I’ve just come across several articles on the net that list the ten or fifteen or umpteen essential survival skills. Everyone has a different take on what is essential, depending on their personal preparedness planning. Someone planning an ‘urban’ hunker down is likely to need a different skill set than someone planning to get way back in the bush away from everything and everybody. There is also the issue of looking at what level of skill in each area you need to acquire, since some advanced skills require an advanced infrastructure to support them. So let’s look at a few of these skills with an eye to what is ‘essential’.
Medical - Traditionally, this is rated as one of the highest, if not the highest priority skill by many authors. I agree that you should get advanced First Aid training and whatever other medical training is available, but remember that there will be a limit to what you can accomplish in a severe crisis. Supplies will likely be limited, and equipment as well. I think that abundant manuals or not, most individuals cannot develop the sort of skill required for even moderately complex surgery. Remember as well that the infrastructure for caring for someone after a complex procedure or over the long term may not exist.
I believe that a good knowledge of basic modern techniques would be better complemented by adding traditional and alternative medicine, rather than knowledge of advanced medical techniques that you cannot support. You might be better off having learned some useful herbal lore for the long term rather than attempting to memorize the entire contents of an advanced surgery manual.
Martial - This covers a lot of ground, from personal self defense to knowledge of military weapons and tactics. I think a course of study in a personal self-defense martial art is worthwhile, as it provides physical and mental benefits beyond fighting skills. It really doesn’t matter what you study, as long as it has practical applications. Which is my way of saying choose to learn Krav Maga over fencing, or karate over Tai Chi (Yes, I do know that Tai Chi has a combat form. Never seen it taught in Manitoba).
As far as other military skills go, I think many authors over-emphasize the level you need. While it might be lots of fun to be roaring around in the bush learning small unit tactics with your buddies, is it a level of skill you really need to obtain? This is something you have to answer for yourself, but I believe knowledge of and practicing stealth, evasion, and camouflage techniques are to be preferred over knowing how to lead a squad in combat. My feeling is that if you are involved in a firefight, you’ve already screwed up. Not that you shouldn’t know how to extract yourself if it happens, but better you should not get into the situation in the first place.
Weapons - This is separate from martial skills because it isn’t necessarily military in focus. As far as firearms go, I believe you need a decent level of skill, but don’t get hung up if you can’t snipe someone at a mile range. Practice, but don’t obsess, there are a lot of skills to acquire besides pulling a trigger. Learn to handle everything you own, and how to care for each firearm.
It is also worthwhile to learn to use something that does not make a lot of noise or require hard to get ammunition. Skill with slingshots, bows, and other ‘primitive’ weapons can be a valuable addition to your talents.
Don’t waste your time with learning skills such as throwing knives or using a katana, unless of course you have an interest as a hobby. Knowledge of exotic weapons might qualify you as a top ranked mall ninja, but is unlikely to add much to your practical skill base.
Wilderness Survival - I have a hard time saying you can know too much in this area, as almost all of the skills and techniques can be transferred to almost any setting or scenario. Fire-making, navigation, water purification, plant identification, small animal trapping, learning to avoid things like hypothermia…well, the list just goes on and on. The beauty of this is that using most of these skills don’t require anything beyond very basic equipment, if any. Of course like anything, you can overdo. Knowing how to make a fire bow and having experience using it is fine, learning to make a mirror from a pop can using chocolate as a polishing compound is likely going too far.
Trades - almost any practical and traditional trade is valuable. Carpentry, plumbing, electrical or mechanical knowledge are good for you to know. You can save yourself money now, have a skill to barter later, and can provide you with an entertaining hobby. Don’t restrict yourself to ‘modern’ trades. Knowing how to weave, blacksmith, drive a team, or a hundred other ‘obsolete’ trades likely will be in high demand after a breakdown. Again, competence is required, not absolute mastery.
Gardening and animal husbandry - This should be part of everyone’s skill suite. Get good at growing at least a few things. You don’t need to be able grow prize winning cantaloupes, but if you can reliably get a crop of tomatoes, potatoes or beans, you’re ahead of the game. As for the animal husbandry, make it your business to raise something. Rabbits, chickens, goats, whatever you can do where you are. Raise something you like. You don’t have to duplicate Noah’s Ark, but having expertise with
at least one species is again getting you ahead of most folk.
Hunting and fishing - I have a bit of trouble with this, as the traditional methods in North American hunting often are energy intensive. Pushing deer out of thick brush is exhausting, for example. I believe you are better to use more passive methods like traps or snares (or nets). Otherwise, if you must pull the trigger or bowstring, do it with as little energy as possible.
Those are just a few areas, but there are dozens of others to think about. Food preparation and preservation; bartering, sewing…well the list goes on…
The point is, make an attempt to acquire a set of skills that are useful both now and in the future. Be aware that you likely can’t live long enough to become expert in all of the areas you’d like to be expert in, so don’t stress about it. Get to levels of skill that are practicable and practiced. Aim for competence in as many fields as you feel necessary, but remember it’s not necessary to be expert in all fields. And since learning should be enjoyable, try to have a little fun as you do so….
Let me know what skills you plan to learn...
Originally posted February 3. 2011 @ MPN
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