I haven't run across this topic posted anywhere yet, so I figure I'd post some basics regarding travelling in the snow on foot. Especially in light of the season.

In deep snow, I'm not going very far without snowshoes. Tried it. Snow up to mid-thigh will wear you out in a hurry. (I've seen folks carrying packs follow in our packed trail, without snow shoes and wish to die after going a mile....frequent stops notwithstanding. Not out of shape folks, either, we're talking early 20s and avid runners.)

Of the ones I've used, I like the old issue aluminum snowshoes. I recently saw them advertised for $70/pair, complete with straps. I have to say, I don't like the issue straps....they don't stay tight....I asked my Uncle about it and he verified they had trouble with that too. I'm working on a retro-fit, but also remain open to suggestions beyond tying a knot in the web to keep it from slipping through the grips.

The old issue shoes also work great for shelter stakes and for snow shovels in powdery snow when digging in. I use two solid aluminum issue poles with the rubber baskets. They also work great for stakes and support poles, if needed.....though I replaced the leather straps with para-cord lanyards.....white, of course.... :D

A sled, depending on it's size, allows 2-4 people to move far and fast with minimal exhaustion, carrying surprisingly heavy weight. A person does need to watch the back-trail, though, if 2 or 4 legged predators are an issue. (Oh, that's right, there's no such things as a problem with "mountain lions".)

Though it can be done, carrying a ruck while travelling on snowshoes can result in an intimate understanding of what a turtle feels like when on it's back. Repeatedly. If they indeed have thoughts as we know them, chances are "this sucks!" is what would run through the mind of a turtle in such a predicament. A word to the wise, a sled is better.

My sled has 4 D-rings (1 each - front, rear and both sides) and I've got 4 issue harnesses in case of an injured party. Other than that, one pulls, one applies the brakes on a downhill slope/sliding right or left and 2 flank or navigate/support (clear debris/stabilize) depending. Every 20-30 minutes, everybody rotates. (It might not be a bad idea for a new group to practice this SOP over and over before they venture out.)
 

Where there's more than one sled, the lead sled needs to be rotated as breaking trail is harder than following the leader. This, once the last of each man in the lead sled has had a chance to pull. Once done, lead sled now becomes last sled, and holds position and falls in behind the last sled as it passes, giving these guys a well deserved break.

The second sled, after rotating persons, waits to make sure the rear sleds have a chance to catch up and change their people. This is more important the more sleds you have. Think of any lengthy procession.....the front is a half mile out before the back gets moving.

If the lead sled doesn't wait, the rear sleds will have no time to rest or rotate as compared with their lead counterparts resulting in the group eventually being spread all over creation. A lead sled with good judgement prevailing will keep everyone together. The problem comes when not everyone has the same good judgement.

The second sled, now lead sled, moves out and the next leg of the journey begins. Those that aren't pulling have the jobs of clearing trails ahead, helping to steady the sleds on a bad angle, navigating out in front, helping out a lag sled, etc.

Each sled, or those around it, need to keep tabs on the sled behind them, too. I don't mind a sled falling back behind a few places or even just behind the last sled after having had to stop to re-tie or something minor....it's better, in my opinion than a full stop, which when done frequently, can get bothersome. If a gap gets considerable before the lead sled is aware of it (because, perhaps it has gone around a bend), word needs to be passed forward, a stop is imminent, the problem needs to be addressed and the trip can then continue.

The funny thing about basics like these is that they seem so mundane when not in the middle of it. Folks frequently respond to the mention of them with the common, "duh..." What's equally funny is how something so basic, is so hard for those same people to perform when they're out in it and their "attention supply" is tapped out. (That's what really separates those who visit sites like this from everyday people.  The penchant for "doing" aside, the search for more knowledge, skills and gear, in spite of how much overwhelming experience a person has, increases your own personal storehouse of "how to's".)

When other basics become more tedious.... as walking....only now with snow shoes....while maintaining balance....also controlling a sled, all the while trying to keep up with the guy in front of them, suddenly, attention isn't being paid to the overall picture anymore.

Sleds, being carbon-based-life-form powered, aren't like following vehicles on the highway. It would be nice to have one guy step on the gas while we all tell jokes and nobody worries about the weight of the load or the path traveled....."hey, turn down the heat, I'm roasting here!" :D Sadly, "the more, the merrier" only applies in this situation with regard to how unrecognizable things can get from the initial plan and how they can become hilarious over time....providing one survives it in the first place.

A good rule of thumb for sledding.....dress a bit lighter than you would otherwise while travelling, though be sure to bring your normal cold weather gear with you. After setting up camp, don't forget to change clothes. One may be tempted not to, feeling a bit more cooled down and seemingly dry after a while, but the clothes will be loaded with frost/ice if not outright damp/wet spots from perspiration. Once inside the sleeping bag it'll get noticed as the bag warms up and everything begins to melt and get damp....perhaps not as in wet, though quite possibly, but as in cold....heat loss.

As the last thing I do before turning in (and of course, the first thing upon waking) is build a fire, I spend time drying out (more like steaming) my gear. (In a snow pit, the snow acts like a reflector in addition to a wind break. Even in severe weather it can seem quite balmy.) Once thoroughly dried (and now warm), outer gear can be a great addition to the bottom of the inside of a sleeping bag.

Plan your trip well, bring friends, take pictures and live to tell the story.

The average person has very little clue of what it takes to survive a weekend lost in the elements, let alone a prolonged disaster the size of, say, a large city under the duress of a major snowstorm that say, knocks power out for a week.

Odds are, the average "prepper" has not gone far beyond some basic fundamentals and a whole lot of gathering, though, make no mistake, there exists a select percentage that "leave no stone unturned". These consisting of prior service, official training and some extremely diligent civilians sprinkled in the mix. But, as is the case when one is seeking equilibrium, one necessarily must establish a base of averages.

1. Preps.  Great as long as you have them in hand, they aren't underwater/inaccessible or you can carry them on your back because you have no choice other than vacating the area. On that note, unless you've tested and worked out all the bugs in your "preps", when you need them, they won't work, so, gear junkies, beware.

A warehouse of stored goods sounds like a great plan on paper, but in times of trouble, how does one go about securing it from the dangers of theft, fire or flood? There are remedies, but one needs to address these and a whole list of other possibilities if the preps are for more than a "feel good".

2. Arms.  In a widespread emergency situation requiring them, you’ll be targeted by both criminals and Law Enforcement forces as both want to take them from you (as demonstrated by Hurricane Katrina). One for the sake of advantage over the defenseless and the other under the guise of establishing (somebody’s idea of) order and eliminating any threat to same.

Either way, neither are concerned with individual personal safety, as both are more than ready to kill to get what they want. If you're on your own, you're outnumbered before you get out of the gate. Did I mention that the sound of gunfire attracts lots of unwanted attention?

There can be no argument regarding the advantage of having such protection available to you and your family as opposed to being without. I simply caution those who have a more casual attitude about the subject that firearms have no magical properties. Having them guarantees nothing. You’d better know what you are doing, for even the chance at longevity in a disaster area of larger magnitude.

3. Navigation.  Without old school knowledge, direction finding capabilities, maps and a place to go outside of the disaster area, you're in serious trouble. Roads cannot be counted on and might be unsafe to travel as they can be easily utilized for ambush.

If you have hundreds of miles between you and your place, you're in serious trouble. You will be crossing properties of folks scared to death of who you just might be, roving gangs/criminals or authorities after curfew. Under disastrous conditions, if you are observed, you might get shot. Distance increases those odds. It only takes once to ruin your whole day, or that of someone else in your crew. Find your weak links and fix them now.

4. Friends.  Real friends. Trusted friends. Family, even. Better have 'em. There's no such thing as an "army of one". (Sorry Rambo, don't believe your own press. You won because it was in the script.) How does one perform a 50% alert alone? Sleep with one eye open? How long can you go without sleep or sleep deprived? Who watches your back while you’re working, eating or sleeping?

5. Tactical Knowledge (skills).  Unless you've got experience in military infantry tactics, survival, evasion or even some branches of law enforcement, you don't know what you think you do. Don't kid yourself now, and you won't be disappointed later.

Books don't count if you don't practice it all day, every day like the military, have a string of experienced personnel beating it into you, have "explanation, demonstration and practical application" of all the latest and greatest military weaponry and tactics, ultimately training for the event(s) when real bad guys are shooting at you. (My apologies if I hurt the feelings of folks who have always been intrigued by reading about the military, but the truth is, there is no amount of reading that can substitute paying the price in person.)

Fortunately, you aren't going up against world class special forces in a given survival situation....and be glad you're not.  (Can you imagine a rag-tag summer baseball team at the local sandlot going up against the World Series Pros?  That's the reality of the best of the best of the Special Forces.) You're looking to protect yourself and your family against violent criminal activity should a disaster of magnitude befall the community in which you live.  That being said, you can learn some very basic tactical information and put the odds in your favor should a potential violent confrontation come your way. 

Now is the time to learn it as you can't learn this stuff "on the fly". Even extensive "reading" is predominately useless when under duress. You have to practice it and practice it and practice it some more making sure that everyone in your group is on the same page in the same book.

Tactical subjects must be second nature by repetition. There's no time to talk about it in the thick of the situation requiring it and talk won't get the job done anyway. This is an equal-opportunity subject. It goes for aggressors and defenders both. Fortunately, a violent criminal element will likely be looking for targets of opportunity and not be expecting an organized, practiced resistance.

There is a world beyond what little is shown by the media. Even at that, those experienced in infantry tactics are team oriented, and as such, will seek out others like themselves.....in all honesty, will already have an established network of close friends and former team-mates that they know they can rely on, who all share similar experience and know-how. A good example to live by.

6. Conditioning.  How far do you really think you can go? If you ain't doing it, you don't know....and the answer more likely than not is, not very far, and most definitely, not as far as you think you can before it’s go time. Chances are, your mind will be telling you to quit and that you can't make it, long before your actual physical stores are used up. Start now, start small and keep going.

7. Attitude.  Everybody has one. The question is which came first, the experience or the attitude, as the one will most certainly decide the other.

Attitude that pre-dates any training, fools the fodder into believing things falsely, keeps groups from forming and resists good advice that could otherwise have turned calamity into security. Face it; an overly developed sense of independence, lacking practical knowledge, experience and conditioning, overly paranoid, arrogance with a penchant for playing up to one's own ego is not going to help any of us get out of a scrape.

The only acceptable attitude is one that's shaped by actual training and experience over time. Any less is to our ultimate disadvantage.

8. Plans.  No plans? Are you kidding me? All the previous listed necessities (even if possessed) are in vain if you don't have a plan. Unlike fantasy life portrayed by writers and members of the screen actors guild, the real life hero doesn't live very long making things up as he goes along, that's the victim's job.

If you don't have a plan, you're stopped before you've started.  I know, it's a lot of work. Though it's funny how folks in a panic would trade anything in that moment for the chance to survive.
 
Ironically, the only real chance they have is exactly when they don't feel like putting out the effort beforehand. Once highly motivated, by the actual event, it's too late. Do yourself a favor. Make plans and stick to them. Or don’t, and resign yourself to deal with whatever comes your way. Any other combination will result in serious disappointment down the road.

Eventually, the average prepper gets basic knowledge on the "make or break" list and begins to make advances. One of the most common complaints by far is lack of available participants for building a group of like-minded people. Here's a list of some of the most common complaints on both sides of the equation regarding those who lead and those who follow...., though not all-inclusive and certainly not in any order of importance;

1. Fear of wack-jobs or being labeled as one.  Common sense being neither anymore, it's time to apply it. First, be realistic....no delusions of grandeur, please. We're just regular people. Subsequently, we aren't likely to go to extremes one way or the other.

Rambo we're not, nor a nut-ball at the other end. Just because a person buys insurance for a vehicle that they hope will never receive a scratch, doesn't make them a paranoid nut. Similarly, power outages happen with frequency, tornadoes, lost while on outings, fires, floods, you name it.

To be prepared is a good thing. If you think otherwise, don't let your kids watch sesame street or Elmo because these same characters are teaching children to be prepared. Survival has gone mainstream. Change the channel from Oprah once in a while.  (That being said, see the last paragraph if fear of meeting new wack-jobs is your complaint.)

2. Time.  Let's call B.S. on that one. It's amazing how much time folks find to do what they want to do. Nuff said.

3. Sovereignty/Independence.  O.K....nobody is going to "tell you what to do". That's a good one. If you learn what to do, nobody has to tell you what to do when it's time....only that now is the time....and what of the person whose experience goes off the charts by comparison with yours? Nah, couldn't happen....right?

4. Motivation/ overcoming inertia.  Want motivation? Pull your head out of the sand, and away from the video games and television and do some looking around. You'll have more than you need.

5. Funds.  No money? Since when does it cost to plan? Take a long walk? Breathe? Do push-ups? Sit-ups? Do video games cost money? Beer? Movies? Cable T.V.? Your life. Your choice. Your consequence. (Very well put, Joe)

6. Location.  As my Uncle jokingly says, "sell it to the Navy, the Marines ain't buying!" Even a child watching the Wizard of Oz can tell you the best place to start is at the beginning; that is, where you are, NOW. If things went sour in the next 5 minutes, what would you face? Start there. Only after you've secured the immediate, do you expand on that.

7. False expectations.  This is a biggie. Most folks only know what they've seen on T.V. and heard around the rumor mill.  Survival is not exactly the piece of cake that the couch potato would like to believe.  These false ideas can only be undone by hands on.......doing.....and are routinely brought with people less experienced.  

Of course, expect to lose a number of them as they get very well acquainted with disappointment as currently held beliefs/myths are unraveled. Be of good cheer, though. Even the best statues of heroic figures got their start by chiseling off all the unnecessary B.S. and a number of folks are bound to figure that out for themselves.  Patience.

8. Fear of "big brother" watching you.  Big Brother. Let's be realistic, here. It's in the best interest of your country that the average folks be prepared to survive any disaster so that they can, at any time, be called upon by their government to help out in a pinch.

For the sake of the ultra-paranoid, any all powerful government against such wouldn't hesitate thus far from collecting persons who might be sooooooo much of a threat to national security as a tiny little group of folks practicing fire/flood/tornado drills. In a word, you'd be gone already. Face it, you’re just not that important. Get started already.

I have an Uncle who, for 40 years and running, digs out the fire hydrant every time it snows, in the event there's a fire near his end of the block. He's never had his house confiscated, no arrest warrants or even had his name on the "list".

He has, however, been thanked by actual firefighters over the years, who have said, "I've seen plenty get buried, but you're the only one I've ever seen digging one out". I can scarcely believe he's the only one who's ever done that.  Be an asset to your community.  Against such, there is no law.

9. Lack of Participants.  The lack of willing participants boils down to one thing; lack of team building skills. It's not really our fault, though. We've been raised in a country of competition. We compete for jobs, for sports, for mates, ratings, social status, awards, you name it. In our spare time, our entertainment consists of the same competition. It's every man, woman and child for themselves. Even our politicians work toward division to eliminate backing of a competitor.

Competition is tantamount to elimination. Going into battle? OK, find the best of the best through intense competition. But don’t we have to build quality teams from which to draw the best of the best first?

When building a support base, competition is hardly the foundation from which to build. "Your keeping your buddies down......!"....in front leaning rest.....boot camp.....does that sound like competition or team building to you? Applied to the support group, isn’t it better to worry about building the group first?

If competition automatically divides, what automatically draws folks together? Enjoyment. Fun. The fastest way to gather a crowd is fun. The fastest way to find yourself alone is by turning it into work.

For example; Have a BBQ (last one to create a fire, cooks) and instead of charades, play "hand-signals". Each correctly spoken signal by those guessing moves to the next signal. You will have to make your own to fill in any gaps. Start with the family. Newcomers will want to be in on the joke, too. Add alcohol at your own risk.

The next best thing to do is to break the whole survival picture into small pieces and take a small piece at a time. Themes; knots, wild plants, drinking water, wild food. Each get-together, do something unique along with the normal fun stuff. Wild salad with an award winning dinner. Seafood dinner with freshly caught fish or water-critters. Long walks with treats at the end. Hikes with only practiced hand signals for communication.

Find common ground. Not everybody is the same. Don't look for reasons that you don't like a person. Look for reasons that you DO like them. Focus on that. If they are willing to overlook your personality quirks (and yes, we all have them), be willing to overlook theirs. Perfect, we are not. As long as they are not a liability in any way, give any differences a rest. Time to get over ourselves, folks. There's no room for, "did you see how he/she looked at me?!?" in a stressful situation.

Find ways to work together. Find tasks that require teamwork to accomplish. Build a shed, one wall at a time. Have everybody lifting and working together to make it happen. Have each person "host" a party, provide the materials and have everyone work together to build something they want or need. Shelving units, can dispensers, emergency lodging, warehouses. You get the idea.

Don't be discouraged if it takes a while to build your group of friends. You can only do the best you can do. Be patient. Odds are they'll come along when you least expect it. Just remember, always have a back-up plan. Don't show all your cards, especially at first. Use your noodle. Folks don't often like to jump in over their heads. They prefer to ease in and gradually get used to the water. Use your knowledge of people to everyone's advantage to build, not to eliminate.

Lastly, if we continue to look around and find that we meet the same "type" of people, we ought not look any farther than ourselves.

Not "all" people are alike. If you look around and find that you don't like those who surround you, it's time for a little self improvement. Each change we make in ourselves, brings the possibility for change in the people that we attract.
 

Sometimes, it’s all in our delivery. It could be in how we carry ourselves or how we just "come off" to others. Take a look at yourself through the eyes of another. Have you ever heard your own voice on a recording? Sounds strange to you doesn’t it? How you appear through another person’s eyes would be at least as strange.

Getting from here to there isn’t impossible, it just takes a little coordinated effort. See you there.

I don't think that I could sum up the paradox of preparedness overall, better than the Poet Robert Burns in his classic "To A Mouse".  In the last stanzas are found the epitome of irony and truth regarding the subject of preparedness in the light of the unforeseen future.

"But Mousie, thou are no thy-lane, In proving foresight may be vain;
The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, Gang aft agley, An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!

Still, thou art blest, compar'd wi' me!  The present only toucheth thee.
But Och!  I backward cast my e'e, On prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see, I guess an' fear!"

There's something to be said for folks to be able to access funds and purchase necessities quickly, or over time, to be able to withstand possible calamity.  But, in the face of uncertainty, anything can happen.  By the poem's comparison, the mouse, though displaced from home and all goods destroyed or of no more use to him, has the advantage as he possesses the skills to re-create that which is lost in this present disaster.  In short, what would be disaster for another, is only an unexpected set-back for the mouse.

Make no mistake about the mouse.  He has eliminated competition.  He has done so by not announcing where his home and stores are.  Though others may surmise that he has them, any unwelcome friends stumbling across his retreat will be rudely turned away.  Of course, if those who show up at the door represent an overwhelming force, the mouse will flee and take up residence somewhere less busy.  There, he will employ his knowledge, skills and instincts to recreate a humble home in an area protected from the elements and out of sight of possible aggressors, both that walk the earth, or the eyes in the sky.

Probably the most dangerous enemy a preparedness minded person can have, aside from allowing fear to dictate your actions or lack of action, is that of expectation (not to be confused with experience).  Aside from a man-made event, there isn't a person on this planet who can accurately predict disaster, it's duration or it's magnitude, though great efforts are made to be able to do so.

That being the case, there's no telling if a survival situation is going to turn out as, "a man who fled from a lion, only to meet a bear.....as though he entered his house and rested his hand on the wall, only to have a snake bite him".  Those who are looking for a guarantee of survival by preparing or learning skills are setting themselves up for disappointment somewhere down the line.  There are no such guarantees.  But even just the chance of surviving some disaster is more than worth the efforts.  If it weren't, there wouldn't be any such thing as a panicked crowd of people in a desperate situation.  So we strive to get prepared in the event of some emergency.

Along the way, we come up with all these philosophical arguments as we attempt to iron out our course(s) of action.  We know that we can't figure out every variable, so we try to cover as much area as possible in the hopes of increasing our odds of survival.

We take care of our basic needs, the needs of our family, perhaps some extra as well, just in case.  On the other hand, we've got lots of "friends" (well, acquaintances anyway) around us who scoff at the time, money and energy that we are wasting as "paranoid", when there is so much fun to be had.  Such folks continue to put their extra funds into entertainment and enjoying the good life. 

These same folks will also make remarks that they "know who's house to go to when things get bad".  These are the folks that need to be told of the rude awakening that awaits them if they foolishly think they won't be immediately run off your property on a rail.  Imagine the gall it takes to selfishly spend finances on your own pleasures, then in times of crisis, expect someone else, who suffered to protect themselves, to give up their supplies for you, putting their own children at risk!  There are words for folks like that, but fortunately, they are drowned out by the sound of gunfire.

But as rules go, there are always exceptions.  In this case, there is family, and there is the true friend.  Your job is to identify them.  Family is simple, but the true friend, only the true friend would know.  All I have to ask is; "Would they do it for you?"  Lots of folks would state that they would.  A true friend has demonstrated it already.  

Joe, from the Viking Preparedness Site, (which you can find on our links page, and I do highly recommend that you check it out if you haven't already) stresses that "life presents choices, and choices have consequence".  One such consequence is known as, "too late".  That's the time when all bets are off for "unproven variables".  They are immediately put into the category of liability.  Until such time, be wise.  Give people every opportunity.....do not give them detailed plans or inventory.  Until such time as a person is identified by their actions, don't cast your pearls. 

So how does one adequately prepare for every unknown possibility?  One doesn't.  The best a person can do is learn the skills necessary to survive, and be able to adapt them to any situation that presents itself.  This is no easy task.  One has to free their mind from the confines of expectations.  One also has to have lots of time in the saddle.  So get busy doing. 

Opportunism is tantamount to survival.  The number one attribute on the list of the field mouse is that he's opportunistic.  He takes advantage of everything.  He doesn't attempt to "make-the-world-mouse".  He flees disadvantage and finds advantage....then he digs in.  The same simple methodology applies whether the subject is food, or hiding from detection. 

Of the many lessons that can be learned from one of the most formidable of survivors, probably one of the greatest, is that he's acutely aware that he has no other option.  No delusions of grandeur, no commercial programming over years of watching T.V.  No inflated sense of self importance, no self esteem issues.  All energies are focussed on issue of survival.  Even then he'll receive the occasional invitation to dinner.    

When you think about it, what makes a real hero?  What makes a savior?  What makes a miracle cure?  In a word, necessity.  Yes, all elements must be in place first; the right place, at the right time, the attributes necessary to pull off the task required, but there must be a need in the first place.  As you can imagine the hero of a story breaking down a door to rescue a child from a burning building; only minus the burning building.  How fast would the same "hero" be arrested?

Another interesting part of the equation is the information that you can reasonably gather, even if you only get the tail end of the story.  For example, one can reasonably assume that the child rescued from the burning building by the hero who broke down the door to do so, was in immediate vicinity to the fire, and not 1/2 a mile away as stories are generally told with regard to all things relevant. 

That being the case, it's far more likely to assume close proximity rather than obscurity, as to the immediate need to rescue said child.  (That is, unless Al Gore is telling the story.  Then all bets are off.  At that point, the fire could be raging at a temperature of "millions of degrees", which would not only incinerate life on this planet, but would also put neighboring planets in immediate danger.  Of course, believing the earth's core temperature to be millions of degrees might also explain why he believes so much in global warming.)

These days, one can run across countless forums regarding survival.  We're talking about possibly the hottest grass roots topic today.  If it's not the Internet, it's the survival shows and survival reality shows that are all over the screen.  Then, there are the ever popular dooms-day shows.  Taken one at a time, we probably wouldn't give it a second thought.  But coming at the us from every direction should have folks wondering if something is up.

What can be reasonably assumed by the telling of this story, is the perceived need.  The need for survival skills and the variety of scenarios in which they could be employed.  Even sesame street characters have commercials teaching children how to make what essentially is a Bug out Bag.  

The groups dealing with scenarios for which folks desire to be prepared range from surviving an attack, whether in a public or private location, a weather disaster, economic disaster or a terrorist scenario.  Interestingly, though touted as paranoia by some, these scenarios are not often talked about by the preparedness communities at large as though they will happen, but as though the possibility exists.  The reasoning behind preparation is that it's better to have all your attributes and gear in order when the great roulette wheel stops on your number.  The fact that current economic indicators point to the need to be prepared, only strengthens their case. 

Labelled as cooks in some circles, preparedness folks are simply applying what used to be known as common sense.  Ever hear "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"?  How about "better to be looking at it, than for it"?  Then, there's my grandfather's favorite; "many a slip betwixt the cup and the lip".  Such common sense was born of necessity.  Battle tested by the survivors of old.

Several generations of folks raised with rewind buttons at their fingertips might do well to keep in mind that life is a one way street.  There is no reverse.  We get one shot at it, and there are no trophies just for playing.  No parting gifts.  We simply cut our losses and bury the dead. 

This is not a video game where we get several lives for a quarter.  We don't automatically get the attributes to run marathons, beat up the bad guys and have all the supplies we need by hitting a button.  We can't sit back on the couch and observe with our eyes and ears, or play via remote.  This life will be experienced first hand.  Not only us, but our loved ones.  We will feel it, we will smell it and we will taste it as well. 

For any success in this life, we must work for it, and work hard.  Even then, success is not guaranteed.  In all honesty, we work hard just for the mere chance at success.  The same will apply to survival in a given situation.  Yes, there are those who do nothing and become successful.  Likewise, there will be those who do nothing and survive a catastrophe as well.  There are exceptions to every rule.  

The question we all have to ask ourselves is; what do we want to rely on, the exception or the rule?  The next question should be, are you willing to bet your life on your decision?  Because you are betting your life, every day.  Just because something hasn't happened to you yet, doesn't mean it can't or won't.  The world is filled with folks who can say, "I never thought in a million years......."  Those are the survivors.  I wonder, just how many folks there are that didn't survive, that could say the same thing. 

No, the subject of survival isn't born of paranoia or delusion.  It's truly born of necessity.  Unexpected events in life are common.  Disasters happen and have happened all through history.  When you come down to it, for mankind to continue on this planet, someone has to live through it.  But odds are, it will be people in the right place, at the right time, with the right attributes and preparations, at the time a disaster hits.  That's how survivors are born.

The question that each of us will have to ask ourselves is whether we want to survive or not, should a bad situation befall us.  In times of security, it's easy to gather a wide range of answers.  Lots of braggadocio and expected outcomes.  It's funny how all that shrinks into oblivion when faced with the real life version of the same question.  When it comes down to it, the vast majority of people have no idea what to expect and will do anything to survive.  Taken together, it would prove beneficial to at least to prepare in a general sense, meaning, covering the basics.  Waiting until the moment it's all on the line before making up our minds will almost guarantee a less than desirable outcome.

That is entirely the reason for our site, and the plethora of other survival websites in existence.  Now is the time to put preparation into high gear.  It can be done.  But we are all responsible for our own survival.  There are no government organizations that can guarantee help in times of great distress.  Even in an isolated emergency, calling 911 cannot guarantee you'll live through it.  Regarding an emergency over a larger area, who's to say that such organizations won't be fighting for their own survival?

This article is not for the sake of preaching to the choir.  It's for those, sitting on the fence, with doubts in their minds as to whether or not tragedy may strike.  The odds are irrelevant.  Be ready and you'll have put the entire question to rest.  It may never become your personal survival situation.  The situation may arise where you are the hero in someone else's survival situation.  It may not even be within miles of your home.  Perhaps not in your state.  You could be on vacation or visiting.  It could be your children or grandchildren that you help.  It could be your example that allows your children to save their children or grandchildren.

Just think about this for a moment;  Whether called a success, or a failure in any given situation, it's one thing to know that you did all that you could.  It's quite another to know you did all you could, but could have done much more had the possibility of the situation been taken more seriously.  Either way, the opportunity will have passed.  It will be too late to make any changes.

So, you tell me.  What if, you and/or your family survives a power outage in the extreme cold, but missing fingers, toes, facial features, perhaps entire limbs; do you call that a success, or failure?  If you knew that such a situation was going to happen, you'd take precautions.  Sadly, life seldom announces it's mood swings.  

That's what it all really comes down to with regard to survival.  Do you care enough to take precautions?  Do you respect the elements and nature?  You think you've got life planned out?  Tomorrow has plans all it's own and we are seldom consulted in their making.  When life takes a turn for the worse it's too late to prepare.  Be ready.