About me and MSC

Living off the land is a somewhat foreign concept to a lot of people but it may be a reality in the very near future. We are constantly bombarded with stories of disasters that sweep people from their modern comforts and into impromptu camps of temporary living. In the last few years we have watched in horror when hundreds of thousands of people were displaced from their homes due to earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters. These people often congregate in camps that invite disease and horrible living conditions if they are forced to stay for weeks on end. The impending natural phenomenon of solar super storms may eliminate even the short term comfort those places may offer. The latest National Geographic magazine highlights the likeliness of these storms and the potential they have to knock out the electric grid for weeks or perhaps even months at a time. The question they ask is, are we prepared? Do YOU have an emergency plan? If a natural disaster turned your life upside down, would you rather go to a community center where hundreds or perhaps thousands of people have congregated without electricity or any modern conveniences and you have to fight for resources like a post-Katrina situation or would you rather have an emergency plan in place and be able to be self-sufficient and live comfortably? 

I know the answer for me. I would rather be prepared with an emergency food and water supply and if need be, be able to head into the woods and live comfortably and confidently. Nature provides everything you need to survive.  So that’s where the Milwaukee Survival School comes in. It is the culmination of a varied and interesting career that started out in the Boundary Waters of northern Minnesota where I worked for two summers as an outfitter and then joined the Peace Corps where I taught environmental education to grades 5-12. I returned home to continue environmental education and survival training for the YMCA at resident camps.  I then ventured into the corporate world and used my education skills to develop training programs. But my love and interest has always been in the outdoors and to use my twenty some years’ experience in education and training to create my own outdoor education/survival course business. And it seems as if the timing could not be more right. I run into people from all walks of life that tell me that they have a secret fear that they should have these skills and the knowledge to survive whatever disaster that may be on the horizon. The odds seem likely that you WILL need these skills and knowledge. Having survival skills can give you a sense of accomplishment and empowerment that cannot be matched. Knowing that you can survive with just what the land provides is a humbling yet powerful feeling.

I've got an actual website in the making, but until that is up and running, you can contact me here through my e-mail or by phone (262-515-5331) to find out about workshops or set up a one on one training session for yourself. I just got back from an adventure in Mongolia so I'll be sharing some photos and talking about my experiences there as well. I would recommend the trip to anyone who is curious to see people continue to live the lifestyle that has been lived since the time of Genghis Khan. The people, the landscape and the experieces are truly unique and wonderful. My motto, Be Prepared and Have Fun!