To: Code Blue
First I’ll tell you my story and then I’ll address your question about what to carry in a survival kit.
Back in the early fifties I was a part of a US Coast Guard helicopter crew operating off an icebreaker working out of Thule, Greenland. Among our many duties we were also testing survival gear for the US Navy Pilots operating out of Korea and off of aircraft carriers. We at all times wore very warm clothing so that is a given. One day we were on a mail run and were going to Thule AFB to pick it up. I normally wore the new Ray ban sunglasses the ones with the upper and lower mirrored surfaces. On this occasion I left them below. I told the pilot that I wanted to pick them up from my locker. He indicated we would only be gone for a half an hour. When we got to the base, we were requested to fly two Airforce techs out on the Ice cap as one of their SA 16s had landed but could not get their prop out of reverse. We ended up staying for three days.
We had two survival/sustenance kits strapped on the side of the helicopter.
Among other things each kit contained an Armalite 222 rifle with ammunition and two pairs of black sunglasses. Someone had broken into both kits and removed the guns and the sunglasses as well as morphine and several other articles. I had to fashion a pair of sunglasses out of a piece of plastic. I cut slits in them just like the Eskimos’. Even with those make shift sunglasses, I suffered retinal burns and I had to spend several days in the sick bay.
If you are operating in snow country I assume you wear thermal underwear. Even if you do, have several sets for your passengers. Carry at least four thermal blankets (Aluminized Mylar). They are sometimes called Astronaut blankets. Carry several pairs of thermal socks and thermal gloves. If you can find them carry a couple of Jonnie Hand Warmers and matches in a vapor proof container. Carry the necessary signaling devices both electronic and visual. Carry chocolate (even if it gets frozen) as it has a lot of energy. The same for power bars you get in the grocery. Don't forget several pairs of Uv protected black sunglasses.
There are a lot of other things so I’ll let the other guys fill in the blanks.
Now, if you can only get the helicopter off the ground with all of that extra weight.
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The Cat
[This message has been edited by Lu Zuckerman (edited 03 February 2001).]