Skills We Teach
The five skills or principles that we cover in our classes are:
Fire: Why it is important and needed. Different fire lighting techniques, such as
Friction (Hand drill, fire plow, bow drill, fire saw, fire thong and fire piston),
Magnification (water, ice, glass), Flint and Steel, Ferrocerium rods, The proper
way it light a match, how to use a lighter and some other ways that are just fun.
Shelter: The Three basic types of shelter. How to construct them and how to identify
good locations for a shelter. We focus on Natural shelters (shelters made from only
things that can be found in the area you are in.) We also teach you how to make
simple shelters from tarps and other man made materials. We teach principles that
will help you understand how to make your shelter the most efficient for staying
warm, dry, out of the sun and help maximize your chance of rescue.
Water: How to find water. Where to look and what to look for in different environments.
How to build water stills both above ground and below ground. What the difference
is between filtered water and purified water and why it is important. When to drink
and when not to drink water. How to purify water and how to make containers that
will hold water.
Food: We teach you how to find food from plants and animal
life sources. We will
teach you how to prepare it from scratch and what is ok to eat and what is not.
You will learn how to make and set traps. You will learn where to place them and
what type of signs to look for. You will also learn how to make primitive tools
for hunting and to work with. Tools like stone knifes, spears, bows and arrows,
fishing traps, fish hooks, lures and cordage from plant fibers. We will also teach
you how to preserve your food.
First Aid: The basics of wilderness first aid. Why it is important and why it gets
looked over. How to keep clean in the outdoors and what type of effects it has on
your chances of survival. You will learn how to keep your camp clean. You will also
learn about the different types of uses of plants. The difference between a tourniquet
and a constricting band. You will learn when to use a tourniquet and how to put
one on properly. You will learn how to stop bleeding and the proper way to put on
a splint. You will learn how to treat heat and cold injuries. You will learn the
signs to look for in weather related injuries and compound brakes and fractures.
We will also teach you what to do for concussions, unconsciousness, diarrhea, dehydration,
infection, and minor cuts, scraps, bruises sun burns and frost bite.