The Main Components Of 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.

For shelter, there are numerous options to consider. Commonly used forms of shelter include trash bags, tents and tarps. Nylon ponchos may be ripped and folded into shape to help serve as tents. The idea is to have a material that is light enough to be carried around with ease. Ensure that you have ropes and stakes with you.

Related to the shelter is the need for warm bedding. The top two choices for bedding are wool and fleece. These have their advantages and disadvantages. Both are always warm even when wet. Wool has the additional benefit of being a flame retardant while fleece is also very lightweight. Foil type blankets are very easy to pack and very warm as well. Cotton bedding should be avoided whenever possible as they lead to loss of body heat.

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.

There are types of foods that you can choose from as you prepare your kit. The choice depends on your tastes and preferences primarily. There are other considerations to have in mind though. As much as you are planning for an emergency situation, ensure that there is a balance in the types of food groups chosen as well as the mineral salts. One person requires not less than 2000 calories per day of energy. You can base your calculations on this fact. Granolas and food bars are highly preferred.

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.




About the Author:



0 comments:

Post a Comment