Do you have an emergency car bag/bob/ghb?

Do you have an emergency car bag/bob/ghb? If so what is in it?

If you don't have one you can easily put one together in 10 minutes from items around your house! I bought a $2 thrift store backpack and already had 90% of the items, I bought a few items later. Ideally you want to pack basic food/meds/clothing to cover you for 24-48 hours and allow you to walk comfortably for a few miles.

My bag is designed for 24 hours if I ever had to walk the 12 miles from town to my house, though I also use some of the items (snacks, pain killers, knife for opening feed bags etc...) at other times.

It currently includes:

Folding knife
Small LED flashlight
Paracord
Matches & lighter
Insect repellent
Paper towels & dish soap in zip lock bag (for wet wipes)
Sewing needle, nylon thread, safety pins
Zip Ties
Duct Tape (15 ft)
Large Trash Bags (2)
Mylar Blankets (2)
Machete (zombies)
Small AM/FM/Weather radio with ear buds
Sawyer water filter
Tiny alcohol stove, sm bottle of alcohol
Extra batteries

Food: Instant coffee packets, Gatorade powder (electrolytes/sugar), 2-3 protein bars, ramen, instant oatmeal

Meds: Aspirin, Tylenol, Benadryl, Prednisone (for snake/insect bites)

Medical supplies: Bandaids, gauze, pads, vet wrap, Celox (blood stop powder), tape (to prevent blisters), hand sanitizer, latex gloves, needle and syringe (for flushing small wounds), scissors, disposable razor, gauze mask

Clothing: Work gloves, knit gloves, wool socks, wool scarf (head/face covering), large poncho/tarp, disposable/light poncho, rain pants, sunglasses, bandana, leather belt

Separate items in vehicle/trunk:

12 Pck Bottled Water (easier to use/carry than jugs)
Winter Jacket
Wool blanket/poncho
Ruger .40 cal w/extra mag

Dog Backpack includes: kibble, chewies, sm plastic dish, dehydrated chicken, nylon choke, extra collar/tag, waterproof dog blanket, cordage. The added bonus is that it calms down hyper dogs that love to pull.



The lovely canine model saw me lay out a tarp and immediately had to stand/lay on it. If I had asked/told him to lay there he would have looked abused/sad, but since I told him to "get off the tarp" he was quite content.




So what is in yours? You can quickly run around your house to make up a bag before you answer, if you like. :)

Though not in a kit, always have a plug kit, air compressor, shovel, multiple bic lighters, 5050 cord, snacks, consumable liquid (container).  I nearly go into a a panic attack if I don't have a pocketknife on my person.  So there are extra knifes kicking around in the truck.  And most important a head full of adapt and overcome knowledge / mindset.

Great Post!

Last year I got really into this idea, read a ton of articles, watched youtube videos, and made up a bag with all the little bells and whistles i had learned about, and got ready to go, and...it was too heavy! and that was before it got food, water, and shelter into it!

Needless to say, I slimmed down considerably, with the smallest, lightest(yet still cheap/free) items in each category:

Chang of clothes/hat/handkerchief/rain slicker
water filter
matches/lighter/tinder/ferro rod
knife/sharpener
zip tie/gorilla tape/needle&thread/cordage
first aid kit/ibuprofen/antacid/immodium/benadryl
TP/compressed washcloth/soap
flashlight/headlamp/extra batteries
folding saw
spare glasses/gloves/dustmask(for wildfire smoke)
multitool(small)
steel cup & fork
Map/compass/survival guide
Emergency backup documents(flash drive)

In a separate bag that stays in my car until needed:
Rainfly/groundcover/sleeping bag/wool blanket
Sweater layer
Boots
Tool kit
Water
Food

Things I ditched because they were not crucial for my situation/needs/area (Mountainous Southern California):
Hatchet
Fishing kit
tent/hammock
two-way Radios


This doesn't cover EVERY contingency(the bag that can do that would be HUGE) but it meets the most potential needs with materials on-hand, and I can carry it for a day's walk.  My family will have similar, yet smaller bags in their vehicle(s).

I used to do this all of the time back when I was never sure if our truck would get us home...now that we have something more reliable I haven't thought about it so much.  Our car gets so hot in the summer months though and freezes in the winter so I'm not sure about storing perishables out there? and we used to have mice show up because we drove so rarely.

I'll have to do a modified version...it's a good idea.

Tom Digerness wrote:Though not in a kit, always have a plug kit, air compressor, shovel, multiple bic lighters, 5050 cord, snacks, consumable liquid (container).  I nearly go into a a panic attack if I don't have a pocketknife on my person.  So there are extra knifes kicking around in the truck.  And most important a head full of adapt and overcome knowledge / mindset.

Yeah the knowledge/ability to adapt and overcome is huge. I am not an outdoorsy person or a fixer so I try to compensate.

Dustin Rhodes wrote:Great Post!

Last year I got really into this idea, read a ton of articles, watched youtube videos, and made up a bag with all the little bells and whistles i had learned about, and got ready to go, and...it was too heavy! and that was before it got food, water, and shelter into it!

Needless to say, I slimmed down considerably, with the smallest, lightest(yet still cheap/free) items in each category:

Chang of clothes/hat/handkerchief/rain slicker
water filter
matches/lighter/tinder/ferro rod
knife/sharpener
zip tie/gorilla tape/needle&thread/cordage
first aid kit/ibuprofen/antacid/immodium/benadryl
TP/compressed washcloth/soap
flashlight/headlamp/extra batteries
folding saw
spare glasses/gloves/dustmask(for wildfire smoke)
multitool(small)
steel cup & fork
Map/compass/survival guide
Emergency backup documents(flash drive)

In a separate bag that stays in my car until needed:
Rainfly/groundcover/sleeping bag/wool blanket
Sweater layer
Boots
Tool kit
Water
Food

Things I ditched because they were not crucial for my situation/needs/area (Mountainous Southern California):
Hatchet
Fishing kit
tent/hammock
two-way Radios


This doesn't cover EVERY contingency(the bag that can do that would be HUGE) but it meets the most potential needs with materials on-hand, and I can carry it for a day's walk.  My family will have similar, yet smaller bags in their vehicle(s).

You are all set!

Yeah my bag is heavier than I like too (without the water), and I don't carry any of the tools that you pack.

Depending on the weather and how far you are going you could likely leave a lot of stuff in your vehicle, or you could just be stuck in place for several hours/overnight. I don't live in Atlanta anymore but the traffic there is bad and every few years there is some sort of problem that strands thousands on the freeway overnight.  One year it was snow, then a gas leak, and more recently a homeless person started a fire and collapsed an overpass (who woulda thought that was even possible?). I always wonder what those folks did (especially the women) when they had to pee, cause on the freeway there is often no where to go to get away from the other drivers and most surely didn't have a container in their cars.

And the change of clothes is a big one especially if people wear business attire or sandals/dress shoes, shorts etc...

Judith Browning wrote:I used to do this all of the time back when I was never sure if our truck would get us home...now that we have something more reliable I haven't thought about it so much.  Our car gets so hot in the summer months though and freezes in the winter so I'm not sure about storing perishables out there? and we used to have mice show up because we drove so rarely.

I'll have to do a modified version...it's a good idea.

Yeah it gets very hot here too. The ramen, oatmeal etc...lasts a long time regardless. Instant coffee is nice because it is just dehydrated coffee granules and will dissolve in cold water for a caffeine boost. I do replace the power bars every 6 months or so (they quickly get eaten) and while they do melt they are still good when hunger strikes. As far as mice you could always just pack some snacks in a plastic container or even a glass jar and then if you had to carry the supplies leave the containers in the car.

I think having good walking shoes/clothing and water is a biggie too. It costs nothing or close to it to store water and shoes/clothing in the car and it makes all the difference when you need it.

Sorta,   I have 3 days of clothing packed, and I have a folding bike in my van, and I have a sawyer water purifier, and dehydrated food that gives me 3 days of food.      

I have been watching those who live our of their vans, and I have been practicing sleeping in the van seeing what is missing, and planning on how to make it more comfortable.

My bugout plan is the van itself, and if that fails the bike is my getaway to the next location.          I really do not like the idea of bugging out, but you have to plan for it because this world changes mighty fast.      


I have bugged out for Hurricane Matthew, which made good sense, as It was hitting close to me.        I did not bug out for hurricane Irma as there was no where to go as the highways were clogged, and I choose to be at home when things struck not away from home and with no place to buy gas as all gas stations were sold out.

I keep a first aid kit as well, as it is just a good idea to have.      I also keep a hammer underneath my drivers seat just in case I need to break the window to get out of the van.

Mart Hale wrote:Sorta,   I have 3 days of clothing packed, and I have a folding bike in my van, and I have a sawyer water purifier, and dehydrated food that gives me 3 days of food.      

I have been watching those who live our of their vans, and I have been practicing sleeping in the van seeing what is missing, and planning on how to make it more comfortable.

My bugout plan is the van itself, and if that fails the bike is my getaway to the next location.          I really do not like the idea of bugging out, but you have to plan for it because this world changes mighty fast.      


I have bugged out for Hurricane Matthew, which made good sense, as It was hitting close to me.        I did not bug out for hurricane Irma as there was no where to go as the highways were clogged, and I choose to be at home when things struck not away from home and with no place to buy gas as all gas stations were sold out.

I keep a first aid kit as well, as it is just a good idea to have.      I also keep a hammer underneath my drivers seat just in case I need to break the window to get out of the van.

Sounds like you are pretty prepared! I thought about buying a couple of Mountain House meals for the bag but they are just so pricey I haven't done it.

A lot of folks have small propane camp stoves in their vans for cooking (and works great for any sort of power outage).

You may already know this, but if you have to bust out a car window remember to hit the glass near the edge NOT the middle (the glass is strongest in the middle and it can be really hard to bust out auto glass). I recently listened to a 911 call of an elderly man that drove his new car into a small lake and drowned (after calling 911). A passerby desperately tried to break the passenger window and couldn't, and apparently neither of them knew the doors will open once the water in the car matches the level outside (and the pressure equalizes). Of course the 911 operator didn't tell him that either. Was sad.

oil, sugar-syrup, multi-vitamin, whey protein
evacuated tube solar cooker With mug (GoSun), LifeStraw
Machete type 'knife'+file, fishing line+hook, life starter, paracord, ziptie
Hammock+tarp, bivy
Compass, map, flash drive, passport card,
1st aid kit + book (makes me feel better when I am scared)
socks/gloves/clothes/shoes/EMT clothing
Whistle

Lucrecia Anderson wrote:

Mart Hale wrote:Sorta,   I have 3 days of clothing packed, and I have a folding bike in my van, and I have a sawyer water purifier, and dehydrated food that gives me 3 days of food.      



I keep a first aid kit as well, as it is just a good idea to have.      I also keep a hammer underneath my drivers seat just in case I need to break the window to get out of the van.

Sounds like you are pretty prepared! I thought about buying a couple of Mountain House meals for the bag but they are just so pricey I haven't done it.

A lot of folks have small propane camp stoves in their vans for cooking (and works great for any sort of power outage).

You may already know this, but if you have to bust out a car window remember to hit the glass near the edge NOT the middle (the glass is strongest in the middle and it can be really hard to bust out auto glass). I recently listened to a 911 call of an elderly man that drove his new car into a small lake and drowned (after calling 911). A passerby desperately tried to break the passenger window and couldn't, and apparently neither of them knew the doors will open once the water in the car matches the level outside (and the pressure equalizes). Of course the 911 operator didn't tell him that either. Was sad.

No, I did not know that, I have seen the tools that are made to break the glass, good to know about the pressure equalizing as well for the door.  

Something I have found very very useful is they sell zip ties that are re-usable,    So handy for tying up cords, they have a release trigger you push and it releases them.

https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Releasable-Adjustable-Self-Locking-Organization/dp/B06XG8G91Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1545277223&sr=8-3&keywords=reusable+zip+ties

S Bengi wrote:oil, sugar-syrup, multi-vitamin, whey protein
evacuated tube solar cooker With mug (GoSun), LifeStraw
Machete type 'knife'+file, fishing line+hook, life starter, paracord, ziptie
Hammock+tarp, bivy
Compass, map, flash drive, passport card,
1st aid kit + book (makes me feel better when I am scared)
socks/gloves/clothes/shoes/EMT clothing
Whistle

A whistle is a good idea!  Funny one difference I noticed between lots of European preppers and American preppers is that the Europeans often carry whistles, flashing lights, orange vests, and other equipment so they will be "found" in a disaster whereas the Americans are the exact opposite and prefer camouflage, "grey man" attire, and seem far more focused on NOT being spotted/found.

Since there are harsh winters where you live have you seen the tiny alcohol stoves? They are only about 2" wide, plus the isopropyl alcohol doubles as a medical supply. I like them because they work even if it is rainy/snowy outside. There are several different manufacturers and they only run about $8-$10.

I also keep a hammer underneath my drivers seat just in case I need to break the window to get out of the van.

One of the most common (& urgent) needs to break car windows from the inside is underwater. NOT easy with a hammer or rock underwater. I suggest a .45 (protect your ears with your shoulders) or an automatic impact punch. People in that situation want it open NOW. Keep somewhere it won't disappear during an accident &/or an unexpected car swim.

Timely post. Had a flat tire today so unloaded my trunk into the back seat. If weather permits maybe tomorrow I can take some pix. This is a good time of year to adjust clothes, rotate food, & check everything out anyway. Overdue, judging by the gallon of solidified olive oil discovered in the trunk today. (used for bees in summer ... it has recovered perfectly) Basically the same items as already listed with some extra camping gear & extra food. Plus bee things. Fire extinguisher & first aid kit for a group of 10-12 people. Bottom line though everything crucial is in one small Kelty waist pack used for day hikes. Easy to grab extra clothes or food if needed.

Almost forgot ... Quick Clot & other similar products work good. So does cayenne pepper. FYI.

Thanks for the reminder! I need to go and restock my the car's get-home-bag with new food

We have a few different types of emergency bags:

(1) My purse (which is Maxpedition Versipack--more of a tiny tactical bag, rather than purse.) Inside I have crammed:

Carving knife, utility knife and tiny pocket knife

Tiny Aquamira Fronteir Water Filter

Small first aid kit and a giant bandage (aka cloth menstrual pad),

Scissors, knitting needles that I use as hair sticks, hairband, grey thread, safety pins, a few spare buttons, some small sewing needles

can opener,

Cards, dice, whistle, pencil, notepad, tiny Bible

magnifying glass

Matches, magnifying glass, mirror, fire starter

Eyeglass repair kit (tiny screwdiver with various bits and comes in handy a lot), tiny saw, small tape measure

My grandfather's old bandanna, dental floss, tiny compass

hand-crank flashlight, and another tiny LED flashlight

Emergency blanket, tissues, plastic bag to collect seeds or other random things in.

Coconut oil (great for lotion, cleaning teeth, wound care, or cooking oil--we end up using it a lot!), tiny bottle of soap, hand sanitizer, Prayer oil (scented olive oil, which I once resorted to using as cooking oil because we had none while camping. Those were some odd-tasting pancakes!), two Tiny bamboo sporks

Emergency Contact Phone Numbers

Notepad

More things that I'm probably forgetting...

(2) My kids' "diaper" bag (the kids are out of diapers now, so my husband calls this the "feed bag"), which has:

multi-tool knife

1 extra pair of clothes and shoes for each of them

cloth diaper & towel and wipes for cleaning up messes and cleaning hands

Enough snacks to feed them for a day or two (pepperoni sticks, lara bars, fruit leather, "baby food" pouches that are like smoothies in a pouch, fruit snacks, dried fruit, nuts) and some snacks for us

Water bottle

hand sanitizer

(3) A get-home bag for my husband, which has:

military grade poncho

fire starter and twine/cotton balls to start a fire

canned fish for him to eat

utility knife

[list]Handcrank flashlight like this one

[/list]

map of our surrounding area so he can locate different routes to get home

Probably some other stuff that I can't remember...

mini sawer waterfilter

(4)The car also has:

jump cables

first aid kit

napkins and plasticwear

atlases of our county and tri-state area

first aid kit

probably other stuff that I can't remember

Tiny shovel to dig car out of ditches

waterproof coats for the kids

I like having things divided over the three bags. It adds redundancy, and spreads out the load. We basically always have enough to walk home from anywhere we normally drive (we don't usually drive any more than 30-40 minutes from our house). The kid's bag gets used for the normal sort of emergencies that kids have: puking, getting shoes/socks wet at the beach, wetting pants, kids getting hungry because we're stuck in traffic, etc.

Mike Barkley wrote:

I also keep a hammer underneath my drivers seat just in case I need to break the window to get out of the van.

One of the most common (& urgent) needs to break car windows from the inside is underwater. NOT easy with a hammer or rock underwater. I suggest a .45 (protect your ears with your shoulders) or an automatic impact punch. People in that situation want it open NOW. Keep somewhere it won't disappear during an accident &/or an unexpected car swim.

Is it an urban myth, or is it true, that the spikes at the ends of head rests are meant to break through car windows?

Is it an urban myth, or is it true, that the spikes at the ends of head rests are meant to break through car windows?

No clue. Seems like it would be very difficult at best. Will see what I can dig up. Interesting idea.

Nicole Alderman wrote:

Mike Barkley wrote:

I also keep a hammer underneath my drivers seat just in case I need to break the window to get out of the van.

One of the most common (& urgent) needs to break car windows from the inside is underwater. NOT easy with a hammer or rock underwater. I suggest a .45 (protect your ears with your shoulders) or an automatic impact punch. People in that situation want it open NOW. Keep somewhere it won't disappear during an accident &/or an unexpected car swim.

Is it an urban myth, or is it true, that the spikes at the ends of head rests are meant to break through car windows?

While I don't consider snopes to be a reliable source on a lot of topics this one seems pretty safe. According to them they were NOT designed to break windows but on occasion they have been used for that. Also says a lot of cars have a special button to detach them now. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/car-headrests-emergency-escape/

I have seen videos of big men (250-300 lbs) trying to smash out windows to free a child or dog from a hot car and even with a tire iron they often have a difficult time doing it, course most are hitting the window in the middle which is part of the problem.

Reading through this I'm wondering what we are preparing for?

I was just thinking of a few things to stash under the seat for when the car breaks down by the side of the road...some of these lists are more like living in the woods for awhile?

You folks are serious

The extensive kits are the bug out bags (BOB) and get home bags (GHB).  They are built for the unknown SHTF situations.  An extended stay in the woods is very possible.

Judith Browning wrote:Reading through this I'm wondering what we are preparing for?

I was just thinking of a few things to stash under the seat for when the car breaks down by the side of the road...some of these lists are more like living in the woods for awhile?

You folks are serious

Yup, many are designed specifically for living in the woods (or outdoors in a city) for 24-48 hours whether that means having to flee your home or walk miles to get back home. Basically they are insurance in case we are ever "on our own" and can't just call someone to rescue us.

Getting stuck in an area without cell service, earthquakes, unexpected floods, storms that shut down roads, tornadoes, EMP, for folks in a city it could be a terrorist attack, riots, or other event that disrupts travel and leaves people stranded.

I have a bag that contains a change of clothes (t-shirt, jeans, sweatshirt, undies, and socks) as well as a spare pair of sneakers and winter boots, and an extra winter parka.  

However the following items are also in my car (both our cars in fact): gloves and winter hats and summer hats (baseball variety), a comforter blanket, pillow, reflective triangle thingies for car breakdown on highway, jumper cables, chain, nylon rope, a wide variety of tools (hammer, pliers, wire cutters, push drill, crowbar, hand saw, duct tape, etc), various medications including aspirin, imodium, benadryl, and others, writing implements and paper, scissors, chapped lip remedy, bandaids, flashlights, spare dog leashes and harness, drinking bowl for dog and bottled water for both of us, snack crackers in a plastic container, sunglasses and reading glasses, maps and atlases, a snow shovel, re-usable grocery bags, and probably many other things not coming to mind.

When I am in the car I have a small bag with me that contains my cell phone and car keys, along with many more similar items and duplicates of items already in the car.  In my jeans pockets at all times are a pocket knife, my wallet, kleenex, cough drops, money, and a couple doggie clean-up bags.

Yep, I'm a pack rat.  You should have seen all the items I used to pack in saddlebags when horseback riding back in the day.  Before I retired, I carried a vintage lunch box which held the usual sandwich and other food items, but also all sorts of other provisions, safety pins, flashlight, pliers, tampons (a necessity back in the day), nail files, etc.  I was the go-to person that my co-workers would ask if they needed this or that.  As far as traveling/vacationing/visiting, I take a minimum of two suitcases cram-packed full and a cooler of food.  "Traveling light" is not in my vocabulary.

Nicole Alderman wrote:

Carving knife, utility knife and tiny pocket knife

Tiny Aquamira Fronteir Water Filter

Small first aid kit and a giant bandage (aka cloth menstrual pad),

Scissors, knitting needles that I use as hair sticks, hairband, grey thread, safety pins, a few spare buttons, some small sewing needles

can opener,

Cards, dice, whistle, pencil, notepad, tiny Bible

magnifying glass

Wow! You are definitely in "mom" mode and prepared for anything! And you carry all of that in your purse? That is dedication.

Heck I recently stopped carrying a purse altogether and just went with a small 5x7 clip on bag with a few essentials so I can run around and shop hands free. I figure if I get trapped inside a grocery store (Ever see The Mist? Great movie) the store will have most everything I need. :)

I trust the diaper bag stays in the car? Or do you carry that too?

Reading through this I'm wondering what we are preparing for?  

There are a lot of things we could be preparing for, but, in my case, I want to be able to pull over on the side of the rode and camp out for the night, wherever I am(wherever legally/safely allowed), in a non-emergency situation, just for fun/to save money while on road trips.  

It just so happens that this also prepares me for having to leave my home due to a wildfire(or hurricane, tornado, earthquake, depending on where you live) on short notice, and have somewhere to stay if there is no family/motel available.  

Reading through this I'm wondering what we are preparing for?

In my car's situation it's not so much preparing as simply storing too much camping gear that accumulated over the years. As already stated, all I really need is in one small waist pack. Could normally ditch some of that too. I used to lead group hikes & backpack trips so just got in the habit of having extra food & gear for them. One item I haven't seen mentioned yet is vacuum sealed toilet paper. Enough said?

Judith Browning wrote:Reading through this I'm wondering what we are preparing for?

I was just thinking of a few things to stash under the seat for when the car breaks down by the side of the road...some of these lists are more like living in the woods for awhile?

You folks are serious

I'm mostly preparing for the big 9+ scale earthquake that we're due to have any day (one cannot predict an earthquake, but can look at historical data to see how often they have occurred, and predict that it will happen at relatively the same frequency.).

Anyway, the big earthquake would take out roads and bridges. I want to make sure that, if, say, we're grocery shopping when it happens, we can get back home. Or, if my husband is at work, he'll be able to make it home. With a giant earthquake like that, food supplies and assistance will be very late in coming (they say that we need to be prepared for 2-4 weeks without assistance, so I'm sure we'll need to be ready to make do for longer than that). If you look at how long it took assistance to get to those in Puerto Rico, it makes sense to be prepared for a long time without assistance if there's a huge disaster at home. (And, huge disasters are happening more and more frequently, so there seems to less government resources to go around during disasters)  

I have no plans to "bug out" aside from, say, a forest fire requiring us to evacuate. I just want to make sure we can get home if there's an earthquake. We're most prepared for disaster at home.

Almost everything in my purse and diaper bag I've used over the years for minor emergencies. I even used the tiny saw once at home because the toilet was leaking and we needed to remove the old pipe. My husband's saws wouldn't fit there, but my tiny 2-inch saw did the job!

One of the most important things I would add is WALKING shoes. When my feet are done, I'm done.

Lucrecia Anderson wrote:

Nicole Alderman wrote:

Carving knife, utility knife and tiny pocket knife

Tiny Aquamira Fronteir Water Filter

Small first aid kit and a giant bandage (aka cloth menstrual pad),

Scissors, knitting needles that I use as hair sticks, hairband, grey thread, safety pins, a few spare buttons, some small sewing needles

can opener,

Cards, dice, whistle, pencil, notepad, tiny Bible

magnifying glass

Wow! You are definitely in "mom" mode and prepared for anything! And you carry all of that in your purse? That is dedication.

Heck I recently stopped carrying a purse altogether and just went with a small 5x7 clip on bag with a few essentials so I can run around and shop hands free. I figure if I get trapped inside a grocery store (Ever see The Mist? Great movie) the store will have most everything I need. :)

I trust the diaper bag stays in the car? Or do you carry that too?

The diaper bag does, indeed, stay in the car. When the kids were in diapers and pooping/peeing all the time, it came with us inside most buildings (especially places, like church, that we were going to be for a few hours) so we could change diapers/clothes.
in
Wearing a purse was one of those things I really resented and resisted for a loooooong time. I used to carry everything in my pants' and and coat's pockets (cargo pants for the win!). But, I wanted to carry a bit more, and got a purse that wasn't very "purse" like. The "purse" I've had for 6+ years is a Maxpedition tactical bag. It belts onto my waist, and it's a nice olive green. My husband even wears it for me when I've needed him too (like when I had the baby strapped onto me). It's not that big, either. It's smaller than most womens' big bag purses. It just measured it, and it's 9x8x5.5inches. It's just very well compartmentalized and packed very densely. It weighs just over 5 pounds.

Most of the stuff I've collected over the years, even before I had kids. I like having things "just in case." My husband used to make fun of me for carrying all that stuff....but he's used it all so many times now that he doesn't complain and gladly carries it for me.

The only things in my bag/purse that I've never used are the water filter and the emergency blanket, and those make sense to carry "just in case."

Nicole Alderman wrote: I like having things "just in case." My husband used to make fun of me for carrying all that stuff....but he's used it all so many times now that he doesn't complain and gladly carries it for me.

I was at a gathering once, and some of the guys were going to look for a geocache, I don't care about geocaching, but I went just to be with them. They used SO much of the junk I carry in my purse, it was funny. "It's too dark in there!" flashlight! "it's jammed in a tiny tube" Tweezers! "Ack, I'm bleeding!" bandaid! "ow, that was a cactus!" Medical tape to pull most, tweezers on the rest. (Medical tape isn't standard for me, had it randomly in my purse that day.)
They said they need to take me along more often. (I still don't care about the cache stuff though.)

Now you got me wanting some tweezers...though, I might just have some attached to one or another of my multi-tools. I must check now!

Nicole Alderman wrote:Now you got me wanting some tweezers...though, I might just have some attached to one or another of my multi-tools. I must check now!

Leatherman micro

And also, there's a game they play at baby showers etc, who has the most weird crap in their purse. My sister won't play if I'm there She has makeup, I have tools

My tiny gerber multi-tool has tweesers. WOOT WOOT!

I would TOTALLY win at that game! (I'm now really saddened that in all the baby and wedding showers I've gone to, they've never played that game )

I have dice, cards, a water filter, magnifying glass, finger cotlet, CPR face shield thing, calculator, activated charcoal and benadryl  (the last came in handy when we were at the pumpkin patch and my brother got stung by a hornet.) The tape I had also helped to make sure any stinger got taken out.

I do not, however, have any make-up or a comb/hairbrush...

Too rainy & cold to even think about reloading the trunk today. Here's a couple pix of a very small stove. The common flashlight is for size reference.  The stove uses an isobutane propane mixture for improved high altitude & cold weather performance. That small cylinder lasts for about 5 days of boiling water for meals & coffee/hot chocolate. A week if you're careful. A small lighter fits inside the container also.

Tweezers? Check. Probably the main reason I've kept this Swiss army knife so many years. It also has a little magnifying glass but forgot to extend that for a photo op.

Medical tape? Personally I've used it more times to repair sneaker blowouts than for anything medical. I warned them not to wear sneakers:)

Nicole Alderman wrote:The "purse" I've had for 6+ years is a Maxpedition tactical bag. It belts onto my waist, and it's a nice olive green. My husband even wears it for me when I've needed him too (like when I had the baby strapped onto me). It's not that big, either. It's smaller than most womens' big bag purses. It just measured it, and it's 9x8x5.5inches. It's just very well compartmentalized and packed very densely. It weighs just over 5 pounds.

Oh that is tiny, and hands free! I pictured you carrying around a giant bag everywhere you went. And yeah I love going purse free though I hate stuffing things in pockets especially in snug fitting jeans, it is uncomfortable and too easy to forget items or have them fall onto the floor when changing.

The last straw for me was when I watched one too many purse snatching videos plus I really disliked having to watch/babysit my bag when shopping or unloading groceries etc...  

I made a video on it with purse snatching clips (to spread the paranoia...lol). One of the methods thieves use involves pulling up to women in parking lots and asking a question (like for directions) then grabbing the handbag and driving off fast. They often target older women and it can cause serious injuries as the victims get jerked/slammed into the pavement.

The minivan has the BOBs that are stored in it, plus a large first aid kit that is stored under a seat, an emergency tarp tent, tool kit for fixing/working on the van, usual changing tire stuff,jumper cables. In the winter I put in extra winter boots, coats, hats, etc.

On my key chain I have a mini flashlight, and a combo seatbelt cuter and spring loaded window breaker.

When we leave the house I have a backpack for my 5 year old that has extra clothing,socks, extra shoes, jacket, snack bars,water bottle, winter hat or sun hat, mittens(if its cold out), and anything she wants to take along. This bag goes where she does. It's easier to get stuff out of than the bigger BOB and can be taken along to the playground or when visiting people.

I have a diaper baby for the baby that has the usual stuff plus a first aid kit, extra blankets, etc.

The next thing I would like to research and get is a water filter straw or bottle type thing and a little mini stove/heater.

I also need to get some dry food items in there again. Every time we are going to drive somewhere I bring water.

One of the reasons I like the BOBs is not only for an emergency situation such as we need to get in the van and leave or we can't get home for a while but also just if we had to leave the house in a hurry/emergency such as if there was a house fire in the middle of the night. I'm sure we'd be glad to have some foot wear and warm clothing waiting in the van for us if we all rushed out of the house barefoot and in our PJ's.

My BOB item list;

Geez, it's been so long it's hard to remember everything that is in them...

This is what is in mine;
-3 days extra clothing/socks(cotton and wool)/underwear.
-swiss army knife
-emergency whistle
- big first aid kit with medications
-trash bag
-Toilet paper
-paper towels
-wet wipes
-disinfectant wipes
- paper and pencil
-emergency blankets
- little mirror
-tweezers
- para-cord
- toothbrush
- floss
- menstrual cup
-menstrual pads and liner
- wash cloth
- little soap
-comb
-hair ties and clips
-safety pins
-warm hat
-warm gloves
-scarf
- lighter
- plastic baggies
- plastic ponchos
- hand crank flash light/weather radio
- extra pair of glasses
- contact case
-contact solution

I'm sure there is more I'm forgetting but that is what I can think of off the top of my head.  There are a few other things I'd like to eventually add as well.

I need to organize a simple Get Back Home bag for my husband. In his truck he has a BOB,coveralls, tools, jumper cables, etc. but I would like him to have a small packed bag he could just grab and go if he needed to walk home.

Nicole Alderman wrote:Thanks for the reminder! I need to go and restock my the car's get-home-bag with new food

We have a few different types of emergency bags:

(1) My purse (which is Maxpedition Versipack--more of a tiny tactical bag, rather than purse.) Inside I have crammed:

Carving knife, utility knife and tiny pocket knife

Tiny Aquamira Fronteir Water Filter

Small first aid kit and a giant bandage (aka cloth menstrual pad),

Scissors, knitting needles that I use as hair sticks, hairband, grey thread, safety pins, a few spare buttons, some small sewing needles

can opener,

Cards, dice, whistle, pencil, notepad, tiny Bible

magnifying glass

Matches, magnifying glass, mirror, fire starter

Eyeglass repair kit (tiny screwdiver with various bits and comes in handy a lot), tiny saw, small tape measure

My grandfather's old bandanna, dental floss, tiny compass

hand-crank flashlight, and another tiny LED flashlight

Emergency blanket, tissues, plastic bag to collect seeds or other random things in.

Coconut oil (great for lotion, cleaning teeth, wound care, or cooking oil--we end up using it a lot!), tiny bottle of soap, hand sanitizer, Prayer oil (scented olive oil, which I once resorted to using as cooking oil because we had none while camping. Those were some odd-tasting pancakes!), two Tiny bamboo sporks

Emergency Contact Phone Numbers

Notepad

More things that I'm probably forgetting...

(2) My kids' "diaper" bag (the kids are out of diapers now, so my husband calls this the "feed bag"), which has:

multi-tool knife

1 extra pair of clothes and shoes for each of them

cloth diaper & towel and wipes for cleaning up messes and cleaning hands

Enough snacks to feed them for a day or two (pepperoni sticks, lara bars, fruit leather, "baby food" pouches that are like smoothies in a pouch, fruit snacks, dried fruit, nuts) and some snacks for us

Water bottle

hand sanitizer

(3) A get-home bag for my husband, which has:

military grade poncho

fire starter and twine/cotton balls to start a fire

canned fish for him to eat

utility knife

[list]Handcrank flashlight like this one

[/list]

map of our surrounding area so he can locate different routes to get home

Probably some other stuff that I can't remember...

mini sawer waterfilter

(4)The car also has:

jump cables

first aid kit

napkins and plasticwear

atlases of our county and tri-state area

first aid kit

probably other stuff that I can't remember

Tiny shovel to dig car out of ditches

waterproof coats for the kids

I like having things divided over the three bags. It adds redundancy, and spreads out the load. We basically always have enough to walk home from anywhere we normally drive (we don't usually drive any more than 30-40 minutes from our house). The kid's bag gets used for the normal sort of emergencies that kids have: puking, getting shoes/socks wet at the beach, wetting pants, kids getting hungry because we're stuck in traffic, etc.

Love you purse idea Nicole! I need something like that for myself. Great item lists as well!

It's good to have a more long term (and thus much larger) kit in an outbuilding on your property. Use easy to grab, labeled, water tight totes that you can grab if you have to evacuate. Include things you'll need if it's just the house and you need to camp on your land for a while. We plan to do this as soon as the tool shed is finished.
Coincidently, we are currently staying with family while our house slowly floods. We had plenty of time to prep, and I still wish I had thought of a few things. These types of bags, totes and what not really are a great idea.

Hi Meg,

Great point.  We keep a bag in one of our vehicles with a full change of clothes in case we have to make a rapid fire exit.  Of course, there are a few other items in it as well.

We have a small bag of survival supplies in the car.  We used to have an entire crate, but we decided to downsize it.

Meg Gibson-Ray wrote:It's good to have a more long term (and thus much larger) kit in an outbuilding on your property. Use easy to grab, labeled, water tight totes that you can grab if you have to evacuate. Include things you'll need if it's just the house and you need to camp on your land for a while. We plan to do this as soon as the tool shed is finished.
Coincidently, we are currently staying with family while our house slowly floods. We had plenty of time to prep, and I still wish I had thought of a few things. These types of bags, totes and what not really are a great idea.

Meg, welcome to the forum!

I am sorry to hear about you house.

What are some of the things you wish you had thought of?

By coincidence I took this pack on vacation for my clothes so I removed all these items that normally live in there. It is an extra pack that I would grab in addition to the one that stays in the car. That one is larger but has basically these same things but with more clothes & food. It also has a better medical kit & water purification/filtration for a group of about twelve people.

Left to right, top to bottom ... more or less. A change of clothes, rain suit, ultralight tent w/ solar blanket, sleeping bag, with first aid & fire starting supplies in the large plastic jar. A stainless steel cup & water bottle. Trail marking tape. A plastic water bottle. Snake bite kit. Two radios & some lighter fluid. A waterproof cover for the pack & a poncho. A box of easy food & a backpacking stove with a small towel & an extra bag for my water filter on top. Some freeze dried meals. Compass & headlamp. Rope, ice spikes, & fuel for the stove. Energy bars & toilet paper. A Bowie knife & a neck knife. Both razor sharp. A small solar panel for charging USB devices. The pack itself. Not shown because it was never removed is a pair of glasses & some earplugs plus a Sawyer squeeze water filter with backflush plunger & another bag. Also a waterproof pen & paper plus a few maps.

I also keep an axe, a machette, rubber boots, hiking boots, fire extinguisher, hand tools, a box of food, & another sleeping bag in the car. Oh, and a case of bottled water. I'm probably forgetting a few items but that is the bulk of it.

Can't help but wonder how many people hurting from the hurricanes last month would have benefitted from having something along these lines ready to go. Many thousands if not millions I'd guess.