A Better Way to Remember and Survive
Whether it’s an earthquake, a riot, or a terrorist attack, being prepared is critical in any situation as disasters can happen anytime and often without warning. Being prepared is not only about having the necessary supplies and gear, but it is also knowing what to do. You could be at home sleeping when an earthquake suddenly strikes or out on a hike in the mountains when a fire ignites and traps you. You could be safely in your office when the power goes out or an act of terror throws the city outside into total chaos.
When this happens, what should be your top priorities in order to survive? One of the rules that preppers and survivalists follow during any crisis is the Rule of 3. It’s a rule that can help you do certain things first to ensure your survival. Memorizing this rule can increase your chances of survival in any dire situation.
It’s easy to be frightened or overwhelmed when the calm of our world suddenly falls apart. In this blog, we’ll discuss what the Rule of 3 is and how to apply this principle during any catastrophic situation. We’ll also look at an easy acronym to remember to ensure your survival priorities are stronger than the crisis you are facing.
What is the Rule of 3
The Rule of 3 is a rule that survivalists and preppers follow to help them remember what is the most important thing they need to do first when they’re put in a disaster situation. Read anyone’s survival story and the chances are they knowingly or unknowingly survived because of the Rule of 3. No one knows exactly where the rule started, but some believe it was taken from the United States Air Force S.E.R.E. Program –Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape.
The Rule of 3 essentially means you can live and survive for:
AIR: Three Minutes Without Air
SHELTER: Three Hours Without Shelter
WATER: Three Days Without Water
FOOD: Three Weeks Without Food
HOPE: Three Months Without Hope
Remembering the Rule of 3 (A.C.H.E.D)
“For minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months I A.C.H.E.D.” The Rule of 3 was created for survival in the wilderness to help people prioritize things when they’re put in a tight spot. However, this code can also be applied in your preparation for surviving in an urban setting during a disaster. The challenge for most people is remembering the rule of three. The incremental periods of time are easy enough to remember: minutes, hours, days, weeks, months; however, the order of what you need to survive has to be memorized. The chances are that if this is your first exposure to them, you have to struggle to remember them. If that is the case, how could you remember them in the stress of a disaster situation? Remember instead the phrase “For minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months I ACHED”
This phrase will expand the applicability of the Rule of 3 and help you to remember it during the stress of a crisis in an urban environment. Remember the Rule of 3 by remembering the word “ACHED.” Ached is to “suffer from a continuous dull pain,” and any SHTF situation can be a prolonged and continuous pain that needs to be dealt with. As an acronym, ached stands for Air, Cover, Hydration, Eat, Desire.
Air is the critical component where minutes matter. Cover, here, we also expand in concept to include cover as in a hat, protection from the sun, rain, and win and cover as in “cover me” to remember to create a defensible shelter of protection, as well. While you may already have shelter in some crisis situation, you need to be aware that cover also includes protecting your body directly and indirectly. The H in “ACHED” is hydration. Here too , I am trying to expand the definition of water. The liquid in canned foods, the morning dew, rain, the toilet tank, even water remaining in the pipes leading to your house are all sources of hydration, so it’s important to expand the definition from just finding water in the wilderness. The “E” is simply “Eat.” Finding sources of consumable food, foraging in an urban environment, gardening in plots of land, balconies, or even window sills are all methods of critical food resources after a crisis. And finally, the D is “Desire,” defined as “a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.” To be hopeful and desirous of emerging from a catastrophe, staying positive when everything looms like a dark cloud over you, finding the calm moments when you are spending the majority of your time in a panicked frenzy for survival, will be the key element to your long term survival.
So remember, minutes, hours, day, weeks, and maybe even months you “A.C.H.E.D.- Air, Cover, Hydration, Eat, Desire,” but if you prepare and keep your head about you, you can survive.
Conclusion
The Rule of 3 can help you know what you should focus and prioritize first, not only in preparing but also in case you find yourself in the middle of a disaster with no gear or supplies available. Remember the priorities by remembering the phrase “For minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months I ACHED.” This will ensure you know the priorities of survival in any given situation, and you remember that the pain will be temporary if you apply the principles, prepare, and persist.
We hope you gained new insight when it comes to focusing and prioritizing your preps.
As always, please stay safe out there.