Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
I just recently finished reading Ragnar's Urban Survival: A Hard-Times Guide to Staying Alive in the City
Chapter 1: Basic Survival Philosophy. One of the more memorable lessons from this chapter is the Rule of Threes. For example, you should have three separate and distinct sources of food. What if your food supply is ransacked and then you run out of bullets? What is your third source of food?
Chapter 2: Combat in Built-Up Areas. In almost every disaster scenario, you are going to see military throughout the city. If they're your own country's military, you'll want to avoid them because the last thing you want is to become a refugee. If they're another country's military, you'll want to avoid them for obvious reasons. Where do you hide? What kinds of weapons do you need?
Chapter 3: The Government's View of Survivalists. In general, governments like their citizens to be dependent on them because then the citizens can't rebel. It is important that you hide yourself and your supplies well because they will take you and your things away, “for the public good.”
Chapter 4: Water. This chapter covers the many different ways to collect water and make it drinkable. Remember the Rule of Threes!
Chapter 5: Sources of Energy. Topics include stoves, heaters, generators, solar power, windmills, and scrounging. This is one area where most people underprepare.
Chapter 6: Food. There are more sources of food in the city than you might think. Ragnar discusses where to gather food, how to set traps, and how to kill birds. Another nutritious food source that most people don't think of but can be found almost anywhere: cattails. There is almost much info about raising livestock and storing food.
Chapter 7: Survival Food Preparation. Butchering animals, preserving meat (brining, canning, jerking, smoking), preserving vegetables and other topics are discussed.
Chapter 8: Emergency Shelter in Cities. Some more info on why you don't want to become a refugee segues into a discussion about how to find or construct shelters that will go unnoticed. The most important thing: location, location, location!
Chapter 9: Caching and Storage. A large portion of this chapter is devoted to the subject of cache tubes. Cache tubes kept urban survivors alive in Europe during WWII.
Chapter 10: Trading. This chapter is vital. One of the more likely disaster scenarios (especially in the U.S. and Europe) is a currency collapse. At the time this book was written, the dollar was still strong and stable. But now it looks like people will need other forms of currency. Included is a list of small items that will be in high demand.
Chapter 11: Guns. For self-protection and hunting. Surviving in place will be difficult without at least one good gun.
Chapter 12: Survival Nursing. It's easy to take healthcare and medicine for granted, but if you're injured or sick and these things are not available, you won't last long.
While this book isn't comprehensive, it's definitely a great book for beginners and a fun read for experienced preppers. Full of real-life stories of people who have survived the worst and practical advice for people in any survival situation, Ragnar's Urban Survival is a great book to have on your shelf. You can get it on amazon.com.
