Basic Items to Survive the first 72 Hours after SHTF Moments

You have a funky campsite, my friend.

I'll bring a plate and harvest some with greens.

 

Suturing materials are a must. Large deep cuts need to be cleaned and held in place to heal well... (ask me how I know...)
I keep several gauges and materials. Small light sterile packets are easy to pack and can be used to mend your clothes or tent in a pinch. If you can get it any good liquid in the "caine" variety also helps when repairing a wound. Small packets of trisporic are something always in every GHB, first aid kit and auto glove compartment. I carry everything from small fabric band aid to Israeli GSW packets. Steri strips and vet superglue are good additions as well.

One thing that I haven't heard often is trail marking. If you are out in the woods it's really a good idea to have something to allow someone to follow your trail. I use a bright survey tape (bright orange) with a black permanent ink marker. Include time, date, names, intended direction of travel (you do have a compass of course) radio frequency you are listening to and expected time of return. Post a little below eye level (people tend to look downward while walking on trail). Yes all that info is useful for SAR operations.

I am having to replace my 72hr pack as it was stolen along with my truck a while back. So much that I had gathered over 12 years of being a SAR ground pounder on state wide call out had honed my pack to near perfection. Finding it expensive to replace to the quality of materials lost. Decided to downsize to a 24 hour quick care day bag. No more 13mm rope, carabiners, climbing belt, rescue eight, alcohol stove, sleeping bag etc. Instead it's a small tarp, paracord, space blanket, smaller first aid kit, food bars, flashlight, radio and an item of protection as a minimum. Of course there is many more little items and everyone will have their own take on what to bring. Rebuilding will be a good test of memory for any one.

Enough of my babble. My hope is that whatever you happen to need, you will have on hand!
73's

 

You need to open them right. The seal generally has 3 or 4 tabs on the edge. Carefully lift the seal up with the tab taking care to not tear it. Once off, I put it back inside the lid and it generally seals just fine over and over. As for rodents, the plastic jar is far superior to the wrappers on snack bars, MREs, etc. I have several jars of PB I keep in my shop which has plenty of rodents running around. While they have gotten into other things, never made into the PB. I found some teeth marks on the lid once. Now they simply sit upside down on the shelf. Not a problem.

 

Stangf 150 had a sheet showing tent tarps that was interesting.

 

I keep a silver dollar in my camelback. That's a blend of two eras.

 

I have a 4 wd pickup that I use for snow plowing and dump. Would be primary bug out if I had to. Carry behind seat good tarps, not blue plastic, to cover loads. 8 - 10 for flush cover and 10 - 14 to cover brush etc. Cary rope to tie down, 3/8 nylon, and para cord. Threw in some metal tent pins in a canvas bag and a hatchet to drive them with. Got a come along and a couple planks to load stuff on back for dump. Have a metal bow saw, a couple spare blades for it, and a bypass pruning clipper that I use to trim limbs and cut brush to take to dump. In back I keep a push broom to sweep out bed, has a bed liner, and a spare screw in handle under seat. Two handles do allow me to make several of the shelters listed in the sheet. Tools would allow me to cut poles for any other design. I have a chain for towing things as well in a canvas sack. Don't always have it in truck, but in truck or on a peg board next to truck or in truck, are shovel, mattock, good axe, more rope and a bag with fishing gear. I have a camper shell that I put on in winter that converts bed into a covered place to sleep or be out of weather. Use it as a cover when I go fishing or go to buy things. Use large weather tight totes to store sleeping bags, ground pads, cooking gear and white gas stove. Can be loaded in seconds if needed. Stove burns same gas as truck and I have spare cans I carry on a carrier that goes on hitch plug in. Would plan to sleep in truck and store stuff under tarp shelter if I had to bug out. Have a small solar cell that plugs into truck to keep battery charged and it has out put that will charge my batteries for LED lights.

Point is that almost all of things that would make 72 hours or so livable are not survival tools, they are things I use to cover loads for dump, trim brush and limbs, cut up fire wood that I haul in bed, go fishing, go shopping, camp out once in a while, etc. That way I rotate them, keep them in good repair, and not only know to use them, but figure out their limits and either modify them or get something better. It is a lot easier to find the axe you have hanging on wall and know it is sharp as you used it to trim firewood a couple weeks ago, than be looking for that "survival" axe you bought 10 years ago and haven't seen since last time you checked out bug out bag. I don't keep snow shovel and scrapper in truck in July, but some things, sand shovel can be used in July to unload dirt or in January to pick up sand to cover ice at the town barn and to spread it, but they are either in it, hanging on wall, or in rack, next to it. If you can't find it, it doesn't exist.

 

The best things are the things you normally use like Duane. The first 72 hours is critical as this is when the decision making process really kicks in and the circumstances of your situation start to sink in. This process is a lot easier if you are just able to carry on like you did yesterday. Reducing the stress induced by a monumental event in your life just makes it easier. My first hurricane had me pulling my hair out trying to think of everything and GET prepared. Now I don't really deviate other than getting the loose stuff secured and making sure the tanks are topped up in the vehicles. We let the other victims clean out the grocery store shelves. I generally have to work so I bring home a company truck and use their fuel, or if it is an overnight hurricane I stay at the office. Point being, the less you have to deviate from your daily routine the easier it will be.