City Life Survival Skills

Survival skills are not just for the great outdoors. There are times when people also need to survive in a city environment. Major events like a terrorist attack could cause panic and disruption of basic services, or a blackout could cut power to millions of homes. In many cases these situations would last only for a short period of time, but it's always good to be prepared in case of a catastrophic event that could halt running water and electricity for any length of time.

Preparation

• Preparing for a major event such as an earthquake or economic collapse can increase your chances of survival. Stock up on food and store food in more than one place. Buy prepared meals that can last up to 30 years. Buy water filtration kits in case you are ever left with no running water. Water can be filtered from nearby rivers or streams. You can also find water inside cactus if you live near desert environments.

  Food and water are essential to you and your family's survival. Invest in trees that produce food like lemon trees, orange trees and apple trees. Fill your backyard with food-producing plants and create a garden. Eat from your garden regularly and keep it well-maintained. Learn all you can about gardening and stock up on survival seed packs just in case.

  People who live in the city should not leave their homes if people are looting and violence is widespread. Keep your family indoors and live off your own land for as long as possible. Protect your family by carrying a firearm. If you have never used a rifle, take classes and follow proper safety procedures. Keep your gun away from children.

  Develop an emergency plan and go over the details of the plan twice or more each year. Your children should know what to do in the event of an emergency. A plan outlines where to meet if something major happens and how to find each other if you were in separate places during a major event. If the house is still standing, this should be the first place children go. They should know how to read a map and get to the house. Kids and teens should memorize their home phone number and address. However, if something more serious happens like an earthquake while your child is at school, advise your kids to stay with the teacher or police department if they come on scene. Stress the fact that your kids should never separate from the group unless they are forced to. Siblings need to stick together and follow the rules of the accompanying adult.

Fighting Skills

• You may not need fighting skills if you are trying to survive in the woods, but if you are trying to survive in the city after a major event, there might be quite a few times when you need to fight off people who want to harm you and your family. Invest in karate and other survival fighting classes. Everyone in your family should know how to defend themselves even if they have no weapons to assist them.

Stranded

• If you find that you or your family is ever stranded in the middle of the city at night, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First of all, avoid dark corners or alley areas. Go to a public place where there are other people eating or dining, such as the mall or restaurant. If your car breaks down in a bad neighborhood, keep your entire family in the car and lock all the doors. Call for help on your cell phone.

  Store a stun gun underneath your seat for extra protection. If anyone approaches your car that looks suspicious, call 911 right away. Sometimes you will need to make a judgment based on whether you think the person coming to you is trying to help you or take something from you. When in doubt, tell him you already called for help. Do not open your car door and only crack the window slightly to communicate.