Car Kit

In our modern society, we practically live in our cars.  Commutes to work and back, delivering children to school, running errands, job requirements, family vacations--we are a car people.

Which means that there is a pretty good possibility that at some point we will find ourselves in the middle of an emergency with only our car to keep us company.  And this time, getting a tow might not even be an available option. 

Now, some emergencies make it a good idea to stay with your car--like avoiding hypothermia by wandering off into the forest--but some mean we're going to have to abandon it and head back home on foot--like after earthquakes rip up or block roads.

Either way, we can make our lives a whole lot easier by having an emergency kit already snuggled into our car.

A Car Kit.

This Car Kit has two parts--the section designed to support your car and the section designed to support you.  If you have to abandon the car, you'll leave the first section and just take the part designed for you--so only this second section needs to be kept in a comfortably portable carrier, the other can sit in a tote in the trunk.

The car part

The car part of the kit breaks down into even further into two more parts.  First, what you 'build' into it, and second, what you stash in it.

Everything you do to keep your car in its best possible shape--and to give you any 'edge' of increased safety--is part of your built in kit.  This means:  all regular maintenance kept up to date, tires correct for your environment and in proper condition, at least half a tank of fuel present at all times, quality parts, fresh battery, etc.  A trustworthy vehicle is a superior tool for your success in emergencies.

Everything you need to repair it or get it out of trouble--is part of your stashed section.  Obviously, there are limits here, but if you carefully think it out, you can greatly improve your chances just by adding some 'basic needs'.  Snow chains, tire change needs, tow strap/chain, jumper cables, essential fluids, spare gas can, the correct type of fire extinguisher, snow/ice scraper, folding shovel, flares, duct tape, rope, etc.  Any decent car maintenance store can help you get a good idea of what you might need--but do your own research as well.   After all, you are responsible for yourself.  Don't forget the simple stuff--like the need to keep the interior of your car clean and free of junk food wrappers and nasty socks--you might need to sleep in it. 

Take the time to learn the basic car emergency skills--how to change a flat tire, add fluids, jump your battery, etc.  Never count on someone else being willing or able to help you--be able to be your own rescue.  It's that whole be independent thing.

The you part

This part is specifically for taking care of you--so keep it portable so you can take it with you if you have abandon your car.  Of course, you can easily use it while you are with your car, but keep your options open.

Think this part through very carefully--this is the section that is supposed to take care of you until you make it back home or get to some place safer than where you are currently at.  Ask yourself:  Where do I most often go in my car?   How far do I think I might have to walk to get back home?  Are there others who could possibly be with me--human or otherwise?  Do any of us have any special needs to plan for?  What do I normally wear while in the car?  What kind of terrain could I have to cover on foot just to get back home?  What is the absolute worst the weather could be?  What are the possible emergency events which could happen in my area? 

Plan this accordingly.

And remember that you need to fill some basic areas: 

*carrier
*food and water
*warmth and shelter
*clothing
*medical
*safety
*financial
*entertainment and comfort

Choose a sturdy carrier.  While I recommend a backpack for your Personal Emergency Kit, here I recommend a quality duffle.  Why?  Because it usually fits in your trunk better.  Just make sure the carry strap is a comfortable length for you--and doesn't dig into your shoulder.  Add padding if needed.  Seriously, it's the little things that can make all the difference.  Weird, but true.

Now select what food and water you're going to put in.  Keep in mind that your car can get very hot or very cold.  Ready to eat canned goods, dried edibles (also ones that don't require water or cooking to eat), and sealed food bars make decent choices.  Water bottles, water pouches, or water 'drink boxes' are easier to carry than a gallon jug.  Rotate your edibles out every six months or less--depending on the temperatures your car gets to.  Poisoning yourself is uncool.  Double bagging stuff is a good idea--or putting it into an airtight/leak proof container.

Pick at least two ways to start a fire--one that you can do with only one hand (injuries happen) or in winter gloves (dexterity issues).  Remember to store tinder, too.  Your car itself will provide shelter a lot of times--but sometimes it can't, either due to damage or because you have to abandon it.  So consider how you are going to provide weather protection and shelter for yourself away from it.  A quality poncho, blankets or sleeping bag and tarps are handy.

Because you could be going to work in a dress and heels or coming back from a workout in shorts, you need to include a change of emergency clothing.  Store this in a large plastic bag to keep it dry.  Base your choices on the area, climate, and possible events which could occur.  Your head, eyes, hands, and feet are essential focuses--but don't forget the rest of you.  Layers let you accommodate seasons and differing dangers.  Remember to check your stored clothing every year--or when you change sizes or locations, you might need to switch something out for a more suitable item.

A good first aid kit is a must.  Talk to the Red Cross or other trained emergency personnel to get one or build one suitable for the possible injuries that might be involved with a car.  Get trained!  And keep up to date with it!

Obviously, you need to be able to see--flashlights (non-battery ones are best for car storage) and be seen (safety vests, light sticks, etc.).  You also might need to protect yourself.  Look into the laws of your area and consider your skills--and remember that temperatures effect some tools of defense.  Take defensive training.  Store a sturdy walking stick or cane with your duffle--this has an additional help of getting you over rough terrain or damaged areas, along with the protection use.  You can do make-shift protection, too.  A folding shovel or tire iron are often used in car-related emergencies--and double as good weapons in need.  Be able to signal others for help--flares, whistle or air horn, a loaded phone card for pay phones should you 'oops' and let your cell phone die, etc., are all good items to stash.  Keep current maps of the places you live and travel about--you might need to take 'round about' ways to get home in emergencies (like to avoid civil riots or due to earthquake damage of roadways).

Tuck in a bit of cash--obviously, you should have your EDC stuff on your person--but some "Plan B" never hurts.  Again, small bills.

You could be stuck with your car for a while--or have to stop for rest breaks on the way back home.  Have some stuff for fun and comfort.  This means anything from snacks and Tic Tacs to something to read or play by yourself.  Avoid battery items--batteries have an annoying tendency to up and die when actually needed.  It's either Murphy's Law or some weird aspect of Karma.

*Now remember--if there is a good possibility that you will have someone (human or other) with you, you need to plan and prepare for them in your car kit, too.  That is just part of being a responsible adult and a compassionate human being.  Don't skip this--after all, you could be the 'extra' person in someone else's car in an emergency, too--and hoping desperately that they can help ease your way in trouble.



So now you have an idea how to start your Car Kit.

Now start it.

Do some serious research, get quality advice from trained professionals, and learn any skills or information you might need in dealing with your car in emergencies.  Practice until you can 'do it in your sleep'.  Keep yourself updated at all times--both in knowledge and gear.  Keep yourself in good physical condition--you need to actually be able to do what needs to be done.  Then take it calmly as it comes.  You may not be able to control an emergency--but you can control how you deal with it.  For the better or the worse.

Be good to go.

Every Day Carry (EDC)

Perhaps the most dangerous part of any emergency is its unexpectedness.  While some trouble can be 'seen coming', most can't.  So what do we do? 

We plan.

But how do we plan?

We use those six areas talked about in the post Planning the Layers:  Personal Emergency Preparedness:  skill levels, area, duration, needs, responsibilities and duties, previous and projected events.

Because we rarely if ever know where we'll be when an emergency happens, we need to plan to take care of ourselves everywhere we go--24/7.  This preparation is called Every Day Carry (EDC).

An EDC kit is, obviously, very personalized.  To actually be effective for you, you need to sit down someplace quiet and go through the six areas--and honesty is more than a virtue here, it could literally mean the difference between your life and death!  So while Rambo could happily take care of himself with just a knife, you might not.  Don't let that discourage you--in fact, let it motivate you to learn more, to practice harder and more consistently.

Some of the questions (but not all of them) you should answer in these six areas are:

What are my actual emergency skills?  Where am I usually at?  How long could an emergency last--and how long could its recovery last? What are my needs?  Who is depending or relying on me to come through for them (human or not)?  What are the emergency events that have happened in my area before--and what events could possibly happen in the future?

Depending on how you answer these and other concerns in the six areas, will be the deciding factors that build your EDC kit.   If you need some basic starting help, FEMA and the Red Cross both offer websites with instructional assistance.  They also offer education help.  For an even better source of emergency preparation and in depth skill building--and particularly for anyone wanting to be as independent and self-sufficient as possible--I recommend The Hoodlums Adventure Team Forum noted in my Cool Sites to Check Out.

As your education and skill levels change, you'll find that you will consider the six areas differently--so be prepared to change your EDC kit as you learn.

So let's start with a basic EDC kit.  Obviously, you need to follow the laws (local, state and federal)--or the rules of the places you'll be going into.  What is allowed 'on the street' is not the same as what is allowed in a federal building!  Don't let this frustrate you--just use your brain to make your choices.  I have found that it really helps to think of things according to the need, not the specific item.  This lets me 'think outside of the box' and encourages me to improve my adaptability.  For example, think:  I need a way to start a fire.  not   I need a lighter.

At an absolute minimum, I recommend the following baseline EDC kit with some suggested examples of items to fill its needs:

EDC Kit

*sharp edge (pocket knife, multi tool, box cutter, EMT shears, heavy duty scissors, sharpener, etc.)
*fire starter and tinder (lighter, matches, ferro rod or other manual spark based source)
*light source (LED squeeze light or a small flashlight--a non-battery one is best or change out often)
*communication, both electronic and manual (cell phone, phone card, pencil/paper, whistle, etc.)
*personal identification and support (State ID, Driver's License, insurance cards, etc.)
*currency (cash, credit card, bank card--remember power outs affect card readability!)

A kit is only of use to you if you actually have it--so keep this kit on your person.

I like using my pockets and a cool Wonder Woman 'cigarette' wallet--everything is on my person at all times, but it takes up very little actual space.

Obviously, you can expand this baseline kit for some useful additions.  I strongly urge you to keep your baseline kit on your person--and the expansion items in an accompanying carrier of your choice (other than the personal protection section, which should remain on your person as well).  That way the likelihood of getting physically parted from your base needs are reduced.

EDC Kit Expansion:

*personal hygiene  (toilet paper, hand wipes, sanitizer, feminine articles, handkerchief, comb, etc.)
*medical  (prescriptions, first aid kit, eyeglasses in a hard shell case/extra contacts, etc.)
*sustenance (water in a bottle, packaged long-lasting/non-melting food, gum/hard candies)
*repair/maintenance (sewing kit, safety pens, duct tape, ziplock bags, small but strong cording, etc.)
*location assistance (maps in ziplock bags, gps, cell phone--for MapQuest, etc.)
*environment protection (face mask, large bandanas, umbrella, contractor garbage bags, poncho, etc.)
*personal protection (self-defense training, permit, and tools/weaponry)
*rescue assistance (car window punch, safety gloves, seat belt cutter, flare, glow sticks, etc.)
*entertainment (ipod, book, cards, travel game, etc.)

Remember that one part of your EDC Kit that most people forget to consider every time is what you are wearing.

You might not have access to a vehicle or the safety of a building--you might have to walk back home or even defend yourself--the weather might shift drastically or you find yourself suddenly exposed to it--you might have to assist in evacuations or rescues--you could have to escape from a heavily damaged building--the point is, you never know.  So plan what you are wearing with some care to more than just fashion.  If work requirements mean you need heels or a suit, then keep a duffle with a change of comfortable but sturdy shoes and good socks stuffed into your office.  Have your coat handy--and if it is winter or weather could be an issue, keep a skullcap and gloves in its pockets.

Now you know the baseline EDC Kit and its Expansion.

So sit down someplace quiet now and get started.  Go through the six areas carefully.  Then go through the EDC needs and choose the starting items of your kit.  Decide how you are going to carry it every day, every place you go, 24/7. 

You can do this!  And you need to do this.

Start now.





        

Planning the Layers: Personal Emergency Preparedness

As you plan to take care of yourself in an emergency, it is important that you think in 'layers'.  What you are doing is surrounding yourself with ever expanding protection.  Each layer is planned in consideration of the following six areas:

*Skill levels--your training, education, experience, or abilities
*Area--where you live, work, or play
*Duration--how long you might have to face an emergency or its aftermath
*Needs-- any special considerations (including medical) which you might need to plan for
*Responsibilities and Duties--to yourself, to those dependent on you, or to those relying on you
*Previous and Projected Events--emergencies which have occurred or which might occur near you

How carefully you plan your protective layers using these six areas will largely determine your success in handling emergencies.

Remember, you will constantly need to update and alter your layers--everything changes, including you!  And don't forget; your family (two-legged and four) needs their own custom built layers, too!

So what are these layers of personal emergency preparedness?  They are the organized kits or supplies designed to help you take on an emergency, no matter where you are.  The kits or supplies themselves go by many names, but here they are by each layer:

*Every Day Carry (EDC)--what you carry every day, everywhere
*Personal Emergency Kit or Go Bag--for when you must be mobile or need to relocate quickly
*Car Kit--for trouble during commutes or trips
*Work Kit--your 'office' support, including help to return home
*School Kit--specifically for children/teens waiting for parental pick up at schools
*Stay In Kit--for quarantines or other 'must stay inside' issues
*Home Storage Supply--for extended emergencies and long term recoveries

The coming posts will go into the details of these layers--including suggested lists of items to go into each kit.

Stay tuned--you can do this!