Posted: 12/9/2012 2:51:01 PM EDT
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What qualifications would you want to see if you were to pay for an Introductory Survival course?
-White Horse |
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What qualifications would you want to see if you were to pay for an Introductory Survival course? -White Horse I am also very interested in this question... I have been tossing around the idea of trying to start a part time business with affordable wilderness survival courses and instructions... While I was never in the armed forces, or never received formal training, I have spent a lot of time in the woods, and practicing survival/ bushcrafting techniques... I guess I am self taught... but have no problem going off into the woods for a week+ with only a few items. I have 50 acres and a nice stream running through the property I am going to buy so I have plenty of private property to operate on... I think my idea would fall flat on its face though in my AO... Unless I were to provide a bunch of free instruction to get the word out and pad the resume? Probably just better off enjoying my property alone and not bothering but I like the idea of passing on the "out-door spirit" more then just camping at a camp site. What does the hive think? |
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Nothing less than the ability to drink your own urine and the "juice" of elephant feces is acceptable.
Honestly, I would want to see someone training (actively) with some of the respected names in the field. I would look for a humble, honest instructor who doesn't try to sensationalize his courses. A responsble instructor has emergency medical/evac plans as well. |
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Most people would probably want to see NRA certs, maybe EMT with a wilderness cert NRA for a survival class? With the rare exception, attacks by animals are rare unless you are concerned about two-leggeds. I know. Guns are fun and all, but I would like further input. I certainly get the EMT part. -White Horse |
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You don't indicate survival in what conditions and where.. so the following are generalizations (none are related to combat survival)
Personnel with the following general certs/training (better to be a certified instructor) - SERE (covers food, medicine, shelter, etc - so best overall) Battlefield Medicine (like Navy Corpsman), EMT, Red Cross (in that order - for qualified medical training) FEMA/CERT (organizational response, long term survival depends on structure and organization) Depending on location and condition/environment - Certified Mountain Guide, Coast Guard Certified Captain, and the like for the locale. Hunting/Fishing/Vegetation Edible experience in the locality. Depending on conditions/locality - Defensive Driving School (like the US Secret Service school) |
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You don't indicate survival in what conditions and where.. so the following are generalizations (none are related to combat survival) Personnel with the following general certs/training (better to be a certified instructor) - SERE (covers food, medicine, shelter, etc - so best overall) Battlefield Medicine (like Navy Corpsman), EMT, Red Cross (in that order - for qualified medical training) FEMA/CERT (organizational response, long term survival depends on structure and organization) Depending on location and condition/environment - Certified Mountain Guide, Coast Guard Certified Captain, and the like for the locale. Hunting/Fishing/Vegetation Edible experience in the locality. Depending on conditions/locality - Defensive Driving School (like the US Secret Service school) Good post! I think it is best to give up on my idea... I will never have any of the above... |
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You don't indicate survival in what conditions and where.. so the following are generalizations (none are related to combat survival) Personnel with the following general certs/training (better to be a certified instructor) - SERE (covers food, medicine, shelter, etc - so best overall) Battlefield Medicine (like Navy Corpsman), EMT, Red Cross (in that order - for qualified medical training) FEMA/CERT (organizational response, long term survival depends on structure and organization) Depending on location and condition/environment - Certified Mountain Guide, Coast Guard Certified Captain, and the like for the locale. Hunting/Fishing/Vegetation Edible experience in the locality. Depending on conditions/locality - Defensive Driving School (like the US Secret Service school) Those are some great ideas. Thanks for chiming in. Think along the lines of how to stay alive for 3 days before the rescue team arrives (on land). Survival is a very broad topic, so I should have narrowed it down a bit. Sorry. How about something like this? NOLS coupled with something like this: Pathfinder As far as I can tell, there is no SERE school outside of the military. That would be an experience, though. Thanks again for your taking a few minutes to respond. -White Horse |
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Nothing less than the ability to drink your own urine and the "juice" of elephant feces is acceptable. Honestly, I would want to see someone training (actively) with some of the respected names in the field. I would look for a humble, honest instructor who doesn't try to sensationalize his courses. A responsble instructor has emergency medical/evac plans as well. Who do you consider "respected" names? I have heard good and horrible things about Tom Brown's Tracker school. I am looking for ideas, so please don't be shy. -White Horse |
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Quoted: Quoted: Most people would probably want to see NRA certs, maybe EMT with a wilderness cert NRA for a survival class? With the rare exception, attacks by animals are rare unless you are concerned about two-leggeds. I know. Guns are fun and all, but I would like further input. I certainly get the EMT part. -White Horse That's why I said "most people". I was thinking broad picture, not just people here, survivalists, and preppers. Personal opinion of course is that having a gun for personal protection is a necessity. That goes for being in the woods too. Guns are good for hunting of course. Having an NRA instructor cert gives you credibility in that, a well known organization is willing to put their stamp of approval on you. If you're more thinking of targeting more advanced courses of study toward people who already have the basics down, then alphabet soup credentials are awesome, but SERE and SAR and CERT may not mean anything to a beginner. NRA pistol instructor along side "Self Proclaimed Survival Expert" may lend credibility, particularly in the beginning before you've established yourself. Just my two cents. |
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Most people would probably want to see NRA certs, maybe EMT with a wilderness cert NRA for a survival class? With the rare exception, attacks by animals are rare unless you are concerned about two-leggeds. I know. Guns are fun and all, but I would like further input. I certainly get the EMT part. -White Horse That's why I said "most people". I was thinking broad picture, not just people here, survivalists, and preppers. Personal opinion of course is that having a gun for personal protection is a necessity. That goes for being in the woods too. Guns are good for hunting of course. Having an NRA instructor cert gives you credibility in that, a well known organization is willing to put their stamp of approval on you. If you're more thinking of targeting more advanced courses of study toward people who already have the basics down, then alphabet soup credentials are awesome, but SERE and SAR and CERT may not mean anything to a beginner. NRA pistol instructor along side "Self Proclaimed Survival Expert" may lend credibility, particularly in the beginning before you've established yourself. Just my two cents. Thanks! |
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You don't indicate survival in what conditions and where.. so the following are generalizations (none are related to combat survival) Personnel with the following general certs/training (better to be a certified instructor) - SERE (covers food, medicine, shelter, etc - so best overall) Battlefield Medicine (like Navy Corpsman), EMT, Red Cross (in that order - for qualified medical training) FEMA/CERT (organizational response, long term survival depends on structure and organization) Depending on location and condition/environment - Certified Mountain Guide, Coast Guard Certified Captain, and the like for the locale. Hunting/Fishing/Vegetation Edible experience in the locality. Depending on conditions/locality - Defensive Driving School (like the US Secret Service school) Those are some great ideas. Thanks for chiming in. Think along the lines of how to stay alive for 3 days before the rescue team arrives (on land). Survival is a very broad topic, so I should have narrowed it down a bit. Sorry. How about something like this? NOLS coupled with something like this: Pathfinder As far as I can tell, there is no SERE school outside of the military. That would be an experience, though. Thanks again for your taking a few minutes to respond. -White Horse On land is very broad - mountains, swamps, urban, etc. But since you say 3 days and wait for rescue, I assume not urban. NOLS is a known training source (no knowledge of pathfinder). The course you linked is good general experience probably good treatments of basics and field stabilization of more serious wounds - but not necessarily for 3 days of a trauma event. From that vein of outdoor training, you can get decent skills training from places like REI, Cabelas, etc - on outdoor skills (medicine, hiking, boating, etc). Other outdoor orgs (like Appalachian Mountain Club)offer good courses as well. The latter has a formal coursework. You can find folks who have SERE school (or are former SERE instructors). They can't divulge aspects of the training (the ERE). In any case, since you talk of rescue - proper planning and preparation is the key. All good courses give that - have a plan (make sure others know it - route maps, planned way points, contigency/rally pts etc). Have supplies and contingency gear. Have skills (and endurance) for the planned outing. When something goes awry- think and execute your plans (hunker down in place, go to rally pt and hunker down, call for help (cell, SPOT, EPIRB, SAT phone, etc) or signal for assistance if advanced comms not available. All the the international transport type licenses/certifications (ship captain, pilots (air crew to a certain extent)) have a good "event" leadership training (for their respective thresholds and areas of operations) and generally deal with 24-48hr windows post event (AC crash, ship sinking, etc). Unfortunately, there are plenty of short term survival trained folks, who are in general lacking in practice. Those who specialize in outdoors [professional guides] (or military combat) practice the skills you are looking for on a more regular basis. Good Luck. |