Most ladies carry a handbag, but how many carry a mini survival kit? Thanks to our Boy Scouts there are many variations of very small kits that contain things that can help you get along in tough times and maybe some friends and family in an emergency.
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What Goes In A Mini Survival Kit?
If you have a son, brother or father that has been in Boy Scouts you may be familiar with the small survival packs they like to make up for packing. Some make them in an Altoid can, a bandaid box or even in a small ziploc baggie. I prefer a bag used for diabetic meters because they zip up and are pretty small. Here's a list of things that could help you be more comfortable in an emergency situation.
A Folding Knife – I don't think that many ladies carry a pocket knife in their purse, but it sure can be handy. You can now buy a good quality folding knife for $10 that will last for years. For emergency I recommend a single blade knife about 4″ long when folded. The blade should be sharp from the point back about 2/3 of the way and then serrated at the back of the blade. That lets you both cut and saw with one single blade. If you like the type with lots of tools attached, that's OK but they are heavier.
A small first aid kit is part of your survival kit and you can buy small ones downtown. You don't really need one that takes up that much space though, and that's why people put their own together. A basic kit for first aid might include adhesive bandages, medical tape, sterile gauze, moleskin, soap, antiseptic, a mouth-barrier device for CPR, and scissors. For a small kit you don't need very many of each of these, just a couple bandaids and a piece of medical tape will do. Also include a couple of pain relievers and allergy pills.
Extra clothing is on the Boy Scouts 10 essentials list and doesn't really fit well in a ladies handbag. It is a good idea, however to carry a change of clothes and some comfortable shoes in your car for emergencies. You will not want to hike to the nearest place of safety in the shoes you work in, and clothes should be changed out to fit the season.
Rain gear is one of the most important things you can have for emergencies. Being wet from rain may result in hypothermia, a potentially fatal condition. Many people don't realize that you can experience hypothermia at temperatures as high as 50 degrees. You might want to carry your raingear with extra clothing in your car, but you might be surprised to find how compact good quality raingear is, and might fit in your purse.
Water is one of the hardest essentials to have on hand because it's heavy and perishable. I like to carry a small flat of bottled water in my car. Heat and cold can affect the quality of the bottled water so change it out often – it's pretty cheap. For your handbag you might check out the water filters available in the camping section downtown. Since we have had so many natural disasters lately there are some great choices that are compact and economical. These water filters are designed to make water drinkable in almost any situation.
Firestarters are part of an essentials kit and a little bic lighter is pretty hard to beat. I have noticed that you can't buy kitchen matches anymore at the supercenter, but that actually worked in my favor when I found windproof matches in the camping section. Those things are cosmic and burn hot a long time to get a fire started even in high wind. If you are really hip you can get a compact flint and steel striker and then put some cotton balls soaked in vasoline in a snack ziploc. You won't believe how dependable that combination is for starting a fire.
Sun protection is important if you get in a bad situation because too much sun has lasting effects. You probably already use sun screen, but sun glasses in your car and lip balm sure add to your comfort. Put a wide brimmed hat in your car with spare clothes to keep the sun off in an emergency. Also, an umbrella can double as sun and rain protection.
Map and Compass are things you don't always think about until you get in an emergency. Many folks have a map and GPS app on their phone, but may never use it. Getting used to how these work before you have an emergency is a good idea. Kids should learn about it, too so take them out on an excursion and practice. An old fashioned compass is hard to beat because it always works, eve when the towers are down. They take a little getting used to also, so practice when you have a little spare time.
Thanks to hikers, backpackers and Boy/Girl Scouts we have a lot of good gear and information about survival gear, but if you don't have it when needed it sure won't do you any good. Take a little time to put together a kit that will keep you safe and comfortable in an emergency.
