Abreviations and acronyms for our new folks

[NorthernRaider]

Survivalist Acronyms
© 2010 Northern Raider

ABC = Atomic, Bacteriological, Chemical (USA)

BBBB Breathing, Bleeding, Breaks and Burns, order of diagnosis and treatment for casualties

BIVVY = Bivouac (type of shelter)

Bug Out = basically it means if you as a person or family have to flee your home, town or place of work because the place has become to dangerous to stay in.

BOB = Bug Out Bag. A Rucksack, travel bag or container containing survival tools, clothing, food and kit, should last 72 hours plus or even a few weeks if topped up from a cache.

BOR = Bug Out Route

BOV (1) = Bug Out Vest. A sleeveless travel vest fitted out like a BOB

BOV (2) = Bug Out Vehicle. A vehicle modified to help you bug out and sustain you during your journey, In the US its often a 4x4 like a Jeep, and in Europe its often a camper van. BOVs really should be capable of being lived in for at least a week, so they should have sleeping space, cookers, water, toilet, storage etc. But in the US the trend is for big powerful go anywhere 4x4s. Single folks tend towards the 4x4s, family guys the campers. Some folks have B O Boats, other cycles, other horses and a few light aircraft / microlights.

Cache = A remotely located store of food, fuel, and extra kit for survivalists to draw on, usually sited somewhere along the chosen Bug Out Route

CASEVAC = Casualty Evacuation

EDC = Every Day Carry. Its a list of items that the seriously prepared will never venture out of the house without. Knife, Flashlight, Compass, Cell Phone, Wallet, Mulitool etc

FAK = First Aid Kit

FYI = For Your Information

GHB = Get Home Bag, same as BOB

GOOD = Get Out Of Dodge bag (another name for a BOB

INCH Bag = I’m Not Coming Home Bag (another name for a BOB but designed for very long term use)

IMHO = In My Honest Opinion

KFS = Knife, Fork, Spoon

LED = Light Emitting Diode ( new type of flashlight / bulb system)

MRE = Meals Ready to Eat

NBC = Nuclear, Bacteriological & Chemical (UK)

NESW = Never Eat Shredded Wheat (method of remembering points of compass in clockwise motion)

No Duff = This is the real thing, not a practise

Opsec = Operational Security

PMA = Positive Mental Attitude

PSK = Personal Survival Kit = normally a small tin or pouch containing a mini survival kit, popular with soldiers venture explorers etc

PSP = Personal Survival Plan

PAW = Post Apocalyptic World

PDW = Personal defence Weapon

PEK = Personal Escape Kit

PPPPPP = Proper Planning & Preparation, Prevents Poor Performance

PREP = Preparations

POCSIE = Planning, ordering, controlling, supporting, informing, evaluating (stages in planning a bug out event)

RETREAT = Place of safety to live in during disaster, can be your home if modified or a camper van/ mobile home or purpose built facility.

RECCE = Reconnaissance

RTFM = Read the F****** Manual

SAK = Swiss Army Knife

SERE = Survival, Escape, Resistance, Evasion

SITX = Situation X (Unknown future catastrophe)

SITREP = Situation Report (Feedback from someone involved in an event)

SSSSSS. Sound, Shape, Shine, Shadow, Smell, Silhouette,

The Considerations needed for tactical movement, IE Bugging out without being seen.

Dont make unnecessary SOUND or noise
Break up your SHAPE with camouflage
Dont let you kits SHINE in the sun
Stay in SHADOWS and try not to cast a SHADOW
Dont use perfumed soaps, or smelly camp fires because the SMELL will give you away
Stay off the hilltops and ridgelines so you dont stand out as a SILHOUETTE


TEOTWAWKI = Common acronym used by survivalists to describe a complete social collapse IE The End Of The World As WE Know It.

TV = Travel Vest (used as Bug out vest)

WTSHTF = When The Shit Hits The Fan

WROL = Without Rule Of Law