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| In The Mountains (photo by V.A. McMillan) |
Scouts & Scouters,
Please find below some of the ideas we have had in our area regarding building Scout Survival Kits. (You may use the ideas, just please give credit due to your source. Thanks.) Remember to emphasize that the mind/brain is the most important part of any survival kit.
Stay safe out there,
Mountainman.
Scout Survival Kit List
Rule of 3's – You can survive, without.....for:
Oxygen – 3 minutes
Shelter – 3 hours
Water – 3 days
Food – 3 weeks
Company – 3 months
Survival Priority List:
1) Get away from imminent danger, if safe stay put
2) Treat serious injuries, ensure open airways and prevent shock
3) Construct or seek shelter and build a fire
4) Locate and collect water for drinking
5) Conserve energy, use efficient food gathering techniques, cook the food
6) Setup and maintain signalling devices to help get found/located
7) Keep busy, improve camp and shelter. Gather firewood, water, and food
The kit list will be based on the solid foundation established above. A Scout may need to build more
than one survival kit. Having a survival kit tailored to activities, locations, climates, seasons and/or
terrains; is a wise idea. As the Scout's skill and experience level grows the items needed to survive may
be reduced. The British Special Air Service (SAS) commando's have a saying, “the more knowledge,
the less kit”.
There is no right kit for every Scout. However, every survival kit will have items for each of these
categories: First Aid, Shelter, Water/Hydration, Fire, Food, Knife/Axe & Signals. Suggested items
below.
First Aid – CPR Mask, T – Bandages, Bandaids, Tweezers, Forceps, Blister Dressings, Pain Medicine,
Antihistamines, Anti-diarrhoeal, Antacids, Antiseptic Towelettes, Splint, Stretcher, Mirror.
Shelter – Super Shelter will require: a tarp, space blanket, 2x large clear leaf & garden bags and paracord.
Tarp, Sleeping bag, Large Garbage Bags or Leaf & Garden Bags, Proper clothing, Proper
footwear, Sleeping Pad, Para-cord or rope.
Water/Hydration – Water container, Water filter, Pot for boiling water, Purification Tablets, Canteen,
Canteen Cup, Life Straw
Fire – At least 3 methods for starting a fire. Wood Matches in a plastic waterproof container, Flint and
steel, Ferro-rod and striker, magnifying lens, Steel wool & 9V battery, Petroleum Jelly & cotton balls,
Magnesium Bar, Fatwood shavings, BIC Lighters, Candle Stubs, Lint, Char-cloth, Tinder Box, Birch
Bark, Cedar sticks, Pine/Fir Pitch (hardened),
Food – Fishing Kit (Line, sinker, lure or hook), Snare Kit (brass wire cut into 2m lengths), Energy
Bars, Hard candies, Nuts, Peanut butter, jerky, Dark chocolate, OXO cubes, Trail mix, GORP, Granola
bars, Protein bars,
Knife/Axe – Each Scout will need at least one quality knife. In a perfect world, two knives or a knife
and a belt axe. For fine work a good quality lock-blade knife, with a blade at least 3” in length. The
second knife should be of a fixed blade type with at least a 4 ½” heavy blade. This knife needs to be
tough enough to survive repeated blows from a baton for splitting kindling, this type of knife does not
need to be expensive, to work well. The alternative to a fixed blade knife would be a belt axe. The belt
axe is well suited for chopping chores around camp, but it is too short and too light for serious lumberjacking.
In trained hands a belt axe (that is well balanced, with a 10” - 14” handle) can be used very
effectively for building a survival camp. If you cannot afford a quality belt axe, it is better to buy a
cheap fixed blade knife than a cheap hatchet. The poor quality steel in a cheap hatchet will not hold an
edge, nor will it be balanced. The most likely result will be an injured Scout. Ensure your fixed blade
knife &/or your belt axe have a sheath or scabbard to protect the edge when not in use. Have
sharpening stone or small file to keep these tools sharp. Dull edges are deadly.
Signals – To speed up rescue time, you need to get found ASAP. Have at least 2 signal methods.
Whistles (Fox40) that are not metal and do not use a pea are the better designs. Remember it is easier to
use your whistle than it is to yell. Signal Mirror, like the Coghlan's 2”x3” is okay but it is heavy. A
better choice is the StarFlash by UST (Ultimate Survival Technologies). The StarFlash is 2”x3” but it is
not made of glass, it will float and is unbreakable and lightweight, only 20 grams. All signal mirrors
should be protected in a case, like one made from a scrap of polar fleece. This will keep the mirror
from getting scratched and thus keeping a maximum reflective surface. For night-time signals consider a LED headlamp that can be set on flash mode – this will draw attention and use less battery power.
Crank-up LED flashlights could work as the batteries do not die on you, just crank to recharge. Chem
light sticks can work, just remember to rotate out units out of your kit every couple of years. Remember
that signal fires should be prepared and built in threes – a big triangle with fires at each point. A
Ground to Air (G2A) signal card will help to communicate with aircraft that fly over your camp. Make
the symbols big (at least 10M long), out in the open and contrast with the surrounding area. Remove
the signal after message has been received by an aircraft.
Most important item in your survival kit.....is your mind. Train it well and even if you have nothing,
you can improvise something. Training and experience are more important than gear. Gear in trained
hands just makes surviving more enjoyable and usually a bit quicker. Gear in untrained hands, just
makes for souvenirs for the rescuers.
Keep your head, banish fear & panic, and avoid the 7 enemies of survival: Pain, Cold, Thirst, Hunger,
Fatigue, Boredom & Loneliness. And you will always come home.
Now for some thinking outside the box...…(I will try to make a couple sample kit lists.) We will also
explore some other methods of having a survival kit, just not having it in a little box or pouch, we will
call this, everyday carry (EDC) items. These are the things you keep in your pockets or pack EVERY
time you leave home. Now, if you have a jacket or vest that has an extra pocket or two, these EDC
items can simply be left in the pockets.
EDC – Everyday Carry Items:
● Lock-blade knife. Preferably, with a pocket clip. Like the Gerber Para-frame.
● BIC lighter or mini-lighter, even a Zippo would work for EDC.
● Whistle. Like the Fox40 on a lanyard or a loop of para-cord.
● Mirror. StarFlash with a lanyard or loop of para-cord in a fleece pouch.
● Folding water bottle. Like those 500mL give away items at outdoor trade shows. Fold flat like a
piece of cardboard, but will fit a cargo pocket.
● Bandaid pack. For treating daily oops'.
● Hard candies, for energy.
If you always left home with just those items, you have increased your chance of survival 700%,
compared to not having them. (Never believe statistics in articles.)
Compact Survival Kit
Altoid or Sucrets Tin – Metal
Gerber Mini – Para-Frame lock-blade knife or similar compact knife
Matches – Strike Anywhere
Fishing Line – 4lbs test x 50'
Fish Hooks x4 barbed
Lead Sinker – split shot x2
Snare Wire – 2m
BIC mini lighter
Alcohol Wipes x2
OXO cube
Cotton balls & Petroleum jelly x2
Candle/Tealight
Tinfoil – Heavy Duty folded to fit inside
Kerr's Hard Candies x3
Wrap Altoid Tin in para-cord
Put inside a medium zip-loc freezer bag
Even with just an Altoid tin filled with the bare minimum of items, survival would be more comfortable
than without those items. The Altoid tin + EDC and survival is almost guaranteed, in all but the worst
conditions.
All Threats Survival Kit
Adequate clothing
EDC
Sturdy knife in sheath or belt axe & sharpening stone
Pot or Vessel for boiling water
Waterproof case for other kit items
Pouch or bag to carry all items
Canteen or water bottle or water bladder
Water filter or Life Straw
Siltarp or other lightweight, compact tarp 6'x8' but 8'x10' would be better
Mylar space blanket
Garden & Leaf clear plastic bags x2
100' para-cord
Try to select a waterproof container that will fit inside
you pot or boiling vessel.
First Aid Kit – Including a CPR mask, triangular bandages, splint, bandaids, blister dressings, etc
Fire Making Kit – Matches in waterproof container, cotton balls & petroleum jelly, BIC lighter,
Fatwood, Magnesium Bar, Ferro-rod & striker, flint & steel, char-cloth, candle stubs
Whistle & Mirror. Fox40 & StarFlash.
Chaulk – sidewalk type or lumber crayon for marking paths/trails
Flashlight or headlamp and spare batteries. Crank flashlight would also work.
Fishing Kit – Fishing Line 4lbsx100', 4x fish hooks – barbed, 4x split shot sinkers, 1x lure, 1x float
Snare Kit – brass snare wire x2 2m each
Emergency Rations – high energy foods
Multi-tool/multi-plier.
Duct tape.
Optional items:
Compass – Compact type – like Silva or Brunton
Laminated ground-to-air signal card
Laminated Knot Cards from UST (Ultimate Survival Technologies)
Laminated Cloud Cards from UST
Dice
Survival Cards – like those from
www.seatoskyphoto.com or USALIVE LLC
Toilet paper in a ziploc bag
Wysi Wipes – multi-purpose wipes
Note pad & pencil
Scouts survival kit making is tentatively scheduled for XXXXXXX at Camp XXXXXX. You are
receiving this information to assist you to assemble the individual items you will want to put in your
survival kit. You may need to improvise some items for now and replace them when you can.
Remember to review the items in your survival kit at least once a year. Replace items that may expire, like batteries or food.
Yours in Scouting,
Scouter
1st XXXXXX Scouts
Resource Scout & Group Committee
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| Ground to Air Signal Card |
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| Scout Survival Card - Front |
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| Scout Survival Card - Rear |
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