Goodafternoon,

Thank you for your replies, I appreciate your input and hope to be able to answer some of your questions about the item selection and low cost of the kit.

Aloha, I kept the costs of the kit down to $15.00 by 3 methods. Buying items on sale (e.g. insect repellent in the winter), buying components in bulk (e.g. big spools of brass wire from Home Depot), and buying items at the Discount Dollar Stores (e.g. LED's, containers, tape, pencils, firestarter packets, plastic bags, etc).

The mirrors in the kit are not true "one-hand signal mirrors", they were 4"x6" school locker mirrors that I bought at the Dollar Store for a buck ($1.14 after tax). I then removed the frame and cut the plastic mirror into 4 sections of 2"x3", the corners were rounded with a file, a lanyard hole was drilled and detailed instructions with a diagram were glued to the back. The kids were instructed in the field on the 2 hand use of a mirror for signaling.

Ironraven, The containers also came from the Dollar Store and were one of my best finds at $1.14 for a pack of 4! The flexible plastic container is like a shortened square with rounded edges/corners (3.5"x3.5"x1.5" = 8.5 fl. oz capacity), it has transperant sides/bottom with a bright yellow lid. It is called an "Air Tight Snap Container" made by Plastico (stock # 1000135). I had to find a suitable container first as that would have the biggest influence on the amount/size of items in the kit. I would not want a container any larger as this is maximum "Kid Pocket Size". I would prefer a metal container (for boiling water) but the only ones I could find were beyond our limited budget.

Alex, I like your idea of 2 trash bags but I wanted them to be colourful (orange) for signaling and at least one large bag to use as a poncho or in shelter building. I may be able to add a second trash bag to the "shelter unit" as it is seperate from the main container.

OBG, I did find a source for some thicker "Contractor/Industrial Grade" trash bags but they were all black colour. I wanted to keep the multi-purpose idea of the trash bags for signaling and shelter so I went with the 2ml (?) orange yardwaste bag, they were also cheaper. I am going to have to put some more thought into the shelter portion of the kit as I would prefer a tougher, larger orange trash bag and I do not care for the cheap mylar blankets.

jshannon, Thank you for the information on Potable Aqua clorine dioxide tablets, I have only seen Katadyn's in Canada so far and those I had to order from MEC in Vancouver. I will keep looking for a cheaper version. Can chlorine dioxide be abused as original Potable Aqua can be; if so I may not be allowed to put it in the youth kits?

One group I instructed banned any "weapons" from the kits so I had to remove all sharp items (razor blade, utility knife blade, hacksaw blade, I left the needles in), I had to fight to keep fire-starting tools (lighter/matches) in the kit.

Wolf, I have never been able to find a small spark-based fire-starter in Ontario like the BSA (Boy Scouts of America) Hot Spark. Even in my own mini-kits I had to hacksaw a Coghlan's Magnesium Firestarter into quarters so it would fit.

An exercise I did as a Scout Leader 20 years ago was to epoxy lighter "flints" onto a short piece of grooved hardwood dowel; this was stored in a 35mm film canister with a piece of hacksaw blade and some PJ/cotton balls as an emergency firestarter kit; the scouts liked this exercise and used them in the field.
I took this one step further last winter and cut a groove in a cylindrical, shortened, aluminum "Buffalo" whistle (taped mouthpiece) on which I glued the larger replacement flints for a welding sparker. This produces sparks well but it would be better if the flint rod was a continous 1.5" long, so the striker does not bounce at the sections.

CANOEDOGS, I like your thinking of adding more and higher quality gear to the kits, the problem is space and cost. The kits are now at maximum capacity and to add anything would mean the removal of something else or a bigger container. I am O.K. with this as long as it increases the usefulness of the kit to the survivor. I have found that many early teenaged kids have had no exposure to fire making at all (never struck a match or lit a lighter before). They find lighting a match difficult and scary, they are better with lighters (I took the childproof device of my field instruction ones) but many are still afraid. I would like to up-size the lighters but cannot afford the loss of space. Untreated cotton-balls make basic tinder but the main use is to keep the fishing sinkers from rattling, I hate that! I found an nice, mini-LED light with an on/off switch but it was 3.5x the cost, I am afraid it's over our budget.

The kids I have instructed are from 2 different backgrounds; Northern Ontario rural kids who have had a lot of outdoor experience and inner-city Southern Ontario kids who have had very little exposure. I have found both groups great to work with and enthusiastic, you just have to start with the basics and work up at speed of the students ability.

Please keep your comments coming as I am reworking the content list now; maybe I should increase the size of the container?

Thanks,

Mike