Our first event of 2024 will see us hosted by Full Spectrum Defence in Kitchener, Ontario.
In this joint 1-day class, we will be delivering an introduction to counter-custody and restraint escape while knife defence will be delivered by other instructors.
See the link below for more information and to sign up. See you there! #staycrafty
Click HERE for more info.
A new approach for 2024 to bring our skillsets to you in a more accessible format.
Starting in early-2024, We will begin offering 1-day Seminars, covering our legacy curriculum in a new format and making both the price point and time commitment more accessible to those with busy schedules. They will be on Sundays, during the day.
Of course, we will still plan to have our weekend-long immersive workshops, as well as Mixed-Skills classes with trusted partner instructors. We also continue to be available to be hosted to deliver these seminars to private groups.
***NOTE: We still offer RESTRICTED-LEVEL CLASSES in COVERT ENTRY and COUNTER-CUSTODY to LE/MIL/GOV organizations. Email us at info@truenorthtradecraft.ca for details.***
In the meantime, we will be offering Seminars on the following topics:
These Seminars can be taken individually as a stand-alone or together in series towards building a wide-spectrum of skill sets. Depending on the subject matter, there will be differing ratios of theory and practical learning.
Soon, we will be listing the classes individually on our web store, with dates and seminar outlines, to sign up to.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
#staycrafty
Use Promo code TNTRADECRAFT to save on your purchase.
Mission Darkness (MOS EQUIPMENT) provides faraday electronic emissions shielding gear to protect your electronics from damage and compromise.
Their proprietary shielding fabric blocks all signals, in and out, from cellular, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and RFID, protection.
This technology aids in passport/ID protection, wireless testing, travel data privacy, corporate information integrity, personal security, digital forensics and evidence protection. Protect your data from compromise and destruction with hard-wearing, waterproof, weatherproof and signal-proof.
It can also protect equipment from electro-magnetic pulses (EMPs) prior to, and during, disaster scenarios.
Cellphone, tablets, computers, even your car key fobs can be protected from compromise via intrusion, emmination or remote access.
Be sure to invest wisely in your Electronics security with quality products from Mission Darkness and don’t forget to use promo code TNTRADECRAFT to save on your purchase.
Oftentimes, having a security camera system at your residence (whether you are an owner, renter, or traveller) can be beneficial in supporting your security posture as well as your general situational awareness.
Check out this video on our YouTube channel where I talk about how to set-up a quick, simple, inexpensive and effective security camera system.
When you add some solar-powered motion-activated lights, proper placement and some thought and effort, you can really leverage a few dollars and have something which will get the job done.
Stay Safe and #staycrafty.
Get your kit HERE – https://contingencymedical.com?apply-promo=tntc10&ref=235
I recently discovered Contingency Medical while exploring options for back-up medical supply options during travel scenarios, disasters or emergencies. The difficulty I discovered was that most of the medications one would need during a disaster would require a prescription or worse, not be available due to the local or regional public health systems being overwhelmed. The solution, simply, is to secure a supply of quality, effective and affordable to pre-position in case of emergency. During emergencies and disasters, community is important. So thinking not only of your own welfare, but your ability to be useful and helpful to others as well.
In addition to first aid knowledge and training, having the means to deliver care when medical care is not reliable or available should be a key component of your preparedness plan.
The process to get your pack starts off with a purchase (using promo code tntc10 ) which then initiates forms to be filled out by you for one of the Contingency Medical physicians to review. Upon review and clearance, you get access to follow-up services and support and your order is shipped to you. Part of the deal is that if you have questions or concerns, Contingency Medical provides you with a dedicated line to communicate with their physicians anytime. Their website has several articles and a fulsome FAQ section to address your questions and inquiries.
From the Contingency Medical website: “Designed to provide peace of mind on the home front. This physician curated pack was built to help you prepare for emergencies such as pandemics, natural disasters, and other types of lockdown. It’s meant for at-home use where symptoms are more easily managed. Each pack comes with health screening and follow up access to a board certified physician for a year after your purchase! Ready Pack Plus includes add-on medicines to help battle symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. It has all the protection of the Ready Pack, with the additional medicines to keep you comfortable while you explore or recover.”
Get your kit HERE – https://contingencymedical.com?apply-promo=tntc10&ref=235
Contingency Medical was formed by a passionate group of doctors, outdoor enthusiasts, preppers, road warriors, and international travelers who recognized a need for improved access to healthcare in emergency situations.
About Contingency Medical from their website:
The Contingency Medical Packs are our solution. The idea stemmed from one of the company’s founding members, an emergency physician and graduate of Stanford Medicine with decades of experience in the field. He has intimate familiarity with the most common ailments faced and has recommended a great blend of antibiotics best to treat those ailments. His knowledge formed the foundation for our packs.
The packs were designed to address the question – “What would an emergency physician keep on hand at all times – both for longer term emergencies and for emergencies on-the-go?” Based on this question, the Ready Pack, Go Pack and Ready Pack+ were born.
Get your kit HERE – https://contingencymedical.com?apply-promo=tntc10&ref=235 and be sure to use promo code TNTC10 to save on your first kit! Make sure you’re prepared with physician-curated medicines for travel, preparedness and emergencies.
I was very fortunate and honoured to be asked to be a guest on the Thrive Unafraid Podcast with Kelly Sayre (@thediamondarrowgroup) and Doug Patteson (@texasspydad). https://thediamondarrowgroup.com
Website: https://thediamondarrowgroup.com/episode-13/?mc_cid=9f4305326d&mc_eid=4a11f227e6
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thrive-unafraid/id1661562061?i=1000617668838
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ixHoL7ELmeJU5QpE4Rbx4?si=6fbcb39a79d845a1
From the description:
Doug and I were thrilled to invite an “IG buddy”, fellow true northerner, and disaster preparedness expert Boris Milinkovich on the show. This episode is chock full of advice on how to take baby steps now to positively change the outcome of any future disaster, major or minor, that you may experience.
Boris shares expertise on how to not only survive, but THRIVE through unexpected emergencies. His Disaster Preparedness Guide has helped thousands of individuals and families build a buffer of safety and security in the face of a disaster situation before it happens. In this episode, Boris spills the beans on the foundation of his teachings.
Don’t miss out on advice on:
Check out the full podcast HERE.
A common question asked of me when discussing preparedness as a topic, is “what are important things to carry” or “what stuff should I prepare for a disaster”?
As an addition to my previous posts on Preparedness (see HERE) one often-overlooked or not thought-about part is how important one’s feet are in the overall picture of being prepared for a disaster.
One of the most important aspects of preparedness is mobility. Oftentimes, the best way to avoid a bad situation (especially if you have advance warning of it) is to not be there. However, there will be times when there is little or no warning and staying put then changes to moving out. Relying on a vehicle to get you where you need to go is convenient, but may not always get you all the way there. Vehicle breakdowns, blocked roads, extreme weather – all can contribute to the need to transition to a moving on foot. At that point, you are ultimately going to have to rely on your own feet and their ability to get you through.
Be sure to include at least one spare pair of quality socks into every kit and bag you have. If you have a family of four you need to plan for, the same applies. Buy a good pair of hiking socks which will provide cushion, wick moisture away, insulate, breathe and wash/dry easily for all members of your group. If you need to transition from mounted (in a vehicle) to dismounted (on-foot) to cover distance and terrain to your destination, being able to change your cocksure both supportive of foot care and help boost morale. There is a wonderful feeling one has when you are cold, wet, sore and exhausted but you change your socks for a dry, clean pair. OH! It makes a world of difference. Just ask anyone who’s done a lot of hiking or been in the military. Dry, clean socks are game-changers.
In addition to the above, invest in the best footwear you can – solidly built, broken-in and in good repair. Depending on the profile and expected terrain you may be traversing, you may be looking for something more suited to the wet and cold of the outdoors or the roughness of the urban environment. Either way, research what works for you and get something you can rely on. You should also consider packing some Advil, Moleskin and duct tape. And an extra pair of laces (made from 550 paracord wouldn’t hurt you either).
I recently had the opportunity to have a behind-the-scenes look at the making of some of my favourite socks, right here in Toronto! J.B. Fields makes an array of high-quality socks from premium materials. Living in a colder region, I have been partial to their Icelandic wool socks and hikers for their incredible warmth and versatility for some years now.
Full disclosure: I am NOT being paid for this endorsement nor have I been furnished with any consideration, I just really like their socks AND I like that they are an old, Canadian-based company making a quality product at an affordable price.
I reached out to JB Fields and connected with Sid, one of their employees, and set up a meet to go in and pick up some end-of-season deals at their factory store. Sid graciously offered to show me their factory and how the socks are made, along with the features that make them the quality they are. (SEE PHOTOS AT END OF POST)
There are three styles which I really love:
Regardless if you go with JB Fields or other great sock manufacturers (such as Darn Tough or Smart Wool are both VERY good choices), just be sure to invest in a quality sock for supporting your mobility in an emergency for your preparations.
Having appropriate footwear (boots, or shoes), keeping your feet in good health (clean, dry, free of infection/fungus, nails trimmed, space to breathe in shoes, etc) and investing in quality socks will be a key foundational piece to build upon. Getting blisters, frostbite or other foot injuries can be crippling very quickly and ground you, thereby taking away your potion to move from a bad situation. Movement and mobility are life-giving and without hem, you are at the mercy of circumstance and other parties. Stay capable, maintain the capacity for mobility and invest in preparations BEFORE you need them.
Till next time, stay safe and #staycrafty!
The Way of Tracking teaches courses on tracking to allow for those venturing into the outdoors (and that means both wilderness AND urban environments) to be trained in looking for tracks and traces of various kinds which would indicate travel through a given area.
This skill set is of great use to many. This includes: Search and Rescue teams, police, military, hunters, hikers, park and forestry staff, outdoor educators, agricultural workers and so many more.
Kyt Lyn Walken, expert tracker, hails from Italy but she delivers training all over Europe and beyond.
Check out the website HERE for more information and free info.
Simple Preparedness set-up for small spaces or mobile applications.
A few weeks ago my local area experienced some uncharacteristically high winds and storms. This storm system knocked over trees and hydro poles, causing blackouts for tens of thousands of people across Southern Ontario and beyond. For me, the power outage lasted about 36hrs or so. It was chilly outside but thankfully I have a wood stove, plenty of firewood and enough stored water to get through it all.
You can read my write-up about that incident and some lessons learned HERE. This post is a follow-up insofar as the requirement for a power backup for such an eventuality.
Through a combination of Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Christmas/Boxing-day/New Years sales Was able to cobble together a bunch of pieces to address short-term/light duty power outages that was both capable, cost-effective and also small enough to be portable (if needed). This set-up would allow for daytime power to a small domestic-size water pump (for drinking water and cooking, toilets, and even shower if needed, based on frugal use), A fridge for a few hours per day to keep foods cold/frozen. For the evenings, basic water pumping and LED lights. This takes into account that a day-long charge via solar panel would recharge the power bank to about 80% to allow for overnight rationed use. During the day one could also charge one’s cell phone to maintain communications and updates.
I spent a day fiddling with the various components, attachments and pieces to ensure that I was able to accomplish what I wanted and that everything worked. This way I knew that everything I would pack away was in working order and I knew how to use it and assemble it – especially considering I would be doing it in the dark (or at least reduced visibility).
Part of my set-up also included several pre-charged battery packs for power resumption for cell phones, laptops and even lights.
All of the various components fit within a plastic “ammo crate” and easily slide away when not needed.
The entire package slips easily in a closet or under a bed, so those folks who have a premium on space (such as condo dwellers) can make this work quite easily for them.
The Power Bank is the Goal Zero Yeti 200x.
The Solar Panel array is the Goal Zero Nomad 50.
The ammo crate is daily low profile and is air-tight, so any accessories are safe inside, easily contained and handy to carry with the ergonomic handles.
Inside, I have the following:
Once everything is folded up and packed away, there is still about 20%% room to spare in the crate (as I will likely update and modify the kit).
I put a hefty screw above the window with the most Southern exposure to allow for solar panel effectiveness.It worked well, taking about 5hrs to bring the power bank to 90% charge. The day was partially cloudy, so I have not yet been able to run it through enough use/fill cycles to get a solid feel of its power parameters.
Through this process of identifying a problem, formulating a solution and taking action to resolve it, I have further identified other issues that I could address as time goes on. The reality is that several solutions require either time, money or both. During the wind storm blackout, we didn’t have internet at the house, simply because the power was out. My cell phone, however, was still able to make calls, send texts and access the internet via cellular network. One thing that I would add to my preps (on the horizon) would be one of those APU units for computers so that I would still have internet service and connectivity should I be without grid power but the cellular tower is still operating. A next-level upgrade would be to install an in-line propane-powered generator.
For the most part, I am very happy with this setup. The idea that it is small, powerful, meets the desired goals and objectives while keeping costs relatively low and is adaptable to changing situations makes me happy. I am also fond that the entire kit is small enough to be stored away in even the smallest living space without much fuss. This makes it perfect for urbanites looking for some back-up power solutions (especially in a condo or loft where one is not in control of one’s own utilities).
Till next time, stay safe and #staycrafty.
The other weekend I was out of town at an Undisclosed Location when a harsh late-Fall storm tore through the area. There were extreme weather warnings, due to high winds and lashing rain. This storm resulted in thousands of homes across Southern Ontario being without power. We were not spared. for a little over 36 hours, there was no power to the house. And during it all the wind howled and the rain hammered away.
Though I prep and plan and think about this stuff all the time, I do sometimes require a “gut check” to ensure I am in-line with realities and keep an open mind. I know enough to know that I don’t know enough, and thereby am constantly second-guessing and re-checking things, while looking to improve my methods.
I bring this mentality to these “learning opportunities”, as there is little danger in staying and seeing what happens. Thankfully, the worst that would have happened would have been that I’d have jumped back in the car and driven back home, albeit a bit disappointed in myself. That didn’t happen as we decided to tough it out and see how it went.
When the lights kicked out, first thing was to make everything safe and get some light going. I immediately went to the Emergency bag I keep and set out several glow sticks throughout the house as well as the LED headlamp I keep there. Adding those to a few candles gave enough light to see around and even do mostly everything we needed. As it was already dark outside, the light was essential to keep things safe.
My next concern was heat. I already had the wood stove going, so adding another log added some heat as well las much-appreciated light to the space.
We quickly realized though, that our biggest problem was water. The pump from the well went out with the power and, not having a generator on-hand made things a bit difficult. Only a few litres of bottled water to drink and what was in the toilet tanks and bowls to stay sanitary. This all came to issue quite quickly. Dishes in the dishwasher needing to wash, toilets needing to be used (and flushed), and a slight panic as to where the coffee was going come from in the morning (the danger is real).
Thankfully I had planned for some of these eventualities.
By morning the power was still out. And with it some further issues: no internet. Though we all still had our phones, there was a concern about how long their batteries would last, especially with the increased use due to “boredom”. I could address this with the battery packs I had in my bag and was able to charge them all. The portable radio I had had somehow not been charged and was dead. Though not a big deal in this situation, I was a bit miffed that I had let that happen.
Likewise, as we slept the fire died down and the house got considerably colder. We had plenty of chopped firewood and I was able to get a roaring fire going again pretty quickly to warm things up. It’s a huge morale booster and well worth the investment if you’re able to incorporate it into your living space (either a wood stove or similar gas appliance).
In the light of day, I was able to assess the damage outside. We were lucky that our roof was good, but we lost a tree in the back. All-in-all, we were lucky. Our neighbours across the way weren’t. Their truck window got smashed by something and they lost several roof shingles and some siding. The other neighbour lost their barn. The wind completely destroyed it. They did, however, have a generator and had power, so after checking on one another we got back to the business of keeping on keeping on.
About early afternoon, my neighbours brought their generator over to our place and offered it to us for running our fridge to keep the food from spoiling. I joked that how funny it would be that by the time we set it up the power would come back. They brought it over in their tractor and we set it up, ran the cord inside and plugged in. As the motor sprang to life all the lights in the house went on. I thought it was weird because the only thing plugged in was the fridge. Yep, that’s exactly what happened – the power came back within seconds of the generator starting up.
We all had a laugh about it and repacked it and they left.
Everything returned to normal pretty quickly, but there were some lessons learned which I will need to incorporate into my set-up to tighten up my game:
Lastly, continuous review and reworking. There is no one-size-fits-all way to plan for this stuff.
Assess you situation. Take stock of your assets and liabilities. Identify what you need to implement. Use the principles of preparedness to address the deficiencies and begin taking steps to fix them.
In the end, a good dry run. Glad it all worked out and that I was able to identify gaps.
If you would like to learn more about principle-based preparedness, you can find our Preparedness Guide HERE.
Till next time, stay safe and #staycrafty!