How to Make a Survival Kit

Co-authored by Ky Furneaux

Last Updated: November 27, 2024 Approved

You always want to feel secure and prepared in case the worst happens. Having a proper survival kit stored and ready for an emergency is a critical part of keeping you and your family safe during the event of a crisis. When making your kit, you want to make sure that you pack the essentials and cater the equipment to the situation that's most likely to happen. If you act methodically and thoroughly, you can make a survival kit that will increase your odds of staying safe during an emergency.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Building a Disaster Supply Kit for the House

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Organize and store a first-aid kit. A first-aid kit will prevent small injuries from becoming infected and leading to major medical complications. Things that should go into your first-aid kit include iodine, gauze pads, medical tape, alcohol wipes, antibiotic ointment, aspirin, scissors, and a scalpel.^{[1]
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- Optional items in your first-aid kit should include things like vitamins, sunblock, and bug repellent.
- Remember to pack all medicines needed, including inhalers.
Consider the number of people that you have in your household and determine how much water you'd need for two weeks. You should be able to pack at least one gallon per person, so if you were alone, that would be 14 gallons of water total. If you have more people in your family, you'll need to pack more water to keep everyone hydrated.^{[2]
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Store enough non-perishable food. Bring at least three days of non-perishable food. This includes things like canned foods, salt-free crackers, and whole grain cereals. Foods to bring in a survival situation include rice, beans, peanut butter, canned meat, and lard.^{[3]
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Research source} Choose things that don't require refrigeration and that don't have long preparation times.^{[4]
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- If you are stranded in the wilderness, you may be able to scavenge food from local plants, bugs, animals, or fish.
- Purchase a manual can opener so that you can use in any situation.^{[5]
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- If you forget to bring a can opener, you can use a survival knife as an alternative.
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Stock up on flashlights and extra batteries. A flashlight can be used to illuminate areas when it gets dark and is a versatile survival tool. Flashlights are critical if your car breaks down on the side of the road or if you're stuck outside at night with no light. Purchase lithium batteries over alkaline because they provide more power and have a longer shelf-life.
- You can also use a flashlight as a blunt self-defence weapon.
- Popular survival flashlights include Elzetta Bravo, Olight M23 Javelot, and Eagletac GX30A3D.
During a natural disaster, you may have to turn off your utilities like water, natural gas, and electricity. Cracked lines in water pipes could pollute your water, while natural gas leaks could lead to an explosion. Keep pliers or a wrench packed in your emergency supply kit in case this happens.^{[6]
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Let everyone in the household know where the emergency kit is. In the case of an emergency, you may be required to pick up and leave quickly so it's better if all of your emergency items are organized together. Good places to store your emergency kit include an attic, the basement, a closet, or shed.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making a Survival Kit for the Wilderness

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Consider the climate and terrain. Before you start to pack your survival kit, you'll have to determine the climate and conditions of the place that you'll be. For instance, a desert climate will require different equipment than if you were stuck in a forest or at sea. Cater your survival kit to the climate and environment.
- Special equipment needed for desert survival kits include leaf bags to protect you from the suns rays, extra water, and balloons for carrying water and signalling for rescue.^{[7]
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- A survival kit for the sea includes items like life vests, fishing equipment, inflatable boats, and flares.^{[8]
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Purchase a survival knife. A good knife can be used in a multitude of ways when you're in the wilderness. A knife can help you build shelter, start a fire, hunt, cut food, clear paths, and cut twigs and string. Find a knife with a good balance of durability and cutting power, with a Rockwell Hardness between 54 to 58. You'll want to find a knife that can both pierce and cut things.^{[9]
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- A fixed blade knife is typically more durable than a folding knife under pressure.
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Bring sufficient water or purchase a water filter. If you are in an area that has fresh streams and lakes to drink from, then you can buy a portable water filter. There are portable survival straws that will filter viruses, microorganisms, bacteria, chlorine, and heavy metals like lead and mercury. If you are in a more arid environment or have limited access to freshwater sources, make sure to pack as much freshwater as possible.^{[10]
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- Popular water filter brands include NDur Survival Straw, Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System, and the LifeStraw Survival Water Filter.^{[11]
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Carry a fire starter. When you're stranded in the wilderness, there's a good chance that you'll have to make a fire at some point. Fires can help you cook food and stay warm when it gets cold. There are multiple ways to do this including matches, a lighter, or a flint and scraper and each of these fire starting methods have their advantages and disadvantages.^{[12]
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- Store multiple matches among your gear in case you lose one batch of matches.
- Get refillable butane lighters.
- A flint and scraper will make sparks for a fire when wet.
- Popular fire starter brands include Exotac NanoStriker XL, Coleman Magnesium Fire Starter, and UCO Titan Stormproof Matches.^{[13]
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Carry a compass or GPS device. A GPS device can help guide you if you get lost in the wilderness but usually requires battery power and a signal. GPS can also malfunction. For this reason, you should always have a backup.^{[14]
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Research source} When you can't use GPS, you can utilize a map in conjunction with a compass to find safety.
- Popular compasses include the Phosphorescent Lensatic Compass, the Suunto A-10 Field Compass, and the Cammenga 3H Tritium Military Compass.^{[15]
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If you have to endure a night in the wilderness, you must build a makeshift shelter to stay warm or cool and protected from the elements. Items like tarps, ponchos, plastic sheets, or trash bags can be pinned to trees and act as a shelter. You can also buy tarps specifically created for survival at many outdoor shops.^{[16]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Packing Supplies For an Emergency or Evacuation

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Pack a hand-crank radio. An AM/FM hand crank radio will allow you to tune into special emergency notifications via NOAA alerts. To make sure that your radio can tune into those frequencies, check for the "Public Alert" and "NOAA NWR All Hazards" label on the packaging of your radio. A hand-crank will ensure that even if you run out of batteries, you'll still be able to tune into critical alerts and announcements.^{[17]
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- NOAA AM alerts are available in all 50 states of the U.S. on frequencies 162.400, 162.425, 162.450, 162.475, 162.500, 162.525, and 162.550.^{[18]
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- Check online to see the emergency frequency if you live outside of the U.S.
- Radios typically cost anywhere from $25 to USD 50.
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Bring cell phones and extra cell phone chargers. Cell phones are great devices to use to communicate during an evacuation or emergency. Make sure to bring extra batteries or boosters for your cell phones to increase the longevity of their use. Minimize use of your cell phone when you don't have access to a power source, and use it only to communicate important information to family and friends.^{[19]
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- You can also purchase a solar-powered or hand crank charger that will help keel electronic devices charged during an emergency.
During an emergency, your GPS or phone may not be available. For this reason, it's important to keep a road map so that you know how to get to your evacuation site. Purchase a traditional paper road map from a gas station or you can print one out online and keep it in emergency storage in case of an emergency.^{[20]
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If you need to leave in a rush and your area is devastated by a natural disaster, it may be difficult to find common hygiene products like toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, razors, and feminine hygiene products. Make sure to put extra supplies in a zip lock bag and store it in your emergency supplies.
You may not have access to your wardrobe for a long time after the emergency, so it's important to remember to pack extra sets of clothes. If you live in a place that experiences cold temperatures, bring the appropriate attire, such as, jackets, pants, shirts, and sweaters.^{[21]
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Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I make or start a fire?

Ky Furneaux
Survival and Outdoors Expert
Ky Furneaux is a survival expert, outdoor guide, and professional stuntwoman based in Australia. She’s been featured in over 100 films and TV productions, and has hosted, produced, and participated in some of the most extreme TV survival shows including MTV’s Made and Discovery’s Naked and Afraid. She has authored 5 survival books, including "The Superwoman’s Survival Guide" and "Survive: The All-In-One Guide to Staying Alive in Extreme Conditions", with the goal of sharing her knowledge of survival techniques with others. As an accomplished stuntwoman, she won a Taurus Award in 2012 for Best Female Stunt Performer and has doubled stars like Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Jaime Alexander, and Sharon Stone.

Ky Furneaux

Survival and Outdoors Expert

Expert Answer

The best tool for starting a fire is a ferrocerium rod, or ferro rod. Unlike lighters or matches, a ferro rod can produce thousands of sparks, making it much more reliable for multiple fires. But remember that a ferro rod gives you sparks, not flames. You also have to collect the right tinder. The tinder should be very dry and as fine as possible—materials like the fluffy center of a bird's nest, dry grass, cotton balls, or small bits of bark work well. To prepare your tinder, rub it between your hands to make it light and fluffy. Here’s a helpful tip: anchor the hand holding the striker on the ground and pull the ferro rod backward instead of pushing the striker forward. This technique keeps the sparks focused on the tinder and makes them more effective. Also, try to shield your fire from the wind. When you see a small glowing ember, gently blow on it to give it oxygen. Take your time and blow small, steady breaths. Big, sudden breaths can snuff out the ember. As your tinder begins to catch fire, slowly add small, dry twigs, then larger sticks as the fire grows.

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Question

What about a compass and a map? Also, why do I need to bring cotton balls and safety pins?

Community Answer

Indeed, you should bring a map and compass too. The safety pins are for your clothes if they should rip, allowing you to hold the clothing together. The cotton balls are for a fire starter and for cleaning dirt off items if needed.

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Why do I need to bring a small notebook?

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The notebook can be used for anything that you need to take note of, like an emergency plan or escape route. The paper can also be used as a fire starter if necessary.

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