Survival

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Danger in the Desert: Surviving a Hostile Environment

The desert Southwest encompasses an immense area. While the desert offers many opportunities, it’s an unforgiving environment to the unprepared. Always tell a friend or relative when and where you’re going and when you plan to return. Clothing requirements vary with the season and elevation. Lightweight light-colored clothing that… Read More

Survival’s Big Seven: Must-Have Basics

The most successful survival strategies are usually the ones that focus on the basics—food, water, first aid, medical, sanitation/hygiene, self-defense, security, and of course, knowing when to stay put and when to get out. These are all crucial for staying alive, especially during a disaster aftermath, when you’ll most likely… Read More

Off-Road to Recovery: Gear for Vehicle Self-Rescue

An urban disaster or public emergency that forces an evacuation is about as real as it gets. With little or no warning, you may find yourself in the middle of a very ugly situation. If you read S.W.A.T. Magazine on a regular basis, you are most likely very well prepared—your… Read More

Fire: Friend or Foe?

It may happen while you’re asleep, cooking dinner, taking a shower or surfing the internet—in fact, it can happen when you’re doing just about anything around the house. First you notice a faint smell of burning, but within seconds you can see smoke. Your house is on fire and you… Read More

Bug-Out Bag 101: Planning and Packing

You’re sitting quietly at home, watching TV with the family, when something unimaginable happens. The “why” or “what” doesn’t really matter—what does matter is that you only have a few minutes to gather up your family and evacuate your home. It’s uncertain what you will face or when you… Read More

Offbeat: Meals Ready to Eat

Meals Ready to Eat, or simply MREs, are the main individual self-contained field ration for U.S. military personnel. MREs are primarily intended for use in combat or field conditions where other food facilities may not be available. They have been around for over 30 years, but their roots stretch back… Read More

Tactical NAV: Military-Grade Navigation for Handheld Devices

The popularity of the Apple iPhone®, iPod® and iPad cannot be overstated. They are quickly becoming the preferred handheld devices of military and law enforcement as well. The U.S. Department of Defense has officially approved Apple devices running iOS 6 or later to access its secure government networks. Read More

Road Warrior: Preparing a Get Home Bag

If a disaster occurs while you’re away from your home (and your preparations), what do you do? Do you have a plan and the necessary supplies to help get you back home quickly and safely? Or will you find yourself among the many thousands of panicked, desperate people waiting for… Read More

Emergency Food Supplies: Are They Safe To Eat?

You’re in the process of rotating your food supplies when you notice that the “Best By” date on some of the containers came and went over five months ago! If you’re like most people, your first reaction is probably to throw out any food products that appear to be out… Read More

Passing the Buck: Managing Pistol Recoil

The pistol is really a weapons system that encompasses the carriage platform that gets the weapon to the fight, the “launcher” (handgun), and the missile that does the work. For best effect, all three have to be tailored to the man, the mission, and the environment. Aside from a… Read More