I want to tell you about my many discoveries and inventions starting emergency fires when matches and lighters will not work or are unavailable. And FORGET those pre-historic fire-starting methods rubbing 02 sticks together (bow n’ drill, spin drill and fire trough). But first, let me tell you 02 true survival stories.
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Here’s a true story I read from the Reader’s Digest back in the late 1990s I believe. I tried to find the original story since I lost the original Reader’s Digest.
Now let’s learn about some very experienced hunters that took their final exam and failed, yet they were literally standing on their life-saver but didn’t know it.
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2 Very Experienced Hunters Froze To Death But They Were Literally Standing On Their Lifesaver!
This true survival story is taken from memory from an article in Readers Digest. I was taken back by this survival tragedy cause like so many other survival tragedies it could have been prevented all together or at least remedied.
Two very experienced hunters ventured out in familiar mountains which was complimented with deer. Deer they needed for food for themselves and especially their families. These hunters knew what they were doing when it came to hunting deer with their rifles but were “clueless” when Mother Nature and all She possesses gave them their final exam.
This morning was a beautiful, not a hint of danger, not a hint of Mother Nature’s anger. Partly cloudy, light winds and comfortable chili temperatures that barely gave one goose bumps but nothing more. The rising easterly sun tried to shed its light and warmth on the chilled land but was shielded by tall mountain peaks.
Two confident hunters set out that early morning to put food on the table for their families. Parking their truck just off the trail, they ventured into the valley below them to find an overwatch position for wandering bucks. The bigger the buck the better. Settling in they quietly waited for any deer to come within their sector for easy pickens with their high calibre weapons. Hours later the sun was arching towards high noon, the winds picked up and the cloud cover began to roll in. Finally, a deer wandered within their overwatch. “POW” and down went the buck. Applauding their success, both hunters went to celebrate over their bounty.
What they did next is puzzling. Both men began to drag their deer to their truck (may be dressing a deer on the spot was illegal). Even a small buck had to weigh a couple hundred pounds. Compounded by uphill jagged terrain, it had to be a heck of a workout dragging that deer and that’s exactly what it was – a very sweaty workout.
As the two hunters dragged their deer to their truck, the weather turned bad very quickly. The winds picked-up, the temperatures dropped and it began snowing. The hunters carried-on and the falling snow transitioned into a full-blown blizzard.
How could such a beautiful morning turn into a killer blizzard without any warning? How? Cause mountains have the ability to create their own weather and weather in mountainous terrain changes real quick. Both men now began to succumb to hypothermia. They knew they were in trouble and wisely stopped dragging the deer but it was already too late. Both men now focused on getting to their truck.
Hypothermia not only deteriorates the body’s ability to be mobile, it affects the mind too. Both men deteriorated deeper into hypothermia. Why? They were literally soaking wet with sweat from dragging that deer. Exhausted, lost, and confused, in the blinding blizzard both men sat down to rest – WRONG MOVE.
Attempting to start a life-saving fire, they failed. One hunter could no longer go any farther. The other hunter stood up and walked a very short distance away, sat down, lit his last cigarette and died. Both men were found later not far from each other. Both died from overexposure – died from hypothermia.
The men couldn’t start a fire to literally save their lives yet they were standing on their life-saver – their footgear. Most footgear is made with some form of petroleum product(s) like the soles and heels. And what about all those coniferous trees all around them? They’re great for protective wind breaks and fuel for a warming/signal fire.
If you don’t think you can start a fire in a snow blizzard, go back and read the segment on the Donner Party. If they could do it in their weakened condition, why not you? But first, let me tell you the 1st preparation would be to build a windbreak from the killer cold wind and then build a bonfire (big fire) on the downwind side of the windbreak.
Building the bonfire prior to the windbreak CAN’T PROTECT THE FIRE AND CONTAIN THE HEAT FROM THE BONFIRE LIKE A WINDBREAK CAN. Plus, if you fail to build a fire, at least you have a windbreak to protect you from the blasting snow. The snow will also build-up on the upwind side thus blocking more frigid wind.
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Now here’s that 2nd true survival story.
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A Company Of Infantry Paratroopers Whooped Into Submission!
My first hitch in the US Army was with the Airborne Infantry of the famous 82nd Airborne out of Fort Bragg, NC. When I arrived at my unit, ALL the Non-Commissioned Officers (Sergeants) were fresh out of the Vietnam War. In my humble opinion, those Vietnam Vets were some of the best teachers.
I figure through their experience and teaching, they probably save my life when I got involved with the US Army Special Forces (Green Berets) years later.
Anyway, the all those misery jumps were NOTHING like jump school. That’s why I openly state those that go to jump school and only jump 05-times to earn their wings and are never in an Airborne unit, shouldn’t be allowed to wear the wings at all. There’s definitely a difference between a parachutist and a paratrooper.
Anyway again, on one FTX (Field-Training Exercise), the schedule is always long. We end up jumping at around midnight or later. We start preparing for the jump in the morning and it takes all day and night long. This FTX was going to be extra miserable. Why?
The weather was already cold but just above freezing and worse yet it was constant non-stop drizzle. Back then there was no Gore-Tex. We wore cotton fatigues, cotton underwear and a cotton field jacket. If you don’t know it, cotton is the worst fabric to wear when it’s cold.
It was already dark when we got to Green Ramp (Pope Air Force Base, NC) and it was still drizzling rain. We finished-up the Sustained Airborne Training and went through the aircraft mock-up training with actions in the aircraft, did our practice PLFs (parachute landing falls) and lined-up for parachute issue.
We all chuted-up (main, reserve, weapon and gear) and then were inspected by our Jumpmasters. Then we all sat there in the wet sand in many rows according to how we were going load the aircraft.
It was ALWAYS “Hurry-Up And Wait”, sitting there in the wet sand we waited and waited for the orders to get up and ‘waddle’ to the aircraft. The aircraft were always hundreds of meters away.
We finally arrive at the C-130 Hercules and because of all the gear we were wearing, we all needed help waddling up the ramp to get inside the C-130. By the time we sat down and our safety belts hooked-up by the Safeties, we were all soaking wet. We were all cold but nobody quit. It was always like this – “If he ain’t quittn’, I ain’t quittn’.” No matter how bad it got nobody quit.
Almost a couple hours later, we finally jumped out of that sickly 01+ roller coaster plane ride from hell.
The Company assembled and off we went patrolling in the dark and it was still drizzling. It was cold. I had no idea where we were or where we were going. I was just following the dark object in front of me.
Hours later, the sun was coming up and we were still patrolling. We finally stopped and dug our foxholes and it was still drizzling. We were all soaking wet but nobody dare quit. It was cold. After digging our foxholes we went to 50% security and were allowed to take turns to heat-up and eat a C-Ration meal. The bottom of our foxholes were slowly filling-up with cold rain water.
Hours later we filled-in our foxholes and moved out and patrolled and stopped, built foxholes and continued this for the next few days. We all stayed soaking wet and the temperatures dropped. The drizzling rain turned to snow.
Nobody quit, we just kept going day & night after day & night. We were paratroopers or trying to be paratroopers. One morning, were were all messed up from the cold. We NEVER built fires or anything like it. We were training like it was a combat environment.
The Company Commander ordered us to Go Admin. Going Admin means to stop going tactical and fix the immediate problem. I guess soldiers were going hypothermic. Remember, I said the cotton clothing were were wearing is the worst fabric top wear when it’s cold and worse yet, when cotton fabric is wet.
We were allowed to Go Admin and build a fire. Now get this. I’ll never forget it. Everybody had matches (from the C-Rations) – everybody. There were 03 platoons of Infantry, from Viet Nam vets to Know Nuthin Privates like me. The 4th platoon – the mobile Weapons Platoon (indirect fire) was at another location. We were all probably going hypothermic. Dozens of soldiers tried to get a fire going. Nothing. We all had those tissue paper packets, but that didn’t help get a fire going.
I distinctly remember a packed circle of soldiers huddled close together looking down at some worthless embers. With their weapons slung on their shoulders, they were stomping their feet, fidgeting around and grumbling. A few soldiers were running around making snowballs and trying to nail another soldier on the run.
03 platoons of infantry, and we couldn’t start a frickn’ fire. And at this time and on this FTX, the Company Commander was a Special Forces (Green Beret) war hero from the Vietnam War. If you ever watched the national news, he gives his input on the war conflict. At the time of this story, our Company Commander was Captain David W. Hunt.
You just read 02 true stories where 02 expert deer hunters who died in-place because they couldn’t start a fire to literally save their lives. And you just read the story where 03 platoons of infantry – paratroopers at that, who couldn’t start a fire yet everyone had matches.
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Advanced And Ultra-Advanced Emergency Fire-Starting!
OK, now let me tell you about Advanced And Ultra-Advanced Emergency Fire-Starting.
I know from my own experiences that in emergency situations, you need alternative ways to start emergency fires. Of the 8 Elements of Survival (Fire, Water, Shelter, First-Aid, Signal, Food, Weapons and Navigation), in my humble opinion, in most survival situations, FIRE is the most important. If you screw-up everything, but you get a fire going, you’re doing good.
Over the last couple of decades, I’ve conducted THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of Research & Development (R & D) projects when it comes to international survival (Wilderness, Health, Crime & Money Survivals) to include HUNDREDS of ‘Emergency Fire-Starting Projects.’ I’ve DISCOVERED and INVENTED several dozen ways to start emergency fires that could save lives – YOUR LIFE and those under your care. I’ve DISCOVERED and INVENTED several dozen ways to start emergency fires without using any matches, using any lighters and FORGET those pre-historic fire-starting methods rubbing 02 sticks together (bow n’ drill, spin drill and fire trough).
I know you’re interested in Emergency Fire-Starting that could Save Your Life and those under your care. So, go to:
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Save My Life… Survival Program!
Plus, there are a few ultra-advanced fire-starting video clips waiting for you.
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