Using Technology for Smarter Survival Plans

There’s no doubt that the progress we’re seeing in the modern world will continue to accelerate at breakneck speeds. It’s hard to imagine that 25 years ago, barely anyone had a mobile phone, yet today we’re glued to our screens. Or that GMO crops would take such a massive role in food production, reducing our ability to farm productively while increasing our dependency on multinational seed companies. These are all insane developments.

 

Use technology for smarter preps when making a survival plan

Now, I’m a strong believer in survival of the fittest, but when it’s used right, technology gives you an additional edge that you can use to your advantage when the SHTF. Because when there’s a crisis, it’s all well and good to go back to the basics, living a simpler life on your homestead. But you’re going to be living a lower quality of life if you’re not adapting new technologies into your prepping. You’ll lose a competitive edge to the people that do, so today I want to cover a few items that make sense to be using in your survival planning.

Solar panel kits

People have been installing solar panels on their homes and cabins for years, but you’d be surprised just how few people actually generate enough electricity to power even the most basic needs of their family. Newer solar cells are more efficient, generating more energy from every minute they spend soaking up the sun’s rays. Get an array set up on your property, and start capitalizing on the free energy that’s being provided by the sun. It might not make a big difference now, but once the grids are down, having a reliable emergency backup prepared will ensure your home is one of the few where the lights remain on. Or even a portable solar charger to keep your phone charged. 

Cell signal boosters

Considering you’ll get service on your phone in most parts of the country, more and more people aren’t using GPS devices or satellite phones. Instead, relying on their mobile devices to stay connected. But there are plenty of black spots, especially once you’re out of the city and into the backwoods. Carrying a portable cell phone signal booster is a neat bit of tech that could prove your saving grace. When you’re in an area with poor service, this device works by amplifying the cell phone signal that’s being communicated to the nearest tower, strengthening both the signal strength and quality to help your calls get through. 

Night vision gear

When night falls it can be a frightening thing. Your vision is limited to only what you can illuminate with your flashlight in hand, and there’s no telling what else is lurking beyond in the shadows. That’s where night vision gear comes in. It could be a scope on your rifle or purchase a set of night vision goggles, you want to include this in your kit for the simple reason that it’ll help you spot any bad guys approaching in the night, and take them out. Plus, it won’t be obvious to anyone else who is watching that you’re actually there. Using night vision goggles helps you to stay in stealth, while keeping an eye on everything that’s happening around you to avoid disasters.

Indoor hydroponics

While people immediately think of growing resources, one particularly valuable plant indoors, when the SHTF there simply won’t be enough food to go around. Everything you grow needs to be protected, and one of the best ways to do that is to use an indoor hydroponics system. They can be setup to operate in basements or rooms that are far from prying eyes, water them every two weeks, and allowing whatever you’re growing to be secured as it does. We’ve got a small system operating already, but there’s plans to scale this up should the situation here ever get out of hand.

Reconnaissance drones

My wife likes to joke that I’m building a small army of drones, but they’re one piece of tech that’s remarkably helpful on our property. With a drone I can quickly identify what’s happening on every edge of our property without ever stepping foot outside. It gets there faster than I can even in a vehicle, and you can even set them to follow particular flight paths on patrol. I also see a value in weaponizing drones, and rigged with small explosives they could do a significant amount of damage to any opposing force attacking your home.

Stab-proof vests

If you’ve ever hefted a military grade bullet-proof vest on, you’ll agree that they’re not ideal for day to day situations. They’re a piece of tactical equipment, worn when the chances of being shot are high. But Kevlar fabrics have improved remarkably in recent years, and stab-proof vests are a lighter alternative that give an added sense of security. Sure, they won’t stop a bullet, but they can be worn discretely under your shirt and will protect against blade attacks, needles, knives and whatever other sharp object you’re being attacked with. It’s a smart bit of gear that’ll help you stay safe once the SHTF.

Alternative currency

Bitcoin has been in the news for quite some time, and that’s leading to more and more adoption of cryptocurrencies that are like an electronic form of cash or gold. Their operation does rely on the network staying online, though if a global EMP hit at this scale, we’d likely lose every other financial network as well. The benefits as I see to cryptocurrency is how easily it can be stored and secured, unlike cash or gold which can be easily stolen from you. All you need is a wallet and a seed key access, and you can make payments to anyone who accepts it. There’s even crypto credit cards, which makes it easy to spend and shop with bitcoin.

With every advancement in technology, it creates new possibilities to survive in a smart way and in long term. Use the knowledge and the developments to your advantage, and ensure you’ve got every possible edge when it comes to staying alive when disaster strikes. Because once the SHTF, you’re going to need it.