I do blacksmithing now and have been a carpenter for many years building homes and furniture but my one thing I want to get more knowledge on is with first aid and to be a medic in a combat sort of situation
Preparedness is like a condom , I've rather have it and not need it, rather than need it and not have it
Are you talking about a current combat situation or after a SHTF combat situation? There will be a WORLD of difference between them.
JAB
For anybody in the Red Deer area, or within reach, this is the best way to do the course and obtain your amateur radio license.
A course is being held on March 23 and 30th at 8 Keast Way, North Red Deer. This is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints chapel. It starts at 9 am on both days.
No charge but a $10.00 deposit is required(to cover materials). They need to receive the deposit in the next week or two as it is getting close to the start date.
The deposit can be, either emailed to Gordon Stanford at ve6adc at gmail dot com, or sent in the mail to:
78 Hathaway Lane
Lacombe, Alberta
T4L 1T4
If you need more information please e-mail Gordon at ve6adc at gmail dot com.
It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.....
If you need more information please e-mail Gordon at ve6adc at gmail dot com.
modify the email addy or the poor bugger will get innondated with spam from the bots...
If one has kids, they could check out a local 4-H club. It doesn't do much for the adults (where I am it's between 9-21 and you pretty much drop your kids off and pick them up 2-3 hours later).
It's not just for farm kids anymore. I think it's great that youth can learn some agriculture and livestock skills from those who actually do it, instead of out of a book with trial and error like I'm doing.
Runs With Scissors
Duffmanprepper:
Taking a first aid course is a good start, but applying first aid isn't a skill practiced often (unless you're very unlucky). I used to volunteer with St John Ambulance when I was close to the city and it was a great way to keep up with the training you've received and also to upgrade that training to Medical First Responder for free. Through regular in-service training sessions and by attending community events, you remain top notch with your "medical" skills. In AB, I think they have groups in Ft Mac, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lloyd (Sask), Calgary and Medicine Hat.
Just a suggestion.
Evening All,
Had a visit to our friendly provincial emergency preparedness website. Much to my surpirse and pleasure, I see you can now take some of the entry level courses online.
http://apsts.alberta.ca/online-courses/ I think this link should get you to the correct place.
Cheers,
Mountainman.
For first aid, I think getting the basics at St John's Ambulance is a good start. Upgrade to the next level when you feel you are ready. Basic first aid and combat first aid is different but not by much since combat deals with more trauma from knife/gunshot/explosives and shrapnel. It is good to know herbal medicine too when medicine runs out. A good survival book and herbal medicine book can teach you alot with first aid and how to treat minor things. For extensive things that require a doctor/nurse for sutures and amputations for medicine making/prescription your gonna be SOOL unless you are taking a nursing course. The book "Where there is no Doctor" seems interesting and I might have a look at it to see if it has info that can help.
Oh and you can always practice on a friend how to wrap a bandage and splint and all the good stuff. I went through a full week of first aid with some combat first aid when I was training last year and it seems like a lot of info but once practiced over and over, it is quite easy.
Another book that has excellent information in a practical format is DITCH MEDICINE. Worth a lookup. One important thing to keep in mind that in most First Aid instruction currently available there is the gross assumption that what you are doing is a stopgap measure to allow the person to survive UNTIL they can get to a higher level of Medical care. The reality in a post SHTF situation is that your First Aid will in many cases BE THAT HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE. You need to learn what the longer term treatment is to sustain what you have initiated. Also you have to adjust your mindset to the reality that the percentage of bad outcomes will be MUCH higher than now. You will do the best you can but the reality will be that many will die or be maimed for life from events that would previously been a simple fix.
JAB