Safety Gear

(Under Construction …….)

Weather & Emergency Radio

Sangean was pleased with my review, and offers visitors to my website €20 reduction. (See below)

Basecamp, Camping or at Home, as soon as the internet is not available an Emergency Radio can get you the needed information about weather, disasters and what not. But, radio’s need power, so I use the Sangean Survivor because it accepts Micro USB, the hand crank and the solar panel to charge it. You can see if the device is charging with the LED indicator. This radio offers both analogue FM reception and it’s digital successor DAB+. So all you have to do is check the emergency frequencies in your area. The radio will also play your music via speaker or earphone, charge your phone, it has a clock, 20 station presets (10 DAB+, 10 FM) and it has a flashlight with Morse Code SOS.

My Basic First Aid Kit

My Basic First Aid Kit is packed in a 8 liter waterproof bag containing a Venimex venom extractor kit, a windlass tourniquet and an adapted combination of the ‘Care Plus Mountaineer‘ & ‘Care Plus Refill kit – Sterile‘ First Aid Kits. (My own extra additions in Blue):

  • Haago Body Warmers, 4x sets
  • An Emergency Shelter
  • Compresses 5×5 cm
  • Plasters 25×72 mm
  • Plasters 60×100 mm
  • Wound plasters 10 x 25 cm (really big)
  • Spray Plaster (quick, waterproof)
  • Plasters 19×38 mm
  • Hydrophilic bandages 5 cm x 4 m
  • Finger plasters
  • Knuckle plasters
  • Blister plasters 5×5 cm
  • Non-sticking compresses 10×10 cm
  • Set of butterfly stitches (5)
  • Emergency bandages 12×12 cm
  • Roll of fixing tape 2.5 cm x 5 m
  • Care Plus® Waterproof bandage 8 x 6 cm
  • Triangular cloths
  • Vinyl gloves
  • Alcohol wipes
  • Betadine (disinfectant)
  • Packet of safety pins (6 pins)
  • Emergency blanket
  • Mouth-to-mouth facemask
  • unbreakable thermometer
  • Pair of first aid scissors (large)
  • Tweezers
  • Blood lancets
  • Doctor’s statement
  • Care Plus First Aid Guidance Card
  • Roll duct tape
  • Sports tape, 2.5 cm x 10 cm
  • Non Elastic Athletic tape (for joint fixation and relieve)
  • Hydrophilic bandage 7.5 cm x 4 m
  • Net bandage
  • Splint
  • Splint 36″ (arm-sized splint)
  • Finger Splint (kayaking specific)
  • Small tampons (nose bleeds)
  • Emergency whistle
  • Lipstick/lip balm
  • Foot powder
  • Guide to emergency signals
  • Needle and syringe 0.6×25 / 5 ml, 6 pieces
  • Disposable syringes 2 ml
  • Disposable syringes 5 ml
  • Disposable needles 0,4×20 mm
  • Disposable needles 0.8×40 mm
  • IV needle (Cannula IV) 125 ml/min
  • Laceration Kits: Suture & needle 75 cm/nylon
  • Scalpel
  • Tick remover
  • Medicines
  • Immodium (Loperamide is a medicine to treat diarrhoea)
  • Bisacodyl (Laxative treating constipation)
  • Paracetamol (pain relieve)
  • Epi-pen adrenaline-autoinjector (treating allergic reactions)
  • Glucagon Injector (treating Diabetis)
  • Oral Rehydration Salts Sachets (treating dehydration)
  • Katadyn Micropur (Water Purification Tablets)

Emergency Shelters & Body Warmers

Hypothermia occurs when wet, wind, and cold overwhelms the body’s ability to produce and to retain heat. Hypothermia can arise from a several minute unpredicted rescue in cold water; from days of rainy, cool conditions. With regards to my First Aid Kit, I allways pack Haago Body Warmers and an Emergency Shelter.

Satellite Messenger / Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)

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This little unit is my main device to keep contact whilst on route. The Zoleo satellite communicator. Connected to the Zoleo app it’ll use the cheapest way to send and receive messages. It’s core functions are:

  • Send and receive messages anywhere over Wi-Fi, cellular and satellite, trying in the following order: Wi-Fi, cellular data, then over the Iridium satellite network, via the ZOLEO device. (Basically the least cost route for the message.)
  • Messaging is possible by SMS, email and app-to-app.
  • Send Check-in messages with one touch, to let others know you’re OK. Both the device and the app have a dedicated button for this. Your check-in message will be sent to your check-in contact(s). You can also include your GPS coordinates if desired.
  • Send an SOS alert to activate Search & Rescue, with 24/7 emergency monitoring and dispatch included (provided by GEOS), alike a PLB.
    • Both the device and the app have a dedicated button for this.
    • When GEOS receives your SOS alert, they’ll know the GPS coordinates of your ZOLEO communicator. They’ll contact the appropriate emergency response authorities for your location, and reach out to the emergency contacts you designated when creating your ZOLEO account.
    • Using the ZOLEO App, you’ll also be able to message back and forth with GEOS to exchange updates, until your emergency situation has been resolved. Two-way SOS simply isn’t offered by one-way communicators, PLBs and EPIRBs.
    • Even if you’re using the ZOLEO communicator on its own, without the app, you’ll get confirmation that your SOS message was received (via the LEDs on the device).
  • Get DarkSky weather forecasts.
  • Share your GPS location with others, via messages. (The Zoleo doesn’t provide a following/tracking feature.)
  • Automated updates.

Each Zoleo has it’s own unique cellnumber and e-mailaddress which it’ll use to send and receive messages.
The app and device have the ability to send app-to-app messages, SMS, and email messages. You’ll must be outside in the clear to get GPS position and to access the satellites.
Cost. For most types of use the Zoleo is the most cost effective, both the device as the (‘In Touch’) plan. It also has service enabling you to suspending the plan, for a small fee.

Technical specs:

  • Weight: 150 g
  • Size (L x W x D): 9.1 x 6.6 x 2.7 cm
  • Ingress Protection: IP68; dust- and water-resistant to 1.5 m for 30 min.
  • Shock-resistant: MIL-STD 810G (surviving 30 drops from 1,8 meter height).
  • Power input: Micro-USB Type B connector
  • Covered SOS button prevents false alarms (also cancellable)
  • Audible alerts for messages (user-selected tone)
  • Internal GPS chip, location-aware (accurate to 2.5 m)
  • LEDs for: messages, SOS, check-in, and power
  • Battery: Rechargeable internal Lithium Ion
  • Battery life: 200+ hours
  • Charging time: 2 hours using 1.5 A charger
  • Satellite network: Iridium
  • Connects via Bluetooth LE (one connection at a time; range of up to 50 m)
  • Global Navigation Satellite System: GPS, GLONASS

Rescue Laser Light

This is my Rescue Laser Light. A Laser Light is a hand-held day and night laser signaling device that provides a convenient, effective way to signal a rescue party. Unlike normal lasers, the Rescue Light isn’t beaming a dot. It beams a vertical fan of light that spreads thousands of feet long at miles of distance, making it easy to get the attention of rescue people, – vehicles or -aircrafts. A target will see a brief, but bright, momentary flash as the laser line crosses their field of vision. At distances of 13 feet or more, the Rescue Laser is perfectly eye safe, yet incredibly effective up to 30 miles away. It’s waterproof, rugged design combines the safety of a laser signaling device with the convenience of a flashlight. The Rescue Laser Light is non-flammable, environmentally safe, and can operate continuously for 40 hours on a single, long-life, replaceable CR123 lithium battery. It has a Sight Ring to help aim at your target.

Specs:

  • Visibility: 32 km nighttime, optimum conditions and 1.6-4.8 km daytime
  • Waterproof: to 24 m
  • Operational Life: 40 hours continuous use before changing battery
  • Battery: CR123 lithium battery
  • Class 3R laser device < 5mW


Odeo LED Distress Flare

The Odeo LED Flare (an Electronic Visual Distress Signal Device or eVDSD), is an internationally recognised distress signal and fully SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) compliant.
Flares are used to attract the attention of rescue teams. The small size (122x64mm), low weight (150 grams including batteries) and the IP68 rating of this flare makes it an ideal device for mountaineering, skiing, kayaking and other outdoor activities, where an unobstructed views (such as high ground) is available. Thus, this floating LED flare can replace the conventional smoke beacons and handheld flares on big water or open terrain, but it cannot replace rocket/parachute flares in situations like a mountainous or densely wooded landscape.

The Odeo Distress Flare has both Superbright LED’s and Infra Red LED’s (for night vision goggles), offering both strobe and SOS signals. It uses four L91 Lithium batteries for optimal functionality, which allow it to illuminate for around 9 hours at full illumination (pyro flares, typically, will illuminate for around 60 seconds), they are safer and can even be carried in baggage on flights.