Survival Packages Essentials for Every Prepper

When it comes to emergency preparedness, most will agree that having the right survival gear is critical.

With the essentials covered in a well-stocked survival package, you can rest assured knowing you have what's needed to safely weather an unexpected crisis scenario.

In this article, we'll outline the key components that should be included in every survivalist's kit - from basic provisions like shelter, water, and food to first aid, tools, and communication devices.

Introduction to Survival Packages

A survival package is an essential part of every prepper's emergency preparedness kit. These packages contain key items tailored to basic survival needs - shelter, water, food, first aid - that can sustain an individual or family during a crisis scenario or natural disaster when access to everyday conveniences is disrupted or unavailable.

When creating your own survival package, focus first on meeting fundamental needs for short-term sustenance and safety before expanding into more specialized gear. Start with reliable equipment and supplies for shelter, water purification, non-perishable food, and first aid. Portability of the kit for bug out situations can also be a priority.

With the basics covered, you can then build upon your survival package by adding supplemental items like communication devices, lighting, navigation tools, and other survival gear relevant to your location and needs. Just remember that the core essentials - shelter, water, food, first aid - provide the strong foundation.

What are your top 10 survival items?

Building an effective survival package starts with understanding the essential items needed to meet basic needs in an emergency situation. When it comes to survival, the top priorities are shelter, water, food, and first aid. With this in mind, here are 10 must-have items to include in your wilderness survival kit:

Map & Compass

Relying solely on technology like GPS can be risky if your phone dies or loses signal. A map and compass gives you a reliable way to navigate terrain without electronics. Familiarize yourself with topographical maps beforehand too.

First-Aid Kit

A first-aid kit contains critical medical supplies to treat injuries, which is vital for survival. Stock items like bandages, gauze, ointments, medications, etc. Know basic first aid as well.

Signaling Items

A mirror, whistle, flare, or bright cloth helps rescuers spot your location if lost. Useful both day and night.

Fire Starter

Matches, lighters, flint, and tinder help start fires for warmth, purifying water, signaling, and cooking. Redundancy across various ignition methods is key.

Water Purification

Filter straws, drops, and tablets like LifeStraw and Potable Aqua can make non-potable water safe to drink. Preventing dehydration is crucial.

Knife

A fixed blade knife has versatility for crafting shelter, preparing food, medical aid, and protection. Choose one with durability.

Cordage

Paracord or rope has many uses for shelter building, gear repairs, traction, restraints, and more. Sturdy yet lightweight options excel.

Fishing Line & Hooks

Harvesting fish provides a renewable food source if water is available. Basic tackle opens this survival food opportunity.

Securing the survival basics equips you to handle emergencies from natural disasters to getting lost hiking. Evaluate your situation, then utilize gear to meet immediate needs first. Choose durable, portable items that serve multiple purposes when possible. Most importantly, practice using your survival package beforehand to handle risks confidently.

What's in a survival kit?

A basic disaster supplies kit should contain the essentials to survive for at least 3 days if an emergency occurs. This includes:

Water - Stock up on bottled water or store tap water in clean containers. Plan for at least one gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation needs. Have enough for 72 hours.
Non-perishable food - Pack high-protein foods like peanut butter, nuts, protein bars, and canned meat, fish, or beans. Also pack comfort foods like trail mix, dried fruits, crackers, and granola. Have at least a 3-day supply.
First aid kit - Include bandages, gauze, antiseptic, medical tape, OTC medications for pain and upset stomach, etc. Know basic first aid as well.
Flashlight - Crank or battery-powered flashlights are essential if power goes out. Stock extra batteries. Consider solar powered lights as well.
Radio - Battery-powered or hand crank radio to receive emergency broadcasts and weather reports. Choose one with NOAA weather band access.
Whistle - Useful for signaling help if needed. Wear it or keep it easily accessible.
Other supplies - Manual can opener, multi-tool, garbage bags and plastic ties for waste and water protection, duct tape, battery pack to charge devices, emergency blanket, masks, gloves, etc.

Customize your survival package based on your needs, family members, pets, climate, potential risks, and length of time you may need to be self-reliant. Update your kit every 6 months as some contents expire.

What are 20 items in a emergency kit?

When building your survival package, having the right emergency supplies is crucial for handling any crisis situation. Here are the 20 most essential items to include:

First Aid Supplies

A well-stocked first aid kit is vital. Be sure to have bandages, gauze, scissors, antibiotic ointment, pain medication, latex gloves, thermometer, tweezers, and more. These will allow you to treat injuries and provide basic medical care during an emergency.

Medications

Stock up on critical prescription medications family members need, as well as over-the-counter drugs for pain, upset stomach, allergies, etc. Have at least a 7-10 day supply.

Water

Store at least one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation purposes. Have purification tablets or filters as back-ups.

Flashlights & Light Sources

Reliable light sources like LED flashlights, glow sticks, candles, and matches are survival must-haves during power outages or disasters.

Having these 20 fundamental items forms a solid foundation for handling crises and overcoming emergency scenarios. Customize your package further with additional gear as needed.

Are survival kits worth it?

Investing in a pre-packed survival kit is absolutely worth it for every prepper. These kits contain essentials like food, water, first aid supplies, tools, and shelter that can sustain you for 72 hours or more in an emergency situation.

When disaster strikes, survival kits provide comfort and safety until help arrives or you can reach a secure location. Having readily available basics on hand saves precious time and reduces panic when evacuating dangers like fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes or tornadoes.

Quality survival kits tailored to specific needs generally cost $100-500. While not cheap, preparedness peace of mind is priceless. Compare costs to potential losses if caught unprepared during catastrophe.

Most recommend building your own custom survival bag for your family and location-specific risks. But pre-packed, TSA-approved kits also make great grab-and-go solutions for home, office, and vehicles.

Popular ready-made survival kit options include:

Small portable tins packing very basic essentials. Great to stash everywhere.
72-hour backpacks for emergency evacuations.
Car-carried kits for roadside troubles or natural disasters.

Research must-have recommendations from emergency preparedness experts when selecting the best survival packages for your family’s needs. Then choose gear that fits your budget and requirements.

Having necessary provisions on hand helps reduce risks if disaster strikes. Survival kits grant safety, security and comfort when you need it most. So every prepper should absolutely invest in one.

Essential Components of the Best Survival Kits for 2023

As recent events have shown, being prepared for emergencies is more important than ever. Having a well-stocked survival kit can be the difference between life and death when disaster strikes. This guide breaks down the essential items every survival package should contain in 2023.

Premade vs. DIY Survival Kits

When it comes to survival kits, preppers have two main options - buy a premade kit or make your own. Both have their advantages:

Premade Kits

Convenient, comes with all necessary items
Professionally packed for durability and portability
Can be expensive compared to DIY
May contain items you don't need

DIY Kits

Customizable to your specific needs and budget
Allows you to research and select preferred items
Requires knowledge and time to assemble properly
Key items may be overlooked if inexperienced

If opting for a premade kit, be sure to select one focused on the likely emergency scenarios for your region. For a DIY kit, use vetted checklists to ensure you have all necessary items covered.

Survival Kit List Breakdown

The following forms the basis of a well-rounded survival package that addresses fundamental needs in an emergency:

Shelter

Tent, tarp
Rope, duct tape
Emergency blanket, hand warmers

Water

Collapsible water bottle
Water purification tablets
Foldable water bag/bucket

Food

High-calorie protein bars
Canned goods (beans, tuna, veggies)
MREs (Meals Ready-to-Eat)

First Aid

Adhesive bandages, gauze, trauma pads
Antibiotic ointment, anti-diarrheal meds
N95 masks, latex gloves
First aid instruction manual

Tools

Swiss army knife, paracord
Emergency flashlight, radio
Matches, flint fire starter
Shovel, axe, pry bar

Customize based on likely regional hazards - snow storms, earthquakes, floods, etc. Regularly check and replace expired items.

Investing in quality survival packages prepares you for the unexpected. Choose reputable brands for durability and thoroughly research must-have components. Ready yourself and loved ones by having an emergency kit on hand.

The Pillars of Wilderness Survival Kits: Shelter, Water, and Food

When building a wilderness survival kit, you need to prioritize the essentials for sustaining human life: shelter, water, and food. Having reliable tools and solutions for these three pillars forms the foundation of emergency preparedness in harsh environments.

In survival scenarios, your top priority is creating temporary shelter to protect yourself from the elements. The climate can quickly become dangerous, with exposure, hyperthermia, and hypothermia being severe risks. You'll also need access to a clean water source for hydration. Without water, the human body rapidly deteriorates within approximately three days. Finally, you need a supply of energy-rich foods to maintain strength and brain function. Prioritizing these survival basics in your kit provides a buffer that buys you time while awaiting rescue.

Shelter Essentials: Tents, Tarps, and More

Your survival kit should contain durable shelter solutions for insulation and coverage. Useful items include:

Lightweight tarpaulins and rope to construct makeshift shelters
Inflatable tents with thermal insulation for portable housing
Emergency blankets and bivvy sacks to retain body heat
Fire starting supplies like waterproof matches, flint, and kindling

You may also want to pack multi-tools with saws or hatchets for creating more permanent wooden shelters. Having reliable shelter gear is crucial when facing harsh weather conditions.

Water Purification Methods

In survival scenarios, even crystal clear water sources can contain dangerous bacteria and parasites. Your survival kit should have portable methods for water purification, including:

Pump water filters to quickly clean large volumes
UV sterilizer pens that zap pathogens for filtered water
Chlorine dioxide tablets that act as disinfectants for untreated water
Collapsible water bags and bottles for transport and storage

Storing 60-100 ounces of water per person is recommended for 72-hour survival kits. Renewable purification methods allow you to collect and clean additional water from lakes, streams, or rainwater in the wilderness.

Sustainable Food Supplies

While water is more immediately vital, food is essential for maintaining energy and health during extended survival situations. Useful food supplies include:

High-calorie protein bars enriched with vitamins and minerals
Dried fruits and nuts providing concentrated calories and nutrients
Pemmican jerkies offering fat-rich meat preservation
Lightweight foraging tools like snares, fishing tackle, and multi-use knives

Food bars and pemmican offer sustainance for several days if rationed properly. Foraging gear provides longer-term solutions for acquiring additional calories from wilderness sources when required.

Having reliable solutions for shelter, water, and food form the foundation of well-rounded wilderness survival kits. Prioritizing these pillars helps ensure you can safely await rescue even in harsh environments. Combine rugged gear with techniques for improvising solutions, and you have the capacity to overcome nearly any survival scenario.

First Aid Necessities for Emergency Survival Kits

Outlining the medical supplies needed to handle injuries and illnesses when professional medical help is not readily available.

Building a Comprehensive First Aid Kit

A well-stocked first aid kit is a crucial component of any survival package. When disasters strike and access to professional medical care is limited, having the right supplies on hand can help treat injuries and illnesses until help arrives. The basics include bandages, gauze, antibiotics, pain relievers, gloves, trauma shears, and more.

Specifically, a comprehensive first aid kit for emergency survival kits should contain:

Adhesive bandages of multiple sizes
Gauze rolls and pads - these help absorb bleeding and protect wounds
Antibiotic ointment to prevent infections
Antiseptic wipes to clean injuries
Medical tape and butterfly closures to hold wounds closed
Trauma shears and tweezers
Pain relief medication like ibuprofen or acetaminophen
Anti-diarrhea medication
Oral rehydration salts to combat dehydration
Burn cream or aloe vera gel
Medical gloves to protect hands
A first aid instruction manual

This covers treatment for cuts, burns, sprains, fever, diarrhea and more. Customize based on your family's unique needs like medications or EpiPens. A durable storage bag or container is also vital for organization and portability.

Building a comprehensive med kit takes time and effort, but can prove invaluable if emergencies arise. Maintaining and routinely checking survival kit contents ensures items do not expire or run low without your knowledge. Rotate medication stocks and replace anything damaged or depleted after use.

Training and Preparedness

Simply having ample medical supplies does little good without proper first aid understanding. That is why combining your survival package provisions with first aid knowledge best equips you to respond effectively. Consider enrolling in first aid, CPR and emergency response courses offered by organizations like the Red Cross. These teach vital skills like:

Assessing and treating bleeding, burns, breaks and sprains
Recognizing heart attacks, strokes, shock and anaphylaxis
Applying splints, slings and wound dressings
Safely moving injured individuals
Administering CPR, AED defibrillation and rescue breathing

Practicing first aid response through simulation also hones reaction time and confidence. This lets you stay calm and make the best use of your emergency survival kits should real crises emerge.

Preparedness also means inspecting and refreshing supplies so they actually work when needed most. Check expiration dates, functionality and sterility regularly. Replace depleted items, swap in backup batteries or patches and ensure nothing gets damaged during storage. Take your fully stocked first aid kit along on hiking trips or camping excursions to confirm everything holds up in the elements over time.

With both ample provisions and proper first aid training, your survival package's medical component offers protection no matter what emergencies come your way. The ability to effectively respond until professional help arrives could save lives. So do not neglect this critical aspect when planning for disasters with your family or community.

Tools and Technology: Enhancing Your Survival Package

An essential part of any survival package is having the right tools and technology to increase your chances of enduring an emergency situation. The devices you pack can make a life-or-death difference when it comes to signaling for help, navigating to safety, or meeting your basic needs. This section outlines some of the most critical items to consider including.

Multi-Use Tools and Cutting Devices

A versatile multi-tool is one of the top items that should be in every survival kit list. Options like a Leatherman or Swiss Army Knife provide numerous tools like pliers, screwdrivers, can openers, scissors, and knife blades. These allow you to craft basic shelters or fire fuel, open canned goods, cut bandages, remove splinters, and countless other uses.

Other fixed-blade knives are also useful additions for preparing food, making tools, and protection. Machetes or hatchets can help clear brush or harvest firewood. A quality knife sharpener must accompany any blade to keep a fine edge.

Illumination and Power Sources

Reliable light sources are vital when enduring several days or weeks in the wilderness. Small LED flashlights and headlamps provide portable hands-free lighting. Crank or solar-powered options allow you to recharge without battery replacements. Some devices integrate flashlights with radios, chargers, or extra tools.

Emergency glow sticks are an affordable backup light source with long shelf lives. These chemically-activated tubes provide area lighting and can be used as distress markers for rescue teams. Additional power can be generated in survival scenarios using portable solar panels or generators leveraging kinetic energy.

Having reliable navigation and communication abilities can prove indispensable when facing emergencies outdoors. High-quality compasses provide orientation by leveraging the earth’s magnetic poles. More advanced GPS devices utilize satellite signals to give precise geographic coordinates and topographic map overlays. Both help identify landmarks and optimal routes.

Two-way radios enable direct communication between survivors and rescuers over miles. Satellite phones and messengers leverage space networks to send SOS messages globally, independent of cell towers. Signaling items like signal mirrors, flares or beacons visually indicate your location. Whistles produce loud emergency tones across distances. Each device significantly improves coordination and survival odds in disasters.

With smart selections of versatile tools, power solutions, and communication gear, your survival package will be stocked with components to confront nearly any emergency scenario. Tailor selections to likely risks in your region while covering fundamentals like light, navigation and shelter capabilities. The right technology paired with knowledge and training helps guarantee you can overcome disasters and wilderness contingencies. Stay vigilant and prepared by packing the essentials.

Tailoring Your Own Best Survival Kit

Creating a customized survival kit catered to your specific needs and situation is crucial for effective emergency preparedness. When compiling your survival supplies, key factors to consider include:

Local Climate and Geography

The contents of your survival package should be tailored to the climate, terrain, and geography of your region. Those residing in cold winter climates need insulation and warmth-providing gear like heavy-duty sleeping bags, wool socks, and emergency blankets. If you live in a flood-prone area, having a compact emergency raft or life vest is essential. Prioritize equipment for the likely disasters and extremes in your area.

Duration of Use

Determine how long your survival supplies need to sustain you. A short-term evacuation kit with 3 days worth of essentials differs greatly from a long-term, indefinite survival package. Stock up on enough non-perishable food, water, medicine, and gear to meet your minimum duration needs. Most experts recommend having at least a 2 week supply as a preparedness baseline.

Personal Skills and Needs

Consider your own skills, physical condition, members in your family/group, health issues, etc. when customizing gear. For example, ensure you have vital survival packages prescriptions, medical equipment, and first aid products packed. Or if you have wilderness survival training, include tools like knives, fishing line, and snare wire to maximize your expertise. Evaluate and address your personal needs accordingly.

Portability Considerations

Factor in how much you can reasonably carry or transport. Lightweight, compact items are ideal for evacuation/bug-out bags where you may be traveling by foot. For sheltering-in-place kits, heavier stockpiles and bulkier gear can be utilized since transport isn't a concern. Have an assortment of bag sizes and portable storage solutions ready.

By tailoring emergency provisions to your situation, needs, and capabilities, you ensure your survival kit is genuinely life-sustaining when faced with a crisis. Personalize based on careful self-assessment rather than blindly following generalized checklists.

Case Studies: Survival Success Stories

Survival packages are crucial for emergency preparedness. As the old saying goes: "It's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it." The following real-world examples showcase times when having a well-stocked survival kit made all the difference.

Stranded in the Wilderness

John was backpacking in a remote mountain region when he took a wrong turn on an unmarked trail. He quickly realized he was lost. As daylight faded, temperatures dropped below freezing. Fortunately, John kept a survival package in his backpack containing a space blanket, water purification tablets, high-calorie protein bars, a flashlight, fire starter, and basic first aid supplies.

He used the space blanket to retain body heat. The water tablets allowed him to stay hydrated from a nearby stream. With the firestarter, John lit a campfire that provided warmth and kept predators at bay. He rationed his food supply while waiting for daylight. At sunrise, John oriented himself using his compass and hiked to safety. Without his survival gear, the ordeal could have proven fatal.

Natural Disaster Strikes

When a category 4 hurricane made landfall in Florida, Jenny took shelter in her home. As floodwaters rose, a tree crashed through her roof and caved in an exterior wall. The interior flooding ruined her food supply. With no electricity, she had zero refrigeration. High winds prevented travel outdoors.

Thanks to her survival package , Jenny stayed fed with the protein-rich granola bars, trail mix, and freeze-dried meals. She purified rainwater to stay hydrated. The package also contained a hand-crank radio to monitor emergency broadcasts, glow sticks for lighting, duct tape for quick repairs, and a first aid kit.

Within 72 hours, floodwaters receded allowing safe rescue. Jenny credits her emergency survival gear for making it through the devastating storm.

The case studies prove well-equipped survival packages can save lives when unexpected disasters occur. Every prepper should have basic provisions on hand to manage temporary shelter, water, food, and medical needs in case of an emergency scenario.

Key Takeaways: Building Your Ultimate Survival Package

Having the right survival package is crucial for emergency preparedness. Here are some key takeaways for building your ultimate survival kit:

Focus on the Essentials

Prioritize packing the essentials like food, water, first aid, shelter, tools, and navigation. These form the foundation of any solid survival package. Consider compact, lightweight options that pack the most function.

Customize for Your Situation

While there are general recommendations for survival kits, personalize based on your climate, terrain, group size, likely risks, and mobility needs. Your specific context determines what should go in your survival package.

Redundancy and Versatility

Pack redundant versions of critical items like fire starters, water filtration, and knives. Multi-purpose tools allow efficiency while limiting pack weight and space. The more versatile your gear, the better.

Regular Inspections

Inspect your survival package routinely, checking expiration dates, wear and tear, and replacing used items. An untouched kit leads to a false sense of preparedness. Practicing with your gear ensures it works when you need it most.

Having the right survival package tailored to your situation can make all the difference in an emergency. Focus on the versatile essentials, customize to your needs, build in redundancy, and routinely inspect and practice with your kit. These steps lead to preparedness and peace of mind.