"Blow out kit" ?

Tam posted about being prepared and mentioned having a "blow out kit".  What the heck is a "blow out kit"?  Clearly a little research was in order.  From the on-line article " "Assembling a Blowout Kit"came this suggestion of contents:

Res-Q-Pak	Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK)
25g Quik–Clot®	1 QuickClot, Package, 50grams
Tegaderm 2 3/8″ x 2 3/4″ dressing	1 Israeli Field Dressing, 4”
5″ x 9″ ABD pad	2 Sterile Crinkle Cottons
4″ x 75″ roll bandage	1 Bandage, Self Adherent, 3”x5yds
40″ x 40″ x 56″ triangular bandage	1 Triangular Bandage
Two sets 4″ x 3″ cover sponges	1 Lip Treatment
Aspirin, two 325 mg tablets	1 Tourniquet
Benadryl (R), two 25 mg tablets	1 EMT Shears
Combat/Medic tape	1 Tape, Adhesive, 1”x10yds.
Nitrile gloves	Nitrile gloves
Rescue whistle
Mylar blanket

Of course one needs at least minimal training in order to correctly utilize the contents. One also needs a certain mindset. Some folks have particular difficulty working on themselves, others only freak out when working on others.  Training helps with confidence and to mitigate stress errors.

For me the biggest concerns at this time in my life are cuts, breaks and possible gun shot wounds.  Secondary concerns are environmental exposure injuries like sunburn or insect bites/stings.  Having such a kit might be a good idea.  However, commercially assembled kits can be quite expensive.  There are also concerns with certification for use of some possible kit components such as:

• 14-gauge Angiocath Needles (3” or greater in length)
• Size 28 Nasopharyngeal Airway (NPA)
• Hemostatic Agent (such as Celox or QuikClot)

Apparently use of a product such as QuickClot is regulated differently in each state.  Only somebody who knows what they are doing should be using needles and the airway.  While "good samaritan" laws will protect you from errors made in basic first aid you might not have that protection in using advanced medical techniques.

Slingshots

Slingshots can certainly be useful tools. David used one to slay Golaith. The Egyptians had whole units of slingers. Over the years the design has gotten more high-tech due to the introduction of elastic rubber as the propulsive force rather than the centrifugal force of slinging the projectile in a large arc before releasing it at the target. In consequence, some have given them other names such as bean shooter. A while back I think I posted on this weapon used by youth gangs in Timor.

Quite something, these utilize the modern elastic force and require, perhaps, a little less skill/practice for effective use.  I bet these could be used for hunting.  However, you'd want to find your dart.  After all, you'd have considerable fabrication time or money tied up in each one. 

One could use lead balls (shot) or nuts (such as go on bolts to become fasteners).  We used nuts from our supply sources together with Wrist Rockets to kill ground squirrels on Fort Hunter-Liggett, CA.  Effective (when contact was made) cheap, silent, concealable and untraceable. 

Rocks as projectiles are a whole different story.  They can be found in appropriate sizes most anywhere.  Rocks cost nothing.  They carry no ballistic information whatsoever (except for the trace they pick up on contact with the target).  Think they aren't viable?   Look at this video of Rufus Hussey and his bean shooter. That is impressive.

Outdoor Survival - UPDATED

We've now been told that one of these men was found dead, frozen solid, in a snow cave near the summit of Mount Hood. That a sleeping bag and some other equipment was found in another snow cave nearby. That photos show that they weren't as well equipped as had been supposed. That the two who went to get help for their third apparently got disoriented and went north when they should have gone south. That these two may have slid some 2200 feet down a glacier and off the end. This is all very sad for the families involved and they will be in our prayers.

There are many lessons to be learned. Number one is "travel light, freeze at night" which seems self-evident. The other is "what can go wrong will go wrong". Plan for the worst. It makes day-to-day life difficult but sometimes gives you the edge needed to return to your family.

The great thing about life is that God has given us free will and let's us make choices. The bad thing is that we are responsible for making the right choices. Not just for ourselves, but also we must make the right choices for those who depend on us, those who need us. I think it must be terrible dying and knowing in those last seconds that you made the wrong choices.

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*****
These 3 men lost on Mount Hood have been in the news this past week. They still haven't been found due in part to the extreme weather conditions on the mountain. Why is this important?

Well, these three (3) experienced climbers went to an area with which they weren't familiar to attempt a one day summit climb during a period of possible extreme weather. When they got into trouble (lost, injured or snowed in, unable to move) one of the climbers attempted to use his cell phone. Now lots of searchers/rescuers are attempting to find and extract them from their misfortune. I don't know whether or not these 3 particular men are of this mind, but it seems that more and more often people put themselves in hazardous situations and EXPECT others to bail them out when the worst happens. They don't plan or prepare for the worst, indeed, they often seem totally surprised that the worst happened. Yet, without fail, they expect immediate assistance.

Yes, we've been conditioned to this at least somewhat because we DO respond to appeals for assistance. Some folks even give their own lives in an attempt to rescue some fool from his/her folly. This doesn't make this particular mindset right or responsible. "But wait" you say, "what about the children?" Ok, what about the children.

Children who wander away from HOME and get lost in the woods, children who wander away from their families on vacation and get lost in the woods, well they both frost my buttons. Not the kids really, but their parents. What in the heck were they doing? Don't you watch your kids to ensure they don't do wrong, improper, or dangerous things? Don't you watch your kids to try to keep them safe. You'd think that this never occured to some folks. How, why, can these parents think this way?

Do accidents happen? YES. Accidents happen. "Stuff" happens. "Murphy" is everywhere. But having a freak snow storm catch you at the base of a mountain in the middle of the summer isn't the same as going up on one of the highest mountains in the country in late fall, the cold season when weather is at best unpredictable even at lower elevations and unprepared/unsupplied for more than one day's outing.

I hope for the best for these men. I truly feel sorry for their wives and children. Risk takers put their families through a lot of worry. I hope these men come home to take care of their wives and children, mothers and fathers. I hope they are well and not crippled by frostbite, not starved and/or not suffocated in a snow cave. I'm pretty pessimistic though. These men did do more than many who find themselves in such a situation. They had left detailed info on climbing route, their equipment and planned time line. But, they didn't anticipate 70+ mile-an-hour winds along with snow.

I hope that you accept your responsibility for yourself and yours when you go into the outdoors. I hope that you will be profoundly thankful of the unexpected assistance of others in the exceptional situation which you couldn't forsee and for which you could NOT have prepared. In other words, I hope that you prepare for your outings and prepare for the expected possibilities of Murphy's influence on your life.

Links:
Michael Bane has his opinion as well.