In the past, people used to desire a peaceful existence on expansive farmland with neighbors residing several miles away. However, current preferences revolve around residing amidst towering buildings, urban illumination, and congested roads.
If SHTF or a disaster occurs, will residing in the city become beneficial or detrimental? Given that you are currently reading this, you are also seeking the answer to that question.
Here are the essential facts to know about urban survival and everything associated with it:
What Is Urban Survival?
There has been a considerable amount of debate regarding the definition of urban survival. Some argue that it primarily involves possessing the necessary “street smarts” to endure the demands of city life.
Some argue that urban survival involves possessing the necessary skills and abilities to endure a significant disaster for an extended duration or even a few days.
However, it is also essential to possess “street smarts” as it is crucial for adopting urban survival as a way of life.
Aspects of Urban Survival You Can Make a Part of Everyday Life
To begin, it is necessary to gradually incorporate aspects of urban survival into your daily routine. Certain tasks may be simpler to accomplish compared to others, but the key is to initiate the process.
Here are a few things that you can incorporate into your daily routine.
Survival Fitness
Most of us, especially city dwellers, are not in the best shape despite our support for being fit for survival.
If a crisis occurs, there is a possibility that you will experience reduced sleep and nutrition. The intense heat from the sun could severely injure you, or the frigid temperatures at night could cause you to tremble—it is important to note that if you are not in good health or condition, these factors will have a significant impact on you.
Perhaps these reasons will convince you of the importance of getting fit. Getting in shape for urban survival is beneficial because it will assist you in:
- Climb/jump over obstacles or cars
- Escape from dangerous people
- Lift water-filled containers
- Carry backpacks weighing at least 30 pounds for hours
- Survive on fewer calories while still being able to do physically demanding activities
- Run up a flight of stairs effortlessly
- Be mentally healthy and prepared
Food
When living in the city, it is inevitable that you will become accustomed to indulging in delicious food. Consider items like burgers, fries, milkshakes, pizza, and Chinese takeout. If you need a fast meal at home, frozen nuggets can be heated in the microwave and will be ideal.
Now, envision everything vanishing. The bizarre aspect is, when the disastrous situation arrives unexpectedly, you will be forced to bid farewell to the fast-food industry. There will be no one to offer you a Big Mac at McDonald’s amidst complete chaos.
“What would be the dinner for SHTF, you inquire? It would consist of pantry essentials that do not require refrigeration, such as:”
- Canned goods
- Jerky
- Pasta
If you desire something healthy, then choose fruits and vegetables, preferably grown in your own garden rather than purchased from the nearby post-apocalyptic supermarket on the street corner.
Even if your apartment is small, you can still engage in urban gardening by using a variety of methods specifically designed for city environments. By growing the vegetables and fruits you enjoy, you can lead a healthy lifestyle and be well-prepared for staying at home during emergencies.
Water
In a world after a SHTF scenario, when electricity is no longer available, the supply of running water will come to an end and obtaining clean drinking water will become impossible. This is because pump stations rely on electricity to distribute water across the city.
Given the importance of water in our survival, it is wise to prioritize including gallons of water in your urban survival plan. To ensure a continuous water supply during the initial 72 hours following a disaster or emergency, it is advisable to store enough water that can sustain you for a period of two to four weeks.
If you were not able to save water before a disastrous event, your next best option is to search for alternative water sources such as nearby water tanks or wells. Additionally, commercial buildings and residential areas can also provide potential water sources. However, to use their external water dispensing faucets, it is necessary to have a water spigot key.
Do you have certainty that the water you have collected is clean? We recommend taking precautions and purifying the water beforehand, particularly if you plan to consume it. There are numerous methods available for purifying drinking water, with boiling being the most commonly used technique.
We suggest that you start storing clean drinking water now to avoid running out, as a person can only survive three days without it.
Honing Your Knowledge of the City
Here are a few things you need to do, making this urban survival tip fairly simple and adaptable to your daily routine.
- Be observant of your surroundings
- Take in all the useful info you can
- Run scenarios where those observations come in handy
- File these away in the back of your mind for future use
When thinking methodically, consider searching for potential areas or safe zones to retreat to in case your home is compromised. Experiment with different routes to your home to determine the fastest route to take in an emergency.
When you combine all of these small details (knowing safe routes, safe locations, possible water sources, etc.), they provide you with comprehensive knowledge of your city and improve your chances of survival. Additionally, these tasks require minimal effort and can easily be incorporated into your urban survival lifestyle.
Becoming the ultimate gray man, someone who can effortlessly blend in without drawing attention, and almost becoming invisible for the right reasons, is also accomplished by sharpening your understanding of the city.
If your aim is to become skilled in urban survival, striving to be a gray man is a goal you aspire to attain, and being vigilant brings you closer to achieving it.
How to get started when prepping in an apartment
Most of the advice available is aimed at homeowners, and any information about apartment prepping tends to downplay the challenges. The fact that living in an apartment during a total collapse scenario would be extremely challenging is a key reason why many people overlook this topic. However, it’s important not to be disheartened as there are still some actions you can take.
Preparedness Challenges that apartment preppers must learn to deal with.
The task of locating sufficient space to store emergency supplies.
Apartment preppers often encounter the challenge of insufficient storage space for extra supplies. To overcome this, you must employ innovative methods and efficiently utilize every nook and cranny available. Whether it’s using storage solutions beneath your bed or opting for food rotation storage shelves, numerous products can be purchased or constructed to maximize your space utilization.
Searching for funds to prepare on a limited budget:
Living in apartments is often a result of financial constraints, which means that preparing for emergencies can be challenging for those already struggling to make ends meet. It is important to keep in mind that embarking on the path of preparedness does not require a hefty amount of money, but it does demand thoughtful decision-making when purchasing items. Begin with securing the fundamental essentials for survival, including food, water, shelter, and self-defense.
Concerns related to security:
When attempting to prepare in an apartment, one of the main worries and potentially the greatest peril to your security is the capability to protect your dwelling during emergencies. The drawback of residing in an apartment is that you are vulnerable not only to the residents of the complex but also to individuals from outside who may seek to gain access.
Preparing in an apartment is expected to be challenging as compared to owning a house, and overcoming the difficulties requires a well-thought-out strategy for enduring a prolonged crisis.
Apartment Prepping: Where to Start
If you have read my book, you understand that conducting a comprehensive threat assessment is an essential aspect of my preparedness planning. The significance of performing such assessments applies equally to individuals residing in apartments.
To develop a strong plan, it is important to have a comprehensive understanding of the potential threats and prioritize those threats that are most probable given your specific circumstances.
- Identify the most likely threats and disaster situations based on your geographical location and historical data.
- Identify what threats are unique to your living situation. Are you living in a high crime area, are there logistical challenges to evacuating your area?
- Are there any areas of your plans, security, or overall preparedness efforts that need to be addressed?
It is essential to formulate an evacuation plan, especially for individuals residing in an apartment, as the unique challenges encountered may necessitate a prompt departure when situations deteriorate.
- You need to consider where you will go in case you have to evacuate from your apartment.
- Do you have friends or family that are willing to let you stay in their home or on their land should disaster strike?
- Make sure your supplies are mobile. While you might not have a whole ton of space to store extra supplies, you need to have a good bugout bag that’s ready to go at a moment’s notice. If you don’t have room in your home, keep it in the trunk of your car.
Even though you may currently reside in an apartment, it is essential to shift your mindset and begin focusing on adopting a self-reliant way of life.
Even individuals who live in apartments can gradually work towards gaining more independence. While achieving complete self-sufficiency may not be possible, there are specific actions you can take to gradually move in that direction.
- Start growing plants inside your apartment. Small container gardens are a great way to supplement your food supply. They require very little room, they can be used to grow a wide variety of fruits, herbs, and vegetables, and they do well in an indoor setting.
- Learn to Hunt and Fish. Living in an apartment doesn’t mean you can’t get out there and learn to live off the land. Check out my article on survival fishing tips and basic hunting skills.
Consider purchasing a small parcel of land as a priority rather than relying solely on apartment prepping, as it may not be the optimal choice for ensuring survival. Start exploring the possibilities of acquiring a rural plot where you can seek refuge in a bugout scenario. There are numerous locations where you can procure affordable land, together with a low-cost RV or trailer, allowing you to settle on the property for less than $10,000.
Some Rules for Apartment Preppers
- Keep your mouth shut about your preparedness efforts and plans: Tell no one, and be careful about who sees you bringing supplies in and out of your home. During a disaster, you don’t want or need your neighbors to know what you have.
- Make sure you have a strict budget. Before you spend a dime on prepping, make sure you put together a rock solid budget that includes a line item for how much you can spend a month on prepping.
- Identify local resources that you can exploit: Make sure your plan includes ways to find food, water, and other supplies within walking distance of your apartment.
- Always be ready!
