By Cameron McKirdy
Two of my close friends have shot themselves in the head in separate recent tragedies. Another failed in his suicide attempt. Not good. Not cool. If you need help, get some. Talk to your friends, family, or call prevention experts like The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK. People are available 24/7. You can work through your problems. You are LOVED! Please like and share this post if you agree. Thanks.
Produced by Cameron McKirdy
My dad and I just got back to the Oregon Coast, after a 4 day trip playing on the McKenzie River and the trail. First we geared up, and hit the rapids with the Oregon Whitewater Association. A group of 70 extreme outdoor enthusiasts floated 14 miles down the river. The water was brutally cold, at only 47 degrees. I fell off our cataraft for the first time after we smashed into a log along the bank. I didn’t have time to be fearful. I was just trying to catch my breath from the shock of the water, and keep my legs up as I floated down. Of course, I had a class 3 life jacket on. I swam to the back of the boat, but didn’t like being where I couldn’t see the rocks ahead of me. Plus, I didn’t want to get trapped under the massive military grade raft. So I separated from the craft, and tried to swim to shore, but the water was moving too fast, and nobody there could help me. I swam to the side of the raft, and was barely able to climb back on. I had to quickly jump off the river bottom to boost myself up. I was fatigued, and just wanted to sit down and assess my injuries. I hit my knee on a rock, and bloodied by shin up. I was only in the river for a few minutes, but it wouldn’t have been long before my body started shutting down, and hypothermia set in. It was intense.
I had my iPhone 4S in my pocket with a LifeProof case on when I went overboard. It worked. No water got in thankfully. In my other pocket I was carrying the new Coast DX335 rescue knife. It stayed clipped on, but luckily I didn’t have to use it. You’d be surprised how many people die on the river getting tangled in ropes. Below is a funny clip I took with the LifeProof case on my cell. It took great video, and you can hear my dad yelling at me to put it away. He thought it was going to get splashed, or fall in as we hit the drop in the rapids. Also below is an HD video review of the Coast Products knife. I will update this blog as I get media online. I used my GoPro Hero 3 Black camera to record my treacherous mountain bike ride down the McKenzie River Trail. That will be up soon. Thanks for visiting Survival Bros. Follow us on Twitter, Youtube, and join the community on Facebook. Peace.
Prepping for a manmade or natural disaster will be different for everyone. My needs are different than yours, but there are things we should all have just in case. This blog covers specific items you should have on hand, and things you should be thinking about NOW.
First off, have a plan. Practice your escape route regularly, maybe once every 6 months. Carry your emergency pack to test it, and yourself. You may decide to bring more if it’s an easy trip. Maybe you want to load up a bike, and huff it on two wheels. If you have a vehicle, you may want to store an extra survival pack in the back. Whatever you do, coordinate a meeting place with your friends and family so there’s no guess work, and stick together.
If your house was on fire, could you grab your Bug-Out-Bag and survive outdoors for at least 72 hours? If that sounds challenging, or you don’t have an emergency bag full of supplies then keep reading. The key elements to a clutch bug-out-bag are: food, water, and shelter. My backpack includes a poncho, emergency blanket, and a reflective tube tent. Add a small tarp to your pack for even more security. Tarps can keep the rain and sun off you, or provide a barrier between you and the ground.
Additional Bug-Out-Bag items Survival Bros suggest include: a first aid kit, medicine, superfoods, vitamins, maps, flashlights, candles, protection like a knife or gun, matches, lighter, sunglasses, sunscreen, cash, silver bullion, radio, walkie talkies (2-way radios), extra clothes, signal mirror, GPS Navigation, solar powered charger, whistle, compass, backup batteries, candy, instant coffee, books, notepad, condoms, glow stick, personal locator device, bandana, water filter, USB with information, and toiletries.
Here’s the bottom line. Plan an escape route, practice traveling it, and bring your customized bug-out-bag with everything you think you’d need. Your bag will be evolving with you, so have fun and experiment. Is there an item you’d have to have in case of a disaster that we didn’t list? Please share. Also, knowing basic first aid and taking a CPR class should be a priority. Our advice; work on preps a little everyday! Best wishes.
– Cameron McKirdy
President of Survival Bros
Survival Bros by Cameron McKirdy 