Fri, Jul 30, 2010
Tacoma Mountain Rescue

Kit History

Contributed By Gus Bush

On March 6, 1996 a new era in the history of Tacoma Mountain Rescue was begun. For years the Unit has met our funding needs by the sale of a small survival kit or storm kit as it became known. This kit contained, matches, a candle, sugar, salt, tea, bouillon, wire, a whistle, signal mirror, plastic tube tarp and a survival brochure. Unit members would meet the first Wednesday of every month and put together 200 to 600 of these kits. An average of around 4000 kits a year were sold to local outdoor supply stores, some local national parks, (Olympic and North Cascades) and by ord of mouth, till by the mid-1990's they were being sold almost nationwide.

In the early days the Tacoma Mountain Rescue Unit was supported by donations from the members and the occasional fund raiser. However, as the unit grew and more unit equipment was needed (such as a rescue truck) a more stable and dependable form of funding was needed. An event happened during the building of the Schurrman Hut that would eventually lead to the creation of the kit. The following is from an interview with John Simac one of the unit's founders:

The original kit was born on Curtis spur on Mt. Rainier. It was during a hike and carrying in supplies of canvas for the navy bunks at the Schurrman hut. Two guys by the name of Max Eckenburg and Joe Savenney (please forgive me if I have spelled Max and Joe's names incorrectly. Editor) and myself were carrying this canvas up to the prow. When we got to Curtis Spur, Savenney ran out of gas. He stayed at the spur for the night, and I went on up to the prow and then came back to stay the night with him. We didn't intend to spend the night there, but a storm came in nd we couldn't move up over the prow. I had pretty much the same ngredients that were in the kit in a little different can than it was ater put into. It was something that I put together, and we used that kit to spend the night because we didn't have the sleeping bags at Curtis Spur. When I got back and we were talking about it, Ev Lasher said what we ought to do is put together a kit like that since it could save a life, and sell it. (There were many others such as Gene Fear who also helped design and market the kit. Editor) The first ones we sold for two dollars, it was incredible, we were baling them out by the wheelbarrow load and there was a really good market for them. We got tremendous feedback from the whole thing, we got letters where they credit the kit with saving their lives. The kit has done its job, plus the fact that it has furnished the Tacoma Mountain Rescue unit with all the equipment necessary to do our job except for our present truck.

Two years ago the manufacturer that had produced the can for the kit for many years informed the Unit that the die had broken and he could no longer afford to produce the cans for us. What followed was an eighteen-month search for a new can supplier. A can committee was formed with past and present members of the unit to rethink the kit. A new and improved version of the kit came out of their meetings. A supplier was ound for a new can and the name was changed from Storm kit to Survival Kit. The new kit retains some of the old kits recognizable form in color nd printing but is three quarters of an inch wider. It also retains all the ingredients of the old kit but also includes; waterproof paper, a pencil, compass, foil, knife, cord, and a poly bag. On March 6 fifteen members of the unit met for a kit party to put together this new kit; at that party they produced 430 kits. While a portion of this first run of new kits will go as samples to our customers to see if it has the appeal of the old kit, I'm sure it will find its own level and remain our main source of funding well into the next century. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the name of the people most responsible for the continued success of the kit. Shorty Williams, who for years has provided the Unit the space to hold the kit parties at his house every month except July (Shorty's vacation). Lee and Dolores Tegner, who have handled the business side taking orders and shipping the kits to customers. Irina Scheer who has been one of the regulars at the kit party for many years. I know I have left out many names of those who have helped put together the kit for these many years.If any of the older members who read this article can remember the names of those who helped form the original kit please write me in care of the Unit. Their names are an important part of the Unit's history.