Scout Survival Kit Considerations

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

Ground to Air Signal Card

Scout Survival Card - Front

Scout Survival Card - Rear