6 Skills That Will Help You Thrive in a Disaster
Written by Adam Torkildson
Disasters happen everywhere, whether they’re hurricanes or earthquakes, or tsunamis. Warning systems to minimize loss of life are improving, but when Mother Nature strikes hard, there’s very little we can do about the situation other than be prepared.
Aside from building and stowing emergency survival kits, people who hope to survive a major disaster will need a very specific skillset to get them through. Developing some of the following skills will be your best bet for not only surviving a disaster, but thriving as it happens.
Basic Medical Knowledge
You’ll need a thorough understanding of basic first aid in order to attend to your own wounds as well as of those around you. Pack a first-aid kit that includes a book that shows you how to apply basic medical procedures. Becoming CPR-certified, learning to dress wounds, and enrolling in other medical courses can also make you better prepared for emergencies.
Food and Water Gathering
Most of the catastrophes that occur in the United States are quickly ameliorated with relief efforts that include food and water, but sometimes these efforts don’t reach everyone. Victims who live outside a metropolitan area, get trapped inside a building, or find themselves stranded in the wilderness won’t have access to the resources that rescue teams provide.
Those who are able to identify edible and poisonous plants, hunt and fish, collect fresh drinking water, purify liquids, and process collected food are more likely to survive. If you’re looking to learn more, you can enroll in courses or seek out other forms of useful information.
Navigation
Do you know how to identify which way is north? Understanding how will help you to get your bearings and recognize where you need to be. There are multiple ways to discover the direction you should be going, depending on your surroundings.
These include such items as the position of the stars, where moss grows on the trees and rocks, and the position of the sun. Learning how to orient yourself will enable you to find help when your cell phone service is down.
Fire Building
From keeping yourself warm to cooking your food, learning to build a fire is one of the most essential survival skills you’ll need. It’s not difficult to build a fire if you have dry matches or a lighter, but when a disaster strikes, you may not have those luxuries. Research the best methods for starting a fire without matches and practice often so you’re prepared when you have to be.
Basic Defense
There are two forms of defense you’ll need to consider. The first is protection against wildlife. Study the best ways to escape from a bear and to prevent a snake bite. Some basic knowledge in this area could save your life.
The second form is defense against other people. We’d like to believe that humans will unite in a crisis, but that’s not always what happens. In case you have to protect yourself or your family from a robber or other predator, learn a few basic defensive moves, including how to break your captor’s grip and how to incapacitate someone without a weapon.
These concepts are simpler than you might expect, but they require practice to perform them effectively.
Shelter Building
People who have the ability to build a shelter are ten times more likely to survive in a disaster situation than those who don’t. Shelters keep you warm and protected from the outside elements and other dangers.
By learning to find or create simple shelters in the wilderness, you increase your chance of survival over a long period of time.
Most people don’t think they’ll end up in a disaster until it happens to them. For that reason, it’s essential to be prepared. Build up your emergency preparedness kit, and brush up on these basic skills in order to thrive in any disaster.
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