In events of dramatic stress, the trappings of civilization are usually one of the first things to go, and with them go the safety blanket that
civilzation uses to blind us to the stark realities of survival. Soon, often within a few days, even in as little as a few hours, after the
event, surval becomes a matter of every man for himself. As soon as that line is crossed, what do you do?

The answer is, you scavenge.

The next question is: What do I need?

Priorities will shift, slightly, based on the number of people you are trying to keep alive, what you have on hand, and the envirement you are
trying to survive in, but some things you should ALWAYS keep an eye out for, as they could be the difference between living like the Kings of
Yore for two weeks, and surviving to live comfortably enough to teach your grandchildren how to fight and survive in the world that you find
yourself in. Anyone should be able to figure out that finding a gun, or ammunition, is good, and should be taken along with you. Likewise, any
parts for a project you are working on will already be part of your search criteria.

1.Medicine. Any medicine that you find may be the last. Also, as it ages, it becomes less effective.

2.Many things will be helpful, even essential, in the short-term, but real long term survival requires knowledge. So, the first thing to be on
the look out for is any form of how-to manual you can find. If at all practical, take these with you. You never know when the information will
prove useful. At the least, there is a strong chance that these materials can be used as trade fodder down the road.

3.Hand tools. Electricity is a finite resorce, and often a fickle taskmaster. The less you have to depend on her, the fewer technical apparatus
you have to spend time, resources, and energy worrying over. While they require more physical exertion, and productivity output lessens, these
can be used anytime, and without any other equiptment being required for their opperation.

4.Optics. They make everything better. They take the almost blind, and give them the eyes of the hawk. They make an indistinct blur on the
horizon and help determine if it is a friend, or a foe to be best avoided. In an area bereft of such things, they will hold the value of a king’s ransom within their few onces of weight. They can even give you a permanent source of fire for as long as the sun hangs in the sky. Take any intact optics that you can carry.

5.Seed. All civilizations that last are either farming civilizations that master how to gain the most sustenance from the land with the fewest
variables, or warrior societities that control them. Either way, crop seeds and farmers to take care of them are the only long term method of
survival that works.

6.Premade clothing/cloth. Another staple of our civilization, most of us haven’t the first clue how to make them once ours wear through, or the
climate changes. Gather as much as you can into the safest place you can. We use cloth in all aspects of our daily routines, so having too much
is never going to last for long.

7.Footwear. Shoes are important enough to daily life to warrant a number instead of sub-text in the clothing section. Until the world gets put
back together as we know it, footwear will forever be less reliable and not nearly as long lasting. Footwear will be more highly valued the
longer we go without civilzation, so this will become a highly lucrative trade item any place that people have feet.

8.Wiring. In todays world, these tiny strips of metal hold our world together. The same will hold true for any trying to establish contact with
surviving outposts, or foreign powers that may come to heal or take advantage of the situation you find yourself in. Should you come across any
who are attempting to enact these ideals, wiring of all types will be among the most valuable trade items you can muster. Not to be overlooked
is the fact that is can be broken down into weaponry, or even decorations, both of which have held value since the dawn of our species. Some of
the greatest steel in the world for bladesmithing, known as Damascus, is forged specifically out of many strands of steel wire hammered into one
peice of steel again. Also usefull for snares.

9.PVC. Another staple of our day and age, we often fail to see the value of the plastic pipes that thread us together. Useful in everything from
plumbing and shelter making to being ready made blowguns and nonrusting armor.

One very important thing to keep in mind while you are out collecting, is that somebody else will need these things as much as you do. You will
have to fight for these things. The more you have, the better the target you will make. Zombies will not be the biggest threat here. It will be
the living that will go to any extremes to get their hands on what you have. Have a plan ready and in place before your scavenge begins, and be
prepared to kill or be killed over that last handfull of beans.

This article was written by Wheelgunner. Thanks for your contribution.