Car Survival Kit

[SDS-GEN]

What do you carry in your vehicle for emergency purposes?

[Todd N.]

A small amount of food(long-term storage type), a little water, a MSR water filter kit and bottle, first-aid kit, compass and GPS, 4" GP-100 w/ holster and ammo, spare clothes( 1 set) and jacket (rainproof), extra socks, spare boots (1 set), fire-making devices (matches & tinder ), flare gun w/ 6 flares, extra socks, flashlight & extra batteries, DEET, extra socks, cold weather sleeping bag and tarp, 100' paracord, and 1 bottle of Makers Mark( gotta treat snakebite, ya know?).
All of this goes into and onto a 3500 cubic inch daypack/excursion pack.

[DenverDuck]

Here is my pickup kit that goes with me all the time. All I am looking for in this pack is to get me from work to home which I travel only 1-2 days per week. Warm weather kit since I am in So. Cal. ( at least for now).

Bucket Tool Boss Jr. Bag with Extra Shoulder Pad Installed
$135.00 Cash
1/2 Roll Of Quarters
Leatherman Wave Tool
Stiletto Titanium Crowbar
Roll of Electrician's Tape
100 Feet 28 Gauge Green Floral Wire
Black Sharpie
Carpenter's Pencil
Re-Useable Cable Clamp
4 Inch Locking Carabiner
Extra Cell Phone / GPS Holder
Small Notepad
Earplugs
Small Pulley
Sharpening Stone
String
Superglue
Plastic Tubing
4 Razor Blades
Exacto Knife Blades
4 Extra Large Rubber Bands
Folding Saw
Machete
5 Assorted Needles & Thread
Bic Lighter
Whistle
Surefire Flashlight
Petzel Headlamp
6 Extra AA Batteries
Pocket Bucket
Quality Nylon Poncho
Pair of Wool Socks
Plastic Poncho
Leather Gloves
Reading Glasses
Nalgene Water Bottles
50 Feet Paracord
Gerber Gator Ax With Knife In Handle
Water Purification Tablets
Water Purification Straw
2 Space Blankets
Magnesium Fire Starter
Signal Mirror
Quick Clot Bandage Pad
Pepper Spray
Emergency Fishing Kit
7 Inch 1/8" Starret Stock Stainless Steel Rod
Hack Saw Blade
1/8 Inch Drill Bit
8 Inch Rat Tail File
3 Assorted Hose Clamps
10 Feet Heavy Coated Wire
14 Assorted Cable Ties
3 Twist Ties
2 Large Trash Bags
2 Large Ziploc Bags
1/2 Roll Duct Tape
Chapstick
Deck of Playing Cards
4 Caltrops Road Spikes
AM FM Radio
Toilet Paper
Tissues
Tube Tent
4 Tarp Clips
2 Candles
Lock Pick Set
3 Trip Wire Whistle Alarms
3 Wire Snares
Nails
Safety Pins
Nuts and Bolts
Washers
Springs
Stick Pins
ATT 150 min prepaid phone card
Jolly Rancher Candy
100% Deet Bug Repelent
Chapstick
Lock Picks
Water

Separate Complete Medical kit
Jumper cables Extra Long
Mossberg 500 w/50 rounds 00 Buck
G27 w. Ammo and Mags
Maglight and Batteries
6 MRE's
Nightstick
Pepperspray
and a few more odds and ends.

AAAAAAAAAAdios.......Duck

[Graybeard]

Gracious you guys must travel in some strange and dangerous country. What in the world are some of those items for?

I always have my cell phone as with my health I never know if I'll be able to get me back home or if I'll need to call for assistance with that task. There are always at least a couple of handguns with me and of course if I have my pants on I have my pocket knife. There is a good deal of change in the truck always and I carry enough cash to do me. I have tie down straps in case I need to secure a cargo in the bed and a tow chain that never leave the truck. I have wet ones and kleenex and a few medications I might need, a bit of rope and I think perhaps there is a folding saw that never got removed hiding in there somewhere.

Can't say that I go anywhere these days where food and water is much needed as there is always a store within a mile or two of whereever I might find myself these days. I tend to operate mostly on the upper half of my gas tank and not the lower half. If I'm out in cold weather I have a bit more warm clothing but rat now a jacket or coat is NOT gonna be needed.

[Todd N.]

Gracious you guys must travel in some strange and dangerous country. What in the world are some of those items for?

No conspiracy theories or end of the world paranoia here. I live in a rural coastal area, with a 65 mile drive each way for work. The real problem with my commute is the 26 mile forest corridor I drive- 2 lanes, HEAVY forest canopy, no services at all on this part of the drive, or cellphone service either.
 Last winter we had wind storms that caused a blow-down that blocked several miles of the road. Took the highway dept. 3 days to fully clear the road. I got stuck in town, my wife got stuck at the house with the dogs. 2 cars got stuck on the roadway, blocked by fallen trees before the State Police closed the road. They hiked out with no problems.
The other concern with this drive is the winter cold. We don't get alot of snow on this coast but we do get ice at higher (1000'+) elevations. And temps that hover around freezing for days at a time. State Police advise to carry devices to keep warm if you travel in a rural area.
And the Makers Mark speaks for itself.
 I use considerable prudence on questionable weather days. I drive a new 4WD truck. I keep the fuel guage in the upper quadrant, I have good tires and wipers, and good judgement. And I know the logging roads and have maps for them to give me more options for getting home.
But Bill, in all reality, I don't THINK I'll need these things- having them gives me peace of mind. As an instructor told me when I was in the service," It's not what the enemy WILL do that you plan for, it's what he CAN do." And where I live, the only enemy is Mother Nature.

[A-ALLOY]

After 20+ years of working and living on boats I've come to the conclusion people with all the safety
equ. rarely need it people who don't wish they had it. Pay the safety tax, be aware, help out others.
And yes I am truly a paranoid person. Best piece of equ. is still the brain. Stopping and waiting it out is easier if you have food, water and a sleeping bag. Of course winter is different than summer. Remember just because your paranoid doesn't mean there not after you

[LEO]

Depends, if I am just running around town, I will have a cell phone, two way radio, first aid kit, flashlight, appropriate clothing, and my Glock with extra mag.  If I am going to the woods, I carry the above items plus extra food, water, clothing, shelter, fire making equipment, extra light and batteries, saw, axe, shovel, chain, come-along, maps, compass,  during hunting season appropriate rifle/shotgun and extra ammo not hunting season AR-15 with extra magazines.  Now if I am planning on being gone for more than a day the list goes up considerably but not necessarily for emergencies but just for the camp.  In addition there are tools and minor repair parts for the vehicle.  Also there is usually fishing gear in my woods truck.  It is really not a big thing for me to have two different levels of preparedness because it is two different vehicles, I have way too much money in my new truck to put it in the woods, thats what the old one is for.

[teddy12b]

In the back of my truck in a plastic tub I keep a first aid kit, a tow strap, tie down straps, ropes, caribeners, lighters, flashlights, a roll of toilet paper, some MRE's and a space blanket.  My emergency kit is more geared towards getting somebody or myself unstuck or out of a snow bank.

[SDS-GEN]

In the toolbox of my truck I keep a few items that will get me through a night or two in the snow.  Besides tools and tie downs I have a rucksack with a shelter half, poncho, wool blanket, canteen, tri-oxane fuel, matches, flint, knife, multi-tool, 550 cord, basic first aid kit and garbage sacks.  Also in the toolbox are a shovel, machete, hammer and other hand tools.