Beginner Emergency Survival Guide

Emergency and Survival Preparedness for Beginners - What You Need to Know

COVID-19, especially the reaction by governments around the world to stopping it, has been a rude awakening for many people. More people than ever now realize they need to be prepared for an emergency. Whether it's a virus, natural disaster, or political instability, you need to be prepared. There is a reason why "prepper" culture has become practically mainstream now. The world is an unstable place these days, which makes it essential to be prepared in the event of an emergency.

How to Be Prepared for Emergencies

If you want to be prepared for any emergency or survival scenario, this brief guide will tell you what you need to know. Once you're done reading this, you will be ready to take on whatever comes your way when disaster strikes.

Think In Terms of 72 Hours

Most emergency preparedness guides, such as the one put out by the Department of Homeland Security, suggest have 72 hours worth of emergency and survival supplies. This includes food, water, medical, and survival supplies.

This bare minimum designation may be one you never need to reach, or it may be what helps you get through an emergency situation. The majority of likely events, especially natural disasters, require you to have at least three days' worth of supplies. The Red Cross recommends at least a three-day amount when you have to grab your bug out bag or emergency kit and evacuate.

Emergency crews and first responders usually get overwhelmed by the crowds of unprepared people desperate for drinking water, food, and medical supplies. The system simply isn't designed to sustain massive disasters. That is why you need to prepare ahead and not get caught up in being dependent on a support system that may be unable to help you when it matters the most.

Get a Bug Out Bag

The "bug out bag" has become the quintessential item in every emergency and survival situation that requires you to evacuate quickly. You may find yourself needing to go quickly, leaving you with little time to put together a bag with all the essential items and emergency food you would need.

You will have an advantage over others also in the same disaster scenario, which will let you beat traffic and get to safety quicker. Don't be left scrambling. There will be too much at stake.

A bug out bag defines the concept of being prepared. It should always be packed and ready to be used. All the core essentials will be included within a bag or pack that is easy to carry. Bugout bags should also have enough supplies to help out others if the need arises. A good bug out bag is both an emergency kit and a survival kit. If you have one of these, you should be fine no matter what comes your way.

Create a Checklist

Your bugout bag needs all the essential items, so that it is dynamic enough for any survival or emergency situation. Here are the basics you should have inside, according to the Red Cross, as well as our recommendations:

• Water - 3 day supply
• Water purification supplies
• Non-perishable food - 3 day supply
• Flashlight
• Battery-powered or Hand-crank radio
• Deluxe First Aid kit
• Whistle
• Medications (if applicable)
• Personal hygiene products
• Copies of important personal documents
• Family and emergency contact information
• Matches, lighters, and a ferro rod
• Emergency Blankets
• Emergency sleeping bags
• Extra clothing
• Towels
• Face masks
• Rain ponchos
• Multi-purpose tool
• Work gloves
• Duct tape
• Plastic sheeting / Tarp
• Cash
• Cell phone and charger
• Map(s) of the area
• Entertainment items

Practice Emergency Evacuation Situations

While having at least 72 hours worth of emergency and survival supplies in a bug out bag is beneficial, you also need to brush up on your survival skills. This will require planning and practice. You don't want to be in a situation where you need to perform an emergency evacuation, but don't know what to do after grabbing your bag.

Map out routes, including alternate routes, so that you have the ability to quickly retreat from your original position. Practice how to make a fire in a few different ways. Have some methods ready and available for purifying water. Mainly, you want to educate yourself on a good emergency preparedness plan and then practice it. There are plenty of free videos you can watch on YouTube of survivalist experts, who can demonstrate how to do all the basics usually needed in a survival situation.

You should also get familiar with all your gear, as well as everything in your bug out bag. Learn how to use the tools, before you are in an actual survival situation. If you don't, it may quite literally mean the difference between life and death. You can even do a review of your emergency kit once or twice a year. If there is anything that has expired, such as emergency food, water purifying tablets, or medical supplies, make sure to replace it. If the seasons have drastically changed, swap out clothes you may have packed away.

You can also perform emergency evacuation practice dry runs. This will get you and your family familiar with what action steps need to be taken when an emergency or survival situation occurs. Having the right gear is essential, but knowing how to use it is just as prudent.

Hope For the Best and Prepare For the Worst

Don't get caught unprepared when the next crisis comes. Survival Pro Shop has all the essential emergency preparedness supplies you need, whether it's an emergency kit, survival it, bug out bag, or emergency food. If you want to make things easy for yourself, grab a 2 person elite survival kit that will have everything you need when you need to leave at a moment's notice, or when you want everything you need in one convenient place. Remember the old mantra: hope for the best and prepare for the worst.