Making Scented Items For Rescue

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by Spartan300, Apr 2, 2011.


  1. Spartan300

    Spartan300 Monkey+

    I think making a "scent item" for yourself and each family member might be a good idea. Making one for each family member, and having them in each vehicle and bob might be wise as well. If somebody in your group gets lost it might save their life having a piece of clothing or gauze pad with their scent on it. Kids wander off, elderly parents or group members with Alzheimer's could get lost, even camping or hunting anybody could become disoriented and lost! If you are making a scent item, or helping a child or elderly person make one, the best way is to use latex gloves when handling the article and the zip loc bag it goes in. This way other everyday scents will not contaminate the article.

    Steps for making your scent article:
    1. Remove handkerchief or gauze pad from sealed package.
    2. Rub the handkerchief or gauze pad all over your body for several minutes.
    3. Open zip-lock bag and place handkerchief or gauze pad inside.
    4. Seal bag.
    5. On the bag, write the person's name, date the article was made and FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM ONLY.
    6. For best results, store in the freezer.

    **Scent articles should be updated about every 6 months to ensure freshest scent, although some people have had theirs tested up to a year later and found the scent was viable.

    **If you go hiking, camping, fishing, etc., leave the scent article on the front seat of your vehicle so that rescue personnel could easily see it.

    Think about what a great item this would be for a family with a loved one who has Alzheimer's Disease that might wander off - the possibilities where something like this could come in handy are numerous, so I thought I'd share it with you all.
     
  2. tommy20/69

    tommy20/69 Monkey++

    i think i would just use a box of dryer sheets like downy. they can be a dual purpose scent one for tracking and one for repelling bugs.
     
  3. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    An excellent suggestion.


    Supplemental to your suggestion for scent bags to assist sniffer dog tracking of the lost, I would also suggest making on a sheet of aluminium foil, copies of the imprint of both left and right boots of each member of the party. This will help visual trackers identify your footprints from all the other footprints on the route you are following. Boot tread patterns are like fingerprints.....wear patterns and damage to the soles create a unique identifying mark.

    You might also go the whole hog and include an activity plan including proposed routes and alternatives, and some details about who is in the party and NOK contact details.
     
    Spartan300 likes this.
  4. Tikka

    Tikka Monkey+++

    When my daughter was little she played "hide and seek" with our Dobermans. "find" to the dogs was a fun game which ended with a treat when they found her.
     
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