What are the most fundamental skills of survival?

 

When we say the word, “survival” we generally think of the most basic skills necessary to keep your body alive when one is stranded in the wilderness or in danger or during a natural disaster.

 

Basic survival needs such as water, food, shelter, fire (heat) and first aid have, for most city-dwellers, advanced beyond the fundamental of essential provisions. In other words, water and food are obtained from a store, paying the rent or mortgage and the utility bill is our concern to maintain shelter.  We head to the local hospital emergency room for first aid.

 

Quite a different situation than living in the country or homesteading where an individual must be personally concerned with the details of digging wells, pumping water, building and maintaining shelter, food preparation, cooking and all first aid necessary between the home and the hospital which may be 10s or even hundreds of miles away.

 

 

City Dwelling

 

 

City dwelling has its own survival skills: how to walk the streets alone, how to keep your car from being broken into, how to avoid traffic jams, where to shop for the best at the lowest prices and when to shop without standing in a long line.

 

Seriously, rather than being exempt from knowing survival skills, city dwellers have to know the skills particular to their environment as well as any necessary skills related to city living.  Contrary to popular belief, city dwellers need to know their survival skills as well as or even better than country folk.

 

Isn’t putting your attention on disaster making it more likely to happen?

 

People who choose to live in fear and worry are not preventing a disaster they are resisting a disaster, making it all of the more likely for it to befall them.

 

But for many, being prepared brings relief.  Many people are less likely to resist a disaster because they are prepared for it. This is why sensible preparation is the best prevention.  In other words don’t worry about it – just do the preparatory actions.

 

There is virtually nowhere in the world you can live successfully without respect for and reverence to Mother Nature’s demands.  Most communities have laws that require maintenance of the environment and procedures during flood, fires, earthquakes or tornadoes.

 

 

Knowing the fundamental survival skills and making them a part of your everyday life is simple.  It’s when you fail to prepare or consider these things on a routine basis, that they pile up or make one susceptible to problems or create a burden for others during times of stress or natural catstrophes.

 

 

Survival Skills

 

 

There are seven fundamentals: Positive Expectancy, Water, Fire, Food, Shelter, First Aid and Rescue Methods. 

 

 

Positive Expectancy

 

 

What’s really keeping the world going around?  What keeps the ships upon the oceans, the buildings being built, the babies being born and the children being fed and educated?  It’s the positive expectancy that the world will go on, that it will be good and that things will go right.

 

So the first survival skill is: expect a positive outcome. Expect and appreciate your residence, community, city water and power plants and your local hospital and fire department that service you with your basic needs and assistance in times of emergency.  They are staffed with well-meaning individuals who have dedicated their lives to maintaining the framework of our culture.  They are expertly trained. Keep the phone numbers of the local police, fire department, hospital, water, power and gas company to hand so they can be contacted fast.

Water

 

Water is the most commonly forgotten preparedness item and yet the most important. Your body can live up to three days without water. Water sources will be accessible depending on your location so you should know the water sources in your area; keep a portable radio with extra batteries so you can be briefed on any situations with the mainline water supply even during a power outage.  Keep a week’s worth of drinking water to hand in jugs or barrels.  Always keep water in your car. 

 

Fire

 

Fire provides light, warmth and enables cooking. Keep, on your person and in your vehicle, waterproof matches and some form of kindling.

 

Food

 

Most cupboards are well stocked with several weeks’ worth of food. While your body can survive for weeks without eating, it’s much more pleasant to have to hand the items you need.  Plenty of canned foods in the cupboards as well as energy bars in the glove box are always a good idea.

 

Shelter

 

When we think of shelter we think first of our homes. This is true, but more fundamentally it is simply the methods of keeping your body safe from the elements – mainly cold, wind and heat exhaustion. Proper clothing and blankets are vital. Keeping a tent and sleeping bags or space blankets to hand in your garage or car, is a smart solution.

 

First Aid

 

 

The skill of First Aid is even more important than having all of the right tools: those who can administer it know what to do with a First Aid kit.  First Aid kits are available through the Internet or at pharmacies or camping supply stores.  First Aid can be learned through the books, the Internet or in courses provided by the city (contact your local Fire Department).

 

Rescue Aids

 

 

You want to have available items to help you be found by rescuers if you are lost or having trouble. Fire, flashing light, bright color markers, flags, mirrors and whistles can help you be found in case of emergency. And most of all, a cell phone.