Heber Valley Life

Tag: survival

  • Fieldcraft Survival

    Fieldcraft Survival

    “We don’t get to pick the time, place, or how an emergency happens. We just get to choose how prepared we are for it.”
    Austin Lester, Fieldcraft Survival

    It was not on a whim that Fieldcraft Survival moved to Heber Valley this past year. In the summer of 2020, while the training team was passing through our town from Montana to Prescott, Arizona, they were compelled to stop and take a look around. The Heber Valley possesses some very attractive attributes for a company based around readiness: a culture of preparedness, incredible backcountry opportunities, and a rural lifestyle. By fall 2020 Fieldcraft Survival had relocated their headquarters to our beautiful Wasatch County.

    For the past six years, Fieldcraft Survival has been creating unique, customized tools and courses, including a virtual simulator, to help educate, train, and equip everyday citizens for survival in real-world worst-case scenarios. Although the training programs are mostly conducted in person; Fieldcraft Survival products have only been available through e-commerce. However, all that changed when the company landed here in Heber. In February 2021 Fieldcraft opened the doors to their first retail pro-shop along highway 189 in the Charleston Business Park. The shop is a wonderful compliment to their training facilities and warehouse.

    The Reputation of Preparedness

    Fieldcraft Survival’s founder and CEO, Mike Glover, is a former Green Beret with a bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security. His experiences in Special Forces and combat have made him an expert in Counter-Terrorism, Security, and Crisis Management. Nearing the end of his career as a government contractor operating in Pakistan, it became clear to Mike that much of the practical training and tools that most civilians have are very basic and rarely stress-tested. Mike realized that there was a need for more easily accessible training and application. And the idea for Fieldcraft Survival was born! In 2015, Mike launched his company.

    Today, Fieldcraft’s team of instructors includes individuals with extensive expertise in fields such as Psychological Warfare, Counter-Terrorism, Military Special Forces, Police Narcotics Units, Survivalist Training, Search and Rescue, Behavioral Health, Off-Road/Vehicle Preparedness, Paramedics, and Firefighters. As a result of their impressive talents, many have been called on to train police teams such as S.W.A.T and others.

    In perusing the Fieldcraft Survival website, viewers will find courses and training that involve agile and intricate handling of defense scenarios, including with firearms, in addition to their Firearms, Survival, Medical, Events, Mobility, and Self-Defense training. While Fieldcraft Survival does train police, most of the training offered is for regular folks. As citizens of a community, we know the importance of being prepared. Although, we hope to never have to defend ourselves or our family with a firearm — training and practicing to do so is equally as important as the need to train in situational awareness, medical expertise, and survival skills.

    On Wednesday nights, Fieldcraft Survival hosts free overview courses. These courses lay the foundation for preparedness development. Heber residents are familiar with preparedness outlets peppered across the state offering products ranging from food stores and water barrels to solar panels. These are great modes of readiness; however, on the day-to-day, we’re more likely to deal with isolated disasters, like a car accident or getting lost in the woods. When was the last time any of us had to use a quick-clot or a tourniquet? It stands to reason that if we can respond to those emergencies through practice, we’re better equipped for those isolated and widespread disasters that may or may not arrive.

    When it comes to conditioning ourselves to deal with emergencies or disasters many of us lack the formal training to do anything but stall out. Austin Lester, of Fieldcraft Survival, talks about learning to stop, make an assessment, and take action. Until we learn the skills and implement that new knowledge in a controlled simulation, we cannot possibly understand how we will respond. One of Fieldcraft’s most popular training tools is their Virtual Training Simulator. The simulator provides real-life scenarios and various drills to improve your decision-making process in a self-defense situation.

    Responsible Citizen

    Rob Parsons and Austin Lester explained that the courses offered (including many new ones) are currently being reorganized into one of these three categories: Survival, Defense, and First Aid. These make up the “Responsible Citizen” instruction program.

    Some of what is being taught in Responsible Citizen is based on what is often seen in Search and Rescue in the backcountry. Emergencies can evolve out of hunting, overlanding, hiking, and other outdoor activities that go awry. Many of us who venture out typically consider ourselves “ready for anything” but when the time comes to prove our skills, we may find that we are not as prepared as we thought.

    Educating ourselves and proving what we know before an emergency arises will help us not only respond but be aware of what could potentially go wrong before we ever head out. Although we cannot be prepared for all emergencies, we can take our training and flex our understanding of what is happening around us to adapt our skill set. Austin shared that “. . . keeping track of where you are in the wilderness may feel eerily similar to navigating a rural environment after an earthquake.” This learning environment is what Fieldcraft Survival provides.

    Preparedness is a Community Endeavor

    A community is made up of individuals; we will weather storms better if we are ready together. We all must have a starting point, and some will want a path to continue their preparedness journey. Having Fieldcraft Survival available to us in ways that are not available anywhere else gives our community a distinct advantage to embrace their training courses and better prepare ourselves for whatever may come. We have the right teachers here, in Heber Valley.

    “While we encourage firearm training and proficiency, we are far more likely to encounter situations where we will need training in medical applications and mindset, and shouldn’t neglect those skills when training.”
    Rob Parsons, Fieldcraft Survival

    READY TO UP YOUR SKILLS? CHECK OUT THESE UPCOMING CLASSES:

    Knots And Cordage

    How to maximize the use of common cordage for survival situations

    Basic Survival

    Course goes into survival skills and proper mindset

    2 Day Land Navigation

    Learn navigation, including compass, maps, GPS, and other methods

    Self Defense Tactics

    Designed to demonstrate and exercise real-world Self-Defense situations

     

    fieldcraftsurvival.com

  • Fortune Favors the Prepared

    Fortune Favors the Prepared

    Recall Aesop’s fable The Ant and the Grasshopper. In all his Greek wisdom, Aesop told of wise ants and their preparations against leaner times in comparison to foolish Grasshopper, who found great pleasure in his life, until winter winds began to blow. He mourned taunting remarks to his busy little friends in earlier days and found himself at their mercy when times were tough. The moral of the story: Be Prepared.

    Fortunately, we don’t need to spend our entire summers hauling necessary sustenance into a hole in the ground. What can we do to be ready for a rainy day? Plan and prepare. Emergency Preparedness consists of four main survival essentials: medical, food, water, and shelter. All take a little time, money, and effort, but don’t all good things? As abundant as things may appear, the most unimaginable, seemingly absurd circumstances can quickly diminish the essentials and leave us vulnerable in the most basic human ways.

    MEETING MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

    At the forefront of the world’s eye this past year, and continuing to be a pressing issue, global health has given us an educated perspective for preparation. I will point out the elephant in the room and suggest it wise to take the precautions and motions you deem worthy during our current pandemic. Suggestions for preparations would include a supply of masks; medical, reusable, or a combination of the two. Having items like a thermometer, sanitizer, and disinfectant are also crucial. Consider a vaccination when it becomes available to you.

    Having a fundamental knowledge of both physical and mental first aid is invaluable. As a society, we’ve made great strides in curbing the stigma surrounding mental health. Suicide prevention is a skill we should all seriously consider acquiring. There are basic classes offered in the community for both medical and mental health first aid. Staying up to date on CPR and first aid is vital — we never know when we might need it. I carry a CPR face shield and other first aid supplies in my car and bag. I stay CPR certified, hoping that if faced with an emergency, I can change someone’s story.

    FOOD

    My in-laws have a resident squirrel, named Stanley whose winter preparation has provided entertainment for this cute couple and my son. Take notes from Stanley and his kind. The rule of thumb according to food storage specialists is to have at the minimum a three-month supply. But not everyone can do that. Kristen Curley, President of Nitro-Pac Preparedness Center in Midway offers this advice, “We recommend that you at least have a two-week supply of food and water per person. This gives you peace of mind in case something does happen. Sometimes emergencies might just be a couple of days, sometimes they might be longer; a two-week supply is a good start. If you can do more, then ultimately the next steps would be to have a thirty-day, three-month, six-month, or one-year supply.”

    Store what you know how to use and what you like. Purchase extra frequently used items and rotate them as you go. If you’d rather not worry about rotating food, Kristin shared that dehydrated and freeze-dried foods have a longer shelf life. Depending on the brand, freeze-dried food can have a thirty-year shelf life. You should store canned and dry goods in a cool, dry, dark space. Ideally, you can devote a part of your basement or a deep closet to food storage. If you’re lucky you have a cellar. Space tight? Get creative with nooks and crannies you can utilize. Think of space under beds, in crawl spaces and attics, the tops of closets, or under staircases.

    MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID

    Adult and Youth Classes

    This year includes new content, focusing primarily on the youth. Classes are held in the evenings, weekly for two- or four-week sessions.

    MORE INFORMATION:

    WATER

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend storing, at minimum, one gallon of water for drinking and sanitization per person for three days. Remember to factor in if you need water for any food storage meals. Purchasing water is an option or there’s the route of filling your own containers. Be sure to refresh regularly. You should rotate or refill your water storage every 6 months. See the CDC’s website section titled Preparing a Home Water Supply for details.

    Consider a rain barrel for collecting water. Please note, it’s not advised as drinking water. It may acquire chemicals on its way to your barrel. Think practical, watering fruits and vegetables, washing clothes, or even filling a toilet. My home is on a well and it’s incredibly inconvenient to use the bathroom when the power is out. That is a messy situation we don’t care to think about, but your future self may be mighty grateful for that quick internet search and purchase. There are a plethora of water barrel options available; ranging from efficient and inexpensive to decorative.

    SHELTER

    We’re generally blessed with fairly nice shelters. It’s a good idea to have plans for emergency situations that call for staying in place or evacuation. In cases of evacuation, unfortunately, we have yet to figure out how to magically pack our homes into a suitcase or backpack. Having a survival shelter that you can quickly set up to protect you from the elements can be the deciding factor between life and death. There are many different types of portable shelters from tarps and tube tents to pop-up tents, inflatable tents, and backpacking tents. What works for one may not work for another; write down what your needs are, what your budget is, and remember something is better than nothing. A few things to consider when looking are: quality, materials, structural design, weight, company track record, reviews, your climate, occupancy, and what best fits your individual needs. You can also visit thepreparednessexperience.com for their 2021 list of best survival tents for emergencies. Don’t just take their word for it though — do your research — and do what is best for your situation.

    Evacuation plans also call for a 72-hour kit, prepackaged or self-assembled for the house and the car. Each member of the family should have their own kit. Additionally, it’s a good idea to have heavy-duty 72-hour ‘family’ kits. I have two; one with medical and survival items and another with food and water. Everyone’s kit will be different depending on their needs but all should include the basics; first aid, food, water, shelter.

    Kits should be easily accessible at a moment’s notice on your way out the door. I store mine in the mudroom. A shelf in the garage also works well.

    Over the years I’ve assembled a pack for each of my children with spare clothing, a personal water bottle, a few food items, and entertainment (ie. coloring book, stuffed animal, card game). Kits should be checked and restocked at least once a year. Clothes can be rotated out for seasons or you can have a winter set and a summer set. If you can, include clothing for three days this will allow for damage during a disaster or clean up. For children pack extra as bedwetting is a common symptom of trauma. When considering clothing for children it is recommended to pack used clothing (one to two sizes bigger) that is familiar to what they already wear — children can feel the difference especially if they have special needs.

    We are living in uncertain times and there’s no time like the present to get started on emergency preparedness. Like the busy ants and Stanley and his nut supply — whatever your inspiration; be prepared for the worst so you can be at your best.

    THINGS YOU NEVER THINK OF

    BABY ON BOARD

    Diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, diaper rash cream, change of clothes.

    CHILDREN

    Comfort items, games, entertainment, change of clothes.

    MEDICAL CONDITION

    Eyeglasses, contact lenses and solution, diabetic supplies, prescriptions.

    WOMEN – LISTEN UP!

    Feminine sanitary items.

    FINANCIAL

    Keep cash in your kits.

    CONVENIENCE ITEMS

    Flashlight, chargers for electronic devices, batteries, printed maps, tool kit, knife, shovel, blanket(s), fire starter, masks, disinfectant, flares, matches.

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