-2 Quality flashlights (car and home)
-Large Swiss army knives (car and home)
-$500 cash
No first aid kit except the one that came with the car, I should probably work on that.
I have a full-size Red Cross pack at home, a mini pack in the car, and a few items in my office at work.
I also gave out the full-size packs as Christmas gifts a couple of years ago, to several friends and family members. They were very appreciated: I heard “what an original and thoughtful gift” many times. Something to consider.
Like my 1.5 million power spotlight I keep in the car?
I am second to none in my ability and willingness to run around in circles screaming and waving my hands in the air.
if you have or need a “kit” to survive, in a real and on going emergency, it will only make you a target for those less equipped, but more able to take it away.
I prefer to be less equpped.
Regards
FML
Fixed title.
Damnit! What did I screw up?
Ah yes. You’re that Survivorman dude. Tell us about bug eating, shelter building, and your various other means of survival!
Were you a Boy Scout like I was? We do know a lot about living in the wild. What was the first part of the motto? Lemme think…ah “Be prepared”.
Since you are less “equpped” (sic) than the rest of us, perhaps you could share your revolutionary survival techniques.
For where I live? Plenty ready.
Hell, its damn near an emergency every day by “normal” standards.
I’ve got 20 acres and an Armalite AR-50, and I’m NOT sharing 
. Of course if I did have to venture into the city I’d probably pack light and take one of the many fancy kits people are carrying…or were carrying until the giant alien tripod zapped them. Just driving through Houston makes me wonder what the hell most people in the big cities would do.
Title said “emercency.”
:smack:
I live in the Gulf Coast hurricane belt, far enough inland to not have to evacuate, but certainly in a zone that would be affected by a Cat 3 or higher storm coming ashore nearby. I haven’t got a ‘kit’ made up, but I’ve got stuff around the house that in total would make it possible to last 3-5 days without power, as most sources I read recommend. The survival-type stuff would include:
Floating 6V spotlight/flashlight
several candles
matches
canned goods
battery-powered radio
lotsa batteries
work gloves
bleach (to add to a bathtub full of water for washing purposes)
important papers in a zip-lock bag
the all-important Swiss Army Knife
I’m pretty sure I’ve got a Leatherman-type tool around here somewhere, but I’ll be damned if I can find it. The rest, I know where everything is and can put it together in ten minutes or less should I need to.
I need to stock up on drinking water and get a small first aid kit sometime in the next week or so.
I’ve got a few tools and a mini-Maglite in the car, but that’s about it.
Now, if the issue is flesh-eating zombies, I’m in a much less advantageous position, as I have no firearms or medieval weapons on the premises. Plenty of golf clubs, though.
I’m my company’s local HSE rep, so I suppose I should be better prepared as a matter of form, but whatever.
A full tank of gas.
Always have a Moderator on hand in case of emergency.
Ok, Czarcasm but you’ll get a little bored locked in a glass case with “In Case of typo, break glass”.
We live on the coast, in a hurricane evacuation zone. Our emergency supplies consist of internet access, a nearby supermarket, a car and friends who live farther inland. Thing about hurricanes is you always have plenty of warning that they’re coming.
Sure…
One thing, though, I am NOT Survivorman…People who think that way die quickly, generally because reality has a nasty way of getting i8n the way of their plans.
I guess what I was saying, metaphorically that plans and equipment are fine things, but if and when things get bad, they can be of limited value. To misquote a military axiom “Battle plans are perfect… until the battle starts!”
If things go ratshit crazy, your best bet is to get out of the danger zone, lay low, not draw attention to yourself, and be prepared to wait it out. You may become uncomfortable, thirsty, hungry, cold, bored, depressed and extremely fatigued. The only real essentials are shelter/cover and water. You can go 2 weeks with out food. Sure I would eat bugs, rats, cute cocker spaniels, and if you were hungry enough, you would too.
As to be being “Mr Survivalist”… well, if I knew that a global nuclear war was about to happen, I would find a nice unobstructed close view of a ground zero site and wait for the flash. It hurts as much as having your picture taken.
In situations of civil unrest, massive long term electricity failure, or similar, I would probably disapear into the woods, as quickly and quietly as I could, taking with me what ever I had tiome to gather and could carry with me.
I have been camping in the Canadian woods since I was 12. I know where to find safe water, sleep, and find food. When I was 17, because of a (seems silly now) dispute with my parents, I walked into the back 40 of our farm and disapeared into virgin woods for 3 weeks. I had the clothes on my back, a hunting knife, and a magnifying glass. My mom was concerned, but not worried. Only reason I came back was that school was about to start.
Having a huge “list” of stuff you need is only gonna slow you down, make you a target for others, and limit your choices to what you can do with stuff you got.
Regards
FML
Yes, maybe if you are talking post Nule survival or something. But mainly what is meant by an emergency kit is a natural disaster where you are mostly safe but without electricity or water for a couple days. Or even a one day power outage. Earthquakes, storms, and the like. I know I have lived through several big earthquakes and several poweroutages, and although knowing there was a gun around was comforting, all I really needed was a source of light for a few nights. And even that was technically optional, I guess, since I would live without light.
I have also been stuck in the car for a day, so having some minimal supplies there is very nice.
What we need is enough stuff to maintain a minimal level of comfort for 72 hours, for the kind of disasters that can and do really happen several times in a lifetime.
“Things going ratshit crazy”, “civil unrest, massive long term electricity failure” and such like are very rare, so most of us are planning for the real disasters that will happen. Now sure, a NewOrleans type disaster just did happen, but that is still very rare.
Most of them would die. Period. There just aren’t enough supplies to support any sort of population for more than a few weeks. The hundred or so that managed to take control of a local Sam’s club would be fine for food, but they would soon run out of something to drink. The survival doctrine, three minutes without air, three days without water, three weeks without food would catch up with them quickly.