I've always worn a survival vest flying in PNG containing the basics: ELT, signal mirror, first aid kit, water proof matches, knife, water, space blanket and survival biscuit. Should the unfortunate arise you need to anticipate you will only escape with the gear tied to you. Where our life rafts and survival kits were stowed on the aircraft you'd never get to them in a ditching or crash in the tops of the trees.
All too often you hear about aircraft accidents in bad weather in PNG where rescue helicopters can't access the crash site. I know the helicopter pilots push as hard as possible to get through, but a pilot needs to be able to see the ground ahead of him to be able to fly a helicopter, and be able to see the ground behind him to turn around if he can no longer see the ground ahead of him.