SHTF Urban Survival Strategies For The Beginning Prepper

For those considering becoming a prepper, or at least becoming more well prepared for a natural disaster, terror attack or any other catastrophe, there are a few things that are obviously first on the agenda. It's critical to keep first things first, because otherwise, a person who is learning how to be a prepper can quickly get overwhelmed.

Most people learning how to be a prepper make a few common mistakes that end up costing them a lot of money and a lot of time. However, a little education goes a long way to shortening the learning curve and helping you get off on the right foot.

The first thing to do is not worry so much about guns and ammunition. If you have the means to protect yourself, then you needn't go hog-wild buying all sorts of assault rifles and tactical gear. Those things are fun and may very well make us feel safer, but they are really just toys unless you have your priorities straight.

The first priority must always be clean drinking water. For a city dweller who has never had a second thought about turning on the tap and drinking to his heart's content, this statement is probably sounding crazy. However, if the power grid goes down, the pumps at the water plants will not be able to supply your tap.

Far more important than even food, going without clean drinking water for 3 days can spell the end of you. And what commonly happens in urban "SHTF" (Sewage Hits the Fan) scenarios is that when the water goes out, sanitation suffers and cholera can break out.

If you give in to the temptation to get your water from a local river or other ground source in times like that, you risk cholera, which can literally kill you inside of one day with horrendous abdominal cramps and "explosive diarrhea."

So, if you haven't looked into securing a 2-3 week supply of clean drinking water, through either storage or a capability to purify it, then you are wasting your time stockpiling guns and ammunition. The reason: someone can just take them when you collapse.

After water comes food - and stockpiling expensive freeze-dried survival food or MRE's is a money wasting newbie mistake. While these foods have their place, they should not be the mainstay of your food storage plan.

So, there is a lot to learn. Begin by taking a good, hard look at securing a clean drinking water supply and then turn your attention to food. Neither of these is as glamorous as guns and camouflage tactical gear, but they will save your life.