Search and Rescue and Disaster Gear
Keith Conover, M.D., FACEP
C:\text\asrcmisc\Personal SAR Gear\SAR Gear.doc
Version 3.81 9/7/08
Winter-only items in cold blue, summer-only items in hot orange
Keith’s SAR/Disaster Checklist Page 1 of 13
I. SAR pack[1] (everything in green goes into disaster pack or duffel for disasters) check for some items in bike panniers, hanging on inside of coat closet door, or daypack hanging on wall above downstairs landing
o Belt pouches/hipbelt stuff (often in bag for easy transfer between packs):
o Left hipbelt pocket (LowePro D-Res 10AW camera pouch)
o Waterproof notebook and pen
o 2 granola bars
o spare AAA disposable lithium cells (2 packs of 3, sealed in plastic) for headlamp
o Petzl Tikka XP headlight[2]
o Right hipbelt pocket (LowePro D-Res 10AW camera pouch)
o Compass/whistle
o wrist and head sweatbands
o contacts saline
o earbud speaker-mike for Yaesu handheld radio
o small roll duct tape
o counting beads:
o 5 light 1 dark, 5 light 1 dark
o 10 light on longer string
o Garmin GPS 60 CSx belt clip and protective case
o Folding toilet trowel/toilet paper
o Altimeter
o Top Compartment Stuff:
o 2-person European-style Pertex Bivouac Sac (Bothy 2 by Terra Nova Equipment) (take out for disaster response)
o 1-Liter Nalgene Water Bottle with duct tape wrapped around it
o Pack Raincover
o Small Aloksak plastic bag for wallet, etc.
o Large Aloksak plastic bag for use as waterproof map case
o A few fast-food salt packets (for salting drinks in summer)
o Basic Survival/Junk Bag[3]
o Outdoor Research Mesh Cube #4 (outer case)
o 6 disposable AA lithium cells for radios, and 6 AA alkaline cells for GPS in plastic case
o disposable AAA lithium cells, for headlamps, 2 sets of three
o two heavy-duty Aloksac plastic bags sized for wallet
o Sears ignition pliers
o half roll of flagging tape
o 1 packet of Gatorade mix, to make 1 liter
o water purification tablets (sealed, backup only)
o plumber’s candle melted into 2-oz cylindrical fliptop plastic container
o 2.5 gallon military-style canteen-liner water bag, in pint freezer Ziploc bag for protection
o waterproof/windproof matches + striker card in waterproof matchcase
o tiny stuff, in film can: small bits of thread, 5 assorted-size safety pins, 2 paper clips, 4 small pieces of Radio Shack easy-melt solder, one 8-32x1” bolt with nut and two lockwashers, 2 12-14x1 self-drilling screws
o Lexan spoon
o Aloksak zip-lock plastic bag with
o Blanket pin
o package of four single-use tubes of cyanoacrylate glue
o 1 50‘ length of Kelty reflective tentcord
o 1 5-yard roll duct tape (from rei.com)
o cable ties:
o 3” – 2
o releasable 7” – 2
o mounting-hole type 10” - 2
o releasable 11” - 2
o eyeglass repair kit with screwdriver and spare screws
o 3” strip of kneadable epoxy putty
o 5 misc. sized needles, in old case for spare mechanical-pencil erasers
o Aloksak zip-lock plastic bag with
o 3 leaf bags
o wrist sweatband
o Fiskars pocket knife sharpener
o 4 small packets toilet paper, in tiny thin zip plastic bags
o red cotton bandanna (with leaf bags in protective Ziploc bag)
o Tiny survival compass
o magnesium firestarter
o Aloksak zip-lock plastic bag with waterproof notebook, 2 pens and 2 pencils and tiny pencil sharpener
o Aloksak zip-lock plastic bag with
o tiny bottle contacts solution
o 30 mL bottle sunscreen
o 30 mL bottle insect repellent
o Petzl Zipka Plus headlamp with AAA lithium cells
o Extended Survival/Junk Bag
o Outdoor Research Mesh Cube #1 (outer case)
o MSR 700 mL titanium pot with handles
o pack of tiny playing cards
o Petzl Zipka Plus headlamp with AAA lithium cells
o disposable AAA lithium cells, for headlamps, 2 sets of three
o water purification neutralizing tablets
o 1 50‘ length of Kelty reflective tentcord
o 1 5-yard roll duct tape (from rei.com)
o disposable AA lithium cells, 8, in hard plastic case from Porter’s Camera Store
o Set of Aloksak tough/light zipper plastic bags
o Gear Aid Quik Attach Slik Clip Assortment, “one snap lock buckle, one ladder lock buckle and two tri-glide style buckles, all of which can be attached to presewn loops without re-sewing.” (www.rei.com)
o McNett Field Repair Kit: “ultralight seam grip repair kit (seam grip, brush, patches) (www.rei.com, www.mcnett.com)
o 3 ft of 1” flat black pack webbing
o 1 small cordlock
o 1 packet of Gatorade mix, to make 1 liter
o SAR Stuff bag
o Goggles etc.:
o Lightweight goggles (for air operations; clear/tinted interchangeable lenses) and Swim Goggles
o Lightweight hearing protection (earplugs on lanyard)
o 2” webbing for backpack carry or load strap
o 1 roll flagging tape
o Waterproof handheld radio case
o 3 Surgical masks and small bottle eugenol (oil of cloves) for masking smell of decomposed bodies
o Plastic signal mirror
o 2 Orion pocket flares (exp 5/06) (take out for disaster)
o 2 Orion 60-second smoke signals (exp 2/07) (take out for disaster)
o 2” load strap for litter carries (take out for disaster)
o Water:
o Water Purification Bag:
o MSR MiOx unit
o MSR SweetWater Microfilter
o MSR SweetWater Siltstopper prefilter
o Platypus Filter Link to attach Microfilter to Platypus collapsible water bottle
o Platypus 2 liter collapsible water bottle (this and all above available from www.rei.com)
o Water Purification Accessory Bag (smaller):
o spare salt (for MSR MiOx water purification device)
o 4 spare D123 batteries (for MSR MiOx water purification device)
o spare filter for MSR Sweetwater Siltstopper prefilter
o Sea to Summit 2.5 gallon (10 L) “Pocket Shower” water bag
o (1-Liter Nalgene bottle in top section)
o (2-Liter Camelbak—summer or winter version, depending on season) (don’t transfer to disaster pack)
o No-cook food, in 1.9L Lock and Lock box
o 8 Boomi Bars[4]
o 2 2-oz. Packs of Stoned Wheat Thins[5]
o 2 4-oz. Packs of Stoned Wheat Thins
o 2 4.5 oz cans of mackerel fillets in olive oil
o Lexan fork
o Warmth: Thinsulate vest in lightweight dry bag
o Shelter:
o Mont-Bell Blizzard Pack compressed disposable sleeping bag
o Adventure Medical Kits’ Thermo-Lite® bivouac sack[6]
o GoreTex Pants, Heavy
o Light: Spare Princeton Tec 4-AA cell halogen light with improvised diffuser and set of spare batteries and spare bulb and Jakstrap headband; also spare batteries (4)
o Radio Chest Harness[7] with spare long-duckie dual-band antenna for handheld radio
o Vertical gear bag
o Petzl seat harness
o Titanium BMS micro-rack
o Petzl Frog ascending system with extra quick-attach ascender
o Minimum rescue gear sling in bag
o Gear Sling (single-length 1” tied runner)
o Gloves
o Single-length sewn runners
o Double-length sewn runners
o Prusik loops
o Locking D rings
o Non-locking carabiners
o Small rescue pulley
o 20’ 1” webbing (for improvised seat harness)
o Emergency one-hand-opening knife with keeper cord
o Purcell Prusik with locking D-ring and Petzl Basic ascender
o On outside of pack:
o ThermaRest ProLite 3 Short inflatable pad in stuffsack
o GoreTex uniform parka (with balaclava and gloves in pockets)
o Fluorescent mesh Mountain Rescue safety vest
o Backpacking Static Emergency Rope: 80’ of 5.5mm Blue Water Titan Spectra Cord (20 kN strength but no energy absorption) tied in a rescue coil
o 2-Liter Camelbak (summer or winter version, depending on season)
o Medical: WEMSI Personal Wilderness Medical Kit (3 red “First Aid” bags; see official WEMSI kit listing); packed in separate basic REI daypack for “grab and go” availability; also this pack zips to back of big medical kit/REI travel pack.
II. SAR Gear Bag (everything in green goes into disaster pack for disasters)
o Top Section
o Color code tape
o Short gaiters
o Long gaiters
o In Aloksak bag:
o 60 mL Nalgene bottle of SPF 45 sunblock
o 60 mL Nalgene bottle of DEET insect repellent
o White shoe polish and and ¾” yellow vinyl tape for marking on convoy vehicle windows
o Small Side Pocket: aluminum clipboard with storage full of SAR forms, pens
o Large Side Pocket 1:
o Stabilicers strap-on ice “creepers” for glare ice after ice storms[8]
o Yaktrax Pro ice creepers
o Crampons for Limmer Boots
o Sorel winter backpacking boots with pac liners and two extra pair of liners and large mesh bag for hanging liners on pack to dry
o Spare crampon wrenches
o Ski Goggles (in one of the Sorel boots)
o Winter hood with rebreathe flap
o Winter insulated facemask
o Side Pocket 2:
o JetBoil stove
o Boots: Limmer custom backpacking boots with boot socks/liners
o 2 Rolls flagging tape
o Food for Heating/Cooking, in 1.9L Lock and Lock box:[9]
o 4 oz. Quinoa (fast-cooking complete-protein grain)
o 4 oz. Cous-cous (tiny pasta; just pour in boiling water)
o 2 pkgs. Hot cocoa mix
o 4 pkgs. Boullion mix
o 1 oz. Freeze-dried cooked diced beef
o 1 Mountain House entrée
o Lighter for stove
o 2 Lexan spoons
o Clothing
o Polartec Fleece Top and Bottoms (Crestone Alpine Designs)
o 2 pair dry/clean boot socks/liners
o Pants Bag:
o 2 pr CoolMax underpants (briefs)
o 1 pr polypro long underwear
o 1 pr artificial-fabric “jogging pants” (LL Bean climbing pants)
o 1 pr Ex-Officio fleece-lined nylon pants
o 1 pr Patagonia shelled Capilene overpants
o Shirt Bag:
o 1 cotton long-sleeved ASRC uniform shirt
o 1 cotton ASRC uniformT-shirt
o 1 Sequel net CoolMax desert shirt
o 1 zipper-turtleneck mid-weight wicking top
o 2 Lightweight CoolMax fishnet T-shirts
o Bug suit (mosquito netting)
III. Technical Rescue Bags
A. Kept in vehicle all the time
o Rope: 100’ PMI static rope in rope bag
o etc.
B. Only thrown in as needed
o Rope: 50 meter dynamic climbing rope
o Technical Gear: about 50 lbs of misc. climbing and technical rescue gear including three deadmen (can use in mud, e.g., in caves)
o Winter: three snow pickets, crampons and crampon wrenches in crampon case
IV. Caving Gear
o Misc: Caving Gear
o Boots and socks
o Polypro tops and bottoms
o Helmet with HDS Systems Actionlight and Princeton Tec lights
o Caveralls with:
o gloves
o waterproof paper, pen, pencil
o small contacts saline (2)
o Malden Powerstretch 100 union suit, underpants and CoolMax fishnet and socks
o Caving necklace (quick-release) with
o tip cleaner brush
o small folding knife/screwdriver
o whistle
o small compass
o 2 Photon microlights
o Cave Pack Contents
o 500 cc water bottle with duct tape
o extra food: 4 power bars and some jerky/in bottle
o thin balaclavas/in bottle
o thin pile sweater/in dry bag
o 8 lithium AA cells and iodine water tablets/in bottle
o hypothermia kit/in bottle:
o 3 leaf bags
o candle/in bottle
o matches/in waterproof case
o Mg metal firestarter
o junk incl. 2 Photon microlights/in bottle
o minimum vertical kit (seat, biner, 2-knot rig)
o first aid kit
o SamSplint
o standard daypack/cavepack first aid kit
o Swiss Army Knife and mini Leatherman/on lanyard
o 30' parachute cord
V. Disaster Gear items in red must be added to gear on deployment
o Rolling Duffel (from basement across from freezer: High Sierra (highsierrasport.com) AT202 36” Drop-Bottom Wheeled Duffel with Backpack Straps, purchased from Cabela’s, www.cabelas.com)
o 1 Outer Pocket (other outer pocket kept free for other items):
o straps for strapping pack to rolling duffel
o White shoe polish for marking “DMAT” etc. on car back windows; in Aloksak plastic bag
o Reflective tape for marking convoy vehicle back windows[10]
o pack lock and multi-luggage cable lock
o Ziploc bag with multiple small bottles of waterless hand-cleaner
o ID case for hanging around neck
o Sears ignition pliers (lightweight channel-lock type pliers)
o 1 pair track shorts
o Inner pocket (net pocket on bottom of divider):
o Nalgene bottle with one load’s worth dry laundry detergent (and room for more if can scrounge)
o 10 lightweight clothespins (N.B.: tiny clothesline/pins also found in Austere Toilet Kit)
o WiFi pouch: Outdoor Research clear pocket with Radiolabs Ultimate Notebook Kit (Senao long-range WiFi card, external omnidirectional antenna, laptop mount); 6’ extension coax for that antenna; Ramsey Electronics Log-Periodic Dipole WiFi antenna with 3’ extension coax and REI pocket tripod
o Lightweight nylon dirty-clothes bag (from overnight bag in master bedroom closet)
o Add (from black bag)
o into Outdoor Research Clear Pocket #3 zipper bag:
o medical headlight[11]
o otoscope/ophthalmoscope and otoscope extras (specula, curettes, FB remover)
o Broselow pediatric resuscitation measuring tape, laminated pocket cards
o tools (bandage scissors, Kelly clamps, needlepoint ViseGrips, Alligator Forceps, McGill forceps.)
o NOT stethoscope (have lightweight one in Physician Addendum to WEMSI Personal Wilderness MedKit)
o loupes (“surgical telescopes”)
o Yellow Packing Cube: uniform tops (2)/trousers (3)
o Blue Packing Cube: Uniform Shorts (2) (summer only)/DMAT PA-1 uniform T-shirts (4) including black/navy CoolMax fishnets (4) to wear under uniform t-shirts
o Spare underwear (7 pr) and socks (7 pr) and T-shirts (2), polo shirt (1)[12], packed in Eagle Creek packing modules and labeled (from overnight bag in bedroom closet/bedroom)
o Purple toilet kit (from overnight bag)
o black zip-up military boots (from vehicle)
o Clothing: appropriate outer clothes for season and area, khaki Tilley hat (from vehicle)
o Electronics: Two clear plastic "For Disaster Response" Lock and Lock cases (from vehicle)
o Computer Misc. Box (take out iGo AC/DC power supply WITH BOTH CORDS and exchange with AC only power supply from Tumi pack)
o Chargers/Laptop-GPS Travel Box (take out excess chargers)
o Shoe driers (12V and 110V) (winter only) (from overnight bag in bedroom closet)