Summer Safety Essentials

Always be sure to have a non-battery powered flashlight. If you get lost at night and your flashlight runs out of batteries, you are putting yourself in more danger. Flashlights can help you scare off predatory animals, and they also make you easily detectable at night so park rangers can quickly find your position. It is important to have working light if you end up lost in the woods at night.

Another important item to have in your emergency pack is a container of purified drinking water. This is commonly packaged in bags or small portable boxes that make it easy to carry around in case of emergencies. If you plan on going for a hike but don't want to be weighted down with heavy bottles of water, carrying small bags of purified drinking water is a great way to have a comfortable hike, while still being prepared for unexpected emergencies.

Energy bars are also an essential addition to an emergency pack. They are light-weight and contain the type of nutrition that would be vital for survival if lost in the woods for a couple of days. Choose energy bars with a lot of protein, which will help maintain your strength and energy level.

A small first aid kit is another indispensable survival item that you need in order to be prepared in case of an emergency. This should consist of Band-Aids, anti-bacterial spray, gauss, tweezers, needle and thread, and tape. No matter if you are lost in the woods or someone got hurt while still in camp, it is important to have the supplies necessary to dress wounds. Sometimes first aid kits come with small booklets that have instructions on how to wrap gauss into a split for broken appendages or tie knots after covering a wound. This would be a great tool to teach friends in your party the correct ways to deal with these types of emergency situations.

One final thing that should definitely be included in your kit is a survival blanket. These are extremely compact and light-weight, so carrying them would be easy. Many people forgo having a blanket in their survival kit because they think it will be too bulky and unpractical to pack. However, survival blankets are made to address these exact concerns. They are made of materials that are light but very warm. If you tend to go camping in cold climates, it would be essential to add this item to your survival kit.

Live by the Boy Scout's motto when camping: "always be prepared." Be confident in the success and safety of your camping trips by having a complete, fully stocked survival kit on hand whenever you set out for some weekend fun!

For more Disaster Preparation ideas, and to learn about how you can increase your level of Disaster Preparedness, visit www.ATWUSSD.com.