In today’s world, emergencies come in many forms. There may be an unexpected health issue that requires you to quickly find appropriate medical help, or something lost or stolen could mean missing important things like supplies or tools.
All too often, people lack the basic life survival skill of “being prepared.” Even if you don’t consider yourself very organized, there is something anyone can do to start preparing for small changes and large ones.
These practices will not make you more aware of your surroundings or give you bigger muscles, but they will keep you stable when needed. These types of essential skills include knowing how to survive broken bones, being informed about potential disasters and what you can do to prevent them, and learning how to organize and manage your resources.
You don’t have to know everything about surviving major catastrophes, but it is worth becoming at least partially familiar with some concepts and strategies.
9 Basic Survival Skills
Basic survival skills are essential for any situation where you may find yourself without the convenience of modern amenities. From camping trips to wilderness treks, having the most important survival skills to survive in tough environments is the difference between a good adventure and a bad one. Knowing how to build a fire, create potable water, forage for food, tie knots, make a weapon, build a shelter, administer basic first aid, fish, and trap can all be the difference between life and death when you find yourself in a survival situation.
Building a Fire
Most basic survival situations start with the need to build a fire. Being able to quickly and efficiently build a fire with the resources available to you is essential for cooking food, keeping warm, and helping to signal for help. To properly build a fire you will need to find tinder, kindling, and fuel. Tinder can be any dry material that is able to easily catch a spark and create a flame. Common tinder materials are dry grass, dead leaves, paper, and bark shavings. Kindling is the next step and consists of small twigs and sticks that will feed the flames and help them grow. Finally, fuel is the larger, thicker pieces of wood that will keep the fire burning for longer periods of time.
Creating Potable Water
In many survival situations, water is not readily available or safe to drink. Knowing how to create potable water is essential for survival. The most common way to create potable water is to use a filtration system. Filtering water through a cloth, sand, and/or rocks can be enough to make contaminated water safe to drink. Boiling water is also an effective way to make water safe to drink and is especially useful when you don’t have access to a filter.
Foraging for Food
If you find yourself in a survival situation, it is important to know how to forage for food. This means knowing which plants and animals can be safely eaten. Different plants have different nutritional benefits and animals can provide essential proteins and fats to help you survive. It is important to know which plants and animals are safe to eat and which are poisonous, as even small amounts of certain plants can cause severe illness.
Tying Knots
Knowing how to tie knots is an essential skill for any survival situation. There are a variety of knots that can be used for different tasks such as setting up a shelter, rigging a fishing line, and lashing together wood. Basic knots such as a square knot, half hitch, and slip knot should be mastered as they can be used in a variety of situations.
Making a Weapon
In a survival situation, being able to defend yourself is just as important as being able to find food and shelter. Knowing how to make a weapon can be the difference between life and death. A basic weapon can be made from a rock and a stick. The rock is lashed to the stick and can then be used to defend yourself from predators or hunt for food.
Building a Shelter
Being able to build a shelter is essential for any survival situation. Building a shelter helps you stay warm, dry, and safe from the elements. Knowing how to construct a shelter from natural materials such as branches, leaves, and rocks can be the difference between a comfortable rest or a wet and cold night in the wilderness.
Basic First Aid
Everyone should know basic first aid skills in case of an injury or illness. Knowing how to bandage an open wound, care for a burn, and treat minor infections can make a major difference in a survival situation. It is also important to know how to treat more serious issues such as broken bones, snakebites, and hypothermia.
Fishing and Trapping
Being able to catch fish and set traps can give you a steady source of food when resources are scarce. Knowing how to use a fishing rod, make a trap, and identify which animals are safe to eat is essential for a successful fishing and trapping expedition.
Navigation
Navigation is one of the most important survival skills to learn if you ever find yourself lost in the wilderness. It is essential for you to know how to find your way back to safety and to stay alive during an emergency situation.
Navigation involves understanding maps, compass orientation, and other methods for finding your way. Knowing how to use a compass is essential for determining the most efficient route back to safety, as well as for avoiding dangerous areas. It is also important to know how to read a map, as it will help you to determine the lay of the land, which can make it easier to find your way back.
Learning navigation can also help you in other ways. It can give you a much better understanding of the terrain, which can help you to identify potential hazards and navigate around them. Furthermore, navigation can help you to find resources, such as food and water, which can be essential for survival.
Having the knowledge and skills to survive a tough environment is essential for any wilderness adventure. Knowing how to build a fire, create potable water, forage for food, tie knots, make a weapon, build a shelter, administer basic first aid, fish, and trap can be the difference between life and death when you find yourself in a survival situation.
Why are survival skills important?
Survival skills are essential for everyone to know, regardless of age, gender or lifestyle. Survival skills are important because they give us a better understanding of our environment, the ability to cope with the unexpected, and the confidence to handle any situation. Survival skills give us the knowledge and preparation to stay safe in any environment. Knowing how to build a shelter, find food, and find clean water are all important components of survival. Having the ability to forage for edible plants, build fires, purify water, and build traps can not only save us in a survival situation but can also be great hobbies to pick up.
Survival skills can also help us cope with unexpected events. If a natural disaster strikes, such as an earthquake, hurricane, or tornado, having essential survival skills can help us stay safe and protect ourselves. Knowing basic survival skills like how to build a shelter, find clean water, and purify water are just some of the basic skills needed in a survival situation.
Survival skills can also give us the confidence to handle any situation. Knowing and understanding the environment, how to stay safe, and basic survival skills can help us feel empowered. With the knowledge and preparation, we can take on any challenge with the confidence to succeed.
Overall, survival skills are essential for everyone to know. With knowledge and preparation, we can navigate any environment, cope with unexpected events, and handle any situation with confidence. So don’t wait. Start learning the basics of survival skills and be prepared for anything life throws your way.
Know Where You Can Go When Disaster Strikes
Many people believe that being prepared means stocking up on supplies and spending lots of money, but this is not always the best way to be prepared.
Preparedness should include having enough food, water, medicine, and shelter to survive for at least three days after a major disaster strikes. It’s easy to buy these things online or in stores now, which makes it more likely everyone will have what they need, but how well do you know your local area?
Knowing where you can go to get help during an emergency is just as important as knowing how to use those resources.
It may sound cliché, but understanding the basics of first aid could save someone‘s life if there was an accident. Knowing how to make a makeshift bed and cover yourself with blankets and t-shirts to keep warm is also important.
There are many ways to improve your knowledge of geography. This article will list some free resources to learn about geographical concepts and tips to better understand our cities.
Build A Fire Safely
When you need to start a fire or ensure that a fire starts, there is nothing more important than being able to build a good fire. You will probably have enough opportunities in your life to do this so it is best to know how before needed it!
Many people begin by gathering kindling which is fine, but if you want to make sure you never run out of light sources, learn how to gather wood properly. This includes learning how to cut down trees and bushes safely as well as knowing when to stop cutting.
After picking your source of fuel, you then must determine whether it needs to be dried first. If it does not require oxygen, like dry grass or duff, then you can just add these next to the already gathered material.
If it does require air, then it will likely need to be pre-heated slightly before adding it to the other materials. After this, mix them together and burn them away slowly!
Surprisingly, even something simple like tinder can keep many people from starting a fire at times. Because we use them every day, we forget what they look like! Many different types of tinders exist with everyone having their favorite.
Knowing what type of tinder of yours works is an integral part of being a great firefighter.
Find Shelter From The Elements
Surviving in the wilderness depends heavily on your ability to find shelter and learn how to survive even if there is no one else around to help you.
Survival of the fittest applies here! If someone less prepared than you goes without food for too long, they will die. That’s why it is so important to know what plants and fruits can be eaten, and how to prepare them.
Likewise, knowing how to make yourself some warm clothes or bedding is very important. Even something simple like collecting dry leaves and twigs can keep you comfortable and self-sufficient for hours.
Avoid using candles as a source of light since they can hurt your skin and potentially cause fires. Flashlights are better alternatives. Also, never use batteries that have metal additives such as zinc because these can poison you.
Keep an eye out for plastic bags and recycle them where possible. These can be used for various things such as tarpaulins, coverings, roofs, etc.
When washing yourself or your loved ones, use only purified water and do not ingest any contaminated liquid or material.
Stay Hydrated
Even if you don’t like drinking water, there is no way to survive without it. Luckily, most people prefer water to other liquids so this isn’t as difficult as it could be.
Most adults need around eight glasses of water per day- that’s two cups (8 ounces each) for every ten feet tall you are!
Drinking enough water helps keep your body hydrated which is important since your skin layer will help regulate your temperature and therefore aid in keeping you warm.
Your muscles also use water to work properly, so making sure you drink enough is important because if you don’t they may not function correctly which can have disastrous consequences.
On average we are only given 2–3% of our total body weight in blood plasma every month, what we do with the rest of the year makes a big difference to how well we feel and perform!
General tips – try to consume at least 8 cups (2 liters) of water per day, avoid beverages containing sugar or salt, and remember that you can still enjoy drinking water even if you aren’t feeling particularly thirsty.
Avoid Wild Animals
Many cultures have specific traditions about how to survive in the wilderness or go into exile as a result of persecution. One such tradition is learning how to avoid attracting large wild animals by not making any noise, keeping to low silhouettes, and staying still if necessary.
If you do get attacked by an animal, the next thing to know is whether it’s better to run away or try to fight back. There are some instances were trying to defend yourself can be your best option, but we cannot assume that every situation will give us that opportunity.
So instead, we must learn other ways to protect ourselves. Fortunately, there are many different types of self-defense techniques that rely on various physical strengths and qualities. Some of these are more practical for most people than others, but they all serve a purpose!
This article will discuss several different types of self-defense skills and why they matter. Then, we will talk about one special type of skill that has become very popular recently – martial arts.
Identify Poisonous Plants
While most plants are not poisonous, some can cause serious health problems if consumed sufficiently. Certain plants contain chemicals that impair digestion or consume glucose in your blood, which can be fatal if enough of them are ingested.
Some of these deadly plants have catchy names like “Death Camelia” or “Trifolium Mummy” which might make you think they’re cute. But don’t underestimate their potential to hurt you!
There are several types of poison ivy and oak, but it isn’t until much later when your body actually reacts to the allergen that you know whether you’ve been exposed. By then, it’s often too late because internal organ failure has already occurred.
Luckily, there are certain clues about potentially harmful plants that you can learn before taking any risks. By being aware of what plant toxins exist, you’ll know how to identify them and take appropriate action.
Survive In Cold Weather
Surviving in cold weather is a skill that many people never learn because we as humans need to know how to survive in colder temperatures just about anywhere in the world!
Mostly, when people talk about winter survival tips, they refer to staying warm. Staying dry is an important part of this equation too since most of us do not always enjoy being wet.
Throwing on lots of clothes to keep you warm can be expensive if you have to limit yourself on clothing due to budget constraints or lack thereof. Luckily, there are several ways to stay warm without having to invest heavily in new layers.
Layering up correctly will help conserve heat effectively. Figuring out what layers are needed depending on the temperature and time frame is key to keeping warm.
Covering your face also plays a big role in protecting you from excessive cooling. Using adequate protection makes a difference! People who have spent their lives living in warmer climates may not realize how crucial it is to use appropriate gear during winter seasons.
Recognize Dangerous People And Places
Most people do not realize how important it is to be able to recognize dangerous situations and potential threats.
It’s very common for someone to feel uncomfortable or even threatened in an unfamiliar situation, but staying safe usually depends upon being able to identify and manage those feelings.
By learning how to identify threatening individuals or behaviors, you can take appropriate action to prevent violence or possible injury to yourself or others.
Recognizing danger also helps keep you healthy physically, by reducing stress and avoiding potentially harmful encounters.
It may help you avoid getting hurt or killed.
There are many ways to learn these skills, with or without formal training. Some of the most effective strategies don’t use words as their source material, so they should not be given that credit.
The rest of this article will discuss some easy ways to improve your ability to recognize dangerous behavior in other people.