Hello,

We often are asked. What do I really need to keep around my home and in my auto or office without becoming a survival fanatic. None of us need to be a survival fanatic. It seems some people dream of eating bugs and living under a tree in the open wilderness. That is the vision of many when they think of survival gear. (It's all fun and games for some people until they really have to sleep in the wet grass under that tree with bugs biting them where we would all prefer they wouldn't and animals begin coming to meet their new playmate as they forage for food.) Sure some people will face a life and death struggle in the wilderness. That someone could be you under the right circumstances, especially if you live in a remote rural area, vacation there, drive through or fly often over such a area. So it's a good idea to know some facts about water, getting food, how to stay warm and some danger signs. A few basics like a flashlight, knife and a lighter or magnifying glass might just save your life. But chances are you will never face such a struggle. So you might wonder, why do I need any gear? The answer is because you have to survive daily life, which pains us and even kills some of us. So what do we mean by daily life?

Here are some things you need. As we discuss them you will see that there are many important uses for survival gear every day.
1. A good large flashlight and a small purse or pocket sized LED light. This is #1 in a emergency at night.
A large light in your car, in your home and possibly at work if you desire it (also yacht, private plane and so on). A small led light in your desk drawer, purse, glove compartment and other places if you want.
Why: A flat tire, blackout at work or home, car stalls, transportation fails, you can't find the keys you just dropped. Your in strange surroundings at night and you need to see what's around you. You need to see into a dark corner, a closet or you decided to go snake hunting near a rattle snake pit at night. There are a million other reasons you will discover when it is the right time.
What Kind: By a good flashlight we mean a metal (such as a aluminum body) flashlight that holds 3 to 5 "D" sized batteries. But wait! I can buy a flashlight for $1 at the bargain store and it even come with batteries. Yes you can, but, ABSOLUTELY NOT!
Here's why:
What will happen if you drop the cheap flashlight? You will be in the dark.
What happens when you need to use the flashlight for more than a few minutes? It goes dead.
What happens if you need to turn the flash light on then off then on again? It will stop working.
What if your life depends on it and you can't see more than 3 feet. A large flashlight will survive rugged use. It will come on every time you need it (as long as you change the batteries occasionally) for years. It will be bright enough to see deep into any dark place. It can also become a powerful weapon. Shinning it in the eyes of any animal or person at night (at close proximity) will temporarily blind them. If it is needed you can hold the light by it's lens end and use it as a club to defend yourself and it will even survive under most circumstances. You can get all that for a lot less than $50.00 if you choose and it will replace many many $1 lights. If the bulb goes bad there is usually a spare stored in a foam protector in the screw off cap of many lights.

What other things are handy? Several, for example, a fist aid kit will save you great pain and misery, often. For example you can remove splinters (it's amazing how painful those little devils can be) with the tweezers (that you will make sure are in the kit you will choose). Also there are pain relievers when you need them, antibiotic ointment and antiseptic wipes that will keep your scratches and cuts from becoming infected and causing you massive doctor bills. You can also add blood clotting agents and trauma bandages if you live or work in a situation where you might need them. It is a good idea to keep fist aid kits at home and in your auto. Don't forget to add some good tooth ache medicine and sun screen, when the time comes you'll be happy you did. A good first aid kit contains all of these items and perhaps more.

What else? You should always keep extra food and water in your home. This will serve a lot of purposes on many occasions besides keeping you alive in the event of a massive disaster. Just a few more things. A good large sturdy lock blade knife and a smaller retractable razor or lock blade knife (It may not be legal to carry a large knife concealed on your person, make sure of the laws in your area and how they apply where you live and travel). A good sharp knife can be used to open that new DVD or cut your way through anything. Always get a Lock Blade. The blade locks open, this will keep the knife from closing until you press the release. A large package of lighters should also be included along with some emergency cash. For your auto you should have a auto emergency kit with jumper cables and flares or road reflectors.

Three more things I have to mention. A battery powered radio. In a emergency this will keep you informed. If you want to really be informed then get a NOAA radio. This will alert you to any dangers in your area. You also need a good Whistle for every person that will be using the supplies. If you are ever in a real disaster or emergency and you need to attract  attention or signal a friend a Whistle is ideal (blasts of 3 are a sign of distress). You also need a cell phone. A cell phone can be your life line in a accident, emergency or disaster. Always keep it charged, have numbers pre programmed into it including the police non emergency number for your city. Have the number to contact in case you are injured under the name "ICE" in your contacts list. Paramedics will look for the "ICE" entry in your phone ("ICE" is short for "in case of emergency") this gives them a number to call in case you need help.

One more piece of advice, always keep fresh alkaline batteries for your gear. Why? Alkaline batteries last 4 times longer than cheap "Heavy Duty" batteries and that is important when you are counting on them. What's more if you do the math you will see that the cheap batteries are actually more expensive because you get less use from them.

I hope this answers some of your questions. Use the "Survival Guide" link at the top of the page if you want to become a expert and learn many skills that could save your life.

We are glad you are here and we appreciate your business.

Live your life like the adventure that it is.

Charles Gibson
Ready For Anything Now.com