Survival and Primitive Skills Training School
The need for survival training has never been
greater. More and more people are venturing into the great outdoors. Hiking,
biking, geocaching, kayaking, skiing, snowmobile riding and a host of other
outdoor activities lure young and old alike. Subsequently, every year we hear
stories of individuals or groups of outdoor enthusiasts becoming lost and/or injured while engaged in,
what should have been, a routine and carefree outing. Additionally scores of people living along our
coastlines are faced with the dangers and possible destruction from
hurricanes. Those living in the interior
States are hit by tornadoes or stranded by floods or other natural disasters. Oftentimes
these natural disasters leave people stranded for days on end; forced to make
do without the basic necessities for life : potable drinking water, shelter and
food.
Any of these situations, whether they are the result of venturing into the wild or whether they are classified as suburban disasters can have serious health or even life threatening consequences. Becoming self-reliant and trained to face and handle such situations should be a priority for everyone.
But it's not all about the end of the world or some other hypothetical natural or man-made disaster. It's about the satisfaction you get by knowing that you can handle any situation and you'll be able to take care of yourself or your family anytime, anywhere.
Nature is a powerful teacher and Survival training teaches you the difference between your wants and your real needs. Survival training is all about learning to live in balance with the Earth and deepening your relationship with Nature. Learning how to "Survive" and how to take care of yourself and your loved ones is part of your birthright.
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Our courses are specifically designed for families and people of all ages that may have limited experience in the outdoors. We’ll teach you shelter building, water purification techniques, basic navigation and direction finding, fire making, problem solving, awareness skills and lost proofing skills that can be applied to any outdoor endeavor such as hiking, biking, camping, canoeing, kayaking and, even more importantly here in Florida- survival skills that may prove to be extremely important in the aftermath of natural disasters such as hurricanes.
The One Day Survival Course has been designed for people wishing to get a taste of the survival experience but don't want to spend a night outdoors. We teach the 7 essential survival skills outoors in a safe and secure training environment with a very diversified and natural landscape. The day will typically consist of short hikes and skills training mixed with lectures and demonstrations. Class times for the day will run between 8 and 9 hours.
The 2 Day Wilderness Survival Course course follows the same basic outline as the One Day but includes spending the night outdoors. We teach all the same 7 Essential Survival Skills but in greater detail. We'll have more time to spend building fires and building bomb proof shelters.
The Primitive Workshop teaches advanced survival skills such as: making cordage, flintknapping, making your own bow drill, snares and deadfalls, making charcloth for flint and steel fire making, primitive weapons and tools etc. 
Basically we'll teach you how to survive and live off the land using only those resources provided by nature. This course is a full eight hours so come prepared to spend an enjoyable but full day of hands-on practical learning.
Rest assured we do not follow or teach the exact same old techniques taken straight out of survival books that were written decades ago. Many of our techniques have been developed and perfected by our own staff and are not taught by other schools.
Take a look at our course outlines then decide for yourself which skill levels are best suited to your individual needs and life styles. Our training courses are designed to be fully integrated and progressive. You can start with the one day workshop then come back later and pick up where you left off for more advanced and comprehensive training.
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Dan,
I went to Hank Fannin's survival class last weekend, the 13th and 14th, I have done other classes in the past and found Hank to be a fantastic instructor, very knowledgable and a genuine survivalist. His teaching is designed to interest and intrique at the same time. I was very, very happy with the whole set up, from the time I arrived till sunday afternoon when I left. I would have spent several nights out there learning all that Hank has to offer, the weekend goes so fast, and you and your boys will come away from the class with skills that can be very valuable in these trying times. Believe me, its not only a great time in the woods, but worth every dime!!! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did, I will continue to keep in touch with Hank and plan on taking more of his classes in the near future. you wont regret taking the coarse. Have a good one and e-mail me back when you complete the class if you want and let me know what you think. sincerely, a fellow woodsman, Raymond Balles.
Hank,
Just wanted you to know that our group had a great time and I hope we weren't too wild for you. We learned so much and had so much fun that we are certainly planning on some future classes. Please let me know when you schedule one of those primitive classes. The whole gang wants to come. Say hi to Pon for us also and thank her for the cooking tips. Sarah and the Gang
Hank,
We made it back home without any further car problems. Thanks for that phone call and offer to help. My son and I had a great time and want to thank you for your patience. Also thanks for the loan of that sleeping bag. I didn't think it would get that cold. Let me know when you have your next primitive skills workshop. My wife will probably come along next time. She's very interested in learning bushcraft after we told her all we learned and did. I'll recommend your class to anyone and hope to see you again this summer. Dan and Rob
Hank,
I can't thank you enough. My kids had a great time and now they are actually interested in something besides video games. Jacob has showed that arrowhead he made to everyone, even took it to school yesterday. Todd has me looking everywhere for things to make more cordage from and he's getting really good at it. I told a group of parents about you and the classes you offer and I'm sure several will be calling to schedule. Thanks again and keep me on your mailing list. Todd Sr.
Recent Newspaper Article in the Palm Beach Post:
There are no tribal councils, and nobody gets voted off when he can’t accomplish some challenge.
They’re not on a Pacific island or in the African jungle; they’re on 100 acres of sabal palm, slash pine and grassy fields west of Hobe Sound.
Participants in the Green Earth Survival School are not TV-type “Survivors”; they’re learning real outdoor skills that might help them survive outdoors: how to build a fire, build a shelter and navigate in the wilderness.
Louise Cunha, 67, of Stuart was one of 14 students taking part in a recent two-day, camping on-site, survival skills class. She was paying particular attention during the orienteering class as Hank Fannin, the school director and instructor, showed students how to read and use topographical maps and global positioning system units.
“I’m taking the class as a way of preparing for an overnight, off-the-trail backpacking trip I’m planning this summer in Vermont,” Cunha said during a break. “This kind of knowledge is vital to the success of my trip.
“I know I need to be in good physical shape, but mental ability is even more important.”
A member of the Tropical Trekkers backpacking club, Cunha said she’s been hiking since I was a kid in Vermont. She’s hiked around Lake Okeechobee by herself and has taken part in the Atlantic Ocean-to-Lake Okeechobee hike.
“And I’ve been lost before,” she admitted.
Fannin prefers to call his class “Outdoor Awareness” to avoid connoting the image of survivalists in a post-Armageddon world.
“A lot of people have no outdoor skills at all,” Fannin said. “I did a class with a church group recently, and two of the people in the whole group had ever been camping before.”
Fannin teaches students to survive by using modern tools such as matches and cigarette lighters, topographical maps, compasses and GPS units.
Fannin also teaches an advanced course, “Primitive Survival,” in which the only tool is a rock.
“Starting with just a rock, you learn three core skills,” he said. “First is making stone tools. With the tools, you learn how to strip fiber and make cordage. With the cordage, you can make a bow drill and learn fire building.”
A native of Kentucky, the 63-year-old Fanin said his early knowledge of the outdoors came from hunting, fishing and trapping as a young boy. His serious training came from the military: nine years in the Air Force and its mountain, jungle, sea, desert and POW camp survival schools as well as combat tours with air rescue and special operations units.
He later was an instructor at the Pine Barrens Survival School in New Jersey and said he has “traveled all over the world, picking up native survival skills.”
Now a Port St. Lucie resident, he started Green Earth a couple of years ago, teaching weekend classes every month or so.
“The first thing I teach is what every Boy Scout learns: be prepared,” Fannin said. “The second most important thing to learn is how not to get lost, how to not get in a survival situation in the first place. Finally, if you do get into trouble, I teach how to get out of it.”
Fannin said Florida is one of the toughest places to navigate in the wilderness. “You can’t climb to a high point and figure out where you are.”
That shouldn’t be a problem for Jan van der Baan, 33, and Melodie Rene, 23, both of Delray Beach, who were at the class to prepare for a two- to five-day hike up Pico Duarte in the Dominican Republic, at 10,164 feet the highest mountain in the Caribbean islands.
“We’re going to be roughing it, and we wanted to be prepared,” Rene said.
