Basic First Aid

Life seems to be so unpredictable these days and you never know when you could find yourself in a threatening situation. Almost all of us live in areas prone to extreme weather conditions, and even a simple trip outdoors in very inclement conditions can become a potentially life-challenging situation. Given the relatively low cost and high level of protection provided, every family should consider having an emergency survival blanket available for each member of their household.

The United States space agency, NASA, first developed the concept of a thermal blanket in 1963. We’ve come a long way since then, and these blankets are now used for a variety of common situations, in addition to their primary role as a backup in case of emergency.

An emergency survival blanket is very lightweight, coming in at only 1/2 ounces, and can be carried with you at all times with no effort. The primary role of the blanket is to reflect your own body heat back towards you. If you are adventurous and like to trek off into the wilderness, camping in national parks or taking hiking expeditions, you should ensure that you have an emergency blanket with you all the time.

An emergency survival blanket is made from aluminized non-stretchy polyester and will stay flexible in temperatures below freezing. The blanket is particularly good at retaining body heat, keeping out wind and repelling water. As hypothermia can be a quick killer, you will want to be sure that your internal body temperature remains at the correct level if you find yourself in an emergency situation.

If you like to go camping, you should know that you can use an emergency survival blanket on your next trip. For example, you could put the blanket on the floor to act as a base before you set up camp. Also, you can wrap yourself in the blanket when you go to sleep, and this will give you protection should any potentially adverse conditions or problems arise as you sleep.

Space is always an issue if you travel, and one of the beauties of an emergency survival blanket is that it takes up a very small amount of space. The blanket can be packed very tightly and can be stored quite easily in your backpack. You should also know that these blankets come in a variety of sizes and you can even get blankets which are made for use by two people.

If you are watching the scene of an unfolding breaking news story on the television, you’ll often see medical personnel handing out emergency survival blankets to victims of an accident or other trauma. The blanket is very highly effective in containing body heat, keeping somebody dry and out of the wind, which can also sap your body heat.

An emergency survival blanket has many great features. In addition to being reusable, compact, weather proof, comfortable and flexible, they could just save your life. Make sure that you carry one for every member of your family.

Filed under: first aid