Introduction
As political unrest, climate change, global pandemics and other threats seem ever more imminent, a growing number of dads are taking steps to protect and provide for their families if disaster strikes. With "prepping" and self-reliance gaining mainstream popularity, fathers everywhere recognize the crucial need to gain practical survival skills to keep loved ones safe. This comprehensive guide covers the essential abilities every “SHTF dad” should master, from securing basics like food and water to emergency medicine, self-defense, hunting, survival techniques and more. Follow along for tips, expert insights and real-world examples that will fully prepare any dad to safely lead his family through calamity.
Securing the Essentials
When disaster disrupts normal society, fundamental necessities like food, water, and shelter quickly become scarce. Fathers must stockpile adequate provisions and fortify their homes to weather the chaos.
Stocking Up on Food and Water
Building a 6-month or longer supply of shelf-stable foods is a must. Focus on nutritious, non-perishable items like rice, beans, canned meat, freeze-dried entrees from trustworthy brands like Mountain House, and MREs from suppliers like Ready To Go Survival. Consider adding wheat berries, powdered eggs and milk, and sprouting seeds to expand nutritional variety. Aim for at least one gallon of drinking water per person daily, using methods like rainwater collection barrels, berkey water filters, and private well systems. For renewable food sources, Aquaponics and hydroponic vegetable gardening are excellent options.
Fortifying Your Shelter
Transforming your home into a secure bunker starts with solid perimeter defenses like reinforced doors and windows from companies like Tractor Supply, motion-activated alarms and exterior lighting. Safes and hidden storage caches from trusted brands like Liberty Safe help safeguard essential supplies. If forced to evacuate, keep bug-out bags stocked and ready for each family member, containing 72+ hour critical supplies. For ultimate protection against all threats, investing in an underground concrete bunker with renewable power, water, HVAC and air filtration from respected firms like Rising S Company provides the ideal sanctuary.
Defending Yourself and Family
Dangerous confrontations are likely when law and order breaks down and resources become scarce. Fathers must be ready to use lethal force if necessary to protect home and loved ones. However, restraint and de-escalation should always be the first option.
Developing Marksmanship and Gun Safety
Owning suitable firearms for defense, hunting and security is smart, but proper training and practice are mandatory. Consider enrolling in defensive handgun or tactical carbine courses with respected organizations like the NRA to ingrain safe, effective techniques. Always store guns securely in a fireproof gun safe with trigger locks. Non-lethal ammunition like rubber bullets, pepper balls and stun rounds can potentially resolve threats without fatalities if feasible. Ensure a clear understanding of your state’s self-defense laws and applications of deadly force.
Mastering Hand-to-Hand Combat
Learning unarmed fighting skills through martial arts like MMA, boxing, jiu-jitsu and judo imparts invaluable offensive and defensive capabilities while improving fitness. Classes and instructional materials are widely available. Understanding leverage and anatomy allows dads to disarm attackers and use improvised weapons when caught unarmed. For optimal real-world self-defense ability, experts often recommend Krav Maga given its ruthless efficiency and brutal counter-assault tactics.
Practicing Survival Medicine
Doctors, pharmacies and hospitals will likely be unavailable, forcing dads to handle everything from minor cuts to life-threatening trauma and illness. Stockpiling medical supplies is the crucial first step.
Mastering First Aid and Emergency Care
Take courses to learn critical skills like CPR, controlling bleeding, treating wounds, immobilizing fractures, administering IVs, recognizing concussions and more. The Red Cross offers respected training classes across the country. Assemble a large trauma medical kit containing instruments, sutures, scalpels, medications, injectable anesthetics and IV supplies. Knowing how to suture wounds, set fractures, perform dental extractions, administer antibiotics and sedate patients using ketamine can prove invaluable for saving lives when professional care is unavailable.
Understanding Wilderness and Survival Medicine
In a remote setting away from modern amenities, threats like hypothermia, frostbite, snake bites, severe dehydration and infection from poor sanitation are likely. Study guides like the SAS Survival Handbook by John Wiseman provide excellent instruction. Learn to identify wild medicinal herbs and plants. Bone-setting, improvised tooth extraction, maggot wound care and herbal remedies may be necessary. Always boil or chemically treat found water before drinking to eliminate parasites, bacteria and viruses.
Stockpiling Prescription Drugs and Alternatives
Antibiotics like amoxicillin, pain relievers, insulin, EpiPens, and other critical prescriptions should be stockpiled in quantity if reliant on them. Research herbal and natural methods that could potentially replace pharmaceuticals when supplies run out.
Hunting, Fishing, and Foraging
Obtaining fresh meat from wild game and gathering edible plants require skills few modern dads possess. Learning these methods helps guarantee your family won't starve if the grocery stores are bare.
Learning to Hunt Ethically and Safely
Enroll in a hunter safety course, often offered by your State Fish & Wildlife agency. Choose the right caliber rifle or shotgun for each game animal to ensure quick, ethical kills. Practice regularly at the range. Know how to butcher wild game and preserve the meat properly. Useful references like Field & Stream magazine provide excellent instruction.
Fishing Without Modern Equipment
Improvising fishing tackle from natural materials takes practice. Learn techniques like spear fishing, setting trotlines, traps, and gill nets. Be able to clean and cook fish over an open fire. Survival fishing books by authors like Jack Hemingway provide useful tips and tricks.
Identifying and Harvesting Edible Wild Plants
Many plants in the wilderness can supplement your diet if correctly identified. Invest in guides like Edible Wild Plants by John Kallas to know which berries, roots, nuts and fungi are safe to harvest and consume.
Developing General Outdoor Survival Skills
Essential knowledge and bushcraft abilities help dads handle nearly any situation when cut off from modern infrastructure and conveniences.
Mastering Wilderness Navigation
Using topographical maps and compasses or natural observation skills to navigate is critical. Predict weather patterns by observing wind, cloud movements and pressure changes. Find or collect potable drinking water using filtration, chemical treatment or by boiling. Forage for edible wild plants and medicinal herbs. Survival navigation is a deep skill developed through regular practice.
Starting Fires Without Matches
Making friction fires from bow drill, hand drill and fire plow methods takes patience but is a must-have skill. Learn to craft perfect tinder bundles and cut kindling fuel wood. Safely build campfires for warmth, cooking food, boiling water and signaling. Resources like the Boy Scouts Handbook provide detailed fire starting techniques.
Staying Informed and Connected
Reliable news and communication with the outside world are essential when living off grid. Monitor for threats or aid.
Utilizing Emergency Communications
Two-way radios like FRS, GMRS, and ham radios maintain contact with others nearby. Getting a Technician Class license from the ARRL allows access to amateur radio frequencies and networks. Learn proper radio protocols and operations security.
Staying Informed Without Modern Media
Shortwave and emergency AM/FM radios, word of mouth, and paper news become critical for information. Watch for propaganda and misinformation. Stockpile useful reference books on survival medical care, emergency communications, weapons, and more.
Final Thoughts and Takeaways
Gaining proficiency across survival disciplines takes commitment but is crucial for fathers striving to keep their families safe in a disaster scenario. This guide provides a starting framework but cultivating skills is a lifelong endeavor. Regularly assess your weakest areas and continue expanding your knowledge. Becoming a fully prepared “SHTF dad” means everything to those who will depend on you.
