Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Essentials Of Emergency Survival Kits

By Susan Dawson


Emergency survival kits are a necessity for each one of us. They should always be within our reach at all times because they might be the difference between life and death. In creating this important tool, there are a number of things that you need to take into consideration. One of the most important of them is to know whether the kit in question will only be used only once and disposed of or is intended for several occasions. This will ensure that it is packaged as appropriate.

While it is important to have as many things as possible with you, you also need to be cautious to avoid taking what is not an absolute necessity. Too many items will make the kit rather burdensome. Doing some research beforehand will help in coming up with a list that will have the most essential items. One of the items regarded as being very essential is shelter. Shelter, albeit temporary, will help protect you from harmful weather conditions.

There are many forms of shelter that can be used including, but not limited to tents, tarps and trash bags. Nylon ponchos can be ripped and folded flat to make tents. The material chosen should be light enough to carry around with ease. Do not forget to have some ropes and stakes with you to be used in erecting your desired structure.

Related to the shelter is the need for warm bedding. The top two choices here are wool and fleece. Both are always warm even when wet. Wool is a flame retardant while fleece has the advantage of being lightweight. Foil type blankets are easy to package and equally as good as these two. Cotton bedding should be avoided as much as possible as they lead to loss of body heat.

Regardless of the size of your kit, you will definitely need water. A minimum of 130 to 160 oz of water is required per person per day. This only includes water for drinking and should thus be used very sparingly. Water can be packed in many ways including sterilized bottles, bags and reusable containers. Although sterilised water has a shelf life of about 5 years, it should be replaced on an annual basis whenever possible.

There are many options for food to choose from. The specific choice largely depends on individual preference. The most important thing is to have a balance among the essential food groups and minerals. The general recommendation is that there should be about 2,000 calories for each person per day. The most preferred food types are those that do not involve preparation and do not need the use of utensils. Food bars and granola are an excellent choice.

Hygiene items such as toilet paper, soap, wash clothes, towels and toothbrushes are not an absolute necessity but make life a bit more comfortable. A first aid kit may be needed at one time or the other. Some of the items to have in this kit include painkillers, gauze rolls, wound cream, antibiotics and some blood anticoagulant. Rescue aids and essential tools include a source of light, a whistle, a pocket knife, multi-purpose pair of pliers, a small rope and a crank radio.

There are no specific guidelines when it comes to preparation of personalised emergency survival kits. The nature of the contents will be determined by what one thinks is really important to them. If one is sick for example, then medication for their problem becomes a very important item. Once you have your list work out, you now need to get a proper waterproof bag whose contents can be accessed with ease.




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