Survival Rationing

Survival Rations

In any or disaster emergency situation, a sense of loss may be accompanied by panic and a hopeless feeling. Being careless in how you react to a disaster or an emergency will only weaken your chances for survival. Rationing your supplies carefully in an emergency or during a disaster will help you avoid needless errors and waste. Simple errors in judgment can reduce your chances for survival. If you lose control of your emotions during a crisis, you may endanger your survival. Resources and supplies can be used up quickly and may even be consumed or wasted much more quickly than they would be under normal circumstances. Having a little discipline and a lot of determination will be much more effective and could quite possibly save your life and the lives of your family.

Rationing for Survival

1.) Review your inventory. If you don’t know how much you have available, you won’t be able to determine proper allowances for everyone. Be sure to make allowances for those with special dietary needs and to allow increased amounts depending upon the energy expended.

2.) Place the most dependable person in charge. You will need someone that is not prone to panic in a survival situation to put a good rationing plan into effect and who can make sure it is implemented properly.

3.) Use your perishable items first. Frozen food items will quickly spoil and be wasted if not used quickly, especially if there is no power. Save those items with a longer shelf life till a later time.

4.) Determine the proper rations. Depending upon the amount of supplies you have on hand and the number of people involved, you will need to determine a proper amount and size of the rations for each person. Realize that many people consume portions well beyond their needs during normal times and during a crisis may even have a tendency to think they need even more.

5.) Include an estimate for the length of the crisis in your plans. Obviously you will need to be a lot more careful with your supplies if the emergency or disaster continues for an extended period of time. Remember that in a crisis time will be your enemy. If you are unable to determine the length of the crisis, plan for the long term just to be safe.

6.) Maintain a regular schedule. A sense of order and routine will give an air of normalcy to everyone during a crisis. Plan regularly scheduled meals and snacks. Try not to vary from your routine once established. Determine a daily ration schedule and stick to it except in the case of extreme necessity, such as someone with an illness or injury that may require adjusting the rations for those individuals who have been affected.

7.) Don’t be too strict with your rationing. Leave your self enough room when planning your ration portions to prevent unnecessary hunger or thirst. Hungry and thirsty people can act irrationally and may create even more problems for you during a crisis.

8.) Follow your ration plan. Once you’ve determined a plan for rationing your supplies, don’t make any changes or adjustments unless absolutely necessary. Stick with the plan.

It may not be the best plan but it is a plan, which is a lot better than no plan at all.

9.) Guard your supplies carefully and keep track of their condition. An infestation of insects or other pests can quickly ruin your stock of supplies. Check their status on a regular basis to insure their viability and integrity. Don’t risk needless loss because you forgot to check your supplies.

10.) Don’t forget water. Water is a necessary item for digestion and is also needed to maintain proper sanitation and hygiene. The effects of dehydration will overcome you a lot faster than a shortage of food.

What's on your survival plate?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker