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27 Comments

  1. I question the application of a tourniquet as indicated in your offering. In EMS training we were instructed to apply a tourniquet and gently increase pressure until the blood flow stopped. Keep constant pressure at that point but loosen slightly every two hours for a minute or so to maintain a slight blood flow into the damaged limb in an effort to prevent necrosis.

    Granted, training may be different in other parts of the country but stating to tighten “until tight then two turns more” is very subjective as there is no specific definition of “tight.”

    A spare blood pressure cuff makes a great tourniquet. The amount of pressure can be recorded and maintained and the cuff exerts a smooth even pressure around the limb rather than squeezing the limb in a tight band as a rag or other makeshift tourniquet would do.

    1. The new rules concerning tourniquets have changed. I remember when the thought was to loosen it every few hours. That can be deadly… allowing clots that have formed to travel to the heart/lungs, etc.

      Now for trauma first aid they teach placing tourniquets “high and tight”. In other words, as high up on the extremity as possible, and as tight as possible.

  3. I am a medical doctor, though not specialist in trauma surgery. But I am qualified as emergency pre-hospital doctor.
    I agree with the above commentor on tourniquet. A blood pressure cuff is best, and above method should work well.
    Two days without blood flow in the limb will equal loss of that limb and often life, due to toxic backwash once tourniquet is released.
    Acidosis is defined and explained mildly wrong, however, there is a treatment with tranexic acid for blood loss.

  4. “The final stage of urban preparedness is to prepare to get out.”….absolutely!…urban and close-in suburban areas will be unlivable…I got out in 1993 and haven’t looked back….but for my daughters and their families still living in the metroplex I’ve urged them to consider stashing a get away boat…many major metropolises are on navigable waterways and the highways out of town may be choked with vehicles and stragglers on foot…boating as far as possible before walking may give the family a head start on the horde…. keep up the good work Lone Wolf!

  5. I agree with the above advice about how to apply a tourniquet
    ACIDOSIS is a condition of excessive acidity of the body tissues and fluids. The author is correct in stating that it is Not A Good Thing. It can be caused by many medical conditions, including hypotension (inadequate blood pressure), blood loss, poorly controlled diabetes, sepsis (infection that has spread into the bloodstream), kidney failure, lack of oxygen or increased levels of carbon dioxide, various poisons and toxic chemicals, starvation, hypothermia, etc. It is a final common pathway of many disease states, some of which are correctable, some of which are not. For example, uncontrolled diabetes is easily correctable if insulin is available.
    In an emergency context, excessive blood loss or hypothermia are easy to determine. Acidosis may be presumed to be present but cannot be measured without special techniques, so it is a less useful parameter for first responders to be concerned about.
    The inability of the blood to clot is different from acidosis, although both problems may occur together. It is most commonly caused by medications such as Coumadin, which can be witheld in an emergency situation. It can also occur in such diseases as hemophilia (c.f. the unfortunate Russian tsarevitch). In an emergency situation, with massive injuries and blood loss, or with sepsis, the patient may develop Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) which cannot be adequately addressed in a “ditch medicine” situation.

  6. The huge fallacy of tourniquets and survival post shtf.
    The original issue still exists and is compounding with time without additional medical care.
    At best limb use reduction at worst a slow painful death.
    Tough decisions need to be made before application.

  7. Acidosis is a condition of excessive acidity of the body tissues and fluids,
    It is as the author indicates Not A Good Thing. It can however be caused by many medical situations, such as excessively low blood pressure, blood loss, respiratory failure, kidney failure, sepsis (infection that has spread to the blood), uncontrolled diabetes,dehydratition, exposure to toxins, hypothermia, and even radiation exposure. Some of these conditions are correctable, others not so much. For example, diabetic acidosis is treatable if insulin is available.
    Less emphasis is placed on acidosis in a “ditch medicine” context because it cannot be either diagnosed or directly treated outside of a formal medical context (a lab). Other conditions such as blood loss or hypothermia are self-evident and should be addressed first.
    Failure of the blood to clot is a different problem, although it may occur in the same context as acidosis. Apart from a few rare hereditary diseases such as hemophilia (c.f. the unfortunate Russian tsarevitch), the commonest cause of blood not clotting is the use of Coumadin or other blood thinners, so ask the patient! These medications can be withheld in a situation of blood loss. In a catastrophic medical emergency, the patient may (rarely) develop Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) wherein the blood does not clot at all. Outside of an ICU (sometimes even inside of one) very little can be done about this. Medical students are told that DIC stands for Death Is Coming. Here again, as with acidosis, your best bet is to correct everything that is correctable; stop the bleeding, warm up the patient, put him in the most comfortable position for breathing, hydrate, give antibiotics if indicated, treat pain, give comfort and encouragement, pray.
    Thank you for your excellent blog.

  8. LW&c –
    I appreciate that you’re a trained medic and have put your life on the line helping others and defending the freedoms the rest of us most often seem to take for granted.

    I, and I suspect all of us here, completely agree with your prediction that urban areas will be unlivable in the event of any number of catastrophic scenarios.

    On the other hand I’m left with the impression that your expectations seem unreasonable.

    Not trying to be combative but I think this set of articles is lopsided.
    I’m imagining that you have some very solid and useful stories from your experiences [no doubt, about team work] that would be of more benefit than referencing popular Hollywood scripts.

    Again, it’s not my wish to be offensive but after reading all 3 installments of this post I have to say it’s some very dangerous daydreaming to rely on this ‘gear driven’ Loner mindset and info as ANY kind of useful info in a social collapse situation.

    Granted you may find yourself alone but contemplating a plan to stay that way is just insuring that’s how you’ll die.

    Sorry mate, but you’re going to need some help, and well established BEFORE any unpleasantries occur.
    You’ll need someone at the location and some that you can meet up with on the way.

    The idea of heading all by my onesey out to a retreat location, the condition of which I don’t know, plundered, covertly observed, or occupied with armed nasties, is one I wouldn’t put myself much less my son into.
    What I’m getting at is communication, which in this scenario is most likely Ham Radio, to get in touch with those you trust. A whole other article would be required for the how’s on this.
    Here’s a start: http://tinyurl.com/y7todhgl

    And 3 or 4 days and nights of cross country hauling a cart with a couple of hundreds pounds of gear, supplies and toddler is a clear advertisement, “Hey, over here, I’ve got STUFF!” And a bullhorn? Really? That may be intimidating from the leader of a SWAT team but on your own, stealth might serve better. Again, we’re talking about a situation where anything may happen and it’s all unknown so planning exclusively for what you expect is a unwise.

    Take it from the keepers of this site, JWR and HJL… are either of them are Lone Wolves or have they built solid community around them to deal most effectively with whatever happens?

    Gear is great and we all need some but without well practiced skills that gear is just going to end in someone else’s stash when you’re all too quickly gone.
    Plans are necessary, too, but we had better have more than one. Or two.

    Again, I’m not meaning any attack here since at times we all find ourselves on our own but to intentionally stay that way is folly.

    A distinctly more useful bit of information can be found here:
    http://tinyurl.com/y7c5eul6

    1. Good day Sir,

      Thank you for your response.

      Collapse is the “elephant in the room” that most people ignore.

      For many in the urban environment such discussion may result in jeopardizing your job, personal relationships and even your personal freedom.

      It would be prudent to have a plan and equipment and skillset regardless of current team size.

      With the power of prayer such individuals may become valued members in the smaller agrarian communities across our nation.

      I hope this response has been satisfactory to you.

      God bless

      1. A lot of people are planning on surviving whatever happens more or less alone. Some because they are alone and others because they cannot trust their family members. While it may be, in theory, much better to have a group to rally around it may not be possible and to choose to make plans to do it alone then is not a mistake as you imply but a necessity.

        NASA did a study for their long space flights to try to determine the best size/number of astronauts. What they found is that one or two was the only number of people who could work together effectively over time without having mission destroying social problems. With three people, two would always ally themselves against the third. With four there would be two factions opposing each other similar results were encountered for every number of participants above two people.
        Also we don’t know “what” the disaster/emergency will be. It is not only possible but quite likely that alone or a man and his wife will be the best number to survive.

  9. Rawles, Thank you for your book Patriots. I bought it at the Preppercon in Utah and it will make a great difference to me. I am in Coalville so I know where the couple were dropped from Chicago . . . Great job.
    I work in the forest summers doing wilderness boundaries that are in contention. Many years of out West life in the wilderness and uninhabited areas gives me the following understanding:
    1. The most dangerous place you will be will be in the forest, desert, wilderness of every type. You must have water and all animals will be competing for life in these areas and directly where at water. So if you plan to survive in these places you better be prepared for survival of the fittest.
    2. Wilderness first aid. Absolutely a must. Tourniquets? If you have that problem then fix it or die, but tourniquets . . . go ahead and die. The best fix for wounds is clean water and soap, mud from rivers or lakes – be careful it is a real lake and absent clean water and soap you will have to use the mud – especially for deep gashes. Use the mud. If you are downstream of cattle then you are going to just have to die, but the mud may just work if all other conditions are right. If you are in camp then good water, soap, tea tree oil, vaseline if you want to heal the wound anaerobically otherwise just use the tea tree oil and let the air heal the wound. Large gashes just hold the gashes together. If you don’t think the mud works then go ahead and die. Use the mud. It works. I have had to use it. Tea tree oil, vaseline to heal anaerobically – especially blisters on feet. You will walk for a week and your blisters will be healed when you arrive. Use the athletic tape with the small holes that is used for ankle wraps etc.
    3. Going alone. I will go alone or with two perhaps three total individuals. A guy was hunted by police and sheriffs helicopters, etc. He was on drugs and did something very bad. He was never caught. In a time I was going through the washes along the Virgin River through the Virgin River Gorge between St. George where the manhunt began and Las Vegas probably where he went I came across a small dig . . . it had to be that guy. A person on his own can do wonders if willing to do the hard work of it. I prefer alone or one max two others. Look at native travelers throughout the West – they did not usually go in caravans when on a hunt or scout. Research the moves of Geronimo with a small/medium band and “War Chief” Joseph (Nez Perce) with a large band. Very difficult to do, and great skill so keep it small. Remember the most dangerous place is in the forest, desert, wilderness areas – man is a serious predator and there you have the others as well.
    3. You will be surveiled through the air. I have seen drone practice in the most completely deserted places. Be careful if these are part of the problem They operate these from Las Vegas, but they are just like next door no matter where you are. So again, alone or very small groups, and expect and train for the greatest difficulties.
    4. Survival weapon is your hard work at being undetected. All conflicts avoided are conflicts won or overcome. Like the hunted man in the washes. It was very cold when he went on the run. Next – 22? No. Being ‘outgunned’ is only learned from experience. A 22 with a hot load like a 5.56 is the min. A SCAR weight 7.2 lb, with a mag fully loaded 8.0 lb approx. total. I have carried a camera that weighed 4.6 lb long, very long distance in the past. Take a SCAR. Semi autos are problematic because of the gas systems so use a bolt or take a SCAR. One bullet, one kill. Do not use 20 rounds for anything. If you have been ambushed – then die and next life make sure that doesn’t happen again – or kill all ambushers – one bullet one hill and don’t get ambushed again – 100 rounds. Geronimo took a smart little group through completely unhideable country through lots of troops, scouts, and others and not a soul had the slightest idea he had been perhaps feet or yards from them and lived that way for a long time until he came out, so it can be done.
    Knives: Mors Kochanski? Maybe the guy from wildernesssurvival.com: 1 knife = no knife. Take two, min.
    Thanks for your blog. Very important for me and all the rest of us I am sure. Thank you very much.
    PS I am looking for wilderness first aid class. I was in a Hostel International hostel and they had a group for two days giving this class to ski patrol, forest rangers, river guides etc. I am looking for class like this. And yes hopefully we have a year, but I doubt it. I think we are talking months, with a number of months cushion or response – maybe we can squeeze a year out of that. In Utah our governor has a fully funded and staffed police state that can be put on us in . . . say 10 to 20 hours! Hungry people are not the real problem. Broke and vicious government people are. We have 52% of working people in Utah employed by government . . . enough said? And not only federal highways are fully surveiled. State roads, often right in the middle of the very small towns (main streets) I observe the same cameras.
    Godspeed

    2. Sometimes going it alone or with another person you trust is your only option, many live with the fact they are the only one who prepares ahead and ” can see ” events ahead with a calm logical mind. Group think cannot or does not happen because no one in your family or anyone in your area can except the reality of a wipe out of the finance system or [ insert event here] I comepletely disagree that people who are alone and have the right mindset and put the training in will fail, very often the will to live is what pulls you through the most adverse conditions in life. If you have a bug out place,have a group you trust and all family on board with you, great!, wonderful, the reality is exactly the opposite, most don’t, most people who plan or prepare ahead are alone!, frankly if you have a yacht, motor boat, bike, 4wd or a donkey, then congrats to you, its making a concerted planned effort that should be commended, lots of people think there is one year left, some months,some years, people are just guessing, my inbox is flooded weekly and daily with mail from the so called big name experts who magically predicted 2008 GFC, ALL are selling some new e book or want to sell you their winning stock, the only people who know when the next big reset of the finance system are the ones who control it, last nighT the debt clock showed the US is 106 percent of GDP in debt, insolvent ,bankrupt,kaput,nada, the only thing keeping the system from imploding is the USD fiat money.

      There are officially 324 million people in America, I have figures of between 5 and 6 milion people who prepare bandied about, how many out of that number have cabins on land stashed away somewhere remote ? really ? 100,000- 200,000- 50,000, not many either way is it ?, so its critical to understand most will be alone or in ones and twos watching and planning, a very large unspoken topic to talk about.

      last item, a katana is a poor choice because of flex, blade profile and geometry[ contrary to legend it cannot cut the space time continuim], the skrama out of Finland is cheaper, and far better.

  10. While bicycling across the USA some years ago I drank from freely flowing springs with the exception of Louisiana where there are only a couple springs in the whole state . I would say that even in a serious nuke attack it would be many weeks or months before the water flowing up to the surface would be tainted . In Ohio you can’t ride 30 miles without seeing a half dozen springs . The hillier it is the more springs .

  11. All sorts of food for thought here. First aid training would seem to be a must. The need to cashe. The JWR recommended book on the subject is great. There was a comment about meeting your end solo. Takes 9 adults to be secure and live as distinguished from simply surviving. You have to make friends. You have to trust someone.

    My little bolt hole is about and hour 20 away. Plan a cashe on alternate routes and there in mini-warehouses. Cannot imagine all my eggs in one little rolling basket. Was going to a small place 10 minutes south and west. Have a house and property there. Found out they have gang activity in that little town. So much for that paradise.

    1. Good day Sir,

      Thank you, for your response. I take your response under consideration. With the power of prayer and my efforts, my team is growing.

      God bless,

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