The Preparedness and Survival Site

Dental problems are one of the most common things that can occur in a disaster or survival situation. Going to see the dentist is not everyone’s favorite thing, but it is necessary.

Dental problems can range from the mildly annoying to life threatening, having an abscess when there is neither a dentist or antibiotics available can be, and is historically proven to be, fatal.

While bar soap and toilet paper are always on everyone’s list for items to stock, what about toothpaste, toothbrushes and even items for dental emergencies on your list?

Preventative maintenance is really a key factor, this one even Hollywood takes notice of. Remember Tom Hanks in Cast Away? Prior to boarding the fateful flight he had complained of a tooth that was bothering him, but would “get around to it later”. Removing an infected tooth with an ice skate blade and a rock is not really my idea of a fun day. Lesson learned: a trip to the dentist to address the problem immediately would have saved a lot of pain later, or worse if the ice skate procedure had gone bad.

Another thing to consider is that poor oral health has been directly linked to heart problems, the same bacteria that causes tooth decay is responsible for causing plaque buildup in veins and arteries. After successfully surviving an event and then having a fatal heart attack at your remote bugout location, or what have you, kind of defeats the whole purpose of all the preparedness planning that you had previously spent so much time on.

Granted, in the event of any kind of event that places survivors on their own for extended periods, there are more chances for something to go wrong that even preventive maintenance is not going to address. For this including knowledge in your preparedness plans is also essential. On the dental aspect, there is the book “Where there is no Dentist” (available in the downloads section of this site) that details emergency oral care when the professionals are not available.

Conversely, the companion book “Where there is no Doctor” is also another title that should be in every prepper’s library (also available in the downloads section of this site). 

Good oral health is one of the best things that you can have under your belt when it comes to a preparedness lifestyle. This one aspect does not negate the need for overall health, but it is an aspect that can lead to many other problems if not attended to properly.

For dental emergencies there are several good products on the market that should be in everyone’s first aid kit. A good example is the kits aimed at the deep water boating community like this one http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sfa36.html

As with all things in life, you mileage may vary. But by taking the initiative you are acting to increase your mileage.

I fully realize that this image below has made its way around the net many times as a piece of humor, but it really underlines just how serious the disconnect is between modern society and the source of its food. This is only one of the numerous anecdotes that I have seen over the last few years that supports my observation when it comes to this. The other fact that I have observed repeatedly in person is the fact that most of the younger generation have no idea how to prepare their own meals unless they come out of a box in the freezer with microwave instructions, a can or over the counter from the local fast food joint.

Out of touch with reality

I can understand the desire to not process an animal from the raw product that is standing and breathing into cuts in the freezer yourself, it is a messy and smelly affair. But its life plain and simple! For people to eat meat, a living creature has to die in the process, there is no way around this (zombies consuming live humans is not applicable since they are no longer people, but the individual being consumed generally does die in the process or becomes one of the undead themselves if they manage to escape only partially eaten).

I can tell you that I have personally killed and processed both wild game and livestock; it is not pretty or fun by any means. But, having an entire generation that is pretty much oblivious to where their food comes from is a dangerous thing for American society as a whole; I won’t even delve into the practices of the commercial entities that produce said foodstuffs here since that is an entirely different subject.

While I don’t agree that it is a good idea to ship kids off by the bus load to the local slaughter house to see how its done, but I do strongly feel that they should be taught that the shiny wrapped packages of meat in the cooler at the supermarket were once living creatures that walked around on their own before becoming dinner for another living thing higher in the food chain.

Like I stated earlier, what’s worse is the fact that we have an entire generation out there that most of which has little idea of what to do if they were faced with the raw components of a meal being placed in front of them and they were asked to make a meal out of it without consulting an internet search engine first (even given the internet I’m sure they would go for the solution that says to stuff it in the microwave).

Hunting and processing wild game, killing and butchering livestock and making meals from the raw components are life skills that are invaluable. Granted they may be skills that are not going to be used every day in most cases, with the exception of actually cooking, but if the need arises all should have the knowledge and skills to do it properly, safely and humanely (the latter mainly pertains to the killing part, but you probably want to follow the same guideline for what you cook up in consideration of yourself and those that you are feeding).

Am I advocating killing? No. Am I advocating the ability to feed yourself from sources other than boxes from the freezer, cans and preparing meals from scratch even if killing the animal yourself is part of the process? Absolutely! Killing is a part of life when it comes to eating. Meat is not murder, its what’s for dinner.

The content of the image may or may not be a true newspaper editorial response, but the message is conveys is very true, modern society in America is out of touch with its roots for the most part.

Here we are again, history repeats itself. Hurricane Issac, which was later downgraded to a tropical depression has left behind a swath of damage that in some respects was worse than Katrina (higher flood levels). However it was good to see that more homeowners followed the directions to evacuate and the ones that chose to stay in place were better prepared than they were when Katrina hit seven years ago.

The mere fact that this is happening again underlines the fact that you need to be prepared, while you may not live in a region that is as prone to disaster than the Louisiana coastline, it does not negate the fact that bad things happen to good people on a consistent basis.

The recent fires in eastern Washington are just another example, sadly in this case I did not hear of anyone that was actually prepared and had a plan to deal with wildfire (a very common occurrence in that area). More than sixty homes burned from the initial fire that was set inadvertently by a welder repairing Taylor Bridge, unfortunately a firefighter was killed by a falling tree while battling the wildfire.

The bottom line is that you need to take a very close hard look at the threats that may present themselves where you live, being prepared and having a plan is something that will allow you to keep your wits about you when it all goes wrong. Not having a plan is nothing more than planning to fail.

While I normally advocate bugging out as a last option, in cases like flood and wildfire it should be your first choice, if you can see it coming, get out ahead of the tide. Property can be replaced, lives cannot!

My heart goes out to the victims of the disasters that have recently befallen the US, but the disasters should also be taken as a reminder to us all that we need to be prepared to fend for ourselves.

One thing that has been touched upon in several past articles is the ‘Just in Time’ (JIT) supply system that drives the US, namely the fragility of this system.

Growing up I remember getting oranges in my Christmas stocking, when I was young I could never figure this one out, it was only when I grew older that I learned the significance of this gift. It was a tradition that predated the JIT system that moves foods hundreds, and many times thousands, of miles from where it was produced to your local supermarket.

Prior to the JIT system oranges were not something that was available year round, let alone across theUSfrom where they were mainly grown. The significance was the fact that it was an expensive treat back in the day to get citrus fruits when you lived in an area where they would not grow.

Today with the JIT system we enjoy food and goods from all over the planet, the result of this is that local production and consumption has dropped to its lowest point in US history. The dependence on the JIT system to feed the population of theUS is a disaster waiting to happen and the way that the system is put together it is extremely vulnerable to failure.

The main vulnerability is the interdependence of so many moving parts that when one breaks it affects almost the whole machine. The epitome that really shows this was when hurricane Katrina destroyed most of New Orleans. When this happened the stores that remained standing were quickly emptied of what little they had left and FEMA struggled for weeks trying to keep food and water deliveries flowing into the area.

This major failure is probably one of the reasons that FEMA came out and stated publicly that in the event of major disasters the reality is that they will not be able to provide help for days, weeks or even months depending on the magnitude of the disaster. During the aftermath of Katrina FEMA quickly found the limitations of the JIT system when it tried to reroute supplies quickly to the disaster area after its propositioned stockpiles were exhausted That didn’t work out too well.

The JIT system relies on the fact that deliveries of food, fuel, fertilizer and other goods will happen on a daily basis and will arrive on time exactly when needed. There is no room for shocks to the system like Katrina provided, as a result it failed in that area.

Things like coordinated cyber attacks against infrastructure and not just theories anymore, they are proven facts. Stuxnet was the first of these to be brought to light, a virus that specifically targeted Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems (SCADA), and just recently the Flame virus was discovered and brought to light. Both are very sophisticated viruses that were capable of inflicting severe damage to infrastructure if they were instructed to do so.

The JIT system is highly dependant on the computer networks that carry information to place orders, confirm deliveries and track the whereabouts of goods in transit. The transportation system that underlies JIT, if for some reason the fuel stops flowing, so does the transportation system that keeps JIT alive.

Based on the American Truckers Association Report here are some interesting facts about what would happen if this transportation network were to be disrupted:

Food

• Food shortages would begin in a little as three days, especially perishable items.
• Consumer panic would significantly amplify this problem due to panic buying which could lead to potential civil unrest.

Water

• The supply of clean drinking water could disappear in as little as two to four weeks. When the chemicals to treat the water are used up that’s all she wrote for safe water.

Healthcare

• Many hospitals have moved to JIT inventory systems, any stoppage in the deliveries would cause immediate shortages in basic supplies that are needed to care for patients.
• Hospitals and elder care facilities would exhaust food supplies in as little as 24 hours.
• Prescription drugs will be depleted quickly, most of the 55,000 pharmacies depend on daily shipments.

Transportation

• Gas station fuel supplies would start to run out in 24-48 hours.
• Air, rail and maritime transportation would be disrupted.
• Without fuel for personal transportation many people cannot access grocery stores, banks, healthcare facilities and other daily needs.
• Public transportation would cease.
• Without fuel emergency services would be paralyzed further jeopardizing public safety.

Waste Removal

• Within days of curbside pickup Americans would be awash in a sea of garbage.
• Processing facilities for waste would grind to a halt without fuel to power equipment.
• Uncollected waste would become a breeding ground for disease, insects and other vermin.
• Urban areas would be hit the hardest and the fastest with problems starting in days.

Retail / Manufacturing / Economy

• Replenishment of goods would be disrupted. Retail stores that maintain low inventory levels that rely on JIT practices would have inventories depleted in short order.
• Consumers would add to these woes as panic buying ensues, this behavior is routinely noted during hurricanes and other disasters.
• Manufacturers that rely on JIT to supply raw materials, parts and components will shut down their production lines.

Financial Sector

• Consumers access cash 24/7 from 370,000 ATMs nationwide. JP Morgan Chase, the nation’s second largest consumer bank, replenishes its 6,600 ATMs via armored truck delivery every two to three days. Given the increase in ATM activity that occurs before and after any type of crisis, ATMs would run out of cash much sooner.
• Small and Medium businesses would loose access to cash.
• Regular banking functions would cease.

While it may sound really far fetched, you really need to ask yourself if it’s really possible. Consider the following when thinking about this:

• Organized cyber warfare is no longer just a theory, it’s a proven fact (Stuxnet, Flame and hacktivists like Anonymous)[1]. Attacks against the very communications network that supports the JIT system are possible.
• The existing electrical distribution infrastructure in the US is facing ever increasing demand and has not seen any real upgrades in decades[2].
• International economic issues than can affect the price and availability of fuel that powers the JIT distribution system.
• China and Russia have stopped using the US Dollar as the standard currency for purchasing oil from OPEC member countries, this further undermines the US dollar[3].

The fragility of the JIT system is just one of the reasons that we all should be looking to local producers for the food we eat and products that we buy whenever possible. With the resurgence of urban and rural gardening for food, this helps, but it is still not a solution to the far reaching problems that the JIT system has created inAmerica.

Not that I want to beat up on the JIT system too badly, it has brought many things to many people that would not otherwise have access to them, but the darker side it that the system has also created a dependence that is not easily broken. History has already shown when the system is taken away at a local or regional level that the withdrawals associated with that dependence are severe.

With small electronics like smart phones and tablets becoming more and more popular it is important to look at these devices as tools that can also be utilized in survival or disaster situations. The devices that are currently being produced have the ability to hold massive amounts of text based data (aka. e-books), your typical smart phone can hold the equivalent of hundreds, if not thousands, of books (depending on the on-board memory capacity). But in the end it all comes down to keeping these devices powered when commercial power is not available.

Recently I had the chance to put one of the solar solutions that are currently being marketed to the test, and I can say that the results were quite surprising. The unit that I purchased is the Goal Zero Guide 10 with the Nomad 3.5 solar panel, MSRP of $129.95 but was found for $104.99 at a local big box store. The unit is targeted towards those that are active outdoors and wish to charge smart phones and other devices that can be charged via USB while they are on the move.

The dual solar panels and charge regulator on the Nomad 3.5 are housed in a nylon case with a zipper pocket that folds up neatly and it is easily stowed away when not in use. Also included is the Guide 10 unit that houses four AA Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries. Per the manufacturer it takes approximately 6 hours of direct sunlight to charge the batteries and 8 hours to charge them via USB from your computer or laptop. In my experience the stated charge rate was consistent when the sky was overcast (it is the Pacific Northwest after all) but only around 4-5 hours in direct sunlight (YMMV).

Charging devices from the Guide 10 power pack is as easy as switching it on and plugging the device you want to charge into the USB port on the power pack. I was able to charge two smart phones (iPhone and Blackberry) from the power pack before it needed a recharge from the panel.

For daytime charging I found that the charge rate for connected smart phones was good with the solar panels also plugged in, the lengthened the amount of charging time available for devices considerably while still leaving charging capacity available after the sun has set for the day.

The solar panel itself has two output ports on it, one that is unregulated to charge the Guide 10 power pack and another USB port that is regulated to 5V @ 2.5W. The manufacturer states that the panel is not intended to directly charge smart phones and similar devices, but it can be used to charge other types of batteries such as Lithium Ion CR123A batteries (batteries and USB charging cradles are available on eBay fairly inexpensively).

Overall I would have to give the Goal Zero Guide 10 at least four stars for utility and practical use as it fills its intended role for charging mobile devices whether or not the sun is shining without making your wallet scream. I would recommend buying additional AA Lithium Ion batteries though, with the charge rate being approximately 4 hours per set of batteries this would allow you to charge two sets of batteries per day.

One thing that most people that are storing things away for a rainy day are short on is good airtight/watertight storage containers. Granted there is the usual school of using 5 gallon buckets, while this is all well and good (excellent for the test of time), but what about smaller sizes? Not necessarily food, but other items that are sensitive to moisture like seeds.

There is a myriad of solutions that are available on the shelves of the local big box and there is the good old Mason Jar, but the latter is rather fragile when it comes to being dropped or roughly handled. Ironically enough when I was wandering through the local big box home improvement warehouse I spotted a good alternative that was very easy on the wallet, empty paint cans that come with lids. Their purpose being to store leftover paint or custom colors that you have mixed yourself.

For the low price of $2.97 ea. one can obtain quart sized cans that hold a reasonable amount of dry goods (or non-edible liquids that are not corrosive). The cans are fully lined and while not the perfect solution, they will last for many years while keeping their contents safe and dry (or liquid).

Availble at Lowes and other big box home improvement stores.

As to exactly what you can store, use your imagination

There have been numerous other instances on this site where I have written about the culture of preparedness poking its head into the mainstream media in ways that are painting the practices of those that live a preparedness lifestyle in a positive light, but recently I have been hearing more and more about preparedness from individuals themselves.

Recently I was at a convention that was in no way related to preparedness where the subject came into the conversation from people that I had never met before, and I was not the one that brought it up. The first was a individual employed by a government agency that I will not disclose that questioned me about the bag that I was carrying my notebook and other convention materials in.

Admittedly, a black Condor Compact Modular Assault Bag with a Modular Style Deployment Bag attached is not your typical faire when it comes to convention bags to carry your junk, his questions were directly about the bag in relation to if I was carrying first aid and preparedness items along with my convention materials. He stated that his interest the bag was in relation to his own efforts at refining his bug out bag, and other travel versions that he had assembled to meet various restrictions (TSA, Gov facilities, etc.) while still finding ways to incorporate weapons/tools that would be allowed in given situations. Needless to say, I never really disclosed the entire contents of my bag.

Another conversation of interest was with a gentleman in the livestock business, totally unrelated to the convention that I was attending. The conversation started with the problems with transportation costs, feed costs and general economic woes that were driving down demand in some markets. I was surprised when the conversation easily drifted to the fragility of the just in time delivery structure that literally drives this nation (of which I have picked on before in previous posts), and the fact that the whole system from production, delivery and the consumers finally seeing the food appear on their plates is in a very precarious position that would not take a huge push to make it collapse.

Subsequently the same gentlemen also stated that he had stockpiled food, supplies and a more than adequate supply of weapons and ammunition to protect his family in the collapse that he feels is surely coming.

Keep in mind that the preparedness aspects of both of these conversations were not initiated by myself, they were brought up by the people that I was talking to. To be quite honest the individual in the unnamed government agency that brought it up was the one that really got my attention.

Could just be a coincidence, then again it may not. The media is pushing more and more items to the surface that show the preparedness lifestyle, the most recent example that comes to mind is the new series starting in February on the National Geographic channel called Doomsday Preppers. As to how they actually will end up approaching this and put things in proper context (or not) is yet to be seen, I’ll have to reserve my personal judgment on that one until I have seen the first few episodes. Bad publicity is worse than no publicity when it comes to the preparedness lifestyle.

I would like to think that the good publicity that has been brought forth my mainstream media is responsible for more people deciding to adopt a preparedness lifestyle, granted there will always be those that take it to an extreme, but even incorporating modest preparedness measures into one’s lifestyle can have a tremendous payback if indeed the *hit hits the fan anytime soon.

While I am not normally a great fan of stuffing my phone full of apps that are entertaing but useless at best, here is one that I came across that can actually prove very useful for those that have the older Civil Defense survey meters that have and audio output that lets you hear the clicks as the Geiger tube is detecting hits. This will work with any meter that gives audible clicks for activity that is being detected by the Geiger tube, the app needs the external input through the microphone on the iPad / iPhone or a patch cable made to utilize direct input.

What’s more important about this app is the accuracy that can be attained with it. The CDV-700 that I used to test this was calibrated by a lab in the late 90’s so I have a fairly high confidence that its meter is reading correctly, all the readings that were taken with the application using the audio from the survey meter matched what it was showing on the analog meter.

iPhone version

The application is called Geiger Bot, and it is available on iTunes for free. Yes, you heard me right, free. Now if this app on an iPhone were to be coupled up with the compact Geiger Counter that is offered by GQ Electronics LLC for $95.00 you have a good handheld radiation detector that will even alert you if the background radiation rises above safe levels.

I will not detail out all of the functionality of the application, the author of it has already done a great job on his web site (http://sites.google.com/site/geigerbot/).

So for those that have an old CDV-700 meter and an iPhone or iPad, here is a way to bring it forward into the digital age for a minimum cost.

iPad Version

The mindset of preparedness has once again reared its head in the mainstream media in a positive light, this time in the form of educational television programming geared towards children. Yep, you heard me right, the mainstream media is preaching the positive aspects of preparedness to our children!

Mighty Kids Media’s Danger Rangers® animated edutainment series, which “SuperEmpowers” children ages 4-8 years-old with the knowledge to take on life’s challenges, will teach viewers the importance of emergency preparedness and paying attention to rules in this week’s episode.

It is good that the message of preparedness is being presented to our children, and I would really like to see more programming like this that is aimed at adult audiences as well. There are some public service type announcements that I have seen aired on the subject, but something more substantial is really needed to promote the preparedness lifestyle to the American public.

Incidents like the Fukushima disaster after the tsunami swamped the reactor complex really brought the reality of how one disaster can trigger another into sharp focus for many in the US and brought back the memories of the damage that Katrina did when it blew through the southeast US.

Perhaps you landed here because you are already one that pursues the preparedness lifestyle and are seeking more information, or perhaps you landed here and are reading this because you are curious about ‘that preparedness thing’. If it is the latter, we fully encourage you to learn as much as you can and make an educated decision about what is right for you and your family. I can tell you from our personal experiences in the past that living life with preparedness always in mind is one of the best things that we have ever done. When you are prepared there are not many surprises that you can’t navigate with minimal disruption to your normal routine.

For those that landed here while seeking more information, we will be posting more articles over the coming year to address specific preparedness issues. Be sure to check out the downloads area where there is a lot of additional information and utilities that can help you out.

Happy New Year to you and yours from us here at The Preparedness and Survival Site!

I think that all but the most hardcore outdoorsman will agree that the Off the Shelf (OTS) survival kits have some merits, otherwise they would not still be offering them after so many years. Where the real goodness comes in is when you use one if these kits as a base to build upon.

For the purpose of this article I am going to focus on the Lifeline Ultralight Survival kit as a base. Stock off the shelf, these kits range from $9.99 to $14.99 depending where they are purchased (mine was $9.99), and they are usually stocked at most sporting goods stores or larger big box stores that have a camping/outdoors section.

Stock off the shelf the kit contains the following items in a thick plastic zipper bag, sorry for all caps as the contents list was copied from their site:

1          WEATHERPROOF CARRY CASE
1          SURVIVAL GUIDE
1          10′ EMERGENCY CORD
1          MAP COMPASS
1          EMERGENCY WHISTLE
1          SURVIVAL BLANKET
3          SAFETY PINS
1          36″ ROLL DUCT TAPE
1          18″ X 12″ SHEET ALUMINUM FOIL
1          8′ SNARE WIRE
1          BOX WATERPROOF MATCHES
4          FISHING HOOKS
4          FISHING SINKER WEIGHTS
1          50′ 10LB FISHING LINE
1          SURGICAL BLADE
1          REUSABLE ZIPPER-LOCK BAG
5          WOUND CLOSURE STRIPS

I realize that one of the selling points of their kit is to be “ultralight”, but for my purposes I used it as a base for a kit that fits in a Pelican 1040 waterproof micro series case. I wanted to add durability to the equation and add a little more space for storage in a hard case that is waterproof.

So, let’s look at the list again with the items that I removed from it upon unpacking its contents from the clear plastic zip container.

1          WEATHERPROOF CARRY CASE
1          SURVIVAL GUIDE
1          10′ EMERGENCY CORD
1          MAP COMPASS
1          EMERGENCY WHISTLE
1          SURVIVAL BLANKET
3          SAFETY PINS
1          36″ ROLL DUCT TAPE
1          18″ X 12″ SHEET ALUMINUM FOIL
1          8′ SNARE WIRE
1          BOX WATERPROOF MATCHES
4          FISHING HOOKS
4          FISHING SINKER WEIGHTS
1          50′ 10LB FISHING LINE
1          SURGICAL BLADE
1          REUSABLE ZIPPER-LOCK BAG
5          WOUND CLOSURE STRIPS

Weatherproof Carry Case:
This is the container for the whole kit, while it may have its uses, it was removed for more practical items.

Map Compass:
This was removed due to the fact that the one that came in the kit that I purchased was not functioning properly (not sure if it was originally supposed to be liquid filled or not, but it was in non-working condition out of the package), for a $9.99 kit I was not concerned with that one piece arriving DOA.

36” Roll Duct Tape:
Why settle for only 36” of the wonder tools that is only second to bailing wire?

Box Waterproof Matches:
These are basically your standard wooden match that has only the head coated with a substance to make the ‘resistant’ to water, I have a feeling that if the matches and the box containing them were to get drenched that you would be out of luck (more from a soggy striker than the matches themselves).

Ok, now that we have looked at the items that I removed from the OTS kit, lets have a look at the items that I replaced them with and added to the base kit.

Compass:
The dysfunctional map compass was replaced with a lensatic compass. Decent models that do not have all the bells and whistles, and actually work, can be had for as little as $10 if you shop around a little (metal cased, not plastic).

Duct Tape:
By using an old shopper’s loyalty card, used up gift card, etc. you can store a lot of tape in an area that is much easier to pack in a kit than a miniature roll of tape. In my case I was able to carefully wrap more than 60” of good quality duct tape onto the card off to one side leaving room for another addition.

Electrical Tape:
Using the same card that I used for the duct tape I was also able to add more than 60” of electrical tape. The card thickness with the tape wrapped around it is just over ¼ of an inch, a lot better way to store the tape if you ask me.

Storm Matches:
These were included to replace the matches that came with the kit. These are matches that will light in the pouring rain and burn a full 15 seconds before running out of the fuel that coats the tips.

Now we are moving into the items that were not replaced, but added over and above the original kit contents (technically the electrical tape also qualifies for this category, but I considered it part of the duct tape replacement).

Redundant Fire Starter #1 – Disposable Lighter ($.99 – $1.50):
Simple but effective if it does not get drenched, and even if it does, it will work again when it dries out.

Redundant Fire Starter #2 – Firesteel W/Striker ($5.99 – $15.00):
This is a tool that will produce hot sparks wet or dry, when coupled up with some good tinder it will start a fire under almost any conditions.

Redundant Fire Starter #3 – Magnesium Bar Fire Starter ($2.99 – $5.99):
Yes, it may be overkill, but when you are stuck somewhere fire rates right up there with water for survival. The cold will kill you faster than dehydration in most cases.

Survival Card/Multitool (.99 – $2.00):
This is a stainless steel tool that is the same size as a standard credit card, only thicker. It has various tools incorporated that can be very useful.
-         Can Opener
-         Screwdriver (flat head only)
-         Knife Edge
-         Bottle Opener
-         Ruler (2” I think)
-         Butterfly Screw Wrench
-         Saw Blade
-         Direction Indication
-         4 Position Wrench (Hex)
-         2 position Wrench (Smaller Hex)

Generally it is sold as a 11 function tool, but I fail to understand how the keychain hole counts in the list.

I know that there are many out there that are going to point out that there are things that are still missing from this kit, this is a true statement. There still needs to be the addition of water treatment tablets, para cord and a few other items that can be fit into the case. With all the items that have been added, there is still room to shoehorn in other items without a lot of effort.

The whole point is to prove that the OTS survival kits are not without their merits, they can be used on their own or expanded to construct a kit that is customized to your particular needs.