Search Results for: medical

Making Sense of Retreat Medical Care Requirements, by Brett H.

Recently I attended a three day class on medical response in hostile environments presented by Medical Corps in Caldwell, Ohio.  The presenters were terrific, the topics important, and the hands on lab sessions made the whole thing come together very well.  I have already had considerable medical training but I left with a better understanding of what may be required in the future. I gained additional confidence in my ability to perform many of the basic and lifesaving medical functions.  After talking to a number of people I realized a few things about medical preparedness could be presented to this blog for thought and discussion.  The everyday American seems poorly equipped for medical emergencies, basic medical or dental care requirements for a grid down situation.  The majority of our individual healthcare needs are provided by the giant US healthcare system. We have become a population with limited medical skills, knowledge,…


S.T.O.M.P. II Medical Pack, by Pat Cascio

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…better equipped than many small hospital ERs. Jump Proof Padded Pouches The two S.T.O.M.P. medical pack accessory pouches are great for storing injectable medications. They are padded, making them jump proof. One word of advice is that you should take your medical backpack out at least once a month and go through it. If you don’t, you’ll forget when you packed some medical supplies. Second Medic Backpack So, what did I do with my old medic backpack that my youngest daughter gave to me? I’m in the process of restocking it with medical supplies. We’ll have a second medic backpack for another trained first responder or even a doctor to use. Have Medical Training If you are a prepper, I certainly hope and pray that you have some kind of medical training. A basic Red Cross first aid course is a good start, and then obtain other training. At the…


Family Medical Preps – Part 2, by Doctor Dan

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(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Stockpile Medical Supplies: Basic Household First Aid Kits: These are essential for treating the very minor/nuisance injuries one encounters in their daily lives. This is not as comprehensive as any prepper should have on hand, but its low cost is a starter towards having some medical supplies on hand. Many of the items could prevent worse problems, such as Neosporin preventing a life-threatening infection in a TEOTWAWKI situation. (These kits can be obtained at virtually any retailer for under $20.) More Comprehensive First Aid Kits: Useful for someone with slightly more advanced medical training than the non-medical lay person. These can be purchased online (from prepper or EMS websites, Amazon, or by assembling your own kit from a “shopping list”) IFAK (“Individual First Aid Kit”): Commonly used in military and tactical EMS applications. They are usually packaged in a MOLLE style pouch…


Medical Emergency Sheets – Part 1, by K.B., M.D.

…or other relatives and have them readily available in each residence or cabin along with a medical treatment bag. To review, the article series Medical Action Sheets was published in SurvivalBlog December 26-29, 2018. I am a M.D., now retired disabled, previously educated at a prestigious U.S. medical school with five years additional specialization and years of medical experience. I strongly encourage anyone with medical concerns to seek assistance from a certificated medical professional. Do not, repeat, do not, consider the following information as complete or as any attempt to advise, diagnose, treat, or manage anyone’s medical condition. As readers of SurvivalBlog, we are all aware of the possibility of TEOTWAWKI or, at the least, of a serious emergency where we may find ourselves alone and without professional medical help. During those times, having a prepared summary to turn to for *initial* information can be of assistance. Further reading in…


The Mass Casualty Incident: Triage, by Amy Alton, A.R.N.P., and Joe Alton, M.D.

…and Vine (location).  At least 7 people are injured and will require medical attention.  There may be people trapped in their cars and one vehicle is on fire.” In three sentences, you have informed the authorities that a mass casualty event has occurred, what type of event it was, where it occurred, an approximate numbers of patients that may need care, and the types of care (burns) or equipment (jaws of life) that may be needed.  I’m sure you could do even better than I did above, but you want to inform the emergency medical services without much delay. If the you-know-what has hit the fan and you are the medical resource, get your walkie-talkie or handie-talkie and notify base camp of whatever the situation is and what you’ll need in terms of personnel and supplies.  If you are not the medical resource, contact the person who is; the most…


Medical Action Sheets by K.B., M.D. Part 4

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We are wrapping up our series on medical action sheets for use when illness or injury strikes in various scenarios that can prevent professional medical access, such as weather extremes (hurricanes, ice storms, blizzards), civil unrest (riots, curfews), EMP, TEOTWAWKI, or pandemics/disasters, which can swamp the medical system. I have given binders of these to my loved ones with the caveat that they use them only in a genuine situation as listed above and if I am unavailable to help them. As you read these lists, remember that I am not prescribing and urge you to review any plans with your medical professional who will tailor medical action sheets to your specific medical needs, conditions, allergies, and abilities. Last time we studied tick-borne illnesses. However, today we will look at acute sinusitis and how we can deal with them with or without prescription medications. Acute Sinusitis Overview Acute sinusitis occurs…


Guest Article: The Best Free Medical References for Preppers, by Greg Ellifritz

…wilderness and primitive medical books available anywhere!  It covers every conceivable topic including drugs, kits, herbal remedies, disease treatment, trauma, and dentistry.  It also has a very comprehensive list of reference material to look at for additional study. Ship Captain’s Medical Guide Although primarily concerned with emergencies at sea, this book is an excellent medical guide for a variety of conditions written so that the lay reader can diagnose, understand, and treat most common medical conditions in the absence of more definitive care.  It contains good basic coverage of hygiene, nursing and medical care with limited on-hand resources.  Like “Where There is No Doctor”, the treatment sections often end with somewhat impractical advice for a grid-down scenario.  “Access medical counsel via ship radio” may not be appropriate for your situation.    Operational Medicine Videos For those of you who prefer to learn skills by watching video rather than reading, this…


Medical Action Sheets by K.B., M.D.- Part 2

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…stand, deep breathe, and walk as soon as possible and as tolerated, as this speeds recovery. Remember to always seek medical help for pneumonia! Next Medical Action Sheets Next time, we’ll study medical action sheets for “Tick Troubles New and Old”. See Also: 1- Medical Action Sheets, by K.B., M.D. – Part 1 3- Medical Action Sheets, by K.B., M.D. – Part 3 (Active on 12/28/18) 4- Medical Action Sheets, by K.B., M.D. – Part 4 (Active on 12/27/18) SurvivalBlog Writing Contest This has been part two of a four part entry for Round 80 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used…


Medical Asset Evaluation, by Dr. C. in Flyover Country

The evaluation of “Medical Assets” depends greatly upon the evaluator and the mission. For the purpose of this discussion, I consider people, places and things collectively and individually as “assets”. This discussion is meant for a group of non-medical personnel who need to assess whether a person, place, or thing will further their short and long term goals (mission). But how do you make that assessment or know when it has been done properly? Base assumptions: 1) The group has little to no medical knowledge. 2) The needs include general medicine, surgical procedures, veterinary medicine, and dentistry. 3) The most important asset is the person with their knowledge and experience, then items and equipment. Background: Our group contains three medical asset personnel: one primary medical asset, two as secondary medical assets. Of these three personnel, two are physicians and one a first responder with combined 25 years of experience in…


A Glossary of Survival and Preparedness Acronyms/Terms

…on context, Electronic Logbook or Emergency Locator Beacon ELBV Enhanced Load Bearing Vest. ELE Extinction Level Event Eleven Bravo (or 11B) The U.S. Army’s MOS for Infantryman. ELINT Electronic Intelligence Elmer A volunteer who helps new folks interested in amateur radio. (A mentor or volunteer tutor.) ELN Colombian National Liberation Army (“Ejïrcito de Liberaciï Nacional “) EMC Electromagnetic Compatibility. EMCC Emergency Mass Critical Care. EMCOMM Emergency Communications EMCON Emission Control EMD Electro-Muscular Disruption. The politically correct term for the effect of getting zapped with a Taser. EME Earth-Moon-Earth. EME is shorthand for “moon bounce” radio propagation techniques. EMP Electromagnetic Pulse. target=_blank > Described at Wikipedia. See also: Faraday Cage and TREE. EMI Electromagnetic Interference EMS Emergency Medical Services EMT Depenting on context, Emergency Medical Technician or Electrical Metallic Tubing. EMT-A Emergency Medical Technician – Ambulance EMT-B Emergency Medical Technician – Basic EMT-C Emergency Medical Technician – Cardiac EMT-CC Emergency Medical Technician –…


Adapting Traditional Medical Care to the Austere Environment, by A.P.T.

…trauma is limited. This area may not be directly supervised by medical personnel, but ensuring that some prevention controls are in place will be important. Training in the proper use of tools (especially farm equipment) and firearms will be key to preventing unnecessary injuries. Likewise, the use of protective equipment (from ballistic vests to work gloves) will be another focus. Infection control will need to be a watchword due to the limited supply of antibiotics in the austere environment. Proper wound debridement, cleansing and closure will be essential skills for all medical personnel. Medical specialists will also likely be responsible for disinfection of medical treatment areas; bleach preparation; and overseeing food and water preparation/storage. Nutrition will be challenging for several reasons in post-collapse world. Although our dependence on fast food will come to end, and improve our diet, the selection of healthy foods that are available in the modern world…


Medical Action Sheets by K.B., M.D. Part 3

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Preppers are concerned about scenarios that can prevent access, such as weather extremes (hurricanes, ice storms, blizzards), civil unrest (riots, curfews), EMP, TEOTWAWKI, or pandemics/disasters, which can swamp the medical system. When illness or injury strikes, you will not have the time or inclination to read books or articles. I, therefore, propose the use of medical action sheets, and I am sharing a few of those that I have written. In truth, I have given binders of these to my loved ones with the caveat that they use them only in a genuine situation as listed above and if I am unavailable to help them. As you read these lists, remember that I am not prescribing and urge you to review any plans with your medical professional who will tailor medical action sheets to your specific medical needs, conditions, allergies, and abilities. Last time we studied influenza, colds, and pneumonia….


A Physician’s Perspective on COVID-19 – Part 2, by Doctor Dan, M.D.

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…and his family from them. Stockpiling food and medical supplies, being able to shelter in place for a prolonged period without many/any trips to the store, and planning ahead for the next pandemic are critical components in this scheme. As citizens, we need to push our elected officials to focus on better preparations for a future pandemic. Had we possessed proper quantities of medical equipment (such as medications and ventilators) and PPE, we could have kept many areas of the country open to business, with some minimally inconvenient modifications such as wearing masks and using hand sanitizer in public. The cost of the PPE and adequate medical resources would have been far cheaper than the cost of shutting down the world’s largest economy for months. As a nation, we need to invest heavily in strategic stockpiles of these items just as we have for oil reserves. And a large portion…


The First Aid Kit as a Multi-Layered Medical Resource, by Hambone

…are so grievous that without surgery, drugs, specialized medical equipment and techniques, the odds of patient survival are extremely limited.  Likewise, some injuries while non-emergent, require very specialized treatment – for example, a detached retina.  Finally, some diseases require special testing in a lab setting to determine the course of treatment.  All of these fall outside of what I and many others would consider “first aid”.   You can, however, provide real first aid care for an injured or sick person that will allow them to recover from their injury – with or without advanced medical intervention.  You will find this the driving focus here.  Items listed are suggestions, feel free to change or add as you see fit. Multi-layer – what does that mean?  It means you have a series of medical resources (First Aid Kits) or modules if you would, each with different levels of items and equipment…


Medical Action Sheets, by K.B., M.D. – Part 1

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It is ideal and important to seek out medical care from qualified professionals. However, preppers are concerned about scenarios that can prevent access, such as weather extremes (hurricanes, ice storms, blizzards), civil unrest (riots, curfews), EMP, TEOTWAWKI, or pandemics/disasters, which can swamp the medical system. When illness or injury strikes, you will not have the time or inclination to read books or articles. I, therefore, propose the use of medical action sheets, and I want to share a few of those that I have written. In truth, I have given binders of these to my loved ones with the caveat that they use them only in a genuine situation as listed above and if I am unavailable to help them. As you read these lists, remember that I am not prescribing and urge you to review any plans with your medical professional who will tailor medical action sheets to your…