Putting together a quality survival kit should be on everyones priority list. Every region has experienced a catastrophic disaster that warrants having a good survival kit, but where do you start?
Disaster Preparedness: Likely Disaster Scenarios
The best way to plan your kit is to imagine the most likely scenarios, place yourself in those situations, and imagine what you will need to facilitate your rescue, supply you with protection from the elements, and keep you healthy. These items should be small and light enough to fit into a backpack (heavy blankets, jugs of water, and large amounts of food are impractical) since most disasters will force you to leave your home quickly.
Likely disaster scenarios include hurricanes and tornadoes, catastrophic winter storms, tsunamis and earthquakes, civil unrest, flooding, and industrial accidents.
Japan’s 2011 Earthquake produced multiple disasters, including a tsunami and Nuclear crisis.
Hopefully, the above images have convinced you of the need to have a solid survival kit handy, as well as the fact that dealing with disastersa re a fact of life here on planet Earth. You are not immune, regardless of region. Like insurance, survival kits are one of those things that you know you need, and will regret not having once disaster strikes.
What Makes a Good Kit
As mentioned early, your kit should facilitate your rescue, supply you with protection from the elements, and keep you healthy, all in one lightweight, portable package. Redundancy in your kit is mandatory. Redundancy means that your kit contains two methods of starting fires (matches and a flint firestarter), two forms of rescue signals (a whistle and a signal mirror), and two methods of water procurement (water purification tabs and survival straws). DON’T BUY THE CHEAP STUFF! The worst time to find out that the $2 survival blanket rips right out of the bag is when you need it the most!
Lets break down the elements of a kit by each of these requirements:
General
A general kit should consist of a good tactical pack, a field knife (check these out) or a Multi-Tool, waterproof Dry bags for documents like birth certificates and wallets, 550 cord, a Dynamo Hand-cranked Survival Radio and flashlight, Chem-lights, and a Puzzle book, along with the following more specific items:
First Aid
First Aid Kits should include the usual (bandages, medications, aspirin and peroxide) in addition to Potassium Iodide caplets 
Rescue
A signal mirror, flares, and a high powered whistle should cover the bases. Yes, a whistle. If you think you wont ever need one, there may be times when your voice wont carry over distance, or you have no voice at all!
Again, avoid the cheap stuff and invest in your rescue before you have to!
Shelter
Heatsheets Emergency Survival BIVVY SACK, a good poncho, 50 Waterproof matches, Storm Candles, and a military style Wool Blanket are enough to keep you warm, dry, and even to construct semi-permanent shelters if necessary. In a few later posts we will go into detail on ways to construct shelters using these items.
Food and Water
Can openers – Chances are, while you are on the move you will come across abandonded homes and stores with canned goods. You will be happy that you have a can opener at hand. 3 Days Food/Water – In most survival situations, if you are rescued, it will happen within the first 73 hours (three days). Anything longer than that, and you can go ahead and break out the fishing lines and build you a tree house, because you are gonna be out there awhile. There are some great calorie dense food rations that will keep you healthy and energetic until help arrives, and they are available on Amazon. Here are the ones in my kit:
Water Purification Tablets, and Water Filter Purification Straws will keep you alive for a long time. You would obviously want to have a fishing and a snare kit in your pack as well, even though you will probably never have to use it.
Vehicle Specific
In addition to the kit you have assembled above, store some jump cables, flares, a water bladder (for collecting and storing water), an Etool, and 40 feet of 2,000 pound test rope with open hooks in the trunk of your car. All it takes is a winter storm or a flash flood to leave you stranded in your car for who knows how long.