2012 Personal Disaster Survival kit The tools, supplies and medical items in your kit may save your life in an emergency. Carry your kit in a pocket – it is possible that you will become separated from your pack in an emergency. I often carried a fanny pack on me when leaving the car with my survival gear in it. I also carried a pack when on longer walks with the bulkier emergency survival items which are explained later. When you are selecting a container for your emergency survival kit ask yourself these questions: A. will it float? B. is it sturdy? C. is it water proof? D. is it compact, light weight and manageable? E. can I get into it in a hurry with cold hands? f. Is it a bright color so I can find it? YOUR PERSONAL SURVIVAL KIT Each survival kit will reflect the needs of the user. Put Items in your personal survival kit that you know you will use, and alter the contents to reflect the expected environment you will be traveling in. Things that you would use in a northern winter may not be the same as traveling through southwestern desserts. This is a list of some of the things you can and should carry in your survival kit. Add to this list when you discover another useful item. There is no need to carry all of these items: a. matches – at least 20, waterproof wooden matches – it is a good idea to store matches in a separate container inside your personal survival kit. Put the striker from the match box in the container with them. Film canisters are good for this, but digital cameras have made these harder to find. Use any crush resistant bottle small travel size bottles from Wal-Mart work fine. I use a bright orange combination that is a whistle, striker, waterproof match storage and a compass. Wooden matches can also be coated in wax to make them water proof. The wax does need to be scraped off before trying to light them. The little bit of wax will even help the fire start quicker. Break matches in half to save space if required. b. candles – tea light or small candles get the
kind that burns for several hours not just one emergency candles that burn for 8 hours are a cheap investment. c. snare wire – #18 gauge brass wire or motor wire about 15 feet. If you are stranded or lost you may be there a while and need to get food. That is enough to make about 5 snares. How to use it is explained in another section. d. strong thin cord 30 feet. If you use 550 lb.
parachute cord then there are 7 strands inside of it that can be used for
tying together a shelter, fishing building snares or traps as well as the very
strong outer sheath which can be used for lashing tripods or deadfall traps etc. e. fishing gear 15 feet of 15 pound
test line, bare hooks, a lead weight and a cork . The fish hooks can
have the sharp points inserted into the cork I would use at least 6 of them some for fishing and some for catching birds or small animals ( see snares and traps). The cork can be
substituted with a
small stick tied to the fishing line, but care needs to be taken to
make sure
it is not to large so as not to be able to see from the action of the
line if
is a fish. If it is to large fish will not be able to pull the float
under to
indicate a bite, to small an it will not hold the hook an bait at the
desired
depth. If you choose to not use a cork place the hooks in a plastic container. This insures that if you fall you are not the one who gets hooked. Removing a hook from yourself is not that pleasant. f. medical kit – iodine (iodine can be used to purify water as well as for first aid) 3 drops per quart of water let stand 30 minutes, adhesive bandages of various sizes, roll bandage, small medical scissors, adhesive tape and dressing, moleskin or second skin for blisters, water purification tabs which can be found at camping stores or just use iodine. g. small safety pins h. plastic bags – 2 large orange garbage bags for shelter and signaling they can also be used as a ground cloth or filled with leaves for insulation and comfort, 2 small bags for water collection. If you have a larger clear bag as well it can be placed over the branch of a tree and during sunlight can collect water for you from the tree. Or cut in half and spread out over sand or dirt to form a solar still for more dessert areas.
I. a whistle for signaling and getting the party back together. Some whistles have small compasses built in as well. 1. food – concentrated soup ,boullion cubes store well and are small and make a nice warm drink as well, tea, coffee, sugar, hard candy the breakfast bars stay fresh for a long time as well. 2. aluminum foil – 9 feet long for baking roots, making temporary cookware and the foil can be used for signaling and for the shiny part of a fishing lure. In case of cold or severe wind if the foil is placed between layers of clothing it can block wind and reflect heat to keep you warm. It can form small cups for melting snow, sterilizing water, or baking roots and vegetables. 3. fuel tablets or fire starters sealed in plastic to avoid contamination of the rest of your survival kit, and for the larger kits the small sterno cans. 4. magnesium stick or flint and steel they are small lightweight and your matches may run out. 5. mirror – unbreakable and shatter proof (not glass or plastic), for signaling aluminum foil can be used for signaling as well but is not rigid and not as shiny but will reveal your location for searchers 6. basic compass which can be included with the whistle but a larger reliable one is better. 7. emergency blanket for your personal kit one of the shiny foil backed plastic ones. In cold the shiny side in will keep your body heat in. In hot shiny side out will reflect heat and also signal others (don’t use it while hunting?) 8 .a good flashlight, spare bulb and batteries, I
tend to carry one of the new led flashlights that you can shake and get light
from so you do not have to worry about the batteries dying on you or corroding.
The bulbs are also more shock resistant. I also have a wind up light with 3 leds that will run for an hour with a couple of minutes of cranking. 9. several sizes of needles and 6 feet of strong
thread, if you run out the inner core of the parachute cord can be used as well. 10. Cable type saw which can be attached to a bowed stick for a better saw but should be oiled before storage 11. crayon (will write anywhere) and paper or in hot climates since the crayon would melt a grease pencil from a hardware store works and the paper you peel off is good fire starting material so save it. 12. personal hygiene items – dental floss bring the whole roll you can use it to tie things with as well and is light, baking soda for tooth brushing, a small piece of soap one of the motel travel size 13. duct tape which can be wrapped around the crayon, grease pencil or outside of container and can be used to seal the plastic trash bags to make a rain outfit etc. 14. Knife or preferably a leather man even the small ones are good and versatile if space is a premium you can carry a single edge razor blade. It can cut string for tieing, sharpen small reeds etc for fishing. The knife with a saw blade or serrated blade is good since you can easily cut small poles for fishing or making traps or snares. 15. Small first aid kit, with alchohol swabs, band aids, aspirin, tweezers, a mosquito repellant ( 100% deet) Remember the more you have the better off you will be but size and weight do add up so consider what you want to bring. I use a small fanny pack on even short hikes the extra weight has never slowed me down but having the things to work with if I got lost made me feel better. If you can carry only a bare minimum, 1. carry matches, waterproof or in a watertight container 2. a signaling device (whistle), 3. protection for your body from the elements two garbage bags 4. a container to heat water, a small metal cup aluminum works fine something you can put into a fire to boil water, melt snow and make your soup and cook with. Aluminum foil will also form and emergency cup and allow the boiling of water and cook bird eggs etc. 5. quick energy food such as candy, chocolate and adhesive bandages. In winter you can dip string in paraffin wax and wrap this around your matches. This will make the match burn longer and will help with starting fires.
For a car or back pack disaster survival
kit which will accommodate a small group like a family short term these
items will be useful. You should also include everything from your personal survival kit in the car. It just adds more and gives you a better chance. First aid kit * 3 trauma dressings *4 Gauge compress * elastic bandage 3in * latex surgical gloves * splint or the plastic roll up slides * antiseptic like iodine for wounds and purify water * assorted band aids * bug repellant deet is best can be placed on clothes instead of you * 12 aspirin or ibuprophen depending on your need but if you get hurt you will want them * adhesive tape * roll of gauze * antibacterial soap The car kits also needs a folding shovel flares or signal triangle ( flares can be used to start a fire as well when wood is wet) jumper cables tow strap small tool kit with pliers, channel locks, 6 or 8 in adjustable end wrench, phillips and standard screwdrivers at least a couple of bottles of water some non perishable food, boulion cubes, powdered chocolate etc. at least one can of sterno to heat the food with and a large metal cup that things can be heated with, including water to be purified, snow, or dirty river water Change of clothes and light jacket, gloves and a beanie type hat to keep you warm or the sun off your head This is a minimum kit and certainly NOT inclusive of all the things you could or should have. I carry a much larger kit but that would fit easily in the glove compartment along with survival kits. By the way survival kits are per person. If you have several people then you are going to have to build bigger shelters, trap more food or fish etc and sterilize more water.
Tools 1. Folding camp shovel to dig shelters, dig out vehicles, make snow shelters clear fire areas 2. Sturdy knife 4-6 inches in length with case and sharpener 3. Light sticks and flashlights at least one GOOD flashlight like the led maglight or good quality shake and recharge lights are a must it will get dark. 4. Waterproof matches, flint and steel , emergency flares can be good as well both for signaling and if you have only wet brush to help you start a fire 5. A 10x10 sturdy tarp with grommets you may be sleeping under it and keep you out of the wind. 6. Several emergency blankets the plastic foil sided ones work but sometimes a wool blanket comes in real handy. Can be used to put a fire out, keep a victim warm and keeps you warm even if it gets wet. 7. A pry bar to open your trunk or pry doors open. In states where these are considered burglary tools a Life Hammer or a Res-Q- Me can be used these will break out the side glass window and cut seat belts to free trapped occupants. 8. Cigarette lighter the butane type 9. A small pot for cooking, melting snow, boiling water 10. Signaling mirror unbreakable 11. Cable puller or come along 2000 pound capacity this may pull your car out of a drift or mud or right a turned over car. 12. Portable water filter brita would work or small pump type 13. Tiny camping grill to cook, purify water and heat, This can be a collapsable grill and a couple of cans of sterno or a one burner coleman stove 14. Folding bushman saw for cutting wood and brush, for shelters or under your tires to get out of mud, snow or ice. 15. Compass even if you dont know how to read a map ( the deer hunting guides and survival guides cover it) the compass will keep you from walking in circles. 16. 50 feet of the 55o pound test parachute cord to make shelters with climb out of gullies or tie things together Personal Items Change of clothing including socks, underwear, pants, shirts, and jacket with a hat, warm gloves for each occupant likely to be there
House kit Everything that was in the personal kits and the car kit but the food needs to be for at least a week as well as water figuring a gallon of water per day per person. The emergency supplies should be stored in the basement since in time of storm etc that is where to go. If there is danger of flooding especially place all the supplies in the 5 gallon buckets you can get at paint stores or hardware stores these will seal the supplies and be good even if the basement floods. Good tip if you still have power and the basement is flooding then go to the main breaker and turn it off or risk electrocution as you step into the water.
2012 Surviving Disasters Disaster Preparation 2012 Disaster Survival long term survival plan 2012 Contact US links and Privacy page 2012 Survival Preparation and the Mayan calendar 2012 Finding emergency water for surviving in your home or outdoors 2012 Survival Kits personal, auto, and home with first aid kits
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