SURVIVAL PLANNING AND SURVIVAL KITS
Survival planning is nothing more than realizing something could happen that would puts you in a survival situation and, with that in mind, taking steps to increase your chances of survival. Thus, survival planning means preparation.
Preparation means having survival items and knowing how to use them. Emergency planning is essential.
Detailed prior planning is essential in potential survival situations. Including survival considerations in mission planning will enhance your chances of survival if an emergency occurs.
One important aspect of prior planning is preventive medicine. Ensuring that you have no dental problems and that your immunizations are current will help you avoid potential dental or health problems. A dental problem in a survival situation will reduce your ability to cope with other problems that you face. Failure to keep your shots current may mean your body is not immune to diseases that are prevalent in the area.
Preparing and carrying a survival kit is as important as the considerations mentioned above. There are kits for over-water survival, for cold climate survival and for hot climate survival.
Even the smallest survival kit, if properly prepared, is invaluable when faced with a survival problem.
SURVIVAL KITS
The environment is the key to the types of items you will need in your survival kit. How much equipment you put in your kit depends on how you will carry the kit. A kit carried on your body will have to be smaller than one carried in a vehicle. Always layer your survival kit, keeping the most important items on your body. For example, your map and compass should always be on your body. Carry less important items in a backpack.
In preparing your survival kit, select items you can use for more than one purpose. If you have two items that will serve the same function, pick the one you can use for another function. Do not duplicate items, as this increases your kit’s size and weight.
Your survival kit need not be elaborate. You need only functional items that will meet your needs and a case to hold the items. For the case, you might want to use a Band-Aid box, a first aid case, or another suitable case.
This case should be:
- Water repellent or waterproof.
- Easy to carry or attach to your body.
- Suitable to accept various sized components.
- Durable.
In your survival kit, you should have:
- First aid items.
- Water purification tablets or drops.
- Fire starting equipment.
- Signaling items.
- Food procurement items.
- Shelter items.
Some examples of these items are:
- Lighter, metal match, waterproof matches.
- Snare wire.
- Signaling mirror.
- Wrist compass.
- Fish and snare line.
- Fishhooks.
- Candle.
- Small hand lens.
- Water purification tablets.
- Solar blanket.
- Band-aids.
- Plastic bags for water storage.
- Chap Stick.
- Needle and thread.
- Knife.