Pioneer Living Survival

Preparing a SurvivalCache

Most people that have been paying any attention to the newslately would likely agree that things have been precarious to say the least.From natural disasters like tornadoes, earthquakes and tsunamis, to man-madeones such as wars, revolutions and catastrophic industrial accidents,  it’s sometimes hard to dismiss the words ofthose that believe that this era of civilization is coming to an end.Regardless of how credible you believe these claims are, even the mostskeptical would agree that it’s a good idea to be prepared for a lifethreatening disaster.

One of the most basic parts of preparation has always beento have the proper supplies ready. One increasingly popular strategy has beento bury a survival cache.

A survival cache is basically just a survival kit in astrong sealed container that will allow you to bury it. It should be strong andwell-sealed so that its contents will be ready when you need them.

Necessities toinclude:

For my cache, I’ve chosen to include what I consider to bebasic necessities: Non-perishable food, bottled water, warm clothing, first-aidsupplies, a tent, a warm sleeping bag, a radio, a good knife, a multi-tool, aquality LED flashlight, headlamp orlantern and extra batteries. I would also include some basic fishing andhunting supplies.

This may seem like a lot, but these items are invaluableshould you need them, and there’s no rule that says you can’t bury more thanone container.

Trade items:

You may also want to include some items simply for theirpotential trade value. Tobacco, liquor, chocolate, flashlight bulbs, batteries,soap, deodorant, toothpaste and any other things that, while being generallyinexpensive creature-comfort items, would likely become far more valuableshould they suddenly become unavailable. Human aid can quickly become the mostsought-after resource, and trade items are a good tool to help attain it.

Burying the cache:

You’ll want to be sure that the container you use to buryyour cache in is both structurally strong enough to withstand being buried, aswell as being impervious to moisture. One common container is a burial tube.These can either be purchased, or you can make your own from something assimple as PVC pipe. If you make your own, remember to provide yourself with away to get it open later, such as a threaded cap or by burying a tool alongwith it.

It’s a good idea to store all items that are susceptible toair and moisture in vacuum bags within the cache. It’s also a good idea toinclude oxygen and moisture absorbers in the cache and airtight bags. This willhelp protect extra sensitive items such as food, clothing, electronics,batteries, and ammunition.

Bury the cache so that the top is a few feet below ground; deepenough to avoid being disturbed, but not so deep that it will take too long todig up. Be sure to make a detailed map of where your cache is, and keep thismap somewhere safe, where it won’t be forgotten. The hope is that you willnever need to retrieve your cache, but it will be there, ready and waiting ifyou do.