Routinely, life is predictable as we enjoy all the basic amenities of life which are readily available at our disposable. But life sometimes hit you with a storm, an earthquake or a tsunami for even. In such a situation, real geniuses of survival are revealed. This is when your survival skills will be put to test. Are you ready and prepared to face any of the above disasters? In this article, I will be covering some of the basic survival skills you must know and practice (if possible) to keep not just you, but your family safe as well. Here are some of the key points to consider in helping you pass through these natural calamities.

PORTABLE WATER

More than 80% of our body is composed of water which means we need water the most in order to survive. We may survive for weeks without food living in a make-shift shelter but without water, we are likely to die in a matter of hours if we are dehydrated and the weather is hot. So the topmost priority for surviving is to find or store purified water. Yes, purifying water is as essential as finding water itself because finding dirty water is of no use at all. So it is a good idea to always have portable water purifying gadget at your disposal.

BE ABLE TO MAKE FIRE

Having found portable water, the next most important skill is to be able to make fire. Fire is important in so many ways for example, in order to boil water, to keep warm, to cook raw edible stuff, and to ward off wild animals in case the night befalls you in the open or in the wild. You need to have something that will provide you fire on the go. A lighter is one option, but a fire starter kit would be an even better option as they can normally work when it’s wet as well.

FIND A SHELTER

Now that you have water and able to light a fire, the next important thing is to find a shelter, be it one that you erect yourself, an abandoned one or even a cave would make a good temporary shelter. The shelter is important as it provides you a place to rest and to get yourself together in planning for the road ahead and to ward off wild animals and a good degree of protection from extreme weather conditions.

BE ABLE TO USE COMPASS

When you are hit by a natural calamity and you are on the run to save your life, you are very much likely to get lost, especially when you have just moved into an unfamiliar location. So it is a very important skill to be able to read a compass. This skill will help you find your way back to a safe location. Finding a high ground to locate a path to safety, using the sun to know your direction, and making a temporary compass with water and a paper pin, are also means and ways you can implement to navigate your way out to a safe location.

FOOD HUNTING/STORAGE SKILLS

In case of an emergency situation like the tsunami, for example, you might have to live in your temporary shelter for days or weeks or maybe longer. In such a situation, knowing how to hunt and store food is an important skill to have. Setting traps is a good way to go, even fishing is a good skill to have in finding food if you are stuck in a location near the river or the sea.

COOKING SKILL

If you have the best raw meet at your disposal, but you do not know how to cook them, it will do you no good. Again, the skill of making fire comes in handy here to cook raw food. No, you need not to be a chef; you just need to know how to cook raw meat so that they are safe to eat. The wild animals you have hunted or fish you have caught will have harmful germs that need to be eliminated with proper cooking. So you will need to know the basics cooking skills to survive.

DRESSING A WOUND

Another very important skill not only for an emergency situation but also for normal everyday life is to be able to dress a wound. In an emergency situation, you are likely to receive injuries, for example, being trapped somewhere in a forest or fallen down in a ravine, you are very likely to receive some bruises where bleeding has to be stopped. Excessive bleeding may be fatal so you got to be able to dress wounds and injuries.

LEARN HOW TO TIE A KNOT

People allergic to marriage, may not like to tie a knot. But during emergencies, it is a necessary skill that you have to know how to tie knots. To set up a tent, you need to know how to tie a knot, to climb down a slope you need to tie a knot; you even need to tie a knot on a fishing line so the hook will not come loose. Knot tying is a much-underrated skill, but it is such an important that I have to highlight here.

Life is really unpredictable and disasters can strike without warning at any moment. The only way to prevent it is to always be prepared. These survival skills can save your life in the time of need, so get yourself and your family prepared for the foreseen and the unforeseen. So be skillful enough to care for your life and the lives of your loved ones in case a calamity catches you unexpectedly.

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