I am an Eagle Scout and during the summer I work at a Boy Scout Camp teaching everything from Backpacking to Wilderness Survival. In this Wilderness Survival class, or "wildy" as I've taken to calling it, the scouts must memorize a sequence of 7 priorities and understand their importance during a survival situation.
1. Positive mental attitude
I often get questions as to why this should be your first priority in a survival situation. The answer is plain and simple. If you think you're lost forever and that death is certain, you're going to give up and then you will die. A train of negative thought can only lead to a negative outlook and thus negative actions. This is an excellent example of your perception forming your reality. However, if you believe that you will survive even in the face of death, you will work harder to ensure your own survival. A positive outlook will serve you well. It's very easy to be optimistic when you set goals and stay busy. Every little accomplishment will raise your spirits and keep your mind off your current situation. Your mind is a powerful tool and your most powerful weapon in any survival situation.
2. First Aid
Once you've made the conscious choice to survive you need to take care of any immediate threats to your health. Bandage any cuts, scrapes, or animal bites. In a zombie apocalypse, bleeding will be a very common injury so you need to act fast and stop the bleeding. It's very important to stay calm and take the proper steps at this stage. To decrease the chance of infection do not forget to keep all medical materials sterile. Wash all wounds with warm soapy water and apply antibiotics when available. If you have sterile gauze or other bandages you are set, but strips of clothe will work fine. Sterilize bandages and any tools in boiling water as a safety precaution. One aspect of first aid that often gets overlooked is combating fatigue. Get rest whenever it is safe to do so, stay hydrated, try not to over-exert yourself, and eat lots of high energy food. Your mind and body must work together as one unit and without a sufficient amount of rest, nutrition, and hydration, the unit cannot function as needed for survival very well.
3. Shelter
Whether it's a re-enforced home fortress, a Wal-Mart, or even a tree house, shelter is an important component to survival. A shelter need not be as permanent as a mini-mall as a simple tree-house to stay the night in will do, but at some time you should plan on settling down in a secure shelter with easily accessible resources. Not only should a shelter be secure from the un-dead but also the elements. Heat stroke and Hypothermia can kill just as easily and quickly as a zombie's bite. This is a very extensive topic so keep an eye open for a full article on it at a later time.
4. Fire
Fire is often seen as a very bad idea as far as weaponry goes so I won't beat a dead horse. What fire is useful for is cooking, warmth, and light. If you decide to use this traditional alternative to modern technology be sure to take some basic safety measures. Clear brush from the area and construct a ring of rocks to contain the fire. If you are inside use a fireplace where available. Fire is also a great motivational tool. If your group manages to get a fire going you'll notice a boost in morale.
5. Signaling
Upon the onset of an outbreak the army will most likely take some measures to protect as many as they can. Set up a simple signal in order to perhaps get picked up by a passing convey, if you so wish. Beware of anything that may also attract the attention of the un-dead. The simplest form of signaling would be painting "HELP!" on a roof or maybe a large X. Signal mirrors are also very useful but any hand mirror will do. More on this subject to come in a future article.
6. Water
Typically when "Food & Water" are talked about in a pair food comes first. What people sometimes forget is that you can survive for a week or more without food but only a few days without water. Without any water you have about 3 days to live. If you find water be sure to purify it before drinking. Stay away from all salt water as it will only serve to further dehydrate you. Keep track of how much water you have and only drink when thirsty. Do not ration water and do not eat unless you have water. Eating while dehydrated will serve to further dehydrate and tire an individual because of the energy spent by the body for the process of digestion.
7. Food
Preserved goods are in no short supply but as soon as news comes in of a disaster they will disappear from shelves. What people sometimes forget are high energy sugar filled snacks which can give you that boost of energy that you need, but beware of crashes. Man can not live on Cliff bars alone you know. Sooner or later you'll need protein, carbohydrates, and other key nutrients. Full article on foods to come soon.
I hope you enjoyed this article and found it useful. Remember these priorities and keep an eye open for more articles from me detailing each of these items.
And if you were wondering, yes I do include the bits about zombies when I teach it to scouts.
