After Armegeddon-The Documentary

Last weekend I was lucky to catch a very good documentary on the History Channel. It was dealing with the after affects of natural disaster and such. It had the usual experts talking about human behaviour and how without modern day comforts that we turn against each other. This is true. Sometimes.

Mixed in with the university sociology professors and the survival experts were actors playing out the roles of survivors. I found it both educational and dramatic. If you have never gone without food for several days or had to deal with no electricity or running water, I guess this documentary would scare you.

For individuals that are prepared, this is just a opportunity to see what most people never even think about.

There are 2 great letters that were written to http://survivalblog.com/ . Both of these letter make interesting comments about the documentary and survival in general.



Episodes of After Armageddon can be seen on YouTube. Check them out.



http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/01/two_letters_re_the_after_armag.html

http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/01/letter_re_the_after_armageddon.html

Shock - How to Understand and Treat

I have always considered when an human being goes into "Shock" what it really meant. Most people have seen it on television shows, but never truly understood what was going on physically to that person.

Medical Shock is defined as a breakdown of effective circulation at the cellular level and/or failure of the peripheral circulatory system. In simple terms it means your cells are not getting what they need the most...oxygen.

There are several different types of Shock:

Hypovolemic Shock - This is caused by hemorrhage, burns, and/or decreased water and electrolytes.

Cardiogenic Shock - This type is caused by cardiac issues or congestive heart failure.

Neurogenic Shock - Caused by spinal injuries, trauma, and some head wounds.

Septic Shock - Caused by wound infection.

Anaphylactic Shock - Systemic reaction by respiratory distress, vascular collapse.

There are many different types of Shock. Depending on the situation and the class of first aid that is at your disposal the following things can be attempted.

Run IV fluids as soon as possible.

Keep the patient warm and dry and place in the shock position.

Analgesics can be given for pain.

Without proper medical intervention a person can die from shock after an injury. With the proper understanding it can be treated. A great idea is to get first aid training. You never know when you might need to use it.

Emergency Evacuation Routes

The topic of emergency evacuation routes is not only critical, it is essential in survival and preparedness planning. Major cities throughout the world put together comprehensive disaster plans for the "What Ifs". These plans can include normal possibilities such as infrastructure issues to the unusual, such as tsunami and terrorist attacks.

Any family or individual who would like to increase their person level of preparedness should include an Emergency Evacuation Route in their survival plan. This will help keep things in perspective when chaos and panic start to make thinking straight difficult.


What can be expected when using an emergency evacuation route?

Human beings are capable of fantastic things when put to the test, on the flip side they can be paranoid and selfish when faced with a potential life and death situation. There will be many individuals and families leaving to evacuate. The more people that you crowd together, the more chance for civil disorder.

There will be a presence of law enforcement and maybe even armed forces personnel along the route. Expect most gas stations and convenience stores to be either sold out of gas and goods. This will make tempers short and fighting could break out between individuals.

What will you need to make your evacuation safe and comfortable?

Do your research first on the location that you might relocate to. Having friends or family where you could hold up is a logical first step. If you have a cottage that is off the major roads is a great opportunity. Always remember to pack your bug out bag just in case you have to abandon your vehicle. Stay sharp mentally and never drop your guard down. Always expect the unexpected and you will stay alive.