And the Walls Came Tumbling Down II.

Indeed there are many things a person needs to survive in emergency situations, which has become evident upon making the list of all the supplies. But another thing that is quite important is to have several skills available in case such a situation could arise. Here's a list, of sorts, of the different skills and abilities that would come in handy.

Physical fitness. This one is rather important, because you never know when you may be required to take an extensive hike or swim*. Endurance is especially important. For instance: You get stranded in a forest that has a large population of bears. Bears will track food down for miles and if you think that one is following you be ready to take extensive measures to get out of the bear's way.

Self Defense Tactics. Knowing how to fight, how to defend, how to take a punch can be an important part to survival. "Lord of the Flies" is an interesting scenario that shows how crazy people can get. Of course there are several other stories that do it in a less bland fashion.

*Swim. It won't do much good to be physically fit in the water if you don't actually know how to swim.

Knot tying. There are several different types of knots that a person can learn. And each task could be best accomplished by knowing the specific knot that the task calls for.

Marksmanship. If you have a gun, you need to know how to shoot it. A shotgun, is for close range, a rifle for long range, a crossbow has more of an arch than a bullet. Practice shooting.

CPR, Heimlich Maneuver, General First Aid. This one is pretty obvious, and can always be handy. The first aid includes knowing how to suture a wound, stop bleeding and how to keep things sterile.

Edible? Don't eat it if you're not sure if it will kill you. Know what's most nutritious and what's poisonous. Eat very small portions and eat often. Also consume a lot of water, especially if you have to endure rigorous activity.

Hunting and fishing. Learn how to be stealthy, how to track animals down, know their habitats and of course your marksmanship will come in handy here as well. Fishing may be easier in some regards if you have the right tools. *Ahh more things to add to the supplies list*

Fire. You have to keep warm. If your body goes into a state of hypothermia you will die if you don't get warm. Fire is also great to signal your location, boil water, cook food, and well, I suppose we all know how useful fire is. It can also be dangerous of course so take care and know how to keep it under control.

Mending. Clothes don't last forever. So being able to patch them up would probably be very useful.

Morse Code. This may be more important than you think. HAMM Radio, light signals, and maybe even pecking on a wall to be stealthy could be an important form of communication. It is far down this list for a reason though, because if the other person doesn't know Morse Code then it's not really going to help much.

Play. If you can find the time, keep your mind busy. If you have company, laugh and try to enjoy yourself despite the circumstances. If you can't keep your sanity, then you will not last long.

And the Walls Came Tumbling Down.

I've been watching Jericho and reading The Walking Dead. It's putting me into survival mode. I'm going to make a list of stuff I need in case of an emergency situation. Of course, Jericho hits a little closer to home than The Walking Dead. Now there are two situations that these supplies call for, a situation of anarchy where a whole town, state, or the country is in a state of emergency. A more plausible situation is where I am either lost in the woods or stranded because my car broke down. I will label each item accordingly (A for anarchy and S for Stranded)

Large Tank or Barrel for gas. (A)
A Generator. (A)
Two Way Radios (A)
Hand crank gas pump. (A)
Siphon hose. (A)
Shovel. (A)
Binoculars. (A)
Rope. (A/S)
Map. (A/S)
Compass. (A/S)
Cat litter. (Specifically for tire traction)
At least 20 Jugs of Water. (A)
A simple tool kit (hammer, flathead and phillips screw driver, crescent wrench, crowbar.)(A/S)
Hand crank flash light/radio. (A/S)
Flash Light. (A/S)
Batteries (all sizes). (A/S)
Candles. (A/S)
Glow Sticks (A/S)
HAM Radio. (A)
Lighter, Matches, and Flint. (A/S)
Canned Foods or MREs (meals ready to eat). (A)
Back Pack. (A/S)
A Whistle. (A/S)
Blankets. (A/S)
First Aid Kit. (A/S)
A Knife. (A/S)
A Pistol. (A)
A Rifle w/ Scope. (A)
A Shotgun. (A)
Crossbow? (A)
Axe. (A)
Lots of Ammo. (A)
Motorcycle or Four-Wheeler. (A)
Bicycle. (A)
Books. (A)

Now, realize, any gas powered machine is only reliable as long as there is a solid supply of gas. So that's why a Bicycle is a must. A single lit candle will supposedly keep you warm in a car if you get stranded because your car breaks down and you're stuck in rain or snow. Of course you should keep the vents closed so that the heat stays in.

Survive.