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Critical Conditions Survival Course
This is a hands-on comprehensive training program that contains skills and information that will allow you and your loved ones to survive through any conditions.
The course is run on the weekends by highly trained and experienced instructors who will guide you in all of the fundamentals of emergency-preparedness and survival in dire and austere circumstances.
General Information
No overnight component
Two-day weekend program
No previous experience necessary
Small class size - max 12 people
Must be 12 or older to attend
12-15 years old must be accompanied by an adult
16+ no supervision required
Curriculum
Emergency equipment and preparedness
What to have, where to go, what to bring, what to do
Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN) survival
Recognition, equipment, protection, decontamination
Advanced trauma first-aid
Tourniquets, suturing, wound packing, topical agents
Situational considerations
Situational awareness, wartime dangers, self-care
Map and compass navigation
Pacing, declination, resection, bypass, navigation course
Bushcraft
Shelters, fires, signals, snares, water treatment
Two-Day Program Outline
Saturday
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location : Tip of Spear Academy
11217 149 Street, Edmonton AB
Sunday
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location : Cooking Lake Provincial Park - Waskehegan ( 20 min east of Edmonton)
Day 1 (Saturday) 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
(Classroom Day)
This day is composed of classroom-based hands-on training, Power Point presentations and a short practical outdoor component. While we will be inside for most of the day, please be prepared to spend up to one hour outdoors as well. The lectures and hands-on practice on general-preparedness, CBRN, first-aid, and situational considerations will all take place on this day.
The first-aid component will include the use of the latest available training equipment to perform life saving bleeding-cessation skills such as the use of topical hemostatic agents, tourniquets, suturing and wound packing.
The Chemical, Biological Radiological and Nuclear component will introduce fundamental knowledge about equipment and teach you actions that will protect you in a CBRN environment. There will also be a practical portion during which you will learn proper donning and doffing procedures for CBRN protective clothing and respiratory equipment. You will get to experience the effects of being fully encapsulated in personal protective equipment.
The lecture and practice on map and compass navigation will cover the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the field-practice on day 2. The navigation course will help you solidify the classroom knowledge into field experience.
Please note that lunch will not be provided on day 1. There are multiple fast-food locations available in the vicinity.
Day 2 (Sunday) 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
(Field Practice Day)
The day's training will consist of navigating your way along a cross-country navigation course, as well as demonstrations and practice of bushcraft skills.
The 5 km long navigation course proceeds through some wet-lands, tall grass fields and across uneven terrain and usually takes about 3 hours to complete. The full navigation course does not have to be completed if this activity becomes strenuous for you.
A water treatment demonstration will occur along the way of the navigation course. Stagnant pond-water will be used to compare and demonstrate different methods of treating non-drinkable water.
A military-style warm packaged ration will be provided for lunch. A sample ration will be shown on Day 1 so you will know what to expect. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and combination meal options are available.
The bushcraft portion will consist of demonstrations and practice of fire-starting methods, building simple shelters, tools, building materials, signal fires and simple snares.
There will be a rest-tent area set up at our location with coffee, tea, water, snacks, and a fire (if fire hazard allows). Washrooms will be on-site or within walking distance for the majority of the day.
Equipment and Clothing
Day 1 please bring
Your own lunch
Indoor footwear
Outdoor clothing
Day 2 please bring
Proper field footwear / clothing and rain gear
Sunscreen, insect repellant, h at and sunglasses
Water bottle or thermos
Backpack
You don't need to bring
Personal survival equipment
Personal GPS or compass
Paper or writing materials
Day 2 you do not need to bring your own lunch
Day 1 - Dress for both indoors and outdoors.
Day 2 - Dress for the outdoors.
Clothing - There will be a lot of stop/go activity throughout the day so to make sure you don't overheat or get too cold please dress in layers that you can shed or add as the day progresses and as the temperature changes. Bring additional layers and items that you think you may require for the day.Boots - Field footwear with tall ankle support is preferred and will help prevent ankle injuries while walking on uneven, muddy or soft ground.
Instructors
Greg
Retired Canadian Army Combat Engineer, specializing in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) warfare and survival
Conventional munitions disposal and explosives expert
2 overseas operational tours of duty
Medevac Paramedic (flight medic)
Incident Response Paramedic (IRP) specializing in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) medical emergencies and mass-casualty incidents
Journeyman Communications Engineering Technologist
Over 20 years of experience in teaching and instructing
Dallas
Retired Canadian Special Operations Forces Command member
Military free-fall parachutist
Explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) operator
Army combat diver (Frogman)
Explosive breaching specialist
4 overseas operational tours of duty
Woodsman and avid hunter
Professional saddle and custom leather maker
Jason
Hunting, fishing and outdoors expert who's been immersed in the wilderness lifestyle since birth
Green-thumb extraordinaire
Commercial diver and dive operations supervisor
General mechanics specialist - installed a Cummings engine in his Ford and built his own dirt bike from spare parts
Fabrication expert - manufactured his own jet boat
Journeyman welder, red seal
"I've been married since 2004 and my wife still loves me" :)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does this course teach?
A: The main topics covered by this course are;
Equipment and preparedness
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) survival
Advanced trauma first-aid
Bushcraft
Map and compass navigation
Situational considerations
Q: How long is the course and do I have to sleep outside?
A: There is no overnight component. The course is 2 days long and runs 8am – 5pm both days
Q: Who teaches the course?
A: This course is taught by highly experienced and professional instructors that are able to teach to all levels of knowledge and experience. The course instructors are a combination of ex-military, EMS and bushcraft experts
Q: How old do I have to be to attend the course?
A: Although there is no minimum age to take the course, we allow persons under 16 only with an accompanying adult. As long as you are able to understand and take part in the medical trauma practice you are mature enough to take this course
Q: How fit do I have to be to take the course?
A: The most physically challenging portion of the course is the navigation course which is about 7km long and takes about 3 hours by easy walk. It’s nothing more than a nice hike through the fields and across some rolling hills
Q: Do I have to participate in all of the activities?
A: No. Participation in all activities is always optional but encouraged
Q: What kind of prior experience do I need to attend this course?
A: There are no prerequisites to this course. Previous knowledge and experience in the subject matter of survival are not necessary
Q: Do I need to bring anything of my own to the course?
A: No you do not. All equipment necessary for the course will be provided. However, you will be responsible for dressing accordingly for the weather as well as bringing a bottle or thermos and a backpack.
Contact Us
Classroom Location
Tip of Spear Academy: 11217 149 St, Edmonton AB, T5M1W6
Social Media
Facebook: Apocalypse Preparedness and Survival School
Instagram: Apocalypseschool
Email Us:
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Course Registration
Next course is scheduled to run;
19/20 Nov 2022
Cost is $275.00 plus $13.75 tax = $288.75 total per person
For registration and payment processing you will be redirected to the " Tip of Spear" website
Winter Course Variant
We all know the reality of winters in Alberta. They are long, cold and snowy and every year, for at least a few weeks, the temperature dips below -30C. In order to be effective at survival in winter conditions some important changes must be made to the survival strategy. Winter conditions create additional challenges when faced with a survival situation. The bulky clothing limiting your movement and vision, having to shed and add layers of clothing, difficult breathing due to the cold and dry air, poor walking and traveling conditions, frozen drinking water, snow blindness, etc.
Due to these challenges, the course in the winter time will be tuned to the winter environment but it will still maintain the same overall curriculum and skillset. The differences incorporated into the winter program will be the types of shelters exhibited as well as a potentially shorter navigation exercise done in snowshoes. If you do not know how to use snowshoes I would like to suggest that you do a practice session prior to attending the course.
