Sources

Emergency kits work best when designed to meet personal needs and when the individual is familiar with the contents. Whether you purchase a commercial kit or assemble your own, take some time to practice using your kit.

Weight and storage

1. We can’t know in advance the circumstances of the next emergency: we may be packing our kits into the car, into the backyard, or over a mountain on foot. I prefer to put “every needful thing” into my kit—within reason and with weight in mind—and then toss items should it become necessary to lighten the load.
2. Try to store kits as close to an exterior door as possible to (1) improve the chances of having access to the kits and (2) reduce the time it takes to get them outside.
3. Store water bottles outside the kits as they are prone to leaking.

Family needs

1. Each parent kit should be self-contained in case family members become separated in an emergency.
2. Young families can start with parent kits with the child-related supplies divided between them.
3. Children can gradually accumulate supplies for an individual kit as they grow.
4. Siblings can be paired together to share a kit, especially older ones with younger partners.
5. Parents should carry copies of their children’s birth certificates for proof of relationship.

Packing tips

1. Keep a copy of the kit content list in a pocket of each kit. This makes it easy to (1) mark off the contents of each kit, (2) check what is missing when you want to shop (for birthdays, Christmas, etc), and (3) re-pack after a camping trip.
2. Keep a copy of the kit content list for each grown-up child that you want to help with purchasing.
3. Pack supplies by category as mini-kits in smaller bags or containers inside the larger pack for easy rotation of seasonal items and food. Choose supplies in each category to suit your budget and your pack’s size and weight limits.
4. Ask each person to write his or her name on all equipment to avoid mix-ups.

Priorities

1. Experts prioritize survival needs as (1) protection from exposure (shelter, clothing, fire-starting), (2) water, and (3) food.
2. Redundancy is an important key to survival. Consider packing three ways to start a fire, purify water, and provide light.
3. Comfort measures are emotionally important. Good food, treats, and dry socks can be very comforting.

Food

1. Remember to personalize the menu for babies, diabetics, and other special needs.
2. When packaging meals, be sure to write on the bag the amount of water that needs to be added.
3. Pasta and rice packages make approximately three cups of food. This is a good amount for a hungry adult, but may be too much for a child. You can divide the package in half, or you can plan for children to be partners and share the meal.
4. If packing canned meat or beans, look for small cans that have pull-top lids. Tuna in a pouch works well, but the smell tends to linger.
5. Avoid:
   Peanuts and crackers with added oil because they go rancid.
   Mint-flavored gum because it transfers mint flavor to everything.
6. Other convenient food ideas
   stuffing mix package, potato pearls, instant rice, cous cous, dried refried beans, bouillon cube, taco spice, gravy mix packet, cider packet, dried corn/carrots/beans/peas

Tidbits on individual items

• Leather gloves with a furry lining can double as winter gloves in addition to general camping protection from fire and injury.
• I buy packages of boys’ and men’s tube socks and t-shirts and try to give each person a size or two larger than his or her present size.
• I let each person choose his or her own bandana color and pattern.
• Backpacking stoves are very quick to boil water. However, they are only good as long as the fuel lasts. Fold-up stoves are handy because they work with any available wood when the canned fuel is gone.
• Daily Chef Safe Heat canned chafing fuel with a wick is my favorite because it doesn’t evaporate, it doesn’t have an offensive odor, and it produces enough heat to boil water. One can will burn for six hours.
• Currently available mess kits will hold less than two cups of food and are very difficult to use with dried food packages. I prefer a three-cup pot or an eight-inch cake pan, available at dollar stores. I use aluminum foil or a nine-inch pie plate as the lid.
• Utensils are inexpensive at dollar stores and work as well as ones from sports stores.
• Duct tape has many emergency uses and works very well in preventing and protecting blisters. Wrap it around a popsicle stick in order to carry a small amount.
• Individually packaged pills are very expensive. Instead, I put pills in small, self-sealing plastic bags that are used for beads and jewelry and are available at craft stores. Be sure to label the bags!
• Toilet paper has a tendency to roll away when you’re out in the woods. I pull out the cardboard roll so that the paper can be pulled from the center.
• If “every needful thing” includes a razor, tie a string to the handle. I’ve lost a couple of razors in the lake!