Crisis-Proof Your Life: Fieldcraft Survival on Personal Safety & Preparedness

[KEVIN ESTELA]
There is absolutely a trend of people checking doors in driveways at two, three, and four in the morning. And the police have no response to this. Absolutely no response, because these gangs are 100% coordinated. And they make it a competition to see who can get the most stuff.

Kevin Estela is here to offer practical advice on how to survive in a violent world, whether it’s a criminal assault, car accident, or natural disaster.

Hello, I’m investigative reporter Robert Riggs, back with another story from inside the crime scene tape.

This episode of the True Crime Reporter® Podcast responds to those of you who have been asking me what you should do amid a growing wave of violence in urban America and overseas.

A U.S. businesswoman recently told me she is afraid to work alone in a big city. In response, I reached out to Kevin Estela, the director of training for Fieldcraft Survival. Its founder, Mike Glover, served as a Sergeant Major in the Army Green Berets. He deployed fourteen times to combat zones with Special Forces and the CIA.

But don’t expect his director of training to teach that every threatening scenario requires a gun.

Kevin Estela taught Advanced Placement high-school history for fourteen years. He is about using your head and being prepared. His survival skills were influenced by his Filipino father, who hid from the Japanese army in jungles and caves during World War II.

[ROBERT RIGGS]
Kevin, you’re the director of training at Fieldcraft Survival, and you can teach a range of survival skills. But the most immediate threat I hear about from my audiences is violent crime. Will you take me through survival methods—how to survive violence and how not to become a victim—and what you’re teaching? Then I want to get into some of the other skills you teach.

[KEVIN ESTELA]
If you can stage that equipment in your vehicle, then when you come upon that accident, you can grab it and run up to the vehicle with your gear ready to go, as opposed to running back and forth. That could be the difference between life and death for someone you might be helping.

[ROBERT RIGGS]
Kevin, give me a little background on Fieldcraft—how it came about and what attracted you there.

[KEVIN ESTELA]
There are stories in major metropolitan areas where people will break a window to steal change out of a cup. So don’t leave anything in plain sight, and lock your doors. The other thing is: don’t confront people who are trying to steal from you.

[ROBERT RIGGS]
I want to close by talking about your high-school history teaching. If you could be the education king for a day and go back, what would you change to improve education for our high-school and junior-high students?

[KEVIN ESTELA]
Because not every parent is a capable educator, I do think there will always be a place for public education. But it needs a serious overhaul.

In closing, here’s my Reporter’s recap and reflections.

As Kevin Estela stressed, survival depends on preparedness. For starters, he recommends carrying a tourniquet, a good flashlight, a BIC lighter, a ferro rod—a fire starter that can be used as an emergency signal—and a bandana.

His book is titled “101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods.” A second book covering advanced skills is on the way.

I have placed links to his resources in the show notes.

You’ve been listening to the True Crime Reporter® Podcast. Stay true. Stay safe. And stay tuned for more stories from inside the crime scene tape.

This is Robert Riggs reporting.