Emergency situations can happen anywhere, at any time. Some parts of the world are afflicted with bad weather and prone to natural disasters. But it doesn’t require a dangerous situation for an emergency to occur. Bad luck, bad timing and bad preparation are all it takes. Having survival gear on hand at all times keeps people safe.
Emergencies are sometimes expected in dangerous weather areas or places prone to natural disasters. Certain parts of the world are known for tornadoes, hurricanes or typhoons. Emergencies however aren’t just weather related. Fire can happen anytime and almost anywhere. Snow storms can come up out of the blue, flash floods are never expected, and some cities experience power outages at random times. If we could keep survival gear on hand, there are fifteen pieces that would be the most important to consider.
The first thing to keep available in case of an emergency is a map. It should be a topographical map with features. Not only should there be a map but there should also be someone who knows how to read it. Having a compass or GPS receiver would also help if possible. A flashlight is the second piece of emergency equipment. It’s dangerous to wander around in the dark. Along with both of these, an emergency pack should have extra dehydrated food, for energy purposes. It may not seem like survival gear per se but without energy, people often find they have no strength to help themselves.
What about extra clothing? You might think that what you have on is perfectly fine for a day of adventure. However, if there is an emergency, you might need the extra clothing. Even deserts get amazingly cold late at night and wearing layers is a good thing. You can use clothes for other purposes too, if the need arises. You have to stay warm and dry as much as possible. Rain gear can protect you from the wind as well as the rain, and can double as an insulating blanket or a shelter in a pinch. Sunglasses too are part of survival gear. How many times have you tried to see into the distance, in the direction of the sun, and found yourself blinded by the light reflecting off snow, water or fog? You have to be able to see clearly because your rescue could be right over that next hill.
A simple first aid kit is also important to include when packing emergency supplies. It should be able to handle simple cuts and burns and possible snakebite and allergic reactions. Another item to add to the survival gear list is the all important multi-purpose tool. This might have pliers, a knife, tweezers, things that could be invaluable when a person is in dire straits. And the ninth thing to include when packing survival gear is some means to start a fire. Water proof matches or a firesteel rod that will shower sparks onto a pile of dry tinder are ideal.
You’re lost. And you’re getting thirsty. You find some water and you want to drink it. Don’t. In your survival gear, you packed at least one method of disinfecting water and making it safe to drink. There are chemical disinfectants you can add to suspect water to make it drinkable. Another item you can pack is a whistle. The sharp shrill noise will be heard over long distances and if you fell and hurt yourself, the whistle may bring your rescuers to you, instead of you hoping to make it to them.
Packing a tarp or space blanket that can double as a survival shelter is important when we’re packing our survival gear. Parachute cord is also helpful but so would twenty five feet of rope. And the fourteenth item to add when we are packing our survival gear should be insect repellant. Bug spray can be used as fuel for fire if necessary, but being able to fend off infected ticks and biting insects is a plus all of its own.
Your survival gear is meant to help you survive and endure any emergency. Unexpected weather or disasters can take a toll on the strongest person’s sense of morale. The final tool in your survival kit must be your will to live. In the dark, in the night, in the middle of nowhere, it’s easy to want to give up. But with a strong will to survive, and all the right survival gear packed in your kit, it is also easy to choose to live. Never give up five minutes before the miracle.
Tags: essential survival gear, survival foods, survival gear, survival gear catalog, survival. wilderness survival
