What is it and how do you implement it?
I am not a big fan of the conspiracy theories and the magic coded messages which tend to circulate on the internet. They give the prepper a bad reputation for being somewhat crazy and they give a mythical quality to a serious subject.
Yet, there are a few strategies and numbers which are beneficial, especially when planning for long term survival. Primarily, if you look at the rule of three, you will be in good shape. What is the rule of three? Glad that you asked.
What is the rule of three?
Quite simply, the rule of three is a guideline for the survivalist to understand how long, realistically, he or she can go without a certain substance before expiring.
While to the common man this may appear morbid, to the prepper, it is essential in foreseeing the odds. Keep in mind that most of these are a bit subjective and dependent upon the situation but here they are:
- You can go without air for 3 minutes.
- You can last for 3 hours without fire (unless it is extremely cold in which it would be way lower).
- You can live exposed to the elements for 3 days without shelter.
- You can go for 3 days without water in a heated environment.
- Food can be scarce and you can survive without it for 3 weeks.
Again, this is highly dependent upon the situation, but is should act as a guide. What is good about the rule of three is that you can take out the water from this occasion if you have a great bug out bag and great skills.
Why? Most bug-out bags are made so that you can live for 5 days off of the bagged and bottled water. If you are a true survivalist, then you will have filtration straws, filters, and know how to kill bacterium to increase the longevity of your water supply.
Focusing on the short terms rules of 3
Because you cannot live without air after a maximum of 3 minutes, preppers and survivalist alike must have a means of purifying and obtaining air constantly. If the air is contaminated to the point of not being able to intake it naturally, a gas mask with an air filtration should be in your prepping supplies. Additionally, an underwater breathing apparatus should be purchased (not a snorkel but a breathing mask intended for under water), specifically for any area which may be prone to flooding.
Shelter should be the next priority after air. While you may be able to go a bit more than 3 days without shelter, the overall long-term effects may be too damaging. And being as a tarp, sleeping bag, and tent are relatively cheap and easy to tote, there is no excuse why the prepper should not have such on hand.
Finally, focus on your food supply. Your bug out bag should have dried food which will help you through the dry spells in your hunting and gathering. This is one of the reasons that you do not go immediately to your supplies and why you regulate what you consume in the first critical moments of an emergency.
A good prepper will have food stored in multiple locations in order to ensure that he or she has a backup supply of food should the wild game disperse or the berries, nuts, and other natural foods become contaminated.
You cannot go without hope
Usually when you see information about the rule of 3 it will tell you that you can go without hope for up to 3 months. This is based upon the mental states of depression and how long it would take before the normal person would reach a level that is critical. However, I would argue against the rule of 3 in this case stating that anyone that loses hope has a far less chance of going another day before dying.
Your hope is what keeps you focused, it is what will drive you to forge and to gather, to make your shelter, and to survive. If you lose this motivation you are more apt to make mistakes and to let your guard down. Build up your mental stamina so that you will be able to survive when all hope seems to be fading.
Does the rule of three apply to you?
As a general rule, the rule of 3 applies to most survivalists and preppers. However, you need to take in the calculations of your environment and the likelihood of certain situations based upon where you live, the population, and such. Have a plan, test your plan, and adjust the numbers of the rule of three to match the realities of your personal situation. Remember, you have to be the responsible one as it is you who will need to survive.