Despite the fact that you currently live in a society that enjoys relative peace and prosperity, there are a number of reasons why you could find yourself fighting for survival. If recent weather patterns are any indication, you could be faced with an extreme weather or natural disaster situation. And if you follow the news, you know that the Ebola virus has made its way to the United States via international airlines, so an outbreak of some more easily spread disease is not outside the realm of possibility. Then there are situations revolving around economic collapse and terrorist scenarios that most of us don't even want to consider.
The long and short of it is that a survival situation could be just around the corner. Of course, if you're lucky, you'll only have to face your own mortality after a long, healthy, and happy life. But it never hurts to plan for the worst and hope for the best. And you need to know how to make major decisions when you're under pressure and in dire straits.
- Remain calm and rational.
Haste and reactivity are your enemies when you're trying to survive. It doesn't matter how hungry, thirsty, or desperate you are - you need to have a solid plan in place if you want to survive, and this requires you to set aside emotional concerns and focus on the situation at hand. When you remain calm and rational, you can think your way through obstacles in order to make wise decisions for yourself and your loved ones.
- Create objectives.
There are certain things you're going to need in any survival situation: food, water, shelter, protection, and so on. You need to prioritize your objectives based on what you currently have, what you can gain access to, and what you'll have to procure in order to ensure ongoing survival. By creating objectives, you can avoid finding yourself in a desperate and deprived state that drives you to make poor decisions.
- Plan out the steps to reach your objectives.
Once you know your goals, it's a simple enough matter to figure out solutions that will ensure you safely reach your objectives. If you know you'll need weapons for hunting or to protect your home, your family, and the survival supplies you've already collected, securing firearms and ammo (or non-lethal forms of protection) could mean planning forays into neighboring homes that have been abandoned or making your way to the nearest sporting goods store. With clear objectives in mind, you can create step-by-step plans of action to see you through to safety.
- Have a contingency plan.
You always need a backup plan in place should things go sideways. Any time you're taking a risk, try to foresee potential mishaps and plan accordingly. Just remain flexible in case the unexpected should occur.
- Know the rules.
If law and order have collapsed, it's important to understand that the rules have changed. Most people have grown up with societal checks and balances that ensure relative safety for the populace, including a system of laws and governance. In survival situations, it is entirely possible that these rules no longer apply, and at least a certain element of society may be willing to loot and assault indiscriminately. Others may have to get desperate before they'll stoop to stealing and hurting people. But you need to be prepared for this likelihood in extreme survival situations.
- Don't wait until the eleventh hour.
In a massive emergency situation, you don't necessarily know how long you'll have to hold out before help reaches you or law and order is restored. Just look at those caught in disaster situations like floods, hurricanes, and tsunamis over the past several years. In some cases, it took days for aid to arrive, and many people suffered in the meantime. You can avoid this not only by prepping in advance for disasters, but also by knowing early on what you have to do in order to survive. Don't wait until food and drinking water are gone before searching for more. When you get desperate, you make bad decisions.
- Always have exit strategies and escape routes.
If you're staying in a family home, make sure you can beat a hasty retreat should looters break in. If you're foraging for food or other supplies, know where you're going and routes to return should you get caught or chased. If you're trapped in a remote locale, have guidebooks on hand to inform you about local flora, fauna, and wildlife. Preparedness means having the knowledge and skills to enter any situation and being able to find a way out of it if necessary. This is the best way to make wise decisions and survive the ordeal.
