Your Daily Survival/Emergency/SD Kit?

[Phil Elmore]

Being prepared for emergencies is, as far as I am concerned, part of "self-defense." Pictured above is the survival pouch I carry with me every day, usually in my shoulder bag. It's made by Pock-Its and contains the following...

• Butane lighter
  
• Small folding hacksaw
  
• Victorinox Swisstool multitool
  
• "Rigid" brand Locking folding knife (selected for its flat profile)
  
• Diamond sharpening rod in pen-cap case
  
• Nail clippers
  
• 2AA Flashlight (equipped with RAM tailcap switch and Terralux Diode retrofits)
  
• Sewing kit
  
• Smaller locking folding knife (part of first aid kit)
  
• First aid kit (containing small adhesive bandages and first aid card)
  
• Small Swiss Army Knife
  

Originally the kit contained my first [original] Leatherman tool. When I bought the Victorinox Swisstool, however, I liked the tool so much I decided to keep it in the kit.

The Swisstool, which I discovered when I bought one used from a friend, is a big, solidly built multitool. Tools lock solidly into place and are released using the textured metal sliding tabs built into the handles. Nothing about the tool feels weak, gritty, or likely to break; it operates smoothly and always feels well-made.

The Swisstool has a full complement of screwdrivers, an awl, the usual caplifter and can opener...

...as well as a curved, serrated blade and a nice pair of Swiss Army knife-style scissors.

Oh, and it has a primary knife blade that would be right at home on any Victorinox SAK.

This kit and the Swisstool have seen me through many a utility problem and averted plenty of near-emergencies. I've used the Swisstool for everything from emergency car problems to fixing the plumbing inside my toilet and my kitchen & bathroom sinks. (The phillips-head screwdriver on this tool is particularly nice and very solid.)

What do you carry every day for utility, survival, and emergency purposes?

 

[GaryM]

It has been my experience that every first aid kit sold is crap. Every kit I've seen is packed with useless items you probably don't know how to use ( large triangle bandages) and sometimes even downright dangerous and counterproductive items (tourniquets, snake bite kits). This is what should be in a first aid kit.
1. a needle- too remove splinters
2. a small magnifing glass (to see splinters ect.)
3. flexible cloth type bandaids - standard 'strip' type and butterfly for finger tips ( plastic ones suck)
4. medical sissors, the kind that has a 'spoon' on one blade and are designed to cut clothing off. (do you really want to pull those tight jeans off over that compound fracture?)
5. bottle of distilled water to wash out wounds
6. eye wash (Visine)
7. burn spray
8. antibiotic ointment
9. gauze
10. Ace bandage
11. aspirin, ibuprofin, benedryl
12. cotton swabs
13. small mirror
14. blanket
15. small, easy to read (big print, simple instructions, indexed) first aid booklet that tells how to deal with shock, bleeding, fractures, burns, venemous bites, drowning and how to do CPR
16. blanket
17. disposable rubber gloves (steril)
19. medical tape (black electrical tape is great, just don't wrap it to tight)
20. single edge razor blade in a cardboard sheath
21. 190 proof grain alcohol (sterilize needle or razor)
Of course all this won't fit into a small first aid kit carried in a fanny pack so pick and choose the items that will fit the size kit you have. Take a first aid course from your local community college. This list is not in order of importance, you'll have to use a little common sence when making your own kit.

 

[GaryM]

Oh, I almost forgot to answer the question what do I carry for everyday emergencies. A folding pocket knife with a clip. Oh, and a one ton truck with a welder-generator, acetylene torch, and enough tools to build a house or repair a car. But I don't imagine most people are willing to go to that extent to 'be prepared' :ultracool

 

[Bammx2]

Nice ideas for the first aid kits....

but I have a question....

Here in the UK you can find "dental" first aid kits in a few out door stores, they have novacaine, gauze, needles...etc.

What about dental first aid?
I have never seen a course on it, but damn if I haven't seen a need for one!
Everything from little leage baseball/football to MA tournaments and bar fights.
Has anyone ever heard of such a course?
Does anyone think they should be available?
I think it should be a vital part of any first aid kit for that matter.
But since I am not a dentist......????
What do you think?

 

[GaryM]

Good point! I've seen a bad toothache ruin a camping trip. Some toothache pain reliever would be a good addition to the list and some basic dental first aid could be a good addition to a first aid course. I doubt there would be enough info for a stand alone course on dental first aid, the nature of first aid is to take care of the little 'boo-boos' that occure in life to prevent them from becoming bigger problems (infection ect.) or to keep a victim alive and minimumize the damage until professionals can take over in the case of major trauma. I know that in a pinch you can allow an aspirin to dissolve on a painful tooth and it will help with the pain quite a bit, but it is only a temporary measure, and is not good for your teeth.