From the beginning of human existence societies and civilizations have risen and come to an end. Today we can find evidence of previous advanced civilizations and their engineering feats in Rome, the Pyramids in Egypt, and the statues of the Easter Islands and in the Pyramids of the Mayans. The world that we live in today is the most complex of all human civilizations that have ever existed. Globalizations mean that we can travel around the world with jet aircraft in a matter of hours and communicate with people around the world in matter of seconds with electronic communications. Products are made in one country and shipped around the world to be sold in various markets. The world is today partly governed by International Institutions like the United Nations (UN), The World Bank and The International Monetary Fund (IMF). Regional organizations like the European Union (EU) have also become more and more important. It’s hard to imagine that our civilization could come to an end like the civilizations before us.
This series of posts will try to give a picture of the research and theories that covers this subject. What can be learned from historical events and the societies of the past? Why do civilizations collapse? When have they collapsed? One of the most recent examples of a collapse is the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Collapse of the Soviet Union changed the nature of the international system from bi-polar with two super powers during the Cold War to a uni-polar system with one remaining superpower. After the collapse many people lost their jobs, lost their savings, crime increased drastically and the access of many consumer products was reduced.
The first theory that will be presented is the theory of Super Power Collapse by Dmitry Orlov. Orlov is a Russian/American writer that has written about the collapse of Soviet Union and he’s theory about why superpowers collapse. Orlovs theory is that four factors in combination lead to this collapse.
• The first factor is the severe shortage of crude oil
• The second factor is severe and worsening trade deficit
• The third factor is a increasing military budget
• The forth factor is an increasing foreign debt. Its Orlovs theory that these factors will lead to the end of the United States as a super power. Orlov has written about this theory in the book “Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet example and American prospect”.
Orlov similar to Michael Ruppert focuses on the importance of oil and fossil fuels for the contemporary societies. Oil is important for a number of sectors like transports, electricity, food production for fertilizers, mechanized machinery, pesticides, energy for irrigation, packing of food in plastics and transports of the food. Orlov does not only present the reason for a collapse but does also present lessons that can be learned from the Soviet collapse and how ordinary people continued their lives when the political system that surrounded them collapsed. Orlov have also held lectures that can be seen for free online. One of the lectures is “Social Collapse Best Practices” from 2009 and can be seen at FORA.tv . Orlov writes and presents he’s message mixed with black humor and sharp analysis. I recommend both the book and the lecture for those that are interested in the subject.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Water in a Survival or Crisis Situation
Water is one of the most vital aspects in a survival or crisis situation. The human body consists of around three quarters of water and a person can only survive a few days without water. If the temperature is really high a person can die of dehydration within a shorter period of time. Safe water is something that many take for granted, but over 1 billion people around the world don’t have access to safe water and over 2 billion lacks a safe sanitation system. In some cities around the world there is no water resource in close proximity so water must be imported through pipelines. If you live in this city you may want to take this subject extra seriously. The water systems in cities are often dependent on electrical pump in order to work, in case of a black out this system often ceases to work. Natural disasters such as earthquakes can also damage the water and sanitation system. Some cities lack nearby water sources and must get there water transport to them over long distances, during a crisis situations these cities would be extra vulnerable.
A minimum 5 liters per day for first week is required, 2-3 liters will be needed for drinking and the rest for cooking. This is a minimum amount of water that a person can survive on for a short term period but after the first week you will need around 20 liters per day. Of this water around 8 liters will be needed for drinking and cooking, 5 liters for dishwashing, 5 liters for personal hygiene and the rest for medical and other uses. The hygiene is important to prevent infections. Examples of problems if water is unavailable for a long term are lice, mite and bacterial skin infections. 20 liters is what you should calculate as an absolute minimum for a long term emergency, in many industrialized countries an average citizen can use somewhere between 200-300 liters of water per day for cooking, washing, showering, bathing and flushing toilets.
Water Containers
Plastic containers in different sizes are the most common containers to use for water storage. I suggest that you get containers in different sizes with a capacity from 5 liters to 20 liters. Soda bottles can be used if you clean them, but they have a small capacity if you intend to store water for a whole family.
Water Bladers for your back pack are an excellent solution when you’re hiking, camping or hunting. These bladders let you drink while on the move. These bladders come in different sizes, normally from 2-5 liters. Camelback and Nalgene makes high quality models. There are also water bottles and water containers made from soft materials that can be folded and takes up very little space in a bag.
When you’re camping, hunting or hiking in recommend that you choose high quality water bottles and a water bladder for your backpack as a combination. I personally like the high quality water bottles from Nalgene, Klean Kantten, Camelback and SIGG, but there are many different brands that make copies that are almost as good as the originals. The Plastic bottles are often lighter than the ones made from metal. The metal bottles don’t risk melting if you happen to leave it to close to the campfire, on the downside the metal bottles can cause freeze damages to your hands if you handle them in winter climate. Use tape to cover the metal if you’re using them in cold climate. Military canteens are also a good alternative as water bottles. This can often be bought quite cheap as military surplus. The Norwegian NATO Canteens have the same shape as a normal military canteen but are steel thermoses that are excellent to carry warm water in a cold climate.
Water Storage
How much water you should storage in your home depends on a number of factors. Where do you live, how much rainfall is there, do you have access to a lake, river, reservoir, swimming pool or other sources of water nearby? One of the best solutions is of course if you live on the country and have access to your own well. A hand pump for your well is an excellent addition if you depend on electrical pumps. I suggest that you store water for a minimum of 72 hours per person in the household. That is 15 liters per person. If you live in an area that’s doesn’t have nearby water sources I suggest that you store water for a week, that’s around 35 liters per person. If you live in a very warm climate you may have to calculate the double amount. If you add bleach or water purification tablets and store the water in a dark and cold place it will store for around 6 months. Mark the containers with dates so that you know when to rotate it. Put the dates in your calendar so that you don’t forget to rotate it.
Water Purification
During a crisis situations, natural disasters and human conflict the water purifications and waste disposal systems in the society often brakes down and water can become unsafe to drink. In order to reduce the risk of drinking water that’s contaminated by disease or poisons there are methods for water purifications. I suggest that you use both some kind of filter and that you also boil the water or add water purification tablets after you filtered it if you’re not sure that the water is safe.
Water Purification Filters
There are excellent water purifications filters that can be bought on the market. These filters reduce the amount of microorganisms in the water with over 99% in some cases. These water purification filters are often very expensive however, I recommend the Katadyn Pocket. I have personally used this filter to purify water that was very dirty. Katadyn also have other more stationary solutions for homes and more professional systems that can be used in emergency situations. There is also other companies that makes water purification filters like Mountain Safety Research (MSR) and Berkey Filters. Aquamira makes a very compact emergency filter in form of a straw called Frontier that is both cheap and lightweight for packs; however this is only a short term emergency solution.
Water Purification Tablets and Bleach
Water Purification Tablets and Bleach destroys harmful microorganisms in the water but does not remove poisons and other dangers like radioactive particles, for this a water purification filter is better. Boiling water for around ten minutes will also kill microorganisms in the water. Use around half a teaspoon of bleach/per liter or water purification if the water is very unclean. Use 2 drops of bleach per liter of clean water or water purification tablets to conserve water for long term storage. There are special tablets that can be bought that reduce the taste of chlorine if you use bleach or water purification tablets.
Dehydration and Treatment
If a person becomes dehydrated the effect will reduce their ability to cope with a crisis or survival situation. Both the physical and psychological ability will be reduced. Losing just three liters of water will reduce the performance of a normal man with around 50%. Dark urine is a common sign that indicates dehydration. Other signs are nausea, headache and no saliva. It’s easier for the body to absorb water if you add some salt and sugar; this is called Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS). Add 1/2 tee spoon of salt and 6 tea spoons of sugar to 1 liter of water. Dehydration is a very serious condition, but if treated with ORS a person’s will recover quite fast. Another sign of dehydration is that the skin becomes les elastic, if you pull someone’s skin on the stomach and it doesn’t retract as fast as normal this is also a sign of dehydration.
The Crisis Situation
If you get an early warning that a crisis situation may be happening you can take a number of steps to improve you water situation before the crisis happens. It’s not always such a warning is available, some crisis situations like earthquakes and other natural disasters can take place with little or no warning. If you have a bath tub I suggest that you fill it up and cover it with plastic. You may not be able to use this water for drinking, but you can use it for hygiene, flushing toilettes or purifying it later. A WaterBob is a large water bladder designed to be put in a bathtub and filled with water that can hold over a hundred gallons. It can also be good to have a number of clean soda bottles that you can fill with water.
It’s also important that you locate potential sources of water as close to your home as possible. Collecting water is a very heavy and time consuming work. To transport water in crisis situation is very heavy work and you may need to transport it a long distance. A backpack with an external frame can be used to carry large containers. Small chariots, a mountain bike that’s loaded so that’s it balanced, a shopping cart or a bicycle cart can be good ways to transport water. Examples of potential water sources are lakes, rivers, reservoirs and swimming pools. Rainwater that’s collected can also be a good addition in a crisis situation. If you intend to use such a system I suggest that you try it out before a crisis situation.In a survival situation coffee filters can be used to filter water before the water is sterilized if you don’t have access to professional water purification filter.
Checklist
[ ] Water Purification Filter
[ ] Water Purification Tablets
[ ] Bleach
[ ] Coffee Filters
[ ] Large Water Containers (Capacity between 5 and 20 liters)
[ ] Water Bladder
[ ] High Quality Water Bottle
Also see
Food, Starvation and Famine - Crisis Prepardness and Survival
A minimum 5 liters per day for first week is required, 2-3 liters will be needed for drinking and the rest for cooking. This is a minimum amount of water that a person can survive on for a short term period but after the first week you will need around 20 liters per day. Of this water around 8 liters will be needed for drinking and cooking, 5 liters for dishwashing, 5 liters for personal hygiene and the rest for medical and other uses. The hygiene is important to prevent infections. Examples of problems if water is unavailable for a long term are lice, mite and bacterial skin infections. 20 liters is what you should calculate as an absolute minimum for a long term emergency, in many industrialized countries an average citizen can use somewhere between 200-300 liters of water per day for cooking, washing, showering, bathing and flushing toilets.
Water Containers
Plastic containers in different sizes are the most common containers to use for water storage. I suggest that you get containers in different sizes with a capacity from 5 liters to 20 liters. Soda bottles can be used if you clean them, but they have a small capacity if you intend to store water for a whole family.
Water Bladers for your back pack are an excellent solution when you’re hiking, camping or hunting. These bladders let you drink while on the move. These bladders come in different sizes, normally from 2-5 liters. Camelback and Nalgene makes high quality models. There are also water bottles and water containers made from soft materials that can be folded and takes up very little space in a bag.
When you’re camping, hunting or hiking in recommend that you choose high quality water bottles and a water bladder for your backpack as a combination. I personally like the high quality water bottles from Nalgene, Klean Kantten, Camelback and SIGG, but there are many different brands that make copies that are almost as good as the originals. The Plastic bottles are often lighter than the ones made from metal. The metal bottles don’t risk melting if you happen to leave it to close to the campfire, on the downside the metal bottles can cause freeze damages to your hands if you handle them in winter climate. Use tape to cover the metal if you’re using them in cold climate. Military canteens are also a good alternative as water bottles. This can often be bought quite cheap as military surplus. The Norwegian NATO Canteens have the same shape as a normal military canteen but are steel thermoses that are excellent to carry warm water in a cold climate.
Water Storage
How much water you should storage in your home depends on a number of factors. Where do you live, how much rainfall is there, do you have access to a lake, river, reservoir, swimming pool or other sources of water nearby? One of the best solutions is of course if you live on the country and have access to your own well. A hand pump for your well is an excellent addition if you depend on electrical pumps. I suggest that you store water for a minimum of 72 hours per person in the household. That is 15 liters per person. If you live in an area that’s doesn’t have nearby water sources I suggest that you store water for a week, that’s around 35 liters per person. If you live in a very warm climate you may have to calculate the double amount. If you add bleach or water purification tablets and store the water in a dark and cold place it will store for around 6 months. Mark the containers with dates so that you know when to rotate it. Put the dates in your calendar so that you don’t forget to rotate it.
Water Purification
During a crisis situations, natural disasters and human conflict the water purifications and waste disposal systems in the society often brakes down and water can become unsafe to drink. In order to reduce the risk of drinking water that’s contaminated by disease or poisons there are methods for water purifications. I suggest that you use both some kind of filter and that you also boil the water or add water purification tablets after you filtered it if you’re not sure that the water is safe.
Water Purification Filters
There are excellent water purifications filters that can be bought on the market. These filters reduce the amount of microorganisms in the water with over 99% in some cases. These water purification filters are often very expensive however, I recommend the Katadyn Pocket. I have personally used this filter to purify water that was very dirty. Katadyn also have other more stationary solutions for homes and more professional systems that can be used in emergency situations. There is also other companies that makes water purification filters like Mountain Safety Research (MSR) and Berkey Filters. Aquamira makes a very compact emergency filter in form of a straw called Frontier that is both cheap and lightweight for packs; however this is only a short term emergency solution.
Water Purification Tablets and Bleach
Water Purification Tablets and Bleach destroys harmful microorganisms in the water but does not remove poisons and other dangers like radioactive particles, for this a water purification filter is better. Boiling water for around ten minutes will also kill microorganisms in the water. Use around half a teaspoon of bleach/per liter or water purification if the water is very unclean. Use 2 drops of bleach per liter of clean water or water purification tablets to conserve water for long term storage. There are special tablets that can be bought that reduce the taste of chlorine if you use bleach or water purification tablets.
Dehydration and Treatment
If a person becomes dehydrated the effect will reduce their ability to cope with a crisis or survival situation. Both the physical and psychological ability will be reduced. Losing just three liters of water will reduce the performance of a normal man with around 50%. Dark urine is a common sign that indicates dehydration. Other signs are nausea, headache and no saliva. It’s easier for the body to absorb water if you add some salt and sugar; this is called Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS). Add 1/2 tee spoon of salt and 6 tea spoons of sugar to 1 liter of water. Dehydration is a very serious condition, but if treated with ORS a person’s will recover quite fast. Another sign of dehydration is that the skin becomes les elastic, if you pull someone’s skin on the stomach and it doesn’t retract as fast as normal this is also a sign of dehydration.
The Crisis Situation
If you get an early warning that a crisis situation may be happening you can take a number of steps to improve you water situation before the crisis happens. It’s not always such a warning is available, some crisis situations like earthquakes and other natural disasters can take place with little or no warning. If you have a bath tub I suggest that you fill it up and cover it with plastic. You may not be able to use this water for drinking, but you can use it for hygiene, flushing toilettes or purifying it later. A WaterBob is a large water bladder designed to be put in a bathtub and filled with water that can hold over a hundred gallons. It can also be good to have a number of clean soda bottles that you can fill with water.
It’s also important that you locate potential sources of water as close to your home as possible. Collecting water is a very heavy and time consuming work. To transport water in crisis situation is very heavy work and you may need to transport it a long distance. A backpack with an external frame can be used to carry large containers. Small chariots, a mountain bike that’s loaded so that’s it balanced, a shopping cart or a bicycle cart can be good ways to transport water. Examples of potential water sources are lakes, rivers, reservoirs and swimming pools. Rainwater that’s collected can also be a good addition in a crisis situation. If you intend to use such a system I suggest that you try it out before a crisis situation.In a survival situation coffee filters can be used to filter water before the water is sterilized if you don’t have access to professional water purification filter.
Checklist
[ ] Water Purification Filter
[ ] Water Purification Tablets
[ ] Bleach
[ ] Coffee Filters
[ ] Large Water Containers (Capacity between 5 and 20 liters)
[ ] Water Bladder
[ ] High Quality Water Bottle
Also see
Food, Starvation and Famine - Crisis Prepardness and Survival
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Collapse Movie and Recommended Links
As I written in a previous post an upcoming theme will be about the collapse of civilizations. A new movie called “Collapse” has recently been released. This movie is based on the book “Confronting Collapse: The Crisis of Energy and Money in a Post Peak Oil World“by Michael Ruppert. This movie has a rather dark perspective but I think that some of the perspectives are really interesting. I still recommended the movie but I recommend that the viewers don’t just accept all the information from the movie as fact. Ruppert also writes the blog FromTheWilderness.com.
The upcoming post will be take a view from a more academic perspective based on the theories presented by Jared Diamond in the book “Collapse: How Societies choose to Succeed or Fail” and Joseph Tainters book “The Collapse of Complex Societies”.
I have a number of links that I recommend. The CIA World Fact Book is a good sources for people how would like to find statistics about countries. You can also find facts from previous years by searching for The CIA World Fact Book and that year in a search engine. At the homepage of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) you can find information about ongoing crisis situations and advice for crisis preparedness. Freedomhouse is another webpage that rates countries and how Free these countries are, you can also find information from previous years on the homepage. Gapminder is a page that in graphics shows how different countries have evolved through history. TED offers free online lectures from some of the most brilliant people in the world. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) offers large amount of information about natural disasters and is also an excellent source to research historical events.
Equipped to Survive is a site by Doug Ritter that offers some good reviews on Survival Equipment. I personally prefer tents as a solution over tarps, but tarps is a very cheap solution compared to a high quality 4 season tent. For those how are interested in tarps there is a great guide for how to build Tarp Shelters on Equipped to Survive.
The upcoming post will be take a view from a more academic perspective based on the theories presented by Jared Diamond in the book “Collapse: How Societies choose to Succeed or Fail” and Joseph Tainters book “The Collapse of Complex Societies”.
I have a number of links that I recommend. The CIA World Fact Book is a good sources for people how would like to find statistics about countries. You can also find facts from previous years by searching for The CIA World Fact Book and that year in a search engine. At the homepage of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) you can find information about ongoing crisis situations and advice for crisis preparedness. Freedomhouse is another webpage that rates countries and how Free these countries are, you can also find information from previous years on the homepage. Gapminder is a page that in graphics shows how different countries have evolved through history. TED offers free online lectures from some of the most brilliant people in the world. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) offers large amount of information about natural disasters and is also an excellent source to research historical events.
Equipped to Survive is a site by Doug Ritter that offers some good reviews on Survival Equipment. I personally prefer tents as a solution over tarps, but tarps is a very cheap solution compared to a high quality 4 season tent. For those how are interested in tarps there is a great guide for how to build Tarp Shelters on Equipped to Survive.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Pocket Survival Kits
Pocket Survival Kits are kits that are designed to increase your chances of survival during a crisis or survival situation. The Pocket Survival Kit is the smallest variants of survival kits and the most important aspect of the kit is that it could be light and small enough to be carried at all times. The Pocket Survival Kit is also a natural component for large survival kits like the Bug Out Bag (BOB) and Get Home Bag (GHB).
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How much items your kit should have depends and what items that you should carry depends on your personal setting and climate but a small kit with a few items that you always carry is better than a large kit that you never carry. A metal or plastic tin are the most common containers for a pocket survival kit. Other solutions could be a nylon pocket like the pockets made by Maxpedition or a neck wallet. If you have enough space the smallest wide mouth bottles by Nalgene makes good container that also can be used as a water container in an emergency and are extremely hard to break. You don’t have to carry all items in one container; you could divide the different items between containers so that you carry a few on your person, some in your backpack or jacket etc. The hard small hard case from Pelican is another option that you can check out. There is basically no limit on how much money you can spend on a survival kit. A survival kit is just like a knife, there isn’t any survival kit that’s perfect for all tasks and situations. You can get a preassembled kit for around 20 dollars or build your own using items from your home almost for free. Make or buy a kit that’s good for your personal situation and needs. If possible visit a store and check different kits out before you make up your mind. I will give some advice about what items that can go into a Pocket Survival Kit and recommend some items from different companies; however this is only a fraction of the high quality products that can be found on the market. You can often find some of the items cheap on E-Bay, a yard sale, a garage sale or as military surplus.
Suggested Items For The Pocket Survival Kit
• I suggest that you carry at least two items in your kit that can be used to start a Fire. Matches are one of the easiest items to start a fire with. There are many kind of matches, if you have enough space in your container BCB and Proforce makes special long burning waterproof matches that comes in waterproof containers that’s very good. A lighter is also a very good tool to start a fire with; you can get a simple BIC lighter for a few dollars or a more expensive high quality storm lighter. The most compact type of lighters from BIC, the mini lighters take up very little space in a kit. A Fire Steel is another good item to start a fire with; however I suggest that you learn how to use it before you put it in your kit. One of the best fire steels you can get comes from Light My Fire, they sell replacement fire steels for their SL3 knife, this fire steel consists of on the steel itself, and it has no handle so it takes up very little space in a survival kit. ESEE also makes a very compact fire steel thats perfect for small kits. Ultimate Survival makes an excellent fire steel that’s called BlastMatch that can be operated with one hand. The only downside with this product is that it has a high price and takes up much space in a kit; it won’t fit in small tin. A Magnifying glass is another tool that can be used to start fire with. A piece of tinder like the Wetfire from UST can also be a good addition to start fire in an emergency.
A razor blade or small knife is an excellent item to carry in a pocket survival kit. If you’re going for a small folding knife examples of knives could be the Spyderco Lady Bug, Victorinox Classic SD, Fällkniven U-4 and TK-4 or the Gerber LST / Gerber Ultra LST. A P-38 Can Opener is a compact tool that can also be used for other tasks like a improvised screw driver, cut fishing line, gut fish or as a box cutter.
• Small LED lamps are also common items to carry in a survival kit, but they are also good items to carry on your keychain. The cheap models often work rather well, if you’re looking for a high quality model I suggest that you check out the models from Fenix and 4Sevens that uses AAA batteries. The small Petzl E+Lite are an excellent headlamp that small enough to fit in most survival kits if you only bring the lamp and not the plastic cover. Small Candles is often used in survival kits as a light and a tool to start fires. If you’re looking for a light source I recommend that you go with and LED lamp instead.
• Wire saws are a compact saw that uses a wire with small teeth that can be used to cut through wood or bone. They can be a good addition but remember that even the high quality models are not that strong and can easily be broken.
• Snare Wire is also a common item that can be used to make snares to catch small animals but can also be used for other tasks like improvised shoes laces or fishing line. Brass wire is most commonly used.
• Pen and Paper are also good items that can help you remember important events in case of an emergency. A simple small pen like the ones you can get for free at IKEA will be enough for most situations, if you’re looking for a more high quality model you can check out the pens from Fischer Space Pen like the compact model Bullet and the Stowaway Space Pen. Rite In The Rain makes some really good Notebooks, the papers from these Notebooks is excellent for a survival kit.
• Condoms can be used as improvised water containers, you can make it last better if your fill it with water and put inside a sock. Heavy duty food grade plastic bag is also a good alternative. The bags called aLOKSAK is extremely strong zip lock bags that I strongly recommend, especially for a survival kit.
• Whistles are excellent tools for signaling for help during an emergency. There are many model, the low cost models that comes with most preassembled kit are quite good. However there is even better whistles that can be bough such as the JetScream from Ultimate Survival Technologies and the Survival Whistle and Mountain Whistle from Lifesystem. Klättermusen uses small whistles that they attach to the zippers on their jackets that can be bought in some stores that sell outdoor equipment. These whistles take up very little space in a survival kit, however I recommend that you get one of these and attach it to the zipper on your jacket so that it’s always with you.
• Signal Mirrors are an excellent way to signal for help during an emergency. There are many models that can be bought, The Starflash from Ultimate Survival Technologies, the Mayday Signal Mirror from BCB and the Emergency Signal Mirror from ESEE are some examples.
• Sewing Kits can be used to repair cloths, tents, packs and other things if they brake. Bring some sewing needles, make sure to bring one or more or the larger variant with sharp edges that used to sew in heavy duty material such as leather. Bring strong thread, I recommend the extra strong thread from Gütterman. Dental floss is a very strong thread that can be used as an alternative to normal thread. A Suture set is an alternative or a good complement to normal sewing kit.
• Salt is an item that’s cheap and good to have in a survival kit. I suggest that you either take some salt and put it in a small zip lock bag or take one the small salt bags that you can find at takeout restaurants.
• A Button Compass is a good tool for navigation in a survival situation. The only downside is that most small compasses have a tendency to brake after a while, even the high quality models. There are models that can be attached to your watch band and carried with you at all times like The Suunto Clipper and the Silva Carabiner 40.
• A Fishing Kit consisting of some fishing line, hooks and weights is also a common item in a survival kit. I suggest that that you buy high quality monofilament fishing line and strap it around a small piece of plastic. If you’re going to bring a fishing kit learn how to make a fishing knot. A miniature wobbler / swimbait with a weigh can be used to catch fish in rivers. Fly’s thats used for fly fishing is also a good item for survival kits.
• Safety Pins can be used for many things, everything from keeping a broken jacket together, securing band aids or as fishing hook.
• Water Purification Tablets are a important items that allow you to disinfect water in order to prevent infections. Pain killers are good item to carry if you get wounded or get a fewer. Anti diarrhea tablets can help to prevent the loss of fluid and energy if you get sick. It’s best if you can store them in a waterproof tube or small zip lock bag.
• Small plasters is good for small cuts, Sutures can be used to close larger wounds. I suggest that you bring a couple in your survival kit. A disinfection wipe can be stored in the kit and used to sterilize a wound.
• 550 Paracord can be used to make straps to important items in your kit like fire steel, knife, compass or whistle. In an emergency it’s good if you can make a take a bit of paracord, attach the most important items and carry them east accessible around the neck. You can wrap paracord around your container but this will make it harder to reach items in case of an emergency. The Paracord normally have between seven and nine yarns inside the protective other shell that can be used for sewing, fishing line etc. Paracord is often used to make bracelets so that it can be carried along at all times.
• Duct Tape can be wrapped around an old credit card or a piece of cardboard and be used for emergency repair, to secure band aids and many other uses.
Preassembled Kits
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There are many preassembled kits on the market that can be bought. BCB has a Pocket Survival Kit called the “Combat Survival Kit” that’s based on John Wisemans kit from the “SAS Survival Handbook”. This kit is rather cheap and the kit is a good start. However some of the items have a low quality. There is small knife in the kit that I suggest that you get rid of and replace with razor blade or a small high quality folding knife. BCB also have other models like the Ultimate Survival Kit. This kit is basically the same kit as the one mentioned above, only it comes in a larger container with a lid that can be better secured and some additional items. This kit is much more expensive than the standard kit, I suggest that you buy only the larger tin that can be bought separately and a standard kit and complement the rest of the items yourself if you’re considering this solution. Proforce also makes a similar kit to the Combat Survival Kit made by BCB.
Victorinox has a special survival kit that holds some survival items and a Swiss Champ. This kit is made out of leather and can be carried at your belt. The kit contains some items like a small flashlight from Maglite, Sharpener, Compass, Matches, Fishing kit, Pen and paper to name a few. The kit has a high quality but also a high price and weight.
The Pro Survival Kit Company makes a number of high quality Survival Kits and Survival Tools. The company uses a large number of items from different companies. They also sell a belt that can be used to store items concealed.
TOP Knives makes a survival kit that comes in the shape of a neck wallet. The wallet contains a number of items like sharpener, P-38 can opener, screwdriver, whistle, signal mirror and razor blade. You can check out their kit on the company homepage.
Rat Cutlery / ESEE Knives makes a number of small survival kits, one of the kits comes in a small nylon bag that can be attached to your belt. Another kit from ESEE is the compact Wallet E&E Kit. They also make some other interesting items for kits like the Titanium Escape and Evasion Mini Blade, Survival Card and AH-1 Arrowhead.
Adventure Medical Kits make high quality survival kits and survival equipment. They have some kits that combine survival kits and first aid kits. Two of their kits are the Pocket Survival PAK Plus and the
S.O.L. Survival Pak.
Ultimate Survival Technologies (UST) makes some really outstanding survival equipment. The major problem with their equipment is that it’s expensive and often rather heavy. The sell the Deluxe Survival Kit that comes in heavy duty plastic container but it only contains fire steel, whistle, tinder and a saw. This Kit has very few items but the items all have an outstanding quality. They also sell a more comprehensive kit called the Soldiers Tactical Advantage Kit.
Suggested Items For The Pocket Survival Kit
• I suggest that you carry at least two items in your kit that can be used to start a Fire. Matches are one of the easiest items to start a fire with. There are many kind of matches, if you have enough space in your container BCB and Proforce makes special long burning waterproof matches that comes in waterproof containers that’s very good. A lighter is also a very good tool to start a fire with; you can get a simple BIC lighter for a few dollars or a more expensive high quality storm lighter. The most compact type of lighters from BIC, the mini lighters take up very little space in a kit. A Fire Steel is another good item to start a fire with; however I suggest that you learn how to use it before you put it in your kit. One of the best fire steels you can get comes from Light My Fire, they sell replacement fire steels for their SL3 knife, this fire steel consists of on the steel itself, and it has no handle so it takes up very little space in a survival kit. ESEE also makes a very compact fire steel thats perfect for small kits. Ultimate Survival makes an excellent fire steel that’s called BlastMatch that can be operated with one hand. The only downside with this product is that it has a high price and takes up much space in a kit; it won’t fit in small tin. A Magnifying glass is another tool that can be used to start fire with. A piece of tinder like the Wetfire from UST can also be a good addition to start fire in an emergency.
A razor blade or small knife is an excellent item to carry in a pocket survival kit. If you’re going for a small folding knife examples of knives could be the Spyderco Lady Bug, Victorinox Classic SD, Fällkniven U-4 and TK-4 or the Gerber LST / Gerber Ultra LST. A P-38 Can Opener is a compact tool that can also be used for other tasks like a improvised screw driver, cut fishing line, gut fish or as a box cutter.
• Small LED lamps are also common items to carry in a survival kit, but they are also good items to carry on your keychain. The cheap models often work rather well, if you’re looking for a high quality model I suggest that you check out the models from Fenix and 4Sevens that uses AAA batteries. The small Petzl E+Lite are an excellent headlamp that small enough to fit in most survival kits if you only bring the lamp and not the plastic cover. Small Candles is often used in survival kits as a light and a tool to start fires. If you’re looking for a light source I recommend that you go with and LED lamp instead.
• Wire saws are a compact saw that uses a wire with small teeth that can be used to cut through wood or bone. They can be a good addition but remember that even the high quality models are not that strong and can easily be broken.
• Snare Wire is also a common item that can be used to make snares to catch small animals but can also be used for other tasks like improvised shoes laces or fishing line. Brass wire is most commonly used.
• Pen and Paper are also good items that can help you remember important events in case of an emergency. A simple small pen like the ones you can get for free at IKEA will be enough for most situations, if you’re looking for a more high quality model you can check out the pens from Fischer Space Pen like the compact model Bullet and the Stowaway Space Pen. Rite In The Rain makes some really good Notebooks, the papers from these Notebooks is excellent for a survival kit.
• Condoms can be used as improvised water containers, you can make it last better if your fill it with water and put inside a sock. Heavy duty food grade plastic bag is also a good alternative. The bags called aLOKSAK is extremely strong zip lock bags that I strongly recommend, especially for a survival kit.
• Whistles are excellent tools for signaling for help during an emergency. There are many model, the low cost models that comes with most preassembled kit are quite good. However there is even better whistles that can be bough such as the JetScream from Ultimate Survival Technologies and the Survival Whistle and Mountain Whistle from Lifesystem. Klättermusen uses small whistles that they attach to the zippers on their jackets that can be bought in some stores that sell outdoor equipment. These whistles take up very little space in a survival kit, however I recommend that you get one of these and attach it to the zipper on your jacket so that it’s always with you.
• Signal Mirrors are an excellent way to signal for help during an emergency. There are many models that can be bought, The Starflash from Ultimate Survival Technologies, the Mayday Signal Mirror from BCB and the Emergency Signal Mirror from ESEE are some examples.
• Sewing Kits can be used to repair cloths, tents, packs and other things if they brake. Bring some sewing needles, make sure to bring one or more or the larger variant with sharp edges that used to sew in heavy duty material such as leather. Bring strong thread, I recommend the extra strong thread from Gütterman. Dental floss is a very strong thread that can be used as an alternative to normal thread. A Suture set is an alternative or a good complement to normal sewing kit.
• Salt is an item that’s cheap and good to have in a survival kit. I suggest that you either take some salt and put it in a small zip lock bag or take one the small salt bags that you can find at takeout restaurants.
• A Button Compass is a good tool for navigation in a survival situation. The only downside is that most small compasses have a tendency to brake after a while, even the high quality models. There are models that can be attached to your watch band and carried with you at all times like The Suunto Clipper and the Silva Carabiner 40.
• A Fishing Kit consisting of some fishing line, hooks and weights is also a common item in a survival kit. I suggest that that you buy high quality monofilament fishing line and strap it around a small piece of plastic. If you’re going to bring a fishing kit learn how to make a fishing knot. A miniature wobbler / swimbait with a weigh can be used to catch fish in rivers. Fly’s thats used for fly fishing is also a good item for survival kits.
• Safety Pins can be used for many things, everything from keeping a broken jacket together, securing band aids or as fishing hook.
• Water Purification Tablets are a important items that allow you to disinfect water in order to prevent infections. Pain killers are good item to carry if you get wounded or get a fewer. Anti diarrhea tablets can help to prevent the loss of fluid and energy if you get sick. It’s best if you can store them in a waterproof tube or small zip lock bag.
• Small plasters is good for small cuts, Sutures can be used to close larger wounds. I suggest that you bring a couple in your survival kit. A disinfection wipe can be stored in the kit and used to sterilize a wound.
• 550 Paracord can be used to make straps to important items in your kit like fire steel, knife, compass or whistle. In an emergency it’s good if you can make a take a bit of paracord, attach the most important items and carry them east accessible around the neck. You can wrap paracord around your container but this will make it harder to reach items in case of an emergency. The Paracord normally have between seven and nine yarns inside the protective other shell that can be used for sewing, fishing line etc. Paracord is often used to make bracelets so that it can be carried along at all times.
• Duct Tape can be wrapped around an old credit card or a piece of cardboard and be used for emergency repair, to secure band aids and many other uses.
Preassembled Kits
There are many preassembled kits on the market that can be bought. BCB has a Pocket Survival Kit called the “Combat Survival Kit” that’s based on John Wisemans kit from the “SAS Survival Handbook”. This kit is rather cheap and the kit is a good start. However some of the items have a low quality. There is small knife in the kit that I suggest that you get rid of and replace with razor blade or a small high quality folding knife. BCB also have other models like the Ultimate Survival Kit. This kit is basically the same kit as the one mentioned above, only it comes in a larger container with a lid that can be better secured and some additional items. This kit is much more expensive than the standard kit, I suggest that you buy only the larger tin that can be bought separately and a standard kit and complement the rest of the items yourself if you’re considering this solution. Proforce also makes a similar kit to the Combat Survival Kit made by BCB.
Victorinox has a special survival kit that holds some survival items and a Swiss Champ. This kit is made out of leather and can be carried at your belt. The kit contains some items like a small flashlight from Maglite, Sharpener, Compass, Matches, Fishing kit, Pen and paper to name a few. The kit has a high quality but also a high price and weight.
The Pro Survival Kit Company makes a number of high quality Survival Kits and Survival Tools. The company uses a large number of items from different companies. They also sell a belt that can be used to store items concealed.
TOP Knives makes a survival kit that comes in the shape of a neck wallet. The wallet contains a number of items like sharpener, P-38 can opener, screwdriver, whistle, signal mirror and razor blade. You can check out their kit on the company homepage.
Rat Cutlery / ESEE Knives makes a number of small survival kits, one of the kits comes in a small nylon bag that can be attached to your belt. Another kit from ESEE is the compact Wallet E&E Kit. They also make some other interesting items for kits like the Titanium Escape and Evasion Mini Blade, Survival Card and AH-1 Arrowhead.
Adventure Medical Kits make high quality survival kits and survival equipment. They have some kits that combine survival kits and first aid kits. Two of their kits are the Pocket Survival PAK Plus and the
S.O.L. Survival Pak.
Ultimate Survival Technologies (UST) makes some really outstanding survival equipment. The major problem with their equipment is that it’s expensive and often rather heavy. The sell the Deluxe Survival Kit that comes in heavy duty plastic container but it only contains fire steel, whistle, tinder and a saw. This Kit has very few items but the items all have an outstanding quality. They also sell a more comprehensive kit called the Soldiers Tactical Advantage Kit.
Gerber has also started to produce Survival Kits together with the survival expert Bear Grylls. They produce two kits: the “Ultimate Kit” and the "Basic Kit”.
Everyday Items For Preparedness
A good Folding Knife, Swiss Army Knife or Multi Tool makes an excellent complement to a Pocket Survival Kit. A waterproof watch is also a good complement that’s good for Every Day Carry. There are excellent credit card sized tools that you can carry in your wallet at all times, the tools in these cards are small but the offer the possibility to always have some essential tools with you. Tool Logic makes a number of different cards, some with compass, fire steel and a small knife, Victorinox makes a model called Swiss Card. A Cell phone is a good tool that allows you to contact other in case of an emergency; there are some models that also have other useful features like GPS, Compass, Flashlight and FM/AM radio.
Carrying a kit at all times gives you some options if you would encounter a survival or crisis situation but can also serve as tool kit to help you deal with everyday problems. The items are however of little use if you can’t use them. Training, Skills and Experience, Physical Fitness and Health is more important than the gear you carry.
Also see
Every Day Carry (EDC)
Get Home Bag (GHB)
Light Weight Bug Out Bag
Everyday Items For Preparedness
A good Folding Knife, Swiss Army Knife or Multi Tool makes an excellent complement to a Pocket Survival Kit. A waterproof watch is also a good complement that’s good for Every Day Carry. There are excellent credit card sized tools that you can carry in your wallet at all times, the tools in these cards are small but the offer the possibility to always have some essential tools with you. Tool Logic makes a number of different cards, some with compass, fire steel and a small knife, Victorinox makes a model called Swiss Card. A Cell phone is a good tool that allows you to contact other in case of an emergency; there are some models that also have other useful features like GPS, Compass, Flashlight and FM/AM radio.
Carrying a kit at all times gives you some options if you would encounter a survival or crisis situation but can also serve as tool kit to help you deal with everyday problems. The items are however of little use if you can’t use them. Training, Skills and Experience, Physical Fitness and Health is more important than the gear you carry.
Also see
Every Day Carry (EDC)
Get Home Bag (GHB)
Light Weight Bug Out Bag
Saturday, January 2, 2010
A new decade begins
A new decade begins and it’s easy to look back and see all the hardship that has taken place the last ten years. The September 11 attacks of 2001, The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Hurricane Katrina 2005, The Terrorist Attacks in London 2005 and Madrid 2005, The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, Swine flu and the current economic crisis. Many of these problems follow us into the new decade, the state building missions in Iraq and Afghanistan is still ongoing and the expert’s predictions about the economic crisis vary. It’s easy to just see the dark clouds in sky and believe that everything around us only changes for the worse. The future is always unsure and we can often only see the patterns that have been leading up to a crisis or disaster after its taken place. Especially new developments are very hard to predict, the fall of the Soviet Union 1989 and The War on Terror after September the 11th 2001 was events that was very hard to foresee. New disasters will take place in the coming decade, what form and size they will have is hard to say. I hope that the readers have been able to find some useful information and gotten some new perspectives on survival and crisis preparedness. I would also like to wish all the people how have been following my blog a Happy New Year. Take care and stay safe.
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