|
Survival Kits
by The Omega Man
NOTICE: TO ALL CONCERNED Certain text files and messages contained on this site deal with activities and devices which would be in violation of various Federal, State, and local laws if actually carried out or constructed. The webmasters of this site do not advocate the breaking of any law. Our text files and message bases are for informational purposes only. We recommend that you contact your local law enforcement officials before undertaking any project based upon any information obtained from this or any other web site. We do not guarantee that any of the information contained on this system is correct, workable, or factual. We are not responsible for, nor do we assume any liability for, damages resulting from the use of any information on this site.
Survival Kits
by The Omega Man
There is quite a bit going on out there to worry about today. Within the
past year we had two large-scale natural disasters: The San-Francisco
Earthquake, and Hurricane Hugo. There was also a tornado in the Summer of
1989 which tore through the New York Metro Area (not far from Cybertek
magazine's location actually); which is very unusual for this area.
According to various scientists, this is just the start of a funky-weather
trend which is going to be with us for a while.
The economy isn't in all too good a shape either. Some very respectable
economic advisors, among them Howard Ruff, and Dr. Jim McKeever are
predicting a depression. Also just recently, I.B.M. "eliminated" 11,000 job
across the nation, an indicator that even they have been hit hard since the
October 1987 stock market crash.
Last, but not least, there is the current drive to ban private firearms
ownership by American citizens. Despite all indications from the FBI, and
other government agency reports that within the past 10 years
firearm-related crimes have went down, and that firearm-related crime
prevention instances went up; both our elected-representitives, and "media
experts" state that "firearms must be taken out of the hands of the
citizens". Personally, I feel that when something like this is happening,
the government is up to something nasty and doesn't want its citizens able
to defend themselves against it.
As you see, there is a lot of things going on out in the world to worry
about, and thus a good reason to be prepared in case one of the above
decides to happen. There is an old saying "An ounce of prevention is worth
a pound of cure.", and it still holds very much true today.
A major part of surviving a disaster of any type is being adequately
prepared. In this months installment, we will discuss the putting-together
of a short- term survival kit. The object of this package is to be easy to
carry around in a small backpack or in a car, to keep you alive for 3-5
days, and to act as a basis for a larger equipment set- up. The 3-5 day
time period is considered to be the maximum figure one will have to endure
before intermediate help is available. Within 3-5 days you should be able
to either 1) Get further help from the authorities in a natural disaster
situation, 2) Get to your main supplies, or 3) Be able to scrounge up
something more substantial.
For those of you wishing to take the quick route, may I recommend a company
called "Survival Inc.". These people sell "72 hour kits" which contain
food, shelter, and light for 72 hours (3 days), and would form a good basis
for your survival kit. Their prices are also very reasonable, and the
material is high quality. Another good company is Nitro-Pak, which also
deals in survival food and other supplies.
A survival kit should provide the following:
(1) Food & Water - You should have at least 2000 calories of food, and one
quart of water for a day. For food, the best are the military MREs;
although they take up a lot of space. MREs are designed to provide a high
calorie diet for high activity situations, such as combat, and survival.
Another good source are the single serving cans of chili, beef stew,
sardines, and so on that are sold in supermarkets. Water is the more
difficult prospect, as it takes up a lot of space, and is heavy. Packaged
water is available, although two 2 quart military canteens will provide a 4
day supply, and are easy to carry around and store. One should also get a
water filter to augment your supply; as water is one thing that you can't
have too much of.
(2) Shelter - I recommend carrying a "space blanket", and a U.S. Military
Issue Poncho. Both of these can provide overhead cover and warmth, and
don't take up too much space.
(3) Heat and Light - Candles and Matches serve both of these functions. A
candle will not only provide light, but will also keep you warm when you
bring it inside the space blanket with you. Matches will also enable you to
start a fire if some thing bigger is desired. Waterproof camping matches
are best, although one can get book matches free from many places, and
waterproof them by putting a coat of nail polish on them. Cigarette
lighters are also handy as they out-last matches. Other handy light
producers are cyalume light sticks, and Mini- Maglites.
(4) Firearms - for our 72-hour kit, a firearm will provide you with
protection from many nasty situations, as well as a means to hunt game
should the opportunity arise. For these purposes, your best bet is a
semi-automatic .22 caliber rifle. This weapon is suitable for both
self-defense, and for small game hunting, and presents a non- threatening
image as far as firearms are concerned. My favorites are the Charter Arms
AR-7, and the Ruger 10/22 with the optional high- capacity magazines. For
ammunition use CCI stingers, or a similar brand of hyper-velocity
hollow-point ammunition, for added stopping power. I suggest carrying about
500 rounds, which should be adequate for any situation that might occur
until you either get help from the authorities, get to your main supplies,
or scrounge up something else.
If you really want to pack some firepower, carry around a 12 or 20 gauge
pump shotgun or a .223 semi-automatic (AR15), although for a interim
survival-kit, these might prove a bit excessive, as well as more prone to
get attention from the "authorities". The ammunition as well as the firearm
itself weighs a little more. However, if the most probable disaster is a
major breakdown in civil order, or the accession to power of a dictatorial
form of government in this country, then the added firepower might be
needed in order to get you home safely, but for most situations, stick with
the .22.
(5) First Aid - A good, well stocked first aid kit should also be carried.
There are many varieties out there which will suit your purposes well.
Include some aspirin or similar pain-reliever.
(6) Tools - For starters get a good Swiss Army Knife, or a Leatherman Tool.
You might also want to include some parachute cord, safety pins, sewing
needle, and rubber bands. If you wear glasses, include a back-up pair.
(7) Signaling - A handy thing if you're in the woods, to let rescue
personnel know where you are. The old stand-bys are the whistle, and
signalling mirror (very handy). If you are in a somewhat civilized area,
you might also want to pack a CB Walkie-Talkie. For disasters in which the
government is still around, a portable AM/FM radio might also be a good
idea.
The above should help you deal with the first 3-5 days of an emergency
situation. This list is by no means exhaustive, as there might be something
particular to your needs which might some in handy, but it should start as
a basis. Finally, the last and most important thing needed is the proper
skills and attitude. Without those you will never make it!
Suppliers mentioned in this column:
Nitro-Pak
13243 E. Rosecrans Ave.
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
(213)-802-0099
Survival Inc.
15600 S. Figueroa St.
Gardena, CA 90248
(213)-324-8855
800-533-7415
|
|