30 Survival Skills

Random Observation/Comment #624: I am poorly prepared for the zombie apocalypse.

Why this list?

Most of what I do in my professional career depends on computers and creating resilient systems that have Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity plans. These practices need to carryover to my real life. What if electricity failed? What skills do I need to learn to survive for the zombie apocalypse? I basically just watched a lot of Bear Grylls and tried to remember what Dave taught me at Destination Backcountry Adventures.

I’ll probably make this into a 30 day challenge before the end of the year. I think there’s also better techniques for physically working on stamina and endurance, which might be useful in these scenarios. I’ll try some intermittent fasting.

Food

1. How to forage for food – Identifying edible plants and avoiding the bad ones
2. How to hunt for food on land – Building a trap
3. How to hunt for food in water – Building a fishing tool and techniques for fishing
4. How to build a fire pit – Strategy for structuring rocks in a set location
5. How to start a fire – Finding kindling and using flint and steel
6. How to cook food with pots/pans – Techniques for stews
7. How to cook food directly on flame – Techniques with roasting
8. How to preserve food – Storage in different containers or cooking a certain way to remove moisture
9. Food shelf life – How long do foods last at certain temperatures and how to tell when food is not good to eat

Water

10. How to find water – Looking for places or signs for water sources
11. How to determine if water is good to drink – Looking at water sources and better understanding of the terrain or source
12. How to purify dirty water – Techniques to create makeshift filters or boiling and collecting steam

Shelter

13. How to stay warm – Techniques for warming up without tiring oneself, what to cover
14. How to stay cool – Techniques for desert hot areas with shading
15. What to do if you get wet – How to dry things and stay dry to prevent diseases
16. How to tie a strong knot (adjustable hitches and bowline) – Standard boy scouts knots and when to use them
17. How to find a good place to set up camp – Where is best to avoid flooding or dangerous animals
18. How to build a simple shelter – Depending on available resources. If I have a tarp, it may also be useful to learn to set it up correctly
19. How to store food overnight – Tie up food and store it away from camp to prevent bears

Resourcefulness

20. How to clean and dress a wound – Depending on the wound, it makes sense to take a first aid class or learn enough to diagnose and prevent blood loss or infections
21. How to be resourceful – Multiple uses for different everyday items
22. How to pack an emergency bag – If there were an emergency, what bag should I grab and go from my apartment and what’s packed inside?
23. How to read the weather from clouds, animals, and humidity – Good to see the signs and prepare early. Learn some cloud formations.
24. How to tell directions without a compass – I remember a few tricks with watch hands pointing at the sun
25. How to build a weapon – Either a spear or tying a knife to a stick
26. How to properly attack and defend with a knife – I really like Krav Maga style of knife holding and strikes
27. How to make rope – This might just be fun to learn how to do
28. How to identify poisonous plants – I doubt I’ll be an expert, but a few rhymes and pictures can go a long way
29. How to create a distress signal – Sending out a radio signal or physically creating something to call for help
30. How to survive without a phone – This is currently a 30 day challenge for < 30 minutes of phone time in a day. I think I can form better habits around relying less on my device.

~See Lemons Survive