TORONTO — An outdoors enthusiast and avid fan of TV’s “Survivorman” who apparently succumbed to the cold during an excursion into the Ontario bush loved the survivalist challenge but was not rash, those close to him said Thursday.
One friend, Barbara Ellis, said Richard Code’s hobby might have been a response to an arthritic condition and chronic fatigue syndrome that often laid him up for days at a time.

“Maybe he felt when he was sick and he felt kind of helpless that way he could challenge the outdoors,” said Ellis, who said Code was like a son to her.

“He just loved the challenge.”

Provincial police found Code, 41, northeast of Huntsville, Ont., on Wednesday.

He had left his Toronto home early last Thursday for what was to be a four-day excursion into the bush, hitchhiking to his camp even though he had money for the bus.
Continue reading ‘Survivorman’ show fan dies testing survival skills in Ontario bush

Antacid
Eat two teaspoons of menthol toothpaste mixed with cold water.

Antibacterial Ointment
Use honey to discourage infection and promote healing. (it’s a natural antibacterial agent). Spread it over the surface of minor cuts, burns, abrasions, and frostbite (but not directly in a wound) and cover with gauze.

Bandage
Cut a thin strip of fabric out of a T-shirt (snip in a circular pattern around the shirt to get the longest dressing possible).

Cervical Collar
No SAM splint? Roll a bulky jacket or fleece, leaving the sleeves out, and wrap it around the patient’s neck (see left). Tie it in place with the sleeves. Or cut a foam pad into a collar and tape it in place.

Cold Pack Soak the injury in cold water, or wrap soaked bandannas or cotton T-shirts around the site.

Irrigation Syringe Force water out of a hydration tube or squeeze a zip-top bag with a pinhole poked in it.

Medical Gloves Put your hands inside clean zip-top bags.

Sling Pull the bottom of the patient’s short-sleeve shirt up and over the injured arm and pin it to the front with two safety pins. Long-sleeve shirt? Pin the sleeve of the injured arm (with the arm in it) to the shirt.

Wound closure strips Cut 1/4-inch-long strips of duct tape; punch pinholes to let fluid drain.

First Aid tips courtesy of Backpacker.com

By Maj. John A. Gagan Sunday, February 7, 2010

The writer, a native of Southern Pines, is now attending the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He wrote this as a class project.

As the Sandhills region of North Carolina recovers from the first substantial round of wintry mix since the blizzard of 2000, it seems fitting to highlight the need for actionable disaster preparedness plans that are easily executable by individuals, communities and municipalities.

Recently, Lt. Gen. Russell Honore, author of “Survival: How a Culture of Preparedness Can Save You and Your Family From Disasters,” spoke to our class at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
Continue reading A ‘Culture of Disaster Preparedness’ Requires Careful Planning

So, I was digging around on the ready.gov website and I came across a cool widget (Quick Share) that allows you to generate an email text containing emergency contact info for you to share with family, friends, etc.  In addition to your info, it shares your emergency contact, out-of-town contact, and neighborhood meeting place. Right away I thought this was winner; everyone in your circle has everyone else’s contact info already save to their iphone, blackberry, laptop, etc. before any emergency arises. When you consider how fast telephone switchboards get overloaded and cell phone towers shut down after a major emergency having a prearranged meeting place along with contact info for everyone is vital.

What have past acts of destruction taught us about what will happen to mankind after the apocalypse? Is it inevitable that disaster will someday strike America on an unprecedented level? How has history prepared us?

History’s most dramatic events — Hiroshima, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and others — are examined and analyzed with hard data gathered from their massive aftereffects.

The disappearance of water and food supplies, the effects of deteriorated sanitation and health care on the remaining population, and the increased use of violence as a means of survival — all illustrate how societies have responded and survived in AFTER ARMAGEDDON.

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Continue reading After Armageddon

With popular TV shows like “Man Vs. Wild”  and  “Survivorman” demonstrating their hosts survival skills in exotic places such as,  the Arctic Circle, deserts of North Africa, and the jungles of Panama, I think as viewers we tend to forget these guys are the best at what they do and have been training and fine tuning there skills for years.  As survivalist I think we all love to get out there and try out new gear and test out skills, but you gotta be reasonable in how you go about it. Take  41year old Richard Code for example. Code was a devoted fan of Canada’s Survivorman show and decided to put himself to the test in the Ontario bush in the dead of winter without a parka. When interviewed by  Yahoo Canada, his friend told the reporter:

“Code was well aware of the dangers, and prepared carefully for his trips, taking an axe, knife, and a top-of-the-line 17-function utility tool.”

In what world was does an axe, knife, utility tool and no jacket prepare you for10 degree nights and heavy snow fall? I hope the late Mr. Code’s story provides an eye-opening lesson about using your noodle BEFORE you head outdoors.