The ESC is a Different Kind of Multi-tool
There’s a lot of competition in the survival and preparedness market right now because as time marches on the world gets crazier and crazier on all fronts. So, I wanted to go a little more in depth about the Emergency Survival Chart (ESC) and how it’s different from everything else out there right now.
For example, there are knives, there are saws, there are tools and then there are multi-tools. Think of the classic multi-tool, the Swiss Army Knife… a small lightweight device that takes up very little room but has a multitude of uses. Sure, you will want to have a larger fixed blade primary knife and a perhaps a bigger saw but if your primary gets lost or broken you will still have a back-up. Plus it has all kinds of other useful items that you probably wouldn’t think to pack like an awl, mini-scissors, a magnifying glass and maybe even some pliers. It should also be noted that all of these things are in one place so they are easier to access and harder to lose (except the toothpick and tweezers which always get lost). Anyway, the point is it packs a lot of bang for its buck and is easily worth its weight in gold in a outdoor environment or a survival situation. The ESC is based on this same concept. It takes up little room and is lightweight and tough. It packs about 90 pages worth of info on its two sides. This not only means it contains a lot of info but it is also easy to access and it’s all in one place.
Say for instance you stumble across a familiar plant on the trail and you want to identify it before moving on. You could take off your backpack, open it up and dig around for your plant identification book which may or may not be dry and fully intact. When you find it you would then have to take it out of its zip lock bag (if you packed it properly) and oh, wait… that’s the wrong book, that’s the navigation manual… and that’s the medical manual… Then you finally find it and now just have to start another search by paging through every plant in North America (even though many of them don’t grow where you are). About one hundred pages later you find your goosefoot (AKA, wild spinach) and now it’s time to pack everything up and move out. Don’t forget to put the book back in plastic because if you don’t and it gets wet it could end up being a moldy, soggy, one pound brick that falls apart and is useless next time you need it. Now, pissed off and tired, you’re back on the trail. Wait, did you forget to pick the goosefoot?
Or, here’s another scenario. You see the goosefoot and pull out your ESC. If it’s your primary map it will probably already be out but even if it’s your secondary it is still very useful and should be easily accessible. It doesn’t need special protection or zip locks or anything and since it folds up flat it could easily be carried in a cargo pocket or inside a vest for example. Unfold it and toss it on the ground. Quickly scan the pictures in the Plants Section and ID your goosefoot, pick it, fold up the ESC and go. You don’t even need to take your pack off.
The ESC is not just for plants though. It’s useful for route planning, setting up camp, building traps protecting you from rain and many other things. The Medical, Emergency Action and Navigation Sections are especially accessible, with the ESC opening up like an accordion into a ten panel (5 on each side) quick reference guide. Even when fully unfolded, if all of the info is laying on the ground in front of you it is much quicker and easier to get to than if it’s inside a book packed away somewhere. Again, everything is in one place so you don’t have to dig around for all the things you need. In fact, below is a list of some of the things you would need to pack to replace one Emergency Survival Chart:
• 4 small scale (large area) topographic maps of your area with nautical and aeronautical information.
• Plastic bags or cases to protect the maps.
• Book about local edible and poisonous plants.
• Medical Manual specifically related to wilderness, Native American and combat medicine.
• Navigation Manual
• Communications Manual
• Survival and Bushcraft Manual
• Knot tying diagrams
• Parka / rain protection
• Blanket
• Shelter half
• A bucket (for carrying or storing water)
• A life preserver
• A charged cell phone with an internet connection (I have compiled some of the most useful survival info the internet has and put it all on the ESC. A cell phone is wonderful, but only if it works).
Remember, it’s important to have back-ups for everything and it’s just smart to carry gear with multiple uses. It saves space and weight but also time and energy if it is easily accessible and all in one place. That’s why you need a multi-tool like an Emergency Survival Chart.
Jason