Wilderness Survival Kit vs. In-Home Emergency Preparedness Kit

A survival kit is an important part of self-reliance. But a survival kit for the wilderness is a completely different animal compared to what you would need in the case of an in-home emergency. We all feel safe and sound when we’re in our homes. With four walls and a roof protecting us from the elements, it’s easy to forget that things can still go wrong inside your home.

IN-HOME EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS KIT

It doesn’t matter what it is—earthquake, hurricane, tornado, or even the spread of a contagious disease—being prepared for something bad can mean a big difference when your life might be at stake. But when you don’t have nature to rely on to provide you with the basic things we need to survive, you need to provide those things yourself. Some absolute basics that you would need in an in-home emergency survival kit include things like:

• Water: Store at least one gallon per person, per day.
• First Aid Kit: We don’t just mean bandages. Pack it with antibiotic ointments, cleaning agents like hydrogen peroxide, burn cream, pain relievers, and disposable gloves.
• Ready-to-Eat Food: Pick foods that require minimal water or those that cook quickly, and won’t go bad. There should be some place in your home that you can easily store food.
• Can Opener: In case your electricity goes out, a manual can opener is a must for your in-home survival kit.
• Tools: Having tools like a knife, crowbar, hammer, a wrench, and duct tape can make life much easier in an emergency.

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL KIT

If you’re often trekking into the woods for adventure, you have to be prepared for anything. Life in the wilderness is much different than it is inside your home. You’ll need shelter, and you’ll have to find food and water on your own. Any well-packed wilderness survival kit will include things like:

• Survival Knife: A strong, sharp knife will quickly become your best friend in the wild.
• Cordage: Strong rope, like 550 Paracord, is a must in a wilderness survival kit. It has dozens of uses.
• Fire Starter: You don’t want a lighter that can run out of fuel, but rather a starter like firesteel, which creates sparks. Fire can keep bugs and other pests away, as well as let you cook anything you find and keep you warm.
• Food Bars: You never know when you’re going to find your next meal, so keeping food bars that are high in calories and packed with nutrients in your kit is a must.
• Water Purifier: Not all water you find in nature is safe for drinking. Iodine crystals are small and do great work.

Creating a survival kit for wilderness and in-home survival is a good idea. You should be prepared for anything. After creating your survival kit, make sure to keep them up to date: swap out any expired foods or medical supplies and replace them with fresh ones.