September 2019

DON’T MISS: THE ONLY WAY TO DO YOUR SUPPLY RUNS

SEALING YOUR CELLAR TO KEEP THE WATER OUT

IN THIS ISSUE:

WINNING A FIGHT AGAINST AN ATTACK DOG

SEPTEMBER 2019

TEACHING KIDS WILDERNESS SKILLS

CONVERTING A CAR BATTERY INTO A POWER SOURCE

BUILD A SHELTER TO SURVIVE THE DESERT

WHAT SURVIVAL GEAR TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON

HOME REMEDIES FOR TREATING SPIDER BITES and more…

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019

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Contents FEATURED

THE ONLY WAY TO DO YOUR SUPPLY RUNS No matter how well prepared you are, one thing is inevitable in a crisis. You cannot, realistically, be prepared for everything. It’s just not possible. I can guarantee you this, there will come a…

page 4

SEALING YOUR CELLAR TO KEEP THE WATER OUT There’s no doubt a cellar is one of the perfect locations to store your stockpile of supplies. It’s a large, probably already empty space, that’s highly insulated from everything around it, so you’ll…

page 5

TEACHING YOUR KIDS WILDERNESS SKILLS Despite having an instant connection to almost the entire collective knowledge of the human race, far too many people lack practical skills that will help them survive in the wild. Of course…

page 6

BUILDING A SHELTER TO SURVIVE THE DESERT Getting stranded in the desert is no joke, and if you’ve got no idea how to stand the heat, there’s a very good chance that your last days are going to be spent cooking in the sun. Perhaps your…

page 8

HOME REMEDIES FOR TREATING A SPIDER BITE I’m not a big fan of spiders, but if you work around your home enough it’s inevitable you’ll come across these creepy crawlies hiding in every nook and cranny of your home. Generally…

page 9

WINNING A FIGHT AGAINST AN ATTACK DOG I’m a big dog lover but even so, you need to be careful around other people’s dogs. There’s a reason the police and special forces use dogs in their attack teams, because they’re lightning…

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CONVERTING A CAR BATTERY INTO A POWER SOURCE Keeping the lights on when the grid goes down is a step central to nearly every survivalist strategy I’ve ever come across. We rely on power for a wide variety of things, not to mention…

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HOMEMADE GUNPOWDER FOR THE SHTF Growing up in the country I’m surprised we didn’t get into more trouble than we did with everything we got up to. And one of my favorite things to make was gunpowder. We used it to…

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WHAT SURVIVAL GEAR TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON There’s no doubt that being a survivalist takes its toll on your wallet. You’ve got an almost endless amount of gear and equipment to buy, not to mention the cost of building your…

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VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019

THE ONLY WAY TO DO YOUR SUPPLY RUNS No matter how well prepared you are, one thing is inevitable in a crisis.

You may find yourself put in a position to be robbed or taken advantage of.

You cannot, realistically, be prepared for everything. It’s just not possible.

You may find yourself taken hostage (for more supplies) or worse.

I can guarantee you this, there will come a time when you and your group of survivors need something.

You may find yourself killed for what you have.

Perhaps it’s the addition of a new little member of your group, a medical condition or an emergency you couldn’t possible foresee, or any one of a thousand other “what ifs” that could catch you off guard. But I do have some good news. With the right backup plan, you can get what you need with a supply run. And there’s a way to do it safely. ANYTHING YOU COULD BARTER WITH? The first step I’d recommend is finding someone who is willing to trade for what you need. I’m guessing you already have a few key items in your stockpile that would be highly valuable in a crisis (ammunition, liquor, cigarettes and of course, food) that is all highly tradeable. The only problem is trust. In a crisis, you never really know who you can trust.

I’d only ever recommend setting up a trade with known parties, people you have had a long-standing friendship with, in a neutral location, just to be on the safe side. Trouble is, you may not actually have anyone in your network who has what you need, especially if it’s specialized tools or equipment, or hard to get medications and treatments. That’s when you need a little ingenuity. C O N S I D E R YO U R TA RG E T LOCATIONS There’s a reason the grocery store is a common scene in doomsday movies, because it’s where everyone is going to go once they realize the scope of the disaster. Everyone is going to need supplies, and when you get a whole lot of desperate people in one place, that’s a recipe for disaster, a risk I don’t think is smart to take for a few cans of beans.

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You want locations that aren’t obvious. Forget the mall, supermarkets and all the obvious locations. You want places that are going to be overlooked by the rest of the population. Places like: - Office buildings in an industrial estate - Warehouses and distribution centers - Schools, colleges and universities - Nursing homes and veterinary clinics - Private dental and doctors’ offices

“you may not actually have anyone in your network who has what you need…”

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019 cont. Essentially, anywhere that’s big, industrial and unlikely to have a lot of people around is going to provide a potential target. Because everyone is going to be home with their families, these targets become ideal locations for scavenging. SCOUTING OUT A LOCATION Once you know where you’re going to hit, I’d give it at least 24 hours to scout out the location. You want to get an idea of how many people are inside, potential exit routes, and ar m yourself with enough information so you don’t find yourself walking into a trap. It’s also a good time to get close and see what you’re up against. Is the place wide open, or are there padlocks to cut and locked doors to break open? You’ll need to come back with the right gear. I’d personally recommend finding truly abandoned locations, where your biggest problem is potentially just a lone squatter. You don’t want to be trying to sneak past a dozen or so people for a small bag of supplies, this isn’t Hollywood and let me tell you now, that’s a story that won’t end well. People don’t like other people taking what’s theirs. TIMING YOUR SUPPLY RUN If you’re looking to get in and out without being seen, your best bet is going to be the latest hours of the night, just a few hours before dawn. This is when the world is at its most quiet, and you’re going to encounter the least amount of people. Which is exactly what you want. Just make sure you time it so you’re arriving at your target location with enough time to get in and out before dawn, and can make it back to your hideout under the cover of darkness. You don’t want anyone watching to know what you’re up to, or following you home.

DOING THE BREAK IN It goes without saying that you’re going to need to pay particular attention as you’re breaking in. Any signs of habitation indicate you’re in for a problem, so check for sounds, light, or any movement before you get inside and find yourself cornered. Being armed is a smart idea, but not only that make sure you’ve got enough light to navigate your way through the building to find the supplies you need, without sending a signal to anyone watching that you’re walking around inside. Red lights will give off enough of a glow, especially if they’re focused within a tight field of vision. CARRYING OFF THE SUPPLIES Mobility is key, you don’t want to be hauling a giant backpack of supplies if you suddenly need to break into a run, as you never really know what’s going to happen on one of these supply runs, or what surprises you may find.

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A good sturdy backpack that you can fill should be plenty, along with a pry bar and a pair of bolt cutters. Oh, and you’re probably going to want to be armed as well, just in case. Have your firearm in your holster, ready to draw at the first sign of trouble. There’s only so much we can do to prepare for a crisis, and the smart survivalists know you can never really prepare for everything. But if you’ve got a good idea of how to do a successful supply run, you stand the best chances of being able to source and secure whatever it is you need, after the crisis hits. And that’s how you’ll continue providing for your family, against even the most impossible odds. That’s how you’ll all survive.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019

SEALING YOUR CELLAR TO KEEP THE WATER OUT

USE A SEALANT ON THE WALLS

But you’ve got one danger to look out for. Water.

Once we fixed the water coming in, the next part of the plan involved stripping the walls back to raw material to create a new, waterproof seal that would eliminate this moisture coming in once and for all. I chose a heavy-duty (marine grade) sealant that also contained fiberglass as it added additional strength, and I wanted this to be a lifetime solution, not something I’d have to address again in a few years. The sealant I simply spread onto the walls, and it dried to form a hard barrier against any water or mold coming in.

Water will always drip, drain and seep into the lowest possible level, and over time this can result in water collection around the very stockpile you’re hoping to have when the SHTF. But with water comes a problem. Rot, mildew, and an environment that’s damp, musty and will quickly turn your entire stockpile into unusable, inedible garbage.

But you do have alternatives. Our bug out cabin we wanted to take a more natural approach, as it was rather damp and wet, especially up and in around the rafters. Instead of this marine sealant, we made pine pitch. After treating all of the wood with vinegar and allowing it a few days over summer to dry, we used pine resin as a sealant.

You need to keep the moisture out of your cellar.

Buying (though if we had the time we could have collected it ourselves) a rather large quantity of pine resin, and boiling it down until it became like a thick, almost runny glue.

We found an electronic “dehumidifier” also works wonders for our particular situation, and it pulls about a quart of moisture from the air down there every day. I just empty it each morning, and otherwise it just happily continues to run.

You will need to double boil it (it’s highly flammable). Then we applied this to every surface within the cabin.

REMEMBER TO DRAIN IT OUT

There’s no doubt a cellar is one of the perfect locations to store your stockpile of supplies. It’s a large, probably already empty space, that’s highly insulated from everything around it, so you’ll enjoy nice stable temperatures that won’t ruin your food.

START BY ADDRESSING THE WATER SOURCE The first step is to identify where the water is coming from. You can do tests on the soil to determine where any external water is flowing from, so you can divert it accordingly. We had a faulty storm drain that had been cracked and partially collapsed. Every time it rained, this created almost a plug in our sewage system, and our basement would flood. It was only by correcting it at the source, did this stop. Of course, that was no small feat, but once we had dug out the problem drain, we could see a noticeable difference. You should also pay attention to the way your house drains any rains and runoff. Look at the way the snow melts around your home, and watch the runoff of water. If there are collection points where the water pools, especially around the foundation of your home, these need to be filled and levelled so the water is directed away from your home. We had a couple of spots in the walls where water had gotten in, expanded and cracked over winter, and now were entry points for a steady drip of water whenever it rained. These all need to be fixed and sealed to stop the water getting in.

Once it dried, it provided a natural seal against all moisture, and because it doesn’t get too cold during the winter, it’s already lasted 3 seasons. You may need to reapply it if you’re using it in an area with extreme cold. I N S TA L L A D E Q UA T E VENTILATION One key step in eliminating moisture is to improve airflow, as this will help remove and dry out any problem areas. If you’ve got vents already installed check each of the intakes to ensure there are no blockages or debris, and you could always install an additional fan (think like the ones you have in the bathroom) to drive any wet, moisturefilled air out. We put in two new electronic exhaust fans on either side of the basement, they run on a timer and turn on just a couple of hours in the middle of the day, and it’s almost completely eliminated that “musty” smell our cellar used to have.

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REMOVING WATER FROM THE AIR The tiny packs of silica gel desiccants you get when you buy a pair of shoes are designed to draw moisture out of the air. If you’re trying to dramatically drop the water levels in your basement you may need to invest in some of these to bring it down to a stable baseline before you start work.

Remember how water likes to flow to the lowest possible point? If you’ve got a problem corner, consider adding a drain to that will collect and send that water far away from your home. We had a concrete foundation and didn’t need to go to that extreme, but it’s always an option to ensure the water is able to keep flowing down and away, and not continue getting stuck in a corner of your basement where it’ll do a whole bunch of damage. The water doesn’t want to pool and collect, you just need to direct it where to go. Turning your cellar into a proper storage location for your supplies is a smart idea, because it’s a readily accessible space that is probably not being used to its full potential right now. The trick, is to ensure you’ve sealed the walls and ceiling correctly, added adequate drainage and ventilation, and are taking steps to ensure the water doesn’t continue to collect in the air. Do all of these, and it’ll be the perfect spot for your survival stockpile.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019 I’ve also given my kids a run down on what’s dangerous, and shown them how to do the proper testing of a plant they’re unsure of, just in case they ever need to figure it out on their own. We make a game of it now, seeing who can bring back the most food. SAFE HUNTING SKILLS Arming your kids with a gun isn’t always the best idea, but there’s plenty of hunting, trapping and fishing you can get them involved with that isn’t quite as dangerous. Plus, small things like weaving a trap for crawdads will take a bunch of time, and they’ll be proud as punch when the trap they’ve spend an afternoon making, actually works.

TEACHING YOUR KIDS WILDERNESS SKILLS Despite having an instant connection to almost the entire collective knowledge of the human race, far too many people lack practical skills that will help them survive in the wild. Of course, it goes without saying that survival is not a game, and if you’re teaching your kids anything, make sure you’re giving the proper supervision and all of this is done within a safe environment. SAFE KNIFE SKILLS Many parents view knives as a dangerous weapon, and make them a taboo subject in their house. So, flip it. In the woods, a knife is a valuable tool, and one of the most important things your kids should know how to safely handle. Give them the opportunity to learn, with your direct supervision of course. Things like knowing how to sharpen the blade, how to make shavings for tinder, how to carve their own walking sticks will give them a confidence using a knife, while developing a healthy respect for it. SAFE FIRE SKILLS The center of every camp revolves around the fire, providing warmth and a source of entertainment for the entire evening. I get lost in the flames, and that’s before you even start properly tending to the fire. And kids love nothing better than the dancing flames.

But instead of yelling at them to stay back, let them learn the dangers themselves. My kids now help to clear the fire area of debris, and collect the stones we use to surround the pit. Then they’ll collect all of the tinder and small branches they can, and my eldest will spark it into life. They both know it’ll burn them if they touch it, and they’re much calmer and confident around the fire, than kids who start running crazy around the flames. Oh, and get them cooking too. Smores, marshmallows or hot dogs on a stick, or whatever it is. They’ll be proud of “doing it themselves” while also learning to respect the fire. SAFE FORAGING SKILLS

My kids have grown up fishing, but you can teach these skills fast. Instead of doing it all for them, take the time to teach simple knots, where to look in the water, and where to cast. Same for trapping and setting all of your lines. Your kids will jump at the chance to get involved, giving you another pair of hands for the work, and enthusiastically running off to check all of the traps when the time comes. SAFE SHELTER BUILDING Getting your kids out of the tent is always fun, and they’ll jump at the chance to build something of their own, their own space away from the rest of the family. I know my kids did, especially as they approached their early teens. So, embrace it. Give them the chance to string up their own tarp on a location they’ve picked out, demonstrate how they can put together a quick lean to, reinforce it, and protect themselves against the rain.

It’s no doubt that the woods can provide a plentiful bounty of different edibles, but it’s your job as a parent to teach them what’s what. Otherwise they may just stuff their face with a handful of bright red holly berries, not knowing it’ll make them sick. And that’s not good. I find the best way to explore the woods is with a slow, methodical hike. Walk carefully and pay attention to what’s around you.

Kids learn fast, and if you give them just enough independence, you’ll be surprised at just how enthusiastic they get about “their” shelter.

And your kids will learn fast, and often will have a better eye for spotting mushrooms, or other edibles like raspberries and milkweed.

Your kids look up to you, and with a little mutual respect, you’ll see they quickly pick up these wilderness skills for themselves.

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I’ve found the best way to get your kids interested in the wild is to first, give them the opportunity to experience it, and be a guiding figure that actually teaches the things you’ve been learning your entire life.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019

BUILDING A SHELTER TO SURVIVE THE DESERT Getting stranded in the desert is no joke, and if you’ve got no idea how to stand the heat, there’s a very good chance that your last days are going to be spent cooking in the sun. Perhaps your car has broken down at the wrong spot, or your situation has you trekking through some of the most inhospitable land on the planet to hit your bug out. If you don’t make the right choices, the desert may be your final resting place. Today, I’m going to share how you can build a shelter to survive the heat of the desert, ensuring you save what little water and energy you have for the cooler parts of the day when it’s more efficient to move around. By taking shelter to ride out the hottest parts of the day, you’ll stand the best chances of survival. Pay attention.

You do not want to be moving around, or trying to construct a shelter during the hottest parts of the day. My advice would be to build your shelter first, then get any hunting, water collection or rescue signage made after, so you’re free to take a siesta during 11am to 3pm, typically when the sun is at its most brutal. If you’re on the move to another location, get any hiking you need done during the early hours of the morning, set up camp, and perhaps even consider hiking through the night if you’ve got many miles to cover. Just make sure you’ve got a shelter to ride out the day. That’s key. FIND THE RIGHT LOCATION My goal when I’m creating a shelter is to utilize as many natural features of the landscape as I can into the structure I’m building.

DON’T WAIT TOO LONG

Rocky outcroppings could give you a potential anchor point, and a natural depression a slightly cooler area than the surroundings.

The sun comes up faster than you could possibly hope for, and you need to take swift action in the early and latest parts of the day to conserve both your water and energy.

Plus, if you’ve found a nice natural trench, this can save a huge amount of digging, which is only a good thing in a survival situation. One word though of caution.

This is how you’ll beat the desert.

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Be very careful setting up camp in a dry riverbed, underneath a large rocky outcropping with many fallen rocks, or anything else that is a potential danger. If a storm comes through even the desert can flood fast and quick, and you don’t want to be trapped in a gulley with no exit routes. That’s not to say not to camp there if it’s an ideal location, but have an exit strategy in mind if you need to escape in a hurry.

“have an exit strategy in mind if you need to escape in a hurry.”

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019 cont. CHOOSING THE SHELTER In the desert there are two main options you have for constructing shelter. DOUBLE-LAYERED ROOF SHELTER The first, is the double-layer roof. You will need a tarp or a poncho to create the roof, and if you’ve packed your bug out bag correctly you’ll have everything you need for this. It works by using the air as insulation. Simply fold your tarp in half, then string it up. I usually set it about 18 inches off the ground, more than enough to scoot in under, while leaving all four sides open to create a breeze. You can use rocks and branches to prop it up and weigh the tarp down, or use some of your paracord to tie it all off. Then comes the second layer of roofing. With the fold you made earlier, you want to open this up to create the double layer. The goal is to open the fold to allow for 12 to 14 inches of airspace between both halves of the tarp. The double-layered roof now gives you twice as much protection from the sun, but the air in between becomes an insulator. Underneath in your living space, the air will be 20 to 25 degrees cooler than outside. UNDERGROUND TRENCH SHELTER The second option is the underground trench. You’ll need to find something to use for the roof, though if you don’t have a poncho or a tarp this method will work with leafy branches, bark or any other materials you can find to create a roof. It is more effort to build, and you want to make sure you’re not working too hard on this shelter during the heat of the day. It starts by digging out a tunnel. You want to create an entrance that’s downwind (so the cold air inside isn’t being replaced by the hot desert winds), and dig down anywhere from 20 to 24 inches deep.

The tunnel needs to be wide enough for you to comfortably lay in, as well as allowing for enough room to scoot in and out of, roll over, and generally not get too claustrophobic inside while you’re resting. Once the tunnel is dug, use the branches, leaves, bark or in the ideal situation, your tarp, to create a strong anchored down roof. You need support for this because we’re going to insulate it, and without some supporting branches your tarp may not hold. Then start piling sand on the top, the thicker the better because the more insulation you add, the cooler your tunnel will get inside.

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I’ve tested a number of these shelters over the years, and I can tell you, inside it’s going to be anywhere from 20 to 40 degrees cooler than outside. Perfect for riding out the heat of the day. Then it’s just a matter of enjoying your siesta, and getting moving once the temperate outside starts to drop. Surviving in the desert is a challenge. But knowing the right kinds of shelters to build will give you the upper hand when it comes to making it through. That’s how you’ll survive.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019

HOME REMEDIES FOR TREATING A SPIDER BITE I’m not a big fan of spiders, but if you work around your home enough it’s inevitable you’ll come across these creepy crawlies hiding in every nook and cranny of your home. Generally, most spiders aren’t all that dangerous but if you happen to get bitten, the area around the bite is going to be painful, swollen, sore and itchy for several days to come. But there is some good news. Spiders aren’t aggressive, and they’re not out trying to hunt you. But if you poke, or prod them, they will bite. SIGNS OF A SPIDER BITE If you’ve ever been stung by a bee or bitten by an ant, a spider bite goes along the same lines. In my experience I’d say spider bites are a bit more aggressive, they hurt more and the rash and irritation last for longer, but the initial pain should typically die down in a few hours. Unless of course it’s a poisonous spider, like a black widow or a brown recluse. Then you really need to be getting yourself to a hospital. Some people also are extremely allergic to spider venom, and this will present itself rather quickly by swelling and inflammation, potentially even puffing up your face and making it difficult to breathe. Again, if you’re facing these kinds of symptoms, get to a doctor to make sure you’re in the all clear. But if you’re dealing with a typical spider bite, read on. CLEAN THE WOUND My starting point is to always clean the wound. You want to remove any additional venom that may remain on your skin, and ensure the entire area is clean and free from potential sources of infection. Rinse it well with warm water, scrub it with soap, then you can continue with these home remedies to treat the spider bite.

APPLY A COLD COMPRESS

APPLY GRATED POTATO

Always ice down the bite. As it cools from the ice your nerves will become numb, which will help to limit any swelling while also reducing the itching sensation you’re feeling. I’d apply a cold compress for 10 minutes or so, just don’t put the ice directly on your skin.

Potato is a starchy vegetable that works wonders for any types of insect bites. All you need to do is take a few pinches of grated raw potato, making a poultice to apply to the bite site. Cover with a small patch, and bandage your arm. You should change the poultice each time it dries out, which will be every few hours. This is one of the best techniques you can use to greatly reduce the itchiness of a spider bite.

APPLY ACTIVATED CHARCOAL One of the best natural solutions is activated charcoal, as it acts like a sponge. Mix it with a little water to form a paste, then generously cover the bite and surrounding areas. Cover it with a patch, and bandage the entire limb. Your goal is to let the charcoal soak up the toxins, changing the patch every 2-3 hours (or as needed). APPLY BAKING SODA If you’ve not got any activated charcoal, baking soda is a great alternative. Mix it with a little water so you’ve got a paste to work with, and apply it to the bite site and surrounding area. You’re only going to want to leave the paste on till it dries, which usually takes 4 to 6 minutes, and then wash it off with warm water. The high levels of alkalinity in the baking soda will counteract the toxins present in the bite, and provide you with a little relief. APPLY SEA SALT Salt is one of nature’s best antiinflammatory compounds, and it will help to clean out the wound, reduce any swelling and also soak up any venom that remains. Mix the salt with a little water until it dissolves, then apply the salt water solution to the bite site and surrounding area. Cover with a small patch that’s also been soaked in salt water, and bandage your arm, changing the salt-water patch every 4 to 6 hours.

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APPLY CRUSHED ASPIRIN Crush a couple of pills in a mortar and pestle, and mix in a tiny bit of water to form an aspirin paste. Applied to the site of the bite this paste will quickly reduce inflammation, and also any localized swelling from the bite. You can cover this with a bandage, but I found the results are very similar just leaving it to air dry, and then washing it off in a couple of hours. Then repeat as necessary until the bite feels better. APPLY ALOE VERA My skin is notoriously light, and I’ve got a healthy aloe vera crop on hand to deal with the ever-present sunburn I get during summer. Not only is it soothing, the sap from the plant is antiseptic, which helps to limit the pain you feel while reducing both the itchiness and swelling. Cover with a patch and bandage, and change every 4 to 6 hours. Right now, there are probably hundreds of spiders around your home, and it’s inevitable you’ll get bitten if you’re working on a homestead like me. I’ve had spider bites on three occasions, and while none were particularly pleasant, these home remedies greatly improved how I was feeling, so I could get back to everything else that still needed to be done on our property. Spider bite or no.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019 SHIELD YOUR ARM Of course, feeding an attacking dog your arm isn’t the smartest choice, but if it looks like it’s coming to that you are going to want to protect your skin and muscle as much as possible. Take your shirt and wrap it around your arm first, or use a backpack or your handbag to try and bait the dog into biting something that isn’t your arm. Just try not to yank your arm back once the pain starts, this will cause the wound to tear and make it worse. If you’ve been bitten by a dog push towards them, then use your weight to fight back. FIGHT THE DOG

WINNING A FIGHT AGAINST AN ATTACK DOG I’m a big dog lover but even so, you need to be careful around other people’s dogs. There’s a reason the police and special forces use dogs in their attack teams, because they’re lightning fast, strong and aggressive, and most people don’t know how to defend against an attack. The good news, is with a few key strategies, you can win a dog fight. DON’T RUN AWAY The first thing I need to make very clear is you cannot run. Dogs have a chase instinct and they will chase you if you turn and run. Even if they weren’t going to attack, by running away they almost can’t help but to spring into action, and with your back to them they will knock you down by taking out your legs or jumping on your back. That’s why we have greyhound racing, dogs are born to chase so don’t give them an excuse. Stand your ground. CLIMB TO ESCAPE The only time I’d recommend trying to escape is if you’re facing off against more than one dog. If it’s a pack, you stand a very high chance of becoming seriously injured, so your best option is to do what the dogs cannot, and that’s climb. Climb a tree or a fence. Climb onto the roof of a car.

Dogs won’t be able to follow you up there. And you most certainly won’t be able to fight off several dogs at once. INTIMIDATE FIRST The first step is to remember that dogs can be intimated easily. Make yourself as large as possible, raise your hands over your head and be as scary as you can be. Stomp your feet, clap your hands, yell at them and you may just be frightening enough that they back down. I’d also look around for any rocks or anything you can grab to throw at the dog, something to use as a shield or a weapon. A large stick smashed heavily onto their face or snout will teach most dogs that you’re not one to be messed with. STOP THE BITE If that all fails the dog is going to be coming at you and their primary weapon is the bite. Dogs usually take one big bite and hold on, trying to pull you down so they have the advantage. But you can use this to your advantage too. You see, once they bite that’s their attack done, so your job is to make sure nothing valuable gets bitten, like your neck, face or your groin. Use one arm like a shield, and once the dog has bitten you, you’ve got legs free to kick and stomp, as well as your strong arm to punch and attack back.

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Once the dog has bitten you, all bets are off. The dog is going to continue attacking unless you win the fight. But you’ve one important advantage. Your weight. Most people weigh three or four times an average dog’s weight, and my advice here would be to use it. Push forward and land on the dog, crushing it with your weight. You can easily break a dog’s ribs in this move alone, but it also puts you in a position of power to strike the dogs eyes, head, or to start stabbing it with your knife in what’s best described as the armpit. When putting this together I asked a friend who trains attack dogs for tricks in fighting back, and he said another good idea is to blind the dog. Covering their head with a shirt or a jacket can disorient it enough to get it to calm down as well. Or you could always try to grab the hind legs and lift it into the air, effectively stopping the dog’s ability to balance. GET CHECKED OUT Once the fight is over, there’s two things to do. I’d recommend going on a set of antibiotics to fight off any infection from the bite, and perhaps even start a rabies booster course just in case. You never know what caused that dog to attack you in the first place, and getting checked out at the hospital afterwards is a smart idea. Just because dogs can be intimidating doesn’t mean you’re going to lose in a fight, you just need to know the right way to fight back. The only caution I’d leave here is that a dog fight is messy, and you probably are going to end up bitten or worse. Do whatever you can to stop the fight escalating, but if it comes down to it use your size and weight as an advantage to pin the dog, and you’ll be in the a position to win.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019

CONVERTING A CAR BATTERY INTO A POWER SOURCE Keeping the lights on when the grid goes down is a step central to nearly every survivalist strategy I’ve ever come across. We rely on power for a wide variety of things, not to mention keeping the water in the shower hot, the food in our freezer frozen, and ensuring the conditions we’re living in are comfortable and convenient. Because of this most homesteads have a wide array of solar panels, wind turbines, and even generators to keep the electricity running when the SHTF. But sometimes it’s not enough. Perhaps you’ve evacuated your home and you’re in a temporary spot, and need a little light for the evening, or the system you setup has been completely knocked offline with the EMP charge that took out everything electrical in the vicinity. But there’s an option. You can tap a car battery as a power source. It won’t last forever of course, but in a pinch, it’ll be enough to give you a little light, or power a few essential tools (or charge the batteries you need). Personally, I’ve been using car batteries for power for a long time, we used them up at our old hunting cabin. And let me tell you, a little light can make all the difference in a crisis. WHAT YOU NEED TO PREPARE First up, you’re going to need to collect a few pieces of equipment.

“You can tap a car battery as a power source.…”

The first is of course, the battery you’re planning to use. It will need to have a charge, but if you’re raiding abandoned cars it shouldn’t take you long to find one that sparks when you test it. On our property, we’ve got a battery bank that connects up to our windmill turbine, I just need to connect the battery in, wait 24 hours for it to charge, then it’s good to go. Then you’re going to need an inverter. It’s a relatively simple piece of equipment but vital if you’re planning to use a car battery as a power source. It works by transforming the 12-volt DC current of the car battery into the 110 volts and the AC current you need to power most electronic appliances. There will be two alligator clips attached with a red and black cable to the inverter, these go on the respective battery terminals, and on the inverter will be a switch and a standard power outlet for you to connect in to. You’re also going to need whatever you’re going to power. Lights are probably best, as they have a very low draw and will run for many hours on a single charge, but you could also use this technique to run some power tools if you’re not near an outlet. I often take a battery and an inverter out when I’m working on my property, so I can keep the radio on while I work, and it also lets me plug in any other tools I need. HOOKING UP YOUR SYSTEM Because we’re working with electricity, it’s important you’re aware that this is also a potentially dangerous exercise, so be very careful. Crossing wires or touching both terminals at once can generate a shock, and one you’re probably wanting to avoid. Not to mention it can short out the battery and cause it to explode, and trust me, you do not want to be covered in the acid that’s inside a car battery. Now it’s just a matter of identifying the positive and negative terminals on your battery, and attaching the black alligator clip to the negative terminal, then the red alligator clip to the positive terminal. That’s it. You can plug in your device and it’ll work. P R E C AU T I O N S W I T H C A R BATTERIES It bears to mention that a single battery isn’t going to be able to output enough power to run something big, like an air conditioner or a fridge.

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This setup is best for using a single device, like a power tool, or running a lamp or a fan. Pulling too much power from the battery in a short time, like what happens if you use this setup to run a fridge, will overheat the battery and it’ll go flat. It may explode. Use it for a single device at a time, and for god’s sake don’t daisy chain all of your electronics in at once. It’ll ruin the battery. HOW TO DRAW MORE POWER If you’re wanting to power something a little bigger than a bedside lamp, I’ve good news, you can create a battery system that allows you to draw more power. All you need to do is wire multiple batteries together in parallel. This increases how much charge the batteries can hold, and also means you can draw more current from the system. It’s simple to do, just wire the negative terminals together, and the positive terminals together. Then connect the inverter to one set of terminals (usually on the end battery) and you’re good to go. You can wire many batteries together like this, and is a setup many of us homesteaders use to power our homes off-grid with large battery banks. Our alternative power sources like the wind turbine, the water turbine and our solar panels all feed into the system to keep these batteries charged, which connects into an inverter and a wiring setup we’ve installed in each room in our house. In a pinch, using a car battery as a power source is a quick and easy way to get a short charge of electricity when the SHTF. You just need to have an inverter handy so you can convert the current into the one you need for all your electronics, and it should provide more than enough power to keep a light on for a few nights at least. And by then, you can figure out a more sustainable, long term solution for your power needs.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019

HOMEMADE GUNPOWDER FOR THE SHTF Growing up in the country I’m surprised we didn’t get into more trouble than we did with everything we got up to. And one of my favorite things to make was gunpowder. We used it to help light fires in the wet, make small explosive devices for removing stumps and my grandfather even put us to work helping him to source the lead and materials he needed to create his own ammo. As I’ve gotten older, I can appreciate the risks we took, but I believe knowing how to make your own gunpowder is a smart move for any survivalist. Gunpowder gives you an edge. You can get a fire going with gunpowder. You can use it to create a few more rounds for your rifle. And more ammo means you can continue hunting long after the world’s gone to shit and the rule of law no longer applies.

Because one thing is for certain, you will run out of ammunition eventually, and when that happens all of your firearms have just become expensive paperweights. And that’s the last thing you want. Of course, compared to the commercially made stuff what you’ll be making at home isn’t quite as good, but it’s better than nothing. I should warn you though that this post today is highly dangerous, and extreme care should be taken when doing this at home. You will need a clean and wellventilated area to work, protection for yourself, your eyes and hands in particular, and of course, not do anything stupid like light up a cigarette while you’re working with highly flammable materials. Be very careful doing this yourself.

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Common sense, right? And it goes without saying that you’ll only ever use this knowledge for legal means, and you’re fully aware of the consequences you’ll face if you don’t. Right, let’s get to it.

“knowing how to make your own gunpowder is a smart move…”

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019 INGREDIENTS FOR HOMEMADE GUNPOWDER: • Potassium nitrate. Buy it at the store, or collect it at home by mixing urine and feces and scraping the white crust that forms after a few days. That’s potassium nitrate. • Charcoal. Burn a lump of sealed wood inside a sealed metal pot until the wood is converted into charcoal. It’s an easy process, or you can also buy it yourself. • Sulfur. It’s readily available at any gardening store, and you can sometimes even find it naturally in caves and other locations, just look for the rotten egg smell. \ You’ll also need to prepare: • Set of digital scales to accurately measure each ingredient • Plastic spoon to scoop the right amount of each ingredient • 2 x large plastic bowls to mix the ingredients together • Mortar and pestle to finely grind the gunpowder • Very fine mesh sieve to remove any clumps and lumps

cont. HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE GUNPOWDER Now I’m going to go ahead and assume you’ve been smart enough to buy everything from your local garden supply store, and it’s far easier than trying to erm, collect these yourself. First step is the grind. Pour each separate ingredient into your mortar and pestle, and grind it. The goal is to turn each ingredient into the finest powder possible. After a while, you can empty the collection bowl, and run it through your fine mesh sieve to strain out any lumps. Once I’ve done this two or three times, the resulting powder is more than fine enough. Second is the blend. With this step you need to carefully measure out the proportions of each ingredient. The ratio is 75% potassium nitrate, 15 % charcoal and 10% sulfur. So if you were planning to make 100 grams of gunpowder, you’d use 75 grans of potassium nitrate, 15 grams of charcoal, and 10 grams of sulfur, and then slowly mix the three ingredients together in a large plastic bowl.

Take your time, the better mixed it is, the better it will work. Third step is the sift. Using your fine mesh sieve, pour the whole mix through your sieve to remove any chunks that you might have missed, gently tapping and shaking it so the good gunpowder can fall through and collect in the second bowl. What y o u ’ l l h a ve c o l l e c t i n g i s y o u r gunpowder, and any chunks that managed to get stuck in the sieve can simply be discarded. What you’ve got now is a very high-quality homemade gunpowder. TESTING YOUR HOMEMADE GUNPOWDER But before you start using this in your ammunition or anything else, it’s important to test that you’ve got it right. Gunpowder should light and burn in a quick flash. If it doesn’t, or burns at a slow burn instead, somethings gone wrong and you’ll need to make another batch. You can test the quality of your gunpowder by taking a small spoon and spreading out a thin line of gunpowder on a nonflammable work bench.

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Then light it. Of course, this should be done with safety in mind so make sure you’ve got adequate protective gear and a fire extinguisher on hand, but what you’re looking for is a flash. The gunpowder should light up almost instantly and burn out just as quickly. That means you’ve done everything right, and once it’s compressed into a reloaded piece of ammo, or a tube you’re using for fireworks, it’ll go off with a bang. Now remember, we’re teaching you this because it’s an important bit of knowledge that could help you turn the tides on a bad situation. The Chinese became a superpower in ancient times because they were one of the first to properly master the use of gunpowder with their armies. When the SHTF, this bit of knowledge could help to ensure you’ve got the means to create an endless supply of ammunition, vital for keeping your family safe when there is danger at every corner, and you’ve not got a Walmart open for resupplies. Do not use this knowledge for anything illegal, and make sure you’ve taken adequate precautions when you’re making it. The ingredients are extremely volatile. Be safe people.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019

WHAT SURVIVAL GEAR TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON There’s no doubt that being a survivalist takes its toll on your wallet.

COMPARING YOUR NEEDS AND WANTS

You’ve got an almost endless amount of gear and equipment to buy, not to mention the cost of building your stockpile of food and water - so you’re ready to make it through whatever comes your way.

Of course, in an ideal world you would have the best of the very best survival gear. Top-of-the line products that you know are going to perform.

And I don’t know about you, but I’m not made of money. But even if I was, I’d still be thrifty with my money because it’s another level of security, financial security, that you’ve got when you have a healthy bank balance. So, I tend to look for deals when I’m on the hunt for new survival gear. As you can imagine, I’ve bought my fair share of “duds” over the years. Cheap products that not only fail when you actually try to use them, they’re downright dangerous to rely on. If my very life was at stake, these products could have ended it. Today, I’d like to share the wisdom I’ve come to appreciate with survival gear, and give you an insight on where your money is going to be best spent as you build your stockpile.

But they come at a cost, and much like everything in life, you will need to make a trade off. Consider what is a must-have product compared to a nice-to-have product. And spend your money wisely. Now, everyone’s going to have their own idea of what you’ve “got” to have as a survivalist, but in general it comes down to this. Think about every bit of gear you have, then consider what goes wrong when it fails. A cheap jacket that doesn’t keep you dry could be a death sentence in bad weather, while a cheap fire-starting kit is all you need to get a spark. Once you know what’s essential, you can spend your money accordingly. COMPARING QUALITY LEVELS Quality is another key aspect, you should buy the highest possible quality you can afford.

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There’s a story that highlights this well, known as Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness. In short, expensive boots last longer, so you actually save money by investing more in a quality product. High quality boots will last years instead of giving out in one or two, yet most people can only afford the cheap ones. Over time, replacing these cheap products again and again ends up costing you even more money.

“A cheap jacket… could be a death sentence”

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - SEPTEMBER 2019 cont. WHAT YOU SHOULD NEVER CHEAP OUT ON

FLASH LIGHTS

I’ve spent far more money than I’d ever like to admit to my wife on survival gear, but in my opinion these next categories are the key areas you should never cheap out on. If you do, you could be putting the health and safety of your entire family at risk.

For a time, it seemed I was always gifted cheap headlamps and torches. But one by one, they’ve all failed. Either the circuitry goes, the battery is drained faster than you could possibly imagine, or it has some other issue. Invest in a decent, waterproof torch and headlamp and ensure you’ve got a reliable source of light once the SHTF.

BUG OUT BAGS

WATER FILTERS

The starting point for any good survivalist, you need to ensure the bag you’re buying is not only tough and rugged enough to stand up to the wear you’ll put it through, but capable of fitting everything in, and staying comfortable on your back. Top of the line hiking packs are well worth the investment, and pay particular attention for double-stitched seams and heavyduty materials.

Reliable sources of water can be hard to find, and if you’ve not got a means to purify what you’re drinking you will get sick lightning fast, and that could even be the end of your story. Don’t cheap out on a water filter, and remember you’ll also need to regularly change the cartridges inside after you’ve put it to use.

KNIVES

When a crisis hits you’re going to be on your feet. Whether you’re lining up for a meal at the ration station to getting the hell out of dodge, you need to ensure your feet are supported, and taken care of, in a good quality pair of hiking boots.

Choosing a good, sturdy knife is one of the most important decisions you’ll make, as it’ll likely be the survival tool you use the most out of all your gear. Everything from cutting limbs for shelter building, making traps, and cleaning your kills, it needs to fit comfortably in your hand, hold a decent edge, and be tough enough to stand up to daily use.

HIKING BOOTS

Oh, and make sure you break them in before you need them, the last thing you want is to be laid up with blisters when you need to evacuate.

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AMMUNITION Yes, ammo can get expensive fast and that’s why many preppers opt to stock up on lower-quality ammunition. But let me tell you, as someone who’s shot tens of thousands of rounds at the range, you do not want to cheap out on ammo. It’ll always fail, eventually, and if you’re in a firefight or relying on your handgun for defense, that could be the ticket that seals your fate. MEDICINE AND FIRST AID SUPPLIES Every man and his dog seem to recommend going cheap on medical supplies. I’ve lost count of the amount of blog posts telling you to stock up on “fish antibiotics” because they are apparently just as good. Come on. In reality, you don’t want no-name (or even veterinary-grade) supplies when you’re sick and dying. Buy proper drugs so you can trust they’ll work as needed. If your survival stockpile is full of cheap gear, you may want to re-evaluate some of your purchases to ensure what you’ve prepared will actually stand up to daily use when the SHTF. Because when it all goes down if you can’t rely on your gear, what’s the point of being prepared in the first place?