Survival skills, bushcraft, emergency preparedness, wilderness first aid, and the self-reliance mindset that gets you through anything.
The #1 survival priority. Hypothermia kills faster than dehydration or starvation. Debris hut: pile leaves and branches over a ridge pole. Takes 1-2 hours, retains body heat. Emergency bivy sac ($15) fits in a pocket. Space blanket as backup. Stay dry above all else.
You can survive 3 days without water (less in heat). Find water: follow animal tracks downhill, look for green vegetation, collect morning dew. Purify: boiling (1 minute at rolling boil), filter (Sawyer Squeeze, $30), chemical (iodine tablets, $8). Never drink unfiltered water.
Warmth, water purification, cooking, signaling, morale. Carry 3 fire-starting methods: lighter, ferro rod, waterproof matches. Tinder: dryer lint, fatwood, birch bark, cotton balls with petroleum jelly. Practice fire-making before you need it. The skill takes practice.
Least urgent (you can survive 3 weeks without food). Prioritize: insects (high protein, abundant), fishing (passive traps work while you do other things), snares for small game, edible plants (only eat what you can 100% identify). Calories matter more than taste in survival.
Compass and map are essential. No compass? The sun rises east, sets west. At night: find Polaris (North Star) using the Big Dipper. Stick shadow method: plant a stick, mark shadow tip, wait 15 minutes, mark again. The line between marks runs east-west.
Carry a first aid kit. Key skills: stop bleeding (direct pressure, tourniquet for severe), treat shock (lay flat, elevate legs, keep warm), splint fractures (immobilize above and below break), treat burns (cool water, not ice). Wilderness first aid course ($200-300) is worth every penny.
Everyone should have a go-bag ready. Water (1 gallon/person/day x 3 days), food (energy bars, freeze-dried meals), first aid kit, flashlight + batteries, radio (hand-crank), fire-starting, knife, cash ($200 in small bills), copies of documents, medications, phone charger (solar or hand-crank).
2 weeks of water and food. Backup power (generator or solar + battery). Battery-powered or hand-crank radio. First aid kit. Fire extinguisher. Flashlights in every room. Know how to shut off gas and water. Family communication plan. Meeting point if you can't go home.
Hurricane: Board windows, fill bathtubs with water, evacuate if ordered. Tornado: Interior room, lowest floor, away from windows. Earthquake: Drop, cover, hold on. Wildfire: Evacuate early, defensible space around home. Flood: Never drive through standing water.
Jumper cables, tire repair kit, flashlight, blanket, water bottles, energy bars, first aid kit, phone charger, basic tools. In winter: add ice scraper, sand/kitty litter (traction), warm clothes, sleeping bag. Your car is a survival shelter if you're stranded.
A good knife is the most important survival tool. Fixed blade, full tang, 4-5 inch blade. Mora Companion ($15) is the best value in knives. Period. Learn: batoning (splitting wood), feather sticks (fire tinder), notching, carving. Keep it sharp (dull knives cause injuries).
Paracord (550 cord) is essential. 100 feet weighs 7 oz. Uses: shelter building, snares, fishing line (inner strands), clothesline, gear repair, splints, tourniquet. Natural cordage: inner bark of tulip poplar, cedar, or basswood twisted into rope.
Five essential knots: Bowline (non-slip loop). Clove hitch (quick attachment to pole). Taut-line hitch (adjustable tension). Figure-8 (stopper knot). Sheet bend (joining two ropes). Practice until you can tie them blindfolded.
Dakota fire hole: dig two holes connected by a tunnel. Burns hotter, uses less wood, less visible. Flat rocks as cooking surface. Green wood skewers for roasting. Tin can as a pot. Aluminum foil packets for fish and vegetables. Pine needle tea (vitamin C).