What Every Survivalist Needs?

Every survivalist should think in terms of adopting a minimalist approach! Keep in mind that lugging too many things when SHTF will slow down your escape from a disaster area. There’s also the fact that being in a survival situation demands to focus on the basics. 

What every survivalist needs? There are five things that every survivalist should ensure, namely, fresh air, water, food, shelter, and self-defense. Planning for these five survival needs will mean a reasonable chance of survival in any scenario.

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Read on and know more details about these five foremost survival needs. We will also give recommendations on starter products that you can look into. 

Fresh Air (The Number One Priority)

The best thing about prepping for fresh air is that there’s not much that you have done about it. Even in the worst scenario, there will always be abundant oxygen available. If oxygen levels are compromised, we still have steps we can do about it.

The latter scenario can happen during a nuclear fallout, a powerful volcano eruption, and a highly contagious airborne disease. In these cases, the air can be deadly either within minutes of inhalation or over an extended time.

The best action to execute in these scenarios is to stay indoors and use a gas mask.

Of course, every survival situation demands specific actions. Being trapped in a widespread wildfire can mean oxygen deprivation since the fire sucks it out of the air. You should then stay low, wear a mask with particulate filters, and get out of the area ASAP. 

We also suggest setting aside equipment for air purification and oxygen supplementation. You should invest in an air purifier, a portable oxygen bottle, and in face masks, even a gas mask.

Potable Water

The average person needs at least two quarts of drinking water per day for normal functioning. Without drinking water, you will only last for three to four days before dying of dehydration. In contrast, you can live for up to four weeks without food. 

You can do four things to ensure a stable supply of potable water in survival situations.

• Live near or find a steady source of natural freshwaters, such as a spring or running stream.
• Install a rainwater collection system in your home and survival shelter.
• Stockpile as much water as possible in barrels and bottles, among other containers.
• Build a supply of water purification equipment and tablets. We recommend the handy Brita filtering water bottle, the efficient LifeStraw personal water filter, and the Portable Aqua tablets. These are small items that can be stowed in your survival backpack and save your life later on. 

You have to decide which of these steps fit in with your situation, such as your location and family size. You can, for example, combine a rainwater collection system with water purification methods. This way, you won’t have to rely on bottled water for an extended period. 

Sufficient Nutritious Food

As previously mentioned, you can go without food for about four weeks before starvation comes in. You can prepare for a survival situation in two ways, namely:

• Build a stockpile of non-perishable foods, such as canned foods, processed foods, and ready-to-eat meals. You must have a few stockpiles in different locations, such as your home, a storage facility, and a root cellar. You will then have food that you can access when STHF. 
• Grow your fresh produce as well as animals like chickens, pigs, and sheep. These can be sources of food, clothing, and even shelter! For example, wool can be harvested from sheep, while logs can be secured from trees.

You should be able to do both of these things! Keep in mind that a food stockpile will eventually run out after an extended period in a survival situation. You must then be able to replenish it regularly through your garden.

Besides, you will likely be unable to bring every can, jar, and food package when you’re running away from a disaster area. You should have the knowledge, skills, and seeds to start a garden and forage for food.

Protective Shelter

Protection from the natural elements and threats, including predators and people, is also a must for survival. Your best bet is a fortified home with a security system, from steel gates to alarms. Your home should be your first defense when SHTF.

But it shouldn’t be your only defense. You should also think of other means of shelter that can be easily accessed yet in a secure location. Think of a shelter in a remote area, a recreational vehicle for mobility, or a heavy-duty tent. 

More important, you should have the knowledge, skills, and tools to make a temporary or permanent shelter anywhere. Your toolbox should have a survival knife and a small ax for this purpose.

You should also think about getting information on possible shelters in your area, such as a cave system. 

In a way, it’s easier to improvise on your shelter during a survival situation. Even being stuck in wintry Alaska has potential shelters, such as an igloo or evergreen branches over an A-frame. 

Adequate Self-Defense

Unfortunately, desperate times also call for desperate measures, which may lead to violent actions against others. You should then be prepared to defend yourself from attacks on your person.

These attacks may be motivated by the desire to get your food and water supply, even your shelter.

Your survival knife can be part of your self-defense system, but you should consider beefing it up. You may want to look into guns and ammunition. You should look into basic training in self-defense, from hand-to-hand combat to gun use.

Conclusion

To summarize, being a survivalist means being prepared for any possible scenario, from an economic downturn to a war. You can anticipate every situation, but you can be prepared as much as possible.

You should first start with meeting these five basic needs and everything comes second. Your aim is to prioritize the things that can provide the needs of your physical body such as the things mentioned earlier.