BOOK 1

SURVIVAL MEDICINE

CHAPTER 1

PRINCIPLES OF MEDICAL PREPAREDNESS

M any prepared people believe that in the event of a societal collapse, personal and house defense should come first, followed by gathering food and constructing a shelter. Defending oneself is crucial, but have you considered protecting your health?

Your health is at risk in the same way that the survivors in the most recent zombie apocalypse film are in a circumstance where electricity may be out, and conventional techniques of purifying water and preparing meals are unavailable. It would be difficult to keep things clean and infectious diseases would probably spread like wildfire. Cutting wood is one of the everyday tasks that frequently results in cuts that could become infected. These mild conditions, which modern medical science makes so simple to cure, can quickly become life-threatening in an emergency.

You might be a skilled outdoor enthusiast with access to plenty of food and defensive gear. However, what would you say to a member of your family who gets sick or hurt in a harsh environment? The challenges of a grid-down situation will undoubtedly endanger the health of your complete family or group. Having the knowledge and tools necessary to treat injuries and diseases is crucial.

There will probably be a lot more diarrheal illness in a collapse than there were gunfights at the OK corral. History reminds us that more people died from dysentery during the Civil War than from gunshot wounds.

Educating yourself on medical conditions and how to properly store medical supplies is a real first step toward guaranteeing your family's survival in difficult times. If the unexpected occurs, it is more likely that there will be medical supplies on hand, and the information you acquire will be useful for the rest of your life. Numerous medical products have a long shelf life; this is one of the characteristics that will inspire trust in you as you proceed. Not to mention their worth as barter commodities in difficult times.

We also urge you to learn about natural treatments and complementary therapies that might be useful for various problems. We cannot attest to every promise that a certain item will make you feel better. It will be enough to suggest that your family might find it beneficial to create a medicinal garden of their own. Our family has one. It is not necessary to have a green thumb to grow many medicinal herbs because they are hardy and thrive in less-than-ideal environments for most plants. Many of them can survive even without direct sunlight.

It's crucial to realize that some diseases will be challenging to treat without access to modern medical facilities. There won't be many heart bypass surgeries. Thus it will be difficult to do much about those blocked coronary arteries. However, you will offer yourself the best chance to minimize serious medical conditions by ensuring you eat well. An ounce of prevention is worth many cures in a survival crisis, not a pound. You'll have the best chance of staying healthy if you start that way.

Nothing your great-grandparents did as part of their plan to succeed in life is being demanded of you. In a manner, a collapse will take us back to that time. It's crucial to grasp some techniques they employ to maintain their health.

Some of our family ponder why we devote so much time to getting people medically ready for a huge catastrophe. They are certain that no scenario would take away, even briefly, the wonders of high technology, even though history teaches us otherwise. Why should we aim to make everyone a doctor when, they tell me, we can't?

Are we attempting to make everyone a physician? No, there is more to learn than can be learned in a lifetime. Even as medical specialists, we frequently encounter medical circumstances about which we are unsure. Make careful you compile a survival library because that is the purpose of medical books. Just as we do, you can make use of them as needed.

However, we're working to improve you from the medical asset you were to your family and neighborhood. We fully believe that you can learn how to treat most problems you will meet in a grid-down situation, even if you have not received formal medical training. If necessary, you can serve as the last resort for the medical care of your people.

If you can take in the knowledge we offer in this manual, you will be prepared to assist if the worst-case scenario occurs. If you were to save only one life in the future, our quest would have been a success.

 

WILDERNESS MEDICINE VS. LONG-TERM SURVIVAL MEDICINE

 

What is outdoor medicine, often known as wilderness medicine? We describe it as medical treatment where access to modern facilities, training, and care is limited. Medical attention to wilderness treks, marine expeditions, and travels to underdeveloped nations would be considered wilderness medicine.

The fundamental premise is that there are skilled medical professionals and advanced hospitals, but they are not available when needed (perhaps for a significant period). Stabilizing the patient will be your responsibility as an interim caretaker. That entails preventing the illness or damage from getting worse.

Even though they may be hundreds of kilometers from the patient's location, your main objective will be transporting the patient to contemporary medical facilities. Your duty to the unwell or injured person will end once you have moved them to the next available medical resource. EMTs and military corpsmen can identify this tactic as "stabilize and transport."

Even though wilderness medicine's guiding principles have saved countless lives, this strategy is distinct from what we would refer to as "long-term survival" or "collapse medicine." Modern medical care is unavailable in a collapsed society and is unlikely to become available shortly.

Due to these circumstances, you would no longer be the temporary first-aid provider but the final carer. You become the highest medical resource available if you have a medical degree.

You will need to modify your medical plan in light of this knowledge. The patient's long-term care is now your responsibility. As a result, you will need to acquire more information and training than you do now if you want to succeed in your new role. You will also require more supplies if you want to keep your family or friends healthy. To handle any potential medical requirements they may have, you'll need a strategy.

Long-term survival medicine

For non-physicians, medical education and training options include wilderness medicine courses, EMT certification, and even military medical corps training. These courses assume that you are providing care to transfer your patient to a functioning clinic, ER, or field hospital afterward. This training is highly helpful if you can put in the effort; it's much more likely that you'll encounter a short-term lack of medical support than a long-term one.

Despite this, you must prepare for the potential that one day you will be alone. You need to change the way you think about things to accommodate a time when emergency rooms and intensive care units are inaccessible. You won't have the option of handing over the sick or injured person to a professional healthcare provider; therefore, you must be prepared to care for your patient throughout the entire process.

You'll also need to know how to manage some chronic medical disorders. Even a paramedic, for instance, is unlikely to be able to treat an abscessed tooth or a thyroid disease without access to high-tech medications.

As a result, you need to acquire techniques that will still be effective if the power goes out. You could even need to use earlier techniques that current doctors might consider outdated. The vast majority of issues you'll encounter in a power outage should be treatable using a combination of prevention, improvisation, and wise resource management.

Although it may seem overwhelming, we hope this book will provide you with enough knowledge to make you comfortable in your new position. You will experience that peaceful resolution from knowing you can handle the situation once you know what to do in every situation. You'll be aware that you're up for the task at hand.

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY

 

Let's say that a disaster has struck, and you have managed to survive. Since the electricity grid is down, it won't likely be operational for many years. However, you are safe in your shelter because you have thoughtfully stocked food, medical supplies, and farming and hunting tools. You are a lovely, young, athletic person who is healthy and bright. Unfortunately, you have no idea what to do as soon as possible to ensure your survival and future health.

The very first step in ensuring your medical well-being is extremely straightforward: Don't go it alone! The abandoned animal in the picture above is a thylacine, also known as a Tasmanian wolf. Why didn't I go with a gorgeous red or gray wolf instead of this creature? I chose it because, like the Tasmanian wolf, you will also go extinct if you try to handle a long-term catastrophic situation on your own. If you want to have any chance of staying together when things start to fall apart, you must have the backing of a survival group, even if it is just your extended family.

There will be things that are difficult for you to envision taking place in a spartan environment. You'll need to keep an eye on your property. Gallon loads of water must be carried from the closest water source. You can simulate what it might be like to live there by filling a 5-gallon bucket with water and walking 100 yards with it (after staying up until 4:00 a.m. outside your home).

Your health will suffer, and your long-term survival prospects will decrease if you are the only one carrying this weight. You will find yourself an easy target for roving gangs and bacteria if you are exhausted and lack sleep. When under prolonged stress, your immune system deteriorates, putting you at risk for diseases that someone with adequate sleep might be able to overcome. A difficult problem will be easier to handle if there is a division of labor and responsibilities.

Imagine how much more doable this will be with a group of people working together who share the same values. Even if you're Daniel Boone, you can't possibly have all the abilities required to succeed on your own. A tough individualist might be able to make a wretched living in the woods by themselves, but a community is required to rebuild a society.

There is no better moment than the present to connect with others, network, and assemble a group of like-minded individuals. Your retreat and your resources will determine the ideal amount of capable people to gather for a mutual-assistance group. People with different skill sets but similar beliefs will make up the ideal team.

You could believe it is hard to identify and assemble a group of individuals who could support you in times of need unless you are already a part of such a community. Fortunately, that's not the case. In internet forums dealing with readiness, you'll come across many fellow citizens.

But simply being a part of a group is insufficient. That group's members must hold frequent meetings, establish priorities, and initiate action. Prepare plans A, B, and C, and collaborate to ensure the success of their implementation. Maintain open communication channels to ensure that everyone in your group is informed.

Improve your health before anything bad happens. How can you expect others to lead by example in maintaining good health and fitness if you, the medical provider, don't? It's time to put your words into action. You can achieve this objective by

       Keeping your weight in a healthy range for your height and age.

       Adopting a balanced diet.

       Keeping up good hygiene.

       Remaining physically healthy.

It's crucial to "tune-up" any ongoing issues you may be experiencing. For instance, you'll want to control your blood pressure. If you have a bad knee, you could think about having it surgically fixed to perform at your best when things become tough. When contemporary technology is available, use it.

Dental issues should also be taken care of before tough times prevent access to contemporary dentistry. Do you recall how your last toothache impaired your ability to function efficiently? Your preparations will be pointless if you don't work to accomplish all of the objectives above.

This strategy is crucial for both your physical and mental wellness. Even simple mental exercises like solving crossword puzzles or reading the newspaper can assist. Keep in mind that wasting a mind is a dreadful thing. Avoid wasting yours.

Work to break any harmful habits you may have. How will you be able to perform in a position where your health and stamina will be regularly tested if you smoke and harm your heart and lungs? How can anyone trust your judgment if you abuse drugs or excessive alcohol in dire circumstances?

Maintaining good hygiene is also crucial to your performance in difficult situations. It will be difficult for retreaters to stay healthy if their retreat is not kept clean. Infections typically only seen in developing nations will become widespread during a collapse, and basic medical supplies will include items like soap and bleach.

Developing a sense of community and engaging in preventative health care and exercise are two fundamental measures to help you get ready. If everything else fails, they won't cost you anything and will give you the best chance of success.

 

BECOMING A MEDICAL RESOURCE

 

The survival medic should do a status assessment as soon as possible to prepare for a collapse. The following queries must be raised and addressed.

What Will Your Responsibilities Be?

It goes without saying that you will be in charge of the survival group's medical care as a medic. What does that signify, though? It implies that in addition to serving as a chief medical officer, you will also assume the following responsibilities:

Director of sanitation

It will be your responsibility to ensure that the members of your camp or retreat don't contract diseases due to unhygienic conditions. This will be a significant problem in a hard environment.

Some of your duties may involve installing and building latrines, while others will involve overseeing the proper filtration and sanitation of water. The maintenance of appropriate personal and group hygiene and the assurance of adequate cleaning of food preparation surfaces will be crucial.

Chief dental officer

According to medical officials, patients arriving at a sick call during a war or in a distant region reportedly complained about oral issues just as much as medical issues. Anyone who has experienced a severe toothache knows that it impacts focus and work productivity. To be a successful doctor, you must be able to handle dental problems (toothaches, fractured teeth, lost fillings, etc.).

Chief counselor

Any societal breakdown will undoubtedly hurt people's thinking, as is obvious. You'll need to know how to deal with sadness and anxiety along with cuts and broken bones. Both your medical and communication skills will need to be improved.

Medical quartermaster

When do you use all the medical and dental materials you've accumulated? When will you distribute the last of the antibiotics you have on hand? It's possible that these things can't be produced in a survival situation. You can determine your level of long-term preparation to manage medical emergencies by carefully tracking supplies stock and usage.

Medical archivist

You are in charge of collecting the members of your group's medical histories. This list will help you keep track of all the ailments, allergies, and possible drugs your people may be taking. It would be nearly impossible to remember all this information if your community is big.

Additionally, it's crucial to document the histories of the therapies you've given to each patient. Your archives will be a useful tool for the person in charge when you aren't available because one day, you might not be able to provide care.

Medical education resource

You cannot be in two places at once and must ensure that your group members have a basic understanding of medicine. It's crucial that they can take care of illnesses or injuries while you're gone.

These duties are numerous, but your group's composition may allow for some modification. A pastor or other member of the church may be able to relieve you of some of the stress associated with counseling. Accept all assistance you can.

How many individuals will you be in charge of?

The number of persons you will be accountable for should be closely related to the medical supplies you have on hand. If you have five treatment courses of antibiotics on hand, it might be adequate for a couple or a single person, but if you are caring for twenty individuals, it will run out quickly.

Keep in mind that the majority of those employees will be executing duties outside of their comfort zone. They'll be building campfires, sawing wood, and carrying water containers. As they go about their regular lives, you'll observe more sprains, strains, fractures, lacerations, and burns among those people.

It is only logical to stockpile as many supplies as you can. You may have to deal with more survivors than you anticipated; it's highly likely. The largest error a survival medic will likely make is underestimating how many people will show up at their door during a crisis.

Don't worry about having too much money in storage. Anything considered "extra" will always be greatly sought after for bartering. In difficult times, food and medical supplies will be more valuable than money and gold. Your closet full of bandages shouldn't make you complacent because you won't need them all up right away. Always keep more medical supplies on hand than you believe your group's needs will require.

What Particular Needs Will You Be Responsible For?

You will deal with different issues depending on who is in your organization. Children and the elderly have distinct medical needs from normal adults. Women experience various health issues that males do not. You must be aware of any members of the group who have a chronic illness, such as diabetes or asthma. The consequences of not accounting for issues like this could be disastrous. Would you, for instance, be ready if you learned that a group member needed adult diapers after a disaster?

The tools and medical knowledge you need will change depending on these factors. Encourage those with special needs to gather the supplies they'll frequently need. Encourage them to be open with their doctor and to get additional prescriptions for medications in case of an emergency (filled in advance).

What Physical Environment Will You Live In?

Is the retreat located in a cold region? If so, you will need to understand how to maintain warmth and deal with hypothermia. If you live in a hot environment, you should be familiar with heat stroke first aid. Is it humid and rainy where you are? You'll need a plan to keep your group members dry because chronically damp people don't stay healthy. Are you in a setting that resembles an arid desert? If so, you must devise plans to supply a lot of clean water.

Some people reside where all of the circumstances above can occasionally be found throughout the year. These factors might even influence where you decide to live if a collapse is approaching.

How long do you anticipate being the only source of medical care?

For a brief time, access to medical care may be restricted in the event of certain disasters, such as those that cause significant tornado or hurricane damage. Other circumstances could cause a long-term breakdown.

The more goods you need to stockpile and the more varied those supplies should be, the longer you will be your group's primary source of healthcare. You probably won't need, for instance, tools to extract a diseased tooth if the tragedy leaves you without access to healthcare for a few weeks. However, that technology will be crucial if there is a real collapse. Don't forget to prepare for concerns that may arise later, including birth control for a daughter who hasn't hit puberty.

How Can I Get the Knowledge I Need to Be a Successful Healthcare Provider?

A good collection of literature on nutrition, survival, dentistry, and medicine can equip you with the knowledge you need to be a successful medic. Even if you were already licensed to practice medicine—say, as a general practitioner—you would require several references to learn how to carry out surgical treatments that you would typically refer to the nearby surgeon.

Printed material is more significant off the grid, but don't discount internet information sources. Utilize websites that offer reliable medical information. You can build a special knowledge base that meets your demands by gathering material you think would be useful in your particular situation.

There are thousands of medically related films on nearly every topic on websites like YouTube.com. They include anything from extracting damaged teeth to setting broken bones and suturing wounds. Watching something happen in action is always preferable to merely looking at a photograph.

How Do You Obtain Medical Training?

There are several ways to obtain hands-on instruction. Almost every municipality provides access to various programs that could improve your performance as a healthcare practitioner.

The final goal of these programs is to transfer the patient to a hospital. These programs might not be ideal for long-term survival because medical facilities might not be available during a disaster. However, you will still acquire a lot of essential materials.

Most of us won't have the time or means to devote ourselves to such intense training, even though EMT courses are fantastic. A Red Cross first responder or community emergency response team (CERT) course is the way to go for the majority of us. These programs would undoubtedly be a fantastic place to start because they cover many of the same topics. A typical course lasts 40 to 80 hours.

Of course, whether or not a person will be in charge of providing medical care in an emergency, everyone should attend a standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course offered by organizations like the Red Cross and others.

Utilize your free time to volunteer in the neighborhood ER. You'll become less sensitive to witnessing blood and wounds and learn vital information by simply observing.

 

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