Survival Kits for Emergencies

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 aid survival in an emergency. Survival kits come in various sizes and typically contain emergency supplies and tools to provide basic shelter against the elements, help keep them warm, meet health and first aid needs, provide food and water, send a signal to 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?

In truth, it is a good idea for everyone to have a basic kit in their home or car. The fact is, 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 you stranded without food, water, or medical supplies.

Survival Kits Available at Amazon.com

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.

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.

This tool was initially developed for the Swedish Department of Defense. The primary purpose of the Swedish FireSteel is to create sparks to make it easy to start a fire. 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. Plus, it is a great 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 includes 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. This pack can be used to make sure you’re prepared for natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, and more. 

The pack includes such items as 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, lighter, sleeping bag, rope, rain poncho, knife, gloves, mask, wipes, tissue, bandages, toothbrush, alcohol pads, sunscreen, burn cream, ointment, waste bag and more. 

Build Your Own

You can buy all the items individually if you prefer to build your kit. The DIY 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 – Includes general-use batteries 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 keep in touch with emergency announcements, weather updates, and more.
• Blankets – Primarily, blankets will be used to keep warm. Also, they can be used for shade during the day.
• Bug spray
• Cell phone / mobile phone (extra battery power too)
• Clothes
• Cold packs
• Compass
• Cotton swabs
• Duct tape
• Flashlight
• Flint and striker (for starting fires
• Gauze pads, rolls, tape
• Gloves
• Important documents
• Knife/cutting blade
• Lightsticks
• Magnifying glass – A magnifying glass can start a fire by focusing a ray of sunlight on flammable material. This 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 (variety of bills and coins) – In significant disasters, power outages may prevent banks from opening, and the ATMs may not work. Have money in a variety of denominations for emergency use. Include 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 – Use for recording important information, drawing maps, etc.
• Read-to-eat meals (MREs) – One of the essential items is food. Make sure you stock away an adequate supply of MREs, food bars, and more 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, further dehydrating your body.
• Toilet paper
• Thermometer
• Tweezers
• Water – Bottled water (at least one gallon per person per day)
• Water sterilization tablets – Water purification tablets or a portable water filter to 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.