Fall is typically the best time to harvest roots…in the cooler weather the plants start storing up nutrients to make it through the winter. Discover three of the most versatile roots for cooking and healing.
Whether you’re alone in a remote location, pumping gas past the hours of normal street traffic or dropping the kids off at school, everyone runs the risk of being a first responder. It may be your best friend, a loved one at a gas station…or it could be you. The whys and hows, the lessons learned and armchair quarterbacking can all be handled later, because when you are the primary first responder, life—possibly your own—is on the line. Are you prepared?
The best way to reduce the risk of contracting tick-borne diseases is to avoid tick-infested habitat in the first place. An idea that is great in concept but impossible in reality. Particularly, this is not an option for big- and small-game hunters, hikers and morel mushroom hunters, listed below are a few simple precautions that can reduce the chances of a tick encounter.
As temperatures heat up, we usually find ourselves more active and getting out more. We start spending more time outside enjoying the sun and hopefully go to the gun range more frequently. If you shoot at an outdoor range, you will want to pack a few extra items in your range bag to prevent sun damage, dehydration and itchy bug bites. To prevent painful sunburn and the long-term effects of the sun’s damaging rays, wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least 15 SPF. Take a few bottles of water with you and take breaks to drink some before you feel thirsty.
Whether it’s the danger of the West Nile virus, bird flu, swine flu or just keeping you from enjoying an afternoon on the back deck, mosquitoes can make life miserable. In extreme cases, they can cause your death or the death of a loved one. So what are you supposed to do? You can’t live in a bubble. Mosquitoes are in every state and known as the state bird in some.
In subsequent discussions with like-minded friends, most were under the impression—prior to the bombing—that tourniquets were taboo and had been for decades. A little research revealed the use of tourniquets traces back as far as the Roman Empire and were popular during most of the 1800s and 1900s. It wasn’t until Vietnam Era that doctors came out against their use and most of that was due to a perception that tourniquets were responsible for the amputations. It’s true, some were misused and attached too high unnecessarily sacrificing tissue and others were not tight enough, which can actually increase bleeding, but lives were, and are, being saved by the use of tourniquets.
As someone who used to travel half way around the world twice a year, I know how onerous a task it can be picking a bag. The wrong size or shoddy construction can spell disaster with a capital D if your bag does not stand up to its intended purpose. Bags come in all different shapes and sizes; you have simple two pocket backpacks, large duffel bags, load-bearing tactical backpacks, and messenger-style shoulder bags. They aren’t created equal either. Your Jansport from high school won’t work for a hiking trip in the Rockies. Whether you are picking a bag for your bug-out gear, a weekend camping trip or for every day carry—you must consider size, shape and capacity. You’re bound to find one that fits your needs from everyday carry to a weekender from Cheaperthandirt.com’s five top selling backpacks.
The surplus medical box is ideal for storing valuables such as IDs, money, food, and even ammunition. The gasket seals spillage inside if something breaks during transport and the steel latches secure the gasket in place. These things can roll around in the back of a truck in any climate, and the heavy-duty construction will hold up to the elements.
The CRKT Extrik-8-R Rescue Tool makes as much sense for an everyday mom or dad as it does an emergency response professional. After all who is likely to be at the scene of an emergency first, an innocent passerby, those involved, or a first responder? Members serving in the military will also find the Extrik-8-R Rescue Tool a “must have” piece of gear.
When camping, you always run the risk of getting injured. The Master first aid kit is designed specifically for outdoor adventures.