SURVIVALRECON

5 Quick Tips on Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse

2011-11-28T14:13:00.001-06:00

Stop screaming like a little sissy and use your head. With these 5 simple rules, you can increase your chances of avoiding becoming zombie food.

Fight back to back. 3 or more armed people can cover any expanse by rotating in a circle, with their eyes facing directly ahead. This will avoid any surprise attacks and friendly fire.
Know your enemy. Yes, there is an army of undead out there trying to kill you, that much is a known. What is often times forgotten, in the heat of the moment, is the unseen enemy. There will still be bad people in the apocalyptic world waiting to capitalize on your mistakes. There will also be bat-shit-crazy psychos who can't handle the new world that has been over-run by the undead. The point here is to know who to trust and bring into your confidence.
Get the right weapons. This is oft debated in any good zombie apocalypse discussion, but that's because it's so true. You are going to need the right weapon for the job. You can start this explorative journey by checking out Weapons of Choice for the Zombie Apocalypse.
Dress appropriately. Something a bit more than board shorts, flip flops and a wife-beater t-shirt will be needed here. We understand that platemail armor and full riot-gear kevlar may not be available, but shoot for something like a leather jacket, cargo pants and boots. You want to make it as tough for those suckers to take a bite out of you as possible.
Bring along Fido. We have an excellent article about man's best friend as a survival companion here, but here's the low-down just in case you are saving that one for later. In the event of a zombie apocalypse, the chances that Fido will be vulnerable to the virus are slim. Cross zoological contamination is a very rare event in mother nature. This is a brainiacs way of saying birds get bird diseases, dogs get dog diseases, and humans generally just get human diseases.

Hope this help and always remember: keep fighting the good fight!

Intestinal Parasites - Die Worms Die!!!

2011-11-23T10:33:00.000-06:00

Not only is something wrong with your poop, but you feel like poop too. It's O.K., we've got your back with a few tips on common symptoms and what to do about it. Please understand, often times the cure to something can be as painful or uncomfortable as the problem itself, but it's necessary. Now, keeping that in mind, let's get down to business!

Symptoms:
We know this is going to sound like one of those prescription drug commercials that scares the shit out of you because of all the possible side effects, but just to cover the bases let's throw out all of the symptoms you could experience if you have intestinal parasites. You could experience any or all of the following: constipation, diharrhea, gas and bloating, irritable bowels, joint & muscle aches, anemia, skin conditions like rashes, allergies to certain foods, lumpy tumors in your abdomen, nervous ticks, sleep deprivation, abnormal grinding of your teeth, and chronic fatigue.

While all of these symptoms are serious, diharrhea is especially dangerous in any survival situation because it dehydrates you and the number 1 rule of survival is to stay hydrated.

Treatments:

A treatment, in the case of an intestinal parasite, is any act that changes the environment of the intestine where the parasite is living. The treatment is used so that the environmental shift may help pass the parasite through the intestinal tract and out of the body. Yuck.

While proper hygiene and food preparation are always the first lines of defense towards these nasty critters, here are some on-the-go remedies that will definitely change your intestinal environment long enough to emancipate yourself.

Mix 4 tablespoons of salt with a quart of water and drink it down like a champ. We do not recommend repeating this treatment. You will thank us later after you try it the first time.
Drink 2 tablespoons of kerosene. This can be repeated every 48 hours until you kill the parasite or you decide to smoke a cigarette. Please check out our highly informative burn treatment article here if you choose the latter.
Eat as many hot peppers as you can get your hands on. A steady diet of these will not only kill your tastebuds, but those pesky worms as well.

Do you think these tips are effective? Do you have any other suggestions on what to do?

We'd love to hear your comments!

Preventative Measures: Six Survival Basics

2011-11-22T11:54:00.010-06:00

Taking preventative measures now is one of the most important things you can do to effectively survive any apocalypse whether it be one of a zombie nature, hellfire and brimstone, or just an average run of the mill berserker rampage by mother nature. Today we have put together a starter guide to help you in your quest to be as badass as you can be.

"Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

One of the biggest secrets in any survival situation is that if you never get sick or injured, you are already ahead of the person who failed to read this blog. Below we have listed what we like to think of as the six basics of preventative measures. These will help keep you alive which is way, way better than being dead.

Adequate Nutrition - You will want to keep yourself well fed and hydrated with clean water. You body will be able to fight off infection and heal wounds faster if your energy reserves are kept at a high level. We will have more in future articles on how to find sources of fresh water in a survival situation, but for now, please check out our fantastic squirrel stew for ideas on supper.

Rest - This goes hand in hand with nutrition. An unrested mind is one of the most dangerous forces at play in a survival situation. You can and will be your own worst enemy. Without sleep you will make more mistakes than you would if well rested. Mistakes will lead to cuts and bruises at best and death at worst. Always remember: death is bad. Avoid death.
Personal Hygiene - It's not just a good suggestion your momma gave you, but it will save your life. Washing your hands and bathing will clear harmful bacteria from your skin that can either make you sick if ingested or infect wounds on your skin.
Immunizations - Make sure you are up to date on shots and immunizations. If you have a regular physician (recommended) they can tell you when and if you need any shots. Even if you shy away from flu vaccinations which might or might not be a bad thing (but that's another debate), you still want to make sure you are immunized from common diseases and viruses. You know... like chicken pox and stuff like that.

Dental Hygiene - Some of us are more scared of the dentist than others, but detal hygiene is one of the most important things you can keep up to date on. Not only will cavities hurt like hell, but if left unattended, they can become infected and cause you all sorts of problems. Gum disease can even lead to eventual heart problems if left unmonitored. So suck it up and go get them perty yellows scrubbed clean.
Adequate Shelter - For ideas on a quick solution check out our excellent Lean-To article. Why are shelters important you might ask? Well, read the article and you will find out some specifics but basically the elements will kill you. You want to stay as protected from them as possible so you can enjoy some of the previously mentioned essentials like rest and personal hygiene.

Knowledge is a currency that will never fade.

Cheers!

Offbeat Fridays: Dinosaur Humor

2011-11-18T08:30:00.001-06:00

Today's blog is short and sweet but serves as a reminder for us all to always think ahead and be prepared.

Stay tuned for next week's edition of Offbeat Friday's featuring: Surviving Black Friday.

Cheers!

Man's Best Friend - The Ultimate Survival Companion

2011-11-17T01:00:00.001-06:00

It is estimated that the common dog was domesticated from gray wolves approximately 15,000 years ago. Apparently ancient man, at that point in time, had grown tired of being constantly bitten in the ass on long hunts or worse yet, eaten alive after falling ill away from their tribes. Instead of chasing away their four legged counterparts with large tree stumps, they began talking to them, feeding them, and providing them with shelter. This is what is referred to as domestication and through that domestication, dogs ended up being used in vital roles such as hunting, herding, pulling loads, and even protection.

As a project of SurvivalRecon, one of the things we wanted to do was to examine ancient civilizations and early man to analyze their survival techniques and tricks. Upon doing that, one of the very first things we noticed was the extensive inclusion of domesticated animals in their daily lives. Because of this fact, we feel that when a situation arises (such as the collapse of society as we know it) that would call for individuals to take survival into their own hands, knowing how these ancient people survived would be valuable knowledge.

In today's piece, we wanted to explore the inclusion of dogs in a survival scenario. To do that, we will talk a little about some of the reasons we think you should have them along for your apocalyptic ride. Some important things to consider are: threat deterrent and close quarters combat, early warning security, hunting and tracking, as well as simple companionship.

Zombie is yuummmmm.

A dog has 42 teeth compared to a human's 32. The dog comes equipped with 12 incisors, 4 elongated canines, 16 premolars, and 10 molars. This means Fido can do a hell of a lot more damage than you can by biting the enemy. They can also move faster than you can and clamp on to the forearm or leg of whoever you are fighting, be it uninvited guest or even hungry zombie. What's even better is that being animals ourselves, humans are naturally well aware of this fact. A snarling dog is an excellent deterrent and a formidable close quarters combat companion. If you don't believe it, just take a look at the military and police forces. They don't use attack dogs just because they think it's cool.

The average dog's senses are better at detection than any home security (or shabby lean-to depending on your circumstance) that you could buy. While a dog's hearing, contrary to popular belief, cannot pick up sounds from farther away than humans, it can detect much higher frequency and pinpoint the direction of origin much better than we can. But that's not even the most impressive thing about your furry companion. The real kicker is a dog's sense of smell. You see, Fido relies on his schnozzer more than you do your eyes. In fact, a dog's sense of smell on average is over 7,000 times more powerful than that of a human. Yes, you read that right. And you know what else that means? It means he can smell your enemies before you could ever hear them, see them, or even imagine they were there. Talk about a perfect early warning system! Oh, and this helps a lot when you are out hunting for a squirrel for supper too.

For all the physical and sensory reasons we listed above, your dog is excellent to have with you for early warning security, fighting, and hunting. The intangibles, however, are the fact that Fido is just a good companion to help keep you warm at night too. For decades, the therapeutic effects that dogs can have on their owners have been well documented. Just reaching your hand down and petting Fido has been proven to lower blood pressure and release endorphins in the brain. We believe that relaxation like that will be a premium when the shit hits the fan. It's not like you are going to be able to run into the local masseuse to work out that stress...

Let us know what you think about the article in the comment section below. We'd love to hear your opinions on the topic!

SIDENOTE: SurvivalRecon is a passionate supporter for animal rescue and adoption efforts. Dogs have a right to survive too! :) As such, if you are looking to adopt a dog in the Nashville, TN area, then we would highly recommend Agape Animal Rescue. Please check your local listings or search on Google for other wonderful rescue and adoption organizations in your area if you are outside the state of Tennessee.

That SOB Bit Me! (snake bites)

2011-11-16T06:30:00.002-06:00

Snake bites are not only annoying and painful, but they can even make you dead.

What we will explore here is a quick what-to-do and what-not-to-do guide on handling snake bites. The important thing to remember going into this is that your survival success increases greatly with how calm you remain. And we mean this literally. The more excited you become, the faster your heart-rate increases and this has an extraordinarily negative impact on how quickly the venom spreads through your body. So CHILL OUT.

O.K., now that we have calmed ourselves, you should know that while this guide is directed specifically towards venomous bites, non-venomous snake bites can be very dangerous in their own right due to the propensity of them becoming infected. This is a fact that isn't very well known and could save your life. So no matter what sort of snake bites you, clean the wound with soap and water then follow these steps:

What-to-do:

If possible, immediately try to lightly clean the affected area with soap and water. This might not be an option, but if possible it is a good idea. At the very least you will want to run water over the wound to try and cool the area and slow the spread of the venom and swelling.
Immobilize the area of your body where you have been bitten below your heart level if possible. Hopefully you were not bitten in the face like the nincompoop in the opening caption.
Remove any jewelry, rings, or articles of clothing that will be affected by the inevitiable swelling to come.
Using pieces of your shirt, pants leg, or any other readily available material - constrict the affected area right around 3 inches above the wound and in between it and your heart (if possible). You will want to keep in front of the swelling by moving this constrictive band as needed. Be sure you are able to place a finger in between the bandage and the skin so as to not cut off circulation.
Pop an aspirin if available, this will help with the pain (along with your colorful metaphors) and decrease the swelling.

What-not-to-do

In the event of a snake bite, the last thing you want to do is ingest stimulants like alcohol, tea, or coffee and avoid smoking tobacco. These thin your blood and will allow the venom easy passage throughout your body.
Do NOT cut the wound and try to suck the venom out like those cowboys you've seen on television. This is for two reasons. 1) Cutting the wound can lead to increased damage by allowing the toxins further access into the body and 2) You don't want to poison the person yourself (or the person that is trying to help you) by ingesting the venom.

Ouch, That Was Hot!!! (Burns)

2011-11-15T10:06:00.001-06:00

So... you obviously failed to listen when your momma explained the burners on the stove were hot. If by chance this is not the case, then we also acknowledge that you are probably NOT a hard-headed moron and may, in fact, just be searching for some information. Maybe you are just reading this article to figure out what to do in case you burn yourself and cannot make it to a hospital, or if said hospital has been destroyed during a zombie apocalypse? Whatever the case may be, we can help you.

There are three critical characteristics of burns in a survival situation.

They hurt like hell
They can cause severe dehydration
They can become infected very easily

Now that we understand the nature of the beast, let's explore how to manage the suckage that has befallen you. To do that, let us start by saying that you should never apply grease, ointments, or fats to the burned area of your body. These substances will create an impermeable barrier that will hinder the healing process.

After being burned, you should immediately remove any clothing and jewelry near the burned area that may cut off circulation after the wound swells. For all you jungle fashion freaks out there we want to clarify that by "remove any clothing" we mean cut it away and not simply pulling it off over the burned area. In the survival world, that is what we like to call "counter productive". Pulling the clothes over a damaged area may intensify both pain and chances of infection needlessly.

Next, you want to apply cool water to the burned area of the body. This will help soothe the pain a bit and minimize the tissue damage.

To dress the wound, you want to apply clean rags which have been soaked in a boiling tannic acid solution. Trust us here. We know putting acid on a burn sounds ludicrous, but this stuff is going to fight off the infection. Tannic acid may be harvested from a number of natural items including the inner back of a hardwood tree, tea leaves, or acorns. You want to boil these ingredients for about 10 minutes with the rag you are going to apply. NOTE: You want to allow your tannic acid to cool before slapping the steaming hot rag on your wound. This should be pretty common sense, but we have to throw it out there anyway.

If you have aspirin handy, this would be a good time to pop one for pain management.

To keep hydrated, you want to drink at least a quart of fresh water every 8 hours. We recommend adding about a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the water for a little extra oomph in the healing process.

Home Sweet Home - The Lean-To Shelter

2011-11-14T12:06:00.001-06:00

One of the most important aspects of survival out in the wilderness will be building a proper shelter from the elements. Some of the most simple shelters are called lean-tos and there are many varieties. Today, however, we will be focusing on one in particular which is the double-sided lean-to.

Before you start to build, the main factor you want to consider is the wind. The wind should be at the back side point, or at very best one side of your lean-to. You do not want the wind blowing into the front of your new home because that defeats the whole purpose of the project...

Here are the steps:

1. Find a sapling that you can use for the backbone of your lean-to that is about 10 to 12 feet in length and at least 3 inches in diameter.

2. Scower the area for branches that are at least 1-2 inches in diameter and range from 6 feet down to 1 foot in length. You want 2 of each. (2) 6 foot saplings, (2) 5 foot saplings and on down, for a total of 12 saplings which will become your lashing posts. This will create the frame for your lean-to.

3. Hunt for material to use as the siding (thatching) of your lean-to. This is totally dependent upon your area, but examples could range from grass stalks, to ferns, to large leaves. This could even be tarps or ponchos if you have extras in your supplies.

4. Find a tree with a forked branch about 5 to 6 feet up off of the ground. You want to make sure the tree you are using does not have any holes at it's root structure where vermin or snakes could be hiding.

5. Place your backbone sapling in the fork of the tree and position the foot into the wind. Lash the end of the sapling to the branches to the sides of the fork.

6. Place your lashing saplings in descending order starting about 2 feet down from the fork and work your way down the backbone, securing each of the ends to the backbone support. You want to leave a few feet from the fork to make room for you and your equipment to fit inside your lean-to.

7. Start attaching your thatching (the leaves, or ponchos, or whatever else you managed to find) to the framework of your lean-to. If you have string, it helps here because you can run it in between your lashing posts, if not, that's alright too. The important thing to remember is to start at the ground and work your way up so that the thatching overlaps itself. This makes the rain roll down the sides of the lean-to rather than leaking through on top of you.

8. Go check out other areas of this blog to see what to do about dinner and finding water. Just chilling in your new grotto won't cut it, unfortunately.

Offbeat Fridays: Behind Enemy Lines

2011-11-11T09:38:00.001-06:00

Surviving a trip to a rival stadium

Today's piece will focus on what you need to do to get in, enjoy yourself, and get out in one piece when visiting a rival sports venue. Most of us, who are passionate about one team or another, have found ourselves in situations like this on more than one occasion, so we've decided to pull together a few tips and tricks to help out those of you who haven't. This piece is especially important if you're visiting team just kicked the home team's ass.

Rival games are some of the fiercest competitions a sports team faces on a year end and year out basis. Fanatical followers of these teams (AKA fans) make the sojourns into enemy territories each year to see their teams compete and bask in the glory of their success or choke on the bitter pill of defeat.

On many occasions, unless proper protocol is followed, those sojourns can be unnerving at best, and downright painful at worst.

You see fanatics, by definition, have a nasty habit of living their lives vicariously through their chosen weekend warriors. They often take on the persona of their teams (and depending on how the season is going) can either be overbearing & pompous asses or bratty pissants. There is never a middle ground, and if there is, the fanatic in question has probably passed the age threshold where hormones trump reason.

Here are a few basic rules to live by if you want to make it through the tailgate, survive the game, walk back to your car in peace, and safely get back to your hotel unscathed.

Rule #1 (the tailgate): Share. That's right, share your stuff. It is important to make allies with those around your immediate area if you want all your stuff to remain relatively unaltered while you are in the game. This doesn't mean you have to make burgers for everyone, but the least you could do is have some chips and salsa or a bowl of candy out for people to grab. Even better, bring a keg of beer. Beer has been uniting humanity for over 10,000 years and helped to form the foundations of civilization. A tool of this magnitude should not be easily dismissed.

Rule #2 (surviving the game): Don't be an asshole. It's O.K. to cheer for your team, but when your 310lb. defensive lineman just broke their quarterback in half, sit your ass down. Do a mini-fist pump if you absolutely must, but even then, try to look like you were reaching down for your nachos or something...

Rule #3 (back to you car): Change shirts. A lot of people don't think about this beforehand, but we absolutely feel it is necessary to wear a neutral colored shirt under your jersey for the walk back to your car. This is not, and we repeat, not absolutely necessary if your team loses, but if you just kicked their team's ass you might want to refrain from rubbing it in their faces. Drunk people coming down off a 3 and a half hour detox, especially watching what they are passionate about go down in the flames of a burning dumpster fire, are often not rational. If you are incognito, they will probably run past you to take out their aggression elsewhere.

Rule #4 (the drive out): Take all that shit off your car that associates you with your team. Take the magnetics off the side; try to rub the white writing you artistically styled (pre-game) off the windshield, and take down those wind flags that roll up in your windows. You really can't help the paintjob, but the key here is to do everything you can. Even if you lost, this is still a good idea. Drunk people like to heckle. On the other hand, if you love confrontation, feel free to ignore rule #4 and drive your family Suburban right up the ass of that idiot mooning you in the middle of the street.

Disclaimer: SurvivalRecon is not responsible for any negative impact you may experience by adhering to our advice, or lack thereof. If it works, great, it's worked for us in the past. If it doesn't work and the guy you tried to run through with your Suburban ends up breaking your leg, please check out this informative article: So You've Broken Something, Now What?

Spicy Squirrel Stew

2011-11-10T12:27:00.001-06:00

Out in the wilderness, small game will be the proverbial bread and butter of your survival. We'll ease you into it with a nice squirrel stew instead of the rat burgers we had planned.

The good thing about squirrels is that they breed like their distant rabbit cousins so there should be an ample supply. Another good thing to note is that tree and ground squirrels both are active year round, although it becomes considerably harder to find them in their nests during the winter months.

Squirrels are pretty easy to hunt considering they may be captured with snares or traps in addition to using small firearms.

For today's recipe, and without further adieu, we proudly present our stew.

These ingredients are somewhat interchangeable, but here are the basics:

2 Squirrels
2 qt Boiling Water
2 Cups of Corn
2 or 3 Sliced Potatoes
1 Medium Onion, sliced
1 tb each of salt/sugar
1/2 tb of cayenne pepper
4 tb Butter

Clean and prepare the squirrels as you would any other game. Cut the squirrel meat into pieces about the size of a blueberry. Boil with all ingredients (except butter) combined in a pot for about 4-5 minutes, then cover and simmer for 2 hours. Remove lid, stir in your butter and serve to all your happy houseguests. (Which hopefully aren't many considering you only cooked 2 squirrels.)

Crossover Complete

2011-11-09T21:34:00.001-06:00

It's still a work in progress, but we've successfully managed to bring over most of the blog.
Still a few kinks to work out, but we're working on it :)
Stay tuned!

Oh, and in the meantime, please enjoy a message from Bob.

Featured Partnership: Children's Miracle Network

2011-11-09T09:16:00.001-06:00

Hey peeps,

SurvivalRecon is excited to announce that we will be featuring new partnerships periodically through the SocialVibe widget of Wordpress! We want to give each of our partnerships enough coverage time to help with their overall goals, so we will be running in 3 month increments. You can learn more about these goals and how to give your support by clicking on the link we have provided at the bottom left of the blog. What's even better about these charity sponsorships is that you can participate absolutely free of charge. Please check out the widget for further information on how you can help.

For this quarter, we have decided on the Children's Miracle Network. This is a fantastic organization dedicated to helping sick and injured children throughout the United States and Canada. Here is a clipping about the CMN directly from the Better Business Bureau's website:

CMN is an alliance of children's hospitals throughout the United States and Canada. CMN serves its member hospitals by raising funds and awareness of health care needs of children and youth and the people and institutions that care for them. CMN's public education program develops, produces, broadcasts and promotes an annual television broadcast and other informational materials which inform the public on issues concerning health, welfare, and development needs of children. With the network support/professional education program, CMN develops relationships with corporate partners to create fund raising programs including employee and customer donations, coin canisters, walks, golf tournaments, bake sales, etc. Participating hospitals use funds raised for new equipment, capital expansion, patient services, research programs, and health education programs. CMN also develops community education programs making them available to participating children's hospitals.

We thought this charity would be a fitting way to kick off the feature since children are our most basic, and cherished means of survival as a species. Please help out by checking back with the featured charity's activity list regularly.

Thanks - SR

Roots, Leaves, Nuts, and Bugs: It's What's For Dinner!

2011-11-09T08:44:00.000-06:00

Here is a short list we've compiled to help you decide what's on the menu when you are inevitibly caught out in the middle of nowhere without anything to eat. We've even added a couple of pictures to help wet those palettes! YUM. On a serious note though, the main thing you are going to need for survival purposes are protein's and fats. Plants, nuts, and bugs have an abundance of both.

EDITOR'S NOTE: this particular blog is geared towards the indigeanous species of North America. We tried to pick a wide variety to cover as large of a geographical footprint as possible, but this list is far from all-inclusive. Also, while note technically "recipes", these are the basic ingredients you will need to cook some of them.

PLANTS: (here's the easy part)

Dandelion - You want to go for the smaller "young" leaves here because the older ones are bitter. Do NOT eatthe stems or flowers of this plant, only the small leaves. Fry in a pan with cooking oil. Add water if it gets too dry and season with salt/pepper.

Cattails - These are found mainly in swampy areas, but the important thing here to remember is that basicallythe entire plant is edible. From the roots, to the shoots, to the pollen heads, you can fill that hungry belly up for sure with this main-stay of any survivalist. Fry the pollen heads in a pan, or eat the roots and shoots raw.

Grass - We aren't talking about reefer, although it is edible as well, but moreso the stuff you walk on, or cut with your lawnmower. All grasses are edible, however you need to remember that you want to suck out thejuices of the blades and spit out the undigestable fibers or you will be spending most of your time taking a squat rather than foraging. If you really want substanance in your belly though, you can take the small white part of the stem that meets the root (called a root corm) and roast it like a potato if you want.

Acorns - Contrary to popular belief, the nuts produced by oak trees are not poisoness. They do, hoever, possess avery bitter tannic acid which should be removed before eating. To remove the acids, the acorns should either be filtered with running water over at least 24 hours, or boiled several times. The nuts themselves provide an excellent source of proteins, fats, and calories.

BUGS: (oh come on, it's better than death, right?)

Worms - Not just the basis of any good witches stew, these suckers are also a survivalist's slimy dream. What's even better is the wide variety you get to choose from without any fear of poison. So far, nobody has discovered a poisoness worm in North America, YAY!! Looks for these under rocks or in rotted tree limbs/stumps.

Grasshoppers - The most annoying part about this grand hunt will be catching them. We suggest using your shirt as a net.

Crickets - Good for fishing and consumption, these guys have been a staple of "low man on the totem pole" for human endeavors for years. Mix with water, close your eyes, and pretend you just bought a box of Captain Crunch!

Ants - While the chocolate covered assortment won't be readily available, these little guys will still be crawling all over the place. We recommend the common black ants, rather than the red fire ants. Go ahead and try them both though, if you like, and let us know in the comment section what you liked/disliked about either. :)

That's all for today folks, we look forward to hearing from you and there will be more on survival recipes to come!

Surviving a Winter Wonderland in Your Car

2011-11-09T08:43:00.000-06:00

Being stuck out in the middle of nowhere in the snow can be really bad for your health, as in fatal.

With the winter season almost on top of us, we thought it would be important to briefly cover a scenario many of us might actually face in our lifetimes. You know, the one where you were going to take the kids out to grandma's for the weekend for a surprise visit? Well, that right there is the problem, first of all. You shouldn't be taking surprise visits in very cold temperatures and we will explain why below. Oh, and just in case you were wondering, even in situations where you've covered your bases, you still might find yourself in a rogue snowstorm that wasn't expected. We've got your back on that one too.

First of all, what we said about surprise visits isn't entirely accurate. It's O.K. to surprise grandma as long as SOMEONE knows where you are and what you are doing, whether it's a friend or even someone at work.

Preparing for a snowstorm in your car is a lot like writing an essay for school. You want to tell someone when you are leaving, where you are going, who is with you, what you will be doing, and when you are going to be back home. A good example of this would be: Wallace and I are gonna hit the road in the morning to pick up grandma from the occupy wall street protest because due to her alzheimer's, and much like all the other Occupiers, she has forgotten her true agenda. We'll be in New York for two days and will be heading back on Monday. We are probably going to stop by Washington D.C. on the way back for a few beers and an autograph from the Taco guy on 5th and Broad and should be back in town on Tuesday. We're going to be taking the interstate up there and back.

Now that you've established the 5-W's of what we like to call "travel common sense", you can even go one step further and actually dress for the cold weather trip. This is where a lot of people screw up because they figure they will be warm enough with the heater in the car. Wrong. Even if you don't wear them, at least pack some winter clothes in your trunk along with a nice heavy blanket or sleeping bag. For all you Floridians reading this blog who have no idea that temperatures actually drop below 60 degrees in the winter, trust us - they do. You should also take head of this advice if traveling up North. Winter gear consists of boots & socks, coats, gloves, and hoodies. You also want to keep an emergency kit first aid kit in your car at all times, regardless of the season.

See? Simple enough. Also, remember that if the weather suddenly takes a nose dive before your trip, do the smart thing and just stay home. Don't try to be an interstate hero. You will thank us later for it.

Now that you know what to do before you leave, let's take a look at two simple things to remember while you are actually on the road:

1. Always(and we repeat) - always stay on the main roads. Emergency personnel will scour these routes first and foremost.

2. For the love of all things good and holy do NOT run your car engine to keep warm. It's all fun and games until the muffler gets covered by snow. Then your screwed, done for, kaput. Once the muffler gets blocked, your lungs will fill with carbon monoxide. At that point, being cold will be the least of your worries.

More on preparedness will surely follow :)

Hope you guys enjoyed the article.

Homemade Gasmask

2011-11-09T08:40:00.000-06:00

So we were perusing some old articles and found a particularly interesting one dating back to 1942 by Time magazine. We'd like to resurrect that idea into modern times, but first, let's explore a caption from the original article:

"Homemade Gas Masks"
Monday, Sep. 07, 1942, Time Magazine
An emergency gas mask that can be made at home was demonstrated in Manhattan last week by the American Women's Voluntary Services. The necessary materials can be found in almost any house: a bathing cap, a small tin can, the transparent cover from a powder-puff box, a bit of wire net (from fly swatters), two handkerchiefs, elastic ribbon, adhesive tape, and (from the drugstore) a few ounces of activated coconut charcoal and soda lime. The principle behind the homemade mask is simple; the assembly is more difficult. The rubber cap is fitted snugly over the face and two holes are cut in it; one for the powder-puff cover (to look through), one for the tin-can respirator. The ends of the can are removed, replaced with the wire net. Inside the can go the chemicals (two parts activated charcoal, one part soda lime) wrapped in the handkerchiefs. All openings in the cap are hermetically sealed with adhesive tape. An elastic-ribbon harness holds the mask on tight. An alternative model makes use of rubber baby pants (see cut) instead of the bathing cap.

Alright, so what we learned is that people had some pretty whacked out "common" household swag in 1942. I mean seriously, a bathing cap? Oh, and what the hell is a powder-puff box? Wow.

Anyway, check it, this is what you are going to need as far as common items found in a 2011 household: (and unlike 1942 when they tried to make shit difficult apparently, this is easy)

1. A two liter soda bottle, like the dude has on his face in the first picture.

2. Two pieces of screen. One needs to be about the size of a door knob and the other as big around as the two liter. Hint: You can probably find this somewhere on the giant screen door on the front of your house. If you don't have one of these, we regret to inform you that you are wasting electricity needlessly in the Fall and Spring anyway and we would like you to try and survive the catastrophe WITHOUT the aid of this tutorial. Thank you.

3. A sock. Preferably clean unless you want to smell feet, but in the event that the shit has really hit the fan, who cares?

4. Some wire, or rope, or whatever the hell you want to use to tie the two liter bottle to your face. Have fun and remember: always be fashionable in the event of a major catastrophe, you never know you you will run into (or away from) out on the streets. <----sarcasm. Eventually we won't have to point this out.

5. Some duck tape.

Stuff you will need that you WON'T find in your household, if you are 95.3% of the population reading this article: (NOTE: Get this from a pharmacy owned/operated by an old person)

1. Activated coconut charcoal

2. Lime Soda

Assembly instructions:

1. Cut the bottom of the two liter off and cut a v-shaped section out all the way up the bottle, stopping at the tapered part of the bottle.

2. Tape the smaller screen to the original opening of the two liter bottle, where you twisted off the top.

3. Put two parts of charcoal to one part lime soda in your sock. Note: We don't know why this shit works because we aren't physicists, but if it worked during all that insanity of WWII, then it's good enough for us.

4. Tape the sock closed and place it in the two liter bottle in the uncut section where you taped the smaller screen.

5. Place the larger screen piece over the sock and try to tape it off.

6. Cut small holes in the side flaps of the bottle (where you cut out the v-shaped section) and attach the wire or rope, or string, or rubber bands, or whatever you found to it. (see photo above the article)

7. Put the mask on your face and post a comment in the comment section of this blog to let us know we saved your ass.

DISCLAIMER: This is a two-liter bottle gas-mask. This is NOT a marvel of engineering brilliance, but a simple tool designed to HELP you survive. If you experience leaks (which you will) hopefully it will not be enough to kill you.

So You've Broken Something. Now What?

2011-11-09T08:38:00.000-06:00

Since you are pre-emptively reading this blog and aren't lying in the middle of the forest somewhere, wondering what the hell you are going to do - you are one of the smart AND lucky ones. Let's just get right down to the nitty gritty.

Broken bones suck. There is no way around that. They are a gigantic inconvenience, especially in a life or death survival situation, and they hurt like hell.

An important thing to note, before going further, is that there are two types of broken bones (we know right? as if one wasn't enough). There are what are known as open, and closed fractures. This is going to sound really gross, but open fractures are "compound" fractures that involve the bone breaking through the skin. A good example of this can be found when Jeff Goldblum totally screwed up that lumberjack's arm in The Fly. The closed fracture, on the otherhand, is not nearly as gory and saves you a step in the healing process.

One of the most important things to remember with any fracture is that it needs to be immobilized. Other than the fact that it will be throbbing with pain if you poke it or try to walk on it, the smart reason to do this is because without splints, fractures can either sever or compress vital nerve endings or blood vessels in your body. You don't want either of these things happening, trust us on this one.

Splint prep for an extremity such as a finger, arm, or leg will consist of two pieces of sturdy material as well as a binding agent. That is a fancy way of saying two sticks and your t-shirt if you are stuck out in the woods, just an FYI.

There are two steps you will need to take and/or maintain before setting your splint. The first is setting the bone. You aren't going to like it, and it won't feel good, but unless you want a really weird looking finger, arm, leg or whatever post-healing, you will want to do this. Setting just means putting the pieces back where they belong, usually through loud cursing and lots of pulling. The second thing you will need to maintain with the help of your splint is what is called traction. Traction is holding the bone where it needs to be so it can heal properly.

Fingers and arms are a bit "easier" since you will still be able to walk, so we'll just quickly run you through how to take care of a leg instead.

Find two branches with forked ends that are about the size of a large shotgun shell in diameter. One of them needs to run from your armpit all the way down your side and past the point of the break. See the picture at the top right for a visual. In that instance it needed to go past the foot.
Reinforce the splints with padding, this could be a shirt or even leaves if you are in a real pinch. Notch the un-forked end and attach a crossbar the same thickness as your branches on the end.
With a ripped t-shirt, vines, rope etc., attached the two splints to the outside of the body and the inside of the leg, as illustrated in the picture above. Also attached a strap running around the ankle to the crossbar.
This part is really going to suck, but is totally needed so here it goes.... Take a stick and slide it in between the strap holding your ankle to the crossbar and start twisting until the broken leg is as long, or even slightly (SLIGHTLY) longer than the unbroken leg. We know this sounds very Saw IIIish, but the bone will not heal properly without this technique.
Lash the stick you twisted to the main traction and feel free to pass out for a bit. You could probably use the nap at this point.

So there you have it. Pretty simple, right?
Stay tuned!

Weapons of Choice for the Zombie Apocalypse (inevitable mind you)

2011-11-09T08:33:00.000-06:00

Hello peeps!

In today's blog we will explore the age old question of what are the best weapons for surviving the zombie apocalypse, from this time forward to be known as the ZAPOC or something else like that which happens to be shorter to type rather than zombie apocalypse over, and over. You younger whipper-snappers are pretty good at shortening words with all that texting jive these days... so have at it!

Anyway, what this discussion basically boils down to is melee versus guns. Or as we like to think about it - finesse versus flare. The objective of this blog will be to take a common sense approach to which is better. Later (in followup blogs) we will explore top 5 or 10 options to each side of the arguement, but for now, let's think about which is the best option and why. We are quite positive that this topic will be rehashed and revisited, but for now, let's just establish some ground work.

Ok, from what we know about zombies they will most likely be mean, hard to kill unless their central nervous system is rendered inoperable, insatiably hungry, and attracted to loud noises. Why loud noises you ask? Because that's how predators hunt. Sound, in almost every instance, is a far superior hunting tool than any other sense (closely followed by smell). Just look at the top predators like lions, tigers and bears, oh my. Upright, conical ears that are facing forward or on a constant swivel to detect even the faintest of movements. Then you have the ultimate night predator in bats which rely almost completely on their sonic hearing. It's easy to see how sound will play a huge role in the ZAPOC. (<--- see what we did there?) We're going one step further and shortening to ZAP. So take that.

Now that we have established a sound, common sense approach to "how" zombies will hunt. Let's examine our options.

In the event of a ZAP, we are going to go out on a limb and say society as we know it will have ceased to exist. This means that while guns are cool and all, when you run out of bullets - you're screwed. There won't be Uncle Bob's Bang-Bang Shack on the corner of 5th and Main where you can peruse and max out your credit card. Bullets will be found only on dead people who failed to read this blog (or others like it) and in homes and stores that haven't already been raided by other desperate SOBs like yourself.

Here's a free tip for you. If you happen across a gun with ammunition - hold onto it for a rainy day. In our professional opinion (hey, we don't judge what you do for a living), you're better off using the gun in defense against non-zombie combatants who might just want your hideout, guns, food, or women/men (yes, we are slighly politically correct). Not every human is going to be singing kumbaya and holding hands with their fellow humans. There will still be jackasses, even during the ZAP. Trust us on this one.

So... after review of the logical train of thought above (our own), we have come to the conclusion that melee weapons will be the far superior choice for defense during the ZAP. There are a few reasons for this that we would like to point out in list format, for all of your who are without a doubt taking notes:

Melee weapons are silent. This is good because other zombies will not hear you killing their friends.
Melee weapons are easily maintained and do not require renewable resources. IE: You don't need bullets for your sword.
Melee weapons are just badass. Did Conan the Barbarian use guns to crush his enemies and hear the lamentation of the women? We don't think so.

RUN! Why are you just taking pictures??

The Basics (10 Essentials According to the Boy Scouts)

2011-11-09T08:16:00.000-06:00

Welcome to our first ever blog here at Survival Recon!

Eventually, as the site grows, we will be covering topics ranging from brewing your own home brews to surviving the zombie apocolypse... but for our first posting we wanted to cover the absolute basics of survival (at least according to the Boy Scouts of America).

There are many facets to surviving, mostly having to do with the theatre of operations, or environment, you are dealing with, but we figured the scouts had the basics pretty much nailed with their official "10 essentials" list. Check this out below (with a few extra added notes on our part), and for more information please visit The Boy Scout Handbook.

The 10 Essentials:

1. Pocket Knife - This is pretty self explanatory but for an extra level of detail, let's delve just a wee bit deeper. We aren't talking about a pearing knife you can shove in your pocket and "damage" your own essentials. We are talking about something that folds up, along the lines of a Swiss Army Knife with lots of gadgets and stuff. Especially a magnifying glass.

2. First Aid Kit - It's not just your momma's suggestion, it is a lifesaver. This sucker doesn't need a heart defibulator or a surgical kit, but it does need stuff like adhesive bandages, medical tape, sterile gause, antiseptic soap, and scissors.

3. Additional Clothing - Ok, drop the board shorts and prada boots. Think more like "how am I NOT going to freeze my ass off" instead. By added clothing we mean multiple layers of socks, pants, and shirts (which btw are superior to a massive jacket). Layers give you options for adaptation for a wide range of temperatures.

4. Rain Gear - If you think we are talking about condoms then #1, you didn't visit the link we provided above (age sensitive) and #2, you are part of that group that caused the whole survival issue in the first place. You need actual rain gear to stay dry. Cold water causes your blood to freeze AKA hypothermia.

5. A flashlight - Yes, you will need batteries too.

6. Trail Food - This is for maintaining your energy. Visit TrailQuest for a list of some pretty good recipes. You are looking for mostly high energy proteins here. You should be good to go for at least a few weeks, although miserable, so starving to death should be the least of your worries. The human body can reportedly survive for weeks without food so aren't you glad you ate all those jelly donuts before the apocolypse?

7. Water - Much better than beer or vodka for hydration purposes. Your body needs it. Trust us here.

8. Firestarters - In the event of an apocolypse, everyone will want their own Carrie as their own personal psychotic sidekick and sue chef, but in all practicallity, Carrie was a fictional creation by master writer Stephen King. You will want matches, lighters, or even better: flint rocks to carry with you. Fire is man's best friend. Even before the dog. Back when much bigger dogs were trying to eat him.

9. Sun Protection - Shades are cool man, especially in the event of a disaster. All the cool people will have them no matter if it is for a trip through a grueling desert, or a mountain of snow. Being sun or snow blind will be bad. You also want to stockpile some SPF <insert your favorite number here> sunscreen, lip balm and an ever so cliche wide-brimmed hat that accompanies any post-apocolyptic loner.

10. Trail maps and compass - Knowing where not to go is just as important as knowing where to go. Knowledge of both will be increased significantly with these two items.

Hope you enjoyed the list and please feel free to contact us with any questions.

Check us out here

2011-11-08T14:12:00.001-06:00

FOR NOW, please check us out here:

http://survivalrecon.wordpress.com/

We are in the process of moving, so please bear with us.