Emergency Survival Kits

Purpose of an Emergency Survival Kit

The contents of the Emergency Survival Kit are not for using as part of your everyday Bushcraft kit and is essentially a back-up system that, for whatever reason, you get separated from your main equipment. You could be out setting or checking on a trap line when a stream that you crossed an hour before is now a raging torrent, cutting you off from your camp site and all of your equipment and supplies. By keeping this on you, you will have the rudimentary items required to get you through this scenario until you can return to your camp.

Make or Buy?

There are very good kits available on the market today and these vary in price. They all have basic items in them and I view these as good Starter Kits. Climatic Zones and Ecological Terrains vary around the world and resulting in a difference in the survival techniques and equipment required to survive in these areas. Any purchased survival kit can be added to to suit these requirements and all kits should have sufficient items to cater for the 5 Basics of Survival:

1. Water
2. Food
3. Fire
4. Shelter
5. Rescue

The kit should be compact enough to fit in a glove compartment in the instance of vehicle travel, attach to a belt or fit in a secure pocket. Note that I have left out putting it into a Rucksack pocket as this is not advised for travel on foot in case you and your pack part ways, such as in crossing a river. By having it on your belt or in a pocket, it is ALWAYS ON YOU.

The Kit in the photos can be assembled through some purchased items or from scrounged items around the home or workshop. This kit covers the 5 Basics and the main components are detailed below:

1. Water (You need to know where to find water and Knowledge is the most important component not in the kit)

The tin itself can be used for collecting water as well as boiling it up. There are waterpurification tablets in the small clear plastic tube in Pic 3

2. Food

The para-cord and snare wire can be used for trapping and snaring. There are 5 fishooks of various sizes as well as sinkers and 4meters of line in the clear plastic tube in pic 3. Fish hooks can be used for catching birds in more arid areas that dont support aquatic life.

3. Fire

A good fire lifts the spirits, boils your water, cooks your food, warms you and is an aid in signalling for rescue. There is one book of matches, a water tight red plastic tube which contains waterproof matches and a striking pad and a magnesium flint. use the flint first and keep the matches for a last resort especially with difficult tinder types

4. Shelter

A space blanket will keep you dry, warm and can be used for signalling as well as improving a natural shelter. Laid on the ground in snow and on a sunny day, snow can be melted on it. It can insulate you from the ground in cold environments.

5. Rescue

A folding signal mirror, the means to make fires and the space blanket are all useable for signalling. A compass is also in the kit should you need to carry out your own rescue.

Other usefull items:

In my kit I have added a couple of useful items which have multi-purpose functions:

• A nail which can be used in trapping or as an awl
• Some duct tape for repairs to clothes, shoes and kit
• Band-aid dressing in various sizes
• Steri-wipes
• Some parrafin impregnated fire cubes
• A razor blade
• Cotton thread
• A large darning needle
• 2 small normal needles
• Safet pins, 2 of in different sizes
• Some additional cordage

To summarise:

The main considerations for an Emergency Survival Kit are:

1. It should contain items that are suited to the Ecological Territory you will be in
2. It should have items that cover the 5 Basics of Emergency Survival
3. The items should have more than one function
4. It must be on securely on your person at all times and you should never be seperated from it
5. If you do have to delve into it at any time other than in an Emergency, always replace the items immediately and when you can

So, if you dont have one already, now is the time to purchase a basic kit and add to it or to start building your own from scratch. You never know when you may need it.

The 4x4 Survival Reference Manual

In response to numerous requests by the Off-Roading Community, we will be putting together a 4x4 Survival Reference Manual. This will include the following sections which are in draft form at the moment:

Chapter 1: Wilderness Preparation

Introduction to Wilderness Preparation

Climate Zones

Ecological Territories

Chapter 2: Vehicle Preparation

Vehicle Selection

Vehicle Awareness

Communications

Navigational Equipment

Vehicle Equipment & Accessories

Recovery Equipment

Vehicle Spares

Vehicle Tools

Off-Road Driving Tips

Chapter 3: Wilderness Survival

Introduction to Wilderness Survival

Risk Identification – Breakdown, Getting Stuck, Damage, Accident

Planning & Preparation

Psychological Aspects of Survival

Survival Strategy – Stay or Go?

Elements of Survival

Prioritising the Elements of Survival

The Survival Plan

Chapter 4: Survival Equipment

Introduction to Survival Equipment

Vehicle Survival Kit

Individual Survival Kit

First Aid & Medical Kit

Chapter 5: Survival Techniques

Introduction to Survival Techniques

Water

Food

Shelter

Fire

Signalling

Navigation

Chapter 6: First Aid

Introduction to First Aid

Temperature Related

Chapter 7: Checklists

Vehicle

Tools

Vehicle Survival Kit

Individual Survival Kit

A Handy and Versatile Little Tool: Toggles

Pictured is a 2in Pine Toggle. Toggles are a multi-tool with a variety of uses and can be made up at home from wood, bone or horn. Here are some of the uses for these handy tools:

1. Use in the Larks Head Knot
2. Use to hold your fishing line while fishing
3. Great for inserting in the rings on a wire saw and protecting your fingers
4. Attach to the ends of cords for getting a better grip when twisting rope from cord strands
5. Insert in holes in skins with cords attached at the ends to hold the skin for stretching
6. Handy Trap and Snare Triggers
7. As fasteners with loops for Ditty Bags or replacement buttons

I would recommend that the ends have a slight taper and the end edges are given a chamfer which prevents the Toggle from splitting and chipping. The above has a small "V" notch cut as a locator for fishing line or wire saw rings. When I use them as fasteners, I groove the center all the way around to house the attaching thread.

These can be any length so long as they are of a corresponding thickness for the job on hand. I usually prepare quite a few of these before hand so I have them when I need them and I give them an oiling to nourish the wood but, they are quite easily prepared in the field. As a camp fire activity they are great to make while you are waiting for your meal to cook.

Bushcraft Wilderness Ranger Course Overview

We have identified the key components of Bushcraft and consolidated these into a comprehensive training course with International relevance and one which reflects our views on what Bushcraft is.

We view the True Bushcraft Practioner as a Wilderness Ranger who is the Custodian of the Body of Knowledge (Bushcraft) of our Fathers, Aboriginal and Native Peoples and who has both a responsibility and duty to learn and practice the skills and knowledge gained and to pass these on to others, to understand the Wilderness Environment and to act as a Guardian of these places.

The Course consists of 8 Modules with an Online Theoretical Component and a Practical Demonstration Component which can be submitted by email and or posted on a Blog or You Tube for assessment.

The course structure is as follows:

Module 1: Understanding Wilderness Areas
Components:

• Intro to Wilderness Areas
• Climate Zones
• Terrain
• Climate/Soil/Vegetation Interrelationships
• Ecological Relationships
• Understanding Weather
• Buschcraft Fitness - Physical and Mental

Module 2: Equipment
Components"\:

• Intro to Equipment
• Emergency Survival Kit - Equipping to Survive
• Essential Bushcraft Kit - Equipping to Sur-Thrive
• Bushcraft Clothing
• Bushcraft Nutrition

Module 3: Protection from the Elements
Components:

• Intro to Protection from the Elements
• Bushcraft Shelters
• Bushcraft Fires and Fire Lighting

Module 4: Natural Resources
Components:

• Intro to Natural Resources
• Water
• Food, Food Preparation & Preservation
• Animals as Food
• Plants as Food
• Useful Plants

Module 5: Navigation
Components:

• Intro to Bushcraft navigation
• Navigation Tools & Techniques
• Natural Navigation

Module 6: Emergencies
Components:

• Intro to Emergencies
• Basic First Aid Procedures
• Temperature Related Emergencies - Hypo and Hyperthermia
• Venomous Animals, Poisonous Plants
• Dangerous Animals
• Natural Emergencies
• Psychology of Survival

Module 7: Campcraft
Components:

• Intro to Campcraft
• Identifying Camp sites
• Camp Types - Short, Medium and Long Term Camps
• Camp Tools and Utensils
• Camp Waste - Camp and Human
• Breaking Camp

Module 8: Bushcraft Skills & Activities
Components:

• Intro to Bushcraft Skills
• Nature Observation & study
• Bushcraft Mapping & Orienteering
• Bushcraft Knots
• Bushcraft Cordage
• Environmental Activities
• Animal Tracks, Signs and Tracking
• Conservation of Wilderness areas
• Bushcraft Journal: Body of Knowledge (BOK)

On completion, the Bushcraft Student will be able to:

• Appreciate the scope and implications of Bushcraft in Wilderness areas
• Identify different types of Wilderness area based on Climatic and Terrain Factors
• Identify the Ecological Relationships within specified Wilderness areas
• Prepare for a Bushcraft excursion into a specific Wilderness area
• Identify the appropriat Survival equipment requirements for a specific Wilderness area
• Identify the appropriate Bushcraft equipment requirements for a specific Wilderness area
• Determine the appropriate Bushcraft methods of protecting against the elements within the specific Wilderness area
• Identify the nutritional requirements needed for activities within a specific Wilderness area
• Produce fire using Bushcraft Techniques
• Identify possible water sources within a specific Wilderness area, find and purify water
• Identify usefull animals and plants within a specific Wilderness area
• Produce food from animals and plants within a specific Wilderness area
• Navigate within a specific Wilderness area
• Identify potential hazards and the appropriate first aid actions within a specific Wilderness area
• Identify suitable and un-suitable camp sites within a specific Wilderness area
• Plan and run a safe and comfortable low impact camp within a specific Wilderness area
• Plan and cary out Bushcraft skills activities within a specific Wilderness area

The course has four levels of progression with Certification for each module completed. Students can complete the course at their own pace to suit time and budget constraints.

This course structure is currently being reviewed and we hope to have it finalised before January 2012. On-line components will be accessible 24/7 via the Internet, materials can be downloaded and component tests undertaken On-line.

Please follow this Blog for updates

Bushcraft Plant for December

The Ximenia caffra of Sourplum will be comming into fruit in December. (See picture below). The branches of this small shrub have spines and they can be found in Bushveld, Rocky Outcrops and hillsides, Mountains and Coastal Bush.

The fruit is high in Vitamin C and although sour, can be mashed up into a pulp which can be shaped into sticks or discs and sundried. The nut has a very high oil content which can be used as an ointment and helps in softening animal skin. A Bush Beer can be made from fermenting the fruit in water.