Everything You Need to Know About Emergency Equipment Essentials
5 Pieces of Practical Emergency Equipment to Keep Handy
Being prepared for anything, especially natural disasters and power failures, is common sense. More and more people are coming to recognize that reality, and their interest in emergency preparedness has fueled an industry dedicated to that type of preparation. Even if it’s not something you’ve considered before, an investment in a basic level of preparedness is an excellent idea for anyone. Plus, the preparedness and self-reliance industry has produced some extremely useful products that are essential to keep handy.
A Tactical Solar Flashlight with Accessories
The first and most obvious consequence of a power outage is losing electricity for light. No one wants to fumble around in the darkness or relying on a collection of candles. Instead, opt for tactical solar flashlights to do the trick. The illumination and efficiency of modern LED technology make the solar flashlight an effective solution in any scenario. Tactical solar flashlights are also accompanied by handy accessories like a USB charger, glass breaker, compass, and more. All these features could prove useful when you need the right tools for self-reliance.
A Few Weeks’ Supply of Survival Food
Emergencies resulting in isolation and power failures can last anywhere from days to weeks. Having several weeks’ supply of survival food on hand is a smart policy to ensure you’re prepared. Plus, the industry has made some appetizing upgrades in the quality of survival food in recent years. Finding the right survival food kits can provide you with both peace of mind and some surprisingly tasty meals. Tastiness means survival food can serve double duty as a preparedness solution and a convenient camping or on-the-go meal option.
A Solar Powered Cell Phone Charger
Cell phones have become a central part of our lives, and that certainly won’t change during natural disasters, power failures, or other emergency situations. In fact, a cell phone can prove even more crucial during emergencies to check the news, stay updated, and communicate with family or emergency personnel. Picking up a solar powered cell phone charger just makes sense. As is the case with other practical emergency and preparedness equipment, solar cell chargers are great for traveling, camping, hunting trips, hiking, or any of your other outdoor hobbies and pastimes.
Stored Water or Water Filtration Technology
Natural disasters and other emergency events can interfere with your access to clean, safe, drinkable water. For instance, a power outage caused by a severe winter storm can lead to frozen pipes. There’s no reason not to have potable water or water filtration equipment set aside for your daily hydration, hygiene, and dish washing needs. Water is absolutely essential for survival and staying prepared, so be sure to make it your top priority.
A Solar-Heated Water Kettle
Nothing reminds us how critical something as simple as boiling water can be until we are unable to do it. Along with sterilization, sanitation, and the opportunity to make warm tea or coffee (a critical necessity for some of us), survival food often requires boiled water. So, you should always make a solar-heated water kettle part of your practical preparedness strategy.
About 4Patriots, LLC
4Patriots, LLC is a story of American success that began in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee. Tired of the corporate grind and intent on creating something that could truly provide people with real solutions to real problems, co-founders Allen and Erin Baler began 4Patriots at their kitchen table with pen and paper. Relying entirely on their savings, they launched 4Patriots and built it from the ground up, product by product. Today, 4Patriots employs over 125 people and continues to grow by providing their customers with an impressive selection of products to optimize self-reliance, preparedness, and freedom. The secret of their success? From emergency food kits to a solar powered cell phone charger, 4Patriots offers practical, high-quality products you can rely on. At the core of their strategy is the golden rule—they treat customers and employees as they would like to be treated and have been able to cultivate a trusted brand as a result.
Find practical, high-quality preparedness gear and food at 4patriots.com
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How to stop bleeding from skin wounds
How To Stop Bleeding From Skin Wounds
Whether you essentially live in the great outdoors or simply enjoy an occasional camping trip from time to time, a few wounds here and there are inevitable. Injuries such as tiny cuts that trickle or deeper gouges, minor scrapes, or larger abrasions are pretty common among those who go out in the wild. Consequently, knowing how to care for them is a really great skill to have.
Without proper treatment, something as minuscule as an itty-bitty minor cut on a finger or a slightly scraped knee can quickly become infected, ultimately requiring you to cut your fun-filled outdoor activities short to seek professional care from a doctor.
Interested in learning more? Keep reading.
First Aid 101: How To Stop Bleeding
No matter how prepared you may be for your outdoor adventure, injuries can happen at any time. This is why it’s crucial to understand how to stop external bleeding while you’re in the wilderness. If you don’t treat your skin wounds, you’re risking infection and scarring. While a little scar may be no big deal, an infection can be serious and, in some cases, even life-threatening.
So, what’s the best way to stop bleeding? Follow these easy steps:
Step 1: First Things First. Identify the Severity of the Injury
Before you start to treat a skin wound, you should first identify its severity as best you can. Why? Because there are some situations in which you really shouldn’t try to administer first aid of any kind.
For instance, if you suspect that there is internal bleeding or if there happens to be an embedded object surrounding the site of injury, call 9-1-1 immediately and leave first aid to the pros.
Also, it’s best to seek immediate care for a wound or cut if:
- It’s on the face.
- It’s the result of an animal bite.
- It’s deep or a puncture wound.
- The bleeding will not stop after 20 minutes of applying first aid.
- There are visible objects like dirt or other debris that won’t come out after cleansing.
If your pal is bleeding profusely, be on the lookout for signs of shock. Cold, clammy skin and a loss of consciousness can all indicate that a person is about to go into shock from blood loss.
This is a medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention. Have your injured person lie down on the floor as you both wait calmly for medical care to arrive. Moving around could cause further injury.
Step 2: Wash Your Hands
Once you’ve assessed the skin wound and find it doesn’t require immediate attention, you can move forward to help stop the bleeding, but first — wash your hands!
It doesn’t matter if it’s a tiny scrape or a huge cut; sanitizing your hands prior to administering first aid is extremely important. You don’t want to introduce icky bacteria or parasites to an injured area. This might be a little challenging when you’re out in the wild, but it certainly isn’t possible.
First, take a look at your inventory. If you’re properly prepared, you may have sanitizing supplies already that can quickly cleanse your hands. Medical gloves can also reduce germ exposure. Whenever you plan a trip in the great outdoors, it’s best to be prepared for the unexpected by having a well-stocked first-aid kit.
Not sure where to find one? Check out our Stealth Angel Survival Field Medic First Aid Kit! With 36 first aid supplies, this medic bag essentially bursts at the seams with everything from tools like fire-starters and glass breakers to bandages, clean cloth, compresses, swabs, and more.
If you don’t have the ability to properly sterilize your hands, your next best bet is ash. While you should only use your bare hands as a last resort, this can work. Yup, it’s true: believe it or not, ash has antimicrobial properties.
Simply make a quick paste of ashes and clean water before thoroughly scrubbing your hands and rinsing. Make your ash from burning hardwoods and avoid pine as it tends to leave behind a resinous residue.
Step 3: Slow the Flow
Now that your hands are squeaky clean, it’s time to slow the flow!
Whether you accidentally sliced yourself with your handy-dandy pocket knife or scraped your knee on a rock, the first step in actually treating a skin wound is to get the bleeding under control. There are two primary methods to control bleeding: with a pressure dressing or with direct pressure.
A third option would be using a tourniquet which can help to control severe bleeding, but that’s something we’ll cover in a later article. Today, we’re talking all about skin wounds with minor—not life-threatening—bleeding.
Not exactly sure what a pressure dressing is? Don’t worry, not very many people do! Simply put, it’s a large dressing that’s put securely in place on top of a skin wound to apply…you guessed it…pressure to stop the bleeding.
One of the best benefits of using a pressure dressing to slow the flow is that it frees up your hands to work on other tasks.
Check out the following steps for how to apply a pressure dressing to a skin wound:
- Sterilize your hands.
- Open your first aid kit and grab the sterile gauze pads. Apply directly to the wound.
- Using roller gauze, wrap the skin wound firmly to keep steady pressure on it.
And voila! Once the pressure dressing is applied, check your friend’s circulation, sensation, and movement to make sure you didn’t wrap the dressing too tightly. The idea is to slow the flow, not cut off circulation completely.
This method is pretty simple: find the source of the bleeding and apply direct pressure to that spot. Then, if you can, elevate the wound above your friend’s heart while maintaining pressure. Why? Because elevation slows blood flow simply because it’s much more difficult to flow uphill than downhill.
Keep your hands on the wound for roughly ten minutes of pressure. And whatever you do, resist the urge to take a quick sneak peek. Breaking the delicate platelet barrier too soon can cause the person’s blood to start flowing again. You see, the idea is to keep pressure on the wound long enough so that a clot can form. Once a blood clot forms on the wound, the bleeding should stop.
Step 3: Cleanse the Wound
Has the bleeding finally stopped? Perfect. Now it’s time to cleanse the wound.
Cleansing a skin wound prevents potentially life-endangering infections. Plus, the trauma site won’t heal properly unless you thoroughly remove all the dirt and debris.
Locate a source of fresh running water and gently wash the general area of the wound for a few minutes. If you have an antiseptic ointment in your survival kit, this is the time to use it.
Otherwise, a piece of sterile gauze or clean fabric dipped in saline to scrub away all the dirt and debris from the wound will do just fine. If you have soap, that will work too. However, it’s very important that you never apply soap to an open wound. This can cause serious irritation and slow down the healing process.
Is there still dirt or debris lodged in the wound? Check your kit for medical tweezers and proceed carefully.
<h3> Step 4: Dress the Wound </h3>
Minor scrapes and abrasions are best to be left uncovered so that they can breathe. Plus, your body will quickly form a scab that essentially acts as a natural bandage to heal these smaller wounds. If the wound is larger, on the other hand, it’s best to dress them in layers of fabric like gauze or bandages until they are no longer at risk for infection.
Wrapping It Up: Use the Cleanest Material
So, what’s the best way to stop bleeding from skin wounds, you ask?
Simply put: by applying pressure!
First aid is something every person who spends a lot of time in Mother Nature should learn. Whether you’re a casual camper or a hardcore survivalist, it’s of the utmost importance that you learn how to assess a skin wound, stop the bleeding and learn how to treat it. Be a step ahead of the unexpected…it may save someone’s life (or your own) one day.
Here at Stealth Angel Survival, our items have been hand-selected by our incredible experts to get you through any type of situation in the best way possible. From first aid kits to survival bug out bags and everything in between, you can count on us to keep you and your family protected.
Don’t settle for poor-quality survival equipment because you never know when your life may depend on it.
Sources:
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Is a Flashlight Just a Flashlight?
We take many things for granted these days. Including flashlights. When you need light in the darkness, a flashlight is your go-to tool.
Of course, it wasn’t always this way. When men and women needed light before electricity, they used torches.
Those torches were followed eventually by candles, oil lamps, and kerosene lamps. Each involved a flame that had to be carried, so there was always the possibility of danger.
Near the end of the 19th century, the incandescent light bulb and the dry battery were invented.
Early flashlights needed to rest
The flashlight was created in 1899 and there’s a good reason the word “flash” was used in its name. The small, incandescent electric light bulb was powered by batteries, with a contact switch turning the light on and off.
But these “flash lights” could not emit light for very long. They ran on zinc-carbon batteries that could not provide constant current for extended periods of time.
The user had to give these flashlights frequent rests.
Over time, as batteries improved and tungsten replaced carbon filaments, the flashlight became more dependable and popular.
Most of today’s flashlights run on disposable or rechargeable batteries. They use incandescent light bulbs or LEDs (light-emitting diodes). Incandescent bulbs have a tungsten filament. LEDs are semiconductors that emit light.
Standard flashlights haven’t changed much
Today, there are two basic types of flashlights: standard and tactical. We’ve all probably used a standard flashlight at one time or another.
Many still require big batteries and they still turn on the same way and weigh about the same.
These basic everyday flashlights are handy when you’re looking for something under a couch. Or when you’re trying to find something in a dark closet. And, of course, when the power goes out in your home.
Standard flashlights are usually constructed from inexpensive aluminum or cheap plastic and low-grade steel. Many don’t last too long.
A wide variety of devices
Among the many flashlights we see today are incandescent bulb flashlights, LED flashlights and high-intensity discharge flashlights. Plus pressurized gas flashlights, solar-powered flashlights and headlamp flashlights.
As well as shake flashlights, USB-charging flashlights and utility flashlights. And heavy-duty flashlights and work flashlights.
They all have their place, and some are more effective than others. A high-intensity discharge flashlight, for example, can deliver a very bright light. That’s due to an electrical current that runs through a ball of ionized gas.
A shake flashlight turns on by shaking it. It’s powered by magnets that cause a reaction to produce light. A headlamp flashlight is ideal if you need to shine light on something you’re using both hands to work on.
Tactical flashlights rule
Tactical flashlights are far superior to standard flashlights. So why settle for anything less?
Tactical flashlights look and feel much different. They’re more durable and weather-resistant. And they feature a variety of settings, such as strobe and SOS. Once you get used to a tactical flashlight, you’ll probably never use a standard flashlight again.
Most tactical flashlights are made with a higher grade of aluminum and are armor-coated. Normally they are lighter in weight than basic flashlights. And they can resist shocks, corrosion and whatever the weather throws at them.
The average standard flashlight gives you about 10 feet of brightness. That’s approximately 100 lumens. Tactical flashlights provide brightness to about 50 feet. And they give you visibility up to about 100 yards.
What to look for
Here’s what I look for in a tactical flashlight:
- Ultra-bright LED flashlight
- Solar panel
- Power bank
- SOS light and strobe
- Work light
- Seatbelt/rope splitter
- Glass-breaking hammer
- Compass
- Magnet
- Lightweight
- Anti-slip handle
- Adjustable wrist strap
Could a tactical flashlight save your life?
A tactical flashlight is not only superior to a regular flashlight. It could also save your life. Here are six ways that could happen.
Spotting danger in the darkness. If you find yourself walking in a dark area – due to a power outage or if you’re camping in the woods – a flashlight is a big help for finding your way and avoiding pitfalls. You might even spot a human with bad intent or an animal looking for its next meal. Spotting either of them before you get too close could save your life.
Escaping from a hazard zone. If there were a chemical spill near where you live and the power were knocked out, a flashlight might be the only tool at your disposal to help you get out of the region as quickly and safely as possible. The same thing would be true if you were dealing with a fire, flood, earthquake or other disaster that would require you to get away quickly.
Signaling for help. If you get lost in the wilderness, whether during an escape from a bad situation or just a camping trip, or are stranded somewhere, a flashlight could be used to signal for help. Especially if your flashlight has a built-in SOS component or a strobe function to it. Light carries a long distance in a short amount of time – something like 186,000 miles per second – and it will attract attention if someone is able to observe it.
Self-defense from an attacker. There are weapons that would be more useful than a flashlight if you’re attacked. A gun comes to mind first, of course. But most of us don’t have immediate access to that type of weapon when we’re out and about. And there are usually restrictions on how and when they can be carried. A flashlight can temporarily blind an attacker to allow an escape, while its barrel can be used for a counterattack.
A vehicle breakdown. If you have to get out of your vehicle after pulling off to the side of the road, your hazard lights should help other drivers see your car. But they won’t help you see what’s going on under the hood. A flashlight will come in very handy in this situation, as it would if you were changing a tire. And if you have to abandon the car and walk somewhere in the dark, it will help light your way.
Charging a cellphone for an emergency call. If your cellphone is dead and you need to make a call for help, some tactical flashlights will enable you to charge it. That phone call could allow you to escape a very dangerous situation.
Everybody needs a flashlight. And several of them are much better than having just one. But make sure you have tactical flashlights because they can do so much more.
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