Cold night . . . took a wrong turn

[Alacrity59]

Ok, a bit of an off season question being late June . . . what do you carry in your car in case you find yourself broken down on a back road . . . perhaps in a blizzard?

In my home I have camping stoves and lanterns, I've got candles, fire steels, matches, lighters, knives of all sorts, fish hooks, and so on, etc., etc.

I . . . maybe . . . have a first aid kit in my car . . . space blanket, a couple of matches and a tea candle. I have a set of five roadside flairs. I carry a cell phone and have a charger in the car. (oh yeah I forgot . . . two chemical hand warmers . . . the kind that are activated by snapping a stainless steel disk.

Probably 90% of folk don't even have this on hand . . . what do you carry? What should we have on hand? I'm certain I've neglected this for a bit . . . I'm going to add a couple of candles and a fire steel.

The crazy thing is I'm almost more prepared for shopping. I always have four or more reusable shopping bags . . . sheesh you would think I could find room for a real blanket or other useful stuff.


What kit do you carry?

[Legion]

In my car there is a wool blanket, rope, rigging gloves, a smallish SAK (I will still get in trouble here if a cop finds that, but not as much as a sheath knife), spare sweater and hat, rain proof warm jacket, disposable lighter, cheap multitool... various other things that I can't remember at the moment. It all doesn't take up too much room in the trunk.

[dpm802]

I don't venture much into the great outdoors, and I've got my GPS to always help me get back home.

But just in case, I keep a few hand-tools, basic spare parts for the car (fuses, light bulbs, oil, transmission fluid, windshield-washer fluid, etc.) some foul-weather gear and work gloves, several flashlights. A cell-phone charger (both AC and 12v.) About $100 in cash, and $20 in coinage. A tow-rope. Jumper cables. Blankets to lay on the ground in case I have to crawl under the car.

I also have some bottles of Gatorade and nutrition bars at all times. I buy these in bulk and munch on them while working, so I always leave them in my car. They also come in handy when I'm out running errands and I don't have time or money to stop in a restaurant to eat.

[maxman]

Jumper cables, a mug, Toilet Paper (an absolute must have), weatherproof matches, gloves, toque/hat, emergency blanket, deck of cards, candle, road flares, first aid kit...
I'm not sure what else is in there, but I'll have a look and report back.

[Phog Allen]

Where I live there are enough stinging insects like wasps, bumblebees, and biting ants to warrant an Extractor (http://www.sawyerproducts.com/B6B.htm) kit. Since we have several varieties of poisonous snakes it covers that as well. These are less than fifteen dollars at places like Walmart so there is one in each vehicle.

Regards, Todd

[jwcarlson]

Where I live there are enough stinging insects like wasps, bumblebees, and biting ants to warrant an Extractor (http://www.sawyerproducts.com/B6B.htm) kit. Since we have several varieties of poisonous snakes it covers that as well. These are less than fifteen dollars at places like Walmart so there is one in each vehicle.

Regards, Todd

Can you really "pump" out venom? Imagine the speed at which your blood if flowing away from the bite...
I guess I'm thinking a bite that breaks a blood vessel. Maybe if it's a "flesh bite" you have enough time to suck some out?

[Confilo]

and don't forget water and high energy bars or chocloate

[Phog Allen]

I don't honestly know Jacob. The little reverse acting syringe looking devices puts one heck of a vacuum on your skin. I would rather have it and hope it works than to maybe lose the chance to at least stanch the flow of venom. I suspect this works better on bee and wasp stings.

Snake bites are weird things. Our American pit vipers are actually the most sophisticated venom deliverers in the world. They can dry bite you, inject a tiny amount from either fang independently, both fangs, or give you a full dose with both fangs at will. Most of the nastier neurotoxic snakes are "chewers". They bite and hold on for a bit, sort of gnawing at your skin and this releases venom which runs down their fangs and into the wound. Hence the need to sort of chew it in. And most cannot control the output. They just dose you but good.

Our vipers(and most around the world) have syringe like fangs and can deliver the venom deeper into your skin. Even into blood vessels direct if they hit you in the right area, as you noted. I hope to never find out. My nephew was nearly killed by a copperhead when he was five. As it is he lost most of his index finger(which turned completely black in less than fifteen minutes), has nasty scars on the back of his hand and up his arm where the surgeons cut the skin to relieve swelling and drain fluid. He nearly lost his arm up the mid humourous area. Don't let anyone tell you American pit vipers cannot kill. They can if you are particularly vulnerable. A small child, elderly, weakened immune system, or just plain more allergic to the venom than a normal person. This is why I have packed these in the vehicles ever since.

Regards, Todd

[M80]

Cell phone, flashlight and fifth of Jack.

[Alacrity59]

Cell phone, flashlight and fifth of Jack.

Na . . somehow the booze always evaporates. But I did not mention the nine led flashlight I have in the car and I have some red rags I keep on hand in case I carry something sticking out the back . . . oh and yes I do have some cord to tie down loads . . . .

[aceinyerface]

It depends on the situation. But, always I have my mind. Meaning, I can improvise what I need if under the gun.

I have different packs and things that I bring as the situation changes. The specifics change so often that listing them is pointless, anytime I see something that would help me prep better, I get it. I try to be sure to spend a few bucks each week in prep, if only extra beans, a candle, ammo, etc... In general, I plan in terms of my larger needs.

Shelter- I live in the city so I don't often have to do anything to reliably have some shelter. If I am going to leave the city, I bring some things to improvise a shelter if I need to. (trash bag, serious camo rain poncho, fixed blade knife, paracord, etc) It rarely freezes here, so it is quite different from you northerners.

Security- I always have a quick access knife and a firearm of some type. I live in the most dangerous state in the union, safety is critical.

Water- I live in the 2nd wettest place in the world (the ocean is the wettest). There is literally water everywhere. If it ever got to be where there was no potable water, I could scavenge up an old soup can and boil some ditch water. If I am leaving the city, I bring a SS water bottle to boil in.

Fire- Getting close to the Zombie Apocalypse, I might need to start a fire in the city to boil water and cook food. Cigarette lighter, dry debris. Out of town (OOT) a firestarter, cotton balls, neosporin (which is primarily Vaseline). Knowledge to gather fire materials.

First Aid- I like to have a better first aid kit just for comfort's sake, and I use it often. Aspirin/Aleve/Advil, Immodium, Tums, bandages, neosporin, bandanna, wipes, and the like. I make my own kits because the storebought ones are not serious.

Food- In the city, not an issue, at home a few weeks worth, OOT a small pack of fishing gear (swamps everywhere). Firearm will get me a dog or cat in an emergency.

[WesternModern]

wool blanket, emergency bivy sack, wool hat+gloves, flashlight, first-aid kit, matches, hershey bars, and this;
Take 1 or 2 tin boxes, round or square, good sized ones ( you know, the kind you get christmas cookies in),
fill them up with Kingsford Matchlite charcoal, then seal the lid with duct tape. Put some matches in a little zip-lock bag, tape to bottom of the tin.
Instant emergency campfire! You can add twigs and branches while it burns.

[Phog Allen]

wool blanket, emergency bivy sack, wool hat+gloves, flashlight, first-aid kit, matches, hershey bars, and this;
Take 1 or 2 tin boxes, round or square, good sized ones ( you know, the kind you get christmas cookies in),
fill them up with Kingsford Matchlite charcoal, then seal the lid with duct tape. Put some matches in a little zip-lock bag, tape to bottom of the tin.
Instant emergency campfire! You can add twigs and branches while it burns.

What a good idea. And probably the BEST use ever for those nifty looking biscuit tins we all get at Christmastide. We never get rid of them because we think we will use them. Invariably a year or two later we set out a bunch of them in the dustbin.

Regards, Todd