In a post-collapse scenario, the skills, occupations, and trades we have today could drastically change. Many jobs nowadays are behind a desk, in a cubicle, or retail sales. A post-collapse scenario would necessitate manual labor, rebuilding, and much greater self-sufficiency. So having some of these skills below would turn in a SHTF situation into useful prepping skills.
SOME BASIC SKILLS YOU COULD ALREADY KNOW THAT COULD TURN INTO PREPPING SKILLS
1) First Aid: Learning first aid is not only important in an SHTF scenario, but it is also one of the basic skills you need in everyday life. It could save us money today, and it could save our lives if SHTF.
It allows individuals to stabilize and treat injuries or illnesses until professional medical help becomes available. By knowing basic first aid techniques and having essential supplies, you can address wounds, control bleeding, perform CPR, manage fractures, and provide initial care for various medical emergencies.
This preparedness can make a significant difference in survival and overall well-being during a crisis situation.
2) Fire Starting: If you’ve been interested in emergency preparedness for any length of time, you’ve probably heard about 50 different ways to start a fire. This is because it is one of the necessary skills for any survival situation and something we often take for granted.
Fire provides warmth, light, and the ability to cook food, which are essential for survival in outdoor or emergency situations.
Fire allows you to cook food, which can improve its taste, kill bacteria, and make it easier to digest.Fire can be used as a signaling tool to attract attention and seek help in case of emergencies or getting lost.
The uses for fire are long and exhaustive in a crisis situation and its importance should not be under estimated. Having the skill to start a fire enables you to be self-reliant, adaptable, and better prepared for various situations.
This is one of the prepping skills you don’t want to overlook!
3) Sanitation: Getting sick is the last thing we want to do when things are already bad. Sanitation encompasses more than just dishwashing; it also includes waste removal, trash removal, and personal hygiene.
Having prepared or having the knoweldge to make an off-grid toliet is very important. Also having ways to clean your hands and body are very essential. Do you know how to make detergents to wash clothing or do you have extra toothpaste stored up, etc.
4) Shelter: While none of us intend to bug out, we must be prepared to do so if necessary. Learning how to build a shelter may be something you never need to do, but if you do, you’ll be glad you did.
Without basic skills on how to make a waterproof shelter you could run into trouble very quickly with sickness and other problems. Add this to your prepping skills list today.
5) Sewing/mending: There will be no Walmart or clothing stores in an SHTF scenario, so if your pants split open, you’ll be on your own. The same can be said for shoes, socks, and coats.
All of us cannot do this specific skill but you can resource and definetly find someone in your community that can do this. Bartering for services is a big key to survival in crisis situations.
6) Ham Radio: When all other forms of communication fail, knowing skills how to operate a ham radio will make you a very valuable person. It doesn’t matter how old you are to participate in amateur radio. In fact, the older you get, the more you’re likely to know about amateur radio.
7) Alternative Energy: If the power grid fails, we’ll need to find other ways to generate electricity. While batteries are fantastic, they do not last indefinitely. Learning about solar and other renewable energy sources could make life a lot easier when the sun goes down or the weather changes.
If there is an EMP event you would have needed to have stored some solar components in an Faraday Cage to ensure their safety. Even having a small portable solar charger could be a great option to have on hand. Knowing solar technology and how it works could be a great prepping skill to get used to now.
8) Water Safety: Another thing that is taken for granted nowadays is water safety. The majority of people don’t give water much thought because it’s already clean when it comes out of their faucets. Learning about water filtration and safety should be a top priority when it comes to preparedness.
9) Food Preservation: While there are numerous options for food storage, we must be prepared when refrigeration is not an option.
Do not just work on one area but diversify and try and get skilled in multiple areas on how to preserve food.
10) Gardening: Depending on how long a situation lasts, your food storage will eventually deplete. Gardening is a great way to replenish your food storage, but there is a learning curve. Begin practicing right away to learn what works and what doesn’t.
11) Hunting: Learning about hunting and foraging is another way to replenish your food supply. While the availability of various animals and plants will vary depending on your circumstances, this could be useful in an emergency. If you keep animals for food (such as chickens and rabbits), you must also know how to process and breed them.
12) Self-Defense: Preppers can defend themselves with anything from handguns to their own hands. This is important for everyday life as well as a post-collapse or SHTF situation, regardless of which method(s) you use.
13) Cooking from Scratch: Learning to cook from scratch not only expands your food storage options but also prepares you for times when boxed meals and fast food are unavailable. Making bread is one of the simplest ways to learn to cook from scratch and would be useful in an SHTF scenario.
It would be also helpful if your occupation or a hobby intertwines with the skills needed for survival. It is more than useful if you are a mechanic, or an electrician, have military experience, or you are simply a teacher, and sharing knowledge is your occupation. Obtaining prepping skills is necessary for survival, but can also make your everyday life easy. So, work on it, and enjoy the ride.