Snake Bite Safety

From our friends at Survival Cave Food:

Snake Bite Safety

Unfortunately for many outdoorsmen, poisonous snakes are still prowling around in the most inconvenient places. Sometimes, you can step on one, or too close to one, and their instincts tell them to strike to protect themselves. While bites from poisonous snakes can’t always be avoided, they can be treatable and manageable when you know the steps.

First you should know that most snakes will avoid you at all costs. There are very few snakes (namely the South East Asian King Cobra and the African Mamba) who will attack a human out of aggression, and even so that will seldom happen. Almost all snake accidents are because a human does not hear or see a snake and will walk too close or step on them.

Even though snakes avoid you at all costs, you should still make it a point to avoid them at all costs. When outdoors, don’t sleep next to bushes, tall grass, large rocks, or trees. Snakes will hang out there, especially at night, so it’s best to sleep in open clearings. If you want to be extra careful, mosquito netting underneath a sleeping bag will usually deter them. Don’t stick your hands in dark places when you don’t know what’s in there (you’d think this wouldn’t even need to be said, but apparently lots of people don’t think that through). Don’t pick up a dead snake without cutting off the head first. The nervous system is often still active after a snake has died and it can still bite. When hiking, look at the ground and where you’re going to be stepping, and you’ll hardly ever have any problems.

Usually it’s pretty hard to tell if a snake is poisonous. Most snakes that the average person will come across won’t be poisonous, but if you’re bitten and you think it could be poisonous, call 911. Better yet, call poison control so they can help you identify what might have bit you. If you live in North America, the most common poisonous snakes are pit vipers (AKA rattle snakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths) and coral snakes.

You can divide most poisonous snakes into two groups: proteroglypha and solenglypha. Proteroglypha has a “fixed” fang (meaning they are always erect) and usually delivers a neurotoxin, which will usually cause troubled breathing. A solenoglypha will have a “folded”(meaning the fangs will protrude when needed)  fang that usually delivers a hemotoxin, which affect your circulatory system. This will cause danged skin tissues and internal hemorrhaging. Unfortunately for us, most snakes have both types of venom, though one type will usually be more dominant.

The severity of a snake bite depends on a few things: where you were bitten, the size and category of snake, and the age and health of the person that got bitten. Sometimes, a snake will bite without delivery the poison. If the snake did deliver poison, symptoms will most likely occur within 8 to 12 hours, but you should never wait until you experience symptoms. However, symptoms can sometimes show up to two weeks after the bite.

If you or someone with you is bitten by a snake bite, they should be taken to a physician immediately. You make wash the wound with soap and water. Try not to move the area that has been bitten. IA tourniquet may be applied two to four inches above the bite, but two fingers should be able to fit underneath. If the tourniquet is too tight, it will block arterial flow and can worsen tissue damage. The myth that you should suck out the venom is simply that: a myth. However, a venom extractor found in most commercial kits can prove to be helpful when applied for about 30 minutes. Unfortunately the use of these extractors are still debated between experts, so never rely on the device.  Never apply ice to the wound – it could worsen the bite.

The hospital will always know what to do in case of a snakebite. Usually, it’s treated with anti-venom or a through cleansing of the wound and observation afterwards. Just remember to stay calm and let your doctor do all the work!

Weapons

From our friends as Survival Cave Food:

Weapons to Protect Your Family

It’s always best to be safe rather than sorry. Unfortunately, there are some criminals may attack you or your family and you must know what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. Many people say that the best way to keep safe from an intruder is to have a weapon.I believe the Best weapon is a gun. Why, well because number one, most people who see it, no longer want to bother you. Number two, you don't have to get close to your attacker to use it. Lastly, it can do lots of damage up to and including causing death.

There are endless possibilities when it comes to weaponry, but it is important to know how to care for and handle your weapon of choice, no matter which weapon you happen to choose.

There is a lot of debate about whether guns should be allowed in homes but we all know that a well protected home is always better. Keep in mind that you should not handle a gun if you have not been trained to do so. Take a class, complete with a safety course, and at least have a few practice trials You must always have a secure place where only you or very few people can access, such a safe with only one key. If you want to allow someone else to have access to that safe, they also must be trained to handle the fire arm. You should never let a child have access – never tell them where the key to the safe is. Better yet, don’t even let them know where the safe is. But you must remember that when you are home, that gun has to be available. If you can't get to your gun, you can't protect yourself. You should always consider what gun to get before purchasing one. Hand guns are small, compact, easy to store, and easy to hide. However, many have a very powerful recoil, so be aware of that. Also, be aware of where your hands are when handling the gun – too close to the top, and the top part of the gun will slide back (this is why it’s called the slide) and could catch and severely cut your hand – of course, you will learn this in a safety class. Each type of gun has its own advantages. Shotguns have a great scare factor.  The sound of a shell being chambered along with the size of it is quite intimidating. Hand guns are easy to get to and conceal and the best thing to do is to have one of each of these. Be absolutely positive when brandishing a firearm – if you are forced to use it, know that it completely necessary. Understand that when you shoot- you shoot to kill. If you are not prepared to do that then do not point your gun at anyone. Do not shoot at dark figures, because it may just be your teenager sneaking in after curfew or another family member.

If you do have a teenager you may want teach him or her to use your gun. Just make sure you get them trained properly. A stun gun or pepper spray are also good alternatives. Pepper spray can be kept on a key chain and can be the easiest to access. Bear spray can be used instead of pepper spray – the range is much farther. Stun guns are also useful, but it usually requires close contact. If you don’t want to use a weapon, walk with your keys between your knuckles when walking in unfamiliar or dark areas. A scrape across the face with some house keys cause a lot more damage than you would think. Knives are not recommended – close contact is required and when not handled properly, the situation can become very dangerous.

Of course, nothing beats a safety system at your home. A weapon should be a last resort. If you have a security system set up in your home, the police department will automatically be alerted and they are supposed to respond but what if they don't? Many cities are overwhelmed and you call may not get dispatched first. In the event there is a delay, you don't want to have to protect yourself with your bare hands. Another benefit to a home security system is, the loud alarm may scare off any unwanted intruders. Violence should not be your first choice but you need to be prepared to do what you need to protect your family.

Tornado Safety

From our good friends at Survival Cave Food!

Tornado Safety

Tornados seem to be affecting America a little more than usual lately, due to the heightened extreme weather conditions, and it is important to know how to keep you and your family safe.

Where to go during a tornado usually depends on where you’re located. The basements of houses usually are the safest, and if you have a basement (which unfortunately many people this day and age do not) make sure to supply it with emergency food and water. However, if your house doesn't have a basement, or if you’re in an apartment, go under a stairwell or into a hallway with no windows because the high winds could cause debris to crash into a window. If you simply cannot avoid windows, go to the very center of the room, where it would be the hardest for any flying debris or broken glass to reach you. It is very important to remember to cover your head and neck – injury in those areas could result in brain damage or paralysis. Stay away from corners of rooms because that is where most debris will pile up. You should get under a sturdy piece of furniture if there is one available, such as a strong table, desk, or work bench. Hide your head behind it, your whole body if you can, and hold onto the furniture to keep it from slipping away.

If you’re in a large office building or school, go away from glass and towards the center of the bottom floor. If you are at a school, the school administrators will have a disaster plan. It is in your best interest to follow this disaster plan and to stay with the group. An office building does not likely have a designated leader to conduct a disaster plan, so hide underneath a desk and stay away from the windows. If you know that the building has a basement, quickly go there.

If you’re in a mobile home, exit immediately – even if it’s tied down, it could still get blown away or torn apart by the high winds.

Cars can be very dangerous during tornados. If you are far away from the storm, drive the car so it is moving perpendicular to the tornado. If you are too close to drive away, park the car, secure your seat belt, and try to lean away from the windows.

If you’re outside during a tornado, your best bet is to get inside. If you can’t find any shelter, you should find a ditch or a low-lying area. Better yet is if you can find a ditch or low-lying area near a strong building. There may be some flooding during/after the tornado, however, so be on the lookout for any flash floods, because a low-lying area will be the first to fill with water.

Of course, the best way to stay safe during a tornado is to be prepared. You should have a disaster kit , survival food, both waiting for you in a designated, easy to reach area. You should have water, an emergency food supply, batteries and flashlights, a generator, a list of important phone numbers and addresses, a radio, and a file of all your important documents, including social security cards and birth certificates. If you have a family, you should train each person to know what to do in case of a tornado or storm. They should all be aware of where the emergency supplies are and they should know where to go or where to meet up with the rest of your family members. Make sure they all have their IDs and emergency contacts memorized.