Survival kit


A survival kit is a package of basic tools and supplies prepared as an aid to survival in an emergency. Civil and military aircraft, lifeboats, and spacecraft are equipped with survival kits.
Survival kits, in a variety of sizes, contain supplies and tools to provide a survivor with basic shelter against the elements, help them to keep warm, meet basic health and first aid needs, provide food and water, signal to rescuers, and assist in finding the way back to help. Supplies in a survival kit normally include a knife, matches, tinder, first aid kit, bandana, fish hooks, sewing kit, and a flashlight.
Civilians such as forestry workers, surveyors, or bush pilots, who work in remote locations or in regions with extreme climate conditions, may also be equipped with survival kits. Disaster supplies are also kept on hand by those who live in areas prone to earthquakes or other natural disasters. For the average citizen to practice disaster preparedness, some towns will have survival stores to keep survival supplies in stock.
The American Red Cross recommends an emergency preparedness kit that is easy to carry and use in the event of an emergency or disaster.

Types of survival kits

Mini survival kits

Mini survival kits or "Altoids" tin survival kits are small kits that contain a few basic survival tools. These kits often include a small compass, waterproof matches, minimum fishing tackle, large plastic bag, small candle, jigsaw blade, craft knife or scalpel blade, and/or a safety pin/s. Pre-packaged survival kits may also include instructions in survival techniques such as fire-starting or first aid methods. In addition, paracord can be wrapped around the tin. The paracord can be used for setting up an emergency shelter or snaring small animals. They are designed to fit within a container roughly the size of a mint tin.
Other small kits are wearable and built into everyday carry survival bracelets or belts. Most often these are paracord bracelets with tools woven inside. Several tools such as firestarter, buckles, whistles and compass are on the exterior of the gear and smaller tools are woven inside the jewelry or belt and only accessible by taking the bracelet apart.
Lightweight survival kits are generally seen as a backup means of survival; however, these kits can be extensive, and have come to include tools that are generally found in larger kits as survival technology advances. Some examples of these tools are high-power flashlights, rapid use saws, signal devices such as mini signal mirrors, and water purification methods.

Emergency kit

An emergency kit, disaster bag, bug-out bag, also known as a 72-hour kit, GOOD bag, personal emergency relocation kit, go-bag, survival backpack, or quick run bag is a portable kit containing items that would help a person to survive for 72 hours during an escape or evacuation from an emergency event or disaster such as a hurricane, earthquake, or flood.
The focus is on evacuation rather than long-term survival. The kits are also popular in the survivalism subculture.

Civil defense kit

Typical civil defense 3-day emergency kits contain:
  • Water
  • Non-perishable food
  • Necessary medicines
  • A battery-powered radio
  • A torch
  • Cash
  • Identity documents
  • A first-aid kit
  • A Swiss Army knife
  • Clothing
  • Toiletries
  • Bottled water
  • Portable chargers

    Outline

The term "bug-out bag" is related to the "bail-out bag" emergency kit many military aviators carry. In the United States, the term refers to the Korean War practice of the U.S. Army designating alternative defensive positions, in the event that the units had to retreat. They were directed to "bug out" when being overrun was imminent. The term has since been adopted by military training institutions around the world, with standard operating procedures involving a bug-out location, a method of withdrawal, and the bare supplies needed to withdraw quickly but still survive in the field. The concept passed into wide usage among other military and law enforcement personnel, though the "bail-out bag" is as likely to include emergency gear for going into an emergency situation as for escaping during one.
The primary purpose of a bug-out bag is to allow someone to evacuate quickly if a disaster should strike. It is therefore prudent to gather into a single place all of the materials and supplies that might be required to do this, such as a bag or a few storage containers. The recommendation that a bug-out bag contain enough supplies for 72 hours arises from advice from organizations responsible for disaster relief and management that it may take them up to 72 hours to reach people affected by a disaster and offer help. The bag's contents may vary according to the region of the user, as someone evacuating from the path of a hurricane may have different supplies from someone who lives in an area prone to blizzards, earthquakes, or wildfires.
In addition to allowing one to survive a disaster evacuation, a bug-out bag may also be used when sheltering in place as a response to emergencies such as blackouts, house fires, tornadoes, and other severe natural disasters.

Typical contents

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States's agency responsible for disaster planning and emergency resource management, outlines the following list for a three-day basic emergency supply kit. Similar items can also be found from other national emergency response agencies.
The suggested contents of a bug-out bag vary and can also include weapons for defense from dangerous animals or people.
Since spring 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended people include additional items in their kits to help prevent the spread of coronavirus or other viruses and the flu.
  • Masks, soap, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes to disinfect surfaces
  • Prescription medications
  • Non-prescription medications such as pain relievers, anti-diarrhea medication, antacids or laxatives
  • Prescription eyeglasses and contact lens solution
  • Infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream
  • Pet food and extra water
  • Cash or traveler's checks
  • Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records saved electronically or in a waterproof, portable container
  • Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
  • Complete climate-appropriate change of clothing and sturdy shoes
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Matches in a waterproof container
  • Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
  • Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and utensils
  • Paper and pencil
  • Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

    Lifeboat survival kits

Lifeboat survival kits are stowed in inflatable or rigid lifeboats or life rafts. These kits provide basic survival tools and supplies to enable passengers to survive until they are rescued. A lifeboat survival kit for six people can include:
Survival kits for military aviators are often modified according to the environment of operations:
  • In desert areas, survival kits may have more water and sunscreen, and have additional items such as shade hats, a compass, a whistle, medical equipment, tinder, matches, and sun glasses.
  • In tropical areas, a survival kit may have mosquito head netting, additional insect repellent, anti-fungal cream, a machete, water purification tablets, foot powder, matches, a flint strike, a compass, a wire saw, a space blanket, medical equipment, salt tablets, a fishing kit, snare wire, extra socks, a candle, a signal mirror, flares, a sewing kit, safety pins, tinder, tape, a whistle, and rations.
  • In arctic or alpine areas, survival kits may have additional cold weather clothing, sleeping bags, chemical "hand warmer" packets, sunglasses/snow goggles, snowshoes, a collapsible shovel, a snare wire for small animals, a frying pan, a camp stove, camp stove fuel, a space blanket, matches, a whistle, a compass, tinder, medical equipment, a flint strike, a wire saw, extra socks and a tent designed for arctic use.
  • For personnel who are flying over large bodies of water, in addition to wearing a survival suit over cold water, a survival kit may have additional items such as a small self-inflating raft to get the aircrewman out of cold or predator infested waters, flotation vests, sea anchor, fishing nets, fishing equipment, fluorescent sea marking dye, pyrotechnical signals, a survival radio and/or radio-beacon, formerly a distress marker light replaced by a flashing strobe, formerly a seawater still or chemical desalinator kit now replaced by a hand-pumped reverse osmosis desalinator for desalinating seawater, a raft repair kit, a paddle, a bailer and sponge, sunscreen, medical equipment, a whistle, a compass, and a sun shade hat.
The U.S. Army uses several basic survival kits, mainly for aviators, some of which are stored in carrying bags. Aviators in planes with ejection seats have survival kits in a vest and the seat pan. The survival vest worn by US helicopter crews also contains some basic survival items.