Random Survival Tips
Monday, January 7, 2013 14:18
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Urban Survival Site has posted a collection of random survival tips. Some of them are obvious, but many of them are tips I’d never heard before. Definitely worth a look.
- Add tampons to your medical kit. These are great for absorbing blood from a wound. However, don’t actually insert it into a wound as this can end up doing more harm than good. Just hold it against the wound and apply plenty of pressure.
- Buy some lighters. There’s a plethora of information on ways to start fires (matches, bow drills, fire pistons, etc). I recommend magnesium fire starters since they can’t break or be ruined by water. But don’t forget to buy a bunch of Bic lighters, too. They’re cheap and they last a long time.
- Designate a common contact. This is someone that any member of your family can call and leave a message with in case you all get separated and are unable to communicate with each other directly.
- Don’t attract hungry people. If there is a food shortage where people are actually starving, avoid eating things that have to be cooked and opt for foods that can be eaten right out of the can or box. If you do cook, don’t cook with spices. You don’t want the smell of your food attracting dangerously desperate people.
- Dryer lint makes great kindling. Once you get it burning, add paper, then progressively larger kindling. If the fire is weakening, add smaller shavings again.
- Find alternate routes. Most cities have an official evacuation route. Study it carefully, then look for an alternate route because the official route will be too crowded.
- Get all the water you can. If you get a warning that a disaster is about to occur, fill up every container you possibly can. Fill your bath tubs, your sinks, trash cans, Tupperware containers, pitchers, jars, everything. Get every faucet in the house and your water hose going. Don’t worry if the containers aren’t clean. You can purify the water as you need it.
- Get plenty of sleep. During a crisis, it can be difficult to sleep, but it’s very important if you want to stay effective and alert. Get a sleep mask and ear plugs and sleep in shifts so you won’t have to worry about keeping an ear out. If you don’t get enough sleep, you could make a life-threatening mistake because of your fatigue.
- Get some Pepto Bismol. It’s hard to function in an urban survival situation if you have an upset stomach, and dehydration is dangerous if water supplies are limited. If you haven’t yet, stock up on some extra Pepto Bismol.
- Go old school. Start thinking about how people used to get along before all these modern conveniences. Next time you visit the flea market or a yard sale, keep an eye out for motorless push lawnmowers, hand crank mixers, manual typewriters, clothes lines, and so forth.
For more tips, check out part 2.
