Generic/universal core kit - advice on items

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.

It depends.

Where will you be? What level of gear are your willing to buy/ willing to train with? What is your age/ level of health? Gear for how many and how long? how much space /wight are you willing to dedicate? and restrictions?

For water treatment, go sawyer.

I have one kit for my car, one kit when I'm flying, another kit for traveling on commuter rail, and another one for camping and hiking. All are customized on demand based on the situation.

Are you expecting to be in the path of the tornado someday, or do you frequently travel to disaster zones? I have traveled to hundreds of destinations for 30 years and the most interesting and untimely event was street protests in Greece, where my nationality might have made me a target if I hadn't been safely in a hotel. Few of us are war zone reporters or must travel so equipped. I have not been to Africa or many places in South or Latin America. Unless you are looking for them, most travel avoids natural and man made disasters.

So packing disaster kits for international travel is problematic - do you want to cart pounds of gear with you for literally thousands of miles, on the off chance you may need them all of a sudden one day? Why not just travel with an element or two of better general preparedness?

In that light, I recommend

1. Cash in negotiable denominations. That means local currency and US dollars. I travel internationally with $400-500 and equivalent amount in a local currency. Has saved my hide a time or two to hail a cab or get a night or two unexpected accommodations. Or support a fellow traveler whose wallet has been stolen.
2. Your passport because LE requires it. You can define a disaster by being separated from your passport.
3. Mobile phone that connects to local networks, to rally assistance or rescue.
4. Flashlight. Small inexpensive red light beacon, for disaster signaling, in case you really need that.
5. Maps. Detailed road maps for anywhere you travel.
6. FAK. Your experience and qualifications, your choice of size and contents.
7. Micropur tablets. Good enough for 99% of destinations and water treatment.
8. Lightweight travel bag for clothing. smallish bag for hauling your every day and laptop. Be comfortable dumping out contents of either for more immediate or valuable goods. This ranges from having an empty bag to visit shops for food or stuff, to having room for essentials.
9. Raincoat and hat. Mom says don't go out without a coat, that still applies. Hat may be a matter of style, you can get by with a hood or an umbrella. Keep your head dry.
10. Light gloves. I like wool, Smartwool makes good ones. Can't tell you how often I've been in rural areas and worn my gloves when it cools at night.
11. Umbrella. Stay dry. You are happier.
12. Food. Get a days food and water when you land by visiting farmer's markets or shops. I also tend to buy a corkscrew too.

Something you can't pack but may need if the earth opens up underfoot are local friends. They will take you in for a few days and give you a ride to the train or airport. Loan you money etc. And you will do the same for them in the US. Be good and take care of your friends.

That's about it for me during travel. My 72 hour preparedness kit.

my experience with foreign travel was luckily to a highly developed Japan, before moving southward to the Philippines, Thailand, and Taiwan... a couple of things I would recommend... try to use the local language, even if you expertise is poor, the locals will appreciate you not being an "ugly American (read the book)" flash cards with important phrases do work...be aware of important dates... May 1 1971, in downtown Fukuoka, Japan, I was viewing an approaching street parade... little old Japanese man, tugs on my arm, and says it would be best if I was not on the street... May Day parade....be aware of situational awareness.. couple of years later in Angeles City, Philippines, I was leaving an establishment that served adult beverages, and a Philippine Constabulary pointed a M16 at me, and requested "come with me please"... Marcos had declared martial law sometime after I had left main base...have a portable radio or TV to keep up the breaking news...be able to dress like the locals... a Thai shirt, baseball cap with an oriental logo, and a pair of khaki pants allowed me to blend in a couple of times... don't overlook something like the GI contraceptive glasses... be careful of your accessories...if you work for a corporation, a "blood chit" has merit in parts of the third world... it is a guarantee to pay, by a recognized source (Credit Suisse for example) that someone giving you aid will be handsomely rewarded (gold works), but only after you have safely returned home... if I were ever to go back, I'd stash a couple of these... 1/10oz should get you a ride to the US Embassy or Consulate, the nice Marine will most likely let you in with a US birth certificate

Take a long look at a prior thread, started 2/27/14, entitled " Building a Get Home Bag GHB". Good discussion and information there.

Could you please explain why it was not a good idea to be on the street that day?

May Day Parade ...International Workers Parades are organized by the S.O.C.I.A.L.I.S.T or C.O.M.M.U.N.I.S.T parties of that country, and are usually openly anti United States... especially in the 70s when we were involved in an unpopular war in VietNam

Thank you for the replies.

I can be anywhere, but most likely in a town or city though there is a possibility to be in a remote area in any continent (I worked in Cambodia and Brazil during the summer and Northern Kazakhstan during the winter in the last 3 years). Gear – I think most of the gear I mentioned can be used in everyday life, so I am prepared to spend more, at least I expect to pay for a satellite phone significantly more than for my mobile. I’m fit and in late 30-es. I expect to have gear for myself only, but most likely I won’t be alone in case of emergency. I want the gear as small, lightweight and compact as possible, but already think it is going to be quite heavy and bulky. Restrictions – yes, I must comply with the local laws, and will be checking before my travels.

Since many survival situations start once you become seriously injured, I consider an option that I might be seriously injured and have to rely on external urgent help while trying to stay alive. That’s why it is communication, medical kit and shelter. Then there are situations when you have to escape and this is where the tools for escape are coming from on my list, but they are down the list because they are useless if too seriously injured.
I am thinking to have several layers of survival kit:
1. Main - a few core items that are used in any situation and for very short-term (from a few minutes to a few days);
2. Secondary - add items depending on the geography where I will travel, similar duration;
3. Outer – longer term items, over a few days because help may take a while to arrive.
I agree, the kit has big trade-ins, but I think it meets better the requirements for most common survival situations than some other kits – medical issue, crime, traffic, fire.

1. Main - a few core items that are used in any situation and for very short-term (from a few minutes to a few days);
2. Secondary - add items depending on the geography where I will travel, similar duration;
3. Outer – longer term items, over a few days because help may take a while to arrive.

Perhaps another way to look at it may be:

1. PRIMARY: those items that assist your 3 primary concerns and which can be legally carried anywhere as "carry on" bag. This would obviously be a very small amount of gear to be able to carry on any aircraft, to any destination, legally. It would be a very basic EDC type of kit.

2. SECONDARY: that gear which meets your primary needs and can legally be checked in baggage anywhere that you fly to and anywhere that you land.

3. OUTER: that gear which meets your 3 basic needs but isn't legal in every destination. You get that gear that is legal, locally, and leave it behind if it is illegal at your next destination.

These are just my opinions and worth every penny you've paid for it. Also note that I haven't flown overseas since 1999. There have been major changes everywhere since then.

Many situations also start with someone becoming lost. Make sure your kit includes navigation. Staying found is big and if it turns into an E&E you really want to where you're going.

Edit:
After some thought, either of the Garmin Foretrex GPS receivers or the newer fenix™ GPS, all wrist-worn would work. I kinda like the fenix™ because it looks more like a standard digital watch. Unfortunately, the downside is that Foretrex units require batteries and the fenix™ requires a source to recharge.

If you want universal and light, you want knowledge and skill; they are more important than the widget-of-the-month.

Absolutely.

After that, focus first on things that are hard to improvise. My top three are a knife, ways to make a fire and a flashlight for the wilderness. For urban/suburban areas it's cash, a phone and transportation. Depending on your level of training, the laws where you will be, and the relative safety of the area, you might consider self-defense options.

Another way to look at it revolves around the rule of threes: You can survive three minutes without air, three hours without shelter, three days without water, and three weeks without food. The rule is hardly absolute but it gives you a framework for setting priorities.

Yes, I agree with this, mobile phone has GPS. I think some satellite phones have GPS too.

Yes, this is what I used:
Air - can be caused either by an injury (most likely) or a dangerous chemical gas (less likely unless it is smoke). Two options – get help or get out. Get help – signalling, get out – navigation and tools to make sure obstacles can be dealt with. I suspect that if you are injured, you will be lucky to press a button of a beacon or, if there are people around you, they can use your kit to provide first aid and call for help
Shelter – layering, but it needs to be compact
Water - it is heavy and there is little to improvise, you either need to carry it with yourself, or have a filter. If situation presses hard, then I will drink as clean water as I can get and then spend time in a hospital.
Food – I tried to check survival statistics about starvation and could not find it. I suspect that it is not that frequent in non-conflict areas. So, I feel snares, fishing kit etc are good for keeping you busy and additional building material, but that’s about it.
I am not discussing weapons because there is a higher chance police will stop and search me in any country I visit than actually end up in a situation when it becomes essential.

Whatever else you decide on do the five 'C''s first.