Outdoor Life Prepare for Anything Survival Manual (69 page)

My fiancé and I were celebrating our engagement at a local restaurant . . .

. . . when suddenly, he started choking!

But it wasn’t working! He was going to pass out, and the ambulance wouldn’t arrive in time.

Luckily, there was a doctor there!

. . . made a careful cut . . .

. . . and used the pen to make an airway!

He tried to clear his throat, but it was completely blocked.

Someone at the neighboring table tried the Heimlich maneuver.

He grabbed a clean knife and a pen . . .

The ambulance arrived soon after.

The wedding was still months away—he had time to practice chewing thoroughly so the same thing wouldn’t happen with the cake!

As with all of these scenarios, getting medical help is crucial. If it’s not forthcoming, here’s what you can do in the event of a gunshot wound.

Short-term survival means stopping bleeding and praying that nothing too important, like an organ or an artery, got hit. Put pressure on bleeders, elevate wounded limbs, stay calm, and watch the patient’s blood pressure and pulse for symptoms of shock.

Long-term survival after a noncritical gunshot wound, with no help coming, boils down to one thing: preventing infection. Those bits of clothing, skin, and hair that the bullet dragged into the wound are going to cause trouble, so keep the wound clean. Surviving the injury is all about dealing with the pain, letting your body mend itself, and—again—preventing infection. Keep potent antibiotics in your bug-out bag, and carry a product called QuikClot, which (as you’d imagine from the name) helps to stop bleeding fast.

One of the most serious injuries is when a person is impaled by debris or objects. Whether it’s embedded in soft tissue, an eye, or an organ, it needs to be well taken care of.

First things first: Leave the object in place. Removing it without the proper skill may worsen the injury or leave debris behind, and in some cases the object may actually be keeping the victim from bleeding out.

Next, stabilize the affected area. Carefully cover any exposed tissue with a saline-moistened dressing, then immobilize and wrap the object and the injury with bandages. Transport the victim to a medical facility as soon as possible.

A tension pneumothorax, also known as a sucking chest wound, occurs when air or gas fills the chest cavity (usually after a chest injury), which prevents a lung from properly expanding. An emergency chest decompression may be necessary in some cases to keep a victim breathing, but it’s also high on the list of things you really shouldn’t do unless you know exactly (and professionally) how.

STEP 1
Remove a stopper from a syringe and apply a sterile needle.

STEP 2
Locate and clean the insertion site (between the second and third ribs, above the nipple).

STEP 3
Insert the needle straight into the chest, and feel for a pop as the needle penetrates into the pleural sac (around the lung).

STEP 4
Listen for a hiss from the needle and let air escape. Apply an airtight bandage or other sterile covering over the wound.

Suturing an open wound can speed healing, reduce infection, and reduce chances of reinjury.

STEP 1
Clean the wound thoroughly with water and an antiseptic solution rinse.

STEP 2
Carefully align the edges of the wound.

STEP 3
Using sutures, needle, and forceps, stitch the wound shut, from about 1/10 to 4/10 inch (0.1 to 0.3 cm) around and beneath the cut.

STEP 4
Tie off with square knots and cover with dressings.

One of the worst survival scenarios you may face is a situation in which you have to survive with only the clothes on your back (or less). This could happen in wilderness survival or a bug-out gone horribly wrong. However your story may unfold, you’ve got to have the skills to turn nothing into something.

The first step is take stock of your situation. If you lost your gear because an angry mob tore off your BOB, then escape and evasion are your tools for safety. If people are threatening you in postdisaster lawlessness, then self-defense will be your top priority. Arm yourself as best you can—in the wilderness, in your home, or in the wreckage.