Prepping 101: The Survival Triangle

Today I would like to introduce you basic prepping principles starting with the survival triangle, I don't know who invented the original "survival triangle" I suspect it was adapted from an old military manual and has evolved from there. As you can see in the image it's pretty straight forward. There are three essentials in life that we need to survive whether it be in a SHTF or not.
Food/Water is the obvious first. The human body can survive (on average) 3 minutes without oxygen, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food. (This is called the rule of 3) Now consider that the average grocery store only has 3-4 days worth of inventory on its selves on any given day. In the modern world we follow JIT (Just In Time) inventory which is a complicated web of technology and logistics. The computer in the stores sends a message back to the home office saying that the registers has sold x number of "stuff". A message is then sent to the distribution center and a work order is produced to pull more "stuff" and load it on a truck. The "stuff" is then sent it to the originating store and the store shelves are stocked to full again. It's perfect! Well, almost perfect. In the event of a disaster there is no back inventory to put on shelves in case of a run on a certain product. This is why people who prep keep food stocked in their own home. Because when the authorities get on the TV/radio and say "A blizzard is coming, we are shutting down the interstate." the prepper is already thinking of how there is already enough food stored to hold them over. Thus avoiding the danger in not having enough or even being caught on dangerous roads.

Shelter is perhaps the most over looked of the three main essentials. You have your house, condo, or apartment so you're good right? As long as the rent is paid or the mortgage is up to date no problems. Well have you considered the "what ifs"? Lets start with the big one, electricity. If you are like me and live in an apartment (Get out soon!) you more than likely have electric heat, I do. Now if the electric goes out what's your back up heat source? Do you have camp heater or something you can use inside? If you own your own home what about a generator? Do you have enough fuel for it stored to keep your house heated? Is your home protected from possible break-in? Is your shelter really a shelter or is where all your stuff is and you sleep there at night?

Protection is the most important of the three. Why you might ask? When SHTF for more than a few days impending WROL is always present. During Hurricane Katrina a person dialed 911 and reported that his neighbors house was being robbed. The operator told him there was nothing they could do, there was no one to send. Now imagine that was you. Only once the gang of thieves gets done with your neighbors house they start eyeing yours, the police aren't coming and there is no one coming to save you. What are you going to do? The answer is simple give up you possessions and maybe your life or defend you and yours. So, can you shoot a gun? Can you strip that gun and clean it? Do you have ammunition stored up for it, because I promise you that is first thing after food to go off the shelves when the sheople start feeling insecure. If you have a gun, is it a powerful enough one to stop someone in the first shot? If it's semi-auto how many mags do you have? The difference in a shootout might be who can keep shooting the longest.

Energy. While this isn't essential it deserves honorable mention. Consider all the things in your life that run on electric or gas. If those get turned off do you have a back up plan for the refrigerator? Or to power your TV/Radio to hear those messages telling you to take cover before a storm hits? Things to consider.

I plan to cover all these topics in further detail in the coming weeks. And more importantly start showing somethings you can actually start doing to prepare for emergency.

*Note: Special thanks to TJ for the graphic.