How to Learn the Right Survival Skills

At some point, everybody is going to need to know certain survival skills. Life can be surprising, and it is impossible to know when disaster might strike. It could be out in the wilderness during an adventuring weekend, it could be on a plane over the Atlantic, or it could simply occur at home, during a perfectly ordinary day. Learning survival skills can help prepare us for the worst, and the same skills can be passed down to children who in turn pass the knowledge on to future generations.

The Importance of Water

Whether it’s in the wilderness or at home, a disaster can impact mobility and access to basic resources such as electricity and water. Water is, of course, the number one requirement in a disaster scenario where water is not available. Without water, humans are unable to function properly. Preparation is the best way to secure a viable water source in the event that the primary source becomes unavailable or restricted. Filters are available from DIY and survival stores, but inexpensive iodine tablets and flavoured mixes are an easy way to convert settled water into clean, drinkable liquid that will provide hydration and energy.

Communication

Cell phones might not always be functional, and it’s important to have access to current situation in a disaster scenario. Even if the scenario itself is just a heavy storm, it’s important to know when it will be safe to go outside. One great way to ensure that there is access to essential government issued warnings is by purchasing a wind-up radio. Now, a regular radio that is 100% battery powered will also suffice, but is not necessarily reliable if the batteries run low. A wind-up radio can be used at any time by simply cranking the lever until a signal starts to come in. Again, this is another vital form of disaster preparation.

Learning Applicable Skills

The timeframe of a disaster has a large impact on precisely which skills may or may not be applicable. For example, the large majority of every-day western homeowners in their usual habitats (i.e. not in the wilderness) will probably only need to prepare for short term skills, unless otherwise stated by the government or a unique change in circumstance (nuclear war, for example). Most homeowners deal with power outages and intense weather conditions – and while many of these pass in a matter of hours, they do still provide immediate dangers in terms of physical safety, and dangers in terms of an absence of heat, electricity, water and food.

However, if one were to find themselves in a setting and scenario that predicted long-term independent survival, certain skills begin to apply that did not before. Learning how to use weapons for self-defence and for hunting will become a key element to the survival of anybody who is in a disaster scenario for longer than one month. These periods are important because it’s necessary to know exactly which skills will be needed at specific points in the timeline of the disaster. Those interested in survival strategies may spend too much time learning about the most interesting methods of survival, and in turn, neglect the more basic elements that are statistically more likely to apply to their situation.

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