During hurricanes, fires, floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters, your water supply could be cut off or contaminated. If a disaster or emergency shuts down the local water supply for longer than a day; waterborne diseases and lack of water become two incredibly real and serious risks.

Pro Tip: Lakes and ponds in urban environments are unsafe for drinking. They are full of chemicals from lawns and pesticides from businesses and building sites. Many of our filters and water treatments will not take care of chemicals and heavy metals.

How Long Can You Go Without Water?

In a survival situation, water is one of the most important things you need to survive. The human body can only go for about three days without water, but that time can be shorter depending on the environment and how hard you are working. If it is hot and dry, you may only last one or two days without drinking. In our blog about bugging out of the 2025 L.A. fires, we talk about how the dry, smoky air almost doubled our water consumption. On the other hand, if you are in a cooler area, you may last a little longer. The rule of three states that an average human can go three days without water, but we should remember that that average is based on someone who is not already dehydrated. Many people do not drink enough water on a daily basis and probably start their survival situation much closer to dehydration than the rules of three would have us believe.   It is important to remember that even if you do survive without water for a while, your body will be weakened and much less able to handle other challenges.

How Much Water Do I Need?

The average person needs about a gallon of water per day, depending on factors like activity level and climate. This amount covers hydration for normal daily activities, but it does not include extra water needed for cooking, cleaning, or other survival needs. In a situation where you have limited resources, it is important to find ways to stretch your water supply and use it wisely. One place to look for water in an emergency situation is your water heater. Many people overlook this potential resource, but it can provide a valuable backup supply when other sources are unavailable.

Water can take up space, see our blog on creative storage methods for your disaster preparedness gear.

How to Empty Your Water Heater?

When preparing for a power outage, bug-in situation, or any other at-home emergency, it is important to start collecting water soon, if you have not already done so. You do not need to purchase all of your water at once if cost is a concern. Instead, try adding a few bottles to your grocery trips. However, what happens if you are away from your water supply? Many of us have friends or family who may not be as well-prepared as we are, and sometimes emergencies can last longer than expected. In those cases, we might need to “MacGyver it” and find alternative ways to access drinking water. One often overlooked option is your water heater.

Did you know that the clean water stored in your water heater is safe to drink? It could be a lifesaver when you need it most.

Depending on where you live, and the size of your house, you likely have 30-50 gallons of water stored in your water heater right now. My water heater is larger in size and contains 50 gallons, which is 10 days of drinking water for my family of five. But we need to be able to protect and access this water.

Use this general picture to get an idea of where stuff is on your water heater before an emergency strikes.

Make sure to read your manual too, this picture is just general similarities in the water heater setup.

Home Work: Add the following to your at-home disaster preparedness kit.

1. Clean, dedicated garden hose with a “Female” fitting on the end.
2. Several clean containers for holding water. Do not use just one, in case of accidental contamination.
3. Flathead screwdriver, this is the norm but make sure you do not have a different type of screw on your water heater.
4. Gloves, water heaters are hot and can burn you. You do not want to start an emergency by treating scalding burns.

Step One: How to Protect Your Water Supply

With one twist of a lever, we can shut out any contaminated city water.

If the arm is parallel with the pipes, it is open, if the arm is at a 90-degree angle to the pipes, it is closed.

Recent history has shown us just how quickly a city’s water supply can become contaminated during an emergency. Do not wait to find out if the city’s water supply is contaminated or not. You absolutely do not want to let any water contamination into your house, one of the first things you should do is turn off the cold water supply going into your water heater from the city’s source. Our goal is to shut off the supply of water from the outside going directly into our water heater. This is actually really easy to do, and it only takes a few moments. There is a valve, almost always on a copper pipe running to the top of your tank, which controls the water coming into your heater. I turn this off first things first, then I fill up my bathtubs and some containers for extra water. I will leave all this stored water ready to go, and then I make a decision. If I feel safe with the water situation, I continue to use tap water, should that water be cut off, or if I have any fear it is contaminated, then I shut off the main water supply coming into my house. If you are not sure, then just assume the water is contaminated and use your reserves until you know for sure.

Learn how to shut off the main water supply to your house before you need to.

Should you ever have busted pipes, this comes in just as handy as with contaminated city water.

Pro tip: If you know for sure that the tap water is not yet contaminated, there will often be warnings of disasters, you can fill up any containers and all your bathtubs with water to use for hygiene and cleaning needs too.

How to Drain Your Water Heater, Step Two: Safety First

It is recommended to empty your water heater once a year, even without emergencies or zombies.

Once you decide to start draining your water heater, remember to let the water cool, then turn off the power on your heater. This is important even if the power is out. During a power outage, the electricity could come back on at any moment.. Not only could you get hurt if the unit turns on unexpectedly, burns are more likely than electrocution, but many heaters will break if they turn on without a certain amount of water in them. Water heaters are normally run either on gas or electricity. When you turn off the power the pilot light may go off on the gas versions, make sure to shut off the gas too, if this is the case.

Turn off the power, and the gas, for both safety and to protect your device from damage.

How to Drain Your Water Heater, Step Three – Attach The Hose

I grew up drinking from a hose, but I keep a short designated hose in my at-home disaster preparedness kit anyway. This way I know it is clean, and a shorter length is much easier to use in tight basement spaces. Should you find yourself in a situation where you have to use a found hose, just do everything you can to make sure it is clean and not contaminated.

Attach one end of your hose to the drain valve on your heater and run the other end into your containers, see why a shorter hose might be nice for this?

It can be hard to fill your containers from the drain valve, but a small hose attached can be a game changer.

How to Drain Your Water Heater, step Four – Turn the Screw

Now we need to open the valve to get the water flowing. This is normally a flat head screw, but check your heater and manual for the exact location and exact tool to store in your kit. On my water heater, I can easily open the valve with my screwdriver and the water will start to flow out of my hose.

Sometimes the water will start to flow slowly, and other times nothing will happen. Your water heater has a sort of vacuum effect going on and we may need to address this vacuum pressure. Open up the air pressure relief valve, normally on top, and air will flow in. Once you get a steady flow of water, you can close the valve again. If you get a steady flow from the start, you can skip this step.

The relief valve may have a discharge pipe attached to it. The pipe will run straight toward the ground, but be open on the end.

How to Drain Your Water Heater, step four – Fill Up Your Containers

Keep an eye on your containers as you fill them up. The pressure situation could change and the flow might speed up or slow down. As soon as your container is filled, simply shut off the drain valve until you need to fill up another.

After The Emergency Passes and Services Are Back to Normal

Whether you had to drain any water or not, we need to undo all of this and restore ourselves to normal operation when the emergency passes. You will need to turn the city’s cold water supply back on, and your main water supply if you shut it off too. Let the water heater fill up before you do anything else!

Note: Make sure the drain valve, where you were filling up your containers, is shut before you start filling your water heater, otherwise you could have a flood to deal with. Once the tank is filled again, turn your gas back on and light the pilot light. I highly recommend you contact a professional from the gas company if you had to shut off your gas. Be especially careful with this step as it can be dangerous in both the short and long term. Now return your gear to your kit and start resupplying your stored water cache for the next adventure.

WARNING!!!

This was a general guide, based on what I feel comfortable doing with my training and my device, make sure you read your manufacturer’s instructions for your water heater, every water heater is a little different. Only drain your water heater if you feel that you fully understand any dangers and safety concerns. Doing this wrong could damage the heater, your house, or your person. For example, some water heaters can burn out their heating elements if there is no water in the tank. Do not forget to be especially safe with your gas elements, if you have them, and to turn off your electricity. We recommend you wear gloves and other safety gear and only do what you feel comfortable with. Draining the water heater should be done only for regular service and for emergency situations. There are certainly other options if you do not feel comfortable with any of these steps or techniques.

Become familiar with your owner’s manual now so you are ready when you need to be.

Final Thoughts – Hidden Water Sources at Home and Smart Preparedness Tips

There are several other places to get water around your house, more on that later, but we would recommend you store several days’ worth of water in your house and some more in your bug-out vehicle, more articles on that soon.

It is a good idea to drain your water heater once a year as part of its maintenance schedule, why not use that time to get yourself just one step closer to being prepared for any old thing? That reminds me, I need to drain mine and get some new heater air filters too. Guess that means I am off to run errands.

If you are interested in urban Bug-In or Bug out classes, especially as part of our new Denver Location, send me an email at hutch@thesurvivaluniversity.com

Stay prepared, and stay safe out there. I will see you next time on the adventure trail,

Hutch

We’d love to hear your thoughts! Please leave a comment below – your feedback not only helps us improve our content, it also helps more people discover our guide. Thanks for being part of our community!

About the Author

Aaron “Hutch” Hutchings is a seasoned survival, bushcraft, and wilderness living instructor with years of experience both as a student and a teacher. He is the owner of Ready Set Adventure Box (www.readysetadventurebox.com) and serves as a lead instructor at The Survival University (www.thesurvivaluniversity.com), where he teaches both beginner and advanced courses, as well as runs youth and family programs. Hutch has studied under some of the biggest names in the survival industry, and has even worked with a few of them directly.

A former Marine and lifelong Boy Scout, Hutch grew up immersed in outdoor skills, thanks in part to his grandfather, another outdoor instructor who used training with survival legends as rewards for achieving goals. Hutch is also the author of four books and brings a unique perspective to his teaching as someone who is autistic. His passion for survival skills and outdoor education shines through in every class he teaches.

Every fire kit should have at least one method for making an open flame.

Last week we looked at packing a real-world survival fire kit, MASTERING FIRE FOR SURVIVAL, this week we will start to look at using some of those items, and others, from our preparedness gear. Learning how to light a fire is a helpful skill for many situations. Fires are important for warmth, cooking, and providing light. Understanding how to use natural materials for fire-making is just as valuable as knowing how to use a lighter. Our Ethnobotany 101 course teaches you how to identify plants that can be used for tinder, kindling, and fire maintenance in the wild. When you are able to start a fire easily, you will feel more confident in your ability to handle outdoor tasks. The goal of this blog is to help you learn how to use a lighter to start a fire, even if the lighter is broken or empty. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of lighters and matches, you will be able to confidently light a fire in any situation.

Lighters: Strengths and Weaknesses

Lighters are often used to start fires because they are easy to carry and use. However, like all tools, they have both strengths and weaknesses. Understanding these will help you use them more effectively.

Strengths of Lighters:

• Simple to Use: Lighters are very easy to use. You press a button or flick a switch to produce an open flame.
• Quick Flame: Lighters produce a flame instantly, which is perfect when you need a fire right away.
• Portable: Lighters are small and light, which makes them easy to carry in your pocket, fire kit, or bag.

Weaknesses of Lighters:

• Can Break: Lighters are small and can easily break if dropped or hit too hard.
• Can Run Out of Fuel: A lighter will only work as long as there is fuel inside. Once the fuel runs out, it will no longer light.
• Do Not Work in Wet Conditions: Lighters can be hard to use when they are wet. Water can stop the flame from appearing.
• Wind Can Blow Out the Flame: A strong wind can blow out the flame of a lighter, making it hard to start a fire.
• Elevation: Lighters work by adding a spark to a highly flammable gas. Gasses are greatly affected by elevation. At high elevations, a lighter may provide no flame or an extremely small and difficult-to-use flame.

How to Deal with the Weaknesses of Lighters?

Now that we know the weaknesses of lighters, let us look at how to deal with them if they happen.

How to make fire with a broken lighter?

If your lighter breaks, you can still make fire using alternative techniques. In our Survival Skills and Backcountry Hiking Adventure, you’ll practice fire-starting in real outdoor conditions, using whatever materials are available.

If your lighter breaks, there are a few ways to make it work again:

Use the Flint: Before we go any further here, it is common to call the spark-making part of a lighter a flint. The companies even sell packs of lighter replacement flints. The truth is that flint is actually a rock, which does not spark. This is a common mistake that comes from the old method of making a fire often called flint and steel. With flint and steel the flint, or many other rocks, is actually used to knock off a tiny spark from a pyrophoric metal. Pyrophoric metals will create a tiny short lived fire, which we call a spark. In modern times, scientists figured out how to add other pyrophoric metals to make the sparks more abundant, easier to get, and significantly hotter. These new metals are often called ferro rods, and it is actually a tiny little ferro rod that creates the spark of a lighter. A lighter has a scraping wheel that rubs up against the tiny little ferro rod and creates a shower of hot sparks. These hot sparks then in turn light the flammable gas on fire.

Every lighter has a tiny ferro rod in it to make incredibly hot sparks. These sparks can be used to make fire with broken and empty lighters.

Should our lighter be damaged, or empty, we can still use this “flint” to make a fire. The basic idea is to remove the tiny ferro rod and use it to create sparks. Removing the tiny ferro rod is one effective method. But it is also extremely easy to lose the rice grain-sized tool.   We prefer to teach a few different methods at The Survival University Five day Intermediate class. Here are two of my favorite, easy-to-use, and reliable methods.

The lighter has three parts that we need to worry about breaking, the small fuel storage area, the striking wheel, and the ferro rod itself. There are many ways to deal with malfunctions in all three areas, but the most common break comes in the fuel tank.

So let us pretend the fuel tank is somehow broken, we can look at other details in class and in future videos and blogs.

First method:

The lighter is not functioning as normal, so we need to create a reliable way to turn sparks to flame.   A great way to practice this is to use an empty lighter or to break one. Be careful breaking the lighter. For classes, I put brand new lighters, one at a time, into an old sock and break the fuel tank with a hammer. Be extremely careful if you choose to replicate this. A lighter is under pressure and it can shoot off, explode, or otherwise hurt you. The best practice at home would be to just use an empty lighter.

If breaking a lighter, wear safety gear and take every precaution to be safe. I tightly wrap a lighter in a sock and then break the fuel tank with a hammer.

As with many fires, great attention must be spent on setting up our tinder and kindling. Take the time to finely process some materials, getting them ready to take a short-lived flame.

Slowly, and steadily, roll the striking wheel. We do not want to make any sparks at this point. Hold the lighter on its side as you do this, see picture, so that a small pile of pyrophoric metal powder will collect in the metal collar. You can do this with your finger, or roll it on the bottom of a shoe. I like to find, or make, a flat area on a branch or stump to roll the lighter about 40 times.

Holding the lighter at this angle and slowly rolling the scraping wheel allows a great deal of the pyrophoric metal dust to be collected.

Tipping the lighter up allows us to dump this “fire dust” into a pile so that it will catch a tiny spark and flare up.

Once we have collected the dust, we have a decision to make. A sudden strike on the wheel at this time will give us a quick burst of sparks and flame. If we have fine, dry, tinder this is enough to light. Things like a cotton ball, jute twine, finely processed cedar or cottonwood bark, cotton tail fluff, etc will all transfer this flame rather nicely.

Place your fuel on top of the dust and then get the broken lighter as close to the pile as you can.

Strike the lighter as normal. The sparks will ignite the power you made and allow for a hot burst of flame to light your processed fuel.

The dust and highly processed material should be placed at the base of your fire lay.   The sparks will transfer heat to the small fuel, which in turn will take the heat to the proper fire lay and light up first try.

At this point time becomes crucial. Your fire will indeed be short-lived if you do not take the time to process your fuel beforehand.

Our other option is for slightly more difficult tinder. For this method, we do the slow grinding step twice. The first time we pour a small pile of the powder into our tinder. Say a wadded-up bit of napkin. Then we repeat the slow grinding process and strike the second batch close to the first. The result is two bursts of flame that will light things like wadded-up paper, piles of pitch wood dust, and grass.

Homework: Use an empty or broken lighter to create a pile of powder in a wadded-up bit of toilet paper. Using the broken lighter strike this into flames and build a small fire from the flaming napkin.

Second method:

With this method, we will rely on a proper fire kit as described in our last lesson. 

You may recall a great deal of our space was made up of extremely easy-to-use and reliable Tinder. We also had that backup ferro rod, but for some reason let us assume using it is not an option.

I will use the fire boogers, a special way to set up cotton balls, and Vaseline, that we teach as an example. Whatever your chosen easy fuel is, fluff it up as well as possible.

Fluffing up the flash tinder creates the perfect environment for catching a spark on a tiny bit of fuel and transferring that heat into fire.

Use your pocket knife, or a stick to pop the collar off of the lighter. This will allow you to get your sparks as close as possible to your finely processed, fluffed-up, tinder.

Strike the wheel firmly.

Our flash tinder should take the spark into flames without any additional effort, once processed that is.

Homework: Using a broken or empty lighter, light one of your pre-packed fire starters from lighter sparks alone.

How to make fire with an empty lighter

If your lighter runs out of fuel you can still use it. Any of the methods above will work with an empty lighter. I have heard reliable stories of how a lighter in a pocket or bag was pressed and eventually ran out of fuel. There are countless methods devised to prevent the lighter button from being pressed down at the wrong time. Personally I find these a bit silly. As someone who needs a bunch of empty lighters a year for teaching, I can say emptying a lighter by holding down the button is a real pain in the butt. It takes forever. Because of this, we prefer to teach a different method of prevention than some of the other common ways like putting a rubber band around the top of the lighter, under the button to prevent it being pressed down.

As I mentioned, it takes forever to empty one of these lighters. Because of this, we feel that a solid observation method is not only a better approach, but it drives home the point that you should be checking on your emergency gear a few times a year.

Pick a lighter that has a bright color, in case, dropped in a hard-to-find area, but that is see-through if you hold it up to the sun. This can be easier said than done nowadays. So here is what I like to do.

Look for the lighters with some type of pattern, not a solid color, and look really closely. Usually, these lighters get their pattern by having a sticker heat shrunk around them.

Carefully slide a knife or scissors down one side of the lighter pressing on the lighter. This will cut into the sticker.

Remove the sticker. You will now have a white lighter. Hold the white lighter up to the sun and you will be able to see the fuel level. Replace any lighters once they drop below the halfway point. White lighters will stand out if dropped in almost all environments. What’s that you say? “Good luck finding a white lighter in the snow!” This is absolutely a concern.

Much easier to see in person than in photos; notice that both stand out, while we can only tell how full the white lighter is. The fuel line is below halfway, time to replace it in my kit.

To deal with this we pick a bright colored duct tape. Wrap the tape around the BOTTOM of the lighter. This will be below the halfway point, so if the fuel level drops down where you can not see it, replace the lighter. The bright tape gives you some emergency duct tape, adds a bright color, and has a pro tip to go with it.

Pro tip: If you find yourself on a windy day, broken lighter or not, it can be hard to collect piles of dust or tinder. Pull some of this duct tape off and loop it back on itself with the sticky side out. You can now pour gunpowder, ferro rod dust, magnesium shavings, pitch wood dust, or whatever onto the duct tape. The tape will hold the dust pile so your sparks or flame can get to it without the wind blowing it away. On top of that, duct tape is a flammable flame extender.

Homework: Prepare a white lighter with tape around the bottom.

How To Make Fire With a Wet Lighter

A wet lighter can be a challenge, but not impossible to use. If you want hands-on training in real outdoor conditions, check out our Survival Training and Expedition Program (S.T.E.P.), where you’ll practice fire-starting techniques in unpredictable weather and challenging environments.

Waterproofing your open flame method is always a good idea.

There are many ways a lighter could get wet, and the different ways affect how easily we can deal with this. A lighter dropped in a creek for a few seconds bounces back much quicker than a lighter that was completely submerged in your pocket while you swam to shore.

There are many ways to waterproof your lighter, both expensive and do it yourself. Our advice here is to pick a method that will not be too hard to get off if you find yourself with slippery or hypothermic fingers. Many of the methods work great at keeping a lighter dry but are useless in situations where you would need an emergency fire.

Another option is to Use a Waterproof Lighter: Some lighters are designed to work in wet conditions. If you expect to be in wet areas, consider getting a waterproof lighter. I have seen students use these and they seem to work well, but I honestly can not justify the expense since there are so many other ways to deal with a wet lighter.

If I do anything at all to prevent wetness, I simply cut the thumb off of a pair of surgical gloves and pull it over the top of the lighter. You can easily rip or bite this off in an emergency. But honestly, since we have a backup ferro rod, and drying out a lighter is not all that hard, I rarely do this anymore.   I carry a ferro rod on my knife, matches in my pocket, and my emergency fire kit. Should I loose all of that but one lighter and for some reason the lighter was really, really wet, then I would again use the method mentioned in the broken lighter section above. The water does not keep the small ferro rod from behaving the way we want it to. The water is an issue with the fuel area being blocked.

How to get fire with a wet lighter?

Our main goal here is to dry the water and get all the water out of the “fuel line.” A great way to practice is to fill a cup with water and drop your lighter in. Practice this a few different ways. First, drop it in and take it out quickly as if dropped in a creek for a second or two. Once you get good that way, leave the lighter submerged for a few minutes before making your fire.

First, make sure your lighter works when it is dry. It may seem silly, but I know someone who tried for an hour to get a dry broken lighter to work thinking it was wet.

Make sure your lighter is fully submerged.   Practice with different lengths of soaking.

Hold the lighter upside down and give it some strong full-arm shakes. We want a big ark so that centripetal force will drive the water out of the fuel area. Rotate this with some strong downward strikes on your palm. Our goal is to shake as much water out as possible.

About ten or twenty good full-arm shakes help clear out any water.

Rotate the swings with some hard upside-down taps.

Put your lips right on the metal collar and blow really hard. Then hold down the fuel button for a few seconds to clear out the fuel line of any water that seeped in.

Try to light the lighter at the end of each of these steps, if the first pass did not work do it again. It rarely takes longer than five minutes to get a wet lighter going again.

If this does not work after a few passes I would either use a backup method or the broken lighter method above. If you switch fire methods, store the lighter upside down in your pocket to further dry it out for future uses. I recommend a pants pocket for a few reasons. First, they are tight enough to keep the lighter mostly pointed down. Plus as you move the lighter will continue to be jiggled and shaken. Pants pockets also have warmth from movement and your body, this heat will help to dry it out. If your pants pockets are wet, store the lighter upside down anywhere that is warm and dry. Chances are it will work by the time you are done collecting your tinder, kindling, and fuel for a fire.

Homework: Submerge a lighter in water and practice using the drying techniques to use the same lighter to light a flame that lasts long enough to ignite a small fire.

High Altitude Fires

Altitude can greatly affect many fire-making and cooking methods. High Altitude adventures require slightly different preparation long before we leave the house. In an effort to keep this blog from becoming a novel, I think we will address many of these in specific blogs. We do want to leave you with one method that works wonderfully if you find yourself with a tiny little flame from altitude or high air pressure. This method can also be helpful on damp days as it gets a normal flame more exposed to tinder.

The real problem here is we will get a tiny, cooler, flame or no flame at all. With no flame at all what do we do? That is right, switch to the broken lighter method or use our ferro rod. With a tiny flame, we need to alter our situation to get a fire.

Using your knife, or a stick, break off the metal collar. Now we can get our tiny flame more exposed to our tinder. If we prepared for altitude this will be a quick fix. Should we find ourselves in an altitude unexpected, it may take a bit of time for even this tiny flame to transfer.

With all fires, we should spend most of our time on the preparation. This becomes especially true with wet fuel and at high altitudes. The more time you spend processing your fuels, the quicker this tiny cool flame will transfer.

If the Wind Blows Out the Flame

Wind can be a problem when using a lighter, or any open flame source, to light your fire. To prevent the wind from blowing out the flame, try the following:

Shield the Flame: Hold your hand or an object in front of the flame to block the wind. This can help protect the flame from being blown out.

Use a Windproof Lighter: Some lighters are made to work in windy conditions. They have a flame that is harder to blow out, which can be helpful when outside.

Process, process, process that tinder: Old Crooked Stick could always get a fire no matter what the situation. He used to always say, “Baby fire needs baby food.” If you are using a match-sized flame then your tinder had better be smaller than the match handle itself. When we process fuel, we are decreasing the volume and increasing the surface area. This makes our “baby food” much easier for our small open flame to transfer to. When in doubt, process your fuel just a little more. Not spending the time preparing their fuel is one of the number one reasons that adventurers do not get, or maintain, a fire in difficult situations.

Home Work: Process all your fire-making material and then take it outside on a truly windy day. Or better yet, use an extension cord to take a fan outside and create a windy environment to practice making fire it. You must not only be able to shield and light your fire in the wind but keep it going for at least 10 minutes without any help. We will talk about fire lays soon, remember a fire should work for you, you should not be enslaved to keepinh it alive.

How to use a lighter to make a fire

Most of the time your lighter will work just fine. We still see students struggle with making a fire though. Please remember these tips:

Process, process, process! Mors Kochanski used to define kindling as something that catches fire on the count of 1,2,3,4,5. When you practice with your open flame sources count rapidly, not 1001,1002, but a quick five count. If the flame does not transfer, process a little more. You must be in the habit of preparing your fuel in such a way that your open flame transfers quickly.

Fire likes to climb: Get that open flame right into your fire lay, but make sure you start low. Students have a tendency to light fires from the top. Lighting the fire from the bottom allows us to use fires natural nature to build a fire. It also offers more protection to the baby fire in the wind and rain.

Break the safety feature off of your lighter right now. There are numerous reported cases where hypothermia and the loss of dexterity have prevented a student from being able to work a lighter with these on them. Simply put a screwdriver under the safety feature and pop it off. Be careful not to hit yourself, or anyone else, with the piece as it flies off. There can often be a sharp bent spot when you do this, take the time to bend those back down so you do not cut your thumb.

One of the first things you should do is get rid of these things that make it difficult to use your lighter.

Fire-Starting with a Lighter: Skills, Solutions, and Confidence

Learning how to use a lighter and matches is an important skill. While lighters are quick, easy, and portable, they also have weaknesses such as breaking, running out of fuel, and not working in wet or windy conditions. By practicing how to deal with these weaknesses, you can feel confident that you will be able to start a fire in any situation. Remember to practice drills, use fire starters, and be prepared with other tools to help you light a fire even when your lighter is not working perfectly. If you do not already have one make sure to pack a true fire kit.

Want to take your fire-making skills beyond just lighters? In our 50-Day Wilderness Immersion Program, you’ll gain in-depth experience with fire-building, from modern tools to primitive methods that work in any condition.

Keep practicing, keep learning. Stay safe out there, I cannot wait to see you on the adventure trail,

Hutch

Instructor bio

Aaron “Hutch” Hutchings is a seasoned survival, bushcraft, and wilderness living instructor with years of experience both as a student and a teacher. He is the owner of Ready Set Adventure Box (www.readysetadventurebox.com) and serves as a lead instructor at The Survival University (www.thesurvivaluniversity.com), where he teaches both beginner and advanced courses, as well as runs youth and family programs. Hutch has studied under some of the biggest names in the survival industry and has even worked with a few of them directly.

A former Marine and lifelong Boy Scout, Hutch grew up immersed in outdoor skills, thanks in part to his grandfather, another outdoor instructor who used training with survival legends as rewards for achieving goals. Hutch is also the author of four books and brings a unique perspective to his teaching as someone who is autistic. His passion for survival skills and outdoor education shines through in every class he teaches.

At least one time a year, we have a student pull out a fire kit that I would describe as unreal. This kit likely contains just about every fire hack known to YouTube—a few ferro rods, a lighter, a few different ways to magnify light, a box of matches, several different flint and steel setups, more matches, a few different chemical packs, components for several friction fire methods, and of course, a fire piston just for good measure. This is a surefire sign that the student missed the point.

Your emergency fire kit should be on you at all times, and it should not take up too much space.

Many of the things we teach at The Survival University are meant to be used only if you come across the components in an actual survival situation. For example, you should not carry a broken lighter; instead, practice with a broken lighter so you can use the skill if your lighter breaks in the field or if you come across a broken lighter. The key to survival gear is not about having every possible fire-making method in your kit, but about having what is reliable and practical for real-life emergencies.

Teaching young adventures to use bow drill is fun and helps them understand fire at a whole new level.

If you want to introduce your kids to fire-making and other survival fundamentals in a fun, hands-on way, our Science of Survival (Kids and Family) course is the perfect opportunity to learn together in a safe, engaging environment

This brings us to the idea of practice kits vs. real kits. Practice kits are exactly what they sound like: kits you use to practice different fire-making methods, either in class or at home. A bushcraft kit may serve as a practice kit, containing items like flint and steel, solar fire kits, and whatever friction fire method you are currently working on. But do not confuse your practice kit with your actual emergency fire kit. The best way to think of it is this, you can have many kits for fun and practicing your skills, but you should also have one kit for that moment when the person you love the most needs fire as fast as possible. This last kit is a true survival fire kit.

If you’re new to fire-making and want hands-on training, our 2-Day Survival for Beginners Course is a great place to start. You’ll learn the fundamentals of fire, shelter, and water so you’re prepared for real-world survival situations.

A good PRACTICE kit contains any skills you are currently working on.

I have a bushcraft kit that includes flint and steel, solar fire tools, ferro rods, and matches or a lighter. It also holds whatever friction fire method I am currently working on. At home, I keep a much larger kit that includes even more tools, as I need to stay proficient in a variety of fire-starting methods. However, my emergency fire kit is much simpler. It is designed for real-life situations where speed and reliability matter. It includes one reliable open flame source—either a lighter or matches, one ferro rod, and as much guaranteed tinder/fuel as I can fit in the kit. Personally, I really like cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly or pitch wood because they light quickly and burn hot.

“When you need fire most, is when fire is the hardest to make.” ~Paul Kirtley

The Three Components of Fire: Heat, Fuel, and Oxygen

To create a fire, you need to ensure that you have heat, fuel, and oxygen. These three elements make up the “fire triangle,” and without all of them, fire cannot be ignited or sustained. Once you start the fire, growing and maintaining it will also be dependent on these three components.

• Heat is the initial spark or flame that ignites the fire. In out kit this can come from matches, a lighter, or a ferro rod. Having a reliable heat source in your fire kit is key to starting a fire, even under the most challenging conditions. Balance is incredibly important here. A candle is certainly heat, but it will never light a large log on fire. One of the reasons we pack so much guaranteed fuel is to make sure we have something that will capture our heat, no matter how small, and aid us in transferring that heat to larger sources of fuel.
  

Fire is just heat transferring from smaller fuel to larger and growing as it goes.

• Fuel is any material that can burn. In a survival setting, this can include dry wood, leaves, and other natural materials. It is important to gather dry, easy-to-ignite fuel for the best chance of starting a fire quickly. This fuel needs to be as dry as possible and again it must be in balance.       Baby fires need baby food. Many a student has put out a fire by forgetting about balance and putting too large a piece of fuel onto their fire. We can find many reliable fuels in the field. With just a little processing these fuels will accept small low-heat sparks if need be. But in our kit, we skip all that. Every bit of space should be packed with fuel that not only ignites easily but burns long and hot.
  

Small heat needs small fuel. Prepare different sizes of fuel in advance to make sure your heat does not go out.

• Oxygen is the air that feeds the fire and helps it burn. Without it, the fire cannot grow. Creating space around your fire and ensuring airflow is critical for its success. Many students like to pack some type of bellows to assist with oxygen. There is nothing wrong with that, we even include them in the kits for our family class for the soaked tinder drill and burn bowl. But the truth of the matter is this, learn to process your materials and learn a real fire lay, and oxygen takes care of itself.       The fire lay I teach in the 5-day Intermediate and the Essentials of Survival is one of the oldest methods in print, it regulates its own oxygen, and I swear rain just makes it mad. A proper fire lay will manage your oxygen for you. If nothing else just remember not to fill your fire with so much fuel there is no space for air. Also, add your fuel in such a way that there is at least a pinky finger between each piece. This is far enough away to allow oxygen, but close enough to let heat transfer from piece to piece.

All fire needs air, too little smothers it and too much puts it out. With all parts of the fire triangle, think balance.

Packing a Fire Kit for Survival

Now that you understand the importance of heat, fuel, and oxygen, it is time to pack your fire kit for your survival adventures. A well-organized fire kit will ensure that you have the necessary tools to start a fire in any situation.

For those who want a deeper dive into survival fundamentals, including fire, water purification, and shelter-building, check out our 3-Day Outdoor Survival Basics Course. This course gives you practical experience in the skills needed to handle the outdoors with confidence.

Here are some of the top items you should include:

• Waterproof Matches or lighter: Keep your matches dry, even in the wettest conditions. A lighter is an easy-to-use option for starting a fire in most situations. The key concept here is an instant open flame. So item one into the kit is some type of instant open flame option.       Now certainly both lighters and matches have some limitations and weaknesses. That is why we back it up with item number two, the ferro rod.

Lighters, matches, or some form of instant open flame should be checked before each adventure.

• Ferro Rod: A reliable tool that works in almost any weather.       This tool will generate a shower of incredibly hot sparks that will set your fuel alight almost as fast as your lighter does. We will be doing a detailed blog on picking, using, and practicing your ferro rod soon.

Larger Ferro Rods have more surface area to make sparks. Any type of handle can improve leverage and ease of use.

• Fuel: Items like cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly, tinder sticks, or fire-starting cubes to help get the fire going quickly.       Our fuel must both be quick to catch a flame and burn long and hot. We want at least 3 minutes of hot flame to get fire in the worst situations. Take a cotton ball or jute twine for instance. Both will take to fire rather quickly. But they also burn out rapidly. Soak either in wax, petroleum jelly, or better yet a mixture of both and whamo! You have a quick starting hot burning fire fuel.       It can be store-bought fuel or any number of other homemade options. The core concept here is dry materials that catch fire quickly, from even weak sources, and burn hot for at least 3 minutes. If you are buying materials, be extremely careful of some chemical-based products. I love many of these products, they are easy to use and great for teaching and building confidence. But many of the coolest ones have chemical shelf lives and will quit working after a certain amount of time stored in your kit.

Cotton balls with petroleum or wax rubbed added will burn hotter and longer. They will even take a spark from a broken lighter.

• Waterproof Container: Store all your fire-starting tools in one safe, organized place. Once you pick a container throw it in the full sink or bathtub. You are looking for two things, does it float and does it stay dry? Now pack that container up with your kit and run the test again.

You should be able to push your kit under water for a few minutes and it should pop right up and float when you move your fingers.   Everything should be nice and dry too.

How to Use Your Fire Kit

To successfully build a fire in a survival situation, you need more than just the right tools—you also need to know how to use them. We have a great video of the kit I use when heading up north to the really cold areas where seconds can separate life from death. Watch it here: Click to Watch We will also be writing more blogs with skills and practice drills, but for now here are some basic rules to help your fire success:

1. Prepare the Fire Site: Find a safe, clear space away from anything flammable. Dig a small pit if possible to contain the fire.       If the ground is wet you should build a small flour in this pit, and use the driest fuel you can find.      
2. Gather Fuel: Collect small twigs, leaves, and dry materials to form the base of your fire. Once the fire is going, you can add larger pieces of wood. Try not to collect your tinder from the ground. Up in a tree, in the sun and wind, and away from ground moisture is best. Like the old timers used to say, “Higher is drier.” Process your Tinder and kindling down. If using a match to start a fire; your initial fuel should be smaller than the match stick. Then add fuel that just grows progressively bigger. From match stick size to pencil, to sharpie, to pinky, to middle finger, to half a wrist, to full wrist, and on up to leg size if the situation requires. Like Old Crooked Stick used to say, “Your fuel is too big, remember baby fire needs baby food.”

If you cannot find small fuel for your fire, then make some by breaking, splitting, and or cutting larger fuel down to size.

1. Use Your Fire Starter: Light your cotton ball, or other tinder, with a match, ferro rod, or lighter. Make sure the tinder catches fire before adding your kindling. Mors used to say that tinder was anything that would light from open flame in a quick count of 1,2,3,4,5. Anything longer then that needs to be processed down to a smaller size.
2. Feed the Fire: Gradually add larger pieces of wood to the fire to keep it going. Leave space around the fire to allow oxygen to flow.

If you’re ready to push your skills even further, our 5-Day Outdoor Survival Skills Intermediate 201 Course takes fire-building to the next level, along with advanced navigation, wild edibles, and survival challenges to truly test your abilities.

Final Thoughts on Fire Kits

Mastering fire-making is one of the most important survival skills you can learn. By understanding the three components of fire—heat, fuel, and oxygen—and packing a reliable fire kit, you can be ready for any situation that comes your way. Whether you are using your fire kit for warmth, cooking, purifying water, or signaling for help, having the right tools and knowledge can make all the difference.

At The Survival University, we teach the value of practicing different fire-making methods while keeping your emergency fire kit simple, reliable, and ready for action. So, be sure to pack your fire kit with only what you truly need and remember: in the wild, sometimes less is more!

We would love to hear about your favorite fuels to pack in an emergency kit and I can not wait to see pics of your kits. Send them to us, or tag us on social media.

Keep those kits basic and reliable, I can not wait to see you on the adventure trail,

Hutch

Instructor Bio:

Aaron “Hutch” Hutchings is a seasoned survival, bushcraft, and wilderness living instructor with years of experience both as a student and a teacher. He is the owner of Ready Set Adventure Box (www.readysetadventurebox.com) and serves as a lead instructor at The Survival University (www.thesurvivaluniversity.com), where he teaches both beginner and advanced courses, as well as runs youth and family programs. Hutch has studied under some of the biggest names in the survival industry, and has even worked with a few of them directly.

A former Marine and lifelong Boy Scout, Hutch grew up immersed in outdoor skills, thanks in part to his grandfather, another outdoor instructor who used training with survival legends as rewards for achieving goals. Hutch is also the author of four books and brings a unique perspective to his teaching as someone who is autistic. His passion for survival skills and outdoor education shines through in every class he teaches.

I was on my way to visit my oldest son in LA for a few days. As I cleared security and began putting my everyday carry kit back in my pockets, I had an idea. Holding up my fire kit on my keyring and taking a picture to prove it cleared security, I thought, “I could use this in my upcoming book How to Pack a Survival Kit and maybe for a blog.” I sent the picture to Jason, the owner of The Survival University, to see what he would think about a series of blogs on packing a B.A.C.K.H.O.M.E. emergency kit that could clear security. I had no idea that when the plane landed, I would be in a full-on city evacuation due to the 2025 LA fires.

I went from writing about being prepared to having to demonstrate preparedness in action when we landed at the start of the 2025 LA fires.

The 2025 LA fires have shown us just how quickly a fire can spread and put lives at risk. For those living in high-risk areas, it is important to have a plan in place and a bug out bag ready. Whether you live in a house or an apartment, knowing how to evacuate during an emergency can make the difference between safety and danger.

I want to share my own experience during the 2025 fires and how my son’s preparation saved us. I was visiting my oldest son in Los Angeles when the fires started. While the smoke filled the sky and sirens blared, we were able to evacuate calmly, thanks to his careful planning and his fully stocked bug out bag. We made our way upwind of the fire, spending seven days safely bugging out in Disneyland. If we had not been prepared, things could have turned out very differently.

We will be discussing survival kits in further depth in the future, but for now please join me as I talk about a quick, bare-minimum, bug out setup, and how it was recently put to the test. We will also talk about how to get out of the city during an evacuation, and some fire-specific concerns such as how to get out of a burning building and what to do if your car is on fire.

What is a Bug Out Bag? Understanding Its Role in Emergency Preparedness

We need to get on the same page here. A bug out bag is not a camping kit, it is not a bushcraft kit, it is not even a regular everyday carry kit. A bug out bag is a backpack filled with all the items you need to survive for at least 72 hours if you have to leave your home or apartment quickly. A bug out bag is self-contained, meaning the focus is not on trapping for food or building primitive shelters. It is designed to help you handle an emergency when you need to evacuate and cannot return for several days. The idea is to pack only the basics and keep the bag light enough to carry comfortably. The items in the kit should require minimal skill and effort on your part to get through the 72-hour window. When choosing items, remember that each person in your group needs their own bag, and the contents may differ depending on where you live, your environment, and the types of emergencies you are most likely to face.

Your bag needs to be comfortable and with you at all times. When we do a bag dump we will show you how to pack it with items that clear security and still get the job done.

The style of bag and where you keep it are subjects for future discussion. My son is in a wheelchair, so his style of bag, and some of the items in it, are unique to him. What is important is that your bag not be something that is going to stand out, or bring attention to it. Skip those tacticool bags that are so expensive. All they do is advertise that you have gear and raise the chance that someone will steal your bag before you get to use it, or during an actual emergency. The bag needs to be sturdy, and comfortable. I meet students all the time who bought this trend or that trend of a bag because survival shoe gi joe carried one. But then they load the thing up with gear and it is a true burden to carry. Honestly, a decent-sized school backpack is ideal for a bug-out bag.

Let the other guys get noticed. Your bag should blend in so that no one gives it a second thought. Stay away from bags that get attention!

Give some thought to where you will keep your bag too. This bag needs to be ready to go and easy to get to. One of my teachers stores his bag in a laundry basket by the door with shop towels on top as camouflage.

Choosing Your Bug Out Location: Planning Your Escape Route and Destination

In the case of the LA fires, we were able to head to Disneyland because we had an evacuation plan in place. My son’s house was in a high-risk area, but we knew we could get away from the fire by heading to the park. Having this plan made it much easier to remain calm in a stressful situation.

Notice how clear the sky is in the direction of the fires. Wind direction kept the smoke, and fire, blowing away from us. In fact, Disneyland did not have to cancel its fire show or fireworks, except for the first night.

Knowing where you are going and how to get there is just as important as packing your bug out bag. But you also need to know how to adjust that plan if your route is blocked or your bug out location is in some way compromised. The location needs to be within 72 hours of travel from your main home location. No matter what do not grab your bag and just pick a random direction. When something like a fire, flood, or zombies causes you to leave the safety of your home, you need to have a destination in mind.

You should always have a “bug out location” planned—a place you can go that is safe and accessible. For those living in a city with heavy traffic or natural barriers, having more than one bug out location is a smart idea. This gives you backup options in case one area becomes too dangerous or too far to reach.

In our case, my son’s house was in a high risk area. We were located on the north tip of the evacuation zone. My son has some pre-planned bug out locations, for example, my property is well-stocked and within his 72 hour time frame. In this case, the wind was heading to the south, it was the wind that caused the fire in the first place and it was also the high winds that were keeping the fire out of control. With the wind to the south, our decision was to head north, specifically to Disneyland.

Being able to navigate confidently is key when planning your evacuation route. If you’d like to improve your navigation skills, check out our Navigation Course, where we teach practical techniques for finding your way in any environment.

What to Pack in Your Bug Out Bag: Must-Have Items for Emergency Evacuations

Remember a bug out bag is a backpack filled with items that will help you survive for at least 72 hours. These items should almost all be consumable, quick, and easy to use, and aimed at keeping you on the road to a safe evacuation. The key is to pack only what you need. Here is a list of items that are important to have:

Every adult should have their own bug out bag, younger adventurers can carry personal items and some gear too.

If you’re looking to involve your family in survival training and build preparedness together, be sure to check out our kids and family courses, where we teach essential skills in a fun and engaging way for all ages.

Learn more about our family-friendly survival programs.

Water and Hydration in Emergencies: How to Stay Safe and Hydrated

Water is one of the first things you should think about when packing a bug out bag. A good rule of thumb is to pack at least one gallon of water per person per day. This ensures you stay hydrated during an evacuation. Keep in mind that the amount of water you need may increase depending on the weather, how much physical activity you do, and the type of food you eat. For instance, if you are packing protein bars or other high-calorie meals, these often require additional water to digest, so plan accordingly.

There is no guarantee city water will be accessible or safe. In an emergency, stores will empty fast, so prepare in advance.

What if the water from the city tap is no longer safe? Or, what if the water system is shut down? That is why we always keep a gallon jug on hand and sealed tight to avoid any contamination. This extra water will get us through the first day, but we need a plan for more. You will need to find water on the road, so think ahead about where you can refill. It is smart to mark trusted water refill sources on your map. If you are heading in a direction where water supply is limited, then you have no choice but to carry more water.

Most filters will not remove viruses, chemicals, and heavy metals. I pay about four times more for my bug out filter than my camping version, but I want to be ready for any old thing I come across in the water department.

Water is heavy, so having three gallons per person can be a bit much, especially if you are on foot. It makes more sense to have a way to get safe water as you go. One option is to pack a portable water filter. This tool is helpful if you need to drink water from rivers, lakes, or any uncertain source. Some filters are great for taking care of bacteria and common water problems. But if you want to feel extra safe, look for a filter that removes not only bacteria but also viruses, heavy metals, and chemicals. These filters can be more expensive, but knowing that you can safely drink water anywhere is worth it. If you are passing through mining country or farm lands these chemicals and heavy metals become a genuine concern.

Another good idea is to pack a way to boil water. Boiling is one of the simplest ways to make water safe to drink, and it is usually a reliable method. However, I live in an area with a lot of mining and farming, where chemicals and heavy metals are a concern. That is why I make sure my water filter can handle those risks, too. My son lives by the ocean, so he has a small system set up to get drinking water from salt water too.

When evacuating during a fire, especially in an area with limited water sources, you need to be ready to find and purify water. A portable water filter is a great tool to have, especially if you need to drink from rivers, lakes, or other uncertain water sources. Make sure to get a filter that can handle not just bacteria but also viruses, chemicals, and heavy metals, especially if you are passing through areas with farming or mining.

If you lose or break your filter or boiling device, try to find a clean water source. In a fire evacuation, every effort must be made to stay hydrated, so having multiple ways to filter or purify water is a smart choice.

During our LA evacuation, we had to consider both the smoke and the potential contamination of local water sources. This made us even more grateful that we had a filter that could remove harmful substances, as well as the extra gallon jug to ensure we had enough to get us through the first day. Halfway through the first day we made it to Disney Land, and the wind was keeping the fire to the south for the time being, Disney only canceled their fire show one night. We had gone through far more water than usual due to the smoke and heat. We did not know if the wind would shift and evacuating Disney would become an issue too. So one of the first things we did was refill our water supplies and look for our next bug out locations, should we have to leave the area.

By preparing your water supplies ahead of time, you will feel more confident and ready for anything that comes your way. Have water you can carry on you, and more in your car, boat, horse, or other methods of travel if possible, make sure you have a way to resupply on the move.

Survival Shelter: Choosing the Right Protection for Emergency Situations

Shelter is key to staying protected from the elements while bugging out. A tent, tarp, or even an emergency space blanket should be included in your bug out bag. This provides a temporary place of safety if you need to sleep or take shelter from a fire, rain, or extreme temperatures.

Hotels fill up quickly and cannot be counted on, while primitive shelters take too much time. You must have a quick and reliable shelter to stay safe on the move.

Again I stress that this is not your bushcraft bag, or your going off-grid bag. Consider the fact that refugees from an emergency often end up sleeping in gymnasiums, subways, churches, and even abandoned schools. I rarely use a tent on my regular adventures, but having a tent in your bug out gear for privacy goes a long way if you find yourself sheltering in any type of urban situation.

During our LA evacuation, we were lucky to have access to a hotel room at Disneyland, but if we had been on the road longer, we would have needed to set up a shelter. We packed a lightweight tent and a thermal sleeping bag just in case we had to camp out. Keep in mind that hotels fill up quickly, so you may be heading from LA to Colorado and find that there are no hotels available.

If your shelter breaks or is unusable, consider finding cover in a safe area, like a wooded spot away from the fire, or even using a large tarp or emergency bivy sack to protect yourself from the elements.

Clothing for Survival: Packing the Right Gear for Emergency Situations

Clothing is vital for protection from the elements and for comfort while traveling. Pack clothes that are durable, weather-appropriate, and suitable for long periods of wear. In a fire evacuation, you want to be prepared for extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, as well as potential smoke exposure.

Proper clothing is one of the best shelters, check out our blogs on layering to make sure you get the most out of a few properly selected items.

During our escape from the LA fires, we made sure to pack layers of clothing. The weather in LA was hot during the day, but we knew that evenings could get cool. Having a good set of moisture-wicking clothes, a jacket, and an extra set of socks and underwear can make a huge difference when you are on the move. We had additional concerns too, when we left Colorado it was a heavy snowstorm. Should the wind have changed and the evacuation area stretched to Disney land, we would have been driving into the snowstorm when we headed to our next bug out location.

If your clothing gets damaged—whether from smoke, fire, or just wear and tear—make sure to pack extra, especially socks and underwear. These can get dirty quickly and need to be swapped out or washed to avoid discomfort or health issues.

Food and Meal Prep for Emergencies: How to Pack and Prepare for Survival

Food is just as important as water when you need to leave your home during an emergency. I know, I know, you can live for three weeks without food in a survival situation. But you may be stuck in an airport, or you may be on foot if your car breaks down. Either way keeping up your morale and energy is important. When packing food for your bug out bag, it is important to consider meals that are lightweight, easy to prepare, and nutritious. You want food that will give you energy and keep you going during long hours of travel or evacuation.

The ability to eat well in off-grid situations is becoming a lost art and is easier than many believe. Fresh, nutritious food keeps you going and uses less water too. Make sure you have a way to eat when fire is not an option.

When I was with my son in LA, we packed high-calorie items like protein bars, jerky, and freeze-dried meals. These foods are great for an emergency because they do not require refrigeration and are easy to eat without cooking. Just be mindful of how much water these types of meals require. For instance, freeze-dried meals need additional water to rehydrate, so keep that in mind when planning your food supply. Do not forget to read the back of supplement-type food, dehydrated food, and even military rations. Many of these require surprising amounts of water intake to be properly digested.

On our way to Disneyland, we ate a mix of protein bars and jerky, and it kept us well-fed and energized as we left the danger zone. We made sure to have extra snacks and a portable stove in case we needed to cook food. We passed several restaurants and fast food joints on our journey, but staying on the road allowed us to stay ahead of evacuation traffic.

Building Your First Aid Kit: Must-Have Supplies for Emergency Preparedness

Include bandages, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, and any prescription medications you may need. A well-stocked first aid kit can make a huge difference if someone gets injured during an emergency. Pack bandages, antiseptics, pain relievers, and any personal medications that might be needed.

I write books and teach at several schools about wilderness living, survival, and primitive skills. I have never saved a life with bow drill, but I have used my first aid skills thousands of times. Accidents happen, and first aid is preparedness in action.

People often overlook the importance of carrying a proper kit and having real world training. By proper I mean simply this, a majority of the pre-made first aid kits you buy are garbage and next to useless in an emergency. I want to pause for a minute and urge you to get medical training. I do not teach medical classes, and I make exactly zero dollars from any of the medical programs at any of the schools I teach at. That being said, one of the most important survival/self-reliance classes you can ever take is basic medical training. The Survival University offers two medical classes. Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder. No prerequisites are required to take this medical training and don’t let the term “Wilderness” fool you. This training is valuable anywhere as it teaches you how to improvise with the resources you have in your bug out bag and in the environment around you.

Aside from big emergencies and injuries, you just never know when a minor injury can make a bug out extremely difficult. I actually got hurt during our evacuation, in the strangest way. On the last day of our adventure, the fires were spreading and we figured it was time to head to Colorado, I decided to take the kids to the pool in our hotel before the long trip began. My youngest was swimming for the first time and I was doggy paddling next to him in case he needed assistance. I was not exerting myself at all, or taking any risks, yet I felt the strangest pop in my knee. It is over a week later and I am still using my cane to walk upstairs. Had this happened in the field, knowing how to brace my knee and make a crutch would have been crucial to the successful evacuation of the area.

Mastering Fire: Key Fire-Making Tools and Techniques for Survival

I do not go anywhere without a fire kit. The ability to make fire gives us so much if we have to get away from electricity. The importance of fire is quickly understood in the woods and wild places, but even in urban situations, I want to know I can get a fire and all of its benefits quickly. A good fire kit should have one open flame source like matches or a lighter, one backup ferro rod, and tons of easy-to-light, long-lasting, hot-burning tinder.

In my Essentials of Survival class, and my upcoming survival kits book, we spend time discussing how combining skills with imagination gives you several legal, and safe, options for kits that will be with you in any security situation.

We did use our fire kit during the Disneyland bug out, but not the way one might guess. The hotel was warm and we did not need a survival fire, but Disneyland is expensive. Being able to use our fire kit and our cooking kit to make breakfast and dinner sure kept us well-fed without going into debt.

Choosing the Right Flashlight: Key Lighting Tools for Emergencies

A reliable flashlight with extra batteries is one of the most likely items you will use. If your flashlight is rechargeable, bring a solar charger. A flashlight or headlamp is key for navigating in the dark or signaling for help. Be sure to pack extra batteries or a solar-powered light to keep your gear running.

If you lose your flashlight, a phone flashlight app can work as a backup but do not use it as your main light. Imagine your car has broken down in a rainstorm. You could call for assistance, but you want to try and fix the tire or whatever first. Using your phone as a light, in the rain, could damage it and leave you without communication. I think compasses, lights, etc. on a phone make great backups.   But in an emergency, we should conserve the phone’s battery, and protect it from damage so it can be used to update us on news about the disaster and communicate as a phone if needed.

Must-Have Tools for Survival: Gear to Pack for Emergencies

Tools such as a multi-tool, a knife, and duct tape can help with various tasks during an evacuation. These items can also assist in shelter building, repairing gear, or even self-defense if necessary. A knife or multi-tool can help with a variety of tasks, like building shelter, preparing food, or making repairs. A portable phone charger to keep your devices powered. Having small amounts of cash can be helpful when electronic payment systems are down. Even if you have a GPS, having physical maps of the area is important, especially if the internet or cell service is down.

In addition to generally useful tools, make sure to pack items specific to the needs of your family. My kit has special medicines, wheelchair tools, and items for my child with special needs. Do not forget dog food if you will be taking Fido with you.

Protecting Important Documents: What to Pack for Emergency Situations

Copies of IDs, medical records, and insurance information stored in a waterproof bag. Make copies of important documents like identification, medical records, and insurance policies. These documents can be stored in a waterproof container or electronically. If traveling with kids do not forget birth certificates, authorities are trained to ask for these in an attempt to combat human trafficking.

There are several nifty ways to store personal documents nowadays. I got this little gizmo from Apocabox and it fits in my EDC Altoids tin.

When leaving LA, we made sure to have photocopies of IDs and insurance papers. If your documents are damaged, digital copies or emergency contact numbers can help you recover them quickly.

Staying Clean During Emergencies: Practical Hygiene Tips for Survival Situations

Keeping clean and managing your hygiene during a bug-out can help prevent illness and discomfort. Pack soap, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, and toothbrushes. If you are traveling by car or on foot, these items can be invaluable for maintaining good hygiene.

During our bug out, we used the shower at Disneyland, but that is a rare luxury in a bug out for sure. Whether camping, binge-watching, or bugging out, you should be able to clean your hands before every meal and after every time you go to the bathroom. It is also best practice to clean your eyes, genitals, and feet at least once a day. These precautions prevent injuries like UTI, rash and blisters as well as sickness.

If you lose or break your hygiene items, find natural water sources, or consider carrying biodegradable soap and towel wipes that are easy to use without running water.

Now my family had it lucky, we were prepared, and our location was at the far north end of the evacuation area with the wind moving the danger south. I certainly thank God for these things. There were others that were not so lucky, and even if prepared Disneyland would not have been an option. In the future, we will get more detailed on bug out bags and bug out skills, but before we go we should talk about some important planning portions of the evacuation specifically related to fire.

What to Do in a House or Apartment Fire

If you are in a house or apartment when a fire breaks out, it is important to act quickly:

• Stay Calm: Panic will make things worse. Focus on your plan and move quickly.
• Get Low: Smoke rises, so get low to the ground where the air is cleaner.
• Evacuate: Leave the building immediately. Do not stop to collect personal items. If you are in an apartment, use the stairs, not the elevator. I highly recommend having your bug out bag stashed at your most likely point of exit.
• Close Doors: If possible, close doors behind you to slow the spread of fire.
• Use a Cloth to Block Smoke: If you are trapped, use a wet cloth to cover your nose and mouth to help filter the smoke.

What to Do If Your Car Is on Fire

If you are in your car when a fire starts, follow these steps:

• Pull Over Safely: As soon as you see smoke or flames, pull over to the side of the road. Avoid stopping under bridges or near trees.
• Get Out Quickly: Leave the car as soon as you can. Fire spreads quickly, and it is better to be safe outside of the vehicle.
• Do Not Open the Hood: If you open the hood, the fire could get worse. Stay away from the vehicle and move to a safe distance.

How to Get Out of the City During an Evacuation

When fires strike, evacuation routes may become clogged with traffic. Here are some tips for getting out safely:

• Plan Your Route: Before an evacuation, know at least two routes out of the city in case one is blocked. In the event of a fire, pay special attention to wind direction. If at all possible travel into the wind.
• Avoid Highways: Highways can become jammed with cars, slowing your escape. Use smaller, less-traveled roads if possible.
• Listen for Updates: Keep a battery-powered radio or a fully charged phone to listen for evacuation instructions and road closures.
• Stay Calm: Be patient, as evacuations can take time. Follow traffic laws and avoid aggressive driving.

What to Do If You Lose or Break an Item

If something in your bug out bag is lost or broken, do not panic. Focus on what you can do with what you have left.   This is where your time learning skills will become valuable. My general rule when designing classes for The Survival University is this. Take a piece of gear aimed at an objective, then teach the students how to choose this gear, how to use this gear, and what skills come into play if the gear is broken, stolen, or lost. This has proven to be an incredibly effective way to organize one’s training for self-reliance and disaster preparedness.

Final Thoughts: Why Preparedness is Key in the Face of Disaster

The 2025 LA fires are a reminder of how important it is to be prepared for any disaster. Having a well-stocked bug out bag and a clear evacuation plan can help you escape danger and keep you safe during a fire. If you have not yet prepared your bug out bag, now is the time to start. Join us for our step-by-step packing instructions in a few blogs from now. Whether you are living in a house or apartment, or driving in your car, you must be ready to act quickly. The next emergency may come sooner than expected, and being prepared can save your life.

Stay positive, stay safe, and I will see you again soon on the adventure trail.

Hutch 

Instructor Bio:

Aaron “Hutch” Hutchings is a seasoned survival, bushcraft, and wilderness living instructor with years of experience both as a student and a teacher. He is the owner of Ready Set Adventure Box (www.readysetadventurebox.com) and serves as a lead instructor at The Survival University (www.thesurvivaluniversity.com), where he teaches both beginner and advanced courses, as well as runs youth and family programs. Hutch has studied under some of the biggest names in the survival industry, and has even worked with a few of them directly.

A former Marine and lifelong Boy Scout, Hutch grew up immersed in outdoor skills, thanks in part to his grandfather, another outdoor instructor who used training with survival legends as rewards for achieving goals. Hutch is also the author of four books and brings a unique perspective to his teaching as someone who is autistic. His passion for survival skills and outdoor education shines through in every class he teaches.

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