From blackouts and pandemics to riots and natural disasters, exceptional situations can quickly disrupt our comfortable city lives and leave us in dire straits if we lack basic survival skills. The key to dealing with them is to prepare in advance and know how to act sensibly when all else fails, says a former elite soldier.
Former elite unit soldier Samuel Santamaría prefers to clarify from the outset that his urban survival proposals are not aimed at extreme preppers, who train in defense and self-sufficiency tactics, build bunkers and stockpile food to survive the end of the world or disasters of apocalyptic proportions.
The techniques taught by this self-defense instructor and expert with experience in UN missions are aimed at training the minds of conscious citizens who seek to be prepared and giving them useful tools without falling into alarmism, with a civil, accessible, and practical approach, as he explains.
Santamaría focuses on providing these responsible individuals with the key knowledge to enable them to resist, make decisions, and avoid panic in collapsed urban environments, all of which he describes in detail in his book ‘Urban Survival Manual’, including drills, mission sheets, and strategies that any citizen can rehearse and apply from now on.
Emergency kits (portable, household and vehicle); home fortification; communication without networks; alternative lighting; the family plan to cope with crises; water collection, storage and purification; food preservation, rationing and cooking; hygiene and first aid; basic self-defense; and safe travel are key survival tools, he says.
With more than 30 years of experience in survival and combat in urban environments, this former soldier participated in the Enduring Freedom missions after the 9/11 attacks; the United Nations MINUSTAH in Haiti; and was part of the intervention team during the 11-M attacks in Madrid.
In addition, Santamaría works on training civilians in risk contexts and teaches courses for the Red Cross, the State Security Forces and Corps, and private security professionals and bodyguards.
Reduce risks and multiply possibilities.
“Urban survival (US) is the ability to adapt, act judiciously, and maintain personal and family safety in urban environments during crisis situations, emergencies, or temporary collapses of basic services, in order to reduce risks and increase the chances of getting ahead,” explains Santamaría.
This includes being prepared for limited access to food; having a family plan and a basic emergency kit; staying calm; and making sound decisions, but excludes acting out of fear or violence; isolating oneself from the environment or the community; senseless hoarding or falling into alarmist theories, as it points out.
Surviving in a city when chaos ensues also involves “recovering a part of the common sense that we have been leaving aside in an increasingly dependent, accelerated and comfortable society,” he adds.
“It’s not about becoming Rambo, or a paramilitary or a movie hero, nor about preparing to live in a war zone or for an apocalypse, but about being aware that things can get complicated at any moment and being prepared to face them as a citizen,” he points out.
Santamaría explains that learning about urban sustainability is necessary because cities, while seemingly self-sufficient, are interconnected and vulnerable to incidents such as massive blackouts, telecommunications failures, water or gas supply cuts, public transport collapse, health emergencies, social protests or riots, and natural or technological disasters.
“In these situations, most of the population does not know how to act beyond the first few hours, as they lack resources, training, and a plan,” he emphasizes.
“Acting calmly when others freeze up; making logical decisions under pressure; having the attitude, tools, and knowledge necessary to overcome an unforeseen event; knowing how to improvise with what you have, prioritizing the essentials and taking care of your loved ones; being self-sufficient, even if only for a few hours or days, is a powerful advantage,” this former soldier points out.
Santamaría explains that one of the crucial skills in crisis situations is knowing how to “manage food to maintain energy, defenses and nutritional balance, and to ration wisely, prioritizing the essentials, distributing reserves in a balanced way and avoiding extremes that may cause problems in the long run.”
Keys to good rationing in crisis situations.
Set fixed portions per person per day. He recommends “defining from the beginning how many calories each person needs (according to age, weight and activity level); dividing food daily or weekly to prolong reserves, for example; and preparing daily bags with already divided portions.
Prioritize foods with high caloric and nutritional value. Santamaría advises prioritizing foods that provide sustained energy and essential nutrients: healthy fats (oil, nuts), proteins (legumes, canned meat or fish), complex carbohydrates (rice, oats) and micronutrients (dried fruits, canned vegetables, multivitamins).
Use up leftovers, cooking water, bones, and rinds. “The water where legumes or rice have been cooked can be used as a base for soups; bones or fish bones can be boiled to obtain broths rich in collagen and minerals; leftovers can be transformed into tortillas, stews or empanadas,” according to this former family member who suggests “storing broths in thermal bottles or thermoses to keep them hot and avoid reheating them.”
Divide your meals into two or three daily portions. Eating only once a day tends to deplete energy reserves and lower mood, so Santamaría advises “spreading food into two or three meals (even if they are small) to keep glucose levels stable and motivation up, and having an infusion with something solid between meals to provide a feeling of satiety and routine.”
Combine cereals with legumes to obtain protein. When combined, grains and legumes provide essential amino acids and high-quality proteins comparable to those from animals, according to this former military man, who recommends preparing classic combinations such as rice with lentils, bread with hummus, or chickpea omelets with oats; or also mixing rice, lentils, and canned carrots, which come in easy-to-store jars.
Drill: a night without electricity, water, or gas.
Santamaría also suggests experiencing a full night without access to electricity, running water, or gas, using only alternative resources for lighting, cooking, hygiene, and communication prepared in advance.
“Imagine you live with your partner in a detached house in a small mountain village. Due to a severe storm, a breakdown occurs, leaving the entire area without electricity, water, and gas overnight,” he suggests.
In that context, “simulate the moment you realize you have no electricity, water, or gas, and that the situation could last all night.” During the night, you should not use any resources that depend on the interrupted supplies, using only the alternative resources you have prepared beforehand,” it states.
The former military officer recommends “recording in detail the activities carried out during the drill, as well as the resources used, the difficulties encountered and the solutions implemented.”
Finally, he advises evaluating the drill: “Were you able to cook, communicate, and feel safe during the night? What were the biggest challenges you faced? What resources proved essential and which were unnecessary? What improvements could be implemented in overall preparedness for similar future situations?”
Having the right knowledge, tools, attitude, and psychology in urban survival gives us the peace of mind of knowing that, when the world goes dark or the tap runs dry, we have the keys to stay safe and turn it back on, concludes Samuel Santamaría.
Daniel Galilea.
EFE – Reports
