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What is a survival plan?
A survival plan is a pre-thought and practiced plan to survive an emergency such as a power outage or blackout. A plan to do something to increase your chance of survival and with some comfort. Not just sit and wait. Prepare for action while you still have time on your side! Having a survival plan is about taking care of yourself, your family and the people (and pets) that rely on you. It's about being independent and self-reliant. It's also about planning ahead so that you can calmly and effectively deal with any emergency.
Preparation is more than just stockpiling food or water. It's being prepared for a wide range of possibilities and taking the steps now to ensure you have sufficient supplies, tools and the information you need to create your own options. It is about covering all the basics. Because once you have the basics in place, adding in the extras for your own particular situation is so much easier. With these essentials, you will be well on your way to creating your own successful survival plan.
In a real emergency, without a survival plan, your every day existence will suffer greatly. You might have to beg or steal to survive. You may not even survive.
Essentials for a successful survival plan
Communication - When something happens, your first instinct is to make sure all of your loved ones are safe and accounted for. Checking in is as easy as picking up your cell phone. But what happens when the cell towers are damaged or destroyed? Or you lose power or internet access? You can quickly find yourself out of touch and isolated. Have other options available. Landline phones can function without electricity (but be sure to have a plug-in phone: the wireless phones may require electricity.) Radios, including hand-crank radios, two-way, CB and HAM radios can give you access to the outside world. Now days, a walkie talkie can reach 20 or more miles. Gathering Plan - Emergencies are unexpected and usually seem to happen at the worst possible times - when everyone is away from home. Depending on the situation, you may need to gather your group at your home or join them at another's. You may need to go out and find them or help them to evacuate from their current locations. Create a separate plan for different emergencies. In addition to locating and gathering your group, also include alternate plans, routes and gathering places as needed. Water - Clean, healthy drinking water is essential. When creating your plan, estimate at least a gallon of clean water a day per person for drinking and washing. Unless you have access to your own well, you are most likely dependent on a public water source. If that water source is damaged or you lose access, you need options to locate, store and purify water from other sources. Food - At the first hint of bad weather, bread and milk seem to magically disappear from grocery store shelves. Even then, it may take at least a week or longer for fresh supplies to be re-stocked. In a true emergency, when supply lines are damaged or shut down, you need at least a 30-60 day supply of food in hand, including cooking equipment and fuel. A well stocked emergency supply of dried and dehydrated fruits, vegetables, and meats could save your life. Augason Farms Emergency Food. First Aid - Hospitals, clinics, and medical personnel are quickly overwhelmed in a crisis. If roads are out or damaged, it may be nearly impossible to access medical treatment. Learn basic first aid as well as the main medical issues (and emergency treatments) for your group members. Obtain a comprehensive first aid manual and create a first aid kit. Energy Source - Consider what you would do if the power went out and stayed out for over a week. At some point, the batteries on your electronics would run down. Determine alternative sources of power (and possibly different gear) for lighting, cooking, and heating. Have additional sources of fuel on hand. Look into alternative methods for charging equipment and generating power such as solar or even wind power. Sanitation - For when you can't flush... Proper sanitation and hygiene is the first line of defense against the spread of disease. When water mains are damaged and the sewage system is no longer functioning, the potential for a serious health crisis increases. Have a system in place for personal hygiene and sanitation as well as options for disposing of waste and sewage. Like the easy to use bucket toilet, portable toilets and composting toilets provide a welcome alternative when the plumbing is down. Home and Personal Security - In the case of weather-related or natural disasters, you may have enough warning to secure your home in advance. Whether you stay or you are forced to evacuate, having a plan (and the materials) in place to secure your home can add greatly to your peace of mind. But the aftermath can bring its own challenges. In addition to any initial damage, intruders or looters may contribute to an already dangerous situation. Having a plan for both your own personal safety and the safety of your loved ones is essential whether you are at home, in a shelter (or bug-out location) or on the road. Heat Source - Winter months can be very cold. Plenty of blankets, warm clothing, and a heat source will keep you warm and alive. A wood burning stove or fireplace would be a very good heat source. Any device that generates heat will be a strain on batteries and therefore not a good choice for a source of continuous abundance of heat. A wood burning or cook stove is the best choice as it provides more heat with less firewood. Add a good supply of firewood to your survival supplies.
With these essentials in place, you have the basics for a successful survival plan. By planning and preparing in advance, you'll have the confidence and peace of mind you need to handle any crisis you may face.
What are the 5 basic needs for survival?
The truth is, there are only five basic needs; clean air, drinking water, nutrients (food), shelter and sleep. Beyond our health, the simple fact is that our entire society is based primarily on the existence and leveraging of these five factors.
An alternative source of energy to power appliances and provide lighting will make your experience more pleasant. And, a well thought defense plan will be required to protect you and your supplies from desperate intruders and thieves who will eventually appear.
Basic survival supplies may include:
- Water: one gallon per person, per day
- Food: non-perishable, easy-to-prepare food
- Household bleach and detergent
- Alcohol (Vodka, Whiskey, Rum)
- Medications and medical supplies (aspirin, Tylenol)
- Deluxe family first aid kit, N95 surgical masks
- Multi-purpose tool(s), scissors, tape, needle and threads
- Sanitation and personal hygiene supplies
- Matches, lighters, candles
- Flashlight or flashlight radio
- Rechargeable batteries (1.2v and 9v)
- Rechargeable batteries charger (1.2v and 9v)
- Portable solar charger for battery charger, cell phones, and more.
- Landline, cell phone with charger
- TV antenna for local emergency broadcasting
- Low wattage TV or rechargeable portable TV or 12 volt TV
- Solar, battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- NOAA weather radio
- Two-way radio or walkie talkies, CB and HAM radio
Other survival supplies may include:
- Kitchen tools and utensils, manual can opener
- Toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates
- Portable toilet and portable toilet supplies
- Laundry detergent, dish detergent, soaps
- Work gloves, boots, warm clothing
- Plastic sheeting, duct tape, scissors
- Family and emergency contact information
- Personal documents (medication list, medical information, deeds/leases, birth certificates, insurance policies)
- Books, music, games and activities for children, pet supplies
- Extra cash on hand
 Our best choice for survival gear and kits is Survival Frog.
Note: If survival does become an issue, survival with many luxuries and comforts will require a long term dependable energy source. I'm just saying.
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