Be prepared: Time to upskill
Top 10 skills to master before the end of the world
In a world ravaged by calamity, the fabric of civilization frays, and the skills we once deemed hobbies become the currency of life itself. When the grid goes down, and society follows, your ability to adapt and survive is paramount. Preperation is key to survival, here are the ten essential skills to master, each a lifeline in the dance between life and death.
Water Purification: The Elixir of Survival
Water is life, water is your lifeline whether you going off camping in the woods or in a landscape parched by disaster, finding and purifying water transcends all. Learning to locate and purify water is paramount. You can chemically treat water with iodine or chlorine dioxide tablets, but boiling is the most reliable method. If you’re on the move without the means to boil, carry a portable filtration device like the LifeStraw, which can remove 99.99% of pathogens, chemical treatment, or filtration—is essential. Stockpile purification tablets as if they were treasure. And never underestimate the power of a good filter.
Rivers and streams are your most reliable sources, use local maps to find them, animal tracks are also a good indicator of water, The faster-moving water is better as it is less likely to have contaminants. A good rule of thumb is try and filter all debris through charcol, sand, pebbles, you can use a sock if you don’;t have anything to hand and then boil it.
Dew, wake at the crack of dawn and tie absorbent cloths around your ankles, walk through tall grass or foliage. The cloth easily becomes very wet, and you can then wring out the water, it’s surprising how much you can collect.
Food Foraging and Preservation
Study the plants that carpet the earth—some will nourish, others will deceive. Trapping and fishing must become second nature. Preserve what you can through smoking and salting—such skills can mean the difference between a feast and famine as the seasons turn.
Familiarizing yourself with local edible plants and practicing sustainable hunting and fishing. For preservation, learn to dry meats in the sun or over a fire. Preperation for your trip or stockpiling for the end is a good short to medium way of surviving, pick up canning—storing food in airtight containers and boiling them to kill off bacteria and seal the lids.
Learning the skills of the ancient world is handy to know. Here are some foods that never go off: Honey, Sugar, and Maple syrup. Dried beans and white rice have a shelf life of 30 years as long as they are kept dry and in air-tight containers.
Setting up home: Shelter Building
We all need a safe place, shut out the world hold up. Whether it’s a temporary lean-to or a more permanent cabin, being able to construct shelter from available materials can protect you from the elements. Prioritize insulation and safety to make your haven a home.
Understand the basics of creating shelters from natural materials, focusing on insulation and stability. Use tarps, branches, and leaves to construct protection from the elements.
Fire Making: The Flame of Hope
Fire is not just warmth—it’s the beacon that cuts through the darkest nights of the soul. You will need fire to keep warm and to cook with, it is also great for moral in desperate times. Master the spark without matches or lighters, although you should never leave home without a cheap disposable lighter. You can easily carry a flint and steel on you too, should you get stuck or seperated from the group this could be your saving grace. Get in touch with your paleolthic self and learn the ancient way of fire making.
The Fire Triangle: You need fuel, air and heat to start a fire without all 3 the fire goes out. Next you will need Tinder, Kindeling and fuel. Light the tinder, slowly feed it with the kindeling and then you can get to burning the fuel.
First Aid and Herbal Medicine
When pharmacies and doctors are not at hand, knowing how to treat injuries and illnesses is crucial. Basic first aid is crucial; complement it with knowledge of natural remedies. Learn to treat common injuries and ailments with both medical supplies and herbal concoctions. Of course keeping healthy and fit in the first instance should be your priority well before your trip or the end of days.
Self-Defense: The Art of Protection
The ability to defend oneself is no longer a choice but a primal necessity. People will want what you have, or you might have to defend against an alien force. Even if it is not the end othe world, if your on the trail and there is nobody around to help it is a good idea to know how to look after yourself, for there may come a time when a steady hand and a calm mind are your truested allies.
Train in basic self-defense or martial arts for personal security, learn how to throw a punch and escape basic holds. Boxing, Ju Jitsu, Muay Thai and Krav Maga are my choices for unarmemed combat as they are tried and tested for practicality and you don’t need to spend years learning it. It is also worth familiarising yourself with using knives, sticks or even guns. Kali [Eskrima] is my prefered choice for armed combat as they start with weapons from day one unlike other martial arts, and get yourself down the range to learn how to shoot.
Navigation: Charting Your Fate
In the aftermath, where road signs have fallen and satellites are silent, navigation and orienteering become your guiding stars. Master the map and compass; they are the tools that will chart the course of your destiny in the new wilderness.
Your ability to read the land, sky, and sea is vital to your survival, leading you through the unknown to safety.
In the wilderness of a world reshaped by catastrophe, the sun’s path remains a reliable indicator—rising in the east, setting in the west—alerting you to any deviation from your intended route. Familiarise yourself with the sky’s natural markers; at nightfall, seek out the North Star, Polaris, a constant in the northern skies that can anchor your sense of direction when all else is adrift.
Required: Map, Compass, How to guide
Knot Tying: The Bonds of Survival
Knots are the ties that bind the remnants of the world. Secure your shelters, lash your gear, set traps. Let each twist and loop be a testament to your resolve.
Master a variety of knots, which can be lifesaving, whether you’re securing a shelter, repairing gear, or setting a trap.
The most uselful knots to learn are:
• Sheet Bend – Joining rope together.
• Bowline – Adjustable knot for securing or anchoring your tarp to a tree or what ever.
• Siberian Hitch – Similar to the Bowline knot but is a quick release knot.
• Taut line Hitch – A neat adjustable knot that can get the tention just right for when you are securing you tent.
Mechanical and Engineering Basics
The ability to repair and create machinery—from generators to radios—can be the difference between thriving and merely surviving. Basic mechanical knowledge will be invaluable when technology fails
Acquire basic mechanical skills to repair essential equipment like water pumps or generators. Understanding simple electrical circuits can be very beneficial, not only that but you will have skills, skills which will make you valuable member of a group.
Communication
In a world stripped of modern tech, direct communication becomes our lifeline—vital for securing alliances, negotiating and bartering. Radio Communication is another form that will be indespansible carrying a satalite phone or Citizen’s Band radio (CB) a great way to contact scatterd surviors. It might also be worth looking into learning some Morse code and flag signals become silent sentinels of distant dialogue, essential for bridging and fortifying the bonds of a burgeoning community.
Mastering these skills not only boosts your personal survival odds but also enhances your ability to blend into a group. There’s power in numbers, and being part of a team is crucial. If you come equipped with valuable experience and skills, you’re more likely to be welcomed into a new group, and it could even elevate your position within it.