Survival kit - basic

[icebob]

Hi all,

 

I have just purchased a new basic survival kit from which I intend to build on to make a more comprehensive kit.

 

The kit is $32.95 from Australian Emergency Survival Kits and Equipment for Camping, Scouts, Cadets, Car, Truck, Aircraft, Free On Line Survival Course

 

Outback© Survival Kit Contains:

 

• Basic Survival and First Aid Instructions
   
   
  
• Magnifying sheet - For vision deficient users reading the instructions
   
   
  
• Our very own SunBURST Signal Mirror - Tough scratch resistant acrylic lens, aiming aperture all in a small unit of 60mm dia x 1.8mm thick
   
   
  
• Combination Compass Whistle - Made from tough acrylic, has clear and easy to read gradient markings, loud in-built whistle and comes with safety orange lanyard
   
   
  
• Fishing gear, sinkers, hooks, fishing line, swivel
   
   
  
• Basic food pack - Energy foods
   
   
  
• Basic first aid kit - Bandaids, alcohol swabs, paracetamol
   
   
  
• Water sterilising tabs
   
   
  
• Pencil and wax paper
   
   
  
• Silver foil
   
   
  
• Wire - Multi purpose
   
   
  
• Strong nylon cord
   
   
  
• Razor blade
   
   
  
• Nylon ties
   
   
  
• Sewing kit
   
   
  
• Tea Bag - Foil sealed
   
   
  
• Waterproof and windproof matches
   
   
  
• Safety pins
   
   
  
• Packaged in a sealed metal tin (80mm dia) with twist lid - Can be used to boil water for purification.
   
   
  

 

 

I have found this kit to be for the price a very good building block and if need be could be used on it's own at a pinch. The other good thing about this company is that on its web site it has a basic survival course, you can go through for free(love the price) that is valid, correct and well explained but is more orientated to the walker but still most appropriate to us.

 

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Icebob, Good man...I alway carry a well equipped survival kit in the plane with additional water of course. I used to pack them for the Mirage seat packs during my Airforce time. The first thing they always put in were packs of chewing gum (usually Spearmint), as chewing gum relaxes you in a stressfull situation, and also stimulates siliva creation.

 

I always set my kit up for two days, and two nights, comfortable survival. Don't forget a thermal space blanket..very low bulk, and a small piece of dk green nylon cord that can be used for snaring small furry animals at night. Go to a disposal store, or get on the net, and find a little SAS survival book....a must have in the bush. The signal mirror with hole in it is good, but a CD works well also, and comes with the hole, also won't break like a mirror. I like a LOT of matches and a couple of Bic lighters. I also like a torch for light at night. I pack a small mag light with a separate pack of batteries. These batterys are the same size for the small AM/FM radio that I pack, nice to hear the are looking on the news !.I also have one of those small wind up torches. I also have a marine type hand held strobe, can see them for miles especially at night. You'll need a sharp pocket knife to skin and gut the small furry animals before you roast them...yum. Try and carry a knife that can be laced securly to a long stick, for more food hunting capability.Waterpurification tablets are a must, and of course a good reliable water container. Don't forget the anti-insect spray or cream, and lots of glucose type lollies. I like Wherthers Originals, or barly sugar lollies to keep the energy and spirits up. I also picked up an Army food ration pack. It's sealed and has heaps in it, including many meals, tea, chocolate, and all sorts of other good stuff.

 

And finally do seal the containers well, with tape, lest those little black ants WILL get into your lollies, and the ants taste real sour. So in a nutshell, I'm looking at getting real comfortable and staying put for two

 

days at least, with any injuries taken care of (small vaselene etc) and with plenty of good signalling devices at the ready. (fire/smoke/mirror/strobe) If I haven't seen or heard anything in two days, then I will consider grabbing my compass and everything else, and maybe walking somewhere, but only as a last option.

 

Lately I've heard pilots say they don't need all that crap anymore with the new 406 GPS beacons. Well I have one of those also, but if the plane went up in flames after the crash, and I didn't get the beacon out, well then you are going to need some survival gear aren't you ?............Oh and don't forget a good old roll of bumwipe.......................................................Cheers The Maj........

 

 

[GraemeK]

Plus, don't forget the duct tape to make running repairs ....

 

Especially in the case of bears

 

 

[dazza 38]

Dont forget Super Glue, seriously, it Stings like hell, but you can use it at a pinch to glue up wounds. You just have to leave a opening for the fluid to escape. I know i joke around sometimes on the site, but im actually serious, bandages are a better solution, but superglue does work, in a survival situation.

 

 

[Guest Qwerty]

Dont forget Super Glue, seriously, it Stings like hell, but you can use it at a pinch to glue up wounds. You just have to leave a opening for the fluid to escape. I know i joke around sometimes on the site, but im actually serious, bandages are a better solution, but superglue does work, in a survival situation.

I read somwhere that super glue was actually developed for precisely that purpose by the american military during the Vietnam war. Can anyone confirm this or is it just more urban crap.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Hi qwerty, i dont know if it was designed for that purpose, but it does work, i was told about when was in the RAAF. (I was a section commader in Ground Combat flight Amberley) maybe their are some ex-Airfield Defence Guards on this Site who can explain it better?

 

 

[Guest Qwerty]

Dazza, you'd just about recognize the a/c in my avatar wouldn't you?

 

 

[GraemeK]

My old company used to distribute pharmaceutical grade super-glue for veterinary use as dazza says, for gluing up wounds. Works just fine, and I've used it myself on occasions.

 

And, in case you're wondering, pharmaceutical grade = same thing, just 100 times the price!

 

 

[dazza 38]

Dazza, you'd just about recognize the a/c in my avatar wouldn't you?

I think you and (your plane )might have been at were at Boonah ? If not, it a nice looking JABBA. I was told about the super Glue by a Airfield defence Guard, instructor, i think from memory, he was a ex 9 sqn Gunner on gunships in vietnam. (i didnt mention it before because alot of people use this site for information and i cant be sure of the facts.)It was a long time ago when he taught us, i first thought he was joking, but it made sense, i mean super glue sticks skin to skin easily together, as most people who has used it would know. I think it is probably only good for minor wounds,where you can join/stretch the skin together. My reasoning is that a - muscle to musle with all the excess blood it would probably not stick. and it might complicated further surgery. At the end of the day a compression bandage would be better, but loss of blood an infection has killed a lot of people.In a jam, it might just work. Cheers mate

 

 

[Tomo]

My reasoning is that a - muscle to musle with all the excess blood it would probably not stick.

That's why silastic was invented wasn't it?!

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Two things of interest that were in the Mirage cockpit. A sharp spike type thing, that was to be used if the one-man life raft accidentially deployed in flight. I suppose it could happen, and since the pilot was sitting on it, that could prove to be most inconvienent when you screaming along at Mach 1.8 or so. Simply stab the life raft multiple times with the spike, end of problem.

 

And a self administered shot of Atropine. This was in case a stray Mig bullet got you in the thigh. You would still really need that leg to land at 180-200 KTS. Grab the atropine, stab it into your thigh, shot down the Mig, and land painfree. Simple.

 

 

[dazza 38]

You could use the a/c seatbelt as a tornakay, so a good knife is a must in a survival kit.Since the seatbelt material is so strong, another idea would be to hold a splint together if someone had a broken leg.