Why should you be preparing for long term survival? I get this question a lot, and there is only one answer.

Surviving long-term after a disaster will largely depend on how well prepared you are to handle the situation.

Having shelter, clean water, and food is crucial. But long-term survival also depends on how you take care of and manage your resources.

During a survival situation, you’ll most likely become isolated from society.

This is why many people prefer to store long-term food, water, and shelter supplies.

Emergency supplies require you to keep the items in special containers to protect them from moisture and heat.

The containers often come with instructions about how to use them.

These are the supplies you want to use during an emergency or long-term disaster situation.

Short term strategy

While supplies may seem like an easy thing to get you through a short-term disaster, there are a few things you need to consider.

First, you need to gather supplies to get you through in the short term and long term. 

Your short-term supplies should include things such as water, food, and medical supplies to start.

Next, you’ll need to store them in safe, dry, and airtight containers, especially long-term items. 

These should be stored somewhere that is accessible in case you need them, but not too accessible so that they spoil before you need them.

You should keep the short-term items that you regularly use in easy-to-carry containers, such as bags or backpacks. 

However, if a disaster causes you to go into quarantine, all of your supplies could become useless.

To prevent this, you should ensure that you can store as many supplies as possible in your emergency kit or bug-out bag.

Remember to keep the items in a sealed container, like a plastic bin or a waterproof bag. 

It may feel awkward at first, but learning to store supplies in this manner will become second nature.

This is especially useful in crises where you end up with limited access to the outside world.

Things to remember when storing supplies

There are four essential things that you should think about when storing food and medical supplies:

1. expiration dates
2. contamination
3. spoilage
4. waste management

Products like flour, milk, and meat have a shelf life. However, these products spoil quickly once opened and should be consumed within a certain timeframe.

Foods such as cheese or eggs do not spoil but can become contaminated with microorganisms or pathogens that can make you sick, so regularly inspect your supplies.

Spoiled food can cause various illnesses, from vomiting and diarrhea to stomach cramps and fevers.

Some foods can even cause infections throughout the body.

Four priorities for preparing for long term survival 

The wildly unpredictable nature of life must have your priorities set.

You must prepare for every scenario you might encounter during your life.

Preparing for long-term survival refers to being prepared for whatever might occur over a relatively long period of time.

Those four things are:

• shelter to be safe from weather
• need for water to sustain life
• the need for sanitation and personal hygiene to avoid getting sick
• and the need to manage waste to prevent contamination.

These are important tips that will guide you in your long-term survival plan.

Keep in mind there is always a solution to every problem.

Conquering the difficulties that you may encounter is the key to success.

Keep supplies safe from elements

Long-term supplies to set aside for safety from the elements should be waterproof.

These supplies are meant to protect against damage caused by water, including mold, mildew, and rust.

Rubber bins, storage containers, and plastic storage tubs are commonly used for outdoor use.

However, you can also use plastic bins and containers inside your home or emergency shelter.

You want to make sure these containers are waterproof or have some form of the water-resistant lining.

Food supplies, for example, should be stored in airtight containers to prevent contamination and spoilage.

Remember, stored supplies can deteriorate quickly in warm climates and direct sunlight.

Make sure you:

• Find a storage solution that keeps the supplies dry and cool.
• Temperature control maintaining a consistent temperature in your shelter.
• In survival situations, shelters can become very warm or very cold, depending on the outside temperature.
• You can control the temperature inside your shelter by installing insulation and ensuring your shelter has adequate ventilation.
• Good Insulation a simple way to keep the temperature.

These simple tips will make a big difference in your survival situation.

Store enough supplies

Safety from the elements also involves having adequate food and water supplies.

If you lack shelter, getting enough food and water will be difficult.

This is why it’s important to store enough supplies to meet your family’s needs for at least three months.

After that, you can start small and increase the amount as your budget allows.

Once you’ve stocked up on supplies, it’s time to secure them.

Remember, safety is your responsibility, and you must take the necessary steps to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Know where you store your supplies

Along with having adequate supplies, it’s essential to know where those supplies are stored.

Most families keep their supplies in easily accessible locations near their homes.

But when you’re dealing with a long-term disaster, your supplies could be farther away.

This is why it’s important to plan ahead of time.

You should consider locations that will do best in a disaster situation, such as safe rooms or underground shelters.

It’s also a good idea to plan your escape route from your home.

Knowing where your supplies are will make it easy for you to know where to go during and after a disaster.

Is an underground bunker a must?

No, you don’t need to know how to build an underground bunker (although that would help!).

But you should know where all of your supplies are stored and how to access the supplies.

Plus, you want to know what supplies you and your family will need in an emergency.

Most people don’t go this extreme, but knowing how to create an underground bunker can be helpful if you ever have to take action in your country.

For example, in Australia, a cyclone can flood the entire island, or bushfires could burn it to the ground.

You can lose electricity, water, food, and other supplies in a tornado.

You might also lose your clothing due to everything that’s flying around.

In a fire, you need to store more of your supplies.

Typically, it takes less than fifteen minutes to lose power in an average home.

Keep in mind if your power is out, you’ll want to store enough water, food, medicine, and other supplies to last you at least a couple of days.

Have a game plan

It’s a good idea to get your family together and talk about your plan.

Have everyone write down where they will go and who will stay behind.

Make sure everyone understands their role. On top of that, you also want to plan ahead of time.

For example, you might need an ax for cutting wood for fires, a shovel for digging, a machete for cutting down branches.

And don’t forget a way to start a fire like a waterproof lighter or matches.

For first aid survival misc items

You’ll need a thermometer, a barometer, and several bandages.

You can also store a basic first aid kit.

Consider taking along some baby food and formula packets if you have infants or small children.

Some other items you may need are tweezers, a magnifying glass, a saw.

You may not know how to close a large wound, but it’s important to be able to do it if you have to.

A tourniquet is a plus, too. It can relieve severe bleeding, and you’ll need to understand how to use it.

And whatever you don’t forget the compass and map of the area. Learn about the rules about where you can go and what you can and cannot do there.

You will need extra clothing for wet weather and a sleeping bag or blankets.

Make sure you also have a waterproof tarp and a poncho handy. Having supplies to treat your teeth and eyes is also a good idea.

How to guide

You can keep a how-to guide or prepper checklist on hand to meet your specific needs.

Being able to protect your family is an excellent skill to have.

Being alert and knowing what to do in dangerous situations can help you avoid many dangers.

So, if you have a survival guide make sure you read it and understand it well.

Should you arm yourself

Some people choose to arm themselves against wild animals or predators.

When disaster strikes, some families choose to invest in guns and ammunition for protection.

If you go the gun route, make sure to store your ammunition in a waterproof box.

Reality check

If long-term survival becomes a reality, you need to have the right kinds of foods.

Crackers, dry cereal, and canned goods should make up the bulk of your food supplies.

As I mentioned above, prepare ahead of time to avoid panic when it comes to stocking up on food.

There are emergency food supplies that can last for decades.

Canned goods like tuna, peanut butter, and beans are a good choice.

Peanut butter, in particular, has a long shelf life.

Canned fruits and vegetables are often stored in cans with an oxygen absorber (also called an oxygen scavenger) to keep them from going bad.

Don’t forget the manual can opener an electric one will not do you any good.

However, these food supplies can be expensive, so you’ll want to make sure you stock up on the money accordingly.

Start with your essential foods like:

• cereal
• crackers
• dry milk
• beans
• dried fruits
• and peanut butter.

Stock up on these staples. You’ll find a surprisingly long shelf life for them.

Canned fruits and vegetables, canned meats, and soups are also great.

Foods that will keep stored for a long time include easy to prepare or dry food such as grains, beans, dried vegetables, and nuts.

Easy to prepare foods have a long shelf life compared to canned foods.

You can also dry apples, carrots, potatoes, and peaches.

Store them in airtight containers to take advantage of their long shelf life for dried vegetables.

Trail mix, beef jerky, and dried fruit are also good options.

If your children, you may want to consider having some sweet snacks to enjoy.

When you’re storing foods in packages, you’ll want to make sure that they are in tightly sealed containers.

This makes it easier to manage the foods in your emergency kit.

It will also keep the foods fresher for longer.

Once food is contaminated, it can be unsafe to eat.

So it’s important to store your food properly so that bacteria can’t grow and to keep the pest out.

Buy in bulk 

You can buy bulk supplies of MREs (meals ready to eat) at the Army and Navy Exchange.

Cook them and store them in the freezer.

MREs contain everything you need for a meal when you don’t have time to cook or prepare anything.

MREs use freeze-dried foods that can last a long time without refrigeration.

You can keep an MRE kit in your emergency supplies.

Have communication sources like radio and cell on hand, allowing you to stay up-to-date on the latest weather reports.

Make sure to have extra batteries so your devices can last as long as possible.

You’ll want to get LED flashlights and lanterns, especially those that run off batteries or gas.

Flashlights will help illuminate the night if a storm rolls through, and you won’t be able to see where you’re going with dim flashlights.

Fuel-powered lanterns are a good choice, but you’ll need to refuel them regularly, or they won’t work.

Remember that fuel might be a problem to find or buy in an emergency.

Also, fuel up your vehicle and keep a full tank of gas at all times.

To sum it up

There are countless reasons to be prepared. Water shortages and natural disasters are only a few reasons you should prepare ahead of time.

This is why it is important to plan ahead of time. Create a plan in case a disaster happens where you live.

Then, store all of your supplies in a safe place that you can easily get to if you have to.

That way, you will be able to survive an emergency.

Because stress can build quickly in a long-term survival situation, some families choose to rotate which family member is responsible for preparing meals.

Make sure you try to ease the stress with fun games. This is very important if you have kids with you.