In an emergency even the simplest injury can become life threatening, therefore a big part of personal preparedness is preventing injury in the first place, which requires using the proper clothing and gear to protect against unnecessary cuts, scrapes, exposure, and worse.
Scrapes and minor cuts can easily become infected so preventing them is important and can be easily done with proper clothing and gear. Long pants, long sleeve shirts, leather work gloves, sturdy boots or shoes, dust masks, and safety goggles should be standard equipment for any emergency kit. A good tip is keeping a bag of these items tied to a bed frame so that, when seconds count, this most basic safety equipment is always at your fingertips day or night.
While there is no limit to the specialized gear available to prevent against things like exposure and environmental contamination, most items are things you likely already have around the house. Large heavy duty plastic garbage bags can serve multiple purposes: For instance, by cutting arm and head holes; they make convenient rain ponchos, and they can be used as an emergency blanket or ground cover. Keep several in your vehicle and in your emergency kit. Smaller plastic garbage bags can be used for trash, sanitary waste, and storage. For example, a 5-gallon bucket lined with a plastic bag can be an emergency toilet.
Other personal safety items to include in your kit include: a good quality flashlight and extra batteries, a whistle to signal for aid, a space blanket (mylar blanket that reflects heat) and a wool blanket (wool stays warm even when wet and can be used as a splint or a stretcher in medical emergencies). — More
Make sure you follow the tips outlined above and add the tools need to your personal safety kit. Leave us a comment below if you have any questions about increasing your personal safety and security.
