We’ve all seen the films depicting an apocalyptic world and the chances are (hopefully), things will never come to that. However, life being life, the chances of a curve ball being hurled in your direction is a very real possibility. There doesn’t have to be an asteroid heading straight for your door, I’m thinking here more about power outages, water going off at source, riots, shops with emptier shelves than you are used to or just having prices so high it isn’t practical anymore. Check out this list of 10 skills and see how many you already have and areas you might need to put a little more work in:

1. First Aid – even basic first aid can be of great value in so many situations. When is the last time you practised putting a bandage on someone or re-visited advice regarding choking? Children should also be taught first aid, at a level appropriate for their age – knowing they can help is a great confidence booster and helps them feel more in control and less in a panic should something unfortunate happen.

 2. Food – do you have any extra stored? Can you cook? Can you make a meal out of ‘nothing’, i.e. a couple of tins and an onion?! Are you aware of what you can forage for in your area? What in this area can you improve on? 

3. Water – you should always have some extra stored, even a little. What if you turn on the tap and nothing comes out? Don’t leave yourself vulnerable. Do you know where you can find water in your area? Do you know how to filter it so you can drink it and not just wash with it – sometimes boiling isn’t enough. 

4. Make fire – we don’t have to be Bear Grylls here but knowing what to use and the best way to structure a fire can be very useful. Whether you want to cook outside or keep warm, don’t make the mistake of thinking central heating will ‘always just be there’!   

5. Build a shelter – this isn’t just for hikers and ‘survivalists’! Imagine your car breaks down, it’s not safe to stay in it but you are clearly stranded – you need somewhere to stay warm and dry till help arrives (you do always have your mobile charged and with you, right?) 

6. Be the grey man – if you haven’t heard this term it simply means being able to blend into the background. If you have all these skills and practicalities sorted, it is not recommended to advertise to all and sundry – so no shed with a sign stating ‘Doomsday Supplies’ in the back garden! 

7. Have situational awareness – having knowledge about what and who is around you when you are out and about. When you walk past a shop, don’t just look at the goods on display, use the window to see who is behind you, across the street and so on. Parked cars can also be very useful for this. Look out for shadows when approaching side streets so you can tell if someone is heading your way. For the love of all things Holy, do not have ear buds/headphones on when out walking, especially alone. You need to be able to hear the noises of your environment – even when out jogging. 

8. Protection/Self Defence knowledge – you don’t need to be a Kung Fu master but know even a couple of techniques to give yourself a better chance if a situation arises, including de-escalation techniques. Youtube can be a very useful resource here if you don’t know where to start. 

9. Know how to grow your own – yes, a gardener would tell you that wouldn’t they? But in all honesty, being able to grow even a couple of your own crops can make a big difference. Not that long ago, in the UK, we had shortages of salad in the supermarkets – but not if you have a few pots growing lettuce in the back garden. Some things are so expensive in the shops too – rhubarb springs to mind and it is so easy to grow, yet you are charged a small fortune for just a couple of stalks. Get ahead this year and stay ahead, save money and eat better – what’s not to like?     

10. Being calm enough to get a strategy when everyone else is losing it – do you remember the toilet roll madness a few years ago? Shops with ‘one pack per customer’ limits? Thinking out the box is required as is a cool head. Taking the toilet roll as an example, if you really had none left, do you have any old cloth you could cut into strips, or cat litter? Yes really – it clumps and is easy to remove – you could use a tray if you feel like it or a bucket (foam piping round the edge if you intend to sit on it) would have done – either way, you wouldn’t be panicking or getting into a fight in the loo roll aisle in Asda! That might all sound weird but wild campers see that as luxury – ask me how I know!!  

As well as these suggestions, it doesn’t hurt to be able to read the sky to determine weather, know how to use a compass and be able to use the natural landscape as a form of navigation, e.g. moss grows on the sides of trees facing north in the northern hemisphere and on the south facing side in the southern hemisphere. A lot of this can be made into great games if you want to get the kids involved – and they should be! 

How are you on these areas already? Anything you feel you might want to work on? Any areas you feel are significant which I haven’t mentioned? Would love to hear your thoughts. Oh, by the way, if this seems too serious or ‘heavy’ for you, look out for a similar but ‘alternative’ post soon!