Why Every Emergency Kit Needs an Emergency Blanket

When it comes to preparing for the unexpected, we tend to fill our emergency kits with food, water and first-aid supplies. However, one small, light and incredibly powerful tool can often be underestimated – the emergency blanket. At Anping Guardian Medical Equipment Co., Ltd. we would like to add that this simple device is a key piece of practical preparedness and can be the difference between life or death in countless emergencies. No pack is really complete without one.

How Emergency Blankets Prevent Hypothermia in Critical Situations

Hypothermia is a life-threatening emergency that results from the body losing heat faster than it can be produced, causing a dangerously low body temperature. It can develop not just in extreme winter cold, but on a cool, wet night or after stepping into cold water. And that’s where the emergency blanket comes in to play.

These blankets are made from heat-reflecting and durable materials that will keep more than 90% of your body heat trapped inside. Wrapping yourself in an emergency blanket can prevent death caused by hypothermia—a decrease in the core body temperature that occurs when a body is exposed to sub-ambient temperatures, and begins to lose heat faster than it can produce. It does a good job keeping the heat your body produces from dissipating out into the environment. This simple act can help you to hold onto your core temperature which can all but eliminate the effects of hypothermia giving you time for someone come rescue or conditions to improve. This is barrier number one for any first-aid or survival situation that will help you keep the cold at bay.

Versatile Uses: Signaling, Shelter and Ground Insulation

Not only is an emergency blanket a must-have in survival situations, these life saving thermal blankets have endless uses! Its extreme shininess is not only for heat — it makes a great signaling device. In case you become lost or need to signal for help, you can wave the blanket and use it to reflect sunlight, resulting in a bright flash that can be seen for miles by search parties or aircraft. This greatly improves your chances of being found fast.

And remember, an emergency blanket can also be transformed in to emergency shelter. By tying it in place with rope or cord, you can form a lean-to or rudimentary A-frame tent to shield yourself from wind and rain. Its water-resistant characteristics are also what helps to keep you dry. Just as significant, if not more so, is the fact that when you lay this blanket on the ground underneath you—directly on that cold, wet earth—isolates your body from the chill. Sleeping on cold ground can cause a tremendous amount of body heat loss by conduction. The ground sheet of the blanket helps break this contact, one vital part of your overall survival.

Choosing the Right Emergency Blanket: Mylar vs. Reinforced Options

All not emergencies blankets are created equal, So you need a compact, pocket-sized and space-saving blanket that can withstand any harsh weather conditions. The kind we see most often is the traditional Mylar blanket. These are ultra light, small and very inexpensive. They are great for short term use in a marathon, or even just as a disposable warming aid. But their very thin nature can be easily torn, especially when the wind picks up.

For more durable, long-term armor, try a reinforced emergency blanket. These are the ones the pros use. I run a Mylar laminate in some with an another type of woven material that we put a Mylar laminate over that to make it a more durable cover. This extra strong material allow for it to be reused time after time while holding up much better than ordinary tarps used for shelter building or as ground cloth. When standing against the elements, shelter is of paramount importance and there simply isn't a more durable blanket on the market that can stand up to heavy use, no matter who or where you are- Even as a family member!

The modest emergency blanket is a workhorse of utility that should be part of any emergency readiness strategy. Anping Guardian Medical Equipment Co., Ltd. is to bring you the solutions and we believe keeping yourself armed with these simple but powerful tools is one of the smartest strategies for staying compliant in public while protecting your family.