This article from Wilderness Doc discusses a key difference in civilian vs military shooting injuries and how, because of the difference, the first aid focus for civilians may be better served with blod clotting bandages than tourniquets — Pre-Hospital Care in Mass Casualty Shootings.
You will likely recognize the above picture as a CAT tourniquet. As programs such as Stop The Bleed and others have focused on the use of tourniquets in the field, these have become a popular item for most to carry in our kits. This is for good reason too. Studies and data coming from military experience in Afghanistan and Iraq have shown, these devices are no longer to be considered the “last ditch” efforts we once thought. That being said, what does the data show about efficacy or applicability of this data in civilian shootings as we have recently seen in El Paso and Dayton?
This very question was addressed in the May/June 2019 edition of the Air Medical Journal. Three studies by Smith, Butler and de Jager were used to discuss differences between the battlefield and civilian injuries. Interestingly, military injuries tend to be to extremities. This is due to several reasons. First, many soldiers are injured by high explosive devices and the fragments coming off of them. Secondly, the battlefield and the highly armed nature of the two sides on the battlefield, tends to separate the combatants much further than what is seen in the civil setting. This separation makes shots to vital areas such as the torso, head and neck less likely. Finally, soldiers tend to wear body armor that covers vital areas. While not fool proof, especially against higher caliber and more powerful rounds, it can protect against many rounds, especially if shot from a distance.
What does this difference mean for civilian first responders in such scenarios? It means that chest, back and head shots are much more likely. These areas are, obviously, not amenable to tourniquet placement. So, while still important, we need to adjust training and prepare our first responders for what they are more likely to see. In particular, the authors advise focusing on chest wounds. While there are many who have survived head shots, the chest can be far more survivable. Focusing on pressure and hemostatic impregnated gauze as well as chest seals and decompression may be the next line in pre-Hospital treatment. Also, ensuring such first responders are well versed in all forms of artificial airways can be lifesaving…
…Recognizing that the Left Coast will not handle things well if they lose the production east of the Cascades, the Socialist Democrats have been actively trying to shut down the movement to form the new state.
The 51st State has received enormous negative press from the Socialist Main Stream Media lately. Headlines that were, at the very least, disingenuous have been attempting to derail all efforts at spreading the word to the citizens.
These attempts to manipulate a shut down of the movement to split the state have been rampant, yet it seems that it may be backfiring. Rising numbers were obvious when the Spokane County Fair came to town.
Redoubt News visited the fair this weekend to see how the public response was coming along. We saw several dozen people pass through the booth in the short period we were there which would seem to prove the old adage that “There is no such thing as Bad Press.”
Volunteers tell us that the response exceed their expectations with 99% being positive toward Liberty State. They gathered hundreds of signatures this weekend on a petition they tell me is a county-wide advisory vote. Volunteers say they are willing to visit every county in the state, including those on the west side, as support has been coming in from all quarters…
The Tenth Amendment Center has an article by Constitutional attorney and author John Whitehead, detailing some of the many problems with the current state of the US federal government – Is the US Government the Enemy of the People? If you haven’t read Whitehead’s book, Battlefield America, it is worth taking your time to do so.
Take heed, America. Our losses are mounting with every passing day.
What began with the post-9/11 passage of the USA Patriot Act has snowballed into the eradication of every vital safeguard against government overreach, corruption and abuse.
The citizenry’s unquestioning acquiescence to anything the government wants to do in exchange for the phantom promise of safety and security has resulted in a society where the nation is being locked down into a militarized, mechanized, hypersensitive, legalistic, self-righteous, goose-stepping antithesis of every principle upon which this nation was founded.
Set against a backdrop of government surveillance, militarized police, SWAT team raids, asset forfeiture, eminent domain, overcriminalization, armed surveillance drones, whole body scanners, stop and frisk searches, police violence and the like—all of which have been sanctioned by Congress, the White House and the courts—our constitutional freedoms have been steadily chipped away at, undermined, eroded, whittled down, and generally discarded.
The rights embodied in the Constitution, if not already eviscerated, are on life support.
Free speech, the right to protest, the right to challenge government wrongdoing, due process, a presumption of innocence, the right to self-defense, accountability and transparency in government, privacy, press, sovereignty, assembly, bodily integrity, representative government: all of these and more have become casualties in the government’s war on the American people, a war that has grown more pronounced since 9/11.
Indeed, since the towers fell on 9/11, the U.S. government has posed a greater threat to our freedoms than any terrorist, extremist or foreign entity ever could.
While nearly 3,000 people died in the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. government and its agents have easily killed at least ten times that number of civilians in the U.S. and abroad since 9/11 through its police shootings, SWAT team raids, drone strikes and profit-driven efforts to police the globe, sell weapons to foreign nations (which too often fall into the hands of terrorists), and foment civil unrest in order to keep the military industrial complex gainfully employed.
The American people have been treated like enemy combatants, to be spied on, tracked, scanned, frisked, searched, subjected to all manner of intrusions, intimidated, invaded, raided, manhandled, censored, silenced, shot at, locked up, denied due process, and killed.
In allowing ourselves to be distracted by terror drills, foreign wars, color-coded warnings, underwear bombers and other carefully constructed exercises in propaganda, sleight of hand, and obfuscation, we failed to recognize that the U.S. government—the government that was supposed to be a “government of the people, by the people, for the people”—has become the enemy of the people…
Pastor Joe Fox of Viking Preparedness released one of his Patreon videos to his YouTube channel. This one briefly discusses government in your mutual assistance group, tribe, community, assembly, whatever in the event of major collapse/shtf event. His message is plan for how you will run things post event now or you won’t last as a community.
Yesterday, Glenn Gerstell, the general counsel of the National Security Agency, published an opinion piece in The New York Times – I Work for the NSA. We Cannot Afford to Lose the Digital Revolution. The subtitle was Technology is about to upend our entire national security infrastructure. Today, Sam Culper, intelligence analyst at Forward Observer, has a short video out about the piece and its contents titled The Coming Cyber 9/11. In this video Sam Culper discusses the warnings and what could become a cyber 9/11.
Among other things, Sam Culper summarizes Gerstell’s warnings:
The government will be ineffective at handling all of the technological threats as opponents are becoming more and more “peer” rather than “near peer” adversaries..
Systems disruption could, and likely will, occur at any time.
Big tech companies will become more powerful than actual governments.
The effects of rapid technological development could upend governments and societies.
In you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse. -Psalm 25
And we remember the victims in Benghazi seven years ago:
Our September General Assembly has been cancelled because of unforeseen circumstances. We hope to see you at the next one scheduled for Thursday, October 10th, 2019. Please meet with your sectors and return invigorated next month.
In today’s video, I’m talking about the importance of intelligence for emergency preparedness and some ways to get started in local intelligence gathering.
Make a plan today. Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so it is important to know which types of disasters could affect your area. Know how you’ll contact one another and reconnect if separated. Establish a family meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find.
Step 1: Put together a plan by discussing these 4 questions with your family, friends, or household to start your emergency plan.
Step 2: Consider specific needs in your household.
As you prepare your plan tailor your plans and supplies to your specific daily living needs and responsibilities. Discuss your needs and responsibilities and how people in the network can assist each other with communication, care of children, business, pets, or specific needs like the operation of durable medical equipment. Create your own personal network for specific areas where you need assistance. Keep in mind some these factors when developing your plan:
Different ages of members within your household
Responsibilities for assisting others
Locations frequented
Dietary needs
Medical needs including prescriptions and equipment
Disabilities or access and functional needs including devices and equipment
Languages spoken
Cultural and religious considerations
Pets or service animals
Households with school-aged children
Step 3: Fill out a Family Emergency Plan
Download and fill out a family emergency plan or use them as a guide to create your own.
The Real World Consequences of the Misapplication of “Compassion”
San Francisco. Seattle. Denver. Cities littered with drug needles, human waste, used condoms and the detritus associated with the hopelessness of third-world countries. And yet this is the United States of America. Or was…….
Over the years, as our country has been increasingly influenced by progressive elite idealists, we have been forced into a kind of Situational Justice. Right and wrong, good and bad, has been replaced by a politically driven narrative that preaches “charity” and “compassion”, but in fact leaves a post-apocalyptic waste land in its wake.
When I was a child, my family lived on Vashon Island, an island in Puget Sound – about a 15 minute Ferry boat ride from Seattle. My father had been born and raised on Vashon and my mom hailed from West Seattle, moving to Vashon when she was in high school. Our family had (and still has) deep roots in the area. When I was 8, we moved to the outback of Idaho, but spent every family vacation in Seattle or on Vashon. I remember being so excited when we descended Snoqualamie Pass knowing we were almost there! Back then North Bend seemed way out in the country and Issaquah far removed from Seattle. By the time we were on Mercer Island, I was mesmerized, and crossing Lake Washington over the Floating Bridge (through the tunnels) was fantastic. As we’d get closer to downtown, I could smell the salt water and I never failed to breath deep of its heady fragrance. As we drove, I marveled at one of the things I loved most about the city….it’s amazing beauty. I loved the ivy-covered walls and the manicured parks. The thick underbrush and myriad shades of green were truly worthy of the name “The Emerald City”. It’s beauty was unparalleled.
That was then. Now, my beautiful city has succumbed to the misapplication of compassion and the consistent use of situational justice.
Progressive Socialists love to tell you that they are all about the “little man”. They tout “compassion” and “charity” and “equality” as their core values, however, the implementation of their vision produces nothing resembling their “Utopia”. Unless of course, their utopia includes rampant disease, pervasive drug use and violent, mentally deranged human masses. Which apparently it does, because that is what we have achieved.
We keep hearing the buzzword “homelessness”. We also keep hearing about the homeless crisis and about how these poor people have no where to turn – they have been driven to the streets by an oppressive society ruled by White Male Nationalists. They commit crimes, but they have no choice – society made them do it. Money must be spent. Charity must be given. Compassion must prevail. And justice must be dispensed based upon individual situations.
It turns out, we don’t have a “homeless” problem. We have a drug problem. And we have a drug problem, because we have encouraged it through our misapplied “charity”. And once we have them hooked on drugs, we must have “compassion” and the only way to show them “compassion” is through “situational” justice.
We have encouraged our country’s drug problem by not holding people responsible for their own actions. We have chosen to support generation after generation of people unwilling to take care of themselves or their own, destroying their self-worth and killing their souls. We have given to them without expecting them to contribute to their own lives. And in the process, we have destroyed a nation. We have given “charity” to the detriment of generations.
Work is good for the soul. By not requiring people to work, we have contributed to a population that feels hopeless and useless. And as a result, our people have increasingly turned to drugs to dull their pain. And to make ourselves feel better, we give them more….more money, more drugs, more chances. We call it “compassion” but in reality we are kin to the great destroyer. We are killing people with “kindness”. We are not “compassionate” when we give people “safe” places to shoot-up. We are not “compassionate” when we give money to someone sleeping on the street so they can get another hit. We are not being “charitable” when we allow situational justice to be the law of the land. We are killing ourselves…..we are killing our families….we are killing our nation.
I read once that “charity is a finely-tuned instrument, and many there are who wound both themselves and others for want of skill in using it”. I couldn’t agree more! We have wounded both ourselves and our children with the wrongful use of charity. We have done by far more harm than good.
Charity, compassion and justice, when used correctly, are the beautiful hallmarks of a Christian nation. When they have been twisted, however, they become ugly, hateful tools of destruction. We have a responsibility to use these tools wisely or they will be the very instruments of our demise. And it would appear that our path is clear……
Poor dental health, however, can cause issues that affect the work efficiency of members of your group in survival settings. When your people are not at 100% effectiveness, your chances for survival decrease. Anyone who has experienced a toothache knows how it affects work performance.
When modern dental technology is not an option, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This strategy is especially important when it comes to your teeth. By maintaining good dental hygiene, you will save your loved ones a lot of pain (and yourself a few headaches).
Let’s discuss some procedures that both you and I know are best performed by someone with experience. Unfortunately, you’re probably don’t have a dentist in the family. The information here will at least give you a basis of knowledge that may help you deal with some basic issues.
The prepared medic will have included dental supplies in their storage, but what exactly would make sense in austere settings? You would want the kit to be portable, so dentist chairs and other heavy equipment wouldn’t be practical.
In the past, we’ve mentioned that gloves for medical and dental purposes are one item that you should always have in quantity. Avoid sticking your bare hands in someone’s mouth. Hypoallergenic nitrile gloves are, in my opinion, superior to latex. For additional protection, masks should also be stored and worn by the medic. The simple “earloop” versions will do for dental exams.
dental “elevators” loosen ligaments that hold decayed teeth in place
Other items that are useful to the off-grid “dentist” include:
Dental or orthodontic wax as used for braces; even candle wax will do in a pinch. Use it to splint a loose tooth to its neighbors.
A Rubber bite block to keep the mouth open. This provides good visualization and protection from getting bitten. A large-sized pink eraser would serve the purpose.
Cotton pellets, Cotton rolls, Q tips, gauze sponges (cut into small squares)
Commercial temporary filling material, such as Tempanol, Cavit, or Den-temp.
Oil of cloves (eugenol), a natural anesthetic.It’s important to know that eugenol might burn the tongue, so be careful when touching anything but teeth with it. Often found in commercial preparations.
Dental scrapers/scalers to remove plaque and probe questionable areas
Spoon excavators. These instruments have a flat circular tip that is used to “excavate” decayed material from a tooth. A powered dental drill would be a much better choice, but not likely to be an option off the grid.
Elevators. These are thin but solid chisel-like instruments that help with extractions by separating ligaments that hold teeth in their sockets. #301 or #12B are good choices. In a pinch, some parts of a Swiss army knife might work.
Extraction forceps. These are like pliers with curved ends. They come in versions specific to upper and lower teeth and, sometimes, left and right.
Michael Krieger of Liberty Blitzkrieg has an article on how the US government, including the FBI and the military, are becoming involved in policing what you think and talk about because the government believes that conspiracy theories pose a domestic terrorism threat… Or maybe the government just wants more control over what you do and say to make sure that people can only hear the government’s own narrative. Here’s an excerpt from Humans Are Creating Their Own Narratives.
Somewhere between the arrest of Jeffrey Epstein and his extremely suspicious death in a Department of Justice operated prison, the public learned that an FBI intelligence bulletin published by the bureau’s Phoenix field office mentioned for the first time that conspiracy theories pose a domestic terrorism threat. This was followed up last week by a Bloomberg article discussing a new project by the U.S. military (DARPA) to identify fake news and disinformation.
Fake news and social media posts are such a threat to U.S. security that the Defense Department is launching a project to repel “large-scale, automated disinformation attacks,” as the top Republican in Congress blocks efforts to protect the integrity of elections.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency wants custom software that can unearth fakes hidden among more than 500,000 stories, photos, videos and audio clips. If successful, the system after four years of trials may expand to detect malicious intent and prevent viral fake news from polarizing society.
Recall that after the 2016 election, focus was on social media companies and we saw tremendous pressure placed on these platforms by national security state politicians and distressed Democrats to “do something” about the supposed fake news epidemic. Fast forward three years and it’s now apparently the U.S. military’s job to police human content on the internet. This is the sort of natural regression a society will witness so long as it puts up with incremental censorship and the demonization of any thought which goes against the official narrative.
Before we dissect what’s really going on, allow me to point out the glaringly obvious, which is that politicians, pundits, mass media and the U.S. military don’t actually care about the societal harm of fake news or conspiracy theories. We know this based on how the media sold government lies in order to advocate for the Iraq war, and how many of the biggest proponents of that blatant war crime have gone on to spectacularly lucrative careers in subsequent years. There were zero consequences, proving the point that this has nothing to do with the dangers of fake news or conspiracy theories, and everything to do with protecting the establishment grip on narrative creation and propagation.
The worst kinds of crimes are those which impact millions of people, but we never properly prosecute those crimes because it’s billionaires and governments who commit them.
The above tweet summarizes what’s really going on. It’s a provable fact that the harm caused by some crazy person reacting to viral “fake news” on social media doesn’t compare with the destruction and criminality perpetrated by oligarchs like Jeffrey Epstein, or governments which destroy entire countries and murder millions without flinching. It’s the extremely wealthy and powerful, as a consequence of their societal status and influence, who are in a position to do the most harm. This isn’t debatable, yet the U.S. military and media don’t seem particularly bothered by this sort of thing. What really keeps them up at night is a realization that the powerless masses of humanity are suddenly talking to one another across borders and coming to their own conclusions about how the world works. You’re supposed to be told what to think, not to think for yourself...
One of the common questions I get before, during and after the RTO Course is “how in the heck do you remember all those different connectors?” Well, the answer is nothing more than repetition- I know them because I’m built so many antennas over the years and needed the various connectors you come to know what they’re called.
Its a good idea to have a large number of spare connectors and adapters on hand. If you’re making external antennas for your equipment, they’re an absolute must have item. And unlike pretty much everything else we make our antennas from in the RTO Course, they’re the hardest to source in a working environment, so knowing what they are and having a bunch on hand now makes too much sense.
Cobra Heads make improvised antennas fast and simple.
The Cobra Head
A story I tell in class is exactly how I discovered the real name for what I always knew as a Cobra Head. The Split Post BNC Adapter, or BNC Banana Jack Adapter, is widely known to Army guys as Cobra Heads- in fact, I never knew they were called anything else and couldn’t find them for a long time after I got out. I found them at a Hamfest in a big tray of connectors and felt like an idiot when I was told what they’re really called. It didn’t matter- I found them.
Why they’re important is that its the easiest connector to use when building improvised wire antennas. We were given them by the bagful in the Army to practice antenna building, and I came to really appreciate it. Simply cut your wire, match the radiating wire to the red end and ground side to the black, loop it around and you’re good to go. If you want to get the most secure with it be sure to use some ring terminals to connect the wire to the connector. Attaching BNC coax can’t be easier and more secure…
Americans at all income levels have experienced the challenges of rebuilding their lives after a disaster or other emergency. In these stressful circumstances, having access to personal financial, insurance, medical, and other records is crucial for starting the process of recovery quickly and efficiently. Taking the time now to collect and secure these critical records will give you peace of mind and, in the event of an emergency, will ensure that you have the documentation needed to start the recovery process without delay.
Gather financial and critical personal, household, and medical information.
Consider saving money in an emergency savings account that could be used in any crisis. Keep a small amount of cash at home in a safe place. It is important to have small bills on hand because ATM’s and credit cards may not work during a disaster when you need to purchase necessary supplies, fuel or food.
Obtain property (homeowners or renters), health, and life insurance if you do not have them. Review existing policies for the amount and extent of coverage to ensure that what you have in place is what is required for you and your family for all possible hazards. Homeowners insurance does not typically cover flooding, so you may need to purchase flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program.
Scroll down for more helpful financial preparedness tips and download the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) to get started planning today.
The Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK), a joint publication from Operation Hope and FEMA to help you prepare financially and provide tips to reduce the impact disasters can leave you with financially.
For Organizations
Encourage people throughout your organization to be financially prepared. Here are some ideas to promote financial preparedness in your organization:
Hold a brown bag meeting or
Make a presentation at an existing staff meeting using the Emergency Preparedness Financial First Aid Kit PowerPoint and use the Safeguarding Your Valuables Facilitator Guide to support your discussion.
Include financial preparedness information in the staff monthly newsletter.
At Home
Using the EFFAK as a guide, or by downloading a secure mobile app on your phone, store important documents either in a safety deposit box, an external drive, on the cloud to make it easy to access during a disaster.
Having your financial and medical records and important contact information will be crucial to help you start the recovery process quickly. Take time now to safeguard these critical documents.
Household Identification
Photo ID to prove identity of household members
Birth certificate to maintain or re-establish contact with family members
Social security card to apply for FEMA disaster assistance
Military service
Pet ID tags
Financial and Legal Documentation
Housing Payments to identify financial records and obligations
Insurance policies to re-establish financial accounts
Sources of income to maintain payments and credit
Tax statements to provide contact information for financial and legal providers & apply for FEMA disaster assistance
Medical Information
Physician information to provide doctors with health information if medical care is needed
Copies of health insurance information to ensure existing care continues uninterrupted
Immunization records
Medications
Insurance Information
Having insurance for your home or business property is the best way to ensure you will have the necessary financial resources to help you repair, rebuild, or replace whatever is damaged. Document and insure your property now.
Household Contact information
Banking Institutions
Insurance agent
Health professionals
Service providers
Place of worship
Get your benefits electronically
A disaster can disrupt mail service for days or weeks. If you depend on Social Security or other regular benefits, switching to electronic payments is a simple, significant way to protect yourself financially before disaster strikes. It also eliminates the risk of stolen checks.
Register for Emergencies and Disasters: Are You Financially Prepared? Wednesday, September 4, 2019 10:00:00 AM PDT – 10:30:00 AM PDT
Sam Culper at Forward Observer continues his video series on how an intelligence analyst prepares for an SHTF situation with this video on SHTF Intelligence Gathering.
The theme for week two is Make a Plan to Prepare for Disasters.
NC Scout at American Partisan has a nice, short article on radio cable/antenna connectors and what is useful for improvising antennas — RTO’s Guide to Connectors.
Lower Valley Assembly 