Shelter is well known as one of the most basic human needs. Every Boy Scout learns the basic skill of emergency shelter construction and practices it over and over.

Everything you need for shelter should be fairly easy to find, no matter where you are. If you’re in an urban environment, you could most likely find enough debris, pieces of wood, plywood, pallets, tarps, canvas, newspaper, cardboard or just an empty or abandoned structure.
WARNING: Seeking shelter in abandoned structures can be very dangerous. In populated areas vagrants, criminals, drug addicts and the homeless can occupy abandoned buildings. Use caution and avoid confrontation if at all possible.

If you find yourself out in the wild, a shelter can be made from what nature provides. This is especially easy in wooded areas. Grasslands and desert areas often are sparse when it comes to vegetation for building materials.

Luckily, most American deserts and grasslands still have enough plant life to build a “lean-to” shelter or debris hut. If you find yourself in these areas often it would be wise to add Mylar survival blankets to your EDC.

Many people die every year due to exposure to the elements. From 2003-2008, there were 263 deaths reported among Texas residents with exposure to excessive natural heat as the underlying cause of death. During this same time period, there were 115 deaths reported among Texas residents with exposure to excessive natural cold as the underlying cause of death.