When thinking about the essentials one needs for survival, what comes to mind? Food and water, a place to stay,a heat source (especially during the winter seasons). What else do you think you need? In this post I will explain some of the essentials that you will need to survive.
The first thing that tends to happen during a survival situation (Urban or Wilderness) is that we panic. It's a natural human emotion. We are taken out of our relatively safe condition and placed into a situation we are not use to; and more often than not, unprepared for. Because of this we, will have one of three reactions: Fight, Flight, or Fright. Those who fright will freeze up, do nothing to preserve their lives, and end up seriously hurt or dead. Those who take the flight approach to the situation could run into a more dangerous situation and also end up seriously hurt or dead. Those who choose to fight are the ones with the higher chance of surviving the crisis.
So the first essential in survival is not to panic. You need to have a clear head when faced with a survival situation. Observe your environment, take inventory on what you have, what's useful in your situation, do you have means of communication, how are you conserving your resources; these are some of the things you have to think about. You will be able to better organize these things if you are thinking clearly and rationally. Lastly, having a stable mind is key to survival. Morale can make or break a person. Those folks how keep a positive attitude are the ones who tend to survive.
The second essential when found in a survival situation is a compass. Having an idea where you are, in a wilderness setting as well as an urban setting is key for survival. I would also add a map and a GPS locator to this list. The problem with a GPS locator is that it requires power to operate it. If the battery is dead, the GPS locator becomes useless. It can however give you your current location, and can be used along side your map and compass. Learn how to read a map and a compass, and again conserve the battery life of your phone or GPS device. Use your head, make sure that any electronic devises you have is insulated from the weather. It's also a good idea to have your maps laminated.
The third essential you should have is a first aid kit. I will have a separate post dealing with first aid, but I will touch on it now. Injury can occur and to survive, you have to be able to treat that injury. Infection will be your number one enemy in these type of situations. In the wild, you will be away from any immediate help, and in an urban setting the quicker you are at treating the injury, the more likely the chance of survival will be. In a later post I will talk about what items you should have in your first aid kit.
The fourth essential you should have is a shelter. This can be anything from a sleeping bag, to a tent, to gathering brush and forest debris and making a shelter out of that. A shelter will get you directly out of the elements and will keep you relatively warm and offer some safety. Being in constant rain or snow, or being in an open plain where the temperature drops; especially when you're sleeping increases the risk of sickness and eventually death. Find means to keep yourself dry.
The fifth essential is water. You need to find a good source of drinking water, and you need to have a way to purify the water. You can buy iodine tablets that with purify the water, but makes it taste like shit (It'll cost you about $10). The second option is getting a water purification system that can cost up to $400. The other option you have is to boil your water. One interesting thing I seen on Survivorman, was how Les Stroud used a soda can to boil his water. If you have some items like this, make sure to save them. Having clean drinking water is one of the most important essentials. You may be lost, you may not have shelter, you may not have a food source yet, and you could survive a few days without that; but without water your body could shut down in a 48 hour period. Clean water is a must because if your water is polluted, your survival rate will drop considerably.
The sixth essential is fire. Fire will serve as a heat source, a way to cook your food, a deterrent for wild life, and a way to boil your water if you lack the iodine or water filtration system. I would suggest the following: learn how to build a fire, carry matches or a lighter, and when that fails or becomes expended have other means of starting a fire. I once seen someone use a cotton ball and petroleum jelly as kindle. You could carry something like this in a small ziplock bag and use it and flint and steel to start your fire. The idea is to have a multi-layered plan to start a fire. For example if you have a lighter or matches and the lighter fluid is used up, or the matches got wet, you'll need to have an additional plan to get things working. Always prepare for the worst.
The seventh essential is food. MRE's or Made Ready to Eat are military rations that provide the nourishment you would need, especially in a wilderness survival or state of emergency situation in an urban setting. For about $70 you get a twelve meals pack, from anything like beef stew and soup, to cheese steak sandwiches and chicken. This however is only a limited resource, and you will have to find food on your own. I would suggest that you learn how to hunt, trap, and fish. I would also suggest that you find books on flora (plant life) and see what's eatable, and what is not.
These are a few things that you will need to survive. Education is the primary tool that you can acquire. Learn now while you are in your comfort zone, and if the occasion arises, you will be prepared.
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