The Rule of Threes/Survival Preparation
Most people don’t prepare for an emergency because they don’t know what to get. One standard mantra that gets repeated often in our household is the rule of threes. The Survival Rule of Threes is a convenient way of memorizing the order of importance for each basic survival necessity. In extreme survival situations you cannot survive more than:
3 minutes without air
3 hours without shelter
3 days without water
3 weeks without food
Survival and disaster preparedness is usually pretty much a do it yourself skill if done right. We have a backpack and a kit for each of our cars that is stocked for emergencies. By making an emergency survival kit you can tailor it to your own specific needs. A word to the wise- don’t pilfer from the bag unless it’s an emergency. If you have spare time, take a class in emergency first aid, especially CPR training. Our survival packs consist of:
1. First aid kit
2. Leather gloves, weatherproof
3. Water
4. Pocket knife
5. Windproof lighter and waterproof matches
6. Rain poncho
7. Military MRE (Meals Ready to Eat)
8. Wool Cap
9. Flashlight
10. Energy bars or Gu
11. Space Blanket
The kits that are kept in our vehicles are a little more condensed, housed in a ½ liter lidded pot. Without a pot, it is difficult to purify water by boiling it, or melt snow if you are caught in the Sierras. Fill nooks and crannies with as much tinder as you can cram inside. If you need a fire there is a good chance it will be during an emergency, and having warm hands and being able to see what you are doing is key.
