82% of Americans say “If someone could make it easy for me to be prepared - I’d do it.”
-Recent American Red Cross Survey
In various previous Chapters in this Section of the Manual, you have
learned of the importance of Preparedness Kits and Go Bags, and the basic equipment and supplies that should be in them. In this chapter you will be introduced to each of the recommended items in greater detail, what they are used for, how they should be used and cared for, and why they are essential to your survival.
The official US Army Survival Manual says even the smallest survival kit, if properly prepared, is invaluable when faced with a survival problem.
The Ultimate Go Bag
In earlier Chapters you learned of the items you should have on-hand in your home, secure and easily accessible as part of an over all Emergency Preparedness Kit. This included items such as:
Water
Ready to eat food
A manual can-opener and other cooking supplies
Plates, utensils and other feeding supplies
First Aid kit
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Flashlights
Battery or hand crank radios, etc.
But most importantly, you learned of one of the most essential items for Disaster Preparedness - your “Go Bag.” A Go Bag contains the most basic, and proven essential equipment and material that you can carry, that will help you make it through even the harshest survival situations for at least three days.
Your Go Bag should be packed and ready, and easily accessible whenever you should need it. You may want to keep your Go Bag in your car, or your designated “Bug Out” vehicle. Each family member should have their own Go Bags stocked with the baseline essentials, and other more specific items based on their age, gender, and other personal needs.
You need to take your Go Bag with you when hiking, camping and traveling by boat, or other means of transportation where you may wind up in a survival situation.
In addition to packing extra clothes in your Go Bag, the clothes you wear while bugging out are also important. Of course time of year and the weather have a lot to do with what to wear. But in general get yourself a good sturdy pair of hiking boots, or military style combat boots. Unless you have reason to be hiding from someone while you are evacuating -- and that’s your business - you don’t have to wear cammies, but military, or law-enforcement style “cargo pants” with lots of pockets are a good idea. A hunters or camping style vest, again with many pockets, is also a valuable piece of clothing. Wear a belt, it is can be useful to hold items that you need to get to quickly, and it also can be used as an improvised rope or fastening device for a number of emergency situations.
The US Army Survival Manual says that the environment is the key to the types of items you will need to have in your survival kit. How much
equipment you put in your kit depends on how you will carry the kit. A kit carried on your body will have to be smaller than one carried in a vehicle.
Always layer your survival kit, keeping the most important items on your body. For example, your knife and compass should always be on your body – or in the most readily accessible pockets of your backpack.
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Carabineers can be used to hook items that you need to get to easily on the outside of your pack.
In preparing your ultimate survival Go Bag, select items you can use for more than one purpose. If you have two items that will serve the same function, pick the one you can use for another function. Do not duplicate items, as this increases your kit’s size and weight.
Remember your Rule of Threes? A person can survive for:
Three minutes without air
Three hours without shelter
Three days without water
Three weeks without food
That is why your basic Go Bag is based on surviving for at least three days or 72 hours. Here is the most comprehensive list of the baseline essential items that should be in any Three Day Survival Go Bag, based on the recommendations of FEMA, The American Red Cross and other Disaster Preparedness Agencies worldwide.
Individually sized Backpack/Rucksack
Drinking Water—(3-day supply, minimum 8 oz per person per day)
Food—non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items (3-day supply, minimum 1200 calories per day)
Flashlight
Battery-powered or hand-crank/solar Multi-band/NOAA Weather Radio
All Weather Pocket Size Sleeping Bag
36 Hour Emergency Candles
Whistle
Flint Fire Starter & Striker
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Storm proof/water proof matches
Disposable Lighters
Sun Screen – at least spf 30
Dust/ Bio-hazard Mask
Compact Folding Stove & Fuel Tablets
Portable Water Filter
Water Purification Tablets
2.5 Gal Collapsible Water Carrier
Rechargeable batteries (AA/AAA) and Solar Battery Charger
Heavy Duty Poncho
Light Rain Poncho
Change of clothes and a warm hat
USB Cigarette Lighter Charger Adapter
Sewing Kit
Water Proof “Personal Communications Pouch” – including Permanent marker, paper, tape
Mirror
Duct Tape
Compact Folding Shovel/Hatchet/Hammer 6-in-1 Survival Tool
Pry Bar and Gas Shutoff Tool
Leather Work Gloves
2- 4 Light Sticks
Safety Goggles
Sanitation and personal hygiene items
¼ inch x 50 ft Polypropylene Rope
50 ft Nylon Utility Cord
Siphon Hand Pump
Multi-head screw driver
Map(s) of the area
Flash Drive Containing This Manual
Essential but non-emergency/survival items
Extra cash
Deck of playing cards
Photos of family members and pets for re-identification purposes
List of emergency point-of -contact phone numbers
List of allergies to any drug (especially antibiotics) or food
Copy of health insurance and identification cards
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Extra prescription eye glasses, hearing aid or other vital personal items
Sunglasses
Extra keys to your house and vehicle Why You Need Them – How to Use Them
Backpack/Rucksack – Of course you need a bag to create your Go-Bag. This needs to be sturdy, easily carried, with several external pockets to get to items of immediate need. Your bag also needs to be individually sized. In other words women, teens, and children need bags appropriate to their size and weight, and to the more specific personal items that may be carried within. There is some debate as to whether your Survival Go Bag should be in a camouflage design (camo) or bright orange to be used as a signal device. That all depends on personal choice, and the survival
situation you feel you may find yourself in. Many prefer the camo, in case you do need to stash your gear from prying eyes, since you will have essential signal devices in any Go Bag.
Flashlight – A reliable light source is essential in any survival situation. A flashlight can help you to complete your shelter or other critical survival tasks into the night, and is a way to signal for help. LED flashlights are bright and lightweight, and use much less power then traditional
incandescent bulbs. Your kit should have at least two sources of light, a battery LED flashlight, preferably powered by solar rechargeable batteries and hand a hand crank flashlight that requires no power at all.
Battery powered or hand crank/solar Multi-band/NOAA Weather Radio - A small, self-powered weather radio is a preparedness essential whether you shelter-in-place during a power outage, or are bugging out. The best such radios include NOAA weather alert broadcasts, are both hand cranked and solar powered, and the better ones can even be used to charge a cell phone or other USB device.
Pocketknife – A good knife is quite possibly the most important outdoor survival tool you can have in any Go Bag. A sturdy non-folding knife with a three inch blade is easy to carry and very versatile. Knives can be used for
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anything from making fire, to helping you to gather shelter materials, cut rope and twine for building shelters, and harvest wild edibles.
Multi-purpose tool – The value of a multi-purpose tool is that they have more than one tool in a single pocket sized package. If you are bugging out by car, it can be especially important, but even on a bike, or on foot, you just never know when you will be in situation, cut off from home where you may need a pair of pliers, needle-nose pliers, wire cutter, scissors, etc. Most multi-tools come with a belt sheath, use it, and put it on your belt, and not in your pack. This way if you are forced to leave your vehicle, or lose your pack, at least you have this essential survival tool with you at all times. Be aware that there are many cheap “Knock-offs” of quality multi-tools out there, especially the ones that come in low priced pre-packaged kits. You should expect to pay at least 30.00 to 40.00 for a good quality multi, but it’s worth paying a bit more to get a sturdy, reliable tool that will do the job when you need it most.
Pocket Compass – Wherever you happen to be, whether you are stranded in the ocean, caught in a blizzard, or lost in a deep, dark forest late at night, a simple compass in your hand will always point North. A compass needs no batteries or radio signal to point you on your way. A compass is an extremely valuable piece of survival gear, but only if you know how to use it!
There are complex, sighting or “map” compasses that are designed with clear base plates and protractors to be used along with maps in
orienteering or more sophisticated navigation. However a good simple camping style pocket compass can be your best friend in a survival situation, and requires no special skills to use. Here’s how to use a basic compass.
Hold the compass flat in the palm of you hand at chest level;
Move your body around until the Red end of the needle, usually marked with an “N” lines up with the “N” on the face of the compass, now you know which way is North.
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So long as you keep the red magnetic needle lined up with the “N” on the compass – you will always be able to get your bearings and know how to travel in any direction you wish. Some simple compasses also have a
rotating clear bevel on top with a clear Lucite arrow. These are good idea if you have never used a compass. With such a compass, once you have
identified North as above, and you want to travel east for example, turn the Lucite arrow so it lines up over the “E”, and head in that direction. Leave the arrow there as a reminder of the direction you want to move in, and every 100 paces or so, realign the red compass needle to the North, to be sure you are moving in the desired direction.
Proper Position for Holding Your Compass
Utility Knife – No single knife is going to be useful for every cutting task in a survival situation. Beyond a pocketknife, or the knife blade that may be on your multi-tool, a utility knife with its thin and very sharp, razor-like blade, has many uses, from medical emergencies, cutting tarp material, skinning and gutting game, to fine whittling. It is one of those many duty kinds of items that make it a Go Bag essential.
8’ x 10’ Plastic Tarp – A tarp can be used for a variety of survival purposes.
With a little cord you can use it to create a simple tarp shelter. It can be used to waterproof the top of a more extensive shelter. It can be laid out to collect rainwater, or used as a poncho.
Emergency blanket – This silver-metallic looking blanket reflects body heat back to you, so it is great for keeping you warm. It is also can be used for signaling, as it reflects sunlight. It can be used to waterproof the roof of your shelter, and serve the dual purpose of a large signaling mirror.
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Heavy Duty/Light Duty Ponchos – Although seemingly a duplicate the reason you want to carry both a heavy duty and light duty poncho, is that your heavy duty poncho can be used for many purposes other than being worn to protect your body from cold and rain. It can be used to build a shelter and gather water, as you will learn in Section II. So you want to have your light duty on hand as well to wear, if you use the heavy poncho for some other purpose.
36 Hour Emergency Candles – Relatively small and lightweight, 36 hour emergency candles have multiple uses. They are a source of light, heat, can be used to start a larger fire, and can even be used as a small cook stove.
Whistle – Simple easy to pack, important signaling device. Stainless steel or plastic is better than low-grade metal to avoid rusting. Get one with a lanyard that can be tied to your belt or worn around your neck so you are never without it. FYI, three short blasts, followed by three long blasts, followed by three short blasts - (- - -) (–– –– ––) (- - -) on your whistle is (S - O – S), the universal sign of distress.
Flint Fire Starter & Striker – With a little practice this simple device can be used to start fires many times. The device consists of a rod and a striker, and is about the size of a car key. The ones that use a magnesium rod are the simplest to use and most reliable. All you need to do is use the striker to shave off a bit of magnesium onto an easily combustible material such as paper or very dry leaves. Then use the striker to strike the magnesium rod to create sparks, let the sparks fall onto the magnesium shavings on your fuel, and you will have started a fire with the best of your Caveman ancestors!
Storm proof/water proof matches – As a fire can be your most important survival tool, having as many different ways to start one with you, could make all the difference.
Disposable lighters – See above.
Dust/Bio-hazard Mask – In the aftermath of many disasters, you may find yourself evacuating through areas of smoke, fire, or other toxic debris and dust in the air. If so you will be glad that you had the forethought to carry a
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simple dust mask. This is also a crucial item to have during a disease pandemic, or intentional bio-terrorism attack.
Portable Water Filter – This simple straw-like device does not take up a lot of room, but could prove invaluable in emergency situations. It is not just a filter. It actually filters and treats the water with antibacterials. With this device you can simply bend down and even drink from a seemingly filthy puddle of water!
Water Purification Tablets – A good back-up to the filter above.
Remember dehydration can happen quickly, especially during a survival situation when you probably are exerting yourself more than usual. Once you run out of your 3-day supply, in most survival situations, there are many sources of water you could find; collected rainwater, streams and rivers, ponds and lakes but none of those should be used without purifying the water before drinking.
USB Cigarette Lighter Charger Adapter – Can be used to charge cell phones and other mobile electronic devices. This small and easily portable device can come in very handy. The best kind consists of one end that plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter, or any similar port on a 12V DC source, and an
“octopus cable” that plugs into the USB side of the adapter, which then can be plugged into multiple devices regardless of their unique charging ports.
Water Proof “Personal Communications Pouch” – The pen and paper are useful to make notes to yourself, or to leave behind for those to help find you. The paper is also flammable to use as fire-starter if you must. In this pouch you will also want to include some cash, your ID, emergency contact info, medical Info, etc.
Mirror – Not to make sure you look good when you are rescued, but to be used as a signaling device, (should be metal, not glass).
Duct Tape – An entire book can be written on the value of duct tape, and what it can be used for, and in fact one has. It can be used for lashing, for medical emergencies, emergency repairs to shelters, tents, sleeping bags, shoes, rain gear; just about anything you can think of. But to do any of those things you must make sure you use quality tape. Avoid the kind that
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you find in dollar or discount stores; these are virtually worthless for emergency purposes. To test for quality, try tearing the tape; if it splits easily in your hands, replace it with a better quality roll. Cheap tape will also break down and get all “gummy” when left in you pack for extended periods of time.
Compact Folding Shovel or Combo Survival Tool – Knives aren’t the only cutting tools you might need. Something to chop wood is an important item, so a hatchet or tomahawk is also a good idea to have along. A shovel is also invaluable. Not only do you need it for easy construction of a fire pit, you also need it for burying human waste and anything else undesirable. A Combination 6–in-1 Survival Tool gives you a shovel, a hatchet, a hammer saw, and can opener, all in a simple package that can be hooked to your pack, or carried on a belt.
Pry Bar and Gas Shutoff Tool – A heavy-duty pry bar is a must have in every 72 hour disaster survival kit. A pry-bar is a bit of a heavy item, and not one most people would think of carrying with them. However, it takes the place of several tools. It can be used to pry, hammer, shut off gas, break glass, break down walls, and more. If you get stuck inside of a building as you grab your bag to bug out, and need to find a way out, or get cut-off from family members. A pry bar can be a real lifesaver.
¼ inch x 50 ft Polypropylene Rope – The uses for Poly rope in a survival situation are too many to mention. Suffice to say, it can be used for lashing, for building shelters, for making snares and animal traps, it can be used as fire-starter, and much, much more. Again, quality counts. With rope, as with most other items in your kit, you get what you pay for. Don’t be surprised when a $1.00 coil of rope fails to hold together when you need it to build a tube tent or lash down important equipment in an emergency.
50 ft Nylon Utility Cord – See above, additional for lighter applications.
50 ft Nylon Utility Cord – See above, additional for lighter applications.