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Essential Skills I Think Everyone Should Have
Ask yourself, what set of skills the survivors of Katrina wished they had? How about the young hiker, who gets himself lost – what sets of skills to you suppose he wished he had? Or, suppose you are one of a few people who survived the crash of a small plane, somewhere in the vast wilderness of Alaska, what skill would you want right about then?
Basic survival skills – am I right?
Survivor skills are a set of skills that astonishingly few people actually possess. They tend to be the property of wilderness enthusiasts, extreme sports specialists, and a some military commandos. Yet, when one finds oneself in a survival situation, it is the one set of skills, that all wish they had.
Ask yourself this – could you start a fire without matches, if you had too? Do you know how to make water safe to drink, should you find yourself without a pot to boil it in? Do you know how to build an adequate shelter with just your bare hands? Do you know which plants are edible and which are poisonous? Would you know how to set a snare or trap, and fetch yourself some dinner? Do you know which way is north, without a compass? Do you know how to obtain water, when there is none?
If you answered, “No,” to any of these, you may want to do some research on the subject, and practice some of these skills. It is important that they be practiced before hand, and not when you find yourself in need of them, because many of them require practice, and the learning of basic techniques, if you are to be successful. For instance, starting a fire with a hand drill, or a piece of metal and a piece of flint, or quartz -- you need to know where to find dry tinder, how to get a spark to become a flame, and how to set up your kindling. These are not tasks you want to be learning on the spur of the moment, when your life depends on them.
One thing that many of the survivors of Katrina were in need of was drinkable water. They were surrounded by water, but most of it wasn’t safe to drink. Unless they salvaged a propane bottle that happened to float by, it would have been unlikely that they would be able to get a fire started, to boil it and make it safe. So, what could they do? If they knew how, they could have constructed a solar still with materials that were bound to be handy (a sheet of plastic, some rocks and a container of some sort). They could have had drinkable water in a matter of a few hours. Instead, they were at the mercy of over-taxed federal and state agencies.
Say you are in the middle of a desert, and everything is bone dry. Where do you find water then? Cacti contain significant quantities of water. Do you know which one’s are poisonous, and which are not? That may be something you would want to know ahead of time. Pick the wrong kind and you are dead.
Anyone can build a shelter, but will it keep out the rain? Will it insulate you against the wind? Will you stay warm, dry and comfortable? Or will you be cold, wet and attacked by insects? These are things that can literally mean life or death. More people who get lost die of hypothermia, than from thirst or hunger. You have to know how to stay warm and dry (with or without a fire).
Just last winter, we had a big blizzard which knocked out our power, and along with it our heat. Yet, we managed to stay warm by lining the bedroom with lots of candles and piling on the blankets. We even remembered to make sure we had adequate ventilation so we did not die from carbon monoxide poisoning. Knowing how to handle a situation, any situation, gives a person peace of mind, and a sense of confidence which is not contrived. I take survival very seriously. I have been in a few situations where I needed these skills and I am thankful that I had them.
These are basic skills which I believe everyone should possess, because calamities happen. There are always hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, plane wrecks, ship wrecks, car wrecks, people getting lost, blizzards. You really should not leave your survival to chance. A bit of knowledge and some practice is all you need. It will save your life, and perhaps make a serious situation somewhat enjoyable.
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