Yesterday (Saturday August 15th) I held my first day-course in Natural Disaster Survival held in conjunction with the W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir Outreach Program. The program began in the Visitor Assistance Center with a Power Point presentation showing the theory and priorities of survival. Then I brought out my “bug-out bag” to show what things I carry to sustain me for 3 days in the event of an evacuation or emergency departure.

After a lunch break, we reassembled in a picnic area where I offered different edible foods and demonstrated different cooking techniques which included hoe-cakes on a trowel, boiled rice in a bamboo node, and baked fish in clay. I also demonstrated how to make a soda can burner, slush lamp, and emergency shelters. We concluded with demonstrating friction, percussion, optical and electrical methods of making fire. This course was a step in preparation for a 2-day course that I will be teaching this fall.

In the process development and promotion for this class, I was honored to be sponsored by the folks at W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir, as well as honored by a well written article by Jule Hubbard which was featured on the front page of the Wilkes Journal-Patriot. You can view more photos in the Gallery. I will be adding more photos as I acquire them from the participants.

Some more opportunities are opening up for teaching and demonstrations this year, so stayed tuned for more details.