Part II - Survive With a Fighting Chance - Plan, Prepare, Be Ready

Posted on November 2, 2007
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Survival planning is facing a reality that something could happen that would put you in a survival situation. Therefore, it is very important that you prepare and plan for survival.

Survival planning can be something as simple as ensuring that you have snow tires on your vehicle for the upcoming winter. It can also mean simply observing your surroundings in case an emergency situation arises. The observance of your immediate area, escape routes, people, nearby tools and anything else that would enhance your ability to survive is significant to survivability. Pay attention.

It is important to adopt the survival mentality. This goes against the grain of the culture and time that we live in, especially here in the United States. This country takes security for granted. Even after recent terrorist threats and attacks, the mentality has gone back to one of complacency and chosen ignorance.

A person with the survival mentality constantly combats the natural human desire to want to disregard danger due to the discomfort of thinking about it. This is foolish and stupid but very common.

A survivor is cut from a different cloth. His routine includes preparation, planning and constant awareness of his surroundings. He doesn’t necessarily lead a paranoid or uncomfortable life, he makes it a priority to maintain awareness.

Pay attention to those around you that have experienced combat, have been trained in survival and/or work in dangerous environments. The majority of these people are very attentive to their surroundings. It is important for their survival that they always observe what is going on around them.

Observing what is going on around you takes practice. There will be days that you are tired, weary or just plain beat down and do not want to think about anything. These days are fundamental for your survival training and growth. It is the hard days where we make the most improvement. On these days, force yourself to be aware. Fight the complacency and fatigue that confronts you.

What would happen if on one evening you are sitting in front of the TV with the family and suddenly your back door was kicked open and advancing into your living room advances an intruder wielding a handgun. Nobody in their right mind wants to think about a situation like this. Not only is your life being threatened, the lives of your loved ones are also at stake and in danger. This is where your survival preparedness kicks in or your lack of preparedness gets you or your loved one killed or hurt.

What do you do?

There are many theories on this. You’ll find that many theories are often based on an agenda or a fear. Many feel that retreat is necessary. Many feel that confronting a dangerous person with a weapon is wrong and should never be considered. Many believe it is wiser to allow the threat to have what he wants instead of confronting him. Let’s just be nice and maybe the bad guy will go away or even see the light and become a better person.

The above scenario is something you should plan for. This planning is critical for your survival in a situation as extreme as that. Is it likely that this would happen to you? No, it is not. But, what if it does? Are you prepared? You should be.

Preparedness is extremely important in confronting dangerous situations like the one I used as an example above. What do we need to do to prepare? Well, for example, in the above situation it would be extremely advantageous to have a handgun of your own in a concealed and safe location that you could retrieve in a situation like this.

Or, some background in the psychology of intruders would be handy. Do intruders that break into your home late at night with a handgun mean harm? I firmly believe that they would absolutely hurt you regardless of your level of cooperation. In my opinion, this is a life-threatening situation that requires lethal force to render. That is just my humble opinion.

Security is important for survival as well. If the backdoor was bolted and secured properly, you would have had more time to respond to this intruder’s attempted invasion. It would have taken longer to bust the door open giving you more time to respond. This response time would’ve allowed you to call 911, arm yourself and get your family to a safe location.

How many of you have ever gone to bed and forgot to lock the door or a window? This cannot ever be tolerated. That one simple mistake can cost you everything. You must, and I emphasize, MUST get home security right every single time. An intruder only has to get the break-in right once. And I assure you, he will.

Expect the worse, plan for a disaster, be ready for everything to go wrong, have a plan A, a plan B, a plan C and be ready for none of them to work. Plan and plan again and learn to adapt as you go. This is where preparedness and training go hand-in-hand. Allow survival to be the instinct that it already is.

Let’s talk about the survival kit.

The survival kit is your means of staying alive in an extreme situation. I personally, have one in my vehicle and one in my home. When I work, I also carry one in my duty bag.

Ensure that your survival kit container processes a few features. It should be waterproof, durable, contain a few compartments and it should be easy to carry or attach to your body.

What goes into a survival kit?

First aid items
Water purification tablets
Fire starting tools and equipment
Food procurement items
Shelter items
Signaling items

Let me give you some examples of these items. I would have things such as a lighter, waterproof matches, flint and steel, a metal match, snare wire, fishing hooks, fishing line, signaling mirror, compass, candles, a small lens, Oxytetracycline tablets for diarrhea and infection, bandages, water purification tablets, surgical blades, a solar blanket, condoms for water storage, chap stick, needle and thread, a knife, nylon cordage, energy bars, light sticks, flashlight and any other item that you would feel necessary to your survival.

I personally, would have a weapon in my survival kit or available nearby. You’re expected to obey the law of the land, so be careful in the manner and type of weapon that you add to your survival kit if you choose to do so. I cannot endorse breaking the law, but I do emphasize the necessity for you to be prepared to survive.

Stay alive.

~ Cole

Kershaw Military Boot Knife

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Comments

3 Responses to “Part II - Survive With a Fighting Chance - Plan, Prepare, Be Ready”

Bob on November 9th, 2007 9:36 pm

Good advice Cole. It reminds me to get that wooden rod to put in my sliding glass door. I also have strategically placed bats near the entrances and in the bedroom.
Tibet on May 6th, 2008 11:04 pm

I am thinking about buying this folding eagle claw bayonet knife from this website. I would like to know if anyone has heard of this company before or seen this knife before. The knife looks like it is made very well but I would like to find someone who may already have it to tell me more about it. I would also like to know how to find out if this LDU Company is trustworthy. Their website is http://www.LDUcompany.com , If anyone has bought them before please let me know.
Cole on May 31st, 2008 5:33 pm

Never heard of them. It looks like cheap stuff to me. Now, I’m not knocking cheap knives. They are nice to have around and to be honest, I’ve got a drawer full.