Emergency tools are one of the “10 Basic Emergency Needs” that must be considered when preparing for any emergency or disaster. Very often, emergency and survival tools will be necessary to accomplish emergency tasks successfully and safely.
To select the right emergency tools for you, consider the types of emergencies that are common to your geography and the emergency scenarios they might create. Successful response will likely require emergency and survival tools to successfully carry out one or more of the following emergency activities:
- evacuation
- protection of self and/or property
- search & rescue
- survival living
The emergency tools you select should be:
- lightweight
- compact
- multifunction
- durable
A pair of emergency work gloves might be first on your list. Your ability to perform many manual tasks will be greatly enhanced by a pair of sturdy leather palm work gloves. Work gloves provide protection from injury and pain that can limit one’s ability to complete tasks.
Next, you should consider each of the four types of emergency tools.
Emergency Evacuation Tools
The goal in an evacuation is to “get out and away.” In some cases one’s exit from a house, apartment, or building may be blocked by jammed doors or fallen debris. This may be especially true in earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, hurricanes, etc. A pry tool such as the 4-in-1 Emergency Tool can pry open jammed doors and remove debris created by a catastrophic event.
Emergency Tools for Personal and Property Protection
Avoiding or limiting personal injury and property damage is one of the highest priorities in a disaster. Therefore, one of the most important types of tools to have is one that helps to protect you and your property by turning off utilities. In earthquakes, hurricanes ,tornadoes, and other disasters gas and water lines can be broken. This damage can threaten additional damage to property and may be life threatening.
Shutting off the natural gas in a disaster may help avert an explosion . The POGO (Pry Off, Gas Off) Pry Bar is a very effective emergency tool for turning off the gas at the meter.
Like the POGO (Pry Off, Gas Off) Pry bar, the 4-in-1 Emergency Tool can be used to turn off the gas, but it also turns off the water main and can help to stop flooding in the event that water lines break.
Emergency Search and Rescue Tools
ll major disasters involve some type of search and rescue operations. Average citizens often end up working side-by-side with professional responders or to have to conduct these operations on their own in the absence of emergency response professionals.
In search and rescue operations, emergency tools that can be used to pry open doors, pry off fallen materials, and clear or break through debris may be essential to reaching and freeing a victim.
Emergency tools like the POGO (Pry Off, Gas Off) Pry Barand the 4-in-1 Emergency Tool can be used for several prying and debris removal activities. A shovel can also prove very helpful in removing debris or digging under them to reach and release trapped victims.
The 6-in-1 Survival Shovel Emergency Tool is a good multifunction shovel for such functions. It can be an excellent companion emergency tool to either the POGO Pry Bar or the 4-In-1 Emergency Tool. This tool is compact, lightweight, durable and multifunctional. It includes a shovel, hatchet, saw, hammer, nail puller and even a can opener.
Emergency Tools for Survival Living
Finally, one should consider what tools might be needed should they have to live outdoors (or at least away from traditional shelter) for a period of time. Not everyone who is forced to leave their home ends up in a comfortable evacuation shelter within the first 24 hours of a disaster. Therefore, each emergency kit should have simple tools that might be used to “set up camp”.
A tool that help one build or clear ground, set up shelter, cut or chop firewood, etc. might be very valuable in a scenario in which one must provide their own “survival living area” for even a day or two. Here again an emergency tool similar to the 6-in-1 Survival Shovel Emergency Tool would be very helpful.
One might also consider the need for basics like a knife, pliers, screwdrivers, can opener, etc. The need for such smaller, yet equally important tools, can often be met with a hand held multifunction tool such as this 4-in-1 Multifunction Emergency Tool. This is a basic for various needs around the “survival camp”.
What Emergency Tools do I Need?
So, “what emergency tools do you need?” Well, each of us needs simple tools that can help us to:
(1) evacuate safely
(2) protect ourselves and our property
(3) aid in search and rescue efforts
(4) live in an outdoor survival situation.
These tools should be:
(1) lightweight
(2) compact
(3) multifunction
(4) durable
Where do you start? Make sure to have a good pair of work gloves for every member of the family. Beyond that, consider what you can carry. It is usually not too difficult to have each family member carry at least one emergency tool. In a real disaster, you’ll be thankful you have the proper emergency tools to help you be secure.
