The old saying is that if you think education is expensive, try ignorance.
Being a proponent of a self-reliant lifestyle like most readers of
SurvivalBlog, I find it is sometimes costly to get the training we
need to make ourselves better informed. Being basically frugal (read:
cheap) I've searched out some ways to get the knowledge I wanted without
a large outlay of money.
My first stop in my hunt for knowledge was at the Human Resources office at
my place of employment. I discovered that there were several American Red Cross
(ARC) first aid and CPR classes offered. The really great thing was that my
job classification was one that allowed me to attend class on company time
and get trained. Not only free, but paid to learn lifesaving skills useful
in almost every survival situation. Now that is not bad deal at all.
I followed up the first aid/CPR class with a call to the local chapter of the
Red Cross. For no fee I could sign up for such classes as Introduction to Disaster
Services. This class is needed as a prerequisite for most ARC classes in the
disaster area. This class is designed to educate the student with an overview
of the roll of the ARC in such events as hurricanes to floods that displace
whole communities to house fires that displace a single family. Also free of
charge are classes like Mass Care, Shelter Operations Workshop, Damage Assessment
and Emergency Assistance to Families. Even if the student never volunteers
to work with the ARC he can become quite knowledgeable about the operations
of their community’s services during a disaster.
For the readers of SurvivalBlog there are other ARC classes that can be of
use and the cost is minimal. For $15 there is a class on Preventing Disease
Transmission. Other low cost classes (under $30) are: First Aid for Daycare
Worker/Infant/child First Aid-Review, Child Abuse Recognition & Prevention,
and good old Basic First Aid. The American Red Cross also has other classes
that teach among others, Lifesaving
and CPR for the Professional Rescuer but the cost on these classes can run
well over $125.
Next on the list of free training comes from the federal government. The Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a lot of courses that you can study at
home, or on line. Courses such as Emergency Preparedness, USA, which help the
student evaluate what types of emergencies they are most likely to experience.
It helps the student prepare for the disasters that they determine are most
likely to happen in their area. Warm clothes and heat sources for the possibility
of snowstorms or blizzards in the northern states, or plywood stutters for
the coast about to be hit with a hurricane are some of the ideas that are pointed
out for students. It is common sense ideas packed in a study manual.
Other courses available are on such subjects as Hazardous Materials, Animals
in Disaster, Retrofitting Flood-prone Structures, or Emergency Program Manager.
For a list of the home study guides you can write:
Federal Emergency Management Agency
EMI-Independent Study Program
16825 South Seton Avenue
Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727-8998
On the web at: http://www.fema.gov/tab_education.shtm
After the courses are completed FEMA will send the student a nice certificate
suitable for framing. In some cases the completed courses are also good for
college credit.
My place of employment also sent me to the local branch of the National Safety
Council, those Green Cross folks. I attended a seminar on Fire Safety and Confined
Space Entry. I also earned a forklift driver’s license through this organization.
Since my employer is a member of the council the classes were free of charge
and done on work time. The Safety Council offers many classes on industrial
safety; many of the classes are useful in any survival situation. Face it,
just adding a job skill like driving a forklift helps your personnel survivability
in the event of a lay off or plant closing.
My sons showed me another inexpensive way to get some very useful knowledge.
They had joined Boy Scouts of America and while they were working on merit
badges I flipped through the pamphlet and was surprised at the easy to read
booklet and amount of knowledge that it held. Boy Scout merit badge books,
there are around a 120, cover subjects from Astronomy to Woodworking. Many
of the subjects covered are of use to the person studying to be more self-reliant.
Backpacking, Camping, First Aid, Orienteering, Weather, and Wilderness Survival
are some of the titles that anyone needing information on can get some quick
easy to study knowledge. There are other titles that may also be of use, such
as Crime Prevention, Plumbing, Home Repairs, Emergency Preparedness, Rifle
and Shotgun Shooting.
I found that my parents were having some land disputes and we needed to talk
to a surveyor. I spent the $2 for the Surveying Merit Badge booklet and read
it over before we meet with the surveyors. I was able to understand enough
of the “trade lingo” to ask the right questions. I discovered that
since I understood their language that they were more willing to work with
my family than the other folks involved. I couldn’t run a couple of rods
of chain and find a corner stake, but I did manage to get the problem resolved
to our satisfaction. To develop outdoors skills, working with a local scout
troop might be a good idea also. By working with scouts learning to travel
in the wilderness, cook outdoors over a fire, build shelters, handy useful
knot tying, and working with map and compass can all become basic skills. Boy
Scouts also offer leadership training that teaches how to teach the scouts.
It is excellent learning, and the cost is usually under $20 for a weekend of
hands on training. For information on ordering Boy Scout books and information
look in the local phone book or write:
Boy Scouts of America
Supply Division
PO Box 65989
Charlotte, North Carolina 28265-0989
On the web at: www.scouting.org
A friend of mine told me about a class he took at the Criminal Justice Training
and Education Center (CJCC.) He worked for the County as a Deputy Dog Warden
and was able to take free classes at the CJCC. Since I worked for the county
also he wondered if I could take some classes with him. I checked with HR again
and yes indeed I could take some classes, for free and on company time, as
long as they related to my job. Since not many jobs call for survival skills
as part of their skills required, and my maintenance job did not resemble criminal
justice training it looked like a dead end. It did work out that I was able
to take some classes if I was willing to use vacation days to go. I signed
up for classes on Gang Identification and Youth, Drugs and the Community’s
Response. Knowing how to spot a gang sign or members and knowing which gang
they belong to is much like the old time frontier scouts that could tell which
tribe an indian belonged to and could deal better with them. On today’s
streets knowledge is a survival skill.
My quest for additional information led me to investigate the local unit of
our State Defense Force. I had read an article in the April, 1991 issue of
American Survival Guide about State Defense Forces and looked into the one
in my area. I joined the local Military Police Battalion and received some
excellent training. I was only required to train one 8 hour period a month,
generally one Sunday a month and in return I completed Basic Entry Level Training
(BELT) class and moved on to other training as well. Attending some full weekend
classes I completed the United States Army Reserve Military Police Course.
Basic military and police skills are very useful in many survival situations
and also add a great deal of self-confidence. Other classes that the Reserves
have that I found very useful were Cold Weather and Survival Course, Hazardous
Materials Technician Course, and Small Arms
Range/Safety Officer Training.In addition to the courses that are offered
the monthly drills give an opportunity to use the skills learned in the classroom
out in the field for practical application.
Land navigation, self-defense, and first aid/buddy aid are routinely re-enforced
making those survival skills a strong part of your abilities.
The opportunity for anyone to learn many useful survival skills in out there.
The cost for learning these lessons can be very minimal and the skills priceless.
The workplace, local Red Cross, local scout troop, or State Defense Force could
all add to the storehouse of knowledge, and the cost is very low. In the time
of need a cool, well-informed head may be the best survival tool to have.