Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Skills Links

I've recently come across a number of sources of information on skills we all need to develop.  Thought I'd share...

First aid for gunshot wounds to the chest (video)  This site has lots of other first aid-related videos as well.

Sharpening a knife (btw, Wolf Tracks has just been added to our Daily Read list).

Our own video on Long-Term food storage in buckets and mylar bags.

My wife and I were watching, "Law Abiding Citizen" this weekend, and decided it would be good to know how to get out of zip tie restraints (instruction and 6 short videos).

A great primer on survival/emergency communications.  It discusses the common tools we use - land lines and cell phone - but gets into great detail about radio communications, visual communications (lights and flags, for instance)  and has tons of information on the various radio frequencies and what they're used for.  Definitely going into the Survival Bible.

Some great information - from 1989 - on how to protect your equipment from EMP damage.  Faraday Cages are NOT your only option.
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In a recent post over at TSLRF, The Other Ryan had a post about bringing skills "to the table" in an emergency event where the people might suddenly be brought together.  "It" might hit the fan, and you might want to join a group.  You're going to need to bring something to the party - food, water or some skill that is valuable.

I had noted in the comment section that I'm doing a skill-swap with a friend of one of my son's.  I'm teaching him how to shoot, he's teaching me how to weld.

We'll both be more valuable as a result.

Accept The Challenge

Aside from the basic, "learning for learning's sake", it is a great idea to learn or teach skills that might be in high demand in any gradiation of an emergency.  Anything from the power being out for a few days, to a total societal collapse.

Some skills to consider:  Medical/first aid, welding, brewing/distilling, radio operation, small engine repair, plumbing, electrical, building construction, firearms training, farming, raising animals for food, foraging, sewing, tanning leather, food preservation, gun smithing, butcher an animal...

Obviously, there are a million things out there to learn.  Play through some different scenarios of differing intensity, and consider what skills, goods or services might be in high demand.


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9 comments:

  1. (Combing hair, brushing tooth, putting on no-stink, dusting off suit.)
    Thank you, Chief! You're one of my fave blogs to read and I really will reciprocate.
    Thank you.
    Shy III

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  2. LOL! My pleasure. I've been reading your stuff for quite a while, and had been meaning to add you to my list. Done!

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  3. Chief, Hate to be a party pooper but nobody worth their zip ties uses just one. They use two which are connected either by the factory or looping one through the other. I haven't tried it yet but strongly suspect that plan would not work so well with one on each wrist. We use zip ties because people can't get out of them.

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  4. TOR, that's what I thought as well. Check out the last video, way at the bottom of the linked page.

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  5. Chief, Watched the dual zip tie video. I feel stupid for not noticing this earlier. That guys hands are in the front! Cops and the military do not zip tie peoples hands in the front. Hands in the front can be used to cause all sorts of problems while hands in the back are basically useless.

    In front the shoulder joint is very flexible and can thus generate a lot of force. In the back unless you are in the circus there is a lot less range of motion and thus less power. I seriously doubt it would work in practical real life application. I will get a pair at the next opportunity and try it.

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  6. TOR, yeah, I want to try it myself. I'll talk to one of my brothers (a LEO) and see if I can get a pair of the true cop versions.

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  7. I probably have a set somewhere but the juice of being able to try this is not worth the squeeze of tearing through all of my stuff. Next time we are using these I will snag some for practice. Might even try and make a video.

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  8. On a hunting trip in Alaska we shot three caribou. One of them was a lung shot that missed the ribs going in and coming out. Under the skin at the entrance wound there was a 1/2" thick blood clot as big as a dinner plate between the skin and the meat and bones of the chest. Inside the chest cavity there were no lungs! Just a pile of bloody spongey crap laying against one side that sloshed around as the carcass was moved. The hunter used a bolt action .308 at a distance of 100 feet or so. The caribou ran about 50 feet before going down. If this had been a human with a "chest wound" what could you do?? Seriously, I'm not trying to be arguementative because clearly some chest wounds aren't fatal but the simple fact is a typical hunting rifle can do a lot of damage. If the bullet had hit a rib going in and coming out the wound would have been disgusting as well as deadly. I'm prepared to deal with broken bones, drowning, arterial bleeding, broken ribs and perhaps a minor chest wound. But If you get shot in the chest with a hunting rifle or military rifle you can kiss your ass goodbye. Again, I know it is possible to have something less then what I described and still be called a chest wound but pretty much if you get shot in the chest it over.

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  9. Anon, I think a lot of it will also have to do with the angle you're shot from. Like the caribou, if you're shot from the side with the bullet passing through both lungs, you're toast! Directly through the front of the chest with no hits to veins/arteries, you'll have a better chance. Obviously not great, but better.

    Still, you can bleed out VERY quickly. When my son was doing his paramedic internship, his final internship run was a shooting. He said he was shocked to see how much blood comes gushing out of a body.

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