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Be Prepared:
Homemade Survival Kit and Lifesaving Ideas

Most of us never think about having a life saving survival kit until the very last minute, right before the storm hits. In general, waiting until the last minute isn’t the best idea for saving your life of that of your family members. Go by the Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared". Personally I'm never without some kit in my bag - whistle, mirror, compass etc. The wife thinks I'm mad but she'll thank me later when we're marooned!

By being prepared, I mean having a pre-assembled survival kit with the things you need before a disaster hits.

Homemade survival kit ideas

You should have a survival kit with all the things that may possibly be needed during a disaster, and enough basic supplies to last at least 3 days. For example, during hurricane Katrina a huge number of people were made homeless and injured and most were badly unprepared for such a catastrophe.

OK so you may not live in a hurricane zone, but do you live in a tornado zone, or a high storm or flood prone area? Think about what kind of survival kits ideas would be good in such an area. Or if your area is pretty benign do you go for long walks or rides or travel through unpopulated areas in very hot or cold weather? Breaking down at night in deep winter on a deserted road out of phone coverage can be dangerous or at least very uncomfortable if you're not ready for it.

Why not be prepared before the next big storm hits! You could help save someone’s life, including your own. All it takes is a little thinking on your part as to what to put in a life saving survival kit. Granted, survival kits are available in many stores, but most of them are very expensive, and they still wouldn’t compare to the type of homemade kit you can put together yourself. Let your survival kit ideas be unique to your needs.

Preparing Your Homemade Kit

First, find a safe room to always keep your survival kit in. Usually the bathroom is considered the safest room in the house, as it is the strongest. You don’t have to go out and buy these items all at once, but every time you make a trip to the grocery store, you could pick up one or two items at a time.

Perhaps you already have some things around the bathroom or in the house that you can start building your survival kit with. Things such as Band-Aids, bandages and tape, cuts and scratch sprays, disinfectants, alcohol, and scissors are great survival kits ideas. So are a small knife, a flashlight, with extra batteries, candles, and matches. Be sure you have extra water as well.

You should also have a small weather or fm radio with batteries. Check the batteries regularly to ensure they haven’t gone dead, and don’t leave the batteries in the radio as this causes rusting from battery leakage.

Tweezers and needle and thread are also great survival kits ideas (nylon or thin fishing line is best).

Some nonprescription aspirin and an antacid are important, as are a supply of prescription drugs if someone in your family is taking any medications prescribed by a doctor, such as Insulin, heart and high blood pressure medicine, or any other prescription drugs.

Next food and water. If you're cut off this can make allt he difference. Keep a supply of bottled water, water purification tablets, tinned food, hard tack high carb biscuits and high sugar sweets or candy plus a small army style stove and fuel tabs.

Don’t Forget the Car and Being Away From Home

Since disasters can happen anytime and anywhere, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to also have a small survival or first aid kit in your vehicle. You never know when or if you will be involved in an accident or have to assist someone on the side of the road. It usually takes the ambulance a little time to get there. Preparations made ahead of time could help you save someone’s life.

For a car kit go for first aid essentials, survival blankets, some bottled water, long life food and some sort of signalling devices like whistle, mirror and high power torch (check before long trips!)

Suppose you are away from home and your car, how would you be prepared with a kit then? Being prepared sometimes means recognizing that what you have on you may be all that you have available to assist in coping with an emergency. A person should always have some type of kit on their person at all times. This is easier for females than it would be for males, since most females carry a purse. It would be easy to put a small box filled with things that you may need in case something happens.

This is not the case for males. That said, a male may not have a purse with him, but he still carries a wallet and has pockets. Putting some Band-Aids in your wallet is a very good idea. You could also carry small pocketknife on your key chain. You could put a small box with certain items that you might need in one or more of your slacks pockets. Belts with zipper pockets on the inside can be obtained. Usually these belts are considered more of a money safe, but why couldn’t one also be used to store a few necessary first aid items?