I know there have been a few discussions around here about emergency kits for kids, but I thought I'd share one I just put together for a group of Cubs (ages approximately 7 - 10).

The kit was built to go along with a hug-a-tree level of training & knowledge. To this end, I really saw three categories of needs the kit should try to meet; signalling, shelter, comfort (psychologically speaking).

Here is the kit as put together in a zip-lock bag:



And here are the contents all spread out:



It worked out to about $10.50 per kit to make 20 kits. The contents are:

• a Fox-40 whistle
• an MEC Turtle light
• an orange garbage bag with a pre-cut face hole
• 5 band-aids
• ~8 feet of duck tape
• ~7.5 feet of florescent pink, reflective flagging tape
• a fruit snack
• a laminated instruction card

The instruction car reads:

Once you think you are lost, hug-a-tree
By staying in one place you are easier for us to find.

Your family will NOT be angry with you
Even adults get lost sometimes - so don't worry. No one will be angry.

Call for help with your whistle
Your whistle is louder than your voice and is easier to use for a long time. Blow your whistle 3 times in a row, wait a little while then blow 3 more times. Keep doing this!

Make yourself seen
Put colourful tape or other colourful & shiny items in the trees around you. Take out your garbage bag and either wear it or put it where it can be seen. These colours are not natural and will help get our attention. If you hear a helicopter wave your arms or a brightly coloured bag or coat. You can also use a mirror to get a helicopter's attention.

Stay warm
Cover up as best as you can, pull your hands into your jacket, pull up your hood, use any extra clothes you have. If it rains or is just cold, use your garbage bag like a rain coat (make a hole for your face and put the garbage bag over your head). Don't sit directly on the ground, sit on your garbage bag or something else.

Animals are afraid of humans 
If you hear a noise at night, blow your whistle or yell at it! If it is an animal it will run away and if it is a searcher you will be found!

You have hundreds of friends looking for you
Searchers will be calling your name - they are NOT angry, they just want to find you! Even if you don't know them, lots of people will be helping us find you - even people you haven't met before. Don't be afraid to let them know where you are!

These instructions were inspired and partially taken from the RCMP's hug-a-tree info with some other information mixed in, including some from a presentation the local SAR group gave to the kids last year.

We gave these out at camp as the reward for completing a scavenger hunt and then had a session on how to use the kit and what to do when lost.

All in all, I think things came together pretty well.

I like it!

That is excellent! Very simple and straight forward. If I was in charge of a cub pack I would make sure my cubs carried that with them anytime they were outdoors (hopefully along with a jacket and water bottle).

That's a good kit, looks just the right size for young kids to carry, and all the basics they need.

I know you've already handed these out, but you did say you'd already cut a face hole, and in the instructions you say "make a hole for your face" (Sorry - just spent the weekend validating data entry ...)

Another pointer to consider giving is to actively listen for searchers. It is possible to be so actively blowing your whistle (or shouting)that you exhaust yourself, so alternating whistle blasts (3 groups of 3 blasts if fairly standatd in this part of the world) with a longer period of listening (several minutes)is a good strategy.

I think this is excellent. While my kids are currently too young to read reliably, I'm filing this away for when they're a little older.

Maybe I'll have them help me assemble the kits, so they know what's inside and what it's for.

Again, I really like this!

Maybe one suggestion; add an instruction for the use of the MEC light. There is nothing mentioning it now. I think they will tend to use it as a flashlight to help them see. They may not realize that it can also be used to be seen, especially with this light which has a blink mode, which would help attract attention at night.

Perhaps under the "Make yourself seen" instruction, add something like "at night, turn on light to blink mode and keep it on outside your cloths or the bag if you are wearing it. Since there is no mirror in the kit, delete that instruction and use the light instruction instead. Proper use of a mirror to signal an aircraft/helicopter is probably too advanced for this level. The blinking light IMO is better.

Outstanding! My wife's Brownie troop had a lower budget, so all we could really afford was a whistle (Fox 40 Micro) and a pocket first aid kit. I presented to them on using the whistle and "hug a tree."

They've got more money this year (cookies and Fall Product have been lucrative) and they're out and about more, so we might do something similar to this.

Nice kit Denis! It's got the basics and is also a great foundation for your older Cubs to build upon.

Well DONE!Thanks for sharing the kit!

very good..and just to have the kit should give them the idea that adults have their safety in mind even if they never have to use the kit.