Survival kit planning guidelines
Survival planning is realizing something could happen that would put you in an emergency situation. Take steps to enhance your chances of staying alive and healthy. Survival planning means preparation in order to have a safe outdoor adventure. Preparation means having survival items and knowing how to use them. Preparation also pertains to knowing your intended route of travel and familiarizing yourself with the area. Emergency planning is essential and should be taken seriously. Detailed prior planning is necessary in possible survival situations.
The main objective to consider in survival planning is improving your chances of survival, if an emergency were to occur. One important aspect of survival planning is carrying preventive medicine. Being healthy is also an important factor to consider when being out in the wilderness. Staying healthy will help with the ability to cope with other problems that you may face. Make certain that you have no dental problems and that your immunizations are current. This will help you avoid potential dental or health problems. Failure to keep your shots up to date may mean your body is not immune to diseases that are common in the area.
Preparing and carrying a survival kit is as important as the considerations mentioned above. There are kits for over-water survival, for hot climate survival, and your basic outdoor adventure trip. Even the smallest survival kit, if properly prepared, is very useful when faced with a survival problem. Before making your survival kit, however, consider your project, the prepared environment, and the equipment you will need. The atmosphere is the key to the types of items you will need in your survival kit. The amount of items included in your survival kit will give you an idea of how you will carry the kit. For example a kit carried on your body if you will be hiking will be smaller then one you may need in a boat or a car. Layer your survival kit and keep the most important items on your body. Then carry the least significant items with your equipment and place the bulkier items in a backpack.
When preparing your survival kit make sure the items you choose can be used for more then one purpose. For example if you have two items that may serve the same function choose one of the two items to use for another purpose. It’s best to not duplicate items which can increase your carrying load. Remember that your kit does not have to be elaborate, just useful. Include items that will be functional and will meet your needs if an emergency were to transpire.
Your basic survival kit should include the following:
- For the case, you might want to use a Band-Aid box, a first aid case, an ammunition pouch, or another appropriate case. This case should be
– Water repellent or waterproof
– Easy to carry or attach to your body.
– Durable
- In your survival kit, you should include:
– First aid items
– Water purification tablets or drops
– Fire starting equipment
– Signaling items
– Food procurement items
– Shelter items
- Examples of the above listed items:
– Lighter, metal match, waterproof matches
– Snare wire
– Signaling mirror
– Wrist compass
– Illuminating candles
– Small hand lens
– Oxytetracycline tablets (diarrhea or infection)
– Water purification tablets
– Solar blanket
– Surgical blade
– Butterfly sutures
– Chap Stick
– Needle and thread
– Knife
– Poncho
– Food packets
- Cold Climate Survival Kit:
– Food Packets
– Snare Wire
– Waterproof match box
– Wood matches
– Smoke/illumination signals
– Saw/knife blade
– First aid kit
– Magnetic compass
– Frying pan
– Signaling mirror
– Survival fishing kit
– Plastic Spoon
– Compressed trioxane fuel
– Survival manual
– Sleeping Bag
– Thermal Undergarments
– Shovel
– Water Bag
– Extra layering/clothes
– Hand warmers
- Hot Climate Survival kit:
– Canned drinking water
– Waterproof matchbox
– Plastic whistle
– Smoke illumination flares
– Pocket knife
– Sunblock
– Plastic spoon
– Food Packets
– Signaling mirror
– First aid kit
– Plastic water bag
– Fishing tackle kit
– Snare wire
– Magnetic compass
– Wood matches
– Insect head net
– Bug repellent
– Tool kit
– Reversible sun hat
– Tarpaulin
- Over water survival kit:
– Packing list
– Raft boat paddle
– Survival manual
– Insect head net
– Reversible sun hat
– Water storage bag
– Magnetic compass
– Boat bailer
– Sponge
– Sunblock
– Wood matches
– First aid kit
– Pocket knife
– Seawater de-salt kit
– Food packets
– Fluorescent sea marker
– Fishing tackle kit
– Raft repair kit
– Waterproof match box
– Signaling mirror
– Plastic spoon
