Family Emergency Kit

pocketfulladoubles

pocketfulladoubles

Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Messages
143
Hi all. I've been searching the threads here and the internet, and now I've made myself confused with all the optoins. I'm looking for a suggestion on a good emergency and survival kit for my family. Typical scenario would be multi-day backpacking, probably not for more than a week, and generally decent Spring through Fall weather (30 to 100F) - no snow really. We're pretty much novices, with basic understanding of first aid, and my only real experience in deep wilderness was a month spent in Death Valley.

So, do I buy a pre-packaged kit, or do I put one together for myself using hand selected parts? In either case, what are your suggestions? Thank you.
 
if for a week, water is going to be the big thing, mabye some small snack bars in terms of food.

Your price range is going to dictate big time, I would say bed rools, and a light sleep bag for every one, and then your essentials.

Water/Food
Fire/shelter
Signaling/navagation
Medical
and the goodies

Every one should have a compass, and know how to use it. You can take a GPS. First aid kits, and every one should know how to use those as well. Radios for you all would be a nice touch, to keep in contact, ones that run on common batteries.

The knives and all that aren't going to be a big deal, the packs you carry all of this in are, a good pack will mean the difference in a situation from hell, maxpedidtion, kifaru, Northface, all the good names, and the bonus is you can allways find a good pack in your price range.

1.Water and food, purifacation tablets, A pot to boil in, and somw over bags allready labeld to know how much ater is in them.(most tabelts work for a certain amount of water, like one tablet for one liter or quarte)
2.Fire and shelter, you want some 550 rope, a folding saw, a knife and a 8X10 tarp.
3.Signal & navagation, every one should have a main compass, and a back up. If you can, everyone should have a gps, but atleast you should have one. A map of the area your in, and know how to use the compass. Glow sticks for every one, 4, 12 hour green glowsticks, a decent light, raovac has one for $15 called their outdoorsman model that is perfect for making multipul kits.
4. medical, everyone should have the knowledge to back up their kits, not the other way around. being able to improvise is the best thing, a kit by its self is useless if you dont know how to use it.
5. the goodies, its nice to bring some candies, maybe some energy bars. just little odds and ends that arent essential.


Aside from that, extra cloths, what ever medication you might need, you cells, some money, what ever you like for defense.
 
I should note that I'll have the tent and bags appropriate for the weather. Other than that, I have a large and small knife, flashlight, cooking gear, the basics you'd have for normal backpack camping really, but not things I consider what you need when you get into real trouble.

What do you need for real emergency survival? What I don't know are things like, do I need latex gloves, iodine, sutures, freeze-dried food, epi-pens, flares, sirens, solar radios? I just don't know. Assume $ is no object (although it is of course) for now, I'll sort out costs later. Nothing like saving $30 when your stranded and freezing.
 
Fonly did a great job addressing the basics. Aside from that, a lot depends on you and your families individual needs and the environment.

Suggesting the following books and websites...
http://www.codylundin.com/degrees.html
http://www.bepreparedtosurvive.com/BuildThePerfectSurvivalKit.htm
http://www.equipped.org/srvkitstoc.htm
http://www.survival.com/html/videos.html
http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/survival-kits/

My $0.02 is learn the basics of a 72 hour scenario from the book 98.6. From there use the other resources and think about what it is going to take in shelter and comforts for you and your family to get eight hours sleep. Then address food concerns in your kit. "The more you know, the less you need." ~ empower yourself with the knowledge in 98.6.
 
pocketfulladoubles said:
What do you need for real emergency survival? What I don't know are things like, do I need latex gloves, iodine, sutures, freeze-dried food, epi-pens, flares, sirens, solar radios? I just don't know. Assume $ is no object (although it is of course) for now, I'll sort out costs later. Nothing like saving $30 when your stranded and freezing.
Click to expand...

Depends on the survival situation. your talking about wilderness, so assuming you allready let someone know where your family is going, and who is going, times your going to be back things of that nature, you going to be looking at keeping every one be for, 4 days at max.

-If you stay where you are when you get lost
-Dont freak out and think you can find a way out
-Dont put you family in anymore risk then you are in
-And consider that if you took the apropriate precausions before you left you more less just going to be camping in an unknowen location.

If you family is alergic to bugs and what not, an epi pen is nice, but its not something to rely on, it will only do you untill you can get out.

Latex gloves, sutures, iodine and all the goodies should be in every ones first aid kit to start with, that way if somehow you get separated, they can still act for them selves.

In terms of food, your not really at too much worry, are their fishing spots in your area?
Are you a capable trapper?

Your only going to be looking at few days out, so water is going to be the big thing. If you want some High calorie bars, candy to keep sugars up and things of that sort for sure stick some in every ones pack, just make sure they dont dig into it.:D I know I would.;)
 
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