Ladies and Gentlemen

I have used this forum for ideas for years and thought that you might like to see how New Zealand Red Cross equips its international disaster response delegates. We have to strike a balance between discharging our duty of care to our employees and not over burdening them. As a minimum they go with:

1. Hard shell case (Pelican 1510)
2. NZRC padlock x2 (+ TSA locks, USA use only)
3. Security cable
4. sheet sleeping bag – silk - long
5. Mosquito net and command removable hanging hooks
6. Insect repellent (small)
7. Loo paper x 2
8. Waterless bactericidal hand wash (small)
9. Sun block (small)
10. Poncho (cheap rain protection)
11. Very small windup torch
12. IFRC/NZRC/ERU (Finish) vest
13. NZRC T Shirt x 4
14. NZRC Sun hat
15. Life jacket (+strobe, +heliograph, a lot of our work is in Pacific Islands)
16. Food x 6 days (emergency)
17. Water filter + water sterilisation drops
18. Water bottle
19. Laundry liquid (conc.)
20. Polythene Tarpaulin/whiteboard (2x4 m)
21. Whiteboard pen (2 colours)
22. Builders twine
23. Personal first aid kit
24. Duct tape
25. Folding bucket
26. Can opener
27. Universal bath plug

The case, cable and padlocks together provide a reasonably secure stowage for valuables. At a pinch the polythene sheet duct tape and builders twine will give weather protection. If we suspect that accommodation will not be available we add a personal accommodation pack:

1. Backpack
2. NZRC padlock x2 (+ TSA lock, use only inside USA)
3. Security cable (2 meters)
4. Sleeping bag (lightweight)
5. Sleeping mat
6. Tent (self supporting, may be used as mosquito dome)
7. Food x 8 days
8. Knife Fork Spoon Mug & Plate
9. Cooking pot set
10. Multifuel stove & fuel bottle
11. Flint and steel
12. Loo paper x 4 roll

No matches, no lighters, to avoid arguments at airports. Each delegate has a personal issue SOG multitool, optimised for electrical work.
NZRC maintains an IT&Telecoms Emergency Response Unit for use by the IFRC, they may be deployed at 48 hours notice anywhere in the world. In the event of going to extreme climates we send them to an outdoors shop with a budget limit and tell them to buy what they need.
It was not our turn to delploy this time, never the less I have grown a few more grey hairs over the last couple of days.

Matthew