If a SHTF scenario were to happen tomorrow, how prepared would you be? Whether from widespread economic and political disturbances, EMPs, or some other chaotic event, how long could you survive without a stockpile of water, food, and basic supplies?
If you find yourself unprepared when a crisis strikes, it’s important not to panic. There are a few important survival rules to remember that will help keep your head clear and your priorities straight in a SHTF emergency — one of these is the “Rule of 3s”.
According to the rule of 3’s, the average person can survive three minutes without breathable air, three hours in extreme heat or cold, three days without water, and three weeks without food. Remembering important survival rules like these can help you create a last-minute emergency plan to fit your survival needs.
Related: $100 Walmart Bug Out Bag
Even for those who do not have a bug-out bag or stockpile set aside for emergencies, the following pieces of advice may give you a better chance at surviving a SHTF crisis.
Shelter / Protection From Elements
The first thing you will need to decide in an SHTF crisis is whether you want to shelter in place or bug out. If your home is secure and relatively unaffected, sheltering in place may be the most familiar and safe option. Plus, there’s a good chance you have more valuable resources at home than you realize.
However, in the worst-case scenario, some people may be forced to seek out alternate shelters or hide until the worst is over. Of you must leave your home with no stockpile or bug-out bag, finding adequate shelter is of the highest importance. Your stockpile or bug-out bag would have likely contained a tarp for building a shelter. However, since that’s no longer an option, it’s important to know how to build at least one type of simple survival shelter before SHTF happens.
A “lean-to” shelter is considered to be one of the easiest survival shelters to build. Lean-to shelters only require a “ledge” (like a large tree or rock) that is tall enough to stack branches, leaves, and other debris against to create a small sleeping structure.
Remember, keeping a low profile is crucial for survival as strangers may be attracted to your campsite. For this reason, it’s a good idea to seek out concealed areas with a lot of natural cover. Adopting a “leave no trace” or “hidden in plain sight” approach can help you maintain a defensive advantage. Avoid open areas with little cover. Additionally, deciding on a second camping location as a backup site is a smart way to ensure you’ll always have shelter when you need it.
Water
Water is the second thing you need to get squared away after deciding on your shelter. Ideally, your camp won’t be too far from a water source — However, even if you are near a water source, knowing how to clean and filter the water for use is critical for survival.
Still water sources like ponds and lakes have a higher probability of housing parasites, viruses, and other dangerous bacteria. So, if you have running water somewhere near your bug out site, consider yourself lucky! Still, even if you find water, how do you ensure it’s safe for drinking?
The best way to make sure you have clean drinkable water is to build your own water filter in under 30 minutes, using this guide and a few basic materials and tools.
Sanitation / Infection Prevention
When you have a shelter and water source secured, you may begin to feel some sense of security.
Unfortunately, you’re not quite out of the woods yet. Not having adequate first-aid, sanitation and waste management can very quickly lead to infection, sickness, and death.
I learned from here how to fight infections and many more life-threating conditions in times of crisis, when access to medical care is scarce.
Even if unsanitary living conditions don’t kill you right away, they can quickly attract pests, unwelcome guests, and other potential threats, especially if you’re bugging out in the great outdoors.
If you’re outdoors, it’s extremely important to keep all forms of human waste at least 200-300 feet (60 – 100 meters) from your campsite and water sources. Doing this can not only help prevent the risk of water contamination, but it can also help keep your location hidden from predators and strangers.
Trash
Whether you’re bugging out or sheltering in place, the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” becomes even more relevant when stuff hits the fan.
What was once considered refuse are now useful tools for survival. Glasses, bottles, plastic containers, and other rubbish can be used to filter water, cook, clean, build things with, and more.
Related: How to Repurpose Old Items Into New Projects for Your Backyard
Plus, if you don’t have a stockpile, you may be able to slowly assemble one with trash and discarded items found while foraging. While foraging for food, there’s always a chance you may find other useful items including first aid equipment, tools, and more.
Food/ Foraging skills
When sheltering in place, there’s a good chance you might already have some type of food available to eat where you are.
If you do, create an itemized list of the non-perishable food items you already have.
This way, you will be able to have a better idea of how to ration it.
Suppose you don’t have enough non-perishable food items in your pantry. In that case, you should be able to locate seasonally available edible plants, flowers, weeds, and roots growing.
Having a general working knowledge of the edible plants (and poisonous lookalikes) in your area is an important and practical survival skill.
Foraging isn’t just about finding food, but can be an opportunity to locate stockpile materials too. Things like rocks, sticks, and even trash left behind by other people can be used to your advantage.
However, as always, pay attention to your surroundings and weigh your risks. If there is a large debris area, you’ll want to assess how long ago people were there and whether or not you’d be placing yourself in danger by getting a closer look.
When trying to survive SHTF, it’s best to be prepared. Having a bug-out bag and stockpile is one of the best things you can do now to be ready for future emergencies.
However, if you find yourself unprepared, it’s important to stay calm, alert, and resourceful. If you follow the rule of 3s, don’t panic, and keep a positive outlook, you may be able to survive SHTF even without a stockpile.
You may also like:
Great Depression Foods We Will All Be Eating Again Soon
The First States That Will Go Down in a Crisis. Do You Live in the Red Zone? (Video)
Why You Should Get a Dog for When SHTF
No One is ready for the HELL that WILL be in your face…
God have mercy
stay sharp
Eat beans and fart bullets at your enemies coming across Biden’s hell hole open border.
Build the wall vote the bad people out of political office while you can before the illegals get to vote and no more free elections happen in Biden’s world.
Hell is coming. The enemy that has taken many governments the world over has tested everything in their plan real world.
*Space lasers to start fires up and down the coast and in Maui.
*Closing as many farms as possible worldwide
*Destabilizing supply chains worldwide
*Bioweapon attack in the guise of “gain of function research”
*Genetic destruction of our cells in the guise of a vaccine
*Manipulation of Weather and Earthquakes
*Mass migration of immigrants from warring factions
*Destruction of our monetary system and economy
*Taxing us beyond affordability
*15 Minute Cities
*Taking away gas powered vehicles
*Attacking our constitutional rights
*The list goes on, I’m tired of typing.
All world governments including the USA are using weather geoengineering to cause the world’s weather patterns to cause chaos in our lives daily. Mother Nature and God are not happy with the evil of the antichrist, earth is the devil’s playground.
God with clean the earth in his own timetable, we will not now the time when.
Keep the faith as we will be rewarded in these hard times.
Trump, border security of America and drilling for oil. Climate change, green energy, EV’s are plain garbage. Oil, gold and silver will get America back on track and praise God for America!
Correction; God will clean the earth in his own timetable, we will not know the time when he does.
Is it really SHTF? What is SHTF to the common man? Have we used the term SHTF as a generic catch all phrase in modern times? Who coined the phrase SHTF?
Why should we be afraid, if we believe in God, is that enough to get us through in the SHTF?
What really is hell, many philosophers have written about it?
Organized religions, the enforcers of the religious beliefs and the political legal system made up of men of human kind have crippled our true spiritual wealth.
God will help the true believer regardless of the hand of man’s written bible full of controversial confusion information the elites have to control the people of earth.
We will know the truth in the end times when God comes to save us from the evil of earth. He will consume the earth in fire, purify it in a renewal of hope and the final plan God has in mind for us believers.
The environmentalist and the wealthy want us to save water, electricity, oil as a greenhouse gas polluter or even worse an EV that hurts mother earth. There are no used car sales for EV’s as a replacement battery costs more than the used EV is worth replacing.
This EV and green energy is a scam by China’s CCP and the bribed bureaucrats that have been paid off as puppets to destroy America.
The cease fire in GAZA is a big mistake as Biden supports funding Iran and telling Israel to not wipe out the terrorist in GAZA.
Free the Jan 6th political prisoners and jail the antifa and BLM protestors that burned, looted and murdered innocents in billions of dollars.
Also sue the pants off the retiring politicians and pentagon officials that left the Afghanistan Withdrawal in shambles. Along with billions of dollars worth of military weapons now in the hands of terrorist coming across our open borders.
MAGA and God bless America, land of the free, home of the brave.
How about Dearborn Michigan eradicable terrorists wanting a Jihad on America supporting the October 7th Israel attack? They have a population that hates American and supports Hamas and Hezbollah, their population grows!
When the illegals build up their terror cells from all terror countries that hate America on our soil we are doomed. That will be hell that white socialist indoctrinated males and females have been lied to. Especially these white ignorant spoiled females who vote for people like the Squad and Biden from the blue sanctuary states of divided Obama-Biden division of America.
That is the true hell no American was prepared for.
Vote for Trump, close the border, build the wall, drill for oil, pray to God!
We got too many bible thumpers off in the wrong direction thinking about bible verses will save, lip service. The greatest generation also put action behind those words not inaction.
This 2024 presidential election is for the battle of patriotic Americans to take back their sovereign nation from political and in religious name only thugs that are destroying our America!
I have seen the golden white light of truth, justice and the American way!
These American haters and illegals must be deported soon or we will never recover to MAGA again!
God bless us!
SHTF is a gamble no one in these current times has really suffered as our grandparents did in the Great Depression that the young population born in the 21st century can relate to. Just as the Black and Democratic plantation owners of the south can relate to. But only be lead by Marxist who dredged up the past wounds laid to rest by Dr Martin Luther King of his dream and hope.
Obama the first divider in chief president that Biden is continuing under the support of Obama guiding our God given nation back to a civil war, Marxist want.
Also remember the 3 Bs of survival. Bible, Bullets and Beans.
God, Guns and Guts built America, wussy politicians are destroying America.
“Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”
Very very well said. Grandma olsen…
Red ant, I’m saying the same as you are in your beginning post as from another view point that is all the same.
Don’t get get your tighty whities up in a bunch for other opinions.
God bless us all.
Grammar olsen
We are not saying the same.
Bullets, beans and band aids.
Rule : one day at a time , little steps for success , and always looking forward
never let fear and regret subdue you , always keep you focus on the goal , not the failures
little bits keep you on the right track
even if not prepared or not ready
Time does not stand still , always moving forward and Made for Mankind , God is Eternal and always forgiving and pateiently wait s for those who will give Him back his place in thier life
Let God Be God , and you will follow the path of Good, Right , Happy living
Consequence is in everything , and dont believe the media, social failure networks who lie, cheet , steal , and are always looking for followers , not success , afirmation to keep doing thier own thing, with out God , and removing anything and anyone who gives God full place in thier life .
Remember there is never shame in being alone and seeking peace , safety, protection from God , and by God
God is Just , Not Fair , Disciplined , not accepting of evil , and loving so you always have a way out of your consequence thru HIM , God , Jesus Christ the way , the truth , the life
John 14: all of chapter , 1peter all , 1,2,3, John All
All the bible quotes will not get us to heaven anymore than voting again for Biden and company. God protects those who do , action . Do Americans talk the talk , but really do they walk the walk ?
Time to kick the pedo’s in the a*s , beat the criminals in the streets that do smash and grabs before the DA’s let the scum back out to steal another $900 bucks again . Turn your illegal neighbor into ICE or bury them up to their heads in a dog park , let the dogs pee on them .
Take back our God given rights of America .
Otherwise these illegals will do the same to us, once they have a huge population to overthrow us Americans . Fair is fair , our loony left government is turning American taxpayers into the new plantation slaves the Demoncrats did back in the civil war days .
God bless us Americans for doing the right thing .
You day SHTF, I know what it means but what are you talking about specifically??
SHTF is plain and simple a total crap shoot at best. Some will live and some will die. After the prep stored food foods are gone and the home gardens are destroyed by crop failure, bug infestation, weather and the two legged looters that steal stuff. The ammo is running low as the hoards make their last final push to take our last bit of food. We can thank our fearless leaders who gave away our farmlands and food processing meat companies to the Chinese. We can also thank those UN vegans for destroying our quality of life by restricting cattle ranches, dairy farms and plain meat and potatoes diet we have lived by.
We are looking toward WWIII with China Joe, Let’s Go Brandon as the mainstream media uses misdirection of the truth. The military is hollowed out by getting rid of true patriots and replacing them with weak tranny males who can’t compete against their own kind in real sports competition.
God is laughing at us as America is turning it’s political back on Israel, just like repeating the past history of WWII.
Those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat history, the bad stuff.
God is not laughing. He has given words through prophets and they are coming true every day. People laugh at God. God will not be mocked. People are wringing their hands today believing all manner of events are going to happen because of the eclipse. They are too uneducated to know this happens somewhere on the planet every 18 months. I was part of many different venues as a Chaplain before I went deaf and had to resign or step back. I saw this morning a report on the news to which I sent this to many people.
A convict of Harris county was outsourced to Louisiana and died there. The prison populations are growing exponentially. No matter how many trillions of dollars get thrown at this problem it still goes back to the home. If there is a stable home environment more than likely there won’t be troubled kids. There are but nothing in the realm of today. To me this goes back to the very basic thing of learning the 10 Commandments. 1963 when prayer was removed from school, the crime rate went along with the population growth rate. 1964, 1965 FBI stats show violent crime, teen pregnancy, murder, crimes in general went up sometimes 500%. It stays that way and is growing even more. People always want to look at church, statistics and the proof is in this study and in that study. The proof in this is God it was removed from the homes as well as the school. Until people have some kind of an epiphany they need to get back to the ways of God and not the church things will continue to get worse. Many of the mainstream doctrines are DEI, race baiters and do not preach from the Bible but from the newspaper. Comments like the church needs to keep up with the times? That is exactly wrong. God does not come to you on your terms. You come to God on His terms. I had a confrontation last October at a Methodist Church where they had a fall fest pumpkin patch.
I had my granddaughters with me, and as I was coming across the parking lot, there were two boys kissing. I turned my granddaughters away, and my wife walked off with them looking at me kind of funny because she could see I was angry. The woman preacher was standing right there. Several parents were standing right there. I walked up and said this disgusting. A church parking lot and you’re allowing homosexual activity? What’s wrong with you. Somebody said to me, I needed to walk away and I said which part of homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom do you not understand? They looked at me like they had never heard that . I said Galatians chapter 5 is very clear homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. You standing here, especially you who is in defiance of God to be a preacher are pointing the way to them to have any eternity in hell. One man looked at me and said, does that really say that? Galatians chapter 5 gives you a whole list. I didn’t write it. I’m just repeating it and I don’t want my granddaughters influenced by these two that you are turning a blind eye too. One boy got up and stomped off the other one look like he got scared. The woman pastor was purple turning maroon she was so mad. I said first Peter says directly women do not teach or preach men. I looked at the people and they are staring at me. They had never heard this. This is what’s wrong with church today. No wonder people are like they are they pack up and go to church and hear nothing. Traditions. False teaching. And we expect better of our kids when they’re allowed to do anything they want according to the church? I know this is a very hated person, but this is a comment that is quite typical. Jane Fonda said that she’s a Christian feminist. Brandi Carlile said she is a Christian lesbian activist. It doesn’t work that way. You don’t get God on your terms.
Nancy Pelosi’s famous quote. You don’t need God you have us Democrats.
How is God not being front and center working out for this country? The last 60 years has been trying their best to kill Him. Doesn’t seem to be working out very well and the swelling prison population shows that.
We all can be prepared as much as possible but the main thing is having your soul prepared.
YOUR JOKING, RIGHT, PLEASE GET INFORMED, STAY INFORMED AND BE PREPARED, BECAUSE TIME HAS RUN OUT AND IT WONT BE LONG, START A SINCERE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, PLEASE, NEVER PANIC IN ANY SITUATION,
Every time we Americans get into a crisis bind we quote scriptures and fear monger the unbelievers as the other side does the same thing.
Lets get a grip on reality and truth of the relationship of God and man. Stop these evangelistic bible thumpers we see on TV media flying around in their corporate jets, jewelry, mansions and beg for our money. How many of your local minsters and priests have done the same? This current pope in charge is a socialist, slightly evil.
They are just as bad as those TV commercials that beg for money for only $19.00 dollars you can help us, or save just one is all worthwhile.
Do not be deceived by the scripture quote and the trolls, they don’t represent us. God knows the sinners, the sheep and the sheepdogs from the wolves, ask God for truth.
So who are you complaining about who on this posted article or the commentators?
Good info, great read. Thanks for the link Claude, keep them coming!!
Couch potatoes, regardless of age, won’t survive long term (depending on others to wait on them hand and foot will end in a bugout situation). The elderly aren’t able to bugout. I can’t imagine most of the truly disabled being able to bugout. People who have to depend on mortality meds and life-sustaining equipment won’t be able to bugout. Pretty much only the abled bodied will be able to bugout. A SHTF will cause mass deaths.
Alas Murphy’s law always applies. A wrong turn, vehicle failure or accident, severe weather…ect. A shtf moment or situation can and does happen often. It’s always what you carry inside that you apply to deliver your selves. We have one savior, one provider, one creator “Jesus Christ “. Hide the”Word” in your heart. Look for the way where there is none…provision is part of “His” promise. The path is there, less traveled, yet still visible when you study on it.
Many genuine Christians die at the hands of evil.
I wish people would stop placing their faith in these politicians thinking they are the solution to local and world problems. Trump doesn’t give a crap about anyone just as much as Biden! They’re all a bunch of actors playing a part in an orchestrated role of dividing us and frothing you all up with the rhetoric. If and when the SHTF those same so called “saviors” will be somewhere very safe with their cronies living it up while we’re dealing with it all and fending for ourselves. There is nothing whole about division. ..dumbacrat, retardican, idiotpendent…get off the hamster wheel!
The saying is that god will work with you, not for you. Because we’re in the physical plane it’s still up to us to do the work.
I really don’t think it’s possible to survive an extended SHTF without SOME kind of stockpile. If you’re planning to bug out a lot of other people are going to have the same idea and then the competition for finite resources will be fierce.