Tuesday, December 24, 2013

What We Should Know About Emergency Survival Kits

By Harriett Crosby


It is not until the unexpected happens and you are caught unawares that you begin to appreciate the importance of emergency survival kits. The kits make the difference between safety and serious injury or even death. These are tools that you need to have within your reach at all times. To make your pack convenient to carry around, there are a number of things that you need to decide beforehand. For instance, you need to make a decision whether the kit you want to be prepare will be used just one or will be re-usable.

Where do we start? The best place for you to start is to make a decision on what you need in your package. List down all the items then reduce the list gradually to leave only the items of the highest priority. One of the items that you probably need to list at the very top is shelter. You never know where an emergency will find you and as such you will need a source of protection from unfavourable weather.

There are different forms of shelter that can be considered. If you cannot find ready-made forms of shelter, there are many ways of improvising. Commonly used forms of shelter include, among others, tents, trash bags and tarps. Nylon ponchos, when nicely folded, can make very good tents. The main consideration in choosing a material is the ease of packaging. Ropes and stakes should also be packed to be used for erecting your desired type of structure.

Try to include warm bedding in your pack. Wool and fleece are the top two choices. The major advantage that these two have over other choices is that they are always warm even when wet and thus would be appropriate for use in virtually any weather condition. Wool is in addition, a flame retardant and fleece is lightweight. Another option that you can consider, if possible, is a foil blanket. These blankets are easy to package and are very warm

Water is a must. Ensure that there is enough room for this essential commodity. It is recommended that each person drinks between 130 and 160 oz of water per day. There are many ways in which the water can be packaged. Commonly used options include sterilised bottles, water bags and reusable containers. The shelf life of mineralised water is about 5 years. It should therefore be replaced regularly.

Food needs to be chosen carefully. While what you package depends on what you like to some extent, this should not be the main determinant. It is important to maintain a balance among all major groups of food and minerals. A minimum of 2000 calories is required per person on a daily basis. The most convenient foods are those that require little or no preparation at all.

The need for additional items in the kit will vary on a case to case basis. If you intend to include toiletries such as towels and soap, do so if space is available. A first aid kit may be needed at one time or the other. Components of such a kit may include painkillers, one or two gauze rolls, wound cream and antibiotics.

Emergency survival kits should be your best friend. There are no laid down rules to guide their assembly but all you need to remember is to ensure that all the essential items are packed. Regular inspection should be done to ensure that all the items are in good condition.




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