Nature’s Threats are some of the most varied and violent you will ever have the misfortune to encounter. From microscopic germs and viruses to giant, warm blooded mammals intent on eating you alive. Snakes, spiders, sharks, dogs, poisonous plants and insects that can kill you as sure as any assassin’s bullet.

Most of us live in cities and within those cities in homes that are, at least on the surface, free of pests and dangerous animal life. Yet even in the cleanest of homes, germs can survive long enough to cause harm. Some of the deadliest diseases known to modern science lurk in the cleanest of hospital wards, Golden Staph and many more we haven’t even learnt of their existence yet.

I have a saying, “If you don’t want to risk being bitten by a shark, simply stay out of the water!” This category covers all the creepy crawlies, bities, carnivores and things that can eat you. There is no creature on this planet that includes humans on their menu except if and when the opportunity arises. Imagine how different life would be if there were a species out there that actively hunted us for food, much as we hunt or farm many animals, birds and fish.

If you are visiting or living in an island nation then there will most likely be times when you either travel across the water or spend some time in it. Trust me, there are worse things in there than sharks!

Most shark attacks occur at dawn or dusk or night when sharks feed, in murky water and near the mouths of rivers. That’s where the fish usually are. On average 12 people every year are killed by sharks compared to millions of sharks being killed by humans. Mostly for the Chinese shark fin trade and one reason I never dine in any Chinese restaurant that serves shark fin soup.

I have dived with several types of shark and I hold the belief that you won’t get bitten by the shark you can see! If you can see it then you can confront it and most sharks won’t risk a confrontation just to find out if you are edible. Not worth the risk/reward equation for them.

What is far more dangerous are the unseen stingers that inhabit the waters. Box jellyfish and the almost invisible Irukandji marine stinger do inhabit some local waters. They can be lethal. Less dangerous but extremely painful are Hydroids. I was hit with a Hydroid sting on the leg (aka Hydrozoa) and five years later still have the scarring. It is a nasty, jellyfish like organism that stings and causes a lot of pain for a long time! They can have a medusa stage like a jellyfish and also a polyp stage and look like coral. Best advice is to wear a wet suit or stinger suit and never touch anything underwater!

There are stonefish, razor clams, cone shells and other assorted marine creatures that can do you harm but you have to be unlucky to fall afoul of one unless you try to play wildlife expert and catch something. Although highly venomous, the dozen or so species of sea snakes you may encounter are mostly timid and rarely bite unless roughly handled. So don’t handle them!

Should you retire overseas, say in the Philippines, on land there are ten species of venomous snakes including four types of cobra and three species of pit viper. There are also three species of Sea Krait that inhabit both land and sea! There are also constrictor snakes such as the Reticulated Python (up to 30ft long, with 20ft quite common) and they have been known to kill goats and dogs and even small people. In 1998 in Lucena a 2 month old baby was eaten by a python as he lay sleeping in his cot.

North America has several species of Rattlesnake as well as Cottonmouths,Copperheads, Coral snakes and more. Australia has more of the world’s most venomous species than anywhere else; Taipans, Death Adders,Browns, Blacks, Tigers and a range of sea snakes. Central America and the Caribbean also hold many slithering surprises with the Fer de Lance, various vipers and a collection of coral snake varieties. Costa Rica alone has 135 varieties of snake with 17 of them venomous!

The good news is that snakes prefer not to bite you as they can’t eat you and would muh rather be left alone. If you are bitten and you can safely kill and collect the snake (for identification purposes) then do so; however most people are bitten when they try to catch the snake for a closer look in the first place! If you want a close look, subscribe to Animal Planet on cable TV and sit next to the screen!

When it comes to spiders there are only two or three species to worry about, but never forget the vicious bites from centipedes and millipedes and numerous other insect species as well as the Dengue and Malaria carrying mosquitoes. You may also find yourself far enough in the boondocks to be at risk from crocodiles. In Palawan and Southern Mindanao in particular as well as tropical Australia the estuarine or saltwater crocodile can be found. Florida, one of the retirement capitals of the world has more Alligators than they can manage. As anywhere in the world, it pays to see if any of the locals are swimming before jumping in, no matter how hot the day may be!

Far more likely though would be an encounter with a dog. Although most Third World dogs are small and easily scared away, rabies is present in the country and you may be bitten by a rabies infected animal. I make it a rule never to pet stray animals and once you have seen the wretched condition of the average dog or cat roaming the streets I doubt you would want to get too close to one.

Monkeys can also carry rabies and other diseases and they have been known to bite the hand that feeds them. Unless you are on a primate studying expedition I would keep well away from them. Bats and rats can also pass on infections so keep covered up when you sleep in the boonies! Even domestic animals such as chickens, goats and pigs as well as the much larger cows, horses, donkeys and carabao (aka water buffalo) can pose a risk. Why bother? I leave the animal husbandry to the locals and have never had a problem. Of course when my inlaws and I were breeding pigs it got rather hands on at times but that to my mind is different to someone just visiting for a few weeks vacation.

If nothing else, be aware that ‘Nature” is unpredictable. My girls are forever asking me if this or that animal bites. I am forever reminding them that if it has teeth, then it can bite. Don’t feed it your fingers!

Related posts:

1. Man Made Direct Threats
2. Flood Survival
3. Personal Safety

MAN-MADE DIRECT: Now, at last! We come to the threat list that most of us associate with when we think self defense or even personal protection. This category is about the times when you are at risk of some kind because of the actions of another human who has the intent to do whatever it is that is putting you at risk.

This includes robbery, rape, theft, embezzlement, fraud, frame-ups and various other situations where another person is involved and has their own agenda which may result in you suffering harm. Click HERE To Learn How Criminals Commit Their Crimes Against YOU!In many ways although these may be the most immediate threat situations they are often the easiest to avoid or manage simply because they involve another person. “Know your enemy and know yourself and you will be undefeated in 100 encounters”, according to Sun Tzu! There is a lot of truth in that ancient observation.

Man-made Direct is the one category you can have the most control over in two ways; you and them. You can avoid being a target by making yourself too hard to hit or handle. As simple as it may sound, don’t take any nonsense from anyone. Be polite and courteous but firm and in control of yourself and all the facts. Insecurity is often caused by doubt and if you know for sure X is X then you can stand your ground when it comes to dealing with X. When it comes to them you might have a chance to talk to them, change their minds. You might decide you can defeat them physically, financially or in some other way.

When standing firm, always keep smiling and keep your voice down and your temper in check. It is easier to be forgiven for smacking someone than calling them names and raising your voice! Many ethnic groups are big on ‘losing face’. Don’t lose yours by making a scene. No matter how right you are you will be the one in the wrong. It is an art and one worth developing as you will have a lot of chances to practise every time you want to be served for something!

Above all else, never try to stare down an armed criminal. He will take it as a challenge to his authority and feel he must take action. This will be emotion driven and often involving weapons and accomplices.

Information is both ammunition and the weapon to fire it with as well as the body armour to protect you from any incoming fire. Not knowing is akin to being naked and unarmed out in the open.

Another weapon in our arsenal as humans is the ability to reason; with each other as much as ourselves. You can’t reason with a cobra, hood spread and ready to strike, or an approaching typhoon.

Of the four categories none is more deadly than any of the others. The probability of your dying may be lesser or greater in one situation than another but the fact remains that dead is dead. None of the four categories are to be preferred over any other as you can’t pick and choose what life throws at you once you leave the comfort and safety of your own world of the known and venture into the great unknown. Life is an adventure, a gamble from the beginning. The only sure thing is you will not live forever.

Related posts:

1. Criminal Intent – How To Know If You Are Next!
2. Nature’s Threats
3. Personal Safety

Flood survival is often tied to surviving other natural disasters such as hurricanes or major storms. As well as the water posing the risk of drowning, many people are affected by the diseases carried on the flood waters or lingering in the muddy aftermath.

If you live on low lying, level ground then you run the risk of suffering flood damage to your home and property and potentially harm to yourself from the water itself. Debris such as tree trunks, cars and dead farm animals can multiply the risks faced in dealing with such a situation.

Additionally, you may be isolated and unable to get to help or help get to you for several days. Surviving such a situation is achievable if you take some sensible precautions before the event. First of all be aware of your location and whether it is at risk of flooding. Flood prone areas are known to authorities and inhabitants and often reflected in insurance premiums and building codes for the area.

Give some thought now, while the water isn’t lapping at your feet, as to what you would do to survive a flood.

Related posts:

1. Personal Safety
2. Natural Threats
3. Earthquake Survival!

What to do before, during and after an earthquake, and preparing an earthquake survival kit for your home, automobile, and office.

WHAT TO DO

PREPARE YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY NOW

Have an earthquake survival kit on hand. All family members should know how to turn off gas, water, and electricity. Plan family emergency procedures, and make plans for reuniting your family. Know emergency telephone numbers (doctor, hospital, police, 911, etc) Anchor heavy objects to walls (bookcases, wall units, mirrors, cabinets, etc.) Never place heavy objects over beds, and keep heavy objects lower than head height of shortest member of family.

DURING AN EARTHQUAKE STAY CALM

Inside, stand in doorway, or crouch under a desk or table, well away from windows or glass dividers.

Outside, stand away from buildings, trees, telephones and electrical lines.

On the road, drive away from underpasses and overpasses; stop in safe area; stay in vehicle.

AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE

Check for injuries-provide first aid. Check for safety-check for gas, water, sewage breaks; check for downed power lines and shorts; turn off appropriate utilities. Check for building damage and potential problems during aftershocks. Clean up dangerous spills. Wear shoes Turn on the radio and listen for instructions from public safety agencies. Use telephone for emergencies, only.

Earthquake Survival Kits

SURVIVAL SUPPLIES:

Water-2 quarts to 1 gallon per person, per day.
First Aid Kit-ample, and freshly stocked.
First Aid Manual-know how to use it.
Food-canned or individually packaged;precooked, requiring minimum heat and water. Consider infants, pets, and other special dietary requirements.
Critical medication, extra eyeglasses
Can opener
Blankets
Radio-portable battery operated, spare batteries
Critical medication and eyeglasses, contact cases and supplies
Fire Extinguisher-dry chemical, type ABC
Flashlight-spare batteries and bulbs
Watch or clock-battery or spring wound.

COOKING:

Barbeque-use outdoors ONLY-charcoal and lighter, or Sterno stove
Plastic bags-various sizes, sealable
Pots-at least two
Paper plates, plastic utensils, and paper towels

SANITATION
Large plastic trash bags-for trash, waste, water protection
Ground cloth
Large trash cans
Hand soap, liquid detergent, shampoo
Toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss
Deodorant
Feminine supplies
Infant supplies
Toilet paper
Powdered chlorinated lime-to add to sewage to disinfect and keep away insects.
Newspapers-to wrap waste, garbage; may also be used for warmth.

SAFETY
Heavy shoes for every family member
Heavy gloves for every person cleaning debris
Candles
Matches-dipped in wax and kept in waterproof container
Knife-sharp, or razor blades
Garden hose-for siphoning and fire fighting
Clothes-complete change kept dry

TOOLS
Axe
Shovel
Broom
Crescent wrench-for turning off gas main
Screwdrivers
Pliers
Hammer
Rope or bailing wire
Plastic tape
Pen and paper
Mini Survival Kit for Automobile
Non-perishable food-store in coffee cans
Boiled water
First aid kit and manual
Fire extinguisher
Blanket
Sealable plastic bags
Flashlight-spare fresh batteries and bulb
Critical medication, extra eyeglasses
Tools-screwdriver, pliers, wire, knife
Short rubber hose
Pre-moistened towelettes
Feminine supplies
Sturdy shoes and gloves
Your emergency supplies should be adequate for at least 72 hours (3 days).
A 10-day supply of water, food, and medicine is recommended.

Related posts:

1. Flood Survival
2. Criminal Intent – How To Know If You Are Next!
3. Cost Of Living In The Philippines

There are some common factors that are present in criminal actions no matter where in the world you may be. Knowing how a thief or mugger operates will give you a better chance of developing counter measures to manage such situations.

Although there are many different acronyms, the one I use is S.I.I.A. or

• SELECT
• ISOLATE
• INTERROGATE
• ANNIHILATE!

SELECT: Victims are selected. Very rarely is any crime committed on a victim chosen totally at random. If it is then it is usually due to the influence of drugs or alcohol or the criminal made a mistake of some kind.

Prey is selected very carefully. They do their best to ensure that whoever it is they will prey upon they perceive themselves as being more powerful than and in control of and that the victim shows little indication they will resist or harm the mugger as he (or she) goes about their work.

If they thought for a second that their chosen victim would resist and in doing so harm them then they would choose someone else. Think about it yourself. If you saw someone like Mike Tyson or Evander Holyfield walking down the road, rippling with muscles and built like a large kitchen appliance, would you attempt to mug them or would you go after the skinny, timid, half blind kid with glasses?

Criminals choose their victims based on their appearance and using their experience as to how people who look a certain way will react when confronted. They base this on their intuition, their past victims, advice given to them by other criminals and so on. One way most criminals decide you or him is by the way you walk. There is a large body of research on this factor as being often the main reason a criminal will choose between two otherwise identical victims.

THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT POINT I WILL SAY IT AGAIN IN CAPS!

WALK AS THOUGH YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING, EVEN IF YOU DON’T, AND WALK WITH PURPOSE AND DETERMINATION!

Other reasons they will choose you is if you look scared, confused, lost, hesitant or timid in any way. Walking briskly, confidently and looking around taking the world in is a time tested and proven way of deterring criminals and encouraging them to choose someone else.

In New York I was warned not to walk around carrying a street map and don’t stare up at the tall buildings. All the locals know where they are going and of course no longer stare at the skyscrapers. I used to step back from an intersection while waiting to cross the street, lean against the building and casually glance upwards, then scan around me to see if anyone was watching!

You can deter criminals by giving off an air of confidence and determination. Head up, back straight and no slouching or slinking! This makes sense when you think about animal body language. Prey behaviour elicits a predator response. The animal slinking around with its back arched and tail between its legs throwing furtive glances over its shoulders as it scurries from cover to cover is not projecting a fearless image, is it?

Likewise lions. How many of them have you ever seen behave that way on those nature documentaries? Nope! Lions saunter around as if they own the place and are top of the food chain, which they pretty much are. Of course they have their natural enemies also, a pack of hyena can kill a lone lion. Note there has to be a pack of them and just one lion for this to happen!

ISOLATE: We hear of people being mugged “in broad daylight” and even worse, of young women raped on commuter rains in the afternoon and wonder how it can happen in such open places. The truth is usually that the time of day may have little to do with the crime. In the case of the unfortunate girl raped at 4pm on a suburban Sydney, Australia train, the carriage was more or less empty and the people who did witness the crime thought it was just two over amorous teenagers getting carried away. The poor girl was so stunned and terrified she was incapable of much resistance and so gave off no outward signs of distress during the crime.

Usually crimes happen in isolated locations. Not isolated as in miles into the jungle where no one is around but anywhere that is isolated from help and interruption for the few seconds to minutes the crime will take. This can be at the back of a bus with the only other passengers down the front and paying no attention. The victim is isolated by the criminal and most likely an accomplice or two with them blocking his escape down the aisle of the bus.

They will use their numbers, size and possibly a weapon to intimidate and control their victim. He will have been selected because he appears vulnerable and not a threat as well as being in a position where he can be kept apart from any interference or help. Note I differentiate between interference/interruption and help or assistance. While someone interrupting the criminals might actually assist you, they may not have any intention of actually helping you.

Any time you are a victim of crime you can count on being pretty much alone. Not that you shouldn’t scream for help from anyone you can see passing by. They might help, they might ignore you but you might scare your attackers off or give you a chance to escape or fight back.

If the criminal has done his job properly then the likelihood of anyone coming along while the crime is in progress is usually fairly slim. They have planned it that way! Often without conscious thought, they just know they need an isolated spot and they know when the opportunity has arisen.

It is amazing how close you can be to the world yet still be isolated enough for the criminals to go to work. I was standing on a crowded MRT train in Manila when I was isolated from my three companions by two pickpockets. One went to steal my wallet while the other blocked the view of my friends. I stopped him before he could get anything but then he slipped away as his accomplice stepped between us protesting his innocence and so on. My friends were close enough for me to touch yet they were playing catch up trying to figure out what all the fuss was about.

By the time they twigged the other man had followed his mate out the door and the train was departing. These two were professional pick pockets who had a modus operandii that had worked for them before and included a contingency plan for someone catching them in the act.

I was pick pocketed while in a Jeepney ( a converted jeep used as public transport in the Philippines). Again I was subject to the S.I.I.A. process without even being aware. I was waiting for a jeepney outside an upscale hotel I would never stay at myself, but that suggested I had money. Gangs target those they feel have something worth stealing and one way to identify those people is to lurk where the well off stay, shop and so on.

Once in the jeepney it quickly picked up other passengers previously positioned (if the jeepney had pulled up with just four or five men in it I would never have gotten in) farther down the street. Then I was isolated in the jeepney and in the corner. The man next to me screened his comrade and also distracted me with a colourful folder on his lap he opened and closed and squeezed in close to disrupt my tactile senses.

As soon as the money was out of the wallet the jeepney stopped and as the man who had been next to me left I realised my wallet was gone and tried to stop him. Of course it was pointless as he probably didn’t have the money, that was either with the man next to him or had been passed to one of the others. I was isolated and unable to retaliate effectively.

I had to let him go, then I saw my wallet on the seat behind me and of course it was empty. I went after him and hopped a tricycle waiting across the road. I know now they were in on the deal as there were two men in the trike, usually there is just the driver of course. We roared away from the jeepney where my money was, after the decoy as planned. I realised the two trike lads, although friendly, were part of the scam and called off the chase. Even if I had caught the man he wouldn’t have my cash and how can you say that peso bill is yours?

I had them drop me in town and felt lucky to get away in one piece. If I had stopped the decoy and gotten violent no doubt the two trike lads would have joined in on me. If I had become violent in the jeepney there were five of them with the driver and no doubt they all carried weapons. Even if the police arrived, how would I know they weren’t in on it also? It might sound paranoid to some reading this now but at the time my senses were on high alert, albeit a tad too late!

The fact was I was selected, isolated, interrogated and annihilated! Very professional job and although I lost about US$150 which was a lot of money for me to lose, it was a cheap lesson! Even if this had been a genuine jeepney I could have been isolated in the corner and all the honest passengers around me would have been oblivious of the crime.

Normally I carry my wallet in a front pocket and keep loose small notes in the other pocket for paying jeepneys and such expenses. This time I broke my own rules, probably due to complacency!

One thing that is constant no matter where you may be, if you are taken from the place of initial contact to a second location, you can be pretty sure you are not supposed to leave there alive! It is a sad fact of life that people taken to secondary locations are most often killed or so seriously injured they are not expected to survive. The usual reason for the transportation is that the first location is not isolated enough for the job at hand.

The lesson to be learnt is that even if you employ passive resistance up until then, as soon as they attempt to remove you to a secondary location you have very little to lose by going ballistic! If ever there was a time to use physical measures, this is it! If you are physically beyond being able to do much, then take other precautions and always have a reliable companion with you wherever possible.

INTERROGATION: This is also called the interview. It does not have to entail any conversation or verbal interaction whatsoever. The criminal can “interrogate” his victim by assessing body language, response to the approach and so on. Usually though it will include some form of communication.

Once you have been selected and isolated, the criminal will give you the interrogation. It might be something as everyday as “do you have the time?” or “an you tell me where X is?”. In the Philippines they often launch into a complicated tale like the bloke who asked me about Australian wallets!

I was walking along a main street in Olongapo, a quiet part of the street in between major retail sections, when this man drove past in a jeepney. He turned around and came past on my side of the street and stopped. Then he hopped out and came around to the pavement as I came abreast of him. I had already taken note of him due to his behaviour and I thought he might try to hire himself out as a private vehicle.

He greeted me and asked where I came from. I told him a lie of course. He then said he had a brother who lived in that very same city! Surprise, surprise! His brother was going to send him a gift, a wallet. He wanted to know what an Australian wallet would look like. Could I show him mine?

I just laughed and said he really needed to come up with a better story than that! I couldn’t see anyone in the jeepney and there wasn’t anyone else around (isolated) but I laughed again and started to walk away. I kept it casual and friendly and wished him better luck with his next Kano. He at least laughed along. I think I was a spur of the moment, opportunistic target, chosen because I was walking alone on a quiet part of the main street.

If I had shown him my wallet he would have known three things. One, where I keep my wallet. Two, how much cash I had on me and Three, how dumb I was. That was the purpose of the interrogation. I failed and he let me go. If I had “passed” then he would have moved on to the next stage, annihilation. It might have been a friendly invitation to go and play cards or have a drink with friends of his, maybe a girl for me if he felt that was my thing.

I have had the card invitation before and always refused. Apart from not playing cards for money, it is so obvious a set up I am stunned how many sober tourists fall for it! Too cocky or too dumb I guess. Never drink with strangers anywhere and if you can’t find your own women in the Philippines you deserve to be mugged!

One other thing, although it might sound so obvious it is not worth reminding the reader here but always WALK AGAINST THE TRAFFIC! They drive on the right in the Philippines and the sidewalks are often crowded with vendors where they actually exist and in most places are merely piles of rubble and garbage dividing the buildings from the traffic! I doubt few would notice you being dragged into a vehicle and fewer still would do anything to report or assist.

ANIHILATION: If you pass the interview the criminal will strike. I call this annihilation although it could be non-physical such as a pickpocket or scam set up. It doesn’t have to involve any risk of physical harm or injury whatsoever but by “annihilation” I mean you get wiped out one way or another!

This is the point where those who apply a physical response will usually act. By physical I include running away but mostly I mean fighting back. Of course this is the point where the criminal is expecting a struggle if you go that way. He will expect to overpower you if you do fight back, that has been the purpose of the process so far after all.

If you have sucked him into thinking you are an easy touch you might regain the initiative and give him a surprise. You might just be better at fighting than he is and triumph accordingly or, you might find in his fear he has escalated matters by bringing a weapon into the matrix!

Going physical is a last resort as you can’t try anything else if you poke him in the eye and it doesn’t do anything other than piss him off! Ideally if you have to choose the physical response option you employ it before he does, during the interrogation phase. Of course for most of us it is a little over the top to smack someone in the mouth just because he asks you for the time!

The reality is that you should be aware of the process and that you are being interrogated when it happens. This will allow you to employ the physical response, should it be your best choice, in a pre-emptive manner and not find out you have just clobbered an innocent man without a watch!

By themselves, each step of the process can appear to be just a part of the everyday goings on around you. Strung together they give a warning, loud and clear. This is your justification to pre-emptively strike if need be. Of course, the best solution is not to be selected in the first place.

If you are selected, avoid being isolated and be aware that can happen even in a crowded public vehicle or room. Once the interrogation commences, you need to be taking action! You can’t take any action if you are ignorant of what is happening, which is where the “he came out of nowhere” line stems from!

Once he begins his assault, action or annihilation you are pretty much in reaction mode. You have lost the initiative and will have to rely on effective counter measures to survive the situation.

Remember, SELECT, ISOLATE, INTERROGATE, ANIHILATE.

Related posts:

1. Earthquake Survival!
2. Cost Of Living In The Philippines
3. Man Made Direct Threats

Personal Safety is Personal Risk Management. It means taking charge of your own destiny, being in control of your safety and well being. Managing threats and risks to your life from a range of possible causes.

Most of us think of risk in terms of insurance for our life, car, home or business. Others take a more financial planning based approach and consider their investment strategies. Cheap-Retirement-Living.com takes a more Holistic approach to risk management.

Our unique approach considers there to be FOUR major threat sources:

• Natural Threats
• Nature’s Threats
• Man Made Indirect Threats
• Man Made Direct Threats

We will cover each of these in detail in subsequent posts.

Related posts:

1. Man Made Direct Threats
2. Flood Survival
3. Natural Threats