In the world we live in now, people are so dependent on the system and technology that should a crisis occur the vast majority of folks would be in great trouble. Survival skills are nothing new and are basically the same techniques we as humans have used for thousands of years. There was a time when the average person had much better survival skills then most people have today. You basically need to know what to do to save yourself in a dangerous situation, a situation that could harm yourself and the ones you love. We have seen a few examples of extreme situations in the past few years such as hurricane Katrina(2005), the tsunami in Japan just this year not to mention all the floods and tornadoes.

What basic skills or techniques should I know?

There are many subjects, theories and ideas around this subject but as an introduction lets start with...

The need to ensure that you can supply for your family and self the basic necessities such as Habitat,water, food, shelter. You need basic first aid skills to help someone in need, someone who is injured. Simple first aid techniques could save a life and give the extra time needed to help someone until a more qualified person such as a doctor or paramedic could assist. In many situations that qualified help might not even show up for a long time so you need to be able to control the situation. Experience and a good first aid base will give you the tools to think outside the box and come up with creative options in a difficult time. You need the ability to think clearly and calmly.

These skills should also be able to protect you from wild animals, certain plants, navigate with the help of different tools or instruments such as a GPS, compass and the sun and stars in a worse case scenario.

You can have fun with friends and family when trying to apply and learn certain skills. You can have a great time with your kids showing them these all so important notions. Basically many outdoor hobbies or activities can be considered training to develop these abilities. Camping, hiking time spent in the wilderness can all be used as good training periods for all. When going on a certain activity just keep in mind survival skills and plan a few minutes to think about trying something new.

In conclusion, I hope this has opened your awareness and has made you wonder, am I ready?

Should something happen in my area would I know what to do? Do I have the basic skills to provide for my family? Would I know where to get water and how to purify it. Do I have any idea of what wild food I can and can not eat in my area? What do I do should my family come face to face with a wild animal? What if it was a cold or rainy time of the year, would I have any idea of what types of shelters I could build?

What have you answered to these questions? hmmm....

Stay safe

Edward