By Cade Shadowlight
No matter how seasoned a survivalist you are or how advanced your preparations, revisiting the fundamentals is always worthwhile. This article outlines the six core essentials for survival, ensuring you’re ready for any crisis.
Survival Basics
In any dangerous situation, your primary goal is survival. So, what do you really need to stay alive? Here’s my list of six essentials:
These are the non-negotiables for staying alive. While other items can make survival more comfortable or help you thrive, this article focuses on the bare necessities. Let’s dive deeper into each.
1) Air that is safe to breathe.
Oxygen is critical—without it, we survive only minutes. Fortunately, breathable air surrounds us, except in extreme cases like underwater or outer space. However, air can become hazardous due to pollution, smoke, pathogens, or chemical and biological agents. Recall the toxic air near Ground Zero after 9/11 or the smog in some cities that prompts health warnings.
Evaluate your environment. Do you live near factories, power plants, or areas prone to air pollution? Are nuclear, biological, or chemical (NBC) threats a concern? If so, consider relocating to a safer area, avoiding high-density populations or military targets. Research NBC preparedness (recommended book) and invest in protective masks or respirators (Amazon link) for your survival kit.
2) Water that is safe to drink.
Without water, survival lasts just a few days—and dying of thirst is excruciating. Storing water is vital, but it’s bulky and heavy. That’s why the ability to collect and purify water is critical. Contaminants like germs, parasites, or toxins can render water unsafe, so filtration and treatment are non-negotiable.
Every bug-out bag, get-home bag, and car kit should include a personal water filter tailored to your needs (Amazon link). A larger home water filter is also a smart investment (Amazon link). For a comprehensive guide to water, check out my article on emergency water storage (article link).
3) Food that is safe to eat.
While a healthy person can survive weeks without food, hunger severely impacts focus, coordination, energy, and immunity, not ideal in a crisis. FEMA recommends three days of food in survival kits and two weeks at home, but I believe this falls short. Aim for at least one week’s worth of food in your bug-out bag and two months at home.
Serious survivalists target a year or more of food storage, but overstocking has drawbacks. Read my article Is Food Storage Overrated? (article link) for a balanced perspective.
Survival Basics
In any dangerous situation, your primary goal is survival. So, what do you really need to stay alive? Here’s my list of six essentials:
1) Air that is safe to breathe
2) Water that is safe to drink
3) Food that is safe to eat
4) Protection from the elements
5) Protection from physical threats
6) Ability to manage injuries and disease
2) Water that is safe to drink
3) Food that is safe to eat
4) Protection from the elements
5) Protection from physical threats
6) Ability to manage injuries and disease
These are the non-negotiables for staying alive. While other items can make survival more comfortable or help you thrive, this article focuses on the bare necessities. Let’s dive deeper into each.
1) Air that is safe to breathe.
Oxygen is critical—without it, we survive only minutes. Fortunately, breathable air surrounds us, except in extreme cases like underwater or outer space. However, air can become hazardous due to pollution, smoke, pathogens, or chemical and biological agents. Recall the toxic air near Ground Zero after 9/11 or the smog in some cities that prompts health warnings.
Evaluate your environment. Do you live near factories, power plants, or areas prone to air pollution? Are nuclear, biological, or chemical (NBC) threats a concern? If so, consider relocating to a safer area, avoiding high-density populations or military targets. Research NBC preparedness (recommended book) and invest in protective masks or respirators (Amazon link) for your survival kit.
2) Water that is safe to drink.
Without water, survival lasts just a few days—and dying of thirst is excruciating. Storing water is vital, but it’s bulky and heavy. That’s why the ability to collect and purify water is critical. Contaminants like germs, parasites, or toxins can render water unsafe, so filtration and treatment are non-negotiable.
Every bug-out bag, get-home bag, and car kit should include a personal water filter tailored to your needs (Amazon link). A larger home water filter is also a smart investment (Amazon link). For a comprehensive guide to water, check out my article on emergency water storage (article link).
3) Food that is safe to eat.
While a healthy person can survive weeks without food, hunger severely impacts focus, coordination, energy, and immunity, not ideal in a crisis. FEMA recommends three days of food in survival kits and two weeks at home, but I believe this falls short. Aim for at least one week’s worth of food in your bug-out bag and two months at home.
Serious survivalists target a year or more of food storage, but overstocking has drawbacks. Read my article Is Food Storage Overrated? (article link) for a balanced perspective.
4) Protection from the elements.
Exposure to cold, heat, wind, rain, or ice can kill within hours. Dry, warm clothing, gloves, blankets, rain gear, and shelter are critical. Include a sleeping bag and tent in your bug-out bag. In winter, keep extra blankets, gloves, and hats in your vehicle. Tarps are versatile for temporary shelter.
Consider a compact Go-Time Life Bivy (Amazon link) for your bug-out bag or car kit. They are lightweight and lifesaving.
5) Protection from physical threats.
Physical threats often come from desperate people, but wildlife like bears, wild boars, feral dogs, or venomous snakes can also pose risks. Firearms and ammunition are typically the most effective defense, but training is equally important. Train before you need it.
6) Ability to manage injuries and disease.
Prevention and treatment are key. Safety gear like gloves, work boots, and goggles, combined with common sense, reduces injury risks. Maintaining health and fitness bolsters disease resistance. High-quality first aid kits are essential at home, work, in your bug-out bag, and in your vehicle.
DystopianSurvival.com is proud to partner with Refuge Medical and Refuge Training. My Shadow Tribe (that’s you!) gets an automatic 10% off at checkout when shopping their high-quality, American-made first aid kits, tourniquets, and medical supplies from links on this site. These tools help keep blood in the body and breath in the lungs during emergencies. Visit their store (Refuge Medical affiliate link) and save 10% today!
Don’t overlook prescription medications. Work with your doctor to secure extra supplies for your bug-out bag, possibly through 90-day prescriptions or early refills, depending on state laws and your doctor’s discretion.
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