DR. JOE ALTON'S TOP PREPAREDNESS PICKS

CRITICAL INSIGHTS FROM EVERYONE’S FAVORITE SURVIVAL MEDIC

-  Joe Alton, M.D.

Everyone has their favorite items they wouldn’t want to be without in a long-term survival scenario.

When an interviewer asks what pieces of equipment are must-haves, I immediately start asking questions: What’s the scenario—an economic collapse, a high-death-rate pandemic, a thermonuclear war? Are they staying in place or getting out of Dodge? Are they alone, with their family or in a survival group? Are there kids? Are there old folks? Sometimes, the questioner regrets having asked, but the answers to my questions factor into what you’ll need.

I don’t claim to be a bushcraft expert (my mission is medical), so my personal requirements might be different from others who wouldn’t be responsible for the health of a survival community.

In this article, though, I’ll discuss the items and skills that I’ve worked to obtain and hone in order to succeed when everything else fails. I’ll sometimes mention a brand name, but everyone is different, and their gear preferences should be the result of their own research and conclusions.