The Skilled Warrior

Being a warrior in our ancestors' time meant being physically fit, being able to live in the wilderness for extended periods of time, being able to track game, being good marksmen, posessing good discipline, etc.

They had to provide meat for their village, keep it safe from invasion, etc.

Despite the fact that most of our wilderness has disappeared, the basic wilderness skills (tracking, stalking, hunting, camping, hiking, etc.) have not become obsolete.

Our society has become so complex and dependent on technology and the conveniences technology has brought, that any significant disruption has drastic consequences. The hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005 should serve as "wakeup calls".

Some people are on life support machines. Others need vital medicine refrigerated. For the rest of us, loss of electrical power should be no more than an inconvenience. That it can be literally life threatening speaks to our shame. We have so divorced ourselves from the world Creator gave us that we believe we can't live in it!

Reality check: Within a week from RIGHT NOW, you could find your family without electricity or gasoline for an extended period of time (whether from a hurricane or other natural disaster, terrorist act, etc.). This is not far-fetched. It happened in 2005. People died.

In wide-area disasters, phone service, cell phone service, and internet access become unreliable at best, non-functional at worst. You might find yourself without communication as well as power.

If you're going to effectively protect and provide for your family and clan in times of disaster in our overly complicated world, you may need additional skills our ancestors never dreamed of.

Some of these additional skills include first aid, simple mechanics, and alternate communications.

The potential need for first aid in a disaster is obvious, as is the potential need for basic mechanical repairs since AAA is not likely to be available.

We'll address the communications issue separately.

Probably the single most useful basic skills book which is also easily obtainable, is the Boy Scout Field Book (not to be confused with the Boy Scout Hand Book). You can get the Field Book at Andy Thornall's outdoor store in Winter Haven, or at one of the Boy Scout service centers. The military survival books are good, but the Scout Fieldbook keeps things nice and simple and is great for teaching your kids.

First aid kits can be purchased at Wal Mart. Each of us should have a first aid kit in each vehicle, as well as at home.


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