Kits (3)
Home Storage, Bug IN.

Items needed at Home for bugging IN. Supplies of the bug out bag are "Automatically Included". Any other at home materials we might not be able to take with us.

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Home Prep Grab Bag

Grab bag of essential supplies at home. I purchased the base bag from the Sustain Supply Company. In my opinion, when I purchased this, they had higher quality items included, such as Mountain House entree's vs what is included now. I then added to it with chosen items to suit my needs, such as a small self igniting stove and fuel. Living in a city (LA) there is not too much around me that I would be willing to burn and starting an open fire is its own hazard.

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Office Bag

Office Get home Back

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Discussions
Reply to: Austere First Aid video course trailer + 50% off preorders are live Posted July 19, 2021

I think the GoPro concept is a good one. There was a good video I was watching on you tube of a TCCC training session. I was super informative covering how to use a tourniquet (which students then drilled on themselves) how to pack a wound for which the prop was a a simple foam packed piece with a section carved out. The most important thing (to me) was seeing where the hands were placed, how they were doing what they were doing and talking through the actions being taken, and why.  Much as I love to read, some instructions are incomprehensible to me until I see them done, at a speed conducive to duplication. I can then follow and repeat until I’ve got it. And somethings are simple Simon.   The trainer in the TCCC video was packing a “wound” and in doing so explaining, you know, “Pack a wound toward the head with pressure up, because that is where blood is going to flow from” or “If you’re going to apply a TQ you really need to observe what is going on, there’s got to be a reason for it. You’d use one under these circumstances…”

Reply to: “Grey Man” vs “Hard Target” Posted July 18, 2021

I would personally posit: neither Grey Man nor Hard Target. I am a firm believer that while I could survive on my own in any given circumstance, I would not want to. It would be pretty grim to be “out there” alone and that having a team plan is a better approach, with multiple team members of varied skills and who I enjoy the company of and trust. And I believe people are generally helpful towards one another. Sure, early lockdown days, I certainly saw folks that I considered looked like they were “reasonable people” get into nasty (verbal) fights over who was first to pick up the last pack of toilet paper at Costco… but when S really HTF (hurricanes in the south in 2017(?) come distinctly to mind as badly affecting Texas the Southern states and Mississippi floods when I was young) what you see is folks rising up and helping one another. Not pulling a gun/knife to snatch a pack from others that were more prepared… I am much more suited to preparing for such things as I think will happen – major earthquakes, wild fire evacs and even civil unrest sufficient to make remaining at home, for a period, unsafe (think “CHAZ”). All of which scenarios are quite real in the last 1-2 years – though none have affected me directly. Those are scenarios where having a go bag is a real need. If a Grey Man vs Hard Target scenario really came up (which for me would mean total social chaos and world end scenario) I would like to think sufficient of my friends, many of whom are preppers, would be around and that we could depend on one other to be level headed and work together. Living in a city – everyone is a “Grey Man”. Literally. As such my group of friends would kind of be a Group of Grey Men that, naturally then, becomes a Composite Hard Target (because I imagine that anyone would think twice before attacking a group). Kind of like Zombieland.

Reply to: Austere First Aid video course trailer + 50% off preorders are live Posted July 17, 2021
Reply to: Gear question – recommendations for a first aid case to fit in a BOB? Posted July 13, 2021
Reply to: Gear question – recommendations for a first aid case to fit in a BOB? Posted July 10, 2021
Reply to: Gear question – recommendations for a first aid case to fit in a BOB? Posted July 9, 2021
Reply to: Most compact folding disposable N95 masks? Posted July 9, 2021

I think the answer is: It depends.  If you want an actual N95 grade mask then, yes, many of the KN95’s don’t meet the FDA standard. As covered in the article you linked, some still meet FDA requirements. I have not tested them.  @Snewkes covered in his post: “What are the most compact ones out there? As long as length & width are small enough to fit in a jeans back pocket (not actually where I intend to store them, just trying to give an idea of the size I have in mind), thinness is the top priority. I’m ok with the protection being somewhat lesser since I’d only use it in an emergency situation where I’d be getting out of the area as soon as possible, as long as it’s good enough to be worth carrying at all.”  Protection can be somewhat lesser, priority is thinness. In which case the fold in half KN95’s are suitable until you get to where ever you have your supplies. As a note, the link I included was only for demonstration purposes of what I was referring to – no idea if that link is an FDA okay’d brand/model.  But as to a certain mask being a good idea or a bad idea – it really does depend on your intended use. I find that long use (5+ hours) of the N95’s is very hard on the nasal passages, due to the seal formed by the mask and the pressure of the elastic to keep the seal in place. If you don’t mind that and you are driving away from a smoke filled area in a evacuation (wildfires for example) I would certainly put up with the pressure.  In a scenario where I have to be an area that has a contaminate such as chemical spill or abrasive disinfectants (real scenario for me) I will use an actual respirator with replaceable n100 filters. If the contaminate is heavier than that or the manufacturer recommends different gear for dealing with spills, then I wont go near it, another team will handle with proper gear.   But if I am simply required to wear a mask for government compliance regulations and health reasons where long wear and comfort are an issue, I will likely use something like a bicyclists breather-valve mask or the surgical style paper masks (I say style because there are many kinds of such a mask from those surgeons actually wear that will stop a spray of arterial blood all the way to what you see people wearing on the streets and in stores). A KN95 should be better than your bandana over the face style of mask.  So, depending on your use case, KN95 masks could be okay. Or they could really, really not be okay. But they will suit Snewkes’ requirements. 

Reply to: Most compact folding disposable N95 masks? Posted July 8, 2021
Gear question – recommendations for a first aid case to fit in a BOB?
38
19
Posted July 8, 2021
Reply to: NRG-5 Emergency Rations: What do you think? Posted June 29, 2021
Reply to: NRG-5 Emergency Rations: What do you think? Posted June 28, 2021
Gear question – recommendations for a first aid case to fit in a BOB?
38
19
Posted July 8, 2021
Reply to: Volume Shock Posted September 24, 2021
Reply to: Wound Packing Posted September 20, 2021
Reply to: Austere First Aid video course trailer + 50% off preorders are live Posted July 19, 2021

I think the GoPro concept is a good one. There was a good video I was watching on you tube of a TCCC training session. I was super informative covering how to use a tourniquet (which students then drilled on themselves) how to pack a wound for which the prop was a a simple foam packed piece with a section carved out. The most important thing (to me) was seeing where the hands were placed, how they were doing what they were doing and talking through the actions being taken, and why.  Much as I love to read, some instructions are incomprehensible to me until I see them done, at a speed conducive to duplication. I can then follow and repeat until I’ve got it. And somethings are simple Simon.   The trainer in the TCCC video was packing a “wound” and in doing so explaining, you know, “Pack a wound toward the head with pressure up, because that is where blood is going to flow from” or “If you’re going to apply a TQ you really need to observe what is going on, there’s got to be a reason for it. You’d use one under these circumstances…”

Reply to: “Grey Man” vs “Hard Target” Posted July 18, 2021

I would personally posit: neither Grey Man nor Hard Target. I am a firm believer that while I could survive on my own in any given circumstance, I would not want to. It would be pretty grim to be “out there” alone and that having a team plan is a better approach, with multiple team members of varied skills and who I enjoy the company of and trust. And I believe people are generally helpful towards one another. Sure, early lockdown days, I certainly saw folks that I considered looked like they were “reasonable people” get into nasty (verbal) fights over who was first to pick up the last pack of toilet paper at Costco… but when S really HTF (hurricanes in the south in 2017(?) come distinctly to mind as badly affecting Texas the Southern states and Mississippi floods when I was young) what you see is folks rising up and helping one another. Not pulling a gun/knife to snatch a pack from others that were more prepared… I am much more suited to preparing for such things as I think will happen – major earthquakes, wild fire evacs and even civil unrest sufficient to make remaining at home, for a period, unsafe (think “CHAZ”). All of which scenarios are quite real in the last 1-2 years – though none have affected me directly. Those are scenarios where having a go bag is a real need. If a Grey Man vs Hard Target scenario really came up (which for me would mean total social chaos and world end scenario) I would like to think sufficient of my friends, many of whom are preppers, would be around and that we could depend on one other to be level headed and work together. Living in a city – everyone is a “Grey Man”. Literally. As such my group of friends would kind of be a Group of Grey Men that, naturally then, becomes a Composite Hard Target (because I imagine that anyone would think twice before attacking a group). Kind of like Zombieland.

Reply to: Austere First Aid video course trailer + 50% off preorders are live Posted July 17, 2021
Reply to: Gear question – recommendations for a first aid case to fit in a BOB? Posted July 13, 2021
Reply to: Gear question – recommendations for a first aid case to fit in a BOB? Posted July 10, 2021
Reply to: Gear question – recommendations for a first aid case to fit in a BOB? Posted July 9, 2021
Reply to: Most compact folding disposable N95 masks? Posted July 9, 2021

I think the answer is: It depends.  If you want an actual N95 grade mask then, yes, many of the KN95’s don’t meet the FDA standard. As covered in the article you linked, some still meet FDA requirements. I have not tested them.  @Snewkes covered in his post: “What are the most compact ones out there? As long as length & width are small enough to fit in a jeans back pocket (not actually where I intend to store them, just trying to give an idea of the size I have in mind), thinness is the top priority. I’m ok with the protection being somewhat lesser since I’d only use it in an emergency situation where I’d be getting out of the area as soon as possible, as long as it’s good enough to be worth carrying at all.”  Protection can be somewhat lesser, priority is thinness. In which case the fold in half KN95’s are suitable until you get to where ever you have your supplies. As a note, the link I included was only for demonstration purposes of what I was referring to – no idea if that link is an FDA okay’d brand/model.  But as to a certain mask being a good idea or a bad idea – it really does depend on your intended use. I find that long use (5+ hours) of the N95’s is very hard on the nasal passages, due to the seal formed by the mask and the pressure of the elastic to keep the seal in place. If you don’t mind that and you are driving away from a smoke filled area in a evacuation (wildfires for example) I would certainly put up with the pressure.  In a scenario where I have to be an area that has a contaminate such as chemical spill or abrasive disinfectants (real scenario for me) I will use an actual respirator with replaceable n100 filters. If the contaminate is heavier than that or the manufacturer recommends different gear for dealing with spills, then I wont go near it, another team will handle with proper gear.   But if I am simply required to wear a mask for government compliance regulations and health reasons where long wear and comfort are an issue, I will likely use something like a bicyclists breather-valve mask or the surgical style paper masks (I say style because there are many kinds of such a mask from those surgeons actually wear that will stop a spray of arterial blood all the way to what you see people wearing on the streets and in stores). A KN95 should be better than your bandana over the face style of mask.  So, depending on your use case, KN95 masks could be okay. Or they could really, really not be okay. But they will suit Snewkes’ requirements. 

Reply to: Most compact folding disposable N95 masks? Posted July 8, 2021
Reply to: NRG-5 Emergency Rations: What do you think? Posted June 29, 2021
Reply to: NRG-5 Emergency Rations: What do you think? Posted June 28, 2021