September 2017

DON’T MISS: HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN MRE’S

STAY IN SHAPE WITHOUT WASTING HOURS AT THE GYM

IN THIS ISSUE:

HARD LEARNED LESSONS FROM NATURAL DISASTERS PREPARE YOUR SURVIVAL CACHES STAYING SANE WHEN YOU’VE BUGGED OUT

SEPTEMBER 2017

WHAT TO DO ONCE AN EMERGENCY IS OVER HOW TO TREAT SPIDER BITES WOULD YOU SURVIVE LIVING OFF THE LAND? and more…

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017

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Contents FEATURED

WOULD YOU SURVIVE LIVING OFF THE LAND? One of my core beliefs when it comes to survival is the importance of skills. It's not what you have, but what you know. The more knowledge you have, the less gear you need...

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STAYING IN SHAPE WITHOUT SPENDING HOURS AT THE GYM The average person goes to the gym a handful of times a year. Maybe right around beach season you're frantically trying to get in shape, or you've made yet another new year's resolution …

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WHAT TO DO ONCE AN EMERGENCY IS OVER As two big storms pass and we're now left to clean up the aftermath, I think it's the perfect time for this article. You see, may survivalists I've talked to believe they're already "ready”…

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HARD LEARNED LESSONS FROM NATURAL DISASTERS Bushfires, flooding, hurricanes. There's no shortage of the amount of natural disasters we've been seeing on the news in recent months. Mother nature is an uncontrollable force…

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TIPS FOR STAYING SANE WHEN YOU'VE BUGGED OUT When a disaster hits, you're probably going to be fine. With a little planning that is, because you're safe, and hunkered down in your home. But after spending the better part of the last…

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THE RIGHT WAY TO TREAT A SPIDER BITE I've been bitten by all sorts of creepy crawlies. Spiders. Ants. Bees. Wasps. Even a scorpion once. None of this was very fun, but it goes hand in hand with spending any amount of time…

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HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN MRE'S Ready to eat meals, which are more commonly known as MRE's, are a staple when it comes to food planning. The military uses them in their kits as it allows soldiers to stay fueled…

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THE DOWN-LOW ON PREPARING YOUR SURVIVAL CACHES When it comes to survival, the more prepared you are the better. But there's one problem I see many survivalists make, over and over again. They're so focused on building up their cache…

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HOW TO SLEEP BETTER WHEN YOU'RE CAMPING I'm a fan of a good night's sleep. It's probably one of the most important things in my book when you're setting up a shelter, apart from cover overhead and a fire to keep you warm…

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VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017

WOULD YOU SURVIVE LIVING OFF THE LAND? One of my core beliefs when it comes to survival is the importance of skills. It's not what you have, but what you know. The more knowledge you have, the less gear you need to stuff into your bug-out bag. Plus, if you're ever in a situation where you don't have access to your gear and supplies, you' stand a much better chance of surviving. Of course, I hope I never have to rely on my skills alone, but knowing a handful of wilder ness sur vival techniques can make any time you spend in the outdoors that much more enjoyable. As an Australian, we call these skills bushcraft. Or wilderness survival skills. Whatever you call it, there's a key set of things to learn if you want to successfully live off the land. And if you're wanting to survive whatever crisis comes your way, it's a good idea to master these skills. You'll be more adaptable, and stand a better chance of making it through alive. Here's what you need to know to live off the land. HOW TO BUILD A SHELTER Getting protected from the elements is one of the most critical aspects to survival. Exposure will kill you fast in

bad weather, so it's imperative you're able to craft a shelter from the natural materials available. I'd start with learning how to build a simple lean-to, along with finding ways to create natural cordage from vines, bark, or even animal intestines. You can never have enough cordage when you're outdoors. Next, you want to know where to find bedding to insulate during the night, and how to craft a rain-proof roof that keeps you dry even in a downpour. It takes practice, but you'll quickly learn what works. Especially after a wet, rainy night.

HOW TO FIND WATER If you know where to look there's almost always water available in the wild, but it's not always safe to drink. In addition to being able to find a water source, it's important you're able to purify it so it won't make you sick if you drink it. Learn how to build an water filter using charcoal, and find ways to boil water when you've not got a saucepan handy. Without water, you're not going to survive very long at all, so it's important you're comfortable in finding and purifying it yourself.

HOW TO START A FIRE Getting a flame when you've got a lighter is easy, but my advice would be to learn primitive fire-making skills as well. It's a whole different story when you're trying to get a flame from a bow drill or a fire plough. It can take hours to generate enough friction to get an ember, and there is definitely a knack to it, when it comes to finding the right materials, and how to actually "do it." It's a whole lot different to just watching an instructional video. Spend the time now to master these techniques, so that if you're ever in a bad situation, you know exactly what it takes to get your fire roaring.

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“The more knowledge you have, the less gear you need…

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017 cont. HOW TO CATCH YOUR OWN FOOD There's nothing more satisfying than being able to provide for your own meals, and I'd rank hunting and trapping your own game as a critical wilderness survival skill. Ensure you're confident in a wide range of techniques. I'd start with building snares and deadfall traps, along with improvising your own fishing traps. Even a simple fish pot can provide a staple source of protein without a great deal of effort on your part. Once you've mastered these passive techniques, I'd also recommend learning how to fish, and stalk and hunt bigger game. These skills take time, so be sure to start practicing now. And not only that, you also need to learn how to effectively kill, clean, and prepare the meat you've hunted. HOW TO FIND EDIBLE PLANTS AND FOODS Once you start learning about the local edible plants in your area, you'll be surprised at just how much food is actually available. When you know exactly what to look for, that is. In a tropical climate, the heart of palm is a wonderful survival food, while I've also spent a considerable amount of time leeching the tannins from acorns to eat. The trick is to know what's toxic, along with the right way to prepare the edible plants you've foraged. Some, like dandelion leaves and blackberries can be eaten raw, while wild yams are far better if cooked. Just be sure you know what's what, before you eat a potentially toxic plant. I've made a few mistakes in my youth, and trust me, you do not want to follow in my footsteps. Be sure of everything that you're putting into your mouth. HOW TO COOK OVER A CAMPFIRE The final skill to practice is open-fire cooking. If you've caught any wild game a spitroast is one of the easiest ways to cook your kill, but it's important you're able to improvise the tools you need to cook effectively.

Improvising a grill with hot rocks, or boiling water without a saucepan are great tricks that can make all the difference. You can even wrap a kill in leaves and let them roast underground from the heat of the coals. When it comes to living off the land, the skills you need to learn revolve around the holy trinity of what you need to survive.

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Collecting food. Sourcing water. Building shelter. Master these, and you're going to fare that much better if you ever find yourself in a critical situation. Plus, you're going to be more confident in the time you're spending outdoors. Which is a great morale booster, especially as the rest of the world descends into chaos.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017

STAYING IN SHAPE WITHOUT SPENDING HOURS AT THE GYM The average person goes to the gym just a handful of times a year. Maybe right around beach season you're frantically trying to get in shape, or you've made yet another new year's resolution to get healthy again. But I'd like to give you another reason. If you're wanting to survive a disaster, you're going to have a much better time if you're already fit. Think about it. You'll be able to hike further, carry more gear, and generally just have a better time if you're in good shape. I don't know about you, but when I look at my grandparents, they were in great shape. And I know for a fact they have never stepped foot inside a gym their entire lives. Plus, they ate whatever they wanted to. No lemon water crash diets, or calorie restrictions. Their trick was to focus on one simple fact. Making exercise part of your daily life. Here's how they did it. WALK EVERYWHERE Walking is one of the best exercises you can do, because you're burning calories without even thinking about it. Ensure your home is within walking distance to the grocers, a pharmacy, and everything else you need, and instead of driving when you need something, just walk there. You'll save money on gas in your car, and you'll be getting fitter too. Oh, and it's a nice bit of motivation when you know you need to take your dog for a walk. If you've never walked long distances start small, and each time push yourself a little further. You'll be surprised at just how far you're able to go once you start walking instead of driving. GET A BIKE Of course, it’s not always practical to walk. Especially if you're wanting to get somewhere a little further. My advice is to buy a bike. My grandfather had an old bicycle that he would always use

when he came over to visit his grandkids, as that was how he got around in his youth and he just never stopped biking. When I lived in Europe I opted to only have a bicycle, and I can attest to just how much fitter you'll get when you're biking everywhere. It happens naturally because you're constantly doing low to mid-levels of exercise, without even being aware of it. Plus, there's no gas to pay for, parking is easy, and cycling is great fun when the sun is out and the weather is perfect. GROW A GARDEN It may not look like it from the outside, but caring and maintaining for a garden is a lot of work. You're turning the soil, pulling out weeds, carrying fertilizer, har vesting your produce. My grandparents had a large, working vegetable garden that they would use to supplement their meals, and as an excuse to get outside and do a little work with their hands. Plus, it gets you out in the sun, which is a great source of vitamin D, and can improve your mood too. Start small if you've never had a garden before, and slowly work to get this into a larger and larger space. And it doesn't even need to be a vegetable garden. Buy a push mower instead of a ride on for your lawn, and a pair of shears instead of a hedge trimmer for your bushes. It all adds up. SPEND TIME OUTDOORS Now my grandfather wasn't much of a hunter, but he loved fishing. He's spend hours exploring the banks around different lakes and streams, walking with all of his gear, and then standing in place trying to catch the next big fish. He'd never consider this exercise, as it was his source of fun, but it ensuring he was spending lots of time outdoors, while doing things that were burning calories and keeping him fit. Look for activities that you can enjoy that gets you outside. It might be joining the local sailing club, or joining an amateur sports team. I get out for a jog each week with a local running club, it's a great way to socialize and it doesn't feel like "exercise." DON’T SIT DOWN This is an obvious one, but the more time you spend "sitting" the less calories you're burning. If at all p o s s i b l e , s t a n d u p. W h e n m y grandfather was working in his carpentry shop he was on his feet all day, which is very different to the

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lifestyle we have today. Sitting in an office chair hunched over a computer. If you can find a job which enables you to stand is a plus, but be conscious of this and try to be on your feet as much as possible. I bought a standing desk for my home office, as I need to be in front of my computer for hours at a time. This way, I'm able to continue to work, but still stand up. It's been a few months now, and I can already feel improvements in my posture and the amount of energy I have left at the end of a long work day. DO THINGS MANUALLY As a carpenter my grandfather wasn't a big fan of all the modern machinery that was invading his industry. He preferred to do things by hand, and he would still use hand-saws and his old tools for as many tasks as possible. The key here is translating this over to your life. Instead of throwing your dirty plates in the dishwasher, stand and do them by hand. If you've just got one pair of jeans that need cleaning, wash them by hand. Grab a bucket and wash your car on the lawn instead of running it through the carwash. Or grab an axe and chop up your firewood caveman style instead of using a chainsaw. It all adds up, and the more you're moving and using your body, the fitter you will be. The secret to staying fit without putting hours in at the gym is to find ways to incorporate good habits into your daily routine. In short, it's just about getting your body moving. Walk instead of drive. Get involved in activities that require you to actively participate, instead of spending your weekends in front of the television. And try to stay on your feet for as long as possible each day. That's how our grandparents stayed fit throughout their lives, and we can too.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017 WHAT SURVIVAL GEAR WOULD HAVE HELPED? List out everything that would have made surviving the disaster easier. Maybe it's extra fuel for your generator, proper camping gear, more variety in your food stockpile. Whatever it is, write it down now while you've still got the disaster fresh in your mind. Of course, you may already have some of these items, but think about if you need to buy more, or if there's anything else to start stockpiling. It took me almost a month to restock after the floods my family suffered through, and almost a year to tick off all the additional items on my "nice to have" list. If you're constantly prioritizing, and working away at the purchases, you'll get there eventually. WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IDEAL?

WHAT TO DO ONCE AN EMERGENCY IS OVER As two big storms pass and we're now left to clean up the aftermath, I think it's the perfect time for this article. You see, may survivalists I've talked to believe they're already "ready." They've spent years perfecting and honing their survival plans, and they weren't even inconvenienced throughout a disaster. I know, I've suffered through both bushfires and flooding, and it would have been easy to think I did enough.

Think about your situation, and what made it so bad. Then, find ways you could have overcome these pain points. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY?

Here's what you need to ask:

Looking back at everything that happened, in hindsight is there anything that you could have done differently that would have made it easier for your family to survive? Perhaps there was some additional gear you left at home when you had to evacuate, that would have made you far more comfortable when camping out at the evacuation shelters. Maybe you didn't leave home soon enough, or weren't as up to date on the latest news in your local area.Think about what caused you to make the wrong decision, and ensure you take specific steps to ensure this doesn't happen during the next disaster.

WHAT SUCKED MOST ABOUT THE DISASTER

WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU HAD DONE BEFOREHAND?

Of course, in a full-blown disaster everything is bad. You're probably without power for days, the grid is down so there's no running water (or working sewage), and restocking anything is virtually impossible. I've yet to face this over winter, but I can only imagine how terrible it must be if a crisis struck and you had no way of staying warm throughout the nights.

This is usually an easy one to answer, as there's probably a bunch of things you can think of that would have made surviving the disaster easier. Perhaps you had been planning to buy certain items for your stockpile but hadn't "gotten around to it" yet, or not having bug-out-bags packed and ready to go meant you spent valuable time gathering these items last minute.

But I'd be wrong. In the aftermath of a crisis, you need to take it as a learning experience. I don't care how well prepared you were, there is always things you could do better. For me, I've got a set of questions I recommend you answer, as soon as possible. Of course, once you’re back on your feet and things are returning to normal.

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In this final question, I recommend thinking big. Based on the disaster you suffered through, think about what would have been the perfect scenario, so you can determine how far you need to work to get there. Perhaps it's a way to stay warm during winter. An underground bunker. A renewable food source. Whatever it is, think big. For me, I went huge. I wanted to establish a bug out location, that's essentially a second home, completely off the grid, with enough food, gear and supplies to keep us happy for a year or more. Getting this operational has taken the better part of a decade, but it's to the point now we've got an evacuation point within 100-200 miles of our home, to escape anything that may hit the community we call home. Of course, it takes time, money and a whole lot of effort to get something like this organized, so of course prioritize your preparations to the purchases which benefit your family immediately if a disaster hits. Just don't forget your master plan. You may find you're working on it for years, but once it's ready it'll always be ready. No matter what happens, you'll be able to keep your family safe, secure, and ride out whatever crisis hits with a full stomach, a happy family, and a big smile on your face. That's how I'll be doing it. So, take your time answering these questions, and get better prepared for next time. There will always be a next time.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017

HARD LEARNED LESSONS FROM NATURAL DISASTERS Bushfires, flooding, hurricanes. There's no shortage of the amount of natural disasters we've been seeing on the news in recent months. Mother nature is an uncontrollable force, and when she decides to unleash, there's no holding back. When it comes to being prepared for a n a tu r a l d i s a s ter, t h er e' s a f ew fundamental rules that you need to know. Because natural disasters are dangerous. If you want to survive, you need to understand what you're up against, and the right ways to behave. Otherwise you may be risking your life, or the lives of your loved ones. Follow these rules and you'll have the best chance to survive. DON'T UNDERESTIMATE WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST On a calm summer's day, it can be easy to forget the destructive capability of a tropical storm. Never, ever, be cocky about what you're up against. Hurricanes tear houses down. Fires can burn you out, and if you're stuck facing rising flood waters, you're basically screwed until the rescue teams come in. Without food, water and supplies, you're going to have a bad time.

What I'd recommend here is doing a little research of the different types of natural disasters that may strike in your local community, and ensure you've got a plan for each. Perhaps you need a stockpile of food if you're planning to hunker down, or an escape route if evacuation is your best option. Just don't underestimate what you're up against. Sometimes turning tail and leaving is your best option. K E E P YO U R FA M I LY TOGETHER AT ALL TIMES Never, ever, split up There's strength in numbers, and with you all working together you've got a much better chance of survival. Of course, you're going to have to focus on ensuring everyone who needs help gets it, like any elderly neighbors, or people with special needs. And don't ever leave anyone behind. There's no excuse for that. What I'd recommend is to ensure that everyone in your family understands your survival plan, so that if they're unlucky enough to be somewhere else when a crisis hits, like travelling interstate, or even just at a different location in the city, they know where to go to find you. Without a plan in place, it becomes very difficult to reconnect and group up again.

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PRIORITIZE THE GEAR AND SUPPLIES THAT WILL HELP YOU SURVIVE Now I'll admit, I'm more than a bit mushy when it comes to my family, but the nature of a natural disaster means that people behave irrationally. You want to save all of your personal belongings, like your favorite clothes, gifts and other items, and of course all of your children's toys, pictures, and everything else in your home that has sentimental value.

“Don’t ever leave anyone behind, there’s no excuse…

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017 cont. But that's the problem. If you're packing up your entire home, it's going to set you back hours, and you're not going to make it very far when you do eventually get out on the highway. What I'd recommend is to keep your bug-out-bags packed and ready to go, in a nice tactical backpack like these. I've also got a couple of larger boxes with additional gear that goes in my car. I've got mine organized in tubs in my garage, that I can simply grab, throw in the trunk of my car, and we're out the door in under 10 minutes. Of course, this does mean we're leaving most of our sentimental items behind, and is why I've got my pictures backed up and on a hard drive, and we've chosen to include a few key items in our packing list so we're not leaving "everything" behind. Just make sure you've got enough camping supplies, food, water, clothing and communications gear to last a week or more on the road. You never know just how bad it’ll be. DON'T LET YOURSELF GIVE IN TO FEAR AND PANIC Once the news outlets start telling the general public to evacuate if they want to stay alive, you can expect that people will begin to panic. But this is the last thing you want. Getting caught up in all the potential "what-if" scenarios here isn't going to help your family survive. If you freeze up, or have a panic attack, you're only going to slow you down. Instead, your focus should be on the action steps you need to take to survive. Focus on the current task at hand, which may be packing your car, collecting your gear, and getting on the road. Try not to think about all the bad things that could happen, your mind should be in the present, so you're ready to react to what's happening around you, and give your family a chance to survive. NEVER STOP LEARNING AND PREPARING Now mother nature is a force, but she's not unbeatable. The key in this last section is to ensure you're constantly learning, improving, and making plans to deal with the potential emergencies that could strike. The best way to ensure the safety of you and your family is to stay informed, follow the news and start making preparations as soon as you see anything concerning start to happen.

But don't just keep it to yourself. The best way to overcome a natural disaster as a community is for the general public to be prepared, so talk to your friends, family and neighbors about the different disasters that could strike. It may be a difficult conversation, and in my experience, it's usually easier to start these talks when there's a similar crisis happening in another part of the country on the news. Because it's far easier to convince someone to start preparing when they can see the outcomes of not being prepared on the nightly news.

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Of course, the fundamental lesson when it comes to natural disasters is they are survivable. So long as you've got a plan for what you're up against, work to keep your family together and are able to make smart decisions about when to evacuate and with what. Starting these preparations now will make all the difference, and give you an edge over the rest of the population who is simply relying on the government for a hand out. I don't know about you, but when it comes to the life and well-being of my family, I would never risk that in the hands of anyone but my own.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017

TIPS FOR STAYING SANE WHEN YOU'VE BUGGED OUT

After spending the better part of the last three weeks in our bug-out location, I can tell you, you do go a little stir crazy. Here’s how to stay sane when you’ve bugged out. #1. READ A BOOK Invest in at least a couple of boxes of good books, and stack them in a bookshelf. I spent about $100 setting my library setup with some cheap yard sale buys. I've probably got about 200 books now. There's everything from thrillers, to romance, fantasy and even a couple of teen novels in there. So when you're wanting escape, you can grab a book and lose yourself for a couple of hours. #2. PLAY A GAME Games are a great way to pass the time with your family, so get a few decks of cards, and invest in a couple of board games. My kids love Connect Four, so grab whatever you think will work for your family. Jigsaw puzzles are also great, but buy these new. #3. LISTEN TO THE RADIO One of my favorite purchases for my bug out location has been my radio. It's crank operated, so the battery will never die, and it lets us listen in to the local radio station. We get music, news, as well as the chatter that gives us another voice to listen to. #4. COLORING BOOKS There's a big movement about adult coloring, and I have to say I don't really get it. But if you give my kids some crayons, and a couple of coloring books, they'll sit for hours coloring all the different sections. You can buy these new, or if you're looking for cheap alternatives there's often digital copies of the books available online, so you can print out as many copies as you want. #5. LEARN AN INSTRUMENT I'm not musical by any means, but I lucked upon an old acoustic guitar that now hangs in our bug out location. I can spend hours strumming away and practicing new songs each night, just be sure you've also got a tuner and some spare strings. They do break. I'd also advise getting some form of instruction, whether it's lessons with a tutor now, or some books and CDs to practice to. #6. HAVE A COOK OUT One of my favorite things I've built at our bug out location is the campfire. We've dug a fixed fire pit, and have cut a number of logs so my family can sit alongside and roast marshmallows and make damper (it's an Australian thing). Getting your kids to help with the fire is a good way to keep them occupied, especially if they're able to collect firewood, or keep the fire going. #7. BAKE SOMETHING Now my wife is a big fan of baking, and we've got a nice outdoor wood-fire oven in our bug-out location that she puts to good use. I built it a few summers back as a project, and it's great. It's a little trickier than what you'd have in your home, but one of the best ways to keep my daughter occupied is to enlist her help making bread, muffins, cookies, or whatever you've got. #8. MAKE SOMETHING I'm a really hand-on guy, and one of my favorite ways to stay active is to build things. What I've done in our cabin is to set aside an area for my workspace. It's basically just a corner of the room with a fold out table, and a set of shelves that, in my wife's words, contains a bunch of junk. But as soon as we need to build or improvise something, I can make it. On the last trip I made a small fish trap to use in the river. For me, the best way to stay sane is to stay busy, especially if I'm working on projects that are going to make our life better once we've bugged out.

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VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017 There's a variety of other spiders that you may come across, but their bites are mostly just painful and itchy, and cause a bit of mild swelling. TREATING A SPIDER BITE If you're feeling numbness, nausea, headaches or anything that doesn't look good, get to a hospital so you can get the anti-venom. Otherwise, do this: Get clean water and soap and clean the wound as thoroughly as possible. Get a cold compress (or ice) to apply to the area every couple of hours to reduce swelling. If there is swelling, you can elevate the limb to reduce it a little more, and try to rest. If you've got antihistamines, you can take this to stop the itching. If you've got an antibiotic ointment, apply this to the bite to stop infection. If you've got painkillers, like paracetamol, you can take this to reduce the pain

THE RIGHT WAY TO TREAT A SPIDER BITE I've been bitten by all sorts of creepy crawlies. Spiders. Ants. Bees. Wasps. Even a scorpion once. Spider bites do happen, and it's important you know what to do and how to treat them, so you can reduce any lingering effects, and also understand when you may need to seek medical attention. Ultimately, the more you know the better. Because some spider bites are really bad. They can cause tissue necrosis, lead to paralysis, and in some circumstances, even death. Here’s what you need to know to treat a spider bite. DON’T GET BITTEN TO START WITH To avoid getting bitten by a spider in the first place, always check your boots before you put them on, the same goes for any gloves or jackets you've left unattended all night. Creatures love warm and cozy spaces, and they will bite you if you shove your foot in on them. Check first. The same goes for your campsite when you return for the day. Shake out your sleeping bag, and give it a good once-over before settling in for the night. Oh, and be extra careful if you're collecting firewood in the bush or poking around in any dry, dark spaces in your garage. That's where spiders like to hide. And if you startle them, there's a good chance they'll bite you for the trouble.

IDENTIFY THE SPIDER THAT BIT YOU Now it's not always possible, but if you want to know what you're in for with a spider bite, the best thing you can do is identify the spider that bit you. It's size, color and markings are all usually pretty unique. You could always kill it and bring it with you if you're unsure. Black Widow. A smaller spider with oily black coloring and a red hourglass on its abdomen. You may have felt only a tiny prick as it bit you, but the reaction will start quickly, with cramps, nausea, sweating, and numbness. Hobo Spider. You might not notice the initial bite, but within 15 minutes you'll feel sharp pain and numbness, but what's most scary is these spiders will often attack unprovoked. You may also feel nausea, headaches, joint pain, and sweating. Brown Recluse. As the name implies these spiders are small and not very aggressive, and the venom takes a while to take effect. You'll notice it's itchy first, with a red inflamed ring around the bite. Blisters will appear, and it can lead to tissue necrosis. In rare cases, it can lead to seizures, kidney failure and left untreated can put you in a coma.

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But what happens if you've not got access to any of these? Instead, use: Activated Charcoal. Mixed with a little water to form a paste, apply it to the wound and let it sit for an hour or two. The charcoal will draw out the venom, reducing the severity of the symptoms. You're going to want to repeat this 2 to 3 times a day until the bite improves Baking Soda. This is a recipe my mum used to use. Much like the activated charcoal paste, mix with a little water and apply it to the affected bite area. It'll help reduce the itchiness and swelling. You're going to want to apply this every hour or two as needed. Aloe Vera. When it comes to skin care this plant can't be beat. Just take the gel from inside a fresh leaf and apply it directly to the wound. It'll help calm the inflammation and reduce the itchiness. Again, you're going to want to apply this every hour or two as needed. And of course, do not scratch the spider bite at all, no matter how much it itches. You'll only make the itchiness worse, and run the risk of getting the entire bite infected. Do not scratch the bite! Generally, a spider bite isn't anything to be scared about. It's kind of like a bee sting. Itchy and annoying for a couple of days, but if you pay attention to the symptoms, and follow the treatments, you'll be just fine. If it's not improving, or the symptoms are getting worse, it's time to get proper medical help. Spiders aren't anything to get scared about.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN MRE’S

If you've ever been camping you've probably run into this same problem. Packing a bunch of food and meat into a cooler, but by the third day your ice is long gone and you end up simply tossing the spoiled meat and soggy food and stopping at a diner on the way home.

Ready to eat meals, which are more commonly known as MRE's, are a staple when it comes to food planning.

Since I started making my own MRE's this hasn't been a problem.

The military uses them in their kits as it allows soldiers to stay fueled and ready for combat, and they come in handy when you're wanting a quick and easy meal without a whole lot of fuss. But there's a couple of downsides. First, they don't always taste all that great. It's like prison food. Enough to give you the carbs and nutrients your body needs, but it's not Masterchef level cooking either. Don't get me wrong, some brands are much better than others, but for the money I don't think it's worth it. Second, MRE's are rather expensive. It's around $10 for a decent MRE, which quickly adds up if you're planning on using these to feed your family these for 3 meals a day for any extended amount of time. I don't really want to drop $270 on food each time we go camping on a weekend. So, I decided to make my own. And there was one side-effect that I was quite pleasantly surprised about.

“we've got tasty meals already prepared, just in case…

Because we've now got plenty of food to eat, which is usually supplemented with whatever fish or game we've caught. All my family needs to do is grab our bug out bags, which are packed and ready to go. More than enough gear to last 72 hours, which is 3 days in the wild. And we've got tasty meals already prepared, just in case we're not able to forage or hunt. Before we get started though, there's a few rules when it comes to your meal planning: 1. Include foods that have a long shelf life, so you don't have to replace them as much. 2. Include foods that are (relatively) light weight so you don't weight down your kit. 3. Include foods that have a high number of calories to keep your energy levels high. If you're a numbers person, I recommend getting about 1,200 calories into each meal, or aiming for a total around 4000 calories a day. Oh, and don't forget that you will also need water if you're planning to reconstitute any dehydrated food, and a source of heat if you're planning to cook (or have a hot coffee). BREAKFAST 3 x instant coffee sachets 9 x packets of instant oatmeal (just add water and heat, I use two at a time) 3 x packets of mixed dried fruit to add to oatmeal and water as you cook LUNCH 6 x protein bars (I eat two at a time) 3 x packets of beef jerky (small sized) 3 x packets of peanut butter crackers 3 x packets of chocolate chip cookies (individual servings)

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SNACKS 3 x packets of mixed nuts (small packs) 3 x packets of powdered electrolytes 3 x individual packets of pop tarts DINNER 3 x packets of instant soup 3 x packets of instant mashed potato 3 x vacuumed sealed bags of Beef Stew 3 x packets of cheese and crackers 3 x Earl Grey teabags Of course, you could swap out the Beef Stew for a rice dish, or get some tuna and dehydrated vegetables to add to your soup. It just depends what you want to be eating while you're living out of your bug out bag. For me, I'm quite happy for beef stew for a few days, though my wife prefers the curry chicken. Just buy what you like. Oh, and as you're making these, be sure to check the expiry dates. Especially if you're not going to be testing your kit anytime soon. Most of these items I've recommended will have a shelf life of a couple of years, but check their packaging just in case. The last thing you want is to be reliant on your homemade MRE's only to find that what's in it is no longer safe to eat. Finally, when you're preparing your kits, I'd recommend keeping most items in the packs they're originally prepared in. So, pay attention to what you buy. Think small, metallic or plastic packaging. This will help keep the weight down in your kit, and also save space in your bug out bag. Making your own MRE's isn't as hard as you may first think. It's just a matter of figuring out what you want to be eating, and making a few smart buying decisions when you're at the supermarket. Everything on my list I can find at my local grocer, which also makes it easy to restock after a weekend in the woods.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017

THE DOWN-LOW ON PREPARING YOUR SURVIVAL CACHES When it comes to survival, the more prepared you are the better. But there's one problem I see too many survivalists make, over and over again. They're so focused on building up their cache of supplies, they forget to think about a back-up plan. If all of your survival gear is in one place, you're risking everything. What happens if you're cut-off from your home? Or if you're forced to evacuate in the face of a storm? Or if the bad guys decide they want what you've got, and take it by force.

Keeping everything in one place, is a recipe for disaster. Today I'm going to cover a concept I've been embracing these last couple of years. I got caught up in a bad situation and I wasn't able to get to my home. And this was my problem. I found myself stuck, without the gear I needed when it really mattered. So I started setting up caches, just in case. A survival cache is as simply as it seems. It's a stockpile of supplies you need to survive, stored in a separate location to your home.

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Now here's the trick. It's got to be a little difficult to find so that others don't stumble across it. But it can't be too difficult that it takes hours to locate if you're evacuating to your bug-out location. This is where it starts getting tricky. Buying supplies is expensive, and if you're planning on setting up multiple caches, it can get costly fast. So you've got to be smart with your purchases. Here's what I recommend putting into each cache.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017

WHAT MY SURVIVAL CACHE CONTAINS #1. Firearm and ammunition. Within each kit is a small handgun, as well as a couple of boxes of ammunition. I get the risks of storing a gun offsite, but my caches are so well hidden I'm confident these will never fall into the wrong hands. #2. Food. I've stored about 72 hours of food within each cache, which is plenty to keep me going while I'm heading out to my main bug out location. Think MREs, and any items that have a long shelf life so that you're not needing to replace them. #3. Water filters. Having access to water is important, and while there is plenty of natural sources in my area, I needed to ensure I've got an easy way to purify what I'm drinking, so I don't get sick. #4. Firestarting kit. Again, a common feature in many bug-out kits, and I agree. Being able to start a fire adds comfort, warmth, and can help you to cook your meals and purify your water. #5. Basic first aid kit. Throw in some wound care items, painkillers, antibiotics, and perhaps some immodium, just in case. #6. Multitool. A really good multi-tool. These always come in handy. #7. Outdoor clothing. I've got a pair of boots, as well as a full set of "outdoor clothes" that I can change into if I am caught unawares. The last thing I want to be doing is bugging out in dress shoes and a suit. #8. A backpack. Don’t forget you will need a way to actually carry all the gear in your cache with you.

H OW TO P ROT E C T YO U R SURVIVAL CACHE

HOW TO HIDE SURVIVAL CACHE

The biggest risk to your survival cache is the elements. Heat from the sun, water from the rain, and time all combine to ruin basically anything that is unprotected. Animals may come looking in search of food, and if insects or even mold gets in, your cache is ruined.

Of course, there's only so much advice I can give in an article, and the best place to hide your cache is going to be highly dependent on your individual circumstances.

Personally, I use PVC pipe. I bought a bunch of tubes that are about 3 feet long, and about 10 inches in diameter. Sturdy and durable, once you add the caps to either end, and seal it up with some outdoor sealant and it's good to go. I've heard of people using old ammo cases, and even five-gallon buckets, but I've found it's much easier to hide a bit of pipe, than anything else. Which is critical if you want your caches to still be there when you need them most.

YOUR

I like to bury mine. But that's because I've got plenty of open space around my area. I've got a cache that's secured just on the edge of my property, another that's about a half mile down the trail that leads to my bug-out location, and a few more that are strategically placed in areas where I spend a significant amount of time. There's one near my parent's property, and another on the outskirts of town near my office. The idea, is that no matter what happens, I've got a cache of gear that I can have in my hands, in under an hour.

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Now, if you're in the city, burying may not be an option. Instead, I'd think about places that you can keep it without raising suspicion. Perhaps there's somewhere in your office building you could hide it, like in a crawlspace, or down in the boiler room. You could also rent out a storage space, or put it in an abandoned building in your neighborhood. Just keep an eye on it, and if anything changes, like the building gets sold or starts being renovated, get your cache out of there. Having backup plans for your backup plans is what being a smart survivalist is all about. And when it comes to the gear and supplies you're collecting, it's common sense to split these up into different caches, just in case. When a disaster hits, you'll be in a bad spot if you're suddenly cut off from your home, and that's the only place you've stockpiled your gear.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017

HOW TO SLEEP BETTER WHEN YOU’RE CAMPING I'm a fan of a good night's sleep. It's probably one of the most important things in my book when you're setting up a shelter, apart from cover overhead and a fire to keep you warm. When I was a scraggly little youth I used to enjoy roughing it. Often with nothing but a sleeping bag on my groundsheet, and a jacket rolled up as a pillow. I've also done a number of bare-bones camping trips, spending night after night in makeshift lean-tos with bedding foraged from the bush around my camp. These days though, I tend to look for ways to sleep better when I'm in the outdoors. Here's how I like to approach my camp, to ensure I'm always getting a good night's sleep, no matter what a disaster has thrown my way. FIND THE RIGHT PLACE TO SETUP CAMP The first step is to find the right place for your camp. Ideally you want level ground, that's far enough away from the banks of a river or beach that you're not going to wake up to water at your feet.

You need shelter overhead, a way to stay warm, and to make any precautions as you need for local conditions. Spend a night outdoors on a beautiful summer's night and you may not even need a fire. In winter, you're going to need a lot more protection from the elements. DECIDE IF YOU'LL SLEEP ELEVATED Next, I consider if my bed needs to be elevated. If I'm in a particularly wet area, or have a gut feeling that I'm going to be plagued by insects as I sleep, it's worth the extra effort to build a raised platform to sleep on, so I'm off the ground. This also stops the cold ground leeching your body head through the night, so you stay warmer and sleep better. One trick you can use instead of building an elevated platform is to sleep in a hammock. I've got a nylon hammock (it's made from parachute material), that's lightweight, and easy to string up between two trees. Throw a tarp over the top as a rain cover, add an inflatable pillow and stuff a fleece or two under my knees and I'll be sleeping fine, all night long.

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If it's colder where you're camping you may need insulation, there's plenty of options for what's known as "underquilts" that wrap around the underneath and help you to stay warm, even as the temperature drops. PROPERLY INSULATE YOURSELF If you're building a bed on the ground, take your time to flatten the area, remove any sticks or rocks that will disturb you, and lay out your bedding material.

“You need shelter overhead, a way to stay warm…

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2017 cont. Some people pack air mattresses, others just a simple foam roll, while I've a friend who believes the only way to do it is to use a fresh bed of pine boughs.

(I had to try it afterwards), the actual effort of setting this up so it works probably isn't worth it in a survival situation. It took a couple of hours to build and trim the logs.

Personally, I'd recommend getting something that's going to trap the heat in, like our Mylar space blanket. You'll thank me when you're warm and cosy.

These days I use a modified version of the "upside down fire," which is simply a stack of large cut logs, topped by smaller cut logs, topped by kindling and fire starters.

What you really just need to ensure is you're properly insulated from the ground. Especially during winter, if you get cold during the night you'll find it impossible to sleep, and may even slip into hypothermia.

Set inside a fire pit, it works by limiting the oxygen that gets in under the logs, so the flames slowly burn downwards. This usually lasts 3 to 4 hours on its own, and is the best method I've found to date.

So, take your time to properly prepare, and if you're using natural material like pine boughs, collect at least a good couple of feet of bedding. It'll compress while you're sleeping, so definitely opt for more over less.

PACK MOSQUITO NETTING

CREATE A SLOW-BURNING FIRE One of my pet hates is getting up every hour to tend to the fire. I saw a video a couple of years back about a guy who built a set of ramps to deliver logs to a self-feeding fire, and while it works great

There's two ways you can approach this. Earplugs so you don't hear them buzzing, or buy a proper mosquito net so you're protected from their bites all night long. I opt for the latter, and have a simple mosquito net that I can hang either above my hammock, or setup above my bed. It's a life saver if you're camping anywhere that's a little swampy. As you can sleep comfortably without getting bitten by a thousand tiny insects, and wake up refreshed, instead of red and itchy.

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PREPARE FOR THE RAIN It's inevitable that you'll be camping one night and it rains, and a tarp is probably the best item you can pack to stay dry. Just make sure you've not left anything on the ground if you're up in your hammock, and have a plan for the water that's going to run down your ropes and soak your bedding. I've got a small roll of cotton string in my bug out kit, that's there for one purpose. To create drip-lines. It's as simple as it sounds. Take about 3 to 4 inches of string, and tie it to the rope before it reaches the hammock, or your tarp. The water that collects and runs down the rope will soak into the string instead and drop harmlessly to the ground. Getting a good night's sleep is easy when you're prepared. The real trick is thinking ahead and ensuring you've got the items you need in your kit, and you've taken steps to ensure you're comfortable, warm, and not getting soaked to the skin while you sleep.