Top Ten Survival List

Be prepared if the grid goes down, the lights go out, or we enter a time of WROL (Without Rule Of Law).  One way to consider building your survival kit is to keep in mind the "Rule of 3's."  That is you can go three minutes without air; three hours in harsh environmental conditions and exposure; three days without water; and three weeks without food.  This list is built with the idea of being able to survive for the first 72 hours of disaster.  Here is one version of a top ten list...

1. First Aid - lots of ways to put this together.
2. Water - a good, inexpensive method is five-gallon containers from Wal-Mart.
3. Food - can food or freeze dried or ... - stick with the types of things you already eat.
4. Emergency radio - helps you to know what's going on around you.  Get something quality that can run on hand-cranking and/or AA batteries.
5. Flashlight - couple of quality lights.  AA and AAA are probably best since the batteries are readily available.
6. Security - i.e. pistol.  Keep an extra magazine and at least 100 rounds of ammunition.
7. Cash - if electricity is out then credit cards will be useless.  $100 is optimal and keep the bills under $20.
8. Fire starter - lighter, fire steel, water proof matches, tinder.
9. Fixed blade knife - get a good quality one.  Multiple uses: cutting, prying, self-defense, chopping...
10. Cooking - camp stove with gas.  From boiling water for purification to cooking food.

This is not an all-encompassing list, but rather one way of looking at the top ten things to consider when beginning to prepare yourself and your family for what may come.

~Rhyno