survival kits for camping and disasters

see also:

• bushwalking in Australia
• first aid kits for camping and hiking
• navigation management for hikers
• risk management when camping
• keeping warm when camping or hiking
• ropes for camping, winches and towing
• essential knots for campers
• rigging for camping, 4WD and recovery

• as a minimum each home should have a kit consisting of:
  • potable water 10L per person to provide for 3 days (if possible have 2 weeks worth)
  • water filtration system
  • paper and pencils
  • deck of playing cards to keep you sane
  • whistle
  • a reasonable amount of cash in small denominations as credit cards and ATMs are not likely to be functional for sometime if there is a widespread power/internet outage
  • torches/headlamps + extra batteries + omnidirectional solar-charged lantern
  • battery powered or hand-crank radio + extra batteries for weather updates etc
    • see hand crank torch radios for disasters and hiking
  • first aid kit mainly to keep cuts and wounds clean
  • medication supply for at least 7 days plus analgesics/asthma meds/etc
  • sanitation items - extra toothbrush/toilet paper/etc
  • multipurpose tool
  • wool blanket for bushfire survival and warmth
  • space blankets
  • non-perishable food to last at least 3 days (preferably 2 weeks worth)
    • eg. freeze-dried with long shelf-life; canned foods;
  • copies of important documents and family/friends contact information and map (consider storing in waterproof fire proof box)
  • smartphone chargers
  • gas cartridge stove system with pots
• advanced options
  • off-grid 12V power such as:
    • 12V LiFePO4 battery preferably at least 100Ah
    • cables and plugs to allow cigarette lighter accessories such as USB-C ports to run your laptop briefly and normal USB ports to charge your smartphone and LED headlamps, etc
    • solar panels (probably wont be useful in severe weather but may be useful for prolonged power outages of more than a few days)
    • car fridge to keep your milk and meat cold until power is back on
    • low power AC inverter to keep your home fridge running
  • portable gas heater and gas cylinder
  • chain saw to clear fallen trees from roads, etc and also handy if in a forested area when dry fallen trees can be used for firewood
  • shovels - may help with fire management, digging holes for shelter/waste, helping to get out of vehicle bogs, etc
  • wood fire preparation tools such as axes

• warm clothes include a beanie or balaclava, thick socks and gloves if there is any risk at all of having to sleep out overnight below 12degC
• rain protection - especially a light rain jacket
• sun protection if indicated
• smartphone
• water bottle(s)

• Swiss army knife or similar
  • knife and scissors can be very important
  • or a full tang survival knife with 4-5“ blade which has a 90deg flat rear surface - to carry on your belt - see camping, hiking and survival knives
• fire starter
  • cigarette lighter with 1” duct tape wrapped around it (many uses including as tinder)
    • advantages over a ferro rod is that it will float if falls into water
  • plus a Ferro-rod which can be used with the rear of the Swiss army knife saw or your survival knife if it has a 90deg flat rear surface
    • ideally use a full size rod (a larger diameter gives more sparks) with a handle to make it easier to use
    • the best striker is either a tungsten striker (tungsten is harder than iron and can also be used to sharpen knife blades), or a survival knife with a 90deg flat surface on the rear of the blade - rest the knife near your tinder, and draw your ferrorod AWAY from the tinder (this way you are not disrupting your tinder or hitting your knuckles)
      • if using a soft ferrorod, you can slowly scrape some of it into the base of the tinder to make it a lot easier to get started
• 2m paracord
  • emergency boot lace, tie survival blanket around you, repair back pack, hang gear in a tree, etc.

• compass and map - see navigation management for hikers
• headlamp
• small metal pot or billy can to boil water on a wood fire with a nesting drink container, preferably also metal
• you need something to sleep on, to sleep inside and to sleep under:
  • tarp made from reflective material such as a strong space blanket
    • this will be used to not only protect from rain but to deflect radiant heat from your fire back down onto you
    • eg. Pathfinder Survival Blanket 1.5×2.1m 340g 6 guy outs;
    • plus 6 x 10“ plastic stakes plus rapid deployment ridge line plus 4 guy out lines
      • can burn one of the stakes
  • survival bivy with internal reflective Mylar
    • will suffice down to ~4degC with you wearing dry clothing and sleeping on a insulated sleeping pad
  • insulated sleeping pad
    • this could be a large strong rubbish bag which you fill with leaves and also acts as a waterproof ground sheet
• full tang 4-5” blade knife that can be used to baton kindling
  • for processing firewood and creating wooden tools if needed
  • see camping, hiking and survival knives
• additional cordage

• water filter kit
  • see treating water to make it potable / drinkable
• small power bank for your smartphone (and charging cable)
• basic first aid kit for wound care, etc
• EPIRB radio beacon or satellite messenger particularly if going solo
• thermal imaging device
  • allows better visibility in cloud or fog for improved navigation
  • allows detection of animals if you need to hunt them for food
  • allows detection of potentially malevolent bad actors so you can avoid them
  • allows easier detection of search and rescue teams so you can signal them (with a mirror, whistle or fire)
  • makes it easier to find lost hikers at night or on cold days
  • make sure you bring spare batteries and some way of charging them

• avoid high risk areas (especially those with tall trees or valleys) if severe storms or winds are forecast - winds over 120kph will result in many trees falling which may block your exits or crush your vehicle
• roads may also be blocked by flood waters or land slides
• in stormy weather, ropes and a chain saw to clear roads can be helpful but driving through flood waters is extremely risky
• if strong winds are the issue, you need to get to wind protected area away from tall trees
• if floods are an issue, you need to get to high ground
  • unfortunately in much of inland Australia there is no high ground in major floods
  • remember too that the wildlife will also be trying to get to that high ground so buildings may become occupied by snakes
• see also how to reduce your risks in lightning storms

• you should not be going to high risk areas on days of extreme fire danger
• nevertheless you can find yourself caught in an unexpected bushfire or fast moving grass fire
• a woolen fire blanket in your vehicle is very useful - not only for fires but to keep you warm in cold weather
• see bushfire safety

• don't go driving through desert regions in hot periods
• vehicle breakdowns, accidents or bogging is common
• remember too that deserts tend to have very cold nights which may be below 0degC !
• water and shade are your main priorities
• in general, do not leave the region of your vehicle - this is high risk of not being found alive
• shelter options:
  • dig a large hole in sandy ground and cover with reflective material to significantly reduce heat burden
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL5oioUCCdU
• find water:
  • dig down near dry streams
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NfgyTmg5DY go to 25min mark
    • you will need to filter it then boil it - ie. you will need a billy, a water bottle, a way to start a fire and a way to filter it (a funnel of some sort with cloth and sand assuming you don't have a LifeStraw or similar water filter system)
  • extract it from plants - needs plastic sheeting or similar to cover a hole in the ground where you place a collecting container and the plant material
  • from overnight dew
  • from the atmosphere - this requires electric powered extraction devices

• keeping warm and dry are your main priorities - which means getting out of the wind chill
• snow shelter if there is a lot of snow - not so likely in Australia
• wood fire
  • obviously need to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, etc