Introduction: The Insiders' Guide to Surviving the End of the World, and Treating Injuries Along the Way

About: We are a team that creates instructables, and also a family. We love creating posts, and also doing projects. We love cool stuff, and gadgets.

It can be scary when you are caught in an emergency, especially when someone you know or love is injured, sick, or in pain. Learning basic first aid can help calm you in a situation such as these, and can give you the peace of mind knowing you can protect and help your family members and friends. Read on to enhance and brighten your knowledge on safety and surviving apocalypses. From a solar flare to starting a fire, here is your insiders' guide on how to survive, be safe, and protect yourself and your family.

Step 1: What Are the Odds?

What are the odds of an apocalypse or a chronic accident happening to your loved ones, or you, for that matter? Very slim. There is almost no chance that there will be a zombie apocalypse, or a huge flood. There are many different apocalypses that you could prepare for, and, as I like to say, it is better to be safe than sorry. There is a pretty good chance some apocalypse will happen in the next 50 years or so. So some survival skills are becoming more crucial than ever to learn and master. From a Solar Flare to a Meteor Strike, here is your inside guide on how to survive any apocalypse.

Step 2: Basic Skills 1.: Keeping Calm and Assessing the Situation

The first things EMTs or paramedics learn is to stay calm. Freaking out won't help the situation, it will just make things worse. You never see EMTs freaking out, they remain calm and composed, even when dealing with a critical patient. Learning relaxation techniques can help ease your mind and put yourself into a calm state where you can think about the patient and how to treat them.

Some useful relaxation techniques:

  • Deep Breaths
  1. Inhale through your nose
  2. Exhale through your mouth

Extra Tips: Closing your eyes while doing this exercise can be more calming, and help you get to that safe, calm, relaxed state, which will help assess the situation and help your mind to act in a mature and composed manner.

  • ABCs
  1. Recite Your ABCs, or your 123s slowly, while inhaling and exhaling at a steady pace.

Extra Tips: Reciting your letters or numbers at a calm, steady pace can reduce stress and help you remain calm.

Those two relaxation techniques that I have listed are great to use in a snap, but you could do further research to come up with more techniques that suit you. One website that I found particularly helpful and that you should check out is:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress...

Assessing the situation is important not only for the victim's safety, but also for your safety. Never go run up to somebody, even though that may be your first instinct and gut reaction.

First, Check the area. If the victim has fallen from a height, such as a cliff, make sure it is safe to approach the victim. Safety is the number one priority, and if a situation is unsafe for you, then wait for the professionals to take over. They are trusted, and know exactly what they're doing. They also have the right equipment.

EXAMPLE:

John Doe is walking on a hiking trail in the mountain with his friend and wife, Jane Doe. At the very top, John loses his footing and falls down the cliff, unconscious. Jane rushes down to her husband, but John's friend, Jack Dove, pulls her back and points out a possible area for an avalanche to occur, where there is a lot of loose rock and rubble. Jane begins to freak out, and is sent away with Job Jones, John's friend, to go find help. Jack calls down to John, but John is unconscious. Going down to assess John may put his life and his friend's in danger, so Jack calls 9-1-1. Later, a ranger comes up to help, and decides that the situation is best for the EMTs to take care of. Soon after, a LifeFlight Heli comes, and John is medivaced to the nearest hospital. Jack saved his friend that day because of his actions and calmness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To go more in depth with Assessing the Situation, attend a program from the American Red Cross or other organizations. This is a much needed skill in emergencies. Many local areas near you may have a CERT program, which teaches you many first aid skills, and it is run by the Fire Dept.

Step 3: Basic Skills: Treating Minor Cuts, Burns, and Blisters

Minor Cuts, Burns, and Blisters are common injuries, and are easily treated at your home. A "minor" cut is usually classified with not much blood, relatively small, and can be fixed with a band aid or gauze pad. Minor burns are typically sunburns or a hot burn, where your skin made contact for a short time. A minor blister is a small blister that is not infected and heals at a normal pace. Treating these injuries are very simple, and you probably already know how to do it. But, I am willing to bet, at least 75% of you are treating these injuries incorrectly.

Cuts:

  1. Wash the cut with cool water, getting any dirt or other bacteria out of the wound. If the cut is on the leg or other area not easily accessible to wash in the sink, use a damp cloth to clean it out.
  2. Dry the wound using a dry washcloth/paper towel/towel. Drying the cut will ensure that the band-aid adheres better to the skin.
  3. Apply antibacterial ointment. This will keep wounds from getting infected, and will keep out any bacteria.
  4. Apply a bandage or a band-aid. Band-aids come in many different sizes, but typically the "normal" size will cover most cuts.

DO NOT!!!! Use hand-sanitizer to clean out a wound. A. This stings like crazy, and B. Hand sanitizer is not meant to be anywhere but your top layer of skin.

Burns:

  1. Cool the burn under COOL water for 10-15 minutes. Do not use ice. Apply a dampened cloth to the burned area.
  2. Remove any tight jewelry such as rings before the are swells up.
  3. Do NOT break any of the blisters that form. If they are larger than your pinkie finger, do not pop them.
  4. If the blisters DO break, wash it off with mild soap and water, apply antibiotic ointment, and cover it with a nonstick bandage, such as gauze.
  5. Apply Aloe Vera, which may help reduce the pain in some cases.
  6. Consider a tetanus shot.

DO NOT!!!! Use COLD water, or apply a stick bandage to the burnt area.

Blisters:

  1. As soon as you feel or see inflammation, apply a moleskin bandage or a blister pad.
  2. Try to leave the blister alone. Messing with it can inflame it even more.
  3. Try not to pop it. If you need to pop it to find relief, search the web for the correct way.

Step 4: Basic Skills: Preparing Your First Aid Kit

When going hiking, to the park, canoeing, camping, and pretty much anywhere else, it is a smart idea to bring a first aid kit. An injury can happen anywhere. With the right equipment, you will be prepared for (mostly) anything that comes your way.

What to Pack?

Some essentials to pack in your first aid kit are obvious, such as band-aids and gauze pads. But, some other things are just as important, and you had no idea you needed them. You need to use your common sense on what to pack, keeping the climate, terrain, and people involved all in mind. Any allergies? Bring an epi-pen. These are all questions you must ask yourself. For your convenience, I have provided a list on things to bring for certain activities, however, there is no way I could cover it all, and you must use your mind and talents to decide what would be smart to bring.

Hiking:*

  • Moleskin bandages, or blister pads
  • Bandages (Consider all of the sizes, the large ones are good for knee or elbow scrapes)
  • Extra Water (You should bring an insulated water bottle in case somebody runs out of water, or you need to clean out a cut.)
  • Antibacterial Ointment
  • Ace Bandages
  • Instant Ice (They sell bags that if you shake/crack it it instantly freezes.)
  • Extra socks
  • Flashlight
  • Batteries
  • Some extra survival food, just in case

In Cold Climates:*

  • Hand Warmers
  • Extra Scarves, mittens, hats, etc.
  • A lighter
  • Bandages
  • Ace Bandage
  • Blankets (Wool, or another heavy material)
  • Flashlight
  • Antibacterial Ointment
  • Water
  • Candles

Basic First Aid Kit

  • Bandages
  • Antibacterial Ointment
  • Instant Ice Pack
  • Frog Tog
  • Ace Bandages
  • Gauze Pads
  • Medical Tape
  • Water
  • Epi-Pens*
  • Insulin*
  • Washcloths
  • Flashlight
  • Floss
  • Bug Spray
  • Sun Screen

* Only pack insulin/Epi-Pen if needed.

* These Emergency Packs should also be combined with the Basic First Aid Kit.

Step 5: Basic Skills: Creating Your Apocalypse Food Stash

One certain thing that you will need to survive almost any apocalypse is a food stash. I will teach you the best things to stash away, and tips on how to do it.

TIP 1. Save a ton of water. After your family finishes a Gatorade bottle, or a Juice Jug, wash it out and fill it up with water to store in your Apocalypse Survival Zone. Do this every single time you finish a juice jug or similar container. Don't stop at what seems like enough, just keep going. When an apocalypse does strike, you'll be glad to know that your family will have plenty of water.

TIP 2. Start your supply little by little. Spending 1000$ at the getgo isn't the right way to go. If you want, make yourself a commitment sheet, saying that you will put in, say, 200$ each month in Emergency Food. Staying to this commitment will help you continue your stash, and it will become bigger and better.

TIP 3. Learn the best foods to stash. Canned food, soup, and beans are great to stash for survival. Rice and beans can be combined to make a meal, with a side of canned veggies. Water, typically, and powdered milk, are also some of the best things to stash.

TIP 4. Mark off an area in your basement, or a whole room devoted to your food. Consider planting a garden outside, in case your food supply runs out and you cannot replenish it. However, it is good to have both, not just one. NEVER do JUST a garden. What if your crop fails? Also, gardens typically won't produce enough for a family for awhile. Knowing Key Apocalyptic Food Tips, or KAFT, as I like to call it. Many sites have even more great tips for your supply of food.

As your food stash begins to grow, you may want to consider another room, or an expansion to your current room. Just remember: It may seem overwhelming at first, but it will all be worth it in the end.

Step 6: Basic Skills: Considering a Hideaway

If a zombie apocalypse ever did come, you wouldn't be safe in your home. Honestly, in any apocalypse, you wouldn't be safe in your home. Why? Because people unlike you, who are not prepared, will go rioting houses and stores, because food supply will be dwindling, and, like you, everybody will be wanting to protect their families.

The best way to protect yourself from riots or zombies is to build a secret hideaway. Building it underground would be a smart thing to do, and you should have plenty of guns, food, water, and ammo in there. Getting started on building one typically isn't very hard. If you object to having one underground, then build one deep in the woods that would be hard to find.

I, however, do feel that an underground hideaway would be safer and more secure. Follow the next few paragraphs to learn the best and cheapest way to start building your own.

Underground, as I said before, would be the best spot for a bug-out shelter. However, it would require a lot more work, and, if I need say, money. However, in the end, literally, it will be worth it. The first things you need to do are talk to a contractor or other people in the art of construction, and get an estimated cost of the job. However, before you do this, you need to see if an underground bug-out shelter would be possible. Attend or talk to the HOA of your neighborhood, if you have one. A large backyard would be crucial for this, but, if you don't have a large backyard, you can talk your neighbors into helping you, in exchange that their families could live there.

You will need to sketch out your basic plans for your shelter before construction begins, if everything was approved. You could easily make a good sized shelter out of shipping containers, and it could be fairly large, if you wanted. Decide what you want to be in your shelter, such as beds, a toilet, whatever. Start with some necessities, such as a toilet designed like a porta potty. Get creative! You can also do research on bug-out shelters. Get down to the smallest detail? How do you want to enter it? I thought a great idea would be through a large tube, such as the one seen in picture two. You could connect it to the house so you enter it through your basement, and have easy access outside.

Research construction options near you, and make your idea become a reality!

Step 7: Advanced Skills: Continuing Your First Aid Knowledge

Attending an American Red Cross class or a local class can increase your knowledge even further. Some of the best options would be:

  • Learning CPR
  • Learning Heatstroke and Hypothermia Treatments
  • Learning How to Treat Shock
  • Learning How to Treat/Tell a Concussion
  • Becoming an EMT

Becoming an EMT is a great way to learn every form of first aid, from cardiac arrest to giving stitches in a snap. These are amazing ways to learn first aid, and they're easy and cheap too! Contact your local Red Cross for programs near you, and become better with first aid, kids, and other people in your community.

Step 8: Advanced Skills: Reality Check

Sometimes, it is extremely difficult to decide which apocalypse to prepare for. Each and every one has different needed shelters or survival components. However, many apocalypses share the same survival techniques, and many of the same things are needed. To test your knowledge on whether an apocalypse will happen, rate each scenario on a scale of 1-10 on how likely it is that the "apocalypse" or scenario will occur within the next 50 years, with 1 being never going to happen, and 10 being most definitely will happen.

  1. A new virus, such as Ebola, hits your country hard. (__)
  2. There is major crop failure from all of your countries' major suppliers, and there is a food shortage. (__)
  3. There is a solar flare that wipes out all of your devices, and you can't Google why Google isn't working. (__)
  4. A meteor, such as the one theorized to have killed the dinosaurs, strikes the earth. (__)
  5. A family member suffers Cardiac Arrest. (__)
  6. You suffer Cardiac Arrest. (__)
  7. A large storm hits your area. (__)
  8. There is a power outage for many weeks. (__)
  9. The sun suddenly, unexpectedly, burns out. (__)
  10. You are struck by lightning. (__)
  11. A family member is struck by lightning. (__)
  12. A tsunami hits your country. (__)
  13. Your house catches fire while you are sleeping. (__)
  14. Your house catches fire while you are out of the house. (__)
  15. You are in a car accident. (__)
  16. You or a loved one suffers severe head trauma. (__)
  17. There is a zombie apocalypse. (__)
  18. A bacteria kills all of your county's crops. (__)
  19. Gas prices go shooting up. (__)
  20. The banks close for weeks, even months. (__)
  21. You lose your job. (__)
  22. The bank takes your house. (__)
  23. You are involved in a shooting or stabbing. (__)
  24. You are robbed while outside of your house. (__)
  25. You are robbed while inside of your house. (__)
  26. A major earthquake catches you off-guard inside a building. (__)
  27. Your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. (__)
  28. You run out of gas in a remote area, and you have no cell service. (__)
  29. You are caught in major, hour-standstill traffic in a blizzard, and your heating isn't working. (__)
  30. Everybody begins rioting stores, banks, and houses for food and money, and your family is in danger. (__)
  31. A large monster, or an extremely rare hybrid, deformed animal is bred, and acts much like Godzilla. (__)
  32. All natural gas runs out. (__)
  33. China suddenly demands for all debt to be paid at once. (For U.S.) (__)
  34. You are abducted by aliens. (__)
  35. A large flood, well, floods everything. (__)
  36. You are caught outside in a storm with no shelter nearby. (__)
  37. Another country drops an atomic bomb on your country. (__)
  38. Your country is involved in a WWIII. (__)
  39. An act of terrorism occurs at a major event that you attended. (__)
  40. Your plane is hijacked. (__)
  41. An uprising against the government occurs. (__)
  42. You are held hostage by pirates. (__)
  43. One of your family members is kidnapped and murdered. (__)
  44. You are kidnapped and murdered. (__)
  45. Earth is sucked into a large black hole. (__)
  46. The government shuts down for weeks, even months. (__)
  47. The moon is pushed closer into orbit with the earth. (__)
  48. A tornado hits your property. (__)
  49. The earth becomes so polluted it is unsafe for us to live on it any longer. (__)
  50. You or a family member gets cancer.

Most of you probably put down no 1's or 10's, but a lot of 4-7's. Of everything on this list, there are only two or three that I can count that is almost impossible. Zombies aren't real. However, how are we to know if there is a rare infection or disease that is spread by touch or bite, and causes humans to act like zombies. You will never know what will happen, even though everything, or, many things seems fiction. Pirates are real. Depending on your ratings, you should then decide which apocalypses and scenarios to prepare for.

Step 9: Advanced Skills: Family Evacuation Plan

Now that you have taken all precautions for if an apocalypse does happen, you now need to know what to do when the apocalypse happens. Your family could be completely prepared, however, if an apocalypse strikes, you will not know which procedures to go over.

As children have fire drills in school, families should have "fire drills" at home, and put together a meeting spot, such as "Near the Big Tree Outside." or "At the Stop Sign in Front of the House." Drawing out a map of where to go if you are in what rooms is a lot of help, and practicing in case of a fire at least twice a month will help your family be prepared for a fire. Many families do this, but very few do a bug-out/evacuation plan.

First things first in making a family bug-out plan. Start by checking off what you have.

1. Bug Out Shelter Near the House. ___

2. Bug Out Shelter Connected to the House. ___

3. Bug Out Shelter Far From House. __

4. Food Supply in Bug-Out Shelter. ___

5. Food Supply not in Bug-Out Shelter. ___

6. No Food Supply. ___

7. No Shelter. ___

If you wrote or thought yes to seven or eight, your family will suffer, and may not survive the end of the world. Having a bug-out shelter is great. Follow the next steps to completing your Family Evacuation Plan.

Next, consider meeting areas. If an entrance to your shelter is close enough to walk, or is, better yet, connected to your house, rule in rooms near the exit/entrance to get into the shelter. If you need to drive to get to your bug out shelter, make the meeting area near the garage or driveway. Don't just choose a random spot in the house. Think things through and decide which room is most convenient for you and your family.

**IF YOUR SHELTER IS CONNECTED** Decide the quickest method to get into your shelter. If you have a large pipe leading into the shelter, and it is too small to walk, maybe you could lie on your belly and ride down on skateboards. Be creative! It doesn't have to be something generic, such as shimmying on your butt or crawling. Consider the fastest and safest way.

**IF YOUR SHELTER IS FAR AWAY** Come up with the quickest way to get in the car. Maybe going through the garage door and getting in quickly, or running out. This part is simple enough, yet it must be safe. In your car, shelter, and home, you should have a bug-out bag, for when on the road, or you need the supplies. The next step will show you how to make one. Make sure you get there quickly (Your shelter) and obey traffic laws during drills. However, if the world is coming to an end, traffic laws are probably the least of your concerns.

Your shelter should have a food source, if not THE food source. It needs to be hidden, or camouflaged. Consider pets in mind when evacuating, assign somebody to get the dog, someone for the cat, and someone for the two guinea pigs, Mark and Larry. I mean, it isn't all that complicated, but details are crucial. Remember to drill regularly so everybody will remain calm during a situation such as this.

Step 10: Advanced Skills: Creating Your Bug-Out Bag

Bug-Out Bags are probably best for cars, houses, shelters, etc. They should be like First Aid Kits for you and your family. We'll call the Bug-Out Bag BOB for now, okay? I've provided a list of crucial items for your BOB, but you should add some as your family needs.

For Your convenience, I provided links. Please tell me in the comments below if any site is not working. Thanks!

Step 11: Topic: Solar Flares and CME

  • IF a large, gigantic Solar Flare or/and CME were to strike the earth, all of our electronics would be wiped out. Your iPhone? Fried. The XBox? Nope. How about your computer, where you spend most of the day? Fried, Fried, Fried. In this day, we rely so much on electronics, it isn't funny. I bet many of you are on your computer 24/7, whether for work, recreational purposes, or homework. We rely on e-mail, Google, internet, and robotics to educate and guide us. But, imagine, if all of our electronics were gone, would you live. Most of you probably said yes. But, think again. We use electronics to travel, to farm, to work, to play. We use electronics all too much, and, with time, it is possible that whole countries, the US, even, would be wiped clean of humans. A solar flare is likely to happen in the next 100-150 years. Therefore, it is important to learn how to survive without electricity, or electronics. Some basic skills that should be learned are:
  • Starting a fire with sticks, rocks, or flint and steel.
  • Classifying edible plants or crops.
  • Learning how to make various tools; an axe, knife, etc.
  • Classifying poisonous insects, bugs, and animals.
  • Creating on the spot bandages, fire, and more.

Learning these skills, the very basic ones, may help save your life one day. These are basic survival skills, and should be learned for camping trips, hiking, and other survival situations.

Step 12: Topic: Influenza Outbreak, or Virus Outbreak

We've all had the flu, right? It's no fun. If you haven't ever had the flu, you're extremely lucky. However, the flu is constantly changing, and therefore it is hard to make vaccinations for it. What if a bad case of the flu, or another virus, such as Ebola, struck the US, or your home country? This is a possibility of an apocalypse. Would you be prepared? Would you be able to face quarantining your own family? These are things you may need to face if there was an outbreak or widespread of a virus or disease.

Step 13: Congratulations!

You did it! If you read the whole entire instructable, good job! I wanna see who those non-quitters are!

If you read this whole instructable, please comment below, on this page, so I can see who all finished it. Please say so if you liked this instructable!

Remember to VOTE, FAVORITE, and SUBSCRIBE for more fun and tutorials!


Camping Food Challenge

Participated in the
Camping Food Challenge

Outside Contest

Participated in the
Outside Contest

Safety Challenge

Participated in the
Safety Challenge