Be Prepared for a Natural Disaster with a Survival Kit
A survival kit is a package of essential tools and supplies prepared in advance to help people survive an emergency. Survival kits come in various sizes and typically contain emergency supplies and tools to provide basic shelter against the elements, help keep people warm, meet health and first aid needs, provide food and water, signal a rescuer, and assist in finding help.
What do Survival Kit packages contain?
A survival kit usually includes valuable items such as a knife (often a Swiss army knife or a multi-tool), Matches, Tinder, A first aid kit, A bandanna, Fish hooks, a sewing pack, an LED flashlight with batteries, and first aid supplies. The packages are designed by experts who determine the most viable products and tools one would need in life-threatening situations.
Who Needs a Survival Kit?
It is a good idea for everyone to have a basic kit in their home or car. We don’t know when disasters will strike. People lose their homes every day and are left with nothing. Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, and other emergencies may leave people stranded without food, water, or medical supplies.
Survival Kits Available at Amazon.com
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Ready America 70280 3 Day 2 Person Emergency Backpack | $54.47 | View on Amazon |
As the American Red Cross recommends, this emergency kit contains enough supplies to sustain two people for three days. This emergency pack includes food, water, blankets, dust masks, a First Aid kit, two 12-hour safety light sticks, gloves, ponchos, and an emergency whistle. The entire pack is stored in a backpack for easy carrying.
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Ready America 72 Hour Deluxe Emergency Kit, 2-Person 3-Day Backpack, First Aid Kit, Survival… |
$85.71 |
View on Amazon |
Government recommendations recommend being self-sufficient for the first 72 hours following a disaster, so it’s crucial to have emergency supplies ready. Ready America recognized this need and crafted the 3-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit for two people. This kit is equipped with all the essential supplies, plus additional items, to ensure survival during this critical period.
The Deluxe 2-Person Emergency Kit includes unique items such as Water Purification Tablets and a 32-oz. BPA-free Water Bottle, a Personal Hygiene Kit, an Emergency Power Station, and a Multi-Function Pocket Tool featuring Pliers.
The Emergency Power Station, a notable feature of the kit, is a versatile hand-crank device that provides a flashlight, AM/FM radio, cell phone charger, and personal alarm. Just one minute of cranking can provide up to 30 minutes of light, 15 minutes of radio, or 2 minutes of cell phone talk time.
The Multi-Function Pocket Tool is a compact gadget that combines screwdrivers, pliers, a file, wire cutters, a bottle opener, and a knife. It ensures you’re prepared for various situations.
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Blue Coolers Blue Seventy-Two | 72 Hour Emergency Backpack Survival Kit for 1 Person | Survival Kit… |
$42.99 |
View on Amazon |
The Blue Seventy-Two is an essential 3-day emergency kit for one person, ideal for any unexpected situation like Hurricanes, Wildfires, or Power Outages. This kit is crucial regardless of your emergency preparedness level, from no plans to detailed survival strategies. Designed for immediate use post-disaster, it aids in bridging the gap until help arrives, which could take hours or days. This kit, packed in a durable, easy-to-carry backpack, includes enough supplies for one person for 72 hours, following the American Red Cross’s food, water, and warmth recommendations. Contents feature a reinforced backpack, five water pouches, a 2,400-calorie food bar pack, a tissue pack, an emergency blanket, a rain poncho, a whistle/compass, a crank flashlight, and a 36-piece first aid kit.
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Mountain House 4-Day Emergency Food Supply Kit | View on Amazon |
This pack is suitable for keeping on hand in emergencies, power failures, hurricanes, floods, and other unexpected events. The 4-day Meal package from Mountain House provides easy meals to prepare under challenging circumstances. The meal packages include three breakfasts, three side vegetables, and six 10-ounce lunch or dinner entrees. This meal supply has a seven-year shelf life. All of the meals can be easily prepared by adding water.
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Light My Fire Flint Fire Starter Ferro Rod Survival Tool Army — Fire Steel Bushcraft Gear —… |
$20.95 |
View on Amazon |
This tool was initially developed for the Swedish Department of Defense. Its primary purpose is to create sparks to make starting a fire easy. It generates a 3,000°C spark, making fire building easy in any weather or altitude. The FireSteel is used by many armies worldwide and is a favorite of outdoor experts, hunters, fishermen, and campers. It is also an excellent way to light stoves and gas barbecues.
Survivor Industries Super Ark Emergency Kit (1 Person/3 Day)
The Super Ark emergency package can support one person for three days with over 30 items, including food and water, a first aid kit, a hand warmer, a light stick, safety matches, a candle, a blanket, water packets, and nine 400-calorie bars. In addition, the kit includes a first-aid container that contains three alcohol preparation pads, five band-aids, two sterile gauze pads, four aspirin, two antibiotic ointment packets, four moist towelettes, one instant heat hand-warmer packet, one chemical light stick that provides up to 12 hours of illumination, one box of 50 waterproof safety matches, four candles.
Deluxe 2-Person Survival Kit for Emergency Disaster Preparedness for Earthquake, Hurricane, Fire, Evacuations, Auto, Home and Family
The Deluxe 2-Person Survival Kit for Emergency is an excellent disaster kit that packs many necessary items into a hiker’s backpack. It can help ensure that you’re prepared for natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, and more.
The pack includes water, food bars, water purification tablets, a radio, a rechargeable squeeze flashlight, lithium batteries, a 30-hour candle, a whistle, a compass, a signal mirror, a flint starter, glow sticks, matches, a lighter, a sleeping bag, rope, a rain poncho, a knife, gloves, a mask, wipes, tissue, bandages, a toothbrush, alcohol pads, sunscreen, burn cream, ointment, a waste bag, and more.
Build Your Own
If you prefer to build your kit yourself, you can buy all the items individually. This method can save money, but you must do all the work yourself. Here’s a list of items you may want to include.
- Alcohol swabs for cleaning wounds
- Antibiotic ointment for treating cuts, scrapes, and wounds
- Bandages/band-aids for bandaging and covering cuts and wounds
- Batteries include general-use and specialty batteries for things like phones, hearing aids, etc.
- Battery-operated radio—If the power is down, an excellent battery-powered radio will allow you to stay in touch with emergency announcements, weather updates, and more.
- Blankets—Blankets are primarily used to keep warm, but they can also provide shade during the day.
- Bug spray
- Cell phone / mobile phone (extra battery power, too)
- Clothes
- Cold packs
- Compass
- Cotton swabs
- Duct tape
- Flashlight
- First Aid Kit: Bandages, gauze, antiseptic wipes, tweezers, scissors, adhesive tape, pain relievers, and any necessary prescription medications.
- Flint and striker (for starting fires)
- Gauze pads, rolls, tape
- Gloves
- Hygiene Supplies: Soap, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, etc.
- Essential documents: Copies of important documents like IDs, insurance policies, birth certificates, wills, medical records, and bank account information in a waterproof container.
- Knife/cutting blade
- Lightsticks
- Magnifying glass—A magnifying glass can start a fire by focusing a ray of sunlight on flammable material. It will come in handy if you run out of matches.
- Matches – For starting fires
- Masks – Face masks are a vital part of any emergency survival kit. For example, they can protect from the common cold, flu, and coronavirus/Covid. Also, they can be used to help during allergy season, forest fires, and other times when the air is not clean. These KN95 5-layer face masks filter out 95% of particles.
- Money (various bills and coins): In significant disasters, power outages may prevent banks from opening, and ATMs may not work. Have money in a variety of denominations for emergency use. Include cash in small bills and some coins in case you can use a vending machine.
- Needles and thread – For emergency stitches or to repair clothing.
- Pain reliever – Tylenol, Ibuprofen
- Pencil – This is used to record important information, draw maps, etc.
- Read-to-eat meals (MREs)—Food is an essential item. Ensure you stock up on an adequate supply of MREs, food bars, and other items for your DIY supply package.
- Rope
- Scissors – Scissors will come in handy for cutting bandages, rope, and more.
- Sunscreen lotion: You may be exposed to harmful sunlight for many hours. Sunscreen will help protect you from painful sunburn, which can further dehydrate your body.
- Swiss Army Knife: A versatile tool with various functions like cutting, opening bottles, etc.
- Toilet paper
- Thermometer
- Tweezers
- Water – Bottled water (at least one gallon per person per day)
- Water sterilization tablets – Water purification tablets or portable water filters treat water from natural sources.
- Whistle – A whistle can be helpful during evacuations to help your family stay together. Also, a whistle can help lead rescuers to your location.
Questions and Comments
If you have any questions about these survival kits and accessories, please post a comment below.
If you’d like to learn about the types of equipment private investigators use, visit our spy gear section.
Also, check out the ultimate way to survive Armageddon in the Survival Condo, an underground bunker built inside an old missile silo.