STANDARD PERSONAL SEARCH AND SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT
(Revised January, 2005)

Wear on your body: A heavy duty pocket knife (recommended is a 3-5 inch folding knife with a locking blade) or multipurpose tool, a compass and whistle around your neck, and a watch.

Packs: We actually have two packs: a "24-hour" pack, which is a basic "search and survival" pack and is required on all searches, and a "48-hour pack", which is a larger pack carrying the things you'll need if the search lasts more than a day.

A "pack sack" is a sack of bags. You should have a clothes bag, a food bag, a first aid kit, etc. These can be "stuff sacks" you buy at outdoor stores, or you can use heavy-duty Zip-lock bags or Tupperware-type sealable plastic containers.

24-hour pack: In a small backpack:

  1. A small flashlight
  2. A quart-size water bottle
  3. A small tarp or heavy plastic sheet (at least 10' x 12')
  4. Heavy gloves (leather recommended)
  5. Insulated or wool gloves for winter
  6. A folding saw
  7. 50 to 100 feet of twine
  8. Sierra cup and spoon (you can carry a complete "mess kit" if you want, but all you really need are a cup and a spoon)
  9. Sunglasses or climbing goggles
  10. A roll of surveyor's flagging tape
  11. A Sterno stove (or a backpacking stove, if you already own one)
  12. Personal comfort kit
  13. First aid kit
  14. Survival kit
  15. Repair kit

Survival kit:

  1.   Water purification (iodine tablets, chlorine, filter, etc.)
  2. 24 Matches in a waterproof container
  3.   Firestarters (candle stubs, fire ribbon, etc.)
  4. 1 Spare compass, 5 degree increments
  5. 1 Spare knife
  6.   Scratch paper and a pencil
  7.   About 1/8 cup of sugar in a sealed container (a couple of restaurant sugar packets are fine)
  8.   Instant coffee, tea, chocolate, etc.
  9. 2 Packets of instant soup
  10. 1 medium size plastic garbage bag
  11.   change - for phone calls, munchies, etc.

Repair kit:

  1.   A needle, medium size
  2.   A small bobbin of thread
  3. 2 Safety pins
  4. 1 Extra boot lace
  5.   12" piece of bailing wire
  6.   A spare flashlight bulb and spare batteries (sealed so they stay dry)
  7.   A small roll of tape (you can buy small rolls of duct tape at outdoor stores)

First aid kit:

  1. 4 4"x4" sterile gauze pads
  2. 5 Band aids
  3. 5 Aspirin or Tylenol tablets
  4. 3 Antacids (Rolaids or however you spell relief)
  5. 1 Triangular bandage
  6.   Roll of 1- or 2-inch wide roller gauze (Kling)
  7.   Tube or bottle of antiseptic
  8.   Small roll of adhesive tape (waterproof)
  9.   Rubber gloves (we will supply these)
  10. Any personal medications, such as allergy pills, etc.

You might also want to add other things, such as foot powder, scissors, moleskin, tweezers, a snake bite kit, wound wipes, or whatever -- just remember, the more you add, the heavier the kit (and your pack) will be.

Personal comfort kit:

  1. Some toilet paper, wrapped so it stays dry
  2. Insect repellant
  3. Sunscreen (highest SPF you can find)
  4. Chapstick
  5. A small bar or tube of soap
  6. Some paper towels, which can become dish towels, handkerchiefs, toilet paper, etc.

48-hour pack: In a larger frame pack, ordinarily left at Base:

  1. A sleeping bag
  2. A ground cloth or foam insulating pad
  3. A rain jacket and rain pants
  4. A change of underwear and socks
  5. A spare shirt and pants
  6. Wouldn't be a bad idea to keep a sweater and a pair of synthetic or wool pants in your 48 too, for cold weather (see below)
  7. Enough food for one emergency meal: freeze dried, powdered, Ramen, etc.
  8. A couple of garbage bags

You can also carry a backpacking stove and/or a tent in your 48 hour pack if you own them. You won't be allowed to use them during your survival trainings, but you will be able to use them during actual search missions.

Miscellaneous hints:

  1. Always bring a sack lunch for the first meal. Remember, the first meal is always up to you, whether it's on a search or a training.
  2. Keep a supply of "nibble food" in a plastic bag in your pack: peanuts, raisins, M & M's, etc.
  3. Always be prepared for any kind of weather. Bring your rain gear on all trainings and searches, on the theory that it's better to have it and not need it than the other way around.
  4. Label everything with your name, so that when (not if, when) you lose it, we can get it back to you. If it's not labeled, we won't waste our time trying to find out who it belongs to.
  5. Restock your pack after each search or training.
  6. Wrap your sleeping bag in a plastic bag so it doesn't get wet. pants.
UNIFORM

In general, either the main or alternate uniform are OK for searches, trainings or events. In the case of "formal" events, the Advisor in Charge may decide to require everybody to wear the khaki shirt instead of the t-shirt.

Shirt: Orange t-shirt ("Marion County Search & Rescue" logo on front and "Search and Rescue" on back).
  Alternate: Khaki shirt with patches (ask where patches go).

Pants: Jeans; must be in good condition (no rips, tears, paint stains, etc.)
  Alternate: Military fatigues or BDU's, again in good condition.
  In cold weather: fleece or wool.

Jacket: Red, orange or yellow parka or rain jacket; hooded style recommended.
  Alternate: Reflective traffic vest.

Hat: Unit-supplied hard hat.
  Alternate: Black or brown baseball cap with a patch on front: Senior patch for Seniors and Sheriff star patch for Advisors.
  Recruit members are not allowed to have patches.

Jewelry: Watches are required in the field. Whether other jewelry is allowed will be decided on a case-by-case basis.


COLD WEATHER EQUIPMENT LIST

Your 24-hour pack contains basic survival equipment; your 48-hour pack contains the equipment you need for overnight. THESE TWO PACKS ARE BASIC; the equipment listed below is added to the basic equipment.

Clothing (from the skin up):

  1. wear regular cotton underwear
  2. long underwear, either synthetic or duo-fold (this is a two-layer garment, the inner layer is cotton, the outer is synthetic or wool)
  3. lightweight synthetic or wool shirt or sweater
  4. another light shirt or sweater, or a lightweight synthetic insulated jacket or vest (not down)
  5. fleece or wool pants
  6. rain parka
  7. rain pants (ski pants are ok if they are in good condition and aren't tight fitting)

You adjust your temperature by adding or subtracting layers. When you get cold, you "add a layer" of clothes. When you start to get too hot, you "subtract a layer". This way you should be able to stay reasonably comfortable, even in changing weather and changing levels of exercise.

Headgear:

  1. synthetic or wool knit cap or Balaclava (a knit stocking cap which pulls down over your face and forms a mask - think bank robber)

Footwear:

  1. lightweight "wick" socks
  2. heavier synthetic or wool socks
    > you can also buy socks that combine "wicking" and insulation into one sock
  3. hiking boots, waterproofed (your boots should be big enough that you can wiggle your toes with both pairs of socks on)
  4. long gaiters

Handwear:

  1. synthetic or wool inner gloves or mittens
  2. waterproof outer glove shell

 

SNOW EQUIPMENT LIST
In snow, pack at least two changes of socks, and at least one spare pair of wool or synthetic pants and a spare wool/synthetic shirt or sweater. In snow country, absolutely no jeans or cotton clothing except as listed above. Tight belts should be replaced with suspenders.

Plan a winter menu that provides about 4,000 calories per person per day (check the calorie counts listed on the outside of the packages).

Double-check your pack and make sure you have:

  • dark glasses or goggles
  • sun screen and chapstick
  • an Ensolite pad or similar insulation from the ground (to sit on, sleep on, put a victim on)
  • extra food (beyond your planned meals) equal to 1,000 calories

Add the following:

  • one snow shovel for each two people (we have some)
  • one backpacking stove for each two people

THE "TEN ESSENTIALS"

The Ten Essentials were developed years ago by the Seattle Mountaineers so they could have a list to give to people who asked "what should I take when I go hiking?". The list they made up was what they felt was the minimum that anyone should take with them on any outdoor activity. The Ten Essentials are:

  • 1. Whistle
  • 2. Extra food and clothing
  • 3. Sun glasses
  • 4. Flashlight, extra bulb, and batteries
  • 5. Compass
  • 6. Map of the area
  • 7. Knife
  • 8. Matches in a waterproof container
  • 9. Fire starters
  • 10. First aid kit

Most lists of outdoor equipment, including ours, are based on this list.

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