Before I got to the Red Cross, I spent time in another place that’s busy responding to disasters…Legacy Emanuel Hospital. And not a year went by without an incident of a climber getting stuck on Mount Hood overnight and suffering from hypothermia or a significant injury.

That’s why I was so interested to read the article in today’s Oregonian about the Civil Air Patrol’s new airdrop kits designed to sustain people until rescuers arrive.

The kits can be customized, but they typically contain:

Drinking water
Canteen
Water purification tablets
All-weather fire tender
Flint sparker
Survival blanket
Insect repellent
Strobe light
Audio alarm
FRS radio
First aid kit
Knife
Food rations
Whistle
LED light
100-foot cord

Of course, if you were truly prepared to go into the wilderness, you’d have many of these things in your pack to begin with. And when you’re dealing with something as unpredictable as nature, it pays to be prepared.

Which brings me back to my point… Rather than rely on the fact that CAP can get you one of these kits, I highly recommend taking our new Wilderness First Aid course. Sure, you’ll give up two Saturdays (the next one’s June 21 and 28) and $195, but I understand that the price is actually less expensive than most other wilderness preparedness courses. Not to mention that your LIFE is worth a whole lot more than that.