How to Survive with Christopher Nyerges

C. Nyerges (School of Self Reliance), A Martinez (Take Two); Xochitl (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

[Recent disasters have] a lot of us thinking about the potential for catastrophe in Southern California.
 

Questions abound: Do I know what I need to do to prepare? What kind of gear do I need? Do I try to leave town or stick around? What do I tell the kids?

 

A variety of experts, like local survivalist and Wisdom Quarterly teacher Christopher Nyerges (School of Self Reliance) spoke to Take Two to help answer all of these questions. Here is a not-so-mini survival guide:

 

First, consider some of the general aspects of what to do. For instance, there are tons of lists out there that suggest all kinds of gear we may need in the case of a disaster, but most of the time people who purchase these things don’t even know how to use them.

 

Christopher Nyerges has been teaching survival preparedness in Los Angeles for over 40 years. He stopped by Take Two to share his top five pieces of advice.

What to know in the case of a disaster

Contact the School of Self-Reliance for survival training classes in Los Angeles.

 

1. Knowledge is more useful than stuff.

When you go out to Costco or any of these places and buy this stuff, you get a false sense of security. You have stuff now, but what DON'T you have? You don't necessarily have experience using it. You don't necessarily know the infrastructure that will swing into play when there is an emergency.

2. If a big quake hits, here's what to do immediately after the shaking stops.

Number one in your own home, look for wounded or hurt people. People are more important than stuff. If you have a neighborhood watch type thing, get together, walk your neighborhood. Look for elderly, look for children... always help those first, who can't help themselves.

Decrease dangers. Turn off gas, if water is spurting out, turn it off. You should know how to do that ahead of time.

Another thing is, have first-aid supplies but know how to use them. The number of people who die from infections and wounds that can't be treated because of less than sanitary conditions following a major disaster always exceed those who are killed from the disaster itself.

3. Prepare beforehand rather than waiting.

See this, using agave and yucca fibers, you can make soap and rope and shampoo.

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In his 40 years of teaching survival preparedness, Christopher shared that the most problematic thing he comes across in his teachings are people's attitudes.

 

What comes to mind is: "I'm a very important person; nothing is going to happen to me."
"I'm gonna buy this stuff, eventually."

 

You know something? Sometimes it is you, and you're not ready. I always tell people: store far more than you think you can. I probably can do better in that regard myself.

 

4. Think twice before evacuating.

Here in Southern California, if there was a major quake, I'm not sure where everybody would go to, quite frankly. If you had an apartment there really may not be much to stay for, but if you had a home with a yard you could put a tent in the yard. You could cook in the yard. You could wash in the yard. You could make a toilet in the yard.

I'm not a big fan of evacuating unless it's absolutely necessary. Plan ahead for yourself if at all possible.

5. Storing water is the easiest and best thing to do.

Storing water is the cheapest and most essential thing to do if you live here in Southern California... Food-grade plastic is the easiest thing to store things in. More + AUDIO