I am thinking about a survival kit that is relatively universal and practical for most environments because I travel internationally both to cities and countryside. It should cover:
1. large scale disasters - the rescuers know where you are, but overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster (earthquake, tsunami, civil unrest etc.);
2. emergencies affecting smaller number of people - there is enough help, but they either cannot arrive on time (fire or something in a remote area) or don’t know where to go (lost people).
Depending on the situation, I may decide to stay put or move. Also, there is a good chance of being injured. It looks like that my main survival tools/items should be:
1. a good signalling device such as a satellite phone, mobile phone (though the network might be an issue) or an emergency beacon;
2. a medical kit is required to help yourself (if you can) and others;
3. a shelter to control body temperature;
4. tools for escape and shelter building.
I want to have everything compact and lightweight. What would you suggest?
Water treatment - I would say it will be a comfort item that should be used anyway daily.
It seems to me that most survival kits don’t cover these problems properly, therefore they will be of a limited use. Also, traditional survival skills such as friction fire starting, trapping and food foraging are of very limited use, especially if someone is injured. On the other hand, learning to avoid emergencies is way better approach to deal with such emergencies.