Today I hope to offer some lessons learned from the recent events I have lived through with Helene. Though the title of this article is “natural disaster preparedness lessons learned,” these lessons are applicable to just about any emergency. If you follow this advice and develop a decent, well-rounded system of preparedness, you will be ready for just about anything.
A Very Unusual and Dangerous Ammunition Malfunction
I recently had a very unusual and dangerous ammunition malfunction. This was one I hadn’t seen before, but the end result is very similar to a squib load, which I have seen a couple times. This malfunction could have caused serious damage to the gun or injury to me or my friend. Let’s take a closer look at this malfunction.
Some Tools to Help You Sleep More and Better
I have talked and written before about getting enough sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep is incredibly important. I will talk a bit about why getting a good night’s sleep is so important, and I will talk about some tools to help you sleep that have helped me get more and qualitatively better sleep.
NPE Carry: Kramer Leather Pocket Gun Holster Review
This review marks the next in our series of NPE carry holsters. Over the past several months I have worked with several Non-Permissive Environment carry holsters. This article is our Kramer Leather Pocket Gun Holster review, possibly the best pocket holster I have had the privilege of using. Let’s dig in.
Someone Trained in CPR Saved My Life
The title is not clickbait. On Saturday, January 6, 2024, someone who was trained in CPR saved my life. I’ve said in the past that CPR is at least as important the TCCC-style, tourniquet-based training, and I’m now even more adamant about it. Though no one performed CPR on me, someone trained in CPR saved my life.
Randall’s Field Survival vs Basic Survival at Pathfinder School
Having attended both courses this year, I am sometimes asked to compare Randall’s Field Survival vs Basic Survival at Pathfinder School. If a handful of people that I regularly interact with are asking this, a few of you must be wondering it, too, so I thought I’d share my thoughts. Both were GREAT courses and this isn’t to find a “better” one, just to compare and contrast the differences for anyone deciding between the two.
VIDEO: Build a Better Bug Out Bag (B.O.B.)
Two years ago I wrote an article on the Realistic Bug Out Bag. With the election just eleven short months away, I want to once again shift my focus back to preparedness. I want to encourage people to be prepared for potential “negative outcomes” during another politically charged election seasons. Today, I’m going to give you a look at a better bug out bag (B.O.B.). Hopefully this will make the topic more approachable.
AAR: The Pathfinder School Basic Survival Course
A huge priority for my 2023 training plan was to attend some wilderness survival training. Though I felt I had a pretty solid skillset via self-study and practice, there really is no substitute for formal, high-fidelity training. With that in mind I signed up for two classes. The first, Randall’s Adventure Training’s Field Survival was back in March. The second, and the subject of this after-action review, The Pathfinder School Basic Survival Course, was this past weekend.
Handling Patient Firearms for EMS Professionals I: Pistols
Firearms are a fact of life for EMS professionals. Patients sometimes have guns on or around them. Usually it is up to law enforcement to secure firearms, but that’s just not always feasible. This article takes a look at some of these situations. More importantly, it offers a principle-based approach to handling patient firearms for EMS professionals. This article is also great information for firemen, cops, and just about anyone else.
Poisonous Plants of the Southern Appalachians – UPDATED!
Recently I published and article called Wild Edibles of the Southern Appalachians. While putting that article together I did a lot of research. I wanted to put out the best and safest information possible. In doing so I learned just how many poisonous plants there are out there. Here are just a few of the most dangerous poisonous plants of the Southern Appalachians.