I read an article a few months back entitled Make A Survival Key Ring – Your Everyday Tool for Emergency Preparedness by Jeffrey R. Yago.
In the article, Yago shared his ideas for putting together a survival key chain. Think of survival key chains as a miniature, portable survival kit. I thought it sounded like a great idea, so I set out to make me a few. I also added a few items that he didn’t suggest.
The Key Ring
Key ring styles. Plenty to choose from here, from the basic design to pull-apart dual rings to carabiner styles that look more like rock-climbing tools than key rings. I prefer the carabiner style. You may decide some combination works best for you. You can also purchase a variety of ring sizes at office supply stores.
Lights and Knife
Knife or Swiss Army multi-tool. Lights and a cutting tool are items I consider “required components” of any good survival key chain. Again, you can spend as much or as little as you wish on the various styles. Utility knifes such as a Swiss Army knife with fold-out instruments may be sufficient for most every-day survival key chains.
Mini LED Flashlight. As for flashlights, we’ve come a long way. They now make super-bright LED flashlights the size of a quarter that last for hours. No shortage of these around, and it is definitely something to add to your survival key ring. These little lights will come in handy when navigating in the dark.
Navigation and Fire-Making
Fire starter. Unless you want to spend hours trying to start a fire rubbing two sticks together you need dry matches or a fire starter bar. I attended one survivalist camp where the guy leading the fire starting workshop never did get the fire started before it was time to move on to the next topic. Yes it is exciting to be able to start a fire by turning a stick 5,000 times into a small piece of wood with tiny kindling. But it takes a lot of time and energy – two things you may not have depending on your survival situation.
This fire starter bar fits nicely on your key chain, and can generate fire in under a minute. Here’s how it works: Using the backside of a pocketknife, or any other metal edge, you simply scrape magnesium shavings onto a sheet of paper, or scrap cloth, or whatever dry kindling you can find. Then a scrape down the striker rod produces a spark that ignites the magnesium shavings and your kindling.
Compass. As I have written in previous articles, please learn how to use a compass before you are lost! For navigation, basically you just need to find general directions from a key ring compass. From there you can extrapolate other directions. If you find yourself lost, and you know a little about the surrounding terrain, you may be able to make it to a road, a river, or a town, just by knowing which direction to move.
Rescue
Safety whistle. Few people think of whistles when putting together a survival kit, but it is one of the more valuable rescue tools available.
First-Aid
You can purchase a key-chain with these items from the Red Cross for $5.00.
Contents:
• 2 – Antiseptic Towelettes
• 1 – Triple-Antibiotic Cream Pack
• 1 – Non-Adherent Bandages 2”x3”
• 10 – Junior Bandages
• 10 – Adhesive Bandages 3/4”x3”
• 2 – Flexible Knuckle Bandage
• 2 – Flexible Fingertip Bandage
I would also add a couple days worth of prescription meds that you take and aspirin. The above are only suggestions. Make your survival key ring to your own specifications.
I keep survival key rings at home, in my hiking backpack, my office and in my vehicles.
Carolina Survivalist 