Things To Keep On You For Emergency
November 30, 2011, Submitted by: Ken Tweet
The most useful survival tool is the one that you have with you when you need to survive.
This begs the question, what do you (should you) have with you? What is it that you carry on your person, or always have with you – no matter where you are, that would help you in disaster?
We often talk about the preps and supplies that we should have in order to be prepared for this or that, but, these supplies are often stored at home or a kit in your vehicle. What if you were out and about (wherever), and something happened (fill in the blank)… would you have what you need on your person to get you to the next level of safety and supply?
How far would you need to travel to get to your supply?
I know that during my previous career, during the times that I would travel, I would consciously bring more ‘things’ with me for situations ‘just in case’. When I would travel internationally, I would bring even more ‘things’. The further away that I would be from my home base, the more I would think about ‘what if’ scenarios and how I would get back home.
While the odds were low of anything drastic happening while I was out traveling, the fact is that you never know… After 9/11 happened, I realized that you could potentially be stranded thousands of miles from home. Look what happened when that un-pronouncable named volcano blew up in Iceland 2 years ago – people were stranded all around Europe for some time before flights returned to normal.
Even if you are just at work during the day, or out shopping somewhere, who’s to say a disaster won’t happen that could hurl your life into chaos.
Well, I would be curious to hear what others (you) think about what you should always have with you, on your person, and I will offer a short list of things that may be helpful (and perhaps obvious) as a minimum.
1. CASH. Money will get you out of many a jam. Having cash on hand is more ‘valuable’ during short term disaster than a credit card or debit card. It is tangible. Do not skimp here. Do not even think that having 20 or 50 is enough. The further away from home you will be, the more cash you should have with you. For example, just bopping around town, I always have at least 100 or more tucked away. If I’m out of State traveling, 500 is not even that much when you think about what it may take to get you home. If you are international, we’re talking 1,000 or more to get you home.
When I would travel international, I would always be sure to convert and have enough of the local currency with me. Another thing I would always do when afar is carry with me an ounce or two of gold, just in case… who wouldn’t convert gold, right?
I’ve never had a problem and never had to implement emergency measures while traveling, but again, if something had happened, I would have found a way to get out, or have the means to ‘hunker down’ safely.
2. Credit Card. Yes, so long as the system is functioning, a credit card will get you most anywhere. It should be 2nd to a sufficient cash reserve.
3. Pocket Knife. I won’t go into the multitude of uses for a pocket knife, since it is all quite obvious to a thinking person.
4. Cell Phone. Communication is key. Be the first to make that airline, hotel, or auto rental reservation before the hoards take to the airwaves after they realize their predicament. Use it to assure family you’re safe, or where you will be next, etc… (obvious).
5. Hard copy of important phone numbers, either tucked in your wallet or in some sort of pocket list. When I traveled for example, I would always have all of the 800 numbers for the various auto rental places, hotel chains, and airlines, so I could quickly make reservations. You should also keep phone numbers of your doctor, friends and relatives, auto insurance, home insurance, health insurance, bank and/or investment accounts. Don’t rely solely on the numbers stored in your cell phone. Write them down.
6. Multi-tool such as a Leatherman or equivalent. Again, the uses are nearly infinite and I won’t bore you with the obvious.
7. A Lighter, matches, the ability to make flame.
Do you have any other ideas of things to carry on your person while going about your typical daily routine? I’ve purposely left out any defensive weapon (except the knife), knowing that laws vary widely.
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I am glad you brought this up! My parents were in Iran in the 70′s on the day the of the revolutionary overtaking of the government. My father had been going over to Iran for some time and built a relationship with the Hotel staff. They were the one’s who got my parents through the riots to the airport safely.
Know the people or organization of your destination as best you can…it just might save your life.
I would add a small squeeze type flashlight to your list. I have one that uses two button batteries on my dog tag chain, because not all problems happen during the day.
That’s a great idea. I was thinking about flashlights – but a nice small one like the squeeze-type that you mentioned would be perfect and not cumbersome in the pocket (or purse, for you gals).
Your suggestions are excellent except for #4. Communication IS key but chances are good that your cell phone would be useless in any type of major disaster situation. For example, during Hurricane Katrina cell phone communication was first to go. Land lines in some areas such as mine continued to work, however. Best bet for mobile emergency communication in a major disaster situation is either old fashioned walkie-talkies or portable ham radio. Cell phones will be useless.
@Sharon, I agree with you entirely. A cell phone will only suffice during relatively minor disruptions, or those unrelated to power loss.
From what I understand, while voice may not work, texting can still be used since it takes up less bandwith.
@Troy, It is true that text hardly takes any bandwidth whatsoever. During times when the system is flooded with voice calls (and the cell towers are still up with power), a text message will more likely make it through. Good advice…
@SIM; Well said on the HAM radio. You will need the lower freqs though (10 meter) as the repeaters for the higher freqs will probably be out if the cell towers are out too. Hand held “deer camp” radios and CBs will be handy for VERY local comm. 0-10 miles. If you can find an old 23 channel CB they can broadcast and receive up to 20 miles (with another 23 channel), I see them at garage sales now and then. If you have a linear amp they will broadcast much farther and you can get similar performance to a 10 meter rig with a good antenna. Good comment. Do you happen to know where Provine HS is located?
Isn’t this just about the sadest part of the article that Ken had to leave out, a means of self defense because of certain areas that value the rights of the criminal over the rights of the potential victim. I am not sure about pepper spray everywhere, but I imagine that something like a strong hair spray or lysol or something that you could spray into someone’s eyes might be an okay defensive weapon. I just wish that every area would value the safety of the innocent over the rights of some rotten criminal.
One item that is not a bad idea to carry either is a traveler’s check or two with you. I know the world is going plastic, but I personally have kind of aversion with credit cards and debt. I highly suggest that anyone that like plastic to perhaps buy one of those prepaid credit cards that you can get like at Walgreens so you know how much money you have to work with, and they work just like or better than regular credit cards.
I love the idea of cash, and one thing I always do with cash is to make sure that the bills are all good and not counterfeit. On top of using one of those counterfeit detector pens I also do a quick inspection of the bill to see the watermark, the magnetic strip, and something the little blue and red fibers that are in the cloth of the bill. When using a lot of larger bills I also write down the serial numbers.
Why do I do this? There are a lot of bad bills floating around, some from North Korea that have gotten real good at making false money. Nothing is worse than going to purchase something honestly, and having the cashier bring in security and you have to answer questions to where you received the bad bill to the police and or secret service. This is especially true if you are visting an unfamiliar area. I write down serial numbers when using a lot of cash to pay a larger bill or something because some other person could have passed a bad bill and any question I can show any law enforcement the bills that I actaully used. I know it sounds a little paranoid, but I have know people questioned for accidentally passing a bad bill and it is not fun the deep interrogation that they put you through. You would think it was a weapon of mass destruction or something, only some poor unexpecting person getting a bad ten or twenty somewhere.
By the way Office max sells a 3 pack of counterfeit pens for about $8.99 and they last forever. Another valuable thing about marking your bills is when the cashier makes a mistake and gives you back change for a ten instead of the twenty you can tell the cashier you gave them a twenty and the yellow mark is still on it to prove it. This has happened to me twice.
When a hard copy of phone numbers, one bit of advice is to have the piece of paper laminated so it is protected against water and smudging. Proof of insurance for your car are also good to laminate. We live in a windy area and on a rare occasion when the police stop you the proof of insurance has blown away. Laminated information can be cut down to find nicely into your wallet or purse and they stay clean and visible forever.
Thank you very much!
When travelling out of town on business, I carry a fanny pack in my checked baggage with: 14 100mg Doxycycline tablets, 14 potassium iodide pills, knife, flashlight (+spare batts), compass, pocket US atlas, emergency blanket, first-aid kit, lighter/firestarter, water purification tabs, paracord, sewing kit (complimentary hotel size), power bars, and powdered drink mix. On my person or in a carry-on, cash and two ounces of gold. The plan being to buy (or bribe) my way onto a plane, boat, or train heading toward home – or if not then head for home in the rental car hoping to be able to obtain enough gasoline along the way to make it (or get close anyway).
That’s a great idea — a fanny pack ‘kit’ in your checked luggage. I like the pocket atlas idea too – but have not actually seen a national version in a pocket-size (plenty of local type pocket maps out there).
I just did a quick Amazon search and found this one – although apparently fairly expensive. Rand McNally Pocket Size Atlas
Cordage in the form of a survival bracelet, belt or key fob. The many uses of 550 cord are endless and could definately save your life. Also a pen and a small notebook, preferably a waterproof one. Again many uses, but for me, it’s due to my bad memory. I keep all the numbers, names, and things I need and always forget in mine.
Small notebook… I also carry one of these with a pen – because I can’t remember everything
I really like the paracord bracelet idea. I am a big believer in the multi uses of true 550 paracord. I always have a 1000′ roll on hand.
Here’s an Amazon link to lots of different paracord bracelets
Thanks for your comment.
Two suggestions: Cash is good but make sure it isn’t all large bills. Not only is it hard to spend $100′s but whatever it is you need may be $10 and the seller has no change. Then what? Also keep your money hidden. You will attract less attention if you pull out a $5 and 3 $1′s to buy something then if you flash a wallet full of $20′s.
A small metal flashlight! Carrying a weapon in most places in the world will get you a free night at the local jail and a chat with many angry police. That goes for any weapon including a legal concealed carry gun (recently an ex-GI carrying legal with his hands in the air was shot by a cop because the cop was “scared”. The man is dead the cop is free). Mace, pepper spray, baton, knife; all of them make the hair on a cop’s neck stand up. A small flashlight, 5″ more or less, is a weapon but does not appear to be a weapon. Sure I would rather have an AK but do you really believe you can carry an assault rifle anywhere in this country and not be noticed.
One last idea, (yeah I said two) I carry my Nikon D60 whenever I travel. It is always on my shoulder ready to go. I recently restrung the shoulder strap to make it strong enough to use as a “mace”. Now I love my camera but it would be a formidable weapon if used like a mace and it would a total suprise to the bad guy.
@ CountryGirl. You mentioned your camera as a means of self defense, and it make me remember how I used the tripod for the camera one time to ward off a dog. These tripods are heavy enough to be used like a club, they extend to longer size and can be used like I did to keep a dog from biting you, they have semi-sharp points on the bottom to secure it to the ground, and I imagine no one would consider a camera and a tripod a weapon. At least I would hope not.
@CG I would take umbrage over the point of NOT having a real weapon, i.e. a firearm. If it is legal and you meet the local requirements, then by all means carry a firearm and exercise your 2nd Amendment rights as they are God given and cannot be abrogated. If state laws are so onerous that I cannot carry there, I don’t go there. I don’t go to the left coast and I don’t go to certain states in the northeast and central Atlantic seaboard. Oh, and Illinois. 49 states have some type of possession ability outside the home with only Il. not allowing law abiding citizens the rightful access to their rights to self defense. 38 states have concealed carry laws and others have open carry laws. To not carry because a cop might shoot you because he is “scared” is BS! It is anathema to our way of life to NOT do something, especially to exercise a right, because law enforcement may infringe on them. I travel freely every where I want to and I carry my firearm on my person everywhere I go as long as it isn’t in restricted areas. If law abiding citizens possessing legal items “make the hair on a cop’s neck stand up” then they are either poorly trained or don’t care about you and your well being (rights) anyway, or perhaps both. To purposely put yourself at a pointed disadvantage by using a flashlight as a weapon, because it is a more politically correct item to possess as opposed to having a legal firearm, is a ludicrous idea and is certainly a faulty thought process and defies logic. I have been all over the world in the military for 38 years and have dealt with people in the “gravest extreme” more than a few times. The one thing that I learned is that the only fair fight is the one you win!!!. Gen. George S Patton Jr stated it so eloquently “let that other poor bastard die for his country”. Statistically you are better off in a confrontation, ESPECIALLY females, if you fight back, fight back viciously (that is with violence of action), and fight back from a position of power (have a gun). If you are going to survive you aren’t going to do it by being nice, thoughtful and considerate. While I wouldn’t complain about most of the qualities of the human female, most of the time, when survival counts you need to be a little more…..hhhmmmn…..manly??? Please don’t take this as a personal affront, ladies, and you guys are wonderful, you tend to be WAAYYY TOOOO polite ALLLLL the time. There are times when it is NOT appropriate and survival and self defense is not that time. It is your responsibility (every citizen) to not allow some scumbag to beat you half to death with your flashlight (or worse and I’ll be nice here) because you’re afraid you might offend someone that is supposed to care about your well being as well as being paid to do that job. You should take your destiny seriously and the responsibility for your destiny should be to use the best training and equipment to accomplish that. I’ll bet that your family would want you to. Anyway, don’t take it personally and best regards and enjoy.
http://armedtexan.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/las-vegas-shooting-of-concealed-carry-permit-holder/
@CG; Not saying it didn’t happen, just saying that logically it makes no sense to base a life and death decision on the potential for a typically unlikely happening to occur. I have been a firearms instructor as both a civilian and a military member. All my CHL students are given very specific instructions on how to behave around law enforcement personnel and to follow their instructions to a tee. If a peace officer kills a CHL holder who is complying with their instructions, then that officer is a murderer!!! If a CHL holder screws up and causes a bad situation to develop, well everyone is a sped every so often and in this situation it had very bad consequences. The case in question is sad and the complete truth will probably never be known. My point was and is that this is not the basis for making a logical, cogent decision to not carry. It is a decision to make sure that you comply properly with LE officers if there is contact. They have a responsibility just as the CHL holder has a responsibility to ALL make for a successful outcome. You will, by and by, come out better carrying a legal handgun, and having it and not needing it than needing it and not having it, AS LONG AS you are properly trained and behave in a responsible manner. It provides you with the equalization and freedom that can only come from having the ability to project deadly force. Again, it’s not personal, just that it isn’t logical to let other events control you and your actions. Enjoy.
Oops! I meant to expand on a point. I have bought junk in Mexico, flea markets and garage sales for less without having to be a good trader. In fact I think it pisses the seller off sometimes when the buyer tries to “steal” their goods by continuing to lo-ball them. My technique is to take 1 $5 and 2 $1′s and fold them up seperately with a few coins in my pocket. Then you ask about an item being sold for $10, $15 or $20 and after some discussion you pull out “all you have with you”, $7.37 and make an offer. Often the seller will accept and usually they won’t even take the $.37. Perception is everything.
@CG; I think you don’t take enough credit for being a good trader. That’s the same trick I use at gun shows, estate sales and garage sales. I’ll put money of some amount in every pocket so that I can “add it up” and come up with a “that’s all I’ve got” total to deal with. I’ll bet you sell used cars don’t you? To all; this was really a good topic thread, lots of ideas.
A small pencil case containing a P-51, LED flashlight with whistle, lighter, emergency matches, multifunction knife/tool, 4 alcohol pads, 6 bandaids, 2 iodine preps, 6 Benadryl tablets, 6 Imodium tablets, 4 Tums, 6 baby aspirin, 3 tylenol, 2 moist wipes, 1 pair latex gloves, 3 safety pins. Peanut butter/cracker snacks and water kept separately.
@FF; ?que es un P-51? I’m not familiar with whatever that is, could you enlighten me?
A P51 is a small can opener of WW II vintage that was included in their rations to open the cans. It is suprisingly effective and easy to operate. Google it and see a picture. Every prepper should have a couple of them.
Thanks Country Girl for this suggestion. I’m adding one to my EDC kit right now. You can get these at Emergency Essentials for under a dollar each.
Emergency Essentials has been a great sponsor of ours. Thanks for the heads-up.
Do you mean a P-38 can opener? That was the original WW II can opener. We used to get them in our C-rats in SEA. I googled P-51 can opener and found an OVERSIZED P-38 as a P-51. If you say P-51 to an older vet they think P-51 Mustang. The P-51 was never a govt. issue item. Just FYI. Just make sure they are made of STEEL and not aluminum or some trash metal. I carried one on my dog tags until 2010, 38 years. Oh, and it still works. Worked on 5 continents. Survive well.
Those little military can openers are great. Fits right in the wallet, all but forgotten until you need one. (Like my son’s opening day of youth soccer, and the snack bar had no can opener for the cheese I really needed on those nachos)
Sewing Kits…great idea!
You can buy good ones at the dollar store. I like the little ones with a zipper case because the zipper case keeps stuff inside secure. To my sewing kit I add a couple heavier upholstery needles, two or three single edge razor blades with protectors, and a roll of dental floss taken out of its plastic case. You can do some really strong repairs with dental floss, but you need those bigger needles. I also place a small Swiss Army knife in the sewing kit, usually a knock-off from the dollar or two dollar scrap boxes you see at gunshows. That usually gives you another blade, tweezers, and toothpick plus nail file.
I also have a P-38 can opener or its big brother, the P-51 in the sewing kit. After reading the great comments above, I think I’ll slide in a ten or twenty dollar bill as well.