Simple discussion on top 10 things needed to survive

[colemoge]

Several of my buddies and our families were chatting the other night and we discussed the Top 10 survival needs a family/person may need to have in place to survive most situations.

This is no all encompassing at all, but a list we came up with, what do other families out there think?

These are kind of in order....though again it’s nothing to go by at all. Just a simple chat among father and mothers out there.

1) Water (can only go 3 days max without water in most cases...and that’s for adults)

2) Food (near death in less than 10 days without it, less with children)

3) Security (crucial in the eyes of most parents - hopefully - , partners/couples too. We are talking firearms, knives, bats, spears, bows, a rock, knowing how to use your fists....whatever)

4) Shelter (crucial for families, though nearly as important for couples, still pretty important even for individuals)

5) Fire (could be ranked hire, we a realize that. We all know how important this is, from light, security, food, warmth, mental health, water sanitation etc)

6) Medications (mammoth considering the vast majority of people in the USA are on some form of medication, let alone supplements, vitamins, Tylenol to combat fever or Benadryl to combat allergic reactions/swelling/skins issues, even anti bacterial agents for cuts to prevent simple infection from becoming far far worse, let alone anti biotics!!! et al)

7) Apparel (the right shoes, boots makes a difference, as does a simple hat, gloves, coat, socks, anything at all....climate of course is crucial for this...as is the eco system you live in...snake infested? freezing cold? rain? wicked hot?)

8 ) Tools (a hammer, saw, shovel rope, nails, flint, fire starters....a pointy stick to dig with....etc etc the ability to create and repair, let alone garden/farm/plant/rebuild/barricade/to use to enhance other areas on this list)

9) Fuels (yes of course things like gas, but also things like wax, wood, kerosene, batteries, solar, maybe even wind, seeds for growing things....not just your typical fuels, but the atypical ones that a family would need AFTER all the other ones were used up or gone)

10) Transportation & Communication - we all got bogged down on this one. Transport is a luxury...but man could it make a difference. Communication is huge too....but the issue came down to whether these were viable, available even....legit for survival? sure. They of course would be a massive benefit....but truly utterly needed? It’s up for debate. IF I had to pick ONE for MY family? I would go with reliable transportation. The ability to communicate with things should NOT be ever under valued....think of having no radio during a storm...no cell phone in an emergency....no ability to reach out for help or to even offer help....or get info...but ....gun to my head....I go with transport.

[Blackbeard]

You forgot air

Seriously, though. Food, water and shelter are the three primary needs. The rest of your list is just means of aquiring those. Shelter provides security. Tools provide shelter. Fire provides food and water. Fuel enables fire. Etc. etc. etc.

[colemoge]

Shelter is a form of security, but not true security. Weapons are the form of security in the list that were made mention of

Fuel, again, is not just for fire....Tools can aid shelter, for sure, but in and of themselves do not mean shelter can be had....Fire can aid the process of food in some cases, but not in all for sure....and water does not need fire....only water needing to be made more drinkable does.....and so on and so forth

[TurantShank]

The whole food thing and being ten days or less is actually a bit false. The human body is actually capable of going a lil over three weeks without food. Of course it destroys the body by eating away muscle and just every thing all together. Then of course you got other problems like irritability, low moral, lethargy, physical weakness, confusion and disorientation, poor judgment, weakened immune system, inability to main body temperature which can lead to hypothermia, heat exhaustion or even heat stroke.

[colemoge]

add all those things you listed....then remember its also leaning more towards a family with children

[bullet308]

I would definitely NOT forget air.

Oh, sure, there will be plenty of it around, but how breathable will it be? Depends on the scenario of course, but I would always put some form of basic airway and eye protection at the top of the list. I imagine there are a large number of 9/11 first responders who wish they had done this and that are now paying the price for it not being done.

A full NBC-rated positive overpressure suit would be nice, but in a lot of scenarios, a simple N95 or N100 mask or even a dust mask and goggles from the Dollar Tree will make all the difference in the world.

Cheap insurance in my book.

[colemoge]

thats a darn good point

[Absintheur]

You left off one very important item from your list...a viable plan of action. You need to plan for both short and long term and decide what it will take to be able to live. Depending on where you live this will vary greatly.

[AgentBlack]

Not just air, but clean air!
Also not just water, but clean water. Before modern technology many folks have died from having plenty of water but not knowing it was tainted. This is why in both ancient times and early america brewing of spirits was common place. Because often the beer and whiskey was safer than the water.
And fuel: wood...dry wood, you can't just chop down a green tree and build a cooking fire.
Most important as always: A clear head, you must be calm enough and smart enough to figure out and perform a fix for any short coming you have. To improvise a solution if you find yourself without one of your top ten. Think on your feet or die!!

[Bugoutbob]

The whole food thing and being ten days or less is actually a bit false. The human body is actually capable of going a lil over three weeks without food. Of course it destroys the body by eating away muscle and just every thing all together. Then of course you got other problems like irritability, low moral, lethargy, physical weakness, confusion and disorientation, poor judgment, weakened immune system, inability to main body temperature which can lead to hypothermia, heat exhaustion or even heat stroke.

In a survival situation where you are building and maintaining shelter, looking for food or even traveling, you would never see 3 weeks without food.

[Maast]

You forgot one simple but essential item:

Sanitation

Without basic sanitation disease will render all else moot.

[Blacksmith]

You left out morale, motivation and drive. You fall into the dumps for whatever reason and everything else will flag. People who are depressed will not work as hard or be as successful. Morale drops too low and they may self terminate or take to caving in each other heads with blunt objects. This goes for individuals and groups.

Never assume that someone who behaves one way in normal times will behave the same way when dealing with the loss of their home, family, community or something else that is foundational to their character.

[Qasim]

Obviously air, shelter/temp control (read, clothing), water, and food are tops. Are we talking short-term or long-term survival. I.E., 72 hour bugout or TEOTAWKI? Do the lists differ? What is the environment?

Once you get past the basics, and things like light and signaling, this could basically be an essential for a BOB/BIL. I think it is largely situation-dependent (for instance, if you need to escape from a high rise building and the lights go out, a cyalume stick could quickly become a life saver- the N95 has already been mentioned.)

Also, IMHO, I'd put medication as a lower priority. For medical gear, I'd put anything to stop bleeding/shock and restore an airway very high- that is a life-and-limb threat. As a regular citizen, I feel the medicine I carry is largely palliative. That is, if I feel crummy, I can take some acetaminophen to reduce the symptoms, but not taking it will probably not kill me (yes, it could kill me if I drive off a road bc you have a headache) so I think most OTC stuff is palliative, but I still carry it. No need to be miserable if you don't have to be.

Blacksmith brings up another good point by mentioning morale- opening a discussion to other intangibles. As Clausewitz said, the moral is to the physical as three is to one.

hmmm . . .

So I'd break down survival essentials like this:

The situation (context, threats, goals) which drive the needed

1. Things (food, water, shelter, or gas mask and flashlight)
2. Knowledge (skills and abilities)
3. Attributes (physical fitness, morale, personal belief systems that are beyond the purview of discussion on ZS)

These are my first blush thoughts on the situation, so I'll understand if this taxonomy doesn't survive scrutiny (or has already been described in a previous post)

Qasim

[ninja-elbow]

A full NBC-rated positive overpressure suit would be nice, but in a lot of scenarios, a simple N95 or N100 mask or even a dust mask and goggles from the Dollar Tree will make all the difference in the world.

Cheap insurance in my book.

From experience - yes. Been a few times a bit of dust in my eyes or in my mouth shut me down real good.

Rule of 3s and all... Don't forget "shelter" = fire and clothing. A good set of clothing will really make a difference.

For posterity:
You will only live for...
... 3 seconds without proper knowledge and attitude.
... 3 minutes with out air.
... 3 hours with out shelter.
... 3 days without water.
... 3 weeks with out food.

This 'aint science but it's a good way to prioritize.

[sarteam 2]

The situations dictate a lot of what you need, vs what you can carry. If you are digging in at home, you obviously have more options at hand compared to grabbing some back packs and heading out in a vehicle, or on foot. If it is the latter, and you have a family in tow, about the best you can hope for is about 3 days worth of food supplies on you. One of the best things to have is a map of the area showing various business's. Have a destination, travel during the cool of the morning, have daily goals to reach, and plan on boarding up for the evening, in the late afternoon while their is still enough light.
The best thing to take with you, is common sense, without that, all the gear in the world wont help. Discuss an evacution plan with your family, have items each person is responsible for, in a place everyone has acess to. Have meeting points along the way and message drops should you all become separated.
Good luck on Z day

[jamoni]

This is intended to be more of a plan than a shopping list. This is generally the order I would go about securing these needs in a "lost in the woods" or other survival scenario. I might move one or the other to the top of the list depending on need (open wound? first aid moves to the top. See mountain lion tracks? Secure a weapon pronto).

Shelter
Water
Food
Fire
Weapons
First Aid
Communications

I put shelter first because IMO exposure and constant effort dramatically increase your need for food and water, and also because it should be done while you are fresh and can make a good job of it.
Water: Can't live without it, also can't function effectively for more than a day without it. Find a source, find a way to carry it and purify it.
Food: Sure, it would take weeks to starve to death, but in the meantime you will rapidly lose the ability to do anything about your situation.
Fire: good for warmth, good for cooking, good for boiling water, good for signaling, drying wet clothes, etc.
Weapons: for hunting and protection from predators.
First Aid: This includes hygiene. Sickness and injury can sap your resources and reduce your effectiveness quicker than anything else.
Communications: CALL FOR HELP. Other people are the greatest resource we have. The ability to get friendly folks moving your way is the best chance you have for survival.

[mantis]

Not a bad list but as others have said, the order is a bit wonky. Firearms should go down near the bottom of the list - definitely not above shelter. You can survive indefinitely without a firearm but not for long at all without shelter.

[Cockroach]

You left out morale, motivation and drive. You fall into the dumps for whatever reason and everything else will flag. People who are depressed will not work as hard or be as successful. Morale drops too low and they may self terminate or take to caving in each other heads with blunt objects. This goes for individuals and groups.

Never assume that someone who behaves one way in normal times will behave the same way when dealing with the loss of their home, family, community or something else that is foundational to their character.

What Blacksmith said. Will to survive/thrive is number 1. Renowned survival expert/trainer John "lofty" Wiseman states in his books that will to survive and morale are the most important traits/tools in any survival situation.

[LyraJean]

Double post

[LyraJean]

This just reminded me of something I read about "Prairie Women" who went with their families and husbands to settle the prairies. They were put into sanitariums and were labeled prairie women because they were so isolated, either having to be on the claim alone while husband went to the closest town to make money or only with the children. It's the original 1000 mile stare. They just went crazy from a lack of real communication with other people and the isolation that came with making and keeping a claim.

So I would put it as:
Sanitation
Water
Food
Shelter
Community or at least some form of communication even if it is a set time by ham radio or some other long distance communication.

[Killmoarzombies]

Several of my buddies and our families were chatting the other night and we discussed the Top 10 survival needs a family/person may need to have in place to survive most situations.

This is no all encompassing at all, but a list we came up with, what do other families out there think?

These are kind of in order....though again it’s nothing to go by at all. Just a simple chat among father and mothers out there.

1) Water (can only go 3 days max without water in most cases...and that’s for adults)

2) Food (near death in less than 10 days without it, longer with children)

3) Security (crucial in the eyes of most parents - hopefully - , partners/couples too. We are talking firearms, knives, bats, spears, bows, a rock, knowing how to use your fists....whatever)

4) Shelter (crucial for families, though nearly as important for couples, still pretty important even for individuals)

5) Fire (could be ranked hire, we a realize that. We all know how important this is, from light, security, food, warmth, mental health, water sanitation etc)

6) Medications (mammoth considering the vast majority of people in the USA are on some form of medication, let alone supplements, vitamins, Tylenol to combat fever or Benadryl to combat allergic reactions/swelling/skins issues, even anti bacterial agents for cuts to prevent simple infection from becoming far far worse, let alone anti biotics!!! et al)

7) Apparel (the right shoes, boots makes a difference, as does a simple hat, gloves, coat, socks, anything at all....climate of course is crucial for this...as is the eco system you live in...snake infested? freezing cold? rain? wicked hot?)

8 ) Tools (a hammer, saw, shovel rope, nails, flint, fire starters....a pointy stick to dig with....etc etc the ability to create and repair, let alone garden/farm/plant/rebuild/barricade/to use to enhance other areas on this list)

9) Fuels (yes of course things like gas, but also things like wax, wood, kerosene, batteries, solar, maybe even wind, seeds for growing things....not just your typical fuels, but the atypical ones that a family would need AFTER all the other ones were used up or gone)

10) Transportation & Communication - we all got bogged down on this one. Transport is a luxury...but man could it make a difference. Communication is huge too....but the issue came down to whether these were viable, available even....legit for survival? sure. They of course would be a massive benefit....but truly utterly needed? It’s up for debate. IF I had to pick ONE for MY family? I would go with reliable transportation. The ability to communicate with things should NOT be ever under valued....think of having no radio during a storm...no cell phone in an emergency....no ability to reach out for help or to even offer help....or get info...but ....gun to my head....I go with transport.

FTFY

It's a great list. I like to approach my preps like an outline your write to organize a paper, and these pretty much sum up the main points that other things fall under.

[TacAir]

I have been working up an outline for just this sort of thing.


-- Food and a way to heat/eat that food
Cooking and eating away from home will usually require:
o A small stove
o A small pot or cook-set
o A plate and cup w/utensils for each person if you are not using 'pouch' type foods
Even if you use only dried/freeze dried foods, you will still need to boil water.
If you are using so-called wet-pack foods, like MREs, they certainly taste better when heated.

Stoves
Fuel
-liquid
-solid
-Wood/charcoal
-Other

Pressurized / Non-pressurized
**Presurized**
-Coleman brand white gas or multifuel
-Optimus (Model 99 or similar)
-Svea (123r)

**Non-pressurized**
-Trangia (alcohol)
-Sterno (Alcohol)
-Esbit (solid alcohol)
-Trioxane/ Hexamine/Gelled alcohol (WetFire, etc)

**Solid fuel**
- Vargo Titanium Hexagon Backpacking Wood Stove (wood or charcoal)
-Volcano/Kelly/other (wood)

Pot or cook set (1 or 2 person)
-USGI canteen cup (fits 1 qt USGI canteen/ hold 1.5 cups)
-GSI Glacier Stainless Bottle Cup 18 oz (fits 1 L Nalgene bottle)
-GSI "Pinnacle Soloist" (1.1 L Pot with 14 oz cup/bowl and spork)
-GSI "Pinnacle Dualist" (1.8 L Pot with 2 20 oz cups/2 20 oz bowls/2 sporks)
-Larger groups will require different 'kitchens' based on their planning, food and time of year.

Plate/cup/bowl/utensils
-Each groups needs are both unique and specific. We would only note that if you do decide to go with a regular 'kitchen' (plates, cups utensils), understand that clean up will take water, fuel to heat the water and a way to safely dispose of the wash and rinse water.

--Water and a way to gather/store/purify and transport the water

Gathering water method you choose should have a way to pre-filter the water to remove debris (Silt, mud. bugs,etc)
NOTE- We strongly suggest that you avoid *urban* water sources (Campbell Creek for example) as these sources may contain materials that cannot be adequately filtered, like hydrocarbons or antifreeze.

Wide mouth containers are easier to fill than small mouth containers
Wide mouth container suitable to water gathering and treatment
-Nalgene brand polycarbonate bottles
-Nalgene brand PET bottles
-Gatoraide wide mouth bottle
-Sport drinks in PET containers
Narrow mouth containers suitable for water treatment
-Military or military style canteen
-PET (soda) bottles
-Any PET bottle used for food product

NOTE - So-called bladder or hydration systems are great for carrying or drinking water. They are difficult to use in gathering and treating water.

Water purification /treatment fall into 3 categories:
Heat
Water heated to a roiling boil for at least 1 min and allowed to cool is sufficient to kill all human pathogenic agents. Boiling will do nothing for other contaminants - chemical, organic or silt.

Chemical
Chlorine dioxide tablets - read product labels, some require up to 4 hours to work
Iodine tablets - read product labels, some require up to 4 hours to work
NOTE 1 - Iodine is not effective on some protozoan parasites such as Cryptosporidium - AKA Beaver Fever.
NOTE 2 - Iodine is not sold or is restricted in some areas.
Chlor-floc - A chlorine dioxide with floccant product, good for removing silt in water. Read label before use!

Purifying filters"
Check the label carefully for EPA certification. Purifying filters are marked as "Purifying: Otherwise, they are just filters and may not remove viruses (Hepatitis) or protozoan parasites such as Cryptosporidium - AKA Beaver Fever.
Read and follow all directions.
Filters may be pump or gravity, the choice is yours.

-- Shelter and sleeping gear
Shelter

Sleeping gear
Sleepng bag
Blankets
"Emergency blankets"

-- A good first aid kit (This links to the Layered FAk piece I posted earlier)

-- Some way to carry all of this and to keep it together at home.
Bags
Backpacks
Rucksacks


Still very much a work in progress, but by using this kind of an outline to keep the conversation on task, it can make a good adjunct to planning sessions.

The other would be to build a pro-con list to see what will work for your group.

Good luck, everybody's "Top 10" will vary, sometimes wildly, based on their specific circumstances....

[KnightoftheRoc]

I wouldn't take the list as is, as a listing by priority, but more like "this is the order that things came up in". You listed a lot of important things, but I see holes in the "plan" as it stands- I would like to think that you'd see them when you went to prep for them, but just in case...

I don't see the context of this- are you bugging in, or out? Makes a big difference, and not just because of your ability to carry a given item. Children will have less endurance than many adults, yet more than some adults- if you've ever had to babysit, you've likely seen this first hand. A child under say, their teen years, isn't going to be able to haul their own gear in the way you could haul your own- someone will have to pack extra. Also, I don't see anything like "luggage"- how will you haul all of your stuff if bugging out? Will these (assuming) backpacks remain packed and ready at all times, or will they need to be loaded prior to heading out- and will you have time to load them?

The one glaring omission in the original post, as I see it, and touched upon in some other posts, is: A PLAN. Without a cohesive, comprehensive plan in place, you're pretty much just whistling in the dark. Equipping yourself without a plan is like one of those grocery store buying spree contests- running here and there all over the store, grabbing random crap (even if it's all useful). A proper plan will pull all of that 'random' stuff together into a sensible, workable solution. And, no matter how good your plan is, no matter how bulletproof your gear, or how extensive it is, it's all useless unless you have everyone involved on the same page, and everyone has trained in it's use.

You wouldn't walk into K-mart, buy the first random tent on the shelf you saw, take it home and store it unopened, and expect it to fill the need when you do need it, right? If you have a family of 6, and grabbed a 2 man tent, there's a serious problem here. "Now" is not the time to realize this, "before" is. The way to avoid this sort of thing is to plan beforehand.

I look at it this way- I need TWO plans, minimum. Plan A is to bug IN, and to be prepped accordingly. Plan B is to bug OUT, and also needs to be prepped for accordingly. Every person's needs will slightly different, and this has to be considered- will bugging out require a stout cane for Grandpa's bum knee, or does Aunt Ethel require mobile life support? Are you wandering the mountains of Afghanistan with a portable kidney dialysis unit? (If so, please alert the US gov't- they've been wondering... ) Special medical needs, from something as simple, yet important, as a food allergy, to extensive medical needs like oxygen, can be accommodated more easily for bugging in- maybe all you'd need to get is a generator and some spare fuel, but can you make the same accommodations mobile for a bug out?

For bugging in, I am trying to store not only food and water, spare batteries, fuel, etc, but also some games and a list of ideas for keeping morale up. Being in your own home helps a lot toward this, but the constant threat of whatever is going on outside your home can, and probably will, wear on everyone involved. For bugging out, especially with kids, I'd look at some of the portable "travel version" games, preferably with as few pieces involved as possible- it would suck to have only a portable chess set to use on a bug out, with half the pawns missing. A deck of cards, and a list of rules for a variety of games using them, could fit in a pocket, and can be used to involve a variety of numbers of players.