This article was written by J.D. Heyes and originally published at NaturalNews.com.
Editor’s Comment: Society has lost its way, and there are a million reasons for things to go south at a moment’s notice. Preppers know that with survival skills and supplies ready, there is a better chance that they will be able to survive almost anything that comes their way, and be able to keep a healthy distance from unruly and dangerously dependent urban populations.
If a truly widespread disaster were to set in, martial law, FEMA camps and violence civil unrest could quickly follow. Those who aren’t ready will be left fending for remaining supplies from empty shelves, and ultimately have no other alternative but to submit, and ride out the crisis begging from the government. Only those with a clear headed approach and a prepared mindset can avoid such degradation… will you be among the ready few?
Master these 7 basic skills before SHTF… or you’ll wind up begging the government for basic supplies
by J.D. Heyes
No one can predict the future and it’s not likely most of us will know when the next ‘stuff hit the fan’ scenario will occur, but we can make some educated guesses based upon experience and common sense.
For example, for much of the country – especially the Midwest – we are approaching tornado season, when spring and early summer weather can often turn violent. The same is true for the Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico, which could see hurricanes in a few months.
Out West, especially in California, there is always the threat of a major earthquake, though the New Madrid fault, the epicenter of which is located in southeastern Missouri/northwestern Kentucky, is also a threat.
Then there are world events which could erupt at any moment, such as a nuclear attack, or a cyber attack on our financial infrastructure. Or maybe political violence stemming from the insanity the political Left still harbors over the election of Donald J. Trump to the White House. (RELATED: How To Construct A “Bugout” Home For $250)
There are any number of things that could disrupt our world. We simply don’t know when something will happen. But before SHTF, there are some basic skills you should learn no matter what the triggering event happens to be, because they will come in handy regardless of the situation.
“If you want to become more prepared for a survival situation, the information available can be overwhelming. Some sites are trying to teach you how to start a fire with a block of ice, while celebrities on television are telling you to drink your own urine. What? Thankfully there are a few simple skills that you can learn to make a huge impact on a survival situation,” writes “Ryan” from Modern Survival Online.
Making a fire
This will be one of the most important survival skills you need to learn because fire can accomplish a number of important things – cooking, sanitizing water, and heat are just a few of those things.
Any preparedness bugout bag you put together should have at least two and maybe even three methods for starting a fire. This can be a disposable lighter, flint and steel, 9V battery and steel, etc. You can build a fire in any number of ways – gathering paper, small pieces of wood, sticks – but the ability to actually light the fire is the most important part of the skill.
Sanitizing water
In an SHTF scenario, potable (clean, drinkable) water is going to become pretty scarce pretty quickly. You should make sure you have an emergency supply of it on hand, but eventually you’re going to need to find some ‘in the wild,’ and it’ll have to be sanitized or you’ll get sick, then dehydrated, then you’ll die. Boiling water for just a few minutes works best, but you can also buy emergency water filters and filter straws.
Food on the fly
Food will also become a scarce commodity, so it would behoove you to learn about what kinds of plants grow in the wild where you live that are edible. You may not think much about that now, but when you’re getting hungry, living off the land will become necessary. Check with your local conservation department for starters; their experts can tell you what grows wild that you can eat in a pinch.
Communications
You’re going to want to pick up any information you can about the situation, so having some kind of radio that doesn’t require batteries (solar, wind-up) will work best. AM-FM and CB combination if you can find it. (RELATED: Best Ways To Escape Disaster When A Crisis Strikes)
Self-defense
How you personally want to handle this is, of course, something you have to decide. Most people think of a firearm as being best for self-defense, but others choose bows/crossbows, knives, a baseball bat, etc. Whatever you decide, take time – a lot of time – now to learn how to use your self-defense weapon of choice. This is particularly true if you choose a gun.
First aid
You don’t need to become a certified emergency medical technician or go to nursing school, but learning basic first aid is vital. You’ll want to know how to clean and dress wounds, treat burns, flush chemicals from your eyes, and basic splinting for fractures or sprains, at a minimum. Learn about nutrition and hydration, too, and what to do if you get diarrhea, which can kill.
Know your area
If you have to leave your home and “bug out” to a safer environment, it will help if you have paper topographical and road maps of your area. Even if you’ve lived there for a long time, you likely don’t know every bend, dirt road, creek and hill. Having paper maps at the ready will help you navigate your way to safety.
This article was written by J.D. Heyes and originally published at NaturalNews.com.
J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.
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Dude is right about death by diarrhea. Immodium is overlooked as a necessary supply.
7 for 7. I’m good.
Sgt.
Most of us here are just as good.
Against my better judgment I’m
planing a trip to Mainland America.
My asshole is so tight it is scary.
rellik, try prunes. 🙂
long as you got all this stuff, you’ll be alright….if you AINT got this, you probly wouldn’t know how to USE it anyway. i highly recommend you save this list, print it out, and STUDY it…..took me a lot of years to make it. and don’t be afraid to ask WHY something’s needed. sometimes it might not be obvious to the average AMERICAN of the 21st century.
rescue tape or silicone tape
JB Weld
a list of phone numbers, in case your cel is lost or quits on you
board games & card games.
Fire extinguishers.
Books on foraging and how to use herbs and essential oils.
cookbooks
sandbags
Batteries
Binoculars
Boots
Bug out Bag
Camp Axe
Camping pots/pans
Camping utensils
Canteen
Duct tape
Emergency Radio
Energy bars
Fire extinguisher
First aid kit
Flares
Flashlight
firestarter
Gas mask
Gloves
Hunting supplies
Lantern
LED Headlamp
Machete
Multi Vitamin
Mylar blanket
Paracord
Portable Generator
Rain Barrel
Rain Suit
Saw
Seeds
Sleeping bag
Survival Knife
Tent
Water bottle
Water Filtration
Water Tablets
Whistle
1 pair of baofeng 2 way radios with spare batteries, fuse, alcohol stove and spare wicks (no smoke or odor)
plumbers goop or shoe goo, shoelaces(or just use paracord), rechargeable batteries and charger, multi voltage multi tip 12 volt power adapter, battery powered motion sensor alarms, flir night vision scope, clothes pins (can also be used as triggers for tripwires), rat traps, coyote traps, battery powered motion sensor lights, spare spark plugs and tune up items, pri-g and pri-d fuel stabilizer, chainsaw files, spare chains, tire chains, come-a-long, spare tires, motor oil, flare gun, guillie suit, high powered binocs, medicinal herb seeds, crutches, ace bandages, Lee basic reloaders, bow and arrows (silent), reading glasses, hatchet, folding shovel with pick.
A tire repair kit. A kit that can fix multiple punctures could be a God send!
hacksaw
Work gloves
Solar battery charger. I have a great AA/AAA Ni MH Battery charger, and a 15 watt solar panel. It still needed a voltage regulator between the two, so I don’t damage the battery charger. People can google 12 volt regulator circuit. They are easy to build from Radio Shack partsI have built several for a couple for different voltages. 12 volt exactly for 12 volt devices, and 13.8 for slow charging lead acid batteries. 14.5 volt for fast charging lead acid batteries
duct tape
Ant-acid and stool softener. In a SHTF situation people will be exposed to new pathogens and foods, lots of Pepto folks, it could save your life.
Plain aspirin, lots of exertion means heart stress. Plain Aspirin could save lives
I listed IV for emergency fluid replacement. The needles and solution need to be absolutely sterile, and are prescription only in many states. Grandma just used an enema bulb, still available in drug stores, it saved babies and children from dying due to dehydration. Plain clean water or better a 30% pedi-a-lite solution is best. Yup, Gatorade works in a pinch. Add 30% wine to it and they’ll feel no pain while you do stitches.
“Gerber multitool……….“lock pick” set, but be aware of state laws on this item. Bolt cutters will open gates
gold/silver
solar panel
jogging stroller
cast iron dutch oven
CASH. GAS!!!!!!!!!!!
water….sugar….flour….powdered milk……….t/p………………top ramen….pancake mix….candy, rock…..DOG FOOD…VEG OIL…rice…..beans…………macaroni…………bleach…………benadryl…..wipies….garbage bags…….plastic cups,forks,spoon,knives .
IV for rehydration
photo albums, identification (birth certificates, social security cards, financial documents, wills/deeds, and medical insurance information), proof of address, as well as items for a 72 hour bag.
brillo pad makes a good fire starter with jumper cables)or a 9 volt battery
extreme cooler (use it to carry water, if needed)
antibiotics from the vet supply store ampicillin, amoxacillin, penicilin, and others
a hat for sleeping in
Storable Food
Shelter
An Axe
Lighters Or Matches
Hiking Boots Or Comfortable Shoes
A Flashlight And/Or Lantern
A Radio/Communication Equipment
A Swiss Army Knife
Personal Hygiene Items
A First Aid Kit And Other Medical Supplies
Extra Gasoline (But Be Very Careful How You Store It)
A Sewing Kit
Self-Defense Equipment
A Compass
Hiking Backpacks
A Community
A Backup Plan
Salt
Extra Batteries
Medicine
A Camp Stove
Propane
Heirloom Seeds
An LED Headlamp
Candles
Clorox
Calcium Hypochlorite
Maps Of Your Area
rifle For Hunting
Extra Socks
Gold And Silver Coins For Bartering
citizens band radio
toolbag
eyeglasses
computer
battery chargers and phone chargers
kool aid
bleach
bike tubes
gold/silver
coins
4×6, or 6×8’s for crossing obstacles(3 feet long)
wasp spray
hunting knife
food
vaseline
water and purification stuff
dutch oven
coffee/water filters
Gun Cleaning Kit & Supplies
Wire and Wire Cutters
Fire Extinguisher
hacksaw………GOOD pair of wire cutters….butt connector pliers and wire connectors ….11-1 screwdrivers-not some cheap-o
6 foot Pry bars-lift heavy items, pop open doors, break locks, move hot objects. harbor freight
sandpaper/crocus cloth…………….. file for sharpening tools……….. hammer
MAGNIFYING GLASS FIRESTARTER
bailing wire
box of bolts/nuts/hose clamps
3/32” E-6010 welding rods. These can be used with three 12 volt car batteries and some jumper cables to make an emergency field repair.
peanut butter and crackers makes a great shtf meal
vise grips
fix a flat/air compressor
Tarp (2) and 550 para-cord (shelter) You want two tarps, one for shelter above the head and one for the ground under your head
Ponchos to protect from rain
A folding saw and shovel.
A handheld chainsaw (they are about the size of a mans wallet)
Lightweight hatchet
army survival manualor others
2 pairs of socks. One pair of our socks is a thermal type(wool is best) that will keep your feet warm in up to zero degree weather. It all depends on where you live and where you will be traveling. Cotton socks tend to hold moisture so you might not want cotton.
good pair of warm gloves/work gloves. Mine are a combination of both.
A pair of good boots or hiking shoes
A pair of long pants. I prefer not to have jeans. They are heaver and if they get wet, they stay wet for a long time.
One pair thermal underwear/pants and shirt, at LEAST for everyone in family.
dogs and dog food …small dogs hear EVERYTHING, and eat less!
cash!
deck of cards
food…pepperoni granola bars…..
first aid book… where there is no doctor book
paper plates
ziplock bags
aluminum foil
butane stove or some other way to cook
eye drops
chap stick
lotion
rope
plastic wrap
sanitizer
toothpaste/toothbrush
powdered milk will be HUUUUGGGGEEEEEE ..have a LOT of it!
Bug Out Bag Contents
The Pack – I have a LC-1 “Alice” pack but any quality pack with enough capacity will do. Stick with camouflage, dark green or other atural colors that blend with the terrain.
Water – A canteen with cup and cover for your belt, water bottle and a good filter.
Fire – Waterproof matches, a magnesium fire starter and tinder.
Food – Pack enough to last 5-7 days. Rice, oat meal, beef jerky, energy bars etc. Another option is MRE’s and the freeze-dried foods. choose foods that are light weight and a suitable shelf life.
Stove – A small stove is essential it you want to stay hidden. Smoke and noise from the cutting and burning of wood would be undesirable if you are in hostile territory or being pursued. I have a Peak-One backpackers stove, there are others but this is what I have and can recommend.
military 4 part sleep system…protects to minus 30 degrees if you know what to do with it…and at LEAST have the bivy bag part of it in your car in case you get stranded….if you are dressed for the climate you’re in, it might only take that bivy to save yer life. randy
Shelter – Rain poncho and tarp or compact tent, stick with natural colors that blend with the surrounding area.
Cooking – I have a Stainless Steel 5-Piece Mess Kit, that I ordered from amazon.com but any lightweight kit will do.
First Aid – It’s best to assemble your own kit, tailored to your needs, or if you are lazy you can buy a ready-made kit. Don’t forget to add personal medications.
Light – I have a 2-AA Cell Mini LED Flashlight Mini LED Flashlight and a 9-Hour Candle.
Tools – A folding saw, Swiss Army pocket knife, and fixed blade knife. A light weight shovel and Machete are nice, but add extra weight.
Clothing – At least one extra pair of socks and underwear add other items if you feel the need and have the space.
Fishing – Line, hooks and sinkers and a few small lures. I also have a small gill net for catching fish.
Snare wire – I make my own from copper wire. Don’t forget to include at least 50 ft of parachute cord.
Plastic bags – Two or three large lawn bags and several zip-lock sandwich bags, can be used for a number of tasks and to keep things dry.
Binoculars – See game and enemy before they see you.
Sewing kit – Needle and thread don’t forget to include a few extra buttons.
This n’ that – Head net, electrical tape, face paint, gloves, sharpening stone etc.
Firearms – This is where feathers get ruffled and wounds opened. Everyone has their own idea of what the “perfect” survival firearm is or should be.
I am not going to get into all the choices here, which would be an article in and of itself.
Coffee, sugar, and chocolate.And salt. Buy these items in bulk. Store in baggies for trade.
coffee filts for straining water and bleach
pitchfork
digging bar
tow straps/shackles/chain with pipe for towing
Antacids
Anti-diarrheal
BULLETPROOF VEST
holsters/pistols
loadbearing vest
pain reliever
Children’s pain reliever
First aid book
Prescription medications (keep copies for records)
Cold/flu medicines
Vitamins
blood clotting
Sterile gauze
Dressing bandages
Dressing rolls
Medical tape
lidocaine
Bandages of all sizes
Alcohol wipes
Hydrogen peroxide
Eye flushing solution
Anesthetic solution
Hypodermic needles (for the antiseptic solution)
Electrolyte tablets
Benadryl
Scissors
Tweezers
Cold Packs
Antibiotic ointment
Thermometers
Skin irritation creams
Gloves
Mask
Suture needles/string
List of medical contact phone numbers
Medical history file (if needed)
medicine cabinet…take the whole damn thing
ladder
giant channel-lock pliers and crescent wrench
vitamin c…scurvy
appologies for the stuff that’s on here two….or MORE times, but i aint cleaned it up in a while….someday when i’m not doin’ nuthin’…
So wheres the SHTF gear list?
Thats just the normal shit weve always had around,,,
Don’t just buy the celox granuals as they have to cleansed from the wound. Better to have the clotting sponges but note that they do have a shelf life of approx. 2.5 years.
I have all this stuff and more at home, how am I going to
fit it all in a Class C or A motorhome?
my suggestion is if you are buggin’ OUT, to choose very carefully from this list…..or start RIGHT NOW, and make several trips.
BCOD, that whole list is normal for me, LOL!
check, check check check check check check….. Got it.
Already Safe at my BOL. Amazing the things you can do just by using the sun. Just leaving bottles of water lay in the sun on a black surface like on top of a garbage can will heat the water up to 100 degs, poke a few holes in the bottle cap and put it back on the bottle and poof you got an instant hot water shower when you squeeze the bottle. I can easily take a shower with just 2x 16 Oz bottles of water and fully rinse after a head of shampoo. There is just something about bonding naked with nature and taking a bottle shower. The birds chirping, etc. Then stand in the sun to dry yourself off and expose your armpits and crotch area to the sun for more body sterilization and soaking up vitamin D.
I take meat out of my freezer, lay it in the sun for a quick thaw. I still need to build or buy a solar oven. Fill up a pot of goodies, leave it in the solar oven all day, or until the meat reached a good 165 degs, and you have an instant hot meal. And I don’t give a rats ass what anybody thinks how I live. Unless I told them they would have no idea that I live a simple life off the costly grid.
I would starve to death before asking for gov help
Starve to death,with long pig in abundance,it’s the other white meat!
LMAO!….that’s what the BBQ sauce is for! cantcha’ just smell the fat drippin’ into the fire, snappin’ and poppin’…..mmmmm
These are definitely useful skills, but I look around me here and there are farmers, ranchers, and some pretty good tradesmen; carpenters and mechanics, etc.
The thing I gather from most survivalists is outdoor survival on foot. Although, a forest fire is a threat that demands evacuation, most situations will tend to leave people right where they are. I think getting your own food supply production and a water catchment system is your best safety net. Also, food preservation skills, canning and drying.
I don’t understand people’s reliance on outside medical services. We all need to learn and practice medicine on some level. First Aid classes have been replaced by sex education. It is ludicrous. If you raise your kids to become doctors, they’ll have the basic knowledge to help themselves and their families. And they may use their early lessons to follow a path as a healer.
__
My Baygen windup AM-FM-SW radio I bought almost 20 years ago still works fine. Sixty cranks and it plays for 30 minutes. I still use it when I’m doing yard work.
It also uses house current, batteries, or a solar panel.
The newer windup radios are cheaper and won’t last as long. The original Baygen was built for the boonies of Africa.
I saw a survey of people in Britain and they were asked what they’d fill their emergency bag with and the first item was a cell phone (they call them mobiles) and I thought the silly people don’t realize what an emergency would involve – there would be no networks so they wouldn’t work!!!!
People are so stupid to think technology would work for more than a few days. We will be on our own.
your premise makes a lot of sense when you don’t stop and THINK about it. i can dream up a LOT of emergency situations where a cel phone would be VERY handy to have…..so, you think the next “emergency” will be the end of the world, and celphones will be useless? i think i’m going to leave it on MY list of must-haves, thank you.
When I said emergency I did mean ones that would involve the power going out and there being a need to leave home.
For many emergencies, I accept what you said and would also have my cell phone.
I should have been a bit more precise in my previous post.
please forgive me if i was a little terse..i apologize.
No problem, buttcrackofdoom!
The vast majority of people depend on some hand held device (smartphone, IPad tablet) to provide them with answers and are oblivious to the real skills they need to survive. Gonna be funny to watch the chaos and despair that will follow when their smart phone goes blank and they have nothing to fall back on.
I live within a mile of the ocean.
Give me a sailboat, I will never starve
and I can cross oceans.
I don’t need all the fancy crap we have
although it is pretty handy.
Most old farts were raised to be
outlaws.
I don’t have a sailboat to give you, and if you don’t have one now where will you get one? Sounds to me like you’ll starve
You aint fom around here are ya,,, Rellik will be just fine
I hear ya on the outlaw thing, and am proud of it.
I grew up around that same ocean you speak of, i know places over here that would be the last place anyone would go in a SHTF scenario, but they are my first choice, brackish ponds, tons of sealife, morning trade showers almost all the time, at least frequent enough to be a viable water source, short walking distance to fruit and other local wild edibles, hardly anyone lives in the area now, and surrounding area has nobody, if it gets so bad that we have to get out of dodge, im going back to my rootz
Here is a source for lab tests with out going to dr and have results mailed to you. Found it from following links from Natural News.
http://www.lifeextension.com/Vitamins-Supplements/Blood-Tests/Blood-Tests
rellik sounds viking!
less than a year away now from having the mortgage and car paid off, months worth of food, water, bullets and cash stored; I’m getting there.
although with the way things look with trump on the warpath, things may not last a year.
one major event that went wrong and things will change real fast.
Just last week I took all maps out of my cars, checked them, made a trip to AAA and upgraded, replaced tattered ones and added enough to go a thousand miles in any direction by land.
I also like having a stand alone GPS. Just a few years ago people would bust your window to steal one left in plain sight in a car. Now a days, no one cares anymore, and they are cheap. A smartphone GPS will stop when cell service stops. There are protocols to shut down all civilian cellular service under a state of emergency. They can shut down GPS too, but law enforcement is too dependent on it.
Fire starting, I really like those gag birthday candles that re-light after being blown out. A flint is cool as are cotton balls, waterproof matches, old style Zippo lighters, best of all is a Bic lighter.
You can get free GPS software and maps for an Android phone that don’t require phone service.
I don’t have phone service, but I have all kinds of things on my phone that are convenient to have around. If I need to get on the internet, I can turn on the wifi temporarily at a hot spot.
I have a whole shelf full of books in my pocket. It doesn’t take much solar to recharge the phone either.
A small bic lighter should be a daily pocket carry (good for over 1400 lights). Grab plenty up at Wally World. They’re cheap now until you can no longer find them (think barter material).
If you can find one latch onto an old Boy Scout Field Book. I was in a antique mall a couple of months back and found one on a shelf for 30 bucks(1967edition). Full of good information. Wish I could have found my old one though.
EVERYTHING you need to know to survive is in that book.
Those are great, i think my mom still has mine, twas the same edition i believe,,
yup, that book is MUCH better if you’ve LIVED the life of a boy scout. volunteer with your local scouting organization to get some REAL survival experience.
I bought a “make up” mirror at Costco for less than $30. The parabolic mirror is about 6 inches and directed sunlight from it will burn anything it’s focused on. No battery needed.
Government is getting prepared. Apr 7, 2017 Military Convoy Hauling War Machines On 95 South In Florida
This footage was sent in to me from Florida. The convoy is hauling some heavier equipment and is also pulled off to the side of the road. This is on 95 south Near Ft. Lauderdale.
https://youtu.be/yfW_2HwQWts
Most likely FL NG
Get some Quarantine signs, quarantine tape, and some body bags. Type up some official looking documents from the local health department. When SHTF comes, make your home look as officially quarantined as possible. You might even get some medical garb that is used in pandemics. This should help to keep down the people who come knocking on your door asking for anything.
Be ready to rehydrate yourself and others. Water is not enough. It takes a solution of clean water, salt, and sugar. Maybe add in water-soluble vitamins and minerals. Prolonged bouts of diarrhea leave you dehydrated. There are some over-the-counter solutions you can buy. Also, tablets that you can add to water.
I’m working more and more on the bug out trailer. Just a tool trailer maybe 6 by 10 feet long . With steel 50 gallon drum for fuel ? Plastic 50 for water? Beans ,rice ,cooking oil, salt .tent? Dual fuel stove? Welders striker? Sleeping bag clothes boots bicycle? Brass and lead? Detergent . Insecticide ? Fishing pole? Booze?
With us close to the next phase of World War Three (we have been in WWIII since 2001), notice how the government is making no effort whatsoever to prepare the population? Instead, quite the opposite: they are flooding all Western countries with radical Muslims, many of whom are fighters and war veterans. Why is that?
Are they getting ready to do a radical population reduction?
A serious government would be teaching people first aid, letting everyone know where the shelters are, assigning people to neighborhood wardens, developing civil defence networks, registering healthy men and women for the national reserves. But, can you imagine, with the human excrement we have for many of the people in urban areas, being of any use in a real crisis? All those black kids going to stop robbing and knifing each other to help old ladies get groceries? I do not think so. We have garbage people and they are going to get flushed.
yes, frank, we HAD respect for each other when the markets crashed in 1929. but after looking at what happens in walmart on black friday(there’s a REASON they call it that), one can see that THIS crash will be very different. our entitled generation will be looking at YOU for a lift.