If you live in the city, you may be concerned about your chances of surviving an emergency situation thanks to the heavy population of the area in which you live. This fear is not unfounded. Luckily, if you follow some key rules, you should be able to live through the worst of the situation just as if you were bugging out in the country.

Luckily, if you follow some key rules, you should be able to live through the worst of the situation just as if you were bugging out in the country.

Urban Survival – Is It Even Possible?
Food – No city can feed it’s people on its own and when the supply trucks stop running, supplies will quickly be depleted. It is wise to have food on hand.
I highly recommend storing a variety of heirloom seeds. These can be to grow sprouts for emergency nutrition and for gardens for long-term food sources. Alternatively, if you can locate food packing plants or warehouses in your city, that may be a good place to allocate additional food reserves if yours runs out.
Water – Municipal water sources can become tainted and it will be up to you to locate water sources. Water could look crystal clear and still contain very dangerous contaminants. – so avoid this all together and make sure you have some water stored away.
Fuel – Due to so many who are getting out of dodge and leaving the city, the fuel stores will quickly be depleted. Many suggest solar panels as a good power alternative. While I like this idea, it can also draw unwanted attention, so further security measures should be put in place to hide the solar panels from view.
Power – The failure of the power grid will prevent things from getting back to normal. When the majority of the population realize things aren’t going to change any time soon, and the above listed items aren’t available, there will be breakdowns to the level of social collapse. Many feel this very reason is why it’s important to be ready to bug out on a moment’s notice. If you are caught in this, it could be very dangerous.
What You Will Be Up Against
While it is entirely possible to survive in the city, you need to know what you will be up against. I realize that I am painting a very bleak picture, but those who stay behind and choose not to bug out are either under prepared, trapped in the city or have enough skills and know-how to make it on very little stored resources. The latter will not be the majority. Therefore, be prepared for roaming gangs, thugs and desperate individuals who have resorted to a more primal version of themselves. They will do what they need to in order for their needs to be met. If they haven’t eaten in days, they will smell your food from miles away, so you need to know how to mask the smells of your food or you could be welcoming unwanted visitors whose primary focus is to take what you have.
Security will be crucial in surviving in an urban setting and having a group you can depend on will make it all the more secure. Many neighbors and friends living in close proximity will band together and help to fortify the homes or find a suitable location in a higher location so you can get a bird’s-eye view of the scenery.

Essentially, prepping in the city is the same as it would be in the country. One key difference is that you must go to extra lengths not to draw attention to yourself. This means that having a solar panel would be incredibly difficult, and having a garden, even a rooftop garden, will be pretty much impossible. Be prepared to stay in your home for weeks at a time while you wait for things to return to normal. It will likely be difficult (and boring at times), but it is entirely possible to achieve.

For more tips on urban survival, check out Ready Nutrition.