When most people think of survival in a “crap-hits-the-fan” kind of situation, they tend to conjure up images in their mind’s eye of an underground bunker of some kind stuffed to the gills with all kinds of canned goods, dry food, weapons and ammo, tools, and on the list goes. And while stockpiling material items is absolutely essential, developing a survivalist mindset is also critical. Many people neglect that aspect of disaster preparation and it can come with deadly consequences.
Fortunately, The Survival Rule of 3s can help prevent that from happening and help you prepare mentally as well as physically for the day it all goes south.
The Survival Rule of 3s is all about prioritization, which, when you’re in the middle of a horrific disaster, can become all jumbled up due to panic. However, having your priorities straight will give you something to fall back on when fear and anxiety are threatening to cover you in brain fog.
According to Urban Survival Site, the Survival Rule of 3s Says that you can live:
- 3 minutes without AIR.
- 3 hours without SHELTER.
- 3 days without WATER.
- 3 weeks without FOOD.
- 3 months without HOPE.
A good example of the kind of situation where this rule comes in handy is being lost in the wilderness. Let’s say you are going on a long hike in the woods or on a camping trip and you wander off the path and can’t find your way back. It could be hours before your found. Or days. Even weeks. You might have a fundamental understanding of the kinds of berries and things in the woods that you can munch on to stave off hunger, but what about when the weather turns for the worse or the temperature drops?
Hypothermia is a serious concern when you’re lost in the elements. If the temperature happens to dip into the 40s or lower, that’s when you’re at the most risk for developing hypothermia. There’s also dehydration to worry about. You’ll start to feel sick to your stomach, get a headache, find eating difficult, or not have the necessary energy to forage for food.
This can be avoided by following the Rule of 3’s. The first thing you should do is build a shelter to protect yourself from the wind and rain. Next, you should build a fire so you can keep yourself warm. After that, you’ll need to find a source of clean water, or find a way to purify the water you have (you could boil the water with the fire you built). After all this, then you can start searching for food. Of course, this rule applies more to wilderness survival situations, but it is also worth considering if you’re going to survive in place in an urban disaster. You could call it the Urban Survival Rule of Threes. When preparing for an emergency in the city, consider how these rules affect your preps.
If the air is contaminated, you’ll need a gas mask.You’ll want to secure your home by reinforcing your doors and putting bars on your windows. If you really want to secure your shelter, stock up on bullets and guns. Also, ask yourself how you’re going to heat your home. Next, you should concentrate on water storage and water purification.
And finally, what about hope? This is just something I added so of course, 3 months isn’t exact. I just think it’s important to get some encouraging books, games or instruments–anything to keep yourself sane.
Most folks really don’t think about this last one. Human beings are not merely physical, but also psychological and spiritual. We need to take care of our mental health just as much as we do our bodies. If this is neglected and your psyche cracks from all of the stress of a survival situation, you could lose the will to survive. The cost could be your life.
Preparedness is just as mental as physical, never let that fall to the wayside.
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