You Need This In All Survival Kits
All Survival kits should have a first aid kit. This includes bandages, disinfectants, a supply of medication and pain relievers. The first aid kits that you can get at your local department store are small enough to fit into your survival kit.
If you are going to use a traditional flashlight, make sure that you have extra batteries on hand. It may be more useful to use a hand-cranked torch or a shake light in your survival kit though. The advantage of shake and crank lights is that they last for years, instead of the fleeting life of batteries.
Some type of fire-starting item such as a lighter or matches will be important in case of a cold weather or to signal someone in case of emergencies. You’ve seen how people send signals through smoke and this has proven to save a lot of lives. Most people choose to include magnesium fire-starters in their disaster kits.
A survival kit would not be complete without a multi-tool, which saves the space and hassle of carrying multiple tools. Including a Swiss army knife or a Leatherman is highly recommended. Ensure that your chosen tool is fitted with a knife.
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Most people take having a map in their survival kit for granted. Using and reading a map is a lot easier than you’d think. In addition, have a compass as well to establish bearings to use along with the map.
Take a change of clothing with you so that you are prepared for any unexpected change in the weather. A change of clothes can help you avoid hypothermia and similar dangers. You should have a rain jacket, and blankets, but do not pack cotton because it is heavy and useless when wet.
Dry foods are best for emergency kits because they can last a long time. You will need to take a water supply with you. A good item to put inside your kit would be water purification tablets as there may not always be a supply of fresh water.
Portable emergency FM radios are a good idea – they will help you to stay up to date during emergencies. Emergency situations usually have the potential of leading to a blackout making a portable emergency radio your only option to get information. You can get hand-cranked emergency FM radios – once again, this is preferable to battery-operate options.
For the worst case scenario you should consider becoming an amateur radio operator to be able to communicate when all else technology fails. When all else communication technology fails, there is ham radio.
In case you get trapped and you need to signal your location, a whistle or some kind of noise maker will be essential. Whistles are small but are highly effective. It is a lot easier to blow your whistle regularly than to scream for an extended period.
Survival kits should be placed in a sturdy waterproof bag that will be convenient to carry around and store. The most important feature of these bags is their simplicity and durability, not their price tag. This type of bag is readily available at sporting goods stores.