Survival Kit Contents And Their Uses
With all that is happening in the world today such as a pandemic, mother nature has been kicking the crap out of us. Because of things like hurricanes and fires, you should be concerned about your Survival Kit Contents.
What is your list of survival kit items included in that ‘bug out bag’ when you are told to evacuate by the sheriff? Does it include:
- A first aid kit
- Water
- Food
- Tools
- A plan as to where to go
- And maybe a map. Your phone GPS might be down with its respective cell tower.
It may come with little warnings such as a tornado, several hours such as a fire, or days with an oncoming hurricane. You might have to leave and you will need supplies. You need to have your survival kit contents always on hand and be ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Must Have Survival Gear
Survival kits, in a variety of sizes, contain supplies and tools to provide a survivor with basic shelter against the elements, help him or her to keep warm, meet basic health and first aid needs, provide food and water, signal to rescuers, and assist in finding the way back to help. Supplies in a survival kit normally contain a knife (often a Swiss army knife or a multi-tool), matches, first aid kit, bandana, fish hooks, a sewing kit, and a flashlight.
Wikipedia
Be concerned about the size. Remember this survival kit is an instant bug out bag for a fast retreat. You are not going to pack the ‘kitchen sink’. Right now you need the basics to get from point A to point B.
It is a balancing act. Pack as little as possible, pack the basics of what you are going to need for a day or two. And remember that no two bug out bags are thoroughly the same. It’s best to make a DIY content list for your own survival kit rather than those expensive generic survival kits available online.
First Aid In The Survival Kit
It should be obvious that first aid should be the first consideration for your survival kit contents. You or members of your family might have needed prescriptions.
There is always the possibility of injury when you are in a panicked situation and you are moving quicker than your common sense is telling you to think and slow down.
In addition to the much-needed prescriptions, consider the basics:
• Antiseptic Towelettes
• Alcohol Wipes
• Antibiotic Ointment Packets 0.9 g (1/32 oz)
• Cotton Tip Applicators
• Instant Cold Compress
• First Aid Guide
• Band-Aids
• Adhesive Bandages
• Adhesive Tape Roll
• Butterfly Closures
•Gauze Pads – 4 in x 4 in (10.16 cm x 10.16 cm)
• Examination Gloves
Food And Water Needs
Food and water are essential if you find yourself off the grid for a longer time than anticipated. If you should find that point B is taking you longer to get there then your planned time, some food and water might have been a good idea for a survival kit content.
You have to plan for the worse case scenario, however you cannot expect to bring half your kitchen with you on a quick, forced evacuation. You have to think a little out side the box. You have to think small. You have to think of what the minimum needs will be to get to that point B.
Use some common sense. Unless you are packing a heat source, cooking food is not an option. Who has time to cook while running away from fires, floods, and hurricanes? Think of food that has long term storage capabilities. Think water filtration devices that you may use in a pinch. A case of bottled water in the trunk would be a good idea.
Have these things always ready. Understand where you live so you always have a survival bag ready to go.
Survival Tools To Consider
First things first. Lets consider what you are going to be putting all this stuff into. After all, a ‘container’ should be considered a tool. This ‘tool’ should always be at the ready and should always contain some of the very basics. Stuff you can easiley duplicate such as a first aid kit, a little stored food, etc.
A decent sized good quality backpack is always a good option, however one of those 5 gallon buckets you can pick up at a big box store will also do the job. Just keep in mind that you might be in a situation where you migght have to carry that load if an unforseen situation develops where you can no longer use the family car.
Remember that you are on the run. This ain’t no family camping trip. However getting to point B might have some hardships and you might find yourself ‘stalled’ somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
Following is a very basic list of several items you might find useful when push comes to shove:
- A flashlight is a no brainer
- A well made survival knife is a must
- A blanket or a tac-bivy for protection from the elements
- An emergency poncho
- Matches or one of those butane lighters
- Paracord or another type of decent rope
- A flare gun for signaling and or protection
- Toilet Paper, that’s a tool, right?
And keep in mind who is with you. Everybody does not need a flashlight or knife, however, individual blankets and ponchos should be considered.
I myself have those items tucked into the corner in the trunk of my car at all times. You never know when you are driving in the rain at night and you get a flat tire. How does that flashlight and poncho look now?
What’s A Sardine Can Survival Kit
Would all your survival kit contents fit in a sardine can? Well no. Let’s have a look anyway:
Survival Kit For Car
And what happens when you are stuck in your car in the middle of nowhere and the outside elements are not the best for survival?
As I have mentioned above, this is something that can happen anytime, anywhere, and you do not need an impending mother nature crisis to have a break down in the middle of nowhere. And it is cold outside. And your battery is dead. And you are not alone. You have the kids with you.
These types of situations happen all the time and it is why I believe you should always consider your survival kit contents as an everyday needed tool in the trunk of your car.
In addition to the tools listed above, you can not go wrong by always having a couple of bottles of water and some snacks ‘in stock’. All the time
Let’s review The Situation
Let’s review.
Your on the run from an impending crisis. The sheriff knocked on your door and told you it would be in your best interest to get out.
Now
Know where you live. Know what mother nature may throw at you in your living area. And be prepared for it.
Not tommorow. Not when that knock on the door is a few houses down the street.
Now
Always have some of the basic survival kit contents ready to go for a quick retreat. Your house can be rebuilt, you and the kids can not.
Survival Kit Zombie Apocalypse
And finally, what would a prepping blog be without a zombie apocalypse mention?
Well I’m not really going to go there. Everything I looked up just repeats a lot of the survival contents we covered here except for a lot more knives and a lot of rifles.
Besides, 2020 has enough going on. I’ll save the zombie apocalypse for next year.
