One of the biggest changes I made from doing Urban/Rural SAR as apposed to Wilderness SAR (Basically Maine SAR vs. Alaska SAR) were electronics/electrically focused.

While I did SAR in New England I always carried a mini phone (one of those cheep $9 phones available at Radio Shack or Wal-Mart) the kind that they promoted to kids. The thing was great it could make phone calls and I had a patching system that I could connect to phone lines to call for help/support or to report locations.

Also during my New England time I carried wire cutters and more equipment to navigate electricity and locks (don't ask about the locks) I even carried the tools necessary to open Elevators and get past security screws. Thank goodness a cop never looked in my bag, everything was carried and used in SAR and Urban survival venue, but lets just say that a thief would have killed for my kit.


When I moved to Alaska I put all the electrical equipment aside, there were no phone polls to climb and tap into to call for support. There were no elevators (at the time I lived there) that I would need to access or get out of. So I dumped the4 3 pounds of gear. But promptly added things that I knew I would need.

Now my Urban Survival kit includes even a mini laptop. Where I would never bring that into the wilderness.