Surviving the Outdoors

Safety, Heat, Water, Food, Medical, Lights, Sanitation

 I put this near the top because of the young and the elderly.  Hypothermia can set in quickly and painlessly and become fatal.  There are propane heaters on the market that are so efficient that they don’t require ventilation.  That said, they still will consume oxygen and should not be used in small confined spaces. Oxygen replacement must be taken into consideration.  Space blankets and sleeping bags (made using foil coated mylar) are cheap and readily available.  They reflect body heat and are quite good at what they do.  They are, in addition, very light weight and added to a backpack will not even be noticed.

Safety, Heat, Water, Food, Medical, Lights, Sanitation

     Safety is number one on the list because if you slipped on some ice and broke your pelvis you would not be any help to your family for many weeks.  Safety should be a family effort… get everyone involved.  Work out a plan of escape in case of a fire at your home and try to plan for any emergency. Your particular situation will help determine your most likely events.  An older wood frame house would be more likely to burn than a concrete block building, for instance.  Get kids involved and consider their every suggestion.  You never know when a real gem might come from a child… their fertile minds aren’t constrained yet.

A survival kit is a relatively light weight collection of first aid supplies, food, and water.  These essential items will ensure your safety for a few days until you are able to reach a safe zone or the emergency has passed.  You will also want to have such things as water proof matches, flash light or candles, space blankets or sleeping bags.