There are many disasters that can happen at any moment in time, some small and some large. Most people are not prepared for even the smallest of disasters. How can you be prepared for the big one, you know the end of the world?
Today I will discuss some basic skills and gear you need to survive an end of world event, or yes, even a regular disaster. Being prepared ahead of time is the key to your survival. So, what are some of the thing you need? First you need a bag to put your survival items in. Next you need to acquire survival items to put in the bag like:
· A knife. This is good for cutting rope, defending yourself with and many other things.
· Paracord for tying things together.
· A compass to help you know which direction you are heading in. Sorry guys but GPS may not be working.
· Paper maps of the United States, state and local area you live in.
· A small tent to protect you from the weather.
· A sleeping bag to help keep you warm at night.
· A hatchet comes in handy for cutting small trees and branches if you need to build your own shelter or for starting a fire.
· Waterproof matches and a fire starter for starting your campfires.
· First aid kit
· Food. There are great places that sell pre-packaged food that has a long shelf life. MRE’s are a great backup if you can’t find anything else to eat. They don’t taste all that great, but you will be glad you have some when you're starving.
· Water. Water is crucial to our survival. As humans we can only go about three days without it. Your best way to get clean water is to boil it if you can, or use water purifying tablets, or if out in the wilderness a water purifying device like a life straw.
· A rain poncho and about three days’ worth of clothes is a good idea too. If the world has just ended those clothes could be the last ones you ever own. Pick wisely based on the weather for the time of year you are currently experiencing. This means you must switch your clothes out each time prior to the seasons changing.
· A flashlight and batteries
· A small shovel can come in handy.
· A small portable cook set.
· Always have cash available. The ATM’s may not be working.
· A rifle, gun and ammunition. You can use these for hunting and self-defense.
This is just a small list of survival gear you would need to survive. If I list everything it would take several more pages.
There are a few skills that come in handy too. Knowing how to use tree branches to make a lean-to shelter is a great skill to have. The following are the steps to making a lean to.
· Check the direction of the wind
· Locate two large trees that are near each other.
· Locate a long sturdy branch that is long enough to span between the trees.
o You will tie the branch to the trees using rope.
· Gather a lot of long branches that are close to the same length.
o Lean against the backbone branch that spans between the trees.
· Gather smaller branches, twigs and leaves.
o Lay these on top of the larger branches closing any holes and insulating your shelter. You want a good layer of leaves on your shelter.
Being able to hunt and trap is a good skill. To hunt wildlife, you need to be able to shoot a rifle accurately. Practice your shooting at a local shooting range.
You also should learn how to trap small game. This can be done by building a simple trigger spring snare.
To make a simple trigger spring snare, follow these simple steps.
· Locate two small pieces of wood or tree branches. You may have to trim the branch down to size.
· Carve a point on one end of the stick, and on the other end carve a notch similar to a reverse hook. This will be your base.
· Carve a notch in the second piece of wood so it can rest in the hook end of the stake. This is called the hook.
· Hammer the base into the ground.
· Loop the string or wire with a slip knot and tie it to the bottom of the hook. This is the stick that will releases when an animal runs through the loop.
· Tie the other part of the noose to a slim branch or plant if available. If using rope, you definitely will need to secure the opposite side of the noose.
· Tie a rope or thick string (called the leader line) to the other end of the hook.
· Bend a sapling over and attach the rope to the sapling or engine.
· Your snare is now set.
Would you like to see how my character Paulette uses some of the gear and skills?
Then check out “Future Apocalypse” on Amazon.com.
