now, but back then, no one really knew for sure what would happen. Remember? We were ready for power grids and communications to fail, international banking to go haywire, airplanes to fall out of the sky, and pretty much (at least temporarily) a mass disruption of our technology infrastructure. There was the possibility of chaos. None of the dire predictions happened of course, but those of us who lived through that time could not just dismiss it as silliness offhand. If you made no preparations or devoted zero thought to an event that we were all warned about years in advance, well, then you deserved what dire consequences could have happened, much like the major quake that geologists predict will occur on the Hayward Fault within the decade. I'd rather err on the side of caution, so I did prepare (again). I had my food, water, and supplies, and I did arm myself once again for a breakdown in society (as I had already witnessed twice). I was relieved that everything turned out ok.

I'm not saying that this is relevant to our discussion, but consider for a moment the Federal emergency response to Hurricane Katrina, an event that everyone in New Orleans had 3 to 5 days pre-warning of (i.e. they watched the hurricane slowly approach). The organized rescue and aid was delayed,and I don't know about you, but it didn't look much like the authorities were in control or doing much protecting people/property.


So that's it. When people start debating "you don't need a gun", "why do we need private guns?" or "guns should be banned", I just smile quietly and step away from the conversation. These are probably the same naive type of people that don't even have a single jug of water, a case of canned beans, rudimentary FAK or batteries for their radio... and are going to wait for the "gub'ment" to help them out. It's no use trying to convince these people.


All I know is that I legally and responsibly have my weapon and know it's proper use. I plan to survive.

Fight or Flight

"It's the cold, cold heart that kills"

This may seem like an odd, slightly off topic in a survival and disaster preparedness blog, but fighting for ones life, literally/physically, is a fundamental necessity of survival. When it comes down to it, it is possibly the core of survival (securing ones personal safety not only from nature and happenstance, but from others that will do you harm). I am not a violent person and this is a topic that I reluctantly discuss, as I find the mechanics of it distasteful. Nevertheless, I have formally studied the ways of violence throughout my life, in martial arts, as an MP, as a soldier, in executive protection, and security. In this context, I will be discussing fighting as it pertains to self-defence or the defence of others.

Fighting for your life, or defending oneself, is a fundamental right under Natural Law. If another organism threatens death or bodily injury, every organism has a right to fight back with at least an equal amount of force. I don't want to get too political here, but I firmly believe in respect for competent lawful authority, but even agents of the government are not exempt from human law or natural law. The decisions involved in whether to fight or not occur largely involuntarily in the reptilian sub-brain in all of us, the famous "fight or flight" instinct. I would merely add that there exists a third category, the "freeze" or non-reaction which I theorize are people caught somewhere between the fight or flight conflict. I have personally witnessed all of these reactions in people under extreme stress. It's interesting to note that outward demeanor and comportment in the absence of stress or in simulated stress (in training) is absolutely no indicator of how a person will react under real stress. Really, there is no shame in any of these reactions, it's all naturally involuntary.

I only make a slight distinction between fighting and killing (using deadly force) so the words are interchangable in my lexicon. It is just that the only reason to fight (for me) is when no other alternative is available. Once the decision is reached to fight, the next objective is to end the fight as effectively as possible.


Fighting encompasses a vast spectrum of skills, techniques and abilities. Unarmed combat is a whole separate topic that I may eventually write about another day. I will only address unarmed combat here briefly just to say that it is important to remember the 4th (or "forgotten") range, and, that it should be avoided whenever possible/practical. Actual effectiveness in unarmed combat takes professional training and years of practice and conditioning. Although undoubtedly useful (and confidence building), I find that the actual benefit vs. time/effort expenditure to be a poor ratio. All I'm saying is, if your thing is martial arts, more power to you, but as Colonel Colt said (I'm paraphrasing here), any two-bit punk with a Saturday night special pretty much trumps even the best trained black belt. In martial arts, there is traditionally kicking range, punching range, and then there is grappling. The 4th range that I alluded to is "trapping" range (between punching range and grappling). It's a Kung Fu idea developed by the late, great Bruce Lee. Again, though I don't recommend ever getting into an unarmed combat situation, when of if it happens, I recommend utilizing this "trapping" range. One, because it is a seldom exploited range it will give you an advantage over those unfamiliar with it. Two, because it is simple to learn, doesn't require great strength, and pretty much levels the playing field regardless of size or gender.

Now when I recommend avoiding unarmed combat, I really mean in preference for "armed" combat. Use the simplest tool available that will end the fight quickly. Sometimes this is a firearm. Again, that is an entirely different discussion about that class of weapon that tends to be the epitome of our current technology. Again, I plan to cover this topic separately.

There is seldom a reason NOT to arm oneself. Everyday life is surrounded by potential weapons if one uses imagination. Any object that can be held in the hand, is reasonably solid, pointed or sharp, and has mass can be a weapon, coffee mug, stapler, vase, glass bottle, paperweight, metal belt buckle, large seashell, ball point pens, slate coasters, screwdriver, brass picture frame, brick mantle, fireplace poker, floor lamp, electrical cords, d-cell batteries, hardwood floor, folding chair are all common objects that I am looking at now (as I type) that are all potential deadly weapons.

Just behind firearms on the spectrum are other missile weapons. This includes those primitive weapons that one can possibly make in the field by hand, like clubs, throwing sticks, boomerangs, lances, spears, atlatls, slings, slingshots, bows, arrows, crossbows. Not to mention ballistas, catapults, and trebuchets.

One should choose the deadliest hand weapon that one can practically handle. Assuming some nominal physical ability (like the ability to swing ones arm), it's a matter of choosing a tool with the right length, weight, and potential for trauma (whether it's piercing, slashing, blunt or hacking trauma).



Now, it may seem like getting a huge double bladed battleaxe or a giant hand-and-half sword would be a good tactical choice and would just overwhelm anyone if you're strong enough to wield one, but in reality human arms get tired rapidly, and larger heavier weapons are slower and harder to reset between swings. If it's a single one on one melee, it may not matter, but if it is a part of a larger, longer duration pitched battle, then exhaustion becomes a factor for most people. In some ancient battles, men fought from sunrise to sunset sometimes.

For the average person (if you do not possess exceptional strength, exceptional dexterity, or exceptional training or skill with a certain weapon or technique) the ideal hand to hand weapon should be short (12 to 36 inches), weigh about 2 lbs, have a quick reset time between blows, durable enough to last a few engagements, and should have the trauma potential to end the fight with a single strike/attack.

One school of thought/tactic is to use a long weapon or pole arm to keep an opponent beyond the striking range of their shorter weapon. It is a reasonable tactic, however, it requires some skill to be effective, is a bit heavier and fatiguing, and generally occupies both hands. The Greek (or even Zulu) shield/spear combo was essentially using a shorter spear in one hand, however, it was not really using the range advantage of a true polearm.

A couple of short light fast reacting weapons in each hand is my best suggestion for the minimally trained, but physically able. Sticks are sufficient (tree branches) and can be upgraded from there. Thicker or stronger sticks (clubs, nightsticks, batons). Spikes, hard additions, and weights on the stick (mace, flail). Sharp objects attached to the stick (ax, tomahawk). Making the entire stick a sharp object (sword). Introducing a curve to the sharp edge (machete, khukri, bolo knife). Making it stronger (naval cutlass, waki-zashi).

A pair of simple slashing/hacking weapons is effective and has a relatively short learning curve with little training or practice, an important consideration since most of us don't have time to become kendo masters.

So if I had my druthers, if I could pick any weapon from an armoury, my hand to hand combat weapon of choice would be the short Japanese samurai sword, the wakizashi. Very sharp, very durable, lightweight, lethal in multiple modes (slash, stab, pummel). Real samurai swords are very rare, expensive and tend to attract lots of attention when carried around, so close substitutes might be a short machete or khukri. Because of the unlikelihood of having swords or machetes on one's person, my next weapon of choice would be the ever-versatile Special Forces shovel or Spetznaz spade, because it is just an innocent "little" tool and hides in plain sight. It's a club, hand ax, tomahawk, and short thrusting spear all in one, as well as a very practical tool. With minimal practice, it is devastatingly effective.


I'm not an "axe" man myself, but tomahawks are very good melee weapons and would probably be my next (third) choice. Perhaps a good testimonial to their utility is that they are still used by US Army Rangers today. Applying modern thinking to ancient weapons, a tomahawk possesses many of the best characteristics of a close quarters fighting weapon, relatively light weight (around 2 lbs), potentially disabling blunt trauma due to weight, momentum and leverage, potentially deadly penetrative trauma (esp the heel or spike), a bit of range (longer than knives or extended arm), doubles as an effective missile weapon almost instantly, and not to mention a handy tool also. Notable disadvantages, it takes some skill/practice to wield (or throw) effectively, not a good parry weapon, and somewhat slow to reset after a hit (since the blade or spike tends to stick).

I think I will end my list of practical hand to hand weapons with folding batons (ASP type) or the old tonfa/PR-24 type side handle baton. Even a small aluminum t-ball bat or fish billy make good weapons in this class. Make no mistake, a simple durable stick does tremendous blunt trauma which can be just as deadly as a slashing or penetrative attack. Blunt trauma transfers through helmets, padding and armour. A police type baton is a lightweight, durable, well-balanced stick and in the hands of a trained user is a surprisingly effective weapon. I recommend using them in pairs, like Philippine Escrima style, or even Okinawan Tonfa style.

Finally, because they're primarily designed as fighting tools (weapons) I will mention that I carry my trusty old Kabar tanto and/or my Cold Steel Ti-lite stiletto as tertiary back-up weapons. I mention them, but I don't necessarily recommend the use of knives unless one has received training and practiced their use. 90% of what I have personally witnessed is woefully bad (even comic) knife technique, probably learned from watching too much TV. There are three types of knife fighting generally used by professionals in the modern age. Like, unarmed combat it is a subject that deserves detailed description, so I will discuss it under a separate article.

When You Have To Go

This is sort of a delicate subject that is not much discussed in polite company or in many survival discussions, yet it is one of the basic necessary functions of biological organisms, that is.... going. Going to the lav-a-"tree", lightening your load, making mud, taking the Browns to the Superbowl, pinching a loaf, #2, 10-100. By this I also mean all the other personal excretions, discharges, and micturations that one occasionally needs to do as a healthy human being.

Without getting into clinical detail, I plan to briefly discuss the "how to" strategies when a modern "sit down" flush toilet is not available, and then go on to discuss the clean-up and hygiene issues more extensively. Some of you may be chuckling now or may be dismissive about the importance of having a good procedure, but I can aver that there can potentially be some serious consequences of not doing it right (or well). And I daresay, there are many city-dwellers who have never had the experience of having to go in the woods and are totally baffled (sometimes with hilarious results).

Some cultures that I have seen have no sense of shyness about these natural bodily functions. It's many a time that I've seen men and women squattin' in plain view beside the road, and even in some modern cities, a guy whipping it out and peeing against the side of a building is not uncommon. It's actually a fascinating and eye-opening aspect of anthropology to learn how different people around the world "go". And I am by no means looking down on or implying that we in the US (the Western world) have any claim to superiority in this regard. In fact, I'd say that the common American system (flush toilets and TP) is rather primitive and relatively unhygienic even compared to other countries that I have seen (like Japan, with freshly sanitized seats, seat warmers, front and back wash systems, moist towelettes, blow dryers, even optional "noise" for the shy). If it seems excessive, just think of it another way. Like perhaps the best, most hygienic system would be to have a complete shower/wash down after each bodily excretion. The Japanese have just modernized the bidet and created a mini-shower system.

I think the first consideration in "going" is considering a suitable spot. Secluded seems to be the main consideration, but even more important is "secure" and safe (as far as sanition). Don't go where you're vulnerable to enemy fire or can be caught literally with your pants down if something attacks. So choose a place with limited avenues of approach, cover or camouflage on three sides, and good visibility on the fourth direction. If you are in open terrain, a depression in the ground might be the only option. "Go" with your back to the tree, facing outward. Part of "secure" means checking for sharp objects, thorns, poisonous plants, fire ant hills/trails, hornet's nests, badger dens, coiled snakes.... first. I think everyone's heard the old joke about getting snakebit down there and someone having to suck out the poison (punchline: "you're going to die"). Safe means not contaminating your campsite or worse yet your water source. A minimum of 50 yards uphill from water is a good general rule.

Now, I completely understand the arguments about so-called "low impact camping" and leave nothing behind, but, you know, 1) in a survival situation, I say normal rules are suspended (only Natural Law applies... so beg, borrow, steal, kill or be killed, and defecate wherever you need to). It's all good. 2) humans are animals too, and they have just as much right to "be" in a place as any other organism. I am not advocating blatantly vandalizing the wilderness, de-spoiling a biome, or being wasteful of natural resources, but merely leaving footprints, crunching foliage, exhaling carbon dioxide, (gasp!) digging a hole or making a campfire, and leaving normal, bio-degradable waste products in the woods like any other animal is NOT a crime IMO. Unnatural waste and destruction is a crime, trash, careless use of fire, polluting water, marring trees, and as far as I am concerned, killing unnecessarily (for sport). So if you feel you can spare the time/energy.... please bag up your poop like some outdoors enthusiasts proscribe and haul it out with you, or.... just make a reasonable attempt to make it part of the biome (covering it with dirt and detritus so that natural decomposition starts). The exception might be in an evasion situation, where leaving signs like that behind might assist pursuers.

The mechanics of going au naturel involves doffing equipment and getting access. If you are with a team or a partner, I would leave large equipment and gear with them (to secure). I loosen personal equipment, but try to keep it on my person. I use military 2-point suspenders that readily unhook from my belt, something to consider when putting on one's layers. So LBE, suspenders, waist belt, then fly and I'm ready to go. No matter how many bottom layers I wear, I just pull all the layers down past my knee joints as one. I'm comfortable just squatting, but occasionally a natural "seat" or leaning against the tree or rock is restful. Do NOT sit on the ground... lol. If you're male, I recommend doing #1 and #2 as separate functions. For a "tactical" sh**, try to go as quickly as feasible. Hopefully, you will have a buddy to stand security for you (like a meerkat.... lol). Leaning forward, and rocking are suggested techniques for getting it started if that's a problem.

Before I streamlined my "system" I used to carry around compact packets of toilet paper, liquid hand sanitizer, a portable John, matches, and disposable toilet seat covers in my "kit" (about the size of a soap case). I still have all of these items, and they are still effective in various situations, but for the most basic outdoor functioning, I now just carry a single flat packet of 10 moist anti-bacterial towelettes. They are substantially thick and work well as toilet paper. Afterward, they can be used for hand washing. And then among the many field uses, they are also handy for a waterless "field bath" (I can do a rudimentary personal hygiene at the end of the day with just 3 wipes).
Important: be sure that no sand, grit, and other contaminant objects have either been picked up by one's underwear or adhered to one's skin, because when one needs to be mobile the smallest grain of sand will cause chafing, irritation, breaks in the skin, subsequent infection, fever, and debilitation. You see where I'm going with this.

Whether they are individually packaged (like at KFC), in resealable 10 packs, larger household resealable 48 packs or the economy sized plastic dispensers, the moist towelette is an invaluable travel companion in general. Having some in your coat/vest pocket, in your satchel or rucksack, or secreted away in every side pocket of your luggage can come in handy in many travel situations, from messy ill-supplied public restrooms to freshening up at the end of the day on a long road trip when a shower is not available. I try to get the wipes that have the most extra features... aloe, vitamin E, anti-microbial, witch hazel, lotion, etc. The only ones that I tend to avoid for personal hygiene use are the ones with alcohol and/or other chemical de-con agents like chlorine bleach. Those can irritate sensitive areas of skin.

Let us briefly consider the purpose and function of "underwear". Despite what it has evolved (mutated)) into in the prurient allure and fashion meaning of the word, (ala Victoria's Secret), at the most fundamental level, underwear, or the layer of clothing closest to the skin, is either a support garment, insulative layer, and/or a liner (or barrier). For both males and females it keeps our soft and vulnerable parts safe from injury also (pinching, abrasions, chafing, etc). And bluntly, underwear serves as a barrier layer between one's bodily contamination residue, secretions and discharges, and one's more expensive, harder to launder outer clothing. A diaper is another type of liner. So I bring up this subject only to consider... it is possible in exigent situations to introduce an extra layer or layers of liners possibly as a temporary barrier. Something that you can do in, excuse the expression, a pinch.

When I travel, I carry along a handy little disposable, portable gel-John. It is basically this plastic bag containing this powder chemical substance. The opening has a built in "female adaptor" so that females can use it also (standing up?). When one pees into it, the liquid urine is instantly converted into a thick, easier to manage gel-like substance, that doesn't slosh or spill and can be disposed of in a trash can. It's a life-saver in certain road trip situations.

Almost any receptacle can be "lined" with a plastic bag and serve as a commode for a shelter or disaster scene. I invested in a "toilet seat" that snaps onto the top of a 5 gallon paint or laundry detergent barrel. Blue odor neutralizing toilet chemicals are readily available. Don't forget to stock TP, moist wipes, hand sanitizer, reading material, and extra liners, stocked in organizer pockets made by bucket boss. There are many commercially available variations on the portable chem toilet, some more solid and elaborate, some more flimsy and spare, even inflatable (though I wouldn't want to be the one to re-inflate one of these).

When outdoors or able to use surrounding open land, especially with multiple people to service, conventional latrines (like slit trenches) can be dug and utilized. Designating a well thought out area for this function keeps people from randomly contaminating living areas, food prep areas, potable water sources, and minimizes redundancy and workload.

Provisions

Today I thought I would touch upon the subject of longer term and bulkier survival foods. Like what kind of stuff should one store and stock in the shelter or go-bag for self-sustenance. Remember the public safety agencies are warning that citizens should be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 3 days (72 hours) without outside assistance. Actually for most households that is not a very tall order depending on how much non-perishable, canned or ready to eat foods are in ones kitchen or pantry.

Eating perishables from the refrigerator, and later, the freezer would probably be the wise first choice. If all power failed, the contents of the refrigerator would almost certainly be safe for the first 24 hours (if you don't open the refrigerator too much). Frozen foods in the freezer would be at least 48 hours. Treat the freezer as you would an ice chest or portable cooler (as long as the ice and melty ice lasts), thereafter it's like a refrigerator.

Bulk non-perishables can be the basis of longterm survival. Wheat (flour), corn and grain, rice, potatoes, yams, and starchy roots have been the staple of diets for all human cultures the worldover, and indeed, a supply of any of these items (along with water) can insure survival for a considerable time. The more diverse a culture's food supply, the more adaptable it is to natural disaster, climate change or crop failure. Yams, potatoes and other starchy vegetable roots have gram per gram the most immediate nutritional value, however, they are also the most perishable of the staples listed. Wheat and processed cereal products (breads, pasta, flatbreads, and cakes) unfortunately have the least food value per gram. Rice is a good balance between the two, but rice is very resource intensive to produce (water, space, energy). It may just be a cultural bias on my part, but I prefer the compactness, convenience, and comforting satisfaction of rice. A 50 lb rice sack would amply supply my personal needs for a year. I tend to buy multiple, vacuum sealed 10 lb bags and stack them in storage.

Bulk foods for one's survival shelter should ideally have good nutritional value (read: calories per ounce). Beans, corn starch, peanut butter, sugar, powdered milk, baking mix, and pasta are all good readily available things available in bulk. Taste and variety are important (for morale) so stocking supplemental seasonings is also a good idea, chicken bouillion, salt, pepper, chili powder, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, lemon pepper, curry powder, seasoning salt, Italian mix, and cinnamon. Common condiments especially in single serve packets are great to have, soy sauce, tabasco, ketchup, lemon juice, barbecue sauce, sweet and sour sauce, mustard. Honey is an excellent survival sweetener. It will essentially last indefinitely at room temperature as it is technically a liquid without enough moisture to spoil or support microbes. Blocks of honey have been "thawed" after 100 years and found edible.

The rest of my bulk non-perishable survival foods are canned foods. Canning is a method of long term food storage in use since the 18th century, basically vacuum sealing foods into airtight metal cans. Without air, decomposition is suspended. All of my canned foods are carefully marked with the date of purchase, which allows me to approximately consume my canned foods in chronological order. I have a core of canned meats, turkey spam, tuna, chicken, oysters, clams, and lots and lots of beans, pastas, soups, chilis and stews. Then I largely depend on my canned supplies to provide me with vegetable and fruits in the longterm (the fresh stuff out of the refrigerator and frozen out of the freezer being exhausted first). I do get a variety of fruits and vegetables, but fully half of my cans are corn because of it's higher food value. Again, variety is not an inconsequential consideration as monotony brings down morale. An occasional surprise, like premium olives or fruit pie filling can be a welcome "treat" and morale booster.

I've already mentioned that I am a big fan of dry, powdered, dehydrated foods. Instant soups, instant coffee, instant cocoa, instant energy beverage supplement my "portable" disaster supplies. I always have a case or two of chocolate or coffee flavoured Ensure onhand also, each being a high-protein, high-calorie meal replacement. When I need to have a walking meal or a working meal, I sip down an Ensure to keep me going as I go.

Now I'll talk about specialized disaster supplies. These are food supplies specially designed or specially packaged to be long-lasting, compact/portable, and nutritionally balanced.

The core of these supplies is the Mainstay or Datrex non-provient ration. It was developed for lifeboat survival kits to keep one alive without creating thirst. It's basically like a dense, high-calorie shortbread loaded with fat. Mainstays taste kind of sweetish neutral to me. I think Datrex is tastier (not that it matters, in an emergency I'd eat lard). They come in vacuum sealed foil-mylar packages shaped like perfect rectangular bricks or slabs, about the size of a double compact disc case (like the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever). This brick or slab is divided into 9 cubic sections for Mainstay, or 18 wafers in the case of Datrex (pictured above). Supposedly, one Mainstay will supply the nutritional needs of one person for one day, so by extrapolation, one cube equals approximately one "meal". So doing the math for Datrex, a package has 3600 calories if 18 wafers have 200 calories each, enough for 1 person for 72 hours. They have a 5 to 10 year shelf life if stored optimally without temperature fluctuation. Both products take up so little space that they are an excellent option as a fallback option for a shelter, car or go-bag.

Before I consume my Mainstays, I have a supply of military MREs and other freeze-dried backpacker's meals. Most of the so-called MREs sold commercially are civilian copies, or repackaged MREs (usually identified by the clear plastic bag). Military MREs in light brown or older dark brown plastic bags(not readily available to civilians as they are technically illegal to re-sell, as are MREs in yellow plastic bags which are disaster relief supplies) are great complete, self-contained, portable 2500 calorie meals. After working out the bugs and listening to soldier input, the "new" modern MREs are very tasty and well designed (even to the extent that they can be made "hot", and provide both vegetarian and breakfast options too). Look for the four digit lot number on the cases. The last two digits represent the year of manufacture, and MREs are supposed to have only a 3-5 year shelf life. I will aver that I have consumed 10 year old MREs (and 20 year old C-rats) without any ill-effects. Freeze-dried backpackers meals are a delicious, hearty choice for quick, just add hot water meals. For what you get for the price, MREs are a better value IMO. It's best to buy these backpacker's meals on sale, in bulk. Though it is not readily available yet on the civilian market, I shall mention that there is a smaller, compact, modern LRRP version of the MRE. I haven't personally tried one yet, but I have seen them on pallets and know they exist.

Finally, though I've covered "snacks" and quick energy bars elsewhere, I'd like to mention some emergency starvation strategies. I will only disclaim that this information should be taken apocryphally. I tend to "graze" (snack constantly) and I keep a sack, or a tube, of trail mix type stuff close at hand (nuts, dried fruit, M&Ms, etc). If I do this, I am fine with skipping meals for a long time. Caffeine, though a diuretic, is an effective appetite suppressant also (and the basis of the diet pill industry). Eating something dense and starchy (slowly), followed by drinking a beverage tends to make me feel "full" (as the food seems to expand in the stomach). When water is short, putting something (candy, a button, even a pebble) in the mouth can keep your mouth salivating and staving off the sensation of thirst. A packet of Jell-O powder can give one a temporary short term sugar-rush energy burst. Remember though, that the physiological process of digestion requires water. When you are dehydrated, eating (esp foods with salts and protein) can dehydrate you further and make you sick. I've also blogged about the limits of human endurance as far as food. It might be comforting to know that the human body can survive a long, long time to actually starve without food (nominally a month, and anectodotally as much as three to SIX months!). If rations are limited and the likelihood of rescue is not imminent, some lifeboat survival instructions recommend not eating for the first 24 hours (using the body's stored reserves first). Cannabilism is a touchy issue. I guess when it comes down to it I'd just go back to there being no rules or laws in survival, do what you have to do. And as a personal decision, would you rather be a living survivor (forever looked down on by society) or a dead nice guy (who followed the rules to the end)?

Water... a biggie

"The shadows sway and seem to say tonight we pray for water,
Cool water.
And way up there He'll hear our prayer and show us where there's water,
Cool clear water."

It is high time that I blogged about water (actually, high time that I blogged here at all as I was on a long winter hiatus it seems). With the seemingly limitless and oh so convenient access to water in most of our daily lives, it's relative priority tends to wane into the background clutter of our lives. But make no mistake... water is what life is all about. It is in fact the essential element of civilization. In nature, not just during desperate survival situations, there are few things I can think of more important than water to humans, perhaps atmosphere at STP, gravity with planetary mass, a delicate temperature zone (distance from sun, seasonal tilt of planet), radiation protection (i.e. Van Allen Belts).

So what are the limits? Like, if you were trapped under rubble or in an open lifeboat in the middle of the ocean and had no access to potable water, how long could you survive. The definitive answer varies from human to human. Incredible feats of endurance have been recorded among desert Bedouins, Kalahari bushmen, and Australian aboriginals, cultures that exist in hot arid biomes. I've also heard of Tibetan monks that meditate for weeks. But for the average person, the human limit seems to be about 3 days. The process of dying from dehydration (thirst) is one of the most agonizingly painful and harrowing ordeals that can be experienced by man. The body is a machine, and almost every physiological process right down to the cellular level involves water, so if water is not available, systems start to shutdown, involuntarily. We've seen marathon runners and Iron-man triathletes that dehydrate and lose muscular and neurological control. Dementia effects severely dehydrated people and judgment is impaired, but in dire consequences, eventually the decision whether to drink urine, seawater, or blood comes up. I will discuss those options separately. Note: there are documented cases of survival beyond 3 days without water, but usually with permanent debilitating damage to organ systems (liver and renal failure, weakened cardiac muscles). Paradoxically, infants are among the most resilient as their bodies adapt and shutdown critical systems in times of deprivation. Infants have been pulled from the rubble of earthquakes and survived as long as a week after they had been buried.

For organization, I've divided this HUGE topic into 3 main categories/strategies: 1) finding or securing a source of water, and making it potable 2) storing water, after collecting or generating it and finally 3) carrying water when it becomes necessary to move.

Especially in the case of disaster (natural or manmade), once other priorities have been secured, one should think about short term and long term sources of water. Water for bodily hydration (drinking) is of course the primary concern, but remember the myriad secondary uses of water (cooking, sterilizing, cleaning, washing, hygiene, fire fighting, agriculture, etc.). In short term survival, such considerations may seem frivolous, but in the longer term situations these secondary considerations become increasingly important. One may avoid death by thirst, but may later die from infection or contamination if one ignores simple hygiene.

Faucets and taps are what we look to first for our water in "civilized" areas, but many types of disasters can disrupt the flow. Damaged or contaminated sources (dams, reservoirs, aqueducts), damaged or blocked pipes and water conduits, insufficient water or water pressure due to other priorities or peak demand, water pumping stations inoperative, maybe even deliberate shut-offs for public rationing or exigent circumstance. Part of my post-earthquake drill (here in California) has always been to fill up my bath tub and fill my empty pitchers and containers with water and if possible put some in the freezer. I'll blog more about this "earthquake drill" later in a separate article.

I think that I've mentioned this many times before, but a plastic bag, especially a tough little Zip-Loc, is an amazingly useful survival tool. But really, any watertight plastic bag (shopping, garbage, food storage, even garment and tarps) are great survival assets. Again, I plan to blog about this separately, but plastic bags or membranes have myriad uses when some imagination is applied. In the category of water alone, consider storage, portability, collecting, channeling and conduits, solar distilleries, and lining other more fragile or non-waterproof containers.

I know where my building's water heater tank is, which can be drained for potable water. A decorative fountain out front and a swimming pool in the back can serve as a source of potable "emergency" water in pinch. Part of my earthquake kit includes several gallon jugs of chlorine bleach for treating water, in addition to my Katydyne water filter system that I use for camping. Several blocks away, there is even a freshwater creek that runs through my neighbourhood which I might consider a water source of last resort (if I couldn't beg, borrow or steal from some other source). I will mention that there is a way one can make use of contaminated (like tainted with gasoline) or brackish water sources if the circumstances are dire. The large colon absorbs limited quantities of water into the body without absorbing contaminants (one of it's functions during digestion) so it is possible to hydrate by enema if one had the tools and knowledge. Also, if one has the knowledge and means, one can alternately hydrate intravenously.

I almost forgot to mention that along with drinking ample water try not to overlook the effects of perspiring and causing an imbalance in electrolytes. Under heavy exertion, taking a salt pill with every quart of water helps to retain water and keeps electrolyte levels in balance.

In the wilderness or survival situation consider that water always travels downhill or downstream with gravity. Therefore, look for more water sources to be found in draws, valleys, ravines, and depressions. Plantlife and trees are a strong indicator of water and are sometimes a source of water themselves, like water vines in the jungle, or rainwater or dew on leaves, collected in hollows, or condensate from plastic bags around branches. Even in arid climates, water may flow underground especially in depressions, riverbeds, and where telltale lines of vegetation grow. I've heard an apocryphal bush tale that all other animals follow the elephants (because supposedly they can smell subterranean water and will make for muddy watering holes in drought).

If one has the means, a private, secure, ample, readily available source of water is the optimum situation, a body of water, lakes, rivers, Artesian sources, a spring, a well, a cistern, or large water tank. Secondarily, more elaborate, technological means of trapping or extracting water are useful, like a rooftop rainwater trapping system, solar condensers, desalinization systems, and geo-thermal iceberg melters. I suppose the ultimate along this line would be like a NASA style Hydrogen Fuel Cell system which generates power and leaves behind molecular oxygen and pure distilled water as by-products.
Condensate is a ready source of pure drinking water, literally from the air. Morning dew and water that collects on the smooth waxy surfaces of plants as the temperature changes is available in almost any biome, even arid deserts. Putting a plastic bag around a branch of a plant will condense water vapour in the air and that which escapes from the plant also. This same concept can be used in the "solar still" (digging a hole, stretching plastic over it, with a container in the center to collect the condensate that forms on the inside). The efficiency of the still increases with exposure to the sun, and the amount of base moisture in the hole, the soil, foliage within, and even contaminated sources, like urine or seawater. What will condense out is pure distilled water, albeit in small quantities. Therefore making multiple stills is important.

Whatever your water source, if it is exposed to open air (not sealed or distilled) one can assume that source as possibly contaminated with micro-organisms, pollutants/particulates, and/or by-products of corrosion from the transmission mode (pipes). I am not a germophobe, but I prefer whenever feasible to drink only filtered water. Now what this means varies from city to city, but I happen to live in a city which has filtered (and carefully tested and monitored) water right from the tap. Therefore, I only consider the contaminants between the city filtering and the pipes leading to my domicile. I use a simple Brita water filter for my drinking water. For emergency back-up and camping use, I have a good top of the line portable Katydyne water filter system. My stored water is all namebrand bottled water, which is filtered water. Nothing more, nothing less. It amazes me what people pay for water these days. Note: about the only premium bottled water that I can genuinely taste/detect a difference is so-called Fiji water. I can take a blind taste test and find Fiji water readily. It is somehow... smoother, like lower viscosity. My free endorsement for Fiji water... LOL.

Boiling water of course is the age-old method for making water potable. But it has the slight drawback of being energy-intensive (fuel) and somewhat of an elaborate process (heating, boiling, cooling, storing), esp in a survival shelter. Sometimes therefore, chemical purification is more convenient. The drawback here is the detectable chemical taste and smell. I've always carried a tiny vial of Iodine water purification tablets in my survival kit since my Army days as a method of last resort. A part of every family/home earthquake disaster survival kit should be a gallon jug of chorine bleach. Chlorine has many uses in survival, but one of the most important is the ability to chemically purify large quantities of questionable water. Water purified by chemical means can be made more palatable by powdered flavourings, like iced tea.

Another purification method which I will mention briefly is the use of Ultra Violet light, mostly the handy UV wand that is currently in vogue. Now, I have field tested this method and I have had no ill effects, however, there is this annoying lack of complete confidence in this method. Supposedly swirling this lighted wand around in a water bottle for about a minute kills all the cooties and makes it safe to drink. But unlike other methods, filtering, boiling, adding chemicals, the UV wand method seems like a leap of faith that it worked. There is no confirmation. Plus, because it is an electronic light, the wand works best at full battery strength. As it reaches the end of it's battery life, I would presume that it gets less efficient. So if it may or may not kill 90% of the microbes, then there may come a time when the 10% of surviving microbes gives one debilitating dysentery right in the middle of a survival situation. Is it worth the gamble? I would only recommend the UV wand as a back-up method to use along with other methods.

Some survivalists opt to store water in large quantities, like in 55 gallon drums or military style 5 gallon "jerry" cans or jugs. There is nothing necessarily wrong with this strategy, especially for those in larger family groups and plan to survive in place (not being mobile). But I've always been of the "don't put your eggs into one basket" school of thought when it comes to survival. As resource wasteful as this may seem, I believe in keeping supplies/storing water in as many separate little containers as possible. Even in quantity, I'd rather keep my water in 1000 separate half liter water bottles than a single 500 liter drum. Why? far less risk of contamination/cross-contamination, less risk of total loss, more portability/adaptability, more options for immediate/secondary uses (freezing, flavouring, re-using, even recycling the containers).

Probably from my military indoctrination, I've habitually carried a "canteen" around with me, in civilian life, a water bottle. I am not very particular about my water bottles. I don't care if it is a re-used Pepsi bottle, clear Evian type bottle, a Lexan Nalgene bottle, or one of those currently popular lined aluminum or steel bottles. There are some key desirable features of course, but for the most part as long as the bottle holds water, is relatively clean and is refillable, it will suffice for me. Clear is good so that the contents/remaining contents can be seen. Durability is nice for rugged use. Graduations are helpful for rationing and monitoring intake. Wide mouth is desirable for hearty, satisfying gulping. "Taste-free" and non-reactive material/lining material is desirable (metal/plastic taste, BPA).

I was an early adopter of the "Camelback" concept and in fact own several of their earliest models. I embraced the concept and still believe there are many tangible advantages to the water bag and drinking tube system, among them, ergonomic carrying, hands-free/on-the-go hydration, decrease in volume of bladder as water is consumed, even secondary uses as a flotation device if necessary. In the end however, after about a decade of actual use, I have all but abandoned the concept and returned to using mostly Lexan water bottles, and keeping my Camelbaks for back-up and emergency use. Like what are the disadvantages of Camelbaks? Well, because water must be sucked through a long straw, a Camelbak is a demand system as opposed to water pouring freely with gravity into one's mouth. It makes a qualitative difference in hydration satisfaction IMO. Because you really cannot see exactly how much you are drinking, there is a tendency to (at least for me) to drink less. I've found that I tend to de-hydrate myself (coming home with half a bladder full) when I use the Camelbak. I tend to hesitate to refill the Camelbak bladder mid-hike or mid-expedition, not only because of the inconvenience of extracting the bladder out of my pack, but also the prospect of mixing and contaminating known potable water with questionable water sources. No matter how careful you are, there is always a little bit of "back wash" into the drinking tube, adding trace amounts of microbes, saliva, food particles into the collective water system. Without specialized maintenance and downtime, Camelbaks inevitably get cloudy, odd tasting water from microbe build-up. Also because of the location of the bladder, water is usually warmed by the body (good for snowmelt in the winter, but decidedly "unrefreshing" in hot weather). And, lastly, when my life depends on it, do I want all of my critical life giving water in one vinyl plastic bag? or in multiple, separate, indestructible Lexan bottles.

When on the move, I now prefer to carry multiple (6 or more) 500ml Lexan water bottles. Some are frozen (helping to keep other items cool as they melt down to refreshing ice water), some are flavoured (usually with ice tea for caffeine, but sometimes with Gatorade for electrolyte balance). Some are deep in my pack, some are in my pack pockets, one is always on my belt holster, and usually I put an extra bottle in my pants or jacket pocket. As I move along and consume water, I am constantly looking for good sources to refill my bottles (keeping each separate). If I lose one, it's not a complete disaster as I have other bottles.


Remember, water is the most important survival priority under most circumstances. Only rarely might the consideration of security (from a direct threat that will kill you immediately) supersede water in priority.