Category: First Aid/Medical

A Medic of Last Resort – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

Introduction Prepping is ideally a systematic and balanced effort to acquire, in advance, the essential resources, skills and knowledge that make sustaining life on this planet possible after a collapse of a civilization occurs. Many preppers have the resources–that is, supplies and equipment–but do they have the skills and knowledge to make use of them?  Most, including myself, are sorely lacking in  medical knowledge, skills, and resources. Without one of these three (knowledge, skills, and resources) our ability to provide meaningful medical care is diminished. A medical professional could certainly do a better job on this topic than a layman …


My Burn Adventure Ride, by Dan D.

Introduction As a former Disney Imagineer I can reveal to you that all their rides and movies follow a simple pattern: things are great, then they go awry and finally everything is resolved in bunnies and rainbows (or as the Brazilians say, “We all eat pizza together.”) Befitting that framework here is the story of my Burn Adventure Ride. The usual caveats apply since I am not a medical professional – but I can read and learn the sciences – so just remember that in the trades we teach that hot steel looks just like cold steel. Put in the …


Long-Term Survival For Women, by T.E.

The problem with modern-day conveniences is that we have forgotten what our ancestors did to take care of feminine needs. Onething we all know is that women are complicated, but most survival blogs are geared to the general population, without the concerns of women. Women have specific needs, and provide specific roles that only women can do. If a family is preparing for long-term survival, then look at the members of your family to decide what needs they will have. I am a Registered Nurse, and I work as a School Nurse. This career has made me realize how most …


A 12-Month Preparedness Checklist – Part 2, by Reltney McFee

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) June June is the month to assess the animals: are their vaccinations current? How is that Veterinary Medic Bag coming along? In addition, while I am out and about, June might be a nice month to function test my generator, and, following the thought that a power failure might require my generator to function, would it not be nice to have, gosh, LIGHT, while poking around getting such things set up? Why, now that you ask, yes! Yes, light would be pleasant! I checked the batteries in January, and this month’s check …


A 12-Month Preparedness Checklist – Part 1, by Reltney McFee

It has been said that amateurs study tactics, professionals study logistics. I have attempted to put things aside for rainy days, and, with Mr. Biden at the helm, and Mr. Buttigieg as Secretary of Transportation, well, my achy knees tell me that rainy days are a’comin. This last November, I had the epiphany that I needed to check the condition as well as charge of my batteries. This is a task for me semi-annually. I inspect for signs of leakage, I test the strength, using a voltage meter. Radio Shack used to sell them for $10-$20, once upon a time. …


Get The Training, and Keep Training!

One thing that I’ve stressed in SurvivalBlog over the years is the importance of training. Reading and research by themselves are great, but they are no substitute for practical hands-on training. Last year, one of my personal resolutions was to get refresher training, in several areas. In December, my family attended a one-evening CPR class. And in January we all took a two-day Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course. The latter was fairly intense training with plenty of hands-on outdoor practical exercises. For me, these classes served as a reminder that most skills are perishable.  It also reminded me that some …


Comfort for the Burned and Wounded, by C.J.

Editor’s Introductory Note: The following is a eview and summary of a book by John W. Keim. This article is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be considered medical advice. Get any patient with severe burns to a hospital emergency room, immediately. If you have an interest in herbal medicine or just want to be prepared if modern medical care is not available in the future, I recommend reading this wonderfully informative book that I discovered a few years ago. The book is titled “Comfort for the Burned and Wounded”, by John W. Keim. Mr. Keim is not …


Post-TEOTWAWKI Wound Care – Part 2, by M.V.

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Another type of abscess which might be encountered would be a perianal or perirectal abscess. Though hygiene can play a role it is typically caused by an infection in the perianal crypts which extends into the subcutaneous space. Pain and swelling typically occur as in all abscesses and prompt drainage is necessary. The longer that these progress; the more extensive that they become, so time is of the essence. Drainage is as previously described and your incision should be radially away from the anus as if the anus was a hub on …


Post-TEOTWAWKI Wound Care – Part 1, by M.V.

Wound care is not the most glamorous of subjects but might come in handy down the road. We are not going to discuss the care we can provide in the here and now, which can be quite advanced as well as incredibly costly, but what we can do in a pinch if needed with stuff we have hanging around. This first part is the basic science of wound healing in a nutshell. It might glaze your eyes over but bear with it since it is always good to know what is actually happening in order to fix it. It goes …


Front Yard Pharmacy: Your Herb Garden, by B.W.

Introductory Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Use medicinal herbs under direction from your own doctor and with your own discretion. Always do your research before taking any medication, herbal or otherwise. Does the world as it sits right now have you feeling overwhelmed and more than a little nervous about the future? Maybe you’re prepping like crazy, putting back food and water. Maybe you’re rearranging your investments and starting some of the projects you’ve been wanting to do for years. In all of your preparation, have you made considerations for what you will do if modern medicine takes a …


What’s in the Rest of My Bags and Why – Part 2, by D.D. in Arizona

This is the conclusion of a two-part article. Part 1 was posted on August 30th. Main Compartment The part number of my bugout bag — a Direct Action Messenger Bag — is BG-MSGM-CD5. I like the new approach of these bags to line the inside with the loop part of Velcro® and then just stick everything inside at whatever angle and arrangement you prefer. I used three different methods to attach the gear: Vertx makes a thing named the MAK Band – very helpful for the pepper sprays and holding Glock magazines. Self-adhesive strips of hook material on the lighter …


What’s in the Rest of My Bags and Why – Part 1, by D.D. in Arizona

I suppose this is more of a continuation of the first article link that I submitted to SurvivalBlog and that was posted back in March of 2013: What’s In My 72 Hour Bag (and why). I was surprised to see over 400,000 downloads from my website and I got more than a few e-mailed comments. Some Background: In 2011, I started carrying a 5.11 satchel with a Glock inside since I obtained a CCW permit in Colorado. Over the years that messenger bag turned into an intermediate between my EDC key ring and my 72-hour bag. But recently, while in …


Prevail EMT Kit Pouch, by Pat Cascio

Back in another life, I worked as a Paramedic. This involved a number of different positions. As part of my training, I worked in a big city Emergency Room. I also worked for a doctor for a year, as his assistant. This was long before there was anything like a Physician’s Assistant (PA). I got a great education while working for the doctor – I assisted him in just about everything he did – including minor outpatient surgery, delivering babies, and everything you can possibly think of that took place in a medical practice. I also owned my own clinic …


Assembling Advanced Medical Cabinets, by K.B., M.D.

No doubt, we all have a medicine cabinet of some size. Lately, I reorganized and consolidated our medical supplies with the major assistance of my kind talented husband who built a set of floor-to-ceiling cabinets dedicated to that purpose even though he dislikes doing carpentry. (Thank you!) Because I am a retired and disabled physician, I obtain supplies to mainly care for those under our roof in a TEOTWAWKI situation. Of course, we all are very aware of recent supply shortages (masks, hand sanitizer, medications-both over the counter and prescription) but what about the possibility of a decline in the …


Medical Community Autocracy, by ToAndFro

I thought long and hard about whether to share this due to OPSEC, but felt it was important. We have been seeing the same GP for healthcare for 28+ years and he was just slightly older than us. In June of 2020 he announced his retirement due to his own health concerns and COVID. He had always been very down-to-earth, understanding, listened more than he spoke, understood people, non-political, etc. The kind of doctor you would want for a Physician. Luckily, his office partner was able to see us so we didn’t have to find new doctors. I had a …