Survival Skills #8 Inventory for Basic Survival Kit

Inventory for Basic Survival Kit
by Daniel C. Friend
Originally published in American Survival Guide, March 1990
Shelter and Warmth
"Emergency" space blanket or bag
Heavy duty plastic trash bag (2.5 mil)
550 parachute cord 25'
9' transparent vinyl mending tape (wrap around flashlight)
Water
Heavy-duty plastic water bag (large heavy-duty Ziplocs bag will do)
Iodine-based water tablets
Large cotton bandana or triangular bandage
Heat, Light, and Signaling
9-hour candle
Waterproof match case
Waterproof strike-anywhere matches
4 birthday candles
Disposable lighter
Magnesium fire starter
Card-type magnifying lens
Police whistle on lanyard [beware of metal whistles they freeze to lips in cold]
Stainless steel double-surface signal mirror
AA or AAA flashlight with fresh batteries (Mag-Light with LED)
One note pad with pencil
3"x5" cards and pen

Knives and Tools
Swiss army knife or Leatherman tool
Good fixed blade knife
Knife sharpener (opposed tungsten carbide tips)
Hemostats
Small "ignition point" file
6" sharpened piece of hacksaw blade
4" extra-heavy duty sewing needle
6 heavy duty rubber bands
Direction Finding
Good quality liquid-filled luminous compass
First Aid
Clean cotton bandana or triangular bandage (see WATER)
Hemostats (see KNIVES and TOOLS)
Flexible fabric band-aids of various sizes
Handiwipes
Purell hand sanitizer
Insect repellant
Aspirins and Tylenol
Moleskin or mole foam
Steri-strips
Pepto Bismol
General
Mosquito head net (for fishing or insects)
Safety pins, 2 large 4 medium
Telephone change
Snare wire, brass or copper
Survival cards
In Addition to the Basic Survival Kit Always Include the Following Items in Your Pack
Individual ready-to-eat canned food (sardines, etc)
Detailed map
Separate first-aid kit, including prescription medications
Small transistor radio
Extra pair eyeglasses in unbreakable case
Inventory for Augmentation Kit
First Aid
4 3"x3" sterile pads
Small Bottle of eye drops
1 roll 2" cling bandage
Trial size pack Coricidin D decongestant tablets
Blister pack of 9 Cepacol throat lozenges
Blister pack Pepto Bismol tablets
Neosporin antibiotic ointment
Extra safety pins
12 flexible fabric band-aids
Shelter and Warmth
4'x7' blanket and extra space blanket
(2) 9-hour candle
25' 550 parachute cord
Small disposable lighter
Food and Water
3- 3600 Cal Food Bars
Heavy duty nylon spoon
Snare wire
Mosquito head net
Iodine water purification tablets
Plastic water bag
Signaling
Spare batteries for flashlight