Innholdsfortegnelse for March/April 2019 i Survivor's Edge

A lot of times media sources in the emergency preparedness industry focus on gear and equipment and skills and lessons needed to help you through a disaster or unplanned situation where your life is at risk. These are good things, of course. Without skills, know-how, or reliable equipment, survival is made that much more difficult. Being prepared is the exercises we do to better handle stressful situations. We plan for failure. We plan for disaster. We focus on the various possible outcomes of any given circumstance and then surround ourselves with information, technology, and gear that will better our station during those trying times. Having a plan can help you stay calm and feel more in control, especially when you might not have any control over a stressful situation. However,…

North Americans have access to virtually infinite sources of growing print and electronic information. Exploiting this excess can lead to being well informed or to experiencing information overload. We read, view and hear news often during a day, yet for acquiring actionable intelligence—relevant, practical and timely—quality beats quantity. But how important is timely intelligence? Perhaps the first question to ask is “Why do you need timely intelligence at all?” You have a garden, water-purification gear, stored food, a generator, trade goods, plus guns and ammunition for defense. You’ve also determined the disaster scenarios that you’re likely to encounter in your location; you’ve sacrificed luxuries to get where you are. But timely intelligence is key to surviving when events become critical. And because intel is precious and perishable, you’ll need to…

Your bug-out bag (BOB) can easily weigh more than you can safely and realistically carry. To keep it down to a manageable weight, follow these collected bits of advice: • Your BOB should weigh no more than 25 percent of your body weight. • Avoid buying a pre-packed BOB. They normally have stuff the vendor wants to sell rather than what you really need; you don’t, for example, need four different knives and a 500-piece first-aid kit. • Consider what you can realistically carry. Can you walk with your BOB for 10 miles or five hours? • Take a lesson from ultralight backpackers: Keep your contents to the bare necessities and use the lightest gear you can find and afford. • Above all, practice with your BOB. Carry it on…

You can easily find trees that are better for transpiration than others. As mentioned, sycamore, willow, water maple and others are trees that really thrive on or around water sources. Many times, the water source is not seen on the surface of the ground. For example, a typical medium- to large-sized sycamore tree will put off more than 500 gallons of water per day. It’s obviously impossible to cover all the leaves of a tree like this, but being able to recognize these prolific tree species is a helpful skill in the quest to gather more life-saving water. For reasons not exactly clear even to foresters and arborists, these species send out incredibly large numbers of roots to gather water. Because there are so many roots, more water can be…

In August of 2018, AeroMexico Flight AM2431 lifted off in heavy rain from Guadalupe Victoria International Airport en route to Mexico City. Moments later, the plane was a twisted hulk beginning to burn. Early speculation regarding the cause suggests that the Brazilian Embraer jet was struck by lightning, damaged by hail or subjected to a vicious unexpected downdraft that slammed the plane into the ground just past the end of the runway. There were 103 souls on board the airplane. 97 of them were injured. Every last one survived. Here are their words: “It was a miracle of God that we survived.” “All the lights went off, and then there was smoke inside the cabin. People were panicking and screaming.” “I fell from the sky and survived. People die when…

MALWARE: Malware is similar to a virus not only in how it can infect devices, but also what functions it can perform on your tablet, phone or computer. Malware installs or runs code that can corrupt your data. This may include copying your data and sending it back to the hacker or collecting it to sell to other individuals with nefarious intent. Malware can also enable a hacker to take control of your system and run applications in your environment. This is especially dangerous to companies involved in the security, banking and energy sectors. In most cases, just like a virus, a solid anti-virus software is recommended to stay out of trouble. RANSOMWARE: Ransomware has been on the rise with the popularity of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Ransomware can infect a…

1. TRAVERSE Mini-Kit SPECS AND FEATURES: DURABLE CONTAINMENT TIN LIGHTWEIGHT, ONLY 6.1 OUNCES APPLICABLE TO THE FOUR MAJOR SURVIVAL CATEGORIES DIMENSIONS: 6.25 × 4 × 1.5 INCHES SURVIVEOUTDOORSLONGER.COM MSRP: $20.00 2. WILLIAMS Tactical Key SPECS AND FEATURES: PERSONAL DEFENSE TOOL PHILIPS SCREWDRIVER HEAD WELL-BALANCED HANDLE SECURES TO AN ORDINARY KEYCHAIN CRKT.COM MSRP: $9.99 3. BURN-PROOF Work Cloth SPECS AND FEATURES: FLAME RESISTANT UP TO 800 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT LANYARD UPGRADE OPTION BLACK GLOSS GROMMET HOLE 2-LAYER KEVLAR WOVEN CLOTH, 10 BY 10 INCHES IN SIZE SUPRESSESTRAPS.COM MSRP: $60.00 4. CRKT Freyr Axe SPECS AND FEATURES: PROMINENT USEFUL BEARD DESIGN HOT FORGED 1055 CARBON STEEL TENNESSEE HICKORY HANDLE BLADE LENGTH: 4.528 INCHES (115.01MM) CRKT.COM MSRP: $99.99 5. OUTDOOR EDGE Onyx-Lite SPECS AND FEATURES: BLADE STEEL: JAPANESE 420J2 STAINLESS BLADE: 3.0” / 7.6…

PLANNING AND DIRECTION: Establish your intelligence requirements and plan intelligence activities accordingly. The planning and direction step is the basis for the following steps in the cycle. This portion of the process includes determining the information needed, deciding how to collect it, and establishing a timetable for collecting it. COLLECTION: Gather raw data required to prepare a finished product using available intelligence sources. Sources of raw data include news reports, aerial imagery, satellite imagery, and government and public documents. In addition to these sources, information can be taken from law enforcement agencies, public safety agencies and the private sector. Collection’s purpose is to meet the defined tactical or strategic goal. PROCESSING AND EXPLOITATION: Convert raw data, regardless of medium, into a comprehensible format that’s usable for producing the finished product.…

THE importance of keeping food supplies cool and secure cannot be overstated. While other cooler manufacturers may have slick marketing and brand recognition, Cordova Coolers is quickly emerging as a leader in the field even after only being in the market for four years. What sets Cordova apart? First of all its cold retention properties thanks to rotational molding in their construction. Many would consider this the most important part of a cooler. The rotational molding process is a hightemperature, low-pressure plastic-forming process that uses heat and biaxial rotation (i.e., angular rotation on two axes) to produce hollow, one-piece parts. With additives for weather resistance, flame retardation, or static elimina elimination can be incorporated. This method allows for designs that can be multi-wall, either hollow or foam filled. Other important…

2017 was the safest year in commercial aviation history. In 2016, 3.7 billion people flew on commercial aircraft—about half the planet’s population. In the Information Age, aviation safety statistics are meticulously monitored. Here are the best and worst airlines in the world as determined by their accident rates and maintenance records. The top 20 safest airlines are now gauged as a single group. In previous years, airline aviation safety was stratified individually. Qantas led the planet in safety for the past four years straight. For 2018, the world’s safest airlines are Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Scandinavian Airline System, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, Virgin…

Missing the vitals by an inch because an improperly judged distance can mean the difference in being the camp hero and being the camp zero. The XBS-1 Laser Rangefinding Crossbow Sight combines best-in-class ranging capability into an ultra-clear sight so the hunter can bring his eye to aim, range the target and shoot, all in one simple motion. The unit brings all the cutting-edge features Halo rangefinders are known for, including Auto Acquisition, Angle Intelligence, and Scan Mode. The Auto Acquisition feature provides instant readings to the target with the single touch of a button. Angle Intelligence™ is perfect for hunters working from tree stands, particularly when shooting sharp angles, as it calculates slope to target to determine the proper holdover for the angle-compensated distance. Lastly, Scan Mode allows the…

IT’S A FACT: Social engineering is becoming more and more prevalent. Hackers are making use of programs to imitate phony telephone numbers and are taking advantage of everyone, not just easy targets. For a while now, Linux-based programs have allowed hackers from across the globe to imitate area code numbers in an attempt to get those local targets to answer the phone. This is a change from seeing a strange number appear on your caller ID that most of us would never answer without screening. Gone are the days of scammers only calling the prehistoric landline—your cell is under attack, too! These scammers may do their research and pose as a local business or charity in order to take advantage of someone in the target community. Even worse, these same…

A trash bag can be an indispensable piece of equipment in the outdoors. I typically use one as a pack liner and have another one folded in my bag of survival supplies. And I use it for a lot more than survival. WATER COLLECTOR. Dig a hole in the ground and line it with a garbage bag or place one at the end of your rainfly or tarp to catch rainwater. Rain is clean water and can be used for drinking or hygiene. PACK LINER. Use a garbage bag inside your back to provide a waterproof barrier for the gear inside. RAIN JACKET. Cut holes in the bottom for your head and in the sides for your arms. It will make a nice impromptu rain jacket when you’ve forgotten yours.…

When the flight attendants insist that you stow your laptop for takeoffs and landings, they aren’t trying to cheat you out of your favorite Sponge-Bob episode. Takeoff and landing are the most likely phases for a survivable crash. You have to stow your large portable electronic devices because they would make proper missiles were the plane to go down. We lift the window shades for takeoff and landing in case the flight attendants need to determine the safest side for egress. We’re told to put our mobile phones in airplane mode so as to avoid interference with sensitive electronic systems on the aircraft. There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence supporting this restriction, but little concrete. There’s never been an airplane crash that was definitively linked to in-flight interference from portable…

BUG OUT FRAG PRO ($80) 550 PARACORD (45 FEET) LED FLASHLIGHT MINI POCKET KNIFE SIGNAL MIRROR FERROCERIUM FIRE STARTER STRIKER TOOL 12-POUND TEST FISHING LINE (30 FEET) FISH HOOKS (4) SPLIT SHOT WEIGHTS (4) BOBBY PINS (2) BUTTERFLY SUTURES (2) CAN OPENER COMPRESSED TOWEL WATERPROOF MATCHES STORMPROOF MATCHES JUTE TWINE NEEDLE AND THREAD RAZOR BLADE MILITARY-GRADE TRIPWIRE ALUMINUM FOIL WIRE SAW WATER PURIFICATION TABLETS (4) SAFETY PINS (2) WHISTLE SPLIT RINGS (2) ELECTRICAL TAPE (3 FEET) ULTIMATE PARACORD SURVIVAL BRACELET ($60) WHISTLE FERROCERIUM ROD CERAMIC STRIKER SIGNAL MIRROR FISHING LINE (30 FEET) HOOKS (2) SPLIT WEIGHTS (4) MILITARY-GRADE SNARE WIRE JUTE TWINE WATER PURIFICATION TABLETS (2) RANGER BANDS (2) LIQUID-FILLED COMPASS CAN OPENER…

Just like choosing suitable ammunition, deciding on a crossbow broadhead is essential. Broadheads can be divided into two categories: fixed and mechanical/expanding. Each has its strong points. I was attracted to the New Archery Product (NAP) Killzone due to the research that indicated flight characteristics matched field points while offering devastating performance on game. The Killzone is a two-blade reardeploying mechanical broadhead that packs 2-inch cutting diameter razor blades. The Killzone uses NAP’s unique spring-clip design which ensures your blades won’t open in flight or in your quiver, with no O-rings or rubber bands to worry about. Hands-on experience with the NAP Killzone involved harvesting two deer during the time of this article’s completion. I hit the first at 45 yards with the TenPoint Shadow NXT and the second at…

NOW THAT WE all use credit cards rather than paper money, many lives have been disrupted by credit card theft. This is largely due to small devices that are an overlay to card scanners at gas pumps or public and bank ATMs. These devices are planted by unsavory individuals who skim your card and transmit info back to themselves via Bluetooth. Some devices even have the built-in redundancy of storing the data on an internal SD card for later retrieval. To prevent being taken advantage of, firmly jiggle the scanner module on the pump or ATM. The skimmers simply fit over the real scanner and can be easily spotted after a cursory inspection. If you suspect you’ve encountered one, immediately contact the police and inform store or bank employees. Other…

IN THE early years of my law enforcement career, I rarely, if ever, carried a pocket knife. That changed after I left my police position and joined the U.S. Customs Service. In fact, just like the armed forces, the U.S. Customs Service was famous for outfitting special agents, officers and pilots with all kinds of weapons, clothing and equipment—including a pocket knife. I also carried a survival knife when I flew drug interdiction missions throughout the Caribbean. One reason the pocket knife was issued was the requirement of U.S. Customs officers and special agents to field-test drug contraband as soon as a seizure was made. DISCOVERING GRAYMAN Even though I don’t consider myself an expert on edged weapons, I’d like to believe that my background as a criminal investigator has…

“Over 250 people are rescued from the depths of Grand Canyon each year …Most of them look like him.” The sign posted at the top of the Grand Canyon featured a rugged, 20-something outdoorsman, staring boldly into the distance. The kind of person you see in the backcountry and think, “now that guy knows what he’s doing.” That sign gave us pause. My husband, Adam, and I were getting ready to attempt our first real outdoor adventure together: hiking to the bot tom of the Grand Canyon and back in one day. I looked at Adam. He looked surprised and concerned. Not the confident gaze of the man in the picture. And no wonder: Back then, we didn’t really know what we were doing. This was the furthest either of…

The “Goiânia Accident” in Goiás, Brazil, in 1987 started with a small 3.3-ounce capsule of radioactive caesium chloride inside a caesium-137-based teletherapy unit in an abandoned hospital. Two men broke into the facility and began to take apart the teletherapy unit, thinking the lead parts could be sold for scrap. By that evening, both men were vomiting and their limbs were beginning to swell from internal bleeding. Five days later, the men sold the scrap to junkman Devair Alves Ferreira. Seeing the sparkling, glowing blue powder inside the capsule, Ferreira brought it into his house, thinking it could be valuable. He shared the powder with friends and family. Ivo, Ferreira’s brother, sprinkled the glowing powder on this floor, where his six-year-old daughter, Leide, sat eating a sandwich. She spread it…