Preparedness Items To Bring When Traveling In Your Car Or Truck

vehicle-preparedness-kit

Recently having traveled several hundred miles to visit some friends and family for a number of overnight’s, I thought that I would reflect back upon the preparedness ‘prep’ items that I took along in the truck.

While I did not take ‘the kitchen sink’, I did bring along a few extra things for ‘just in case’.

 
Firstly, the reason(s) that I keep some preparedness items in the vehicle is because I realize that there are many hypothetical scenarios whereby I might need any one of them. Just like we all carry a spare tire, I also keep ‘preparedness insurance’ items for situations which may disrupt my trip.

Secondly, without ‘overthinking’ what to bring, I simply used a bit of practical common sense and applied a few variables such as the current season (in this instance… late Fall, early Winter), the weather forecast, and the distance of our destination from home.

Thirdly, I always keep my fuel tank closer to FULL than EMPTY. Additionally, when reaching or nearing my destination, I always fill-er-up.

 

Basic Emergency Kit

I always carry some sort of 72-hour emergency kit in the vehicle. Once in awhile I go through the kit and adjust what’s inside. I keep the ‘stuff’ in a backpack – which would assist if I had to walk out (or just need it).

You might be wondering, what ‘stuff’ is in my backpack at this particular moment, so let me go out to the truck and get it, and I’ll let you know. Hang on a minute – I’ll be right back…

Okay I’m back (did I mention it’s cold outside?)

– roll of TP, in a Ziploc bag
– hand towel
– LifeStraw water filter
– Camelbak UV water purifier
– First Aid Kit (DIY in Ziploc bag)
– Mylar Emergency Blanket (2)
– Chainmate pocket chain saw
– Bandanna
– Paracord (about 20′)
– Compass
– Whistle
– P51 Shelby Can Opener
– Knife (Cold Steel Recon 1)
– Flashlight
– Fire-starter Kit in Ziploc bag which includes:
—— BIC lighters (2)
—— Waterproof matches
—— Magnesium fire-starter tool
—— Magnifying glass
—— Votive candle
—— Cotton balls smushed with Vaseline (a few)
—— Kindling fire stick (several inches)

Note: Like I said, I am occasionally adjusting this simple car kit – sometimes a bit ‘over-the-top’ and other times a more efficient pack.

 

Food For 72 Hours

I always keep enough food in the truck to supply Mrs.J and I for 72 hours. This may seem like overdoing it, but given that it’s a relatively simple thing – I just do it. You might be wondering what food I have in the truck right now. Alright then – hang on and I will go back out and have another look…

Note: I target 2000 calories per day per person.
Note: I adjust winter food storage vs. summer (freezing temp considerations, shelf life, etc..)

– 3 bricks of DATREX bars, double vacuum packed (3 x 18 bars x 200 calories = 10,800)
– 12 MRE’s with heaters (apprx. 3600 calories)
– Ziploc bag full of ‘food bars’ (apprx. 2000 calories)
– fork and spoon (for civilized eating ;) )

 

Seasonal Clothing

Depending on the season, I bring along a ‘more than adequate’ set of outerwear in case I am forced to deal with the elements of mother nature. On this trip, although the weather was not forecast to be especially wintery or cold, I brought along our winter jackets due to the seasonal possibilities.

– Winter Jackets
– Hiking Boots

 

Other Prep Items – Always In The Truck

There are other random items that I always keep in the truck that fall into the category of preparedness. I will list them as follows…

First Aid Kit general kit, iOSAT, pain relievers, QuikClot
Stainless Steel drinking water bottles (several 80%, filled accommodates freezing expansion)
– During non-winter months, I keep more water on-board
– Another Knife (fixed blade, full tang)
– Winter Hats, Winter Gloves
– Work gloves
2-way radios (GMRS/FRS)
– handheld CB radio
– Flashlight (larger than the backpack light)
– Quality Rain Poncho (2)
– Fleece Blanket (2)
– Tarp (a few)
– Rope
Road Atlas of my state and surrounding states
National Road Atlas
‘the Next Exit’ (excellent traveling resource)
– Pen, Pencil, and Paper (small notepad)
– GPS
– Phone charger

When traveling, I always carry extra cash than I normally would.

 
Okay, that was the quick run-down.
I’m sure if I dug around inside the truck some more – I would find more items to add to this list, but it’s cold outside and I don’t feel like going back outside ;)

Hopefully this article will inspire some of you to have a look at what YOU keep in your vehicle for preparedness, and the next time you go on a trip – to think about bringing along a few extra items for ‘just in case’.

66 Comments

  1. Forgot the TP!!! Thanks for the reminder, I’ll add it to my kit.

    1. Some additions that I have are a survival rifle stored in the stock with 200 rds of .22, 200 rds for my EDC 9mm, and 10oz of silver in 1/2 once rounds.

  2. Ken, did the turkey scare you so much that you traded in your truck and loaded up that truck??? A picture is worth a thousand words. He he ha ha?

  3. A suggested addition – my BOB includes candles. From my years of boating, I learned that a few candles can keep the boat cabin warm and toasty. If stuck in a car without a working heater, some candles could easily keep passengers warm until help arrived.

    1. After living in the Colorado area for 10 years the candles are a must, after first hand experience with some of the neighbors and relatives who had a ‘night out’ in a stuck vehicle, the sleeping bag, food, water and yes the candles made it a success story for them. One neighbor, decided to walk from their house to a out building in a front range whiteout and was found a day later in a ditch deceased……. 100 yards from the safety of the house, I have experienced vertigo firsthand in a blizzard, it is a very real danger. Being prepared with survival items in a vehicle is a must in the Western States…. Be Safe

    2. I keep candles in the BOB that goes IN the vehicle when we leave. I do not leave my BOB in my vehicle all the time, especially in warmer weather.Learned THAT lesson one summer when my emergency candles blobbed because of the heat inside the vehicle. Yeah, the “blob” could have ignited about anything, but it was a tad messy.
      So, the Bob goes in immediately prior to departure from the home location on any road or day trip.

  4. I couldn’t help but notice, no firearms were mentioned. Because of the Gun Laws where you traveled, or you just, wisely, omitted mentioning it? +

    1. @WarVet, Because of where I traveled. NOT firearms friendly…

      It is really amazing how VERY different it can be from one state to the next. It seems (is) absurd. The second amendment is the second amendment, no matter which state I’m in – however as we all know, this is not the case.

      1. Rifles are not subject to nearly as much scrutiny. I keep a Kel-Tec sub 2000 in S&W.40. It folds and fits in a small bag. It is not a handgun, so none of those laws apply. You only need to be careful on magazine capacity.

      2. Ken, Since I’m a native of the PRK, (PeoplesRepublicofKalleefourkneeya) a hint for traveling in communist country; Keep the firearms and ammo separate, and don’t give any one with a badge and excuse to go “fishing” and search your vehicle.
        If they should ask, (most won’t) simply (and politely) decline, and tell them you will wait for them to get a warrant.
        Other than that, one should never drive in a manner to attract the wrong kind of attention of law enforcement, so that there is never a need for them to “go fishing”.(Yeah, that IS what they call it…prior LEO experience-we fished a lot in certain areas).

        I always carry a personal firearm for defense and with the advent of the Kel-Tec folding stock long-guns, those make a dandy luggage attractive(fits inside your luggage-no one is the wiser) field expedient method to defend oneself against Mumbai-style lodging attacks.

        I do carry pepper spray in the appropriate sizes when IN my home state, and keep them next to me while driving. Helps keep the “bugs” from trying to get into the vehicle when needed.

        Any professional law enforcement officer will “know” when there is a firearm in the vehicle he/she has stopped anyway. I never felt the need to fish when stopping normal folks at all. Saw a lot of handguns stashed in the Glove Box, gently reminded them after the stop to please put it someplace far more safe and that wouldn’t get it seized by some over-zealous John Wayne with a badge.(that was just MY way of sticking it to idiots in Sacramento.

        In short, never give any LEO a “reason”(probable cause) to make contact with you.

        1. My 2¢ worth;

          When, not if, when you get pulled over by an LEO be nice, these poor souls have a crapo job from hates. There is no way in heck I would ever deal with the stuff/scum they do.

          Anyways, When you get pulled over, roll down the window, before they get there, put your hands high on the steering wheel, and be polite. When they approach, keep your big mouth shut, answer any question and let them know if you have a firearm in the vehicle or on person (every LEO I talk to believe it anyways, so telling them shows your honest about it), and tell them where it is, Let them know you really don’t want to get shot because of a mistake. When they ask for license, registration and proof of Insurance, do NOT make sudden moves, tell them where your going to reach and do it slowly. Again you really don’t want to get shot or arrested for something stupid.

          Let me tell everyone, if you want to be stupid, mouthy, fight or be combative, 99.99% of the time you WILL lose, guaranteed. Remember “just cause” will win every time. Being an azzhole is just cause.

          One other thing, if you get pulled over, you really probably did something wrong anyways, life will be a lot easier if you just take the ticket and pay it later than spending time in jail or the hospital after you lose the fight.

          Please respect the LEO and there stinking job they have to do. Being nice and just talking to a LEO will get you out of more problems than fighting and being nasty. And if you do get that ticket, try thanking them for doing a good job and trying to keep the streets safe. After we all probably need a few tickets just to remind us to drive safer.
          JMHO
          NRP

        2. THIS. I live in Newyorkistan and avoiding cops is the best, even though in WNY they’re fairly gun friendly if you’re legal and smart. They never ask me even though I have NRA stickers etc plastered on my vehicle.

          Key is to be respectful, and not to fumble in the car before they appraoch you. Turn the car and radio off, sit there with hands on the wheel. and don’t move like an idiot when you reach for your papers. The first moments of the interaction set the tone for the rest. If you behave like you know how to act around a cop, they don’t mess with you. I have actually never gotten many well-deserved speeding tickets bc when they ask me why they pulled me over, I immediately tell them it was my mistake for going over, i immediately slowed down as soon as I saw their vehicle because I always try to obey the speed limit, I am usually much more mindful but was focused more on the road (this always happens at night) because of X, and that I am very sorry. Just getting basic respect, feeling safe and admitting you did wrong (they didnt pull you over for nothing) goes a looooong way in my experience. Having a clean car, like not a lot of clutter or garbage, so they can see all surfaces and not wonder whats hidden, a good appearance, and coming off like a decent human being leaves a good first impression. Avoid looking in your mirrors at them before and while they approach the car. They look for that and it makes them feel more safe when you don’t. Roll your window down all the way right before you shut the car off and put your hands on the car.

          I’m not saying you won’t get a ticket or messed with, but I’ve never had a problem and I’ve seen the difference from when I’m a passenger while someone else is getting pulled over.

  5. I would add a shovel, tow strap, jumper cables (good ones! At least 16 feet long) and a snow shovel if you live in snow country. I’d rather eat cold pork and beans than datrex bars

    1. @Sam, I do have all of those (and more ;) ) in the truck (plus 2 sets of heavy duty tow straps, ice scraper, snow brush, washer fluid rated for 30-below…). Thanks for adding your thoughts for others to see.

      1. Ken, you must have an enormous truck! I know us here in the mid-west have to walk a fine line of being prepared and also still having enough room in the truck to carry groceries or that great deal on TP when you see it. We (wife and I) keep a plastic tote in the car with a variety of items as well and in our truck there is a survival bag. Thanks for the reminder though, I think I will check them both out and make sure the necessities are in there.

  6. Well I see Ken really does read our comments :-) I can’t believe you did NOT take “the kitchen sink” hahaha Was expecting to see Grandma’s rocking chair strapped to the top of yar truck there Mr. Calmpett LOLOL

    You did an interesting exercise, would be cool to see what others have in their Basic and 72 hour kits, and/or the truck. Going to scrounge around in mine and see what I come up with.
    Let’s compare notes.
    NRP

      1. YEs indeed! I fully expected to see Granny Clampett with her Double, sitting in her chair on the roof of the cab.

  7. That is quite a long list. I’m going to have to compare it with what I carry to see what I’m missing. I didn’t see tools. I carry all the tools I could possibly need to work on my vehicle (and trailer when I tow it) and a multimeter. I also carry fuses and some replacement light bulbs. For snow or off road carry a couple lengths of rug (12″x36″) to help with traction. Years ago when I lived in the desert I got stuck and after that I carried a front door mat, the kind that is made from strips of tire wired together. I cut it in half and with some work (seemed like a lot of work) I rewired it to two narrow lengths. It was awesome for getting out of loose sand.

    1. …and there’s more – I did not include any of the vehicle related items (bulbs, fuses, tools, etc..). I also know that I have some more ‘buried treasure’ in my center console and ‘glove box’ – maybe I’ll dig through them tomorrow ;)

    2. I agree with the tools I carry a multi meter, wire, crimpers, fuel line hose clamps and a good 200 piece socket set and wratchet wrenches. I’m suprised more people don’t list them

  8. In my service van, I’m a electrician, I carry water, MRE’s, single servings of peanuts, jumper cables, gloves, hats, sweatshirt and jacket. In my POV I carry tow straps, tp, gloves, hats, water, MRE’s, tools, tow straps.

    At times I think I need a bigger truck…..

    1. Almost forgot, I carry a couple boxes of ammo for the different EDC that my wife and I carry.

  9. I pretty much carry the same in my vehicle although my food items aren’t quite the same. Also carry tools for most roadside repairs, a tire plugging kit, fix a flat, and a portable jump start/air compressor/power supply.

  10. Ha! I love it! I literally have all of the things you listed in my car, except a tarp and tealight candle. (will add those!) Yeah, pretty much everything but the kitchen sink! I also have fire extinguisher in there and fishing pole and lures.

    1. I also have a fire extinguisher, but only for my auto, not anyone else.

      In the past I have sopped to 2 times to put out engine fires on autos I came upon and in both cases the owner did not offer to replace the fire extinguisher nor even say thank you. The second time I asked for $10.00 to buy another one and she said she didn’t have any money while she was non-stop talking on her phone. She could not be bothered to say thank’s or offer to pay for the fire extinguisher.

      So no more “White Night” to the rescue. I was not put on this planet to save peoples autos when it’s not appreciated.

  11. Yeah, tools are essential for your vehicle, especially a spare tire, lug wrench and jack. Metal containers when frozen can push out the bottoms even with extra room at the top so it won’t sit flat anymore. Lol I’ve seen that happen. I lay mine on their sides now and only half full…heh heh. I don’t use canned goods in freezing conditions because seams sometimes burst when frozen, so I have carbohydrate laden food that is drier like cookies, candy bars, and then instant coffee, cocoa and ramen noodles when I can add hot water with my one burner propane stove.

    I have a red flag to hang out my window and a reflector kit in case I break down and need help. And of course jumper cables, and if not for me, I have used them to help others who had dead batteries. So darn stiff when 20 below zero I have to wrestle with them…They always offer me money for the jump, but I won’t take it.

    I use a wool blanket in the truck and have used it in the past for accident victims in winter, and threw in hand warmers just in case. I have been lucky not to have used these things yet outside the jack and spare tire, but there will be some unfortunate people who may need them being severe weather up north and not being prepared.

    1. I thought of that red flag “idea” when I was traveling last winter. good to have.

      I didn’t have a red flag, so I grabbed a pack of metallic / plasticised RED Christmas wrap. Figured it is very tough, and if needed I could secured it across the roof, with windows on either side. Bigger “red area” for any rescuers to spot.

  12. Call me anti-social but I like it here in my rural setting and try to limit my traveling as much as possible. I have just about everything I need here and always have a hard time selecting what not to bring with me on a trip. I always travel with an extra 100 gal of diesel in my slip tank and try to travel only during daylight hours. Risk is increased many fold while on the roads and away from your property. It make more sense to me to invite my unprepared family members here and try to teach them it bit about real life away from the icrap.

  13. I keep a fire extinguisher in mine. Do they burst open or leak when they freeze? I had not even considered that until I read this thread. I hope they don’t.

  14. If you carry candles try to make them bees wax candles. They have a higher melting point than standard candles. I believe they melt at around 140 degrees. That way you can carry them year round, not just winter. I keep a couple in my GHB and have never had a problem.

    Also be careful of water as it freezes this time of year. I had a couple of pouches split on me when they came packaged years ago like the MRE’s. I find that the regular 16 to 24 ounce bottles hold up well to freezing, and I have never had one break yet. I usually keep them in a cooler in the trunk and those don’t freeze, but I also always seem to have one in the cup holder and that one always freezes, but none have split yet.

    1. I was lucky that I bagged my candles before storing them in vehicle – melted in summer heat to a real mess.

      Cold Steel spetnatz shovel and bowie machete – both tools I often need at the ranch while driving around. Well worth the money.

  15. if you have anything that uses batteries such as flashlights,radios etc
    consider carrying lithium batteries
    alkaline batteries are ok during spring and summer
    but they RAPIDLY lose power when its cold
    I found this out the hard way years ago while on a backpacking trip

    also lithiums store CONSIDERABLY longer

    1. Keep batteries insulated in the winter time or extreme heat. Both temps will zap the charge in the battery.

  16. Ken: What handheld CB do you recommend? Also good to see you have a copy of “The Next Exit”, I will never travel without a copy. It’s on Amazon.

    I carry a catalytic heater and four 1lb propane cylinders. As for the truck, 4-wheel drive. Nobody mentioned flares because that’s so obvious, but orange triangles and orange vests too.

    Visit http://www.roadtrucker.com/catalog/12-volt-kitchen-1.htm for 12 volt powered appliances and everything you’d need to be at home on the road.

    You should also be prepared for the possibility of having to spend a night in a sleazy motel. For this you should carry a plastic sheet large enough to cover the bed as a barrier against bed bugs.

    1. @Thox
      Checked the link. Everything 12 volt Ken forgot including a crock-pot and a corn popper. Too much.

    2. Thox,
      I thought I was the only “crazy person” who carried a roll of plastic for covering a bed. Also other uses. :) I got caught in bad weather and had to get a room at a motel. It was so nasty, I slept in the truck (with my sleeping bag), and only used the room for a quick bathroom break before getting back on the road. Yucky. Luckily I had some clorox with me to wipe down parts of the bathroom. Beach’n

      1. Maybe you could change your name to Bleach’n. ;-) It has been 16 years since I traveled very long distances, but I like you, stayed in my van camper or the back of my truck with my dogs or drove through the night. I used the free showers at truck stops when they were free back in the day when I drove semis, but I think they charge since druggies and homeless abused the free service. I only had one guy at a truck stop in Ohio walking around and stalking me for money and all I had to do is move on. You can tell when someone is mentally unstable when they ignore two exceptionally large dogs barking at them and won’t go away.

        Today I believe truck stops and rest areas have become dangerous places to sleep at night, especially in populated areas. I heard a lot of bad stories. Prostitutes, homeless, and druggies hang out at them often, so if I had to spend the night while on a planned destination, it would be a family campground.

        1. HA! Yea I quit staying at reststops overnight, etc. a long time ago. I have been known to take a nap at a reststop during daylight hours only now tho. And with my favorite unconcealed weapon in the next seat. Sad ain’t it, how we have to watch out for nasty people all the time.

          That motel stop was a long time ago and I felt pretty safe sleeping in the parking lot, right outside the room door. Not sure I would feel safe doing that now. I still carry a roll of plastic just in case even the “nice” motel room bed doesn’t look bleach’n clean! :)

        2. Come to think of it, having to stay at a sleazy motel, rest stop or truck stop could be one of the most dangerous scenarios you’d come across while traveling. I remember having stayed at one near Chicago that advertised that it had a pool. The “pool” was a kids wading pool in an attached garage. My daughter was scared to death of the place, calling it the “Bates Motel”.

  17. I usually don’t travel out of my county. I am a Reserve Deputy, so I always have my gear with me. I also work in a prominent public position and have access to lots of available resources in an emergency. I really wish I were not in this prominent position in an emergency, as I will be expected to man the ship and possibly go down with it, but the access to vital resources could have its value! I have already warned key staff of my plans to relocate my family to our homestead before manning my obligations. Once the family is home, which should only take a few hours or at most a day by foot, then I will have additional gear and can take care of my other duties. So… on to my carries. I obviously keep all things related to Deputy work… first aide, fire arm, body armor, ID, etc. I also have access to infra red, other weapons, and the perks of LEO. I also keep some water and food, but not as much as I would if traveling out of county. My truck has a tool box, so I always have just about everything to build a house or fix a vehicle.
    So, when going out of state, I focus on food, water, warmth, and guns. I also take a lot of extra cash and silver. We always have a paper map too. That’s about it. Good luck to you and yours!

  18. In the winter we carry a warm sleeping bag in our vehicles. It can save your life if you get stuck in sub freezing weather.

  19. Ken:
    I really want to commend you on running a very helpful site. Other “survival” sites are just ‘rant & rave’ podiums, where all the extremists do just that, with no useful advice whatsoever being given. I’ve gone to them all, and have given up on most.
    Keep up the Good Work – you’re doing great, with a valuable service, where your contributors really help each other, instead of insulting each other. Together, we will prevail!

    1. @WarVet, I appreciate your comment. Thanks. While we do occasionally rant about current events once in awhile, though most everyone respects the comment policy here ;) I do try to mix it up with practical info and topic variety as well…

  20. Headlamp

    Metal cup to melt snow/boil water in

    Cell phone charger

    I don’t know what you call them, but I have 2 of those things to put under your wheels to gain traction in the snow

    I always carry extra warm clothes for me including long johns, and some extra clothing in various sizes for who ever might be with me in my car. When I was younger and belonged to the Colorado Mountain Club, I always had cheap extra clothes, gear etc. in my trunk because we were always running into people at the bottom of the trail who were not properly equipped. If they were able to return them, ok, but if not, there were cheap things that I could spare.

  21. No matter what the weather, my food, water, medkit, and candles are stored in a hard ice-chest or softsided heavily insulated storage bag, that way, the meds are stable, the candles do not melt, the food stays usable, nor the water freeze. This is part of my learning curve that we all should strive to improve on.

  22. I have one of these:
    POD X4 Power Bank and Jump Starter
    so I don’t have to rely on someone else to give me a jump start.
    I love this blog. I always learn so much!
    Someone suggested insulating the extra batteries which I hadn’t thought of, also having a tin cup is a good idea as one suggested,
    and I really like the idea of putting everything in a hard cooler!
    I will be making some adjustments and adding some things!
    Thanks Ken and everyone!

  23. Great article! also just returned from a 2000 mile Thanksgiving road trip with our truck. I am a Police Chief, so i tend to notice vehicle speeds, cell phone, texting etc…………….. We saw no accidents, but numerous very close calls,,, people not paying attention, or just plain going too fast. IMHO, a great item to have in the vehicle is a prepperdriver, strive to be that person by avoiding high risk drivers, consider conditions, and avoids self inflicted disasters.
    Safe travels, Razman

  24. My wife and I have been lost a few times on off-road trails in Phx AZ. We now have survival gear loaded up in the Rubicon.

    3 things I always have are:

    1. Revo car battery jump starter charges ( cell phone, iPad and battery in minutes)
    2. Montana 610t Garmin touchscreen for those who can not find your way out of a paper bag lol
    3. 9mm at the ready

  25. It’s already been somewhat mentioned … but … if you haven’t taken a hard look at those OEM tire changing tools and did an upgrade – do it now ….

  26. What cooler would you recommend for the batteries, candles, and water? Just a regular one?

  27. A headlamp and flashlight are very important. It is important to use lithium batteries because alkaline batteries do not work below freezing.

  28. One of our hobbies is taking “road trips” and exploring. So, we have bags that contain certain items we like having with us. For me, I’ve got hypoglycemia, so I keep stocked up on protein sources, nuts, and lots of water.Same with the wife, although she has more sweets that I do.

    I’ve had flashlight batteries crash because of the temp swings, so, the batteries and charging devices are in their own small insulated soft-sided lunch bag, it’s a BRIGHT Fluorescent pink, so it’s hard to misplace it.

    Other than those specific items, we are pretty much like most of the folks who’ve mentioned their preps here. Again, kudos on the pieces of carpet/rug for getting out of sand traps, never thought of that one.

    I found that once in doing a lengthy investigation of the number of violent crimes against persons at a national motel chain where they “keep the light on for ya”, that almost without exception, most of those locations are THE most violent hotspots in their respective jurisdictions. We avoid those places like the plague for good reasons. Half of the rooms are rented to “full time residents”, mostly from the thug/prostitute demographic. I don’t care to deal with those folks anymore since I’m no longer in law enforcement.

    Just a bit of caution to the great people on this site. take it for what it’s worth-free advice…

  29. Forgot to mention, I recently added a couple items that I read about. A couple extremely absorbent pads ie. diapers or equivalent, as well as duck tape. In case of an extreme injury, the pad/tape allows for immediate, sterile pressure to a wound. Prior to this idea, I didn’t carry anything in my car suitable for a major medical emergency besides basic first aid. Otherwise, it would take endless gauze,and alot of time, to be able to apply suitable pressure on a major wound with the stuff in a general first aid kit.

    Happy Prepping Everyone : )

  30. Thick painters tarp, for alt shelter, also with the car off, one can cover over the car leaving a window a crack open for air, then not get wet, and add insulation in the form of a dead air space.

    Big blankets, a shotgun with shells, clothes in a backpack, 1 liter oil, tool kit in space under the jeeps hood…

    A few ideas. ….

  31. Just a suggestion for your fire starter kit….Add a piece of 4-6 inch square of tin foil to start the fire on in wet conditions and a camper’s shovel w/saw blade.

    1. @T-town, thanks for the comment. I do have a campers shovel in the truck (good suggestion!), however the aluminum foil is something I do not currently have in the kit (until tomorrow morning when I add it !). A folded up piece will fit nicely into the Qt size Ziploc bag of fire-starter ‘stuff’. It could also serve as a signaling device.

  32. I second the TP in a Ziploc bag. I’ve driven across the country a few times and especially for the ladies, you never know what conditions you will find in the gas station and fast food restaurant bathrooms. Also, some soap, a roll of paper towels and a small bag for trash in the car.

    There was something else and now I’ve forgotten. Experience is a good teacher.

    Oh, and watch for the weather changes on your route. I left in warm weather and encountered cold weather in various places, usually the higher altitudes.

  33. I work in the service department of a pretty decent sized car dealership in my town. As such, I am constantly in and out of customer’s cars under seats and in the cargo areas. In my opinion, maybe one in ten cars that I see have any useful equipment for an emergency eg medkits, flares, jumper cables and the like. It’s weird; I feel like I don’t have enough stuff in my car but in comparison, my car is like some kind of survivalist wagon.

  34. Good suggestions all! I need to revisit my GHB. The only thing I could add is that over my Thanksgiving travels I also put two 5-gallon gasoline containers (full, of course) in the back. Where I was going, that was enough for me to get back home without needing to stop at a gas station. Depending on the situation, they may not have gas, or just plain be a dangerous place to stop.

  35. I have a permanently mounted camper shell on my diesel 4×4 Ram 2500. It came with a 35 gallon main tank and I carry 4 -5 gallon but empty diesel cans on board. I always top my tank when I arrive at my destination (often to my wife’s annoyance) and if any problem looms I will immediately top the tank and fill the can. That will give me over 1000 miles range which will come in handy. Many folks are too young to have been old enough to remember the gas lines of 73-74. That was an excellent reminder of why we prep.

    Of course I carry a full prepper load out of every possible emergency need from defense to barter to medical to food and water, both human and pups. I’ve been a pretty serious prepper since the Cuban Missile Crisis (which really dates me). I manage to pack all of the above in about a third of my available camper shell space.

    BTW, I got at least two ideas from the comments to this excellent article.

  36. I live in northeastern US
    have also put stuff (ie water, food, candles) in cooler bags to prevent from extreme weather-it seems to work nicely for winters and summers- they sell those bags everywhere (always have in car so when I go to grocery store- just throw perishables in to keep for drive home) very useful

  37. Nice suggestions . I was enlightened by the insight – Does anyone know if my company might be able to obtain a template SC 416 form to fill in ?

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