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 |