Things To Have In A Survival Kit

With a well-equipped survival kit and your wit, you can manage to survive in any adverse situation. Since, wit is a gift that many find hard to bring forward in difficult situations; it is better and safe to stock your survival kit with all those essentials that can be the only dividing line between life and death. You must have heard stories of people who have managed to escape from the jaws of death just because they had the sense to carry some things that ultimately became their life savior. Whether you are lost in a wilderness or battling with cold and hunger, it is the survival kit that can come to your rescue. People who travel through mountain roads, border towns or through remote villages and the ones who go for trekking and mountain hiking usually carry a survival kit with them. As the name itself suggests, a survival kit is a package of basic tools and supplies that act as an aid for survival in any emergency. Military aircraft, spacecraft, and lifeboats are always equipped with survival kits. A  survival kit contains supplies to provide a person with basic shelter and help sustain him/ her until the rescue arrives. The usual supplies found in survival kits are a Swiss knife, matches, first aid kit, toilet paper, fishhooks, mosquito net, and LED flashlight with batteries. Explore the article to know more about things that you have to carry in a survival kit.

Shelter
The things, which are required for shelter and warmth, are essential in a survival kit. A lightweight poncho for protection against wind and rain is one of those major requirements. A reflective "aluminized" space blanket or survival blanket will be a great help to you in any adverse conditions. Another basic thing to pack is a Mosquito net to keep off biting insects. In the wild, insects are the main enemies, perhaps even more than wild animals. When you go for trekking or hiking in the mountains, there are times when you have to manage with poor facilities, so, carrying your own shelter will help you a lot. 

Health And First Aid
First aid kit is the most important thing, which you must carry in a survival kit. A first aid kit usually comprises of sterile pads and gauze, bandages, first aid tape, tweezers, surgical razor, disinfectant pads, ox tetracycline tablets (for curing infection or diarrhea) and aspirin tablets etc. If you wear spectacles, keep an extra pair with you for safety reasons. Some other things that you will need in a health kit are antibiotic creams for treating cuts and scratches, hand sanitizer, insect repellent, toilet paper, soap, salt, supply of personal prescription medications, lip balm, and hydrogen peroxide. Sunscreen and sunglasses are important to protect yourself from the adverse effect of sunlight, particularly if you are visiting a place that receives strong sun or has little shade. 

Warmth
You can start a fire whenever you want with a magnifying glass and the one and only thing you need for this is the presence of the sun. Sometimes, you may face weather conditions like snowfall and heavy rain. In such conditions, you will need waterproof matches to start fire. You can also carry cotton balls smeared in white petroleum and carry it in your survival kit to start a fire. 

Direction And Light
It is necessary to include a navigational gear in your survival kit. A detailed map of the place where you will be travelling and a compass are essential things for you to make the journey really comfortable. A GPS also can be a great help to you when you travel to an unexplored place, but you must learn how to use it. Along with the navigational gear and map, a light source is also very important in a survival kit. Headlamps, glow sticks, flash sticks are ideal things to include in a survival kit. 

Food
You need to pack foods, which provide energy and protein such as energy bars and dry fruits. Taking along the food procurement equipments like hooks and fishing line in the survival kit will also be beneficial. Boiling the water will kill the germs in it but water-purifying tablets purify the water quickly and more efficiently. Therefore carrying those tablets in the survival kit will be helpful.