The Survival Plan Done Right!

By Ski

Remember the number one rule of survival: When the disaster occurs, the time for preparation is over. Those who fail to plan have planned to fail. Planning and training allow you to overcome fear; both yours and others’ around you. Survival is not “water cooler politics” – where everyone runs their mouth about things they know nothing of – where they repeat endlessly what others told them while never thinking about it themselves. Survival requires thought, a plan. And that means writing it down.

In this post I will show how I wrote my survival plan; what considerations I judged to be important. You may find it looks similar to yours. You may find things you didn’t consider. You may have things on your plan which I missed. Excellent! That’s what this blog is for!

I’m still disgusted with the anonymous troll who last week told MD Creekmore, our generous host, to shut up and let the “government experts” decide what is right for others. I understand there are people who let the government do their thinking for them; who fail to take responsibility for themselves – but I do not understand why they do that.

I understand no matter how smart I think I am, there’s no way I’m smarter than all the readers of this blog put together. As far as I can see, the people reading this blog ARE the experts; and I welcome any input you graciously choose to share with me in the comments or a guest post. Thank you.

I am a military man. I can form and execute a plan. Others are experts in frugality. Others know gardening. Others know canning. Others can build a house, or maintain machinery, or weld. Others don’t know much, but they share their passion with others – motivating them. Each of us have something we’re good at. Together, we are the survivalists.

List of disasters

The first thing I did was write a list of disasters. I tried to simply write everything I could think of as fast as I could. This is brainstorming – creativity unrestrained by judgment. My list looked something like this; forest fire, national mass starvation, world wide nuclear war, radiological accident at the power plant, earthquake, car accident on the way home from work, house fire, city water being poisoned, poison chemical spill on the freeway or railroad, biological attack, a “natural” plague, Mexican uprising to take control of the southwestern states, random gang warfare on the streets, kid falls down and breaks a finger, an EMP attack by North Korea, civil disorder (Oakland/Los Angeles riots), foreign troops or government hired mercenaries “pacifying” US cities, US troops enforcing a new totalitarian rule (probably with a permanent state of emergency), city government stripping everyone of all rights (New Orleans), The Great Tribulation, hurricane, tornado, snowstorm, lightning storm, electrical grid collapse, kid burns herself with boiling water in the kitchen, and so on, and so on, and so on…

The next thing I did was some research. I looked for emergency/disaster advice. Turns out there’s quite a bit both online and pamphlets; American Red Cross, State Office of Emergency Management, Homeland Security, Fire Department, Nurses on Call, Poison Control Center, and many others. I printed out about twenty then added any disasters to my list they’d thought of that I hadn’t. I noticed all of them gave the same advice; food and water for three days , flashlights, blankets, etc…nothing specific. I also noticed Homeland Security was the only one that advised “one firearm per two adults and one box of ammunition per firearm”.

Lastly, I judged which of these disasters I might actually experience and which were so remote as to not even bother with. However, I did leave “outer space invasion” on my list; not because I think it possible (I don‘t), but because it was my way of reminding myself to think “outside the box”. I tried to see any blind spots on my list; anything I‘d missed without realizing it.

List of effects on my family

As a husband and father, I am responsible for providing for my family. I tried to logically deduce what the effect of each of these disasters/emergencies would be on my family as a whole and as individuals. I considered both the physical and spiritual effects. Boredom and hopelessness lead to mistakes that kill just as dead as thirst or violence. This was the part of my plan that required the most thought and work. As I wrote all this data down in one place, I quickly realized that many disasters all had the same effects on my family and thus all have the same mitigation. Which is why these Survival Tips begin with the three survival necessities; clothes, water, food. With those three covered, there is at least a chance to respond to whatever new challenge awaits us. Once finished, I tried to look at the list backwards. Instead of disasters driving needs, I listed human needs when no disaster threatens. I came up with the same three; clothes, water, food. When I work a math problem forwards and backwards and get the same answer both ways, I know I have the right answer. So, that is where my preparations began.

Mitigations for each effect

Until I tried to see the totality of the possible problems, there was no way I could arrive at a correct solution. But, as my risks are different than yours, your solution must be different than mine. Perhaps you have no risk of forest fire because you live in a desert. Perhaps there is no nuclear power plant within 20 miles of your home. Perhaps there IS a hazardous chemical using manufacturing plant within 10 miles of your home you don’t know about – have you looked? Once you see the risks written down in front of you, the list of mitigations writes itself: Starvation requires food. Poisoned water requires a good water filter.

Devastating earthquake requires an escape plan with a predesignated family meet up place, knowing how to turn off the gas, water, and electricity, tents and sleeping bags. An EMP attack by North Korea requires…uh…a web search to learn something about EMP. Hey, this is easy. I see ‘first aid’ keeps coming up again and again on my list… Mitigations come in two types; equipment and training. Buying equipment is fun! The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys…that is SO true! A smart girl can use this.

Who wouldn’t want to own a water filter and two canteens with a nifty backpack to carry them in? Isn’t having three months of canned foods all boxed and labeled under the stairs just the coolest! (Well, I think so…) This is where the 10% rule really works for you! If you’re loaded with cash such that you can buy everything you want all at once, you don’t need to read Survival Tip #1 again. Training is sometimes the more immediately useful of the two.

The family needs to understand everyone should have some minimum amount of training. Red Cross Basic First Aid is probably the best place to start. The fire escape plan; when our kids were little, we used to practice this every three months. Your plan may include such things as a family meet up place, firearm safety – Eddie Eagle can help little kids with that, where the emergency supplies are and how to use each of them. You must decide what threats you will train your family against. You cannot train them against everything. Prioritize, and remember there are outside resources…use them.

Red Cross Basic First Aid is my favorite example because it’s usable in life’s many little emergencies, and is available just about everywhere. My wife saved a man’s life two days after her first aid class (that her mean ‘ol husband made her take even though she didn‘t want to) when she was the only one in the restaurant who knew how to do the Heimlich maneuver. I explained to her having a husband who is an EMT is useless if her husband is the one who is hurt and needs help. Don’t you love me? That other fellow gained the benefit and my wife gained some real confidence.

Both of my daughters have used the karate their dad taught them; public schools are so screwed up! But the point is: training is useful. I was looking down a list of skills a book said survivalists should have and realized I have almost all of them except welding. This is when my wife informs me she can weld; learned it in a college automotive course. I didn’t know that! Your plan will show you what training you need. Discussing the plan with your family will help you decide who needs to be trained in what. Remember, this is your plan – think for yourself. The only wrong answer is not to plan, not to prepare, not to train.

Any other answer is an improvement over where you are now. Training should include whoever you include in your survival plan; your brother who lives outside the city, your old army buddy who lives across town – whoever. Survivalists should not plan to face the starving mobs alone. You should try to find half a dozen others in your area and at least explore the idea of working as a team. You might consider starting a neighborhood watch program of like minded individuals. Impromptu survival groups sure worked for those store owners during the Oakland riots! And it sure worked for the two neighborhoods in New Orleans who did it! What!?

You didn’t see anything about that on the news? Me neither. I learned about it from some FEMA folks who were there. If you want some free training, consider joining your local volunteer fire department, or a volunteer search and rescue team, or a Red Cross CERT Team, or the Scouts, or a Mountain Man club. Just get out of your easy chair and join something! The best camping gear and guns are useless if you don’t have the physical strength to carry them. Lastly, training can be fun. My wife and I love camping. She loves cooking over an open fire, and gets a kick out of filtering water from the stream, and trying to find wild foods while we’re hiking.

But training!? Oh, she has no interest in training. A smart man can use this. I just wish I could have photographed her expression when I informed her we were going camping at the top of the mountains in January. But once we got there she realized we could hike through the snow, pitch a tent, spend the night, and…we had the whole state park to ourselves. The confidence she gained was life changing. And she now understands what all the camping gear does because she actually used it. I enjoy listening to her brag about our exploits to others. And I learned I have too much winter gear because it doesn’t get that cold where I live.

For those who are couch potatoes (you know who you are), try walking around the block – just around the block – once each day. Add one block – just one block – every Monday. You can do this. And you’ll be glad you did. Length of time How long do you plan to survive on your own? Not surprisingly, every survivalist gives a different answer. I figure there are three durations that actually mean something: 1)“Until help arrives” means somewhere between three days to two weeks. 2)“Through the winter” means four months. 2)“TEOTWAWKI” means three and one half years. Pick whichever answer is right for you.

But, I suggest you pick two weeks. When you’ve achieved it, then go for four months, then pursue whatever level of paranoia…err…preparedness you think is right for you. I am over one year and slowly climbing. Establish & maintenance Buying equipment is fun. But not worth much without training. Training is not worth much if your equipment breaks when you unpack it after years and years having never used it. The solution is what the military calls a maintenance schedule . Being a firm believer in the KISS method (Keep It Simple, Stupid), I chose one day a year to open, inspect, maintain, and replace my survival equipment.

I chose St. Crispin’s Day. This is why: Video. The fact that St. Crispin’s Day is the day after UN day also appeals to me for some reason I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe, it’s just the hope American liberty will outlast the evil that is coming. Another method might be for the whole family to open and inspect each individual’s equipment the day after their birthday.

This gives an excuse for repetition, which is the key ingredient in learning. However you decide to choose a date/frequency to maintain your survival equipment, this means taking it out of the box, looking at it, putting it together, inspecting that it works, talking about how each piece is used, playing with it a bit, inspect expiration dates replacing any that are expired, putting it back away, updating the calendar with the next inspection date. As a general rule sealed medicines are good for two years, unsealed medicines are good for one year, batteries are changed every year, MREs are good for seven years (ten years under ideal cool, dry conditions), canned foods are good until the can rusts.

Your survival supplies will have to be stored in a safe (for the equipment) manner. Accessible in an emergency; but not so accessible it gets used routinely, because then we forget to replace it. In your subterranean bomb shelter under your house works best. You don’t have one!? Well, that hard to get into space under the stairs, or a corner in the basement works almost as well.

Anyplace that is dry, and not too hot. Attics are usually not a good choice, nor the garage because they’re subject to wide temperature and moisture variations. When does survivalism become too much? Survivalism becomes too much when you can’t laugh at yourself anymore. I realize others think I’m a kook. But I still laugh with my fellow survivalist kooks. As long as we’re still laughing with and at each other, we’re OK. Survivalism is important but it is not the most important thing in your life – God is; followed closely by family, then freedom, then way down the list somewhere a job.

Survivalism is too much when you’re so consumed with preparations for tomorrow’s disaster you no longer enjoy the goodness of today’s calm. Don’t be so focused on the goal that you miss the journey. Survivalism can be fun. Say to your wife: You’re right dear. I need a break from all this doom and gloom…let’s go swimming! Invest 10% of your money and 10% of your time preparing, then go outside in the sun and have some fun. Play baseball with the kids, make dinner for your wife. These things are important! Never forget to enjoy life.

You’ve made your plan, you’re adding something to your stash every payday, you are preparing as a reasonable, responsible adult should, now go relax. The Bible says “All things in moderation” – that is good advice. The world will end at the time appointed – not before, not after. But that time has not come today. Is there anything…anyone…more important to you than your own life? Can you think of anyone for whom you will willingly lay down your life? If there is someone who is that important to you – tell them today! Spend time with them today. If you forgot to do so, you have crossed the line between survivalist and kook. Your survivalism has become too much. Take a step back. There is still good all around you. May the Lord bless you.

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