January 2018

DON’T MISS: HOW TO DEFEND AGAINST A DOG ATTACK

THE RISKS IN THE AFTERMATH OF AN EARTHQUAKE

IN THIS ISSUE:

JANUARY 2018

SURVIVE A SNOWSTORM IN YOUR CAR

BEATING INSOMNIA IN A CRISIS

TIPS FOR HIDING YOUR SURVIVAL SHELTER

SHOULD YOU LEARN A SECOND LANGUAGE?

KEEP PEOPLE ALIVE AFTER A MASS SHOOTING

HOW TO LIGHTEN YOUR BUG OUT BAG and more…

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018

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Contents

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FEATURED

HOW TO DEFEND AGAINST A DOG ATTACK I'm a big fan of dogs. We've got two in our family. However, there's one threat I want to cover in today's article, and that's how to defend yourself against a dog attack. Whether you're riding …

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HOW TO LIGHTEN YOUR BUG OUT BAG When you're packing a bug out bag it's tempting to throw in more than you actually need. There's a slight chance you might actually need something, so you tend to toss in a whole heap…

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SURVIVING A SNOWSTORM IN YOUR CAR As winter hits in full force, driving becomes even more dangerous. The roads are icy and slippery. Add in a late-night storm, and suddenly a simple accident now becomes a high-risk …

page 6

TIPS FOR HIDING YOUR SURVIVAL SHELTER I had a rather alarming surprise a few months back. We'd taken a run up to one of our more remote bug out locations, it's a new one we've been building out on a couple of hundred acres…

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NATURAL WAYS TO BEAT INSOMNIA IN A CRISIS When the SHTF it's understandable you're going to be on high alert. The world will be in shambles, and not only will you have to worry about where your next meal is going to come…

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SHOULD YOU LEARN A SECOND LANGUAGE? I struggled with English most of my life. Learning a second language seemed both like an impractical use of my time, and something I put in the "too hard" box. There were better …

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KEEPING PEOPLE ALIVE AFTER A MASS SHOOTING I don't need to tell you that the world is no longer safe. You can see it for yourself every time you switch on the evening news. People are getting shot, there's chaos on the streets…

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A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO DOING YOUR OWN COMPOST When you start growing your own produce, compost becomes worth its weight in gold. It's dense, nutrient rich soil that helps give your plants the natural fertilizer they need to grow…

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THE RISKS IN THE AFTERMATH OF AN EARTHQUAKE To me, one of the scariest natural disasters is the earthquake. Caused by movements deep underground, often these quakes come quickly, with little advance warning. I don't care…

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VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018

HOW TO DEFEND AGAINST A DOG ATTACK I'm a big fan of dogs. We've got two in our family. However, there's one threat I want to cover in today's article, and that's how to defend yourself against a dog attack. Whether you're riding your bike in the park, or jogging around your neighborhood, there's always a chance you'll encounter a dog who sees you as a threat, and attacks. Knowing what to do next is critical. HOW TO AVOID A DOG ATTACK The first step is to be able to recognize signs of aggression in a dog. Often it can be hard to tell, but in general, if they've got their teeth bared, ears back, and are growling, they're not happy with you. In contrast, if they're bounding about and barking, they're probably just wanting to play. And yes, even if they're running towards you. But let's say they are displaying signs of aggression. It's up to you to diffuse the situation. Just be careful. There's a few things that can trigger an attack. Like angering or teasing the dog. This'll have them think you're a threat and they'll be more likely to attack. Likewise, turning and running away is probably the worst thing you can do. The dog's chase instincts will kick in, and they'll catch up to you and attack in no time. You can't outrun a dog.

There's a few more things to avoid. Such as: Making fast or erratic movements with your arms and legs, it's threatening behavior Making eye contact with the dog, this will be viewed as a challenge and can trigger an attack Making loud noises or shouting, it can frighten the dog into attacking What you should do is stand tall and confident, and let the dog approach and sniff you while you're standing still. Then calmly back away. If you've got something you can throw as a distraction by all means, just be wary of frightening the dog and triggering an attack. Just remember Dogs are animals, and if they've been mistreated they can often be unpredictable. So be wary, especially if they've been showing signs of aggression. DEFEND AGAINST A DOG ATTACK Of course, diffusing the situation doesn't always work, and there's a chance the dog will attack. If this happens you need to start fighting back immediately.

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The dog will jump and bite, trying to pull you down so it can maul you on the ground. You need to plant your feet, and strike hard and fast at the most vulnerable spots on the animal. Hard hits to the head or neck will stun them, and can give you enough time to escape. If there's anything nearby you can use as a weapon, or a defensive item, grab it. A backpack can be a great shield from their teeth, and if you've got pepper spray or a gun, use it.

“running away is probably the worst thing you could do…”

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018 cont. Oh, and if you can, wrap your jacket around your defensive arm. This way you can bait the dog to bite it, so you can close and deliver a fight-ending strike. If you've no defensive weapons on hand, grab anything nearby that you can use. A stick or a piece of pipe can be used like a baton to target the head and neck, or if you've got a knife you're going to want to target the throat and eyes. I would advise against stabbing a large dog in the body, they're pretty resilient and this can potentially just anger the dog, increasing the ferocity of the attack. I'd also recommend shouting for help, as more people, or the owner turning up, could help to de-escalate the situation. Just remember. Do everything you can to win the fight. People die every year from dog attacks, so show no mercy and use as much force as needed to dispatch the dog. But there's always a chance the fight doesn't go your way. In this instance, you want to roll onto your stomach, and bring your knees and arms up to cover your chest and head. It probably won't bring an end to the fight, but you'll be protected a little until help arrives. AFTER A DOG ATTACK The biggest risk you face after being bitten and scratched by a dog is infection, so make sure to properly clean and dress any wounds. If you've suffered a severe bite, apply pressure and clean it thoroughly, before getting professional medical help. In my opinion, it's not worth taking any chances, and a doctor can prescribe the best antibiotics to stave off infection. Oh, and you may want to get a rabies booster shot. Just in case. After it's all said and done the next step is to talk to the owner of the dog. Each of the states has their own slightly different laws regarding dog attacks, but in general, you need to consider if it was the negligence of the owner that led to the attack. You may want to press charges, and even push for the attacking dog to be put down if there's a risk this could happen again.

Unfortunately, dog attacks are one crime that is starting to snowball. You might have fared just fine, but what if next time it's your children, or your elderly parent who is attacked next. To me, that's a scary thought. In my opinion having a dog requires much more commitment than simply feeding it and taking it for a walk.

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You need to train and teach your dog how to properly act around other people, so as to avoid attacks like this happening in the first place. But if you're ever confronted by an aggressive dog, stand your ground, be ready to fight back, and once it's over ensure you seek proper medical attention. That's how you survive.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018

HOW TO LIGHTEN YOUR BUG OUT BAG When you're packing a bug out bag it's tempting to throw in more than you actually need. There's a slight chance you might actually need something, so you tend to toss in a whole heap of unnecessary items. And when you actually try to shoulder the bag, it's far too heavy to actually carry. Which just isn't practical. How do you expect to carry your bug out bag anywhere if it's too heavy to pick up? Every, single item you've collected and "thrown in" needs to be evaluated. These methods are a little extreme, but I've gotten my pack down to just a few kilograms, which means I can travel further and faster, if the SHTF. Here's how to get started. CUT OUT THE FOOD Canned beans are heavy. So are MREs. The first item to go when you're cutting weight from your bug out bag is food, and everything you packed to cook it. Take out the saucepan. The cooktop. The fuel canisters. The spices. Even light items add up, so be brutal. My bug out kit is designed with one purpose. To get me to my bug out location. I don't need an entire larder on my shoulders. Instead, I've purchased highcalorie, high-protein, energy bars. We humans can survive for up to three weeks without food, so ensure you're not adding unnecessary weight. I've got 10 energy bars. Probably the bare minimum to keep me going over 72 hours, but this has lightened my pack by about a pound.

Making this swap ensures I'm still warm at night, I've just spent the last weekend testing this setup at negative ten, and it takes up about half as much space. Definitely a winning combination for those looking to lighten their bug out bags. CUT DOWN EVERY OUNCE It seems silly when you start, but accounting for every ounce of weight you're planning to carry in your kit adds up quickly. If you don't need to add the weight, find a way to eliminate it. Medicine should be in zip lock bags instead of pill bottles, buy electronics that use AAA batteries instead of AA, and ensure every piece of gear you buy is titanium, the lightest weight possible. I also like to plan out everything on a 72-hour timeline, and ensure I'm not taking unnecessary items. Just enough toothpaste to brush twice a day, soap for three showers, and so on. The more brutal you are, the more weight you can cut from your pack. BRING THE RIGHT CLOTHES My bug out plan doesn't involve multiple sets of clothing. I've got a change of socks. A change of underwear. And a fresh t-shirt. That's it. I'm planning to be in my outdoor gear when I evacuate, so I don't have to worry about carrying a change of clothes. When the SHTF I'm not concerned about being fashionable, I simply want to wear the right gear for spending a few nights on the road, which is highly dependent on the weather in the area you live. Wearing the same clothes for a couple of days doesn't phase me. So, I've been able to realty trim my pack down here. L E A R N T O U S E A TA R P SHELTER

DON'T SLEEP LIKE A PRINCESS

It took me a long time to give up the comfort of a tent. But since I have, I haven't looked back.

You don't need the most luxurious sleeping bag in a SHTF situation. You need the basics, that are enough to keep you alive, and on track to your bug out location. I'd skip the big, fluffy sleeping bag that takes up half your pack, and get something lighter. My 30 degree sleeping bag squashes down to about the size of a football. It's cold though. So, make sure you're also using a bivvy if you're anywhere that gets cold during winter.

In hindsight, my tent was a luxury item, and I used it like a crutch when I spent time in the woods. I liked being closed in, and while it did give me better protection from the elements, it comes at a price. A tent simply weighs far more than a tarp. The trick is to learn how to use a tarp to construct decent shelters, and I recommend you practice this one in summer for your first few attempts.

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These days, all I need is a tarp, it's far faster to setup, and I have a lot more different options when it comes to shelter building. BUILD YOUR KNOWLEDGE This last item is perhaps the most important. But it comes with a price. Learning to live off the land is the most valuable skill a survivalist can master, but it takes time. My advice is to start slow, and to start building your skills around the four basic elements. Spend time constructing makeshift shelters, sourcing water from your surroundings, starting fire without a match, and learning how to fill your belly from what's around you. With a little knowledge, you'll be much more confident carrying less gear, because you know exactly how you'll manage in the wild. Cutting down the weight of your bug out bag is an important exercise that shouldn't be overlooked. And it's a process I'm continually revisiting. As I learn new skills, and purchase different gear, I make sure to update my bug out bag. Oh, and nothing beats real-life testing. Take your bug out bag on a camping trip this weekend and see how you fare. I bet there's some items you don't even need.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018 RUNNING YOUR CAR IS OK When it's snowy out I keep my gas tank as full as possible. That way, I've got plenty of fuel if I do find myself stuck and I want to run my car to get the heater going, and to give my phone a little bit of a charge. Just make sure that you've cleared an area around your exhaust pipe first. Otherwise you risk breathing the carbon monoxide fumes your car emits. And that's not good. Breathe this, and you'll drift off to sleep, and eventually die. HAVE AN EMERGENCY KIT

SURVIVING A SNOWSTORM IN YOUR CAR As winter hits in full force, driving becomes even more dangerous. The roads are icy and slippery. Add in a latenight storm, and suddenly a simple accident now becomes a high-risk situation. If you're stranded, far from help, you're suddenly in a lifethreatening situation. And that's not good. But making it through the night isn't all that hard. You've just got to follow a few simple rules. BE WILLING TO STAY PUT The first thing that people think to do is go for help, and whilst not always the best idea, if you're right close to civilization, it could be your best bet. Just make sure you're not going to have to hike more than 10 or 15 minutes in the storm, and you've got a good idea of where you're headed. Oh, and you've got the right gear to deal with the sub-zero temperatures, freezing wind, and rain. Get stuck outside, and exposure will kill you fast if you're not 100% sure of where you're going. In most cases, staying with your car is the smartest option. Plus, emergency services will usually find your car first, so staying put gives you the best chance of being rescued.

FIND A WAY TO GET NOTICED There's two reasons for this. It gives you something to do to stave off the boredom, and it makes it easy for other drivers (or emergency services) to actually notice you if they happen to drive down the same road. I'd set your hazards going, and if you've got anything in your car that's bright, or reflective, take it out and hang it from the trees or any structures nearby. Depending on the weather, I'd also consider getting a fire going. The flames are a great way to stay warm, and can usually be seen from quite a distance. Just don't waste your car's battery with the headlights on. It'll drain fast if you've not got the engine running. DON'T FREAK OUT This is easier than it sounds, but you need to be prepared for the fact you may be spending the next few hours, or even the next couple of days, riding out the storm. Especially if you're in a particularly isolated area. Coming to terms with this will ensure you're able to stay calm. Perhaps there's other people stuck like you and you can make friends, or you can start on a plan to free yourself. Like taking a shovel and slowly starting to dig your car free. Or tuck a couple of novels tucked in your glove compartment, just in case.

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It won't help you if you never got around to packing one, but during winter I've got two plastic tubs that basically live in the trunk of my car. The first contains blankets, gloves, a thick jacket and pants, and a spare pair of boots. A couple of maps and a compass. And a small bug-out bag with a little food, fire-starting gear, flashlight and so on. Basically, everything I need to gear up and manage a decent trek in sub-zero conditions. I have this as I live fairly remote, and I'd rather be protected and trekking home than sitting in my car for days on end. The second tub contains my hunker down kit. If I'm unsure which route to take home, or the conditions are too extreme to make the trek, this will ensure I don't go hungry. There's a week's worth of MREs, water filters, and even a small cooking stove and some fuel to keep me fed, warm, and cozy while I ride out the storm. Plus, my tent. Oh, and I've also got a bunch of flares, and some "emergency-style" police tape that I can use to get attention. It's a little overkill, and these two take up about 70 percent of my trunk-space, but it all came to good use last year when I slid into a ditch and had to wait almost 7 hours for my wife to turn up with the tractor to come get me unstuck. I simply settled in and rode out the storm. Getting your car stuck in a snowstorm can be a frightening experience. Just fight your instinct to run for help. You're going to be much better off hunkering down, staying with your car, and finding a way to get help to come to you. Your survival depends on your ability to think logically. But having a little foresight to pack the right gear will make it all that more comfortable to ride out the storm. And that's how you survive.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018

TIPS FOR HIDING YOUR SURVIVAL SHELTER I had a rather alarming surprise a few months back. We'd taken a run up to one of our more remote bug out locations, it's a new one we've been building out on a couple of hundred acres in, what I like to think, is the middle of nowhere. Or so I thought. About three o'clock in the afternoon, we had two hikers walk up to our door. They'd seen the smoke from our chimney, and needed a little help. They'd gotten lost. Of course, we helped get them back to their car, but the whole time I was seeing red flags. If two hikers could stumble upon my most secluded hideout, who else could? Perhaps my bug out location wasn't as hidden as I thought. Which presents a rather interesting problem. When the SHTF people are going to be your biggest concern. Those with nothing will be willing to do anything to keep themselves and their families alive. And my bug out location is definitely a mark. When we got home, I started making plans. The cabin we'd bought would remain, but we'd start working immediately on a few upgrades to better hide our survival shelter.

DON'T LET SMOKE GIVE AWAY YOUR POSITION

But it's still a concern.

Our biggest mistake was letting the smoke from our fire give away our location.

To combat this, I'm planning to let the undergrowth reclaim our driveway, and I've planted a number of quick-growing plants where our drive connects to the road.

Now I get that in winter we may not have any option but to set the fire going, but we've taken steps to ensure that this only needs to be done in the most extreme cold. I've purchased a gas stove we can use for quick cooking, and we've stocked up on blankets and warm gear we can use too. What I've got planned too is to better insulate the cabin, and over the next few weeks I'll be filling all the gaps in the window frames and floor where the breeze blows through. My hope is that we can get through an entire winter without needing a fire up there. DONT CREATE A PATH TO YOUR DOOR Next came the driveway. It's difficult to conceal the dirt road that leads to the cabin, but as we're quite a way back from any main roads, we're probably going to be safe from anyone just "happening" onto our drive.

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The hope is this will grow over, so it's not immediately obvious there's a trail behind. There's also a handful of large trees we could fell to restrict the access even more once a SHTF occurs.

“Perhaps my bug out location wasn’t as hidden as I thought…”

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018 cont. BREAK UP THE OUTLINE OF YOUR HOME Finally, I wanted to break up the outline of our house. This is more of a longterm plan, but it's worth investing in. Using our quad bike and trailer, we dug up a number of saplings from around the property, and replanted these around our house. As they grow, the hope is that the cleared land around the cabin becomes more natural again. I also moved a number of creeper vines in along the walls, so that these will take hold and also add a natural layer of camouflage to the cabin. If we were building a new cabin, I'd definitely recommend using a more natural shape, so it's not as obvious through the trees. H I D E YO U R S U P P L I E S I N CACHES Storing everything in your cabin is a recipe for disaster. Not only do you risk it being stolen before you arrive, if something goes wrong you don't want to be trying to survive with only what's on your back. That's why you need hidden caches of gear. I've got these spread all over our property, mostly buried in places I can easily find, so they're not immediately obvious to anyone who's looking. I've also got two go-bags, ready to go, in both our cabin and bug out vehicle. Just in case. PLANNING A HIDDEN SURVIVAL BUNKER This is where it starts to get fun. Of course, our cabin will remain, but I was wary that it's still too easy to find. So, I started construction on a new project. It's our survival bunker version two. Or as it's come to be known, the bomb shelter. Using a small tractor, I've spent the better part of the last two months cutting out a side of a hill on a remote corner of our property. In its place, I've built what is actually best described as a bomb shelter. Or a hobbit house, as my daughter calls it. After laying a concrete floor and steel-reinforced walls and roof, I moved most of the dirt back, so it now looks just like it did, but there's an underground bunker inside.

It's not all that large, about 100 sq. ft. of space in three small rooms, but it's completely hidden to the outside world. Even the smokestack is piped up through the remains of an old dead tree, so nothing looks out of place. The door is the only tell, but this is tucked in behind a rock wall, so you'd have to walk right up to it, in order to see it.

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Staying alive once the SHTF is really a matter of staying under the radar. If you can avoid being "found" by other survivors, no matter what their intent, you're going to be much better off. I err on the side of caution when it comes to survival, because when people are starving, and the world has gone to shit, you never really know they’re are willing to do.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018

NATURAL WAYS TO BEAT INSOMNIA IN A CRISIS

When the SHTF the combination of stress, the general unrest in your city, and concern for the wellbeing of yourself and your family doesn't really tie in to getting a good night's sleep. Your brain will be running at a million miles an hour trying to plan effective survival strategies, and it can be difficult to drift off into slumber. This is where herbs and essential oils can help. MELATONIN This is my favorite remedy when I'm stressed and not able to get a good night's sleep. The hormone is naturally present in your body, and works to regulate your sleep cycles. If your melatonin levels are too low, you're going to be tossing and turning while you're trying to sleep. I've found that doses between 1 to 5mg are the happy medium. Start at the lower end of the scale and work your way up. Too much though and you're going to wake up with a headache, so be careful. I normally take 2mg and I am sound asleep within about 15 minutes. LAVENDER Lavender creates a calming and soothing effect that reduces feelings of anger and anxiety. When inhaled, numerous studies have shown it to have both a calming and sedative effect. In addition, you can also use lavender oils as a massage, which maximizes your body's ability to absorb the linalyl and acetate content, which also both contain strong sedative effects. Plus, you can often grow lavender naturally in your garden, making it a renewable asset that fits well with my strategy to be totally self-reliant. I make satchels to keep a fresh press of lavender flowers under my pillow, to ensure I’m breathing the scent all night. CALIFORNIA POPPY In addition to being a great, natural pain reliever, California poppy is a great sedative, and is a wonderful (and non-addictive) alternative to the opium poppy. Most naturalists use this to treat pain relief in the teeth and gums, I've found it to also ease headaches, muscle pain and help you to "wind down" after a hard, tiring day working on the homestead. Mix anywhere from 30 to 50 drops of the California poppy extract with some water, and drink it two to three times throughout the day. Of course, if you've got any prior medical conditions, are pregnant or breastfeeding, it's not advisable to use this. Oh, and it's not for your kids either. CHAMOMILE TEA Since switched from my nightly coffee to Chamomile tea in the evenings and it's doing wonders for my sleep cycles. In addition to reducing stress levels and being a muscle relaxant, I find something soothing about having a nice, warm cup of tea when I'm getting ready for bed in the evening. Studies have also found the health benefits of Chamomile tea to include anti-inflammation, relieve menstrual cramping and can even aid depression. Just drink a cup at bedtime as part of your nightly routine. FRANKINCENSE Not only does burning it help you to improve your memory, I've found that when it's in my diffuser in a night I tend to have very vivid dreams. Which is a good thing, because it means I'm in one of the deepest levels of sleep. Frankincense has been proven in a number of studies to help the neurons in your brain to activate, firing synapses which improves both your memory and your ability to learn. To use it, simply mix a few drops of the essential oil with a carrier like jojoba, and rub it into the back of your neck. CEDARWOOD Now this last one is one of my favorites. I think it's the smell. The thick, woody aroma reminds me of the woods, which brings back many happy memories for me. It's also been shown to improve your respiratory function, so you can breathe easier, and reduce stress levels. The rich, almost "foresty" scent is just comforting, and we've got quite a few bottles of this oil in our stores as well. It's another oil we simply diffuse in our incense burner, and if you're looking to get a little creative you can also add in a little lavender. Oh, and add a few drops to your shampoo. It's a great natural remedy for dandruff, and if you wash your hair before bedtime it'll help you have a deep and comfortable sleep.

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VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018 Once you start building a little vocabulary, pick up a bunch of DVDs or movies in your target language, and start watching these with subtitles. Just listening to the conversational flow will help you to identify the new words. You can also use tools like internet radio to broadcast music and talk shows from around the world, which can be a subtle way to immerse yourself in the language, even while you're doing your day job, in the heart of America. Once you start improving, you'll be surprised at just how "wrong" some of the translated subtitles are in even major Hollywood films. There's so many different nuances when it comes to language, often you just have to "know" what's right to say. That's why it's important to practice. WHAT WORDS TO FOCUS ON?

SHOULD YOU LEARN A SECOND LANGUAGE? I struggled with English most of my life. Learning a second language seemed both like an impractical use of my time, and something I put in the "too hard" box. There were better things to do than to learn a language of a country I was never planning to go. But after living abroad, I began to see the practicality of speaking multiple languages. It makes a big impact, and in a crisis, it could mean the difference in your survival. It's like any other survival skill. And once you pick up the basics, with a little practice you can quickly snowball your language skills, to the point where you're able to communicate with anyone you come across. Plus, it can also give you an advantage, if you can understand what others are saying when they believe you're ignorant, you can gather valuable intel. WHAT LANGUAGE TO LEARN? For me, it came down to practicality. You want to learn a language that you can actually use in day to day life. For anyone around the border with Mexico, it's clear Spanish is going to be your best bet. For those living up north, perhaps French is a better pick. I spent a significant amount of time living in Asia, and as a result I previously focused on learning Mandarin and Thai, both countries I spent time in.

These days, I'm now working on improving my Spanish, as I see this as one of the most universal languages. If the SHTF, and there's either an influx of immigrants to the United States, (or a mass exodus into South America), I want to be able to communicate with the people I interact with. Not only will you be able to better understand daily interactions, having a grasp of the local language could give you an edge in a confrontation, or bad situation. In addition, our survival group has been actively learning and practicing military sign language, to ensure we're all on the same page of understanding if there ever is a crisis. It may seem logical, but you'd be surprised just how confusing communication can be when you're trying to stay quiet, or to react quickly to a threat. HOW TO START LEARNING What I've found works best is to immerse yourself in the language. Take a couple of lessons a week so you've got a structured approach, with a teacher who can correct and improve your pronunciation. Even a quick search on YouTube will bring up hundreds of channels of free content you can use to get started. The internet is a wonderful place for learning.

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When you're just getting started it can seem overwhelming. Learning a language isn't hard, but it takes time to pick up and understand the vocabulary to a point where you can actually use it. But if you want faster results, I recommend learning a few key phrases in your chosen language. That way, you can ask questions and communicate, even at a basic level. Here's what I'd recommend learning first: Good morning / Hello. Please. Thank you. Do you speak English? How much does this cost? Where can I get something to eat? I want to buy water. I need help. Is it safe? Please come with me. Please call the American Embassy. Please take me to the hospital. Please take me to the airport. Learn key phrases first, so you have a basic knowledge if the world descends to chaos quicker than you imagined. Of course, you're going to need to put in a continued effort if you want to continually improve your language skills. We've hired a nanny to help care for our daughters, and instructed her to only speak in Spanish. This way it forces my wife and I to practice our communication skills on a daily basis, and we're regularly confronted with new situations and challenges that we need to overcome. Which could make all the difference when the SHTF.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018 START MOVING

KEEPING PEOPLE ALIVE AFTER A MASS SHOOTING I don't need to tell you that the world is no longer safe. You can see it for yourself every time you switch on the evening news. The world is getting crazier, and if you want to survive, you need to be prepared. If you happen to get caught in a mass casualty situation, would you know what to do? Would you even know where to start? Would you be able to live with your choices afterwards? These are all big questions. And if you've managed to make it through the disaster unscathed, there's much you can do for those injured to give them the best chance of survival. You never know who you may be able to save, so pay attention. TAKE COVER Your first instinct should be selfpreservation. You can't help anyone if you get injured yourself, so find somewhere safe to hide until the threat has passed. And then make sure that it's safe before you venture out. Often a shooter will pause waiting for people to emerge from cover, so my advice is to not be the first one coming out. Perhaps though, the police have been able to take out the shooter, and it's obvious the situation no longer critical. Then, and only then, should you start thinking about going to help.

“Would you be able to live with your choices afterwards…

Once the danger has passed, it's time to act. You will know when it's time, and don't wait for everyone else. They are probably just as scared as you are. Many people freeze up as these situations can be overwhelming, so it's up to you to jump up and go help. So, take a breath. And get ready to get stuck into it. It's more than likely proper emergency responders are already on their way, but you can make a big difference before they arrive, and potentially save many lives in the interim. So, get moving. PICK A TARGET With mass casualties, knowing who to treat can be a challenge. Everyone needs help, and you've got to make a decision on where to spend your time. You won't be able to help everyone, and people will be dying around you. My advice is to use the SMART system. It's a technique that many firstresponder units use, to classify different types of injuries in a mass casualty event. Based on the classification, it gives you a framework to operate within, and helps you make the hard decision of who needs your help the most. Plus, it allows you to guide anyone else on the scene to do the same. Take a quick walk around the injured, and start taking stock of who is injured and how. Using four classifications, mark each of the injured as follows. Black. T hese injuries are lifethreatening, and so severe the patient has already died. Most medical teams mark the deceased with a black tag. Red. These injuries are life threatening, but there's a chance they will survive if they are to receive immediate medical assistance. Usually these patients will have only minutes to live. Yellow. These are severe injuries, but they are likely to survive if they are to wait for treatment until those in the red group have been seen to. These patients will typically have an hour or two. Green. These are minor injuries, that will require treatment but they're still able to walk around and perhaps even help you tend to those who are more severely injured.

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Of course, you're probably not going to have colored tags on you to mark each patient, what I would advise is taking a marker, or whatever you've got to write with, and mark either a "C" for critical (i.e. a RED patient) or a "NC" for non-critical (i.e. a YELLOW patient) on their shirt or their forehead. That way it's easy for any first responders to start taking action immediately once they arrive. START THE TREATMENT In a mass shooting, the most common cause of death is from blood loss. Your goal if you want to save lives is to stop and control the bleeding in as many patients as possible. The most effective way to do this is to use either a compression bandage, or a tourniquet. Elevate the body part that's losing blood above the heart, and use whatever you can as a compression bandage for the wound. Cutting strips from your shirt or pants can function as a makeshift bandage, and bind the wound tight to stem the blood loss. If an artery has been breached, you're going to need to use a tourniquet to stop the blood flow. Above the wound, use whatever you can to cut-off the circulation and stop the bleeding. Belts work great, and you can also use shoelaces in a pinch. Just be careful, and only use a tourniquet if you've no other option. Often it results in the loss of the limb, but in my opinion, it's better to save a life than a limb, so use whatever you think is necessary to keep a patient alive. From here, keep checking on the injured until the authorities arrive. Let the first responders know who needs immediate medical care, and guide them on what you've done. Your quick actions will save lives, and if you follow these steps you may even save many more.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO DOING YOUR OWN COMPOST When you start growing your own produce, compost becomes worth its weight in gold. It's dense, nutrient rich soil that helps give your plants the natural fertilizer they need to grow and produce for you. In the wild, this process happens naturally, as the leaves that fall to the ground slowly break down and support the next generation of plants. Depending on the forest, this can take weeks to a matter of years. On your homestead, you can speed it up a little. But before we get into the how-to, I want to cover the why. - It's easy to start composting - It's good for the environment - It'll help your garden thrive And the best part is you don't need a massive garden for composting to be worthwhile. I used to compost in my townhouse, to help in a small part reduce the waste I was trashing as garbage. Just pile all of your kitchen and yard scraps into a compost bin and let nature do the rest. It's that simple.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMPOSTING BINS There's a few different ways to create compost effectively. The first, is the compost heap. It's exactly what it sounds like, an area on your property where you toss your waste scraps. Ours is behind the shed to keep it a little out of sight, and using some old treated pine fencing, we built a "U" shaped area that's about 2 meters by 2 meters. The downside is the birds, squirrels and rats love the food source, and in some cities and suburbs you're not actually allowed to have an open compost heap like this. The second is to create a compost bin. All you need is a large container with a few ventilation holes. Plastic garbage cans work really well, as long as you drill a few holes in the top, the sides, and in the bottom so there's enough air getting in. The biggest benefit of this method is that any critters will have a tough time getting into your scraps.

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If you want to go a little fancy, you can also buy composting systems from your local home improvement or gardening store. It will cost far more than a simple plastic bin, but often these will have a tumbling system, which allows you to better aerate and speed up the decomposition process, so you get your compost faster. Of final note is perhaps one of the most interesting compost systems. The worm farm. It's much more compact than a traditional composter, but it does require a little more maintenance to ensure your worms are healthy and thriving. Ours we bought specially for this purpose, but there are many guides online to building your own worm farm if you're so inclined. Just be prepared to have a steady supply of shredded newspaper, food scraps, and of course worms to make this technique work. A worm farm actually creates some of the most perfect fertilizer you could hope for in your garden, and is well worth the effort to create.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018

WHAT TO ACTUALLY COMPOST I follow a simple rule when it comes to sorting our kitchen scraps into the compost pile. If it grew in a garden, you can compost it. Here's a few items that go great in your compost pile: - Grass clippings and leaves - Coffee grounds and tea leaves - Fruit and vegetable peels - Eggshells - Weeds (though nothing that's gone to seed) - Shredded paper (newspaper too) But there’s a few things to avoid too. Don’t try to compost these. - Meat and dairy products - Human or pet waste - Chemically treated wood - Bones from cooking - Fats and oils - Cooked food

FINDING A BALANCE IN THE DECOMPOSITION PROCESS For compost to break down faster, you need to create the ideal mixture for the process to occur. The key to this is balance. In our system, what I've found works best is 7 to 8 buckets of brown waste matter, like fresh leaves and lawn clippings, sawdust and so on, for each bucket of food waste and vegetable peels you're tossing to the compost heap. Don't forget the importance of having good ventilation, along with adding water to the process. Oh and a good shovel will come in handy. HOW TO START ACTUALLY COMPOSTING Creating a good composting system is kind of like building a fire. You want a base that allows air to flow in. Use sticks and twige to create a base about 6 inches deep. This will help draw air into your compost bin, as it keeps the dense layers of organic matter from settling on the base of your bin. Grab a hose and water these branches till they're sopping wet, before your next layers.

I alternate between green and brown layers, adding 2 to 3 inches of "brown" material, for every inch of "green" food waste into the bin. Continue adding layers until your bin is full, then add a shovel-full of soil to the top. This last part isn't absolutely necessary, but I've found that tossing the soil in makes the process work that much faster, as it introduces millions of different bacteria from your garden into the compost bin. You'll know the process if working once you can feel the heat radiating from inside the compost bin.

WARNING COMPOSTING

SIT BACK AND WAIT

Once your compost is done, it'll have a rich, earthy smell. It should feel like dirt, and will be dark like you see in coffee grounds.

If you do nothing else at this point, you'll have good compost to use in about a year. But you can speed up the process by adding more water, or "tumbling" your compost bins to let the air circulate inside. The most you do this, the faster it decomposes. I usually turn each bin a couple of times a month, and give it a water once I'm done. Using this technique, it takes about 3 to 4 months for the compost to be perfect and ready to introduce to my garden.

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SIGNS

OF

Now I want to make it clear that composting isn't a gross thing. The only reason your compost heap will smell bad is if you've put something you're not meant to compost into the pile, it's too wet, or there's not enough oxygen flowing through. The usual fix is to add another couple of scopps of brown material, and check back in a week or so.

You can work this into your garden beds, add as fertilizer to your potted plants, or even spread around the bases of your fruit trees as mulch. Compost is one of the best natural substances you can add to your garden, so ensure you're making use of it and see your plants thrive.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018

THE RISKS IN THE AFTERMATH OF AN EARTHQUAKE To me, one of the scariest natural disasters is the earthquake. Caused by movements deep underground, often these quakes come quickly, with little advance warning. I don't care if you don't live on a typical fault line, in my opinion, every survivalist needs to know about the risks of an earthquake, and how to survive the aftermath. Because an earthquake isn't simply over once the ground stops. They can wreck the foundations of buildings, open gas lines and even cause tsunamis. If you're somewhere and an earthquake has just hit, the safest thing you can do is stay inside, and ride out the aftermath. Here's what else you need to watch out for: SHATTERED WINDOWS There will be glass everywhere. As the buildings rock the windows shatter, and wherever you go expect to be walking on the crunch, crunch, crunch of broken glass. If you're caught somewhere in the open, find a place to ride out the earthquake that has a roof, as falling glass from skyscrapers and large buildings will soon begin raining down. And that's not a good thing.

GAS FIRES FROM BROKEN LINES With the shifts in the ground after an earthquake, it's highly likely that underground utilities, like the gas lines, are going to break. Be very careful of fires, and even if there aren't any immediately apparent, be wary of using an open flame. Candles and oil lanterns are two items we survivalists usually have stockpiled, but they shouldn't be used after an earthquake as you risk setting this leaking gas alight. It'll probably explode if you do.

CRAZY TRAFFIC AND DRIVERS I've experienced an earthquake when I was behind the wheel of my car and it was a scary thing. You lose control of your car and there's a good chance you're going to crash, especially if you're in an area with a high number of cars. Oh, and keep an eye on the traffic lights too. If the grid's been knocked out these may be out of order too, which means you need to be a little more careful as you drive.

LIVE POWER LINES Falling power lines are one danger that's often overlooked, but beware. Touch live power lines and it's the last thing you'll ever do. Be especially careful of your kids, and any pets, as they won't easily recognize the dangers. Heck, even in your car it presents a risk, as a touch can short out your electronics and render your car useless, or in the worse-case electrify you as well. Stay away from any downed power lines.

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“ensure you’ve mapped out an evactuation path…

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JANUARY 2018 cont. CARBON POISONING

MONOXIDE

One of the most dangerous gases is carbon monoxide, as its odorless and people breathing it will not necessarily realize until it's too late. The risk here is firing up your generator to deal with the blackout, but lacking adequate ventilation for the fumes. Inside your home the carbon monoxide present in the exhaust fumes will build up quickly, to dangerous levels. SINKHOLES AND GROUND DISPLACEMENT As the earth moves and large cracks open up, it's clear these are a risk. If formed underneath a building even large structures can collapse, and often sinkholes are not immediately apparent. They're caused by groundwater that's been released by the earthquake mixing with the soil, to form what's essentially a bottomless puddle. Not something you want to drive your car into.

BROKEN WATER PIPES

THE AFTERSHOCKS

Again, much like the gas lines, underground water mains are going to be effected in an earthquake. So, your taps will stop running. And you're probably going to go wanting for fresh drinking water. It's important you prep for this risk beforehand, and that you're rationing any water you do have. It'll go far faster than you think. In my stockpile I've not only got a large source of potable water, I've also included water filter kits so I'm able to purify any collected water as I need it, to bolster my supplies.

It's important to take immediate action when an earthquake hits, but be prepared for any aftershocks. These can come suddenly, and also amplify the effects of the initial quake. The trick is to be aware of this risk, and not put yourself in any situations where an aftershock could put your life in danger. Like entering a damaged building for "supplies."

FLASH FLOODING This risk is highly location specific, but it's important to mention as not many survivalists consider this eventuality. If you're living in a basin, with a large dam upstream, it's highly likely that a large earthquake will damage the dam and send tons and tons of water heading your way. Whilst not much you can do for this, small preps like having a boat, and a means to access the roof of your home can ensure you're able to cope with the aftermath.

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THE TSUNAMIS If you're in a coastal area, the shock from the quake can trigger a tsunami, which often does far more damage than the earthquake. If you believe this to be a risk, ensure you've already mapped out an evacuation path to higher ground, and head there as fast as possible after the earthquake hits. Now I get it. Many parts of the world have a very low risk of earthquakes, but that doesn't mean the risk is none. It's only a matter of time until there's a monster quake that "no one saw coming." My advice, is to be prepared.