These days most camping outings and RV trips are taken in the comfort of knowing you are going on a safe, temporary vacation. However, what happens when your one week outing becomes a trip befuddled in an emergency situation? Will you have food and supplies for surviving until help finds you? Here we provide an introduction to what should be packed in order to do better in short-term emergencies, so you won't resort to eating bugs for dinner - at least for a while!
An extended survival scenario in the wild will sound like something from a fiction story. However, imagine when you are stuck out in the wilderness with your family. Do you wish you had prepared better then? Movies will also make parodies of people trying to survive "on their own." There has even been a children's book series about kids that survive by living in an abandoned train car. Of course, in real life, the best way to avoid disaster is to not get into unnecessary situations, especially without a backup plan. This applies to camping and RV trips as well. Obviously, the last thing you want is an emergency on your family vacation, but if you're going down, it is better to have your emergency remembered as a heroic non-fiction story of survival!
There are some extended emergency preparation steps you can take before going on a trip in the wilderness. You should tell a neighbor and friends your anticipated schedule. That way, someone will be aware and can sense if things go awry on your trip. Damian Campbell, a survival expert, suggests you should also pack a list of essential items in order to survive an extended emergency situation. If you are going camping in an RV, you may need to store these items, particularly foodstuffs, securely to avoid attracting bears, etc.
According to Damian, psychology is the most important asset you can own in an emergency situation. This is because the ability to be level headed is necessary for sound decision making. Thus, when you know you own most of these items needed to survive short-term and medium-term emergencies, you will "feel safer" for at least a couple days. This is enough to create an action plan for foraging, and living off the land, etc.
3 Basics for life
Remember that humans need food, shelter and water. There are basic elements to get by with shelter, like having a warm environment. This can be created using materials like blankets and insulated clothing. If you are in an RV, for example, and you have been isolated and your power supply is running low, just take out the blankets and warm clothing. You need to be able to adapt to your environment in a moment's notice. That is why some people wear layers- they have learned that it is easier to change their clothing than to try to change the environmental temperature of where they are staying. Most RVs don't have very good insulation and the environment can get cold quickly.
Next, you need water. You should have some cases of bottled water in your RV to begin a long trip with. You may wish to arrange it so you have at least a week's supply for everyone in your traveling party (your family). Of course, this may not be enough. An emergency situation might require you to create potable water as well. This can be done with commercially available water treatment systems. Some may be very simple, such as by adding a sanitizing tablet. There are other elaborate systems available, with carbon activated filters, etc. Obviously, you should plan for your whole family. Damian Campbell recommends having a water purifier as a non-food essential item in your emergency kit. If there are natural water sources nearby, you can use your filters to create potable water. Finally, as a last resort or a supplemental factor, Damian Campbell also teaches how to make rainwater catching systems from emergency supplies. This is truly living off the land and more importantly, will free you psychologically from fear of running out of water. Free at last!
Finally, there is the issue of food for survival. Emergency food supplies will help you survive for some time without the hassle of trying to live off the land. If you're not used to that type of living, it will be difficult to adjust to. Of course, when you are hungry you will be fine eating the bug that you wouldn't want to touch normally, it's just the truth of human food survival. Obviously, it would be better if you had prepared ahead of time. It may be wise to pack light dry foods that are nutritious, such as beef jerky and nuts. This is camping food already and if you just stocked up on more of these supplies, you can have peace of mind. Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite (easy for you to say, as your unprepared rival neighbors are chowing down on bug grub-yum.)
Short-term emergencies require different preparation than long-term preparation, so in an RV trip your destination will make a difference. Lists are meant to be guides, and you should learn to think on your feet when packing supplies. For example, if you are traveling in a desert area, you may need more water. Remember that common sense is a gift in emergency situations, and staying level heading is a great skill. Knowing the situation is partially under control is greatly enhanced if your RV kitchen pantry is not similar to a sold out after emergency. Here you are literally buying for time and for sanity, so you can focus on finding help.
One of the biggest mistakes someone can make is to not be prepared for an emergency like food shortage. Be ready for any disaster and visit Damian Campbell
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