Safety Dave

Having a home “Disaster Kit” and a “Go Bag” (also known as a “Bug-out bag”) is recommended by the US Center for Disease Control CDC, FEMA, and NYC Government. These are essentially survival kits. The home kit is for when you may need to shelter in place / stay put in an emergency when either it’s not safe to leave the house or if power, medical care, water, or other resources are not available. The go bag is for when you might have to get out fast due to imminent emergency / disaster and aren’t sure how long you’ll be on the move. You should also have a kit for your car. Many of the items are interchangeable. This post offers my recommendations on high-quality, inexpensive and (usually) light-weight gear and advice to help you build out home and go bag kits that adhere to the government guidelines / make sure you’re adequately prepared.

GO BAG

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For a lightweight, water resistant, well-made, durable but inexpensive bag to put most of the items below in (excluding bulkier food and water-carrying options, etc.) with room for extra things like clothes, medicines, documents etc. this 40 liter day pack from G4 is excellent and costs about $18. Also it doesn’t stand out in a crowd like many tactical backpacks which might invite theft / assault in an emergency scenario.

Priorities of Survival

Remember when it comes to surviving emergencies that your priorities in descending order should be:

1. Scene Safety 2. First Aid 3. Shelter 4. Water 5. Food.

The basic principles behind “scene safety” are: 1. Leave or don’t go somewhere where you and/or your party may be in danger, and 2. Protecting yourself takes priority over providing help to others - this includes self-defense. Self defense is not a topic I will cover here but there are several non-lethal items in my links page that you can carry if legal where you live and if you know how to use them. A good mnemonic to help you remember priorities of survival is the Rule of Threes: You can live 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter (this is variable), 3 days without water, and 3 weeks with out food. What follow are gear recs and advice to help you address these priorities:

FIRST AID

See my blog post on first aid items / kits. Beyond having a portable kit, I recommend you make multiple kits- for home, go bag, car etc. and it’s a good idea to stock up on the items I list in that post- especially prescription drugs, NSAIDS, band aids, and other items that you may use a lot of over time.

SHELTER

These heavy-duty but still light and compact durable, re-usable space blankets are weather proof, tear-resistant, and heat reflective – and they take up WAY less space than a sleeping bag or comforter, and cost less than $20. In addition to being used as a blanket they can be used as a ground cloth, tarp/shelter (for one person - 2 if you’re snug!), signaling device, etc. very versatile. Keep one or two in go bag / home / car. You’ll also need 75’-100’ of multi-purpose cord for rigging tarps. Remember that the lightweight single use space blankets, while cheap and compact, are essentially useless unless your’e inside somewhere protected from wind and rain already.

A bigger tarp will allow bigger shelter / more room for multiple people, but of course the downside is it’s bulkier and heavier. Trade off.

Learn how to make a tarp shelter.

Alternatively, this windproof, waterproof, heat reflective, tear-resistant thermal bivvy bag takes up relatively small space and you can spend the night wrapped up in it exposed to the elements in extremely adverse weather conditions as long as you have something to protect against heat conduction from the ground - as mentioned elsewhere in this blog, you can cut squares of this pad to fit your pack which makes carrying it must less bulky / cumbersome.

WATER

Remember you can only survive without water for about 3 days and that depending upon your environment and which agency you believe ;-), you’ll need anywhere from 1 liter to 1 gallon of water per person per day – so the three-day minimum recommended by the CDC is actually pretty light – think of how long cities / regions recently hit by hurricanes have had to go without water service. Given this I actually recommend tripling the amount of water they suggest storing. A week - or even two weeks- worth is better. Therefore having a few of these sturdy, inexpensive, practical portable 7 gallon containers filled up and stored in your house are a good idea ( also easy to throw in the back of your car in an emergency or use for outdoor recreation ). Alternatively, you can buy lot’s of these one gallon jugs (be sure to get the clear, stronger plastic ones - the opaque, handle jugs leak after time). If you have the space and think you may need a lot of water on hand, these 55 gallon containers with a pump/ siphon and treatment kit (currently unavailable so here’s another product link) will keep a two-week supply of water for a family of four for up to 5 years - remember that you’ll have to treat it either before you put it in or, better yet, after you take it out (boiling, filter, iodine, etc). If you’re on the move (think go bag and car) these cheap and highly portable/foldable 5-liter collapsible water containers with handles take up almost no space (fold flat) and are super handy for enabling you to obtain and carry water from a potable source.

For Purification / Filtration – there are a lot of great but often expensive filters out there but this lifestraw is light, easy to use, reliable, only costs about $15 and will filter up to a 1000 liters. Alternatively this mini filter from Sawyer, while $5 more expensive, is more versatile in that you can connect it to various bottles and containers. Other methods for purification: While these methods won’t filter out debris, dirt, algae, etc. you can use iodine tablets, or add household bleach (un-scented) – 16 drops per gallon OR add 5 drops of 2% iodine tincture to 1 quart of water and wait 30 minutes ( HACK doubles as an antiseptic for cuts and scrapes), OR if you have the time and resources, boiling water (rolling boil for 10 seconds) will kill any / all viruses or bacteria.

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For your go bag and car - have a couple (or more) simple, cheap, rugged, versatile, reliable Nalgene water bottles - The wide mouth makes them easy to fill from outside sources such as streams or lakes, and easy to insert a filter (like a lifestraw) , or HACKS: put in snow or ice cubes to make a cold pack for first aid. Conversely, you can fill these up with very hot water and throw them in your sleeping bag to stay warm at night. Measurements on the side help when cooking dehydrated food / need the right water-to-ingredient ratio. They also make carrying duct tape easy- just wrap a few lengths around the outside of the bottle.

FOOD

Remember that you can live without food for three weeks, so this should be low on your list of priorities, that said, if you look at how long it's taking to provide relief to communities recently hit by hurricanes and floods, it's not a bad idea to have some supplies on hand.

For stocking up at home there' are all sorts of options you can go with but the three main categories include:

1. military Meals Ready to Eat (MRE's ) (5-year shelf life), 2. bins of dehydrated meals (20-year shelf life), and 3. canned food (At least a 2 year shelf life) and of course there are pros and cons to all of these options.

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MRE's are self contained and nutritious, have a 5-year shelf life and contain their own heat source when needed, and a lot of cool development and testing has gone into them. On the downside, they are bulky, heavy, expensive, and sometimes high in sodium which can be dehydrating. Dehydrated food is relatively cheap, has a long shelf-life, and takes up minimal space for the quantity of food provided. Buying a couple of these buckets with over 100 servings and putting it in storage is piece of mind. On the downside, they require water and a heat source to cook it, which is obviously a con if these resources are scarce or unavailable. Canned foods are cheap, don't require water or heating to eat (in an emergency) but often contain high sodium, aren’t light weight, and are limited to a 2-year shelf life although they probably will last much longer. That said, you can buy canned raviolis, pasta, lasagna etc. for about $1 per can - loaded with calories and dirt-cheap. Throw in some generic, canned green vegetables, fruits, tunafish, and sardines, and you'll have all the nutrition you'll need.

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Bear in mind that the above food items are not very practical for a go-bag unless you’re moving a very short distance. For being on the move think about calories vs. size and weight - energy bars are a good option for this: You can pack some life boat emergency ration bars, which are relatively cheap, compact, packed with nutrients and have a 5 year shelf-life BUT they taste like sweetened saw dust. However there’s a case to be made that them tasting bad is a good thing, in that you’re unlikely to eat them in non-emergency situations. Alternatively Clif bars are always a crowd pleaser, have plenty of nutrition and are light-weight, but have a more limited shelf-life.

OTHER IMPORTANT ITEMS FOR YOUR SURVIVAL KITS

All of the items below are recommended for your kits - go bag, home kit, etc. and can be useful in outdoor or non-survival situations as well.

FIRE / FIRE STARTER

There is nothing as cheap, easy to use, or reliable as a bic lighter - I tend to use mini- bic lighters since they’re so small and handy. The downside is that they won’t light when wet, and it’s hard to guarantee that gas won’t escape by the button being accidentally depressed in your pocket or bag - but putting a zip tie under the button and keeping the lighter in a zip loc bag can help. Alternatively you can buy a water proof bic lighter case that will keep it reliably ready for when you need it. Or simply buy a bunch of lighters and put several in your various kits. As back-up, or instead, it’s a good idea to pack one or several boxes of windproof/waterproof matches which will work even under extremely wet and windy conditions - you can actually submerge them underwater after lighting and they’ll reignite when you take them out. A little bit heavier and bulkier but 100% reliable is one of these ferro-rod strikers - it can provide over a 1000 lights and will start a fire under ANY circumstances as long as you know how to use it ( it does take practice! ).

Good Tinder: You will need to have good tinder in order to start a fire - this can take many forms, either tinder that you bring with you, or that you can make from naturally-found resources like wood, dried grass, dry leaves, etc. For items to bring with you these strikable, wind and waterproof tinder sticks make great tinder, so are Cotton balls impregnated with Vaseline -small, light, cheap but can be greasy to handle. So does hand sanitizer. Or instead of bringing tinder make "feather sticks" with your knife and/or find and use fat wood that will light up even if the outside of the wood is wet (takes some practice). HACK A small pencil sharpener takes no weight or space but can help make fire tinder as well.

Note: Some preppers advocate for making a fire kit - a single pouch where you keep all your fire-starting materials. I actually think that’s a really bad idea- if you lose the pouch you’re hosed. Better to keep redundant fire-starting tools in different places in your pack / pockets / go bag as opposed to all in one place.

KNIFE

See my other blog post on knives. Include these in your kits.

FLASHLIGHT

Check my blog post on flashlights and head lamps here.

SIGNAL

In some disaster situations you may need a way to signal for help - sound from one of these rescue whistles carries much farther than your voice and takes a lot less energy than shouting. This one is particularly loud, made from plastic, and pea-less making it functional in adverse weather conditions. Three, 3-second blasts is the international distress signal. For signaling over distance (horizon, airplanes, far-away roads) a small signal mirror takes up almost no space or weight and is easy to use.

MULTITOOL

These are very handy for the most part (most often knife, pliers, or screw driver) but often they have superfluous things on them. They are useful to have around in your house, car, camping gear, and should be an item in your home kit and go bag. Leatherman was the original and there have been many offshoots and you can spend upwards of $150 on them– but I found a great multi-tool by Stanley that is strong, reliable, and has everything you need for about $15. This model isn’t that small or light but it’s burly. I use the one in my car all the time for things that pop up. If you’re willing to spend the money on the upgrade, the well-reviewed Leatherman Skeletool seems to have the right balance of everything you need and nothing you don’t and is lighter / more compact than the Stanley one. For a much smaller and lighter EDC option that can still perform many of the same tasks- this EDC min-multi tool from Gerber is excellent and about $17.

BATTERY PACK

Make sure you have a small, portable, fast-charging battery pack for your smart phone in your go bag or even when you're stuck on the subway or plane or in traffic or without power when a delay or disaster happens. Car, briefcase, day pack, home kit, go bag, etc. Make sure you have a charge cord. If you want a heavier duty one for your home or car kit - this 20,000 AMH battery pack, while bulkier, can charge an i-phone 7 times, and tablets multiple times on one charge.

BATTERIES

Unless you’re using rechargeable ones, the new Duracell Quantum batteries, while a bit more expensive, last longer than other batteries, have a 10-year shelf life, and have a built in, finger-activated gauge to determine how much energy is left in them. Highly recommend these AA and AAA Batteries.

DUCT TAPE

There is no way to overstate how useful duct tape is in so many situations. I carry a mini sharpie or pencil in my day pack, boat, car, and go bag with about 10' of duct tape wrapped around it. This makes carrying it much less cumbersome than having a whole role. Bear in mind the pen /pencil is always useful too and if you have one of these you can write down medical info, leave notes for people -(using duct tape of course), etc.

WORK GLOVES

You can protect your hands in multiple disaster / emergency scenarios/ when processing firewood using relatively inexpensive, light, and compact work gloves.

FILTER MASK

You can buy light, compact, and inexpensive disposable particulate-filtering masks that provide some protection against air-borne sickness (like Corona virus) smoke inhalation and dust from fire or other disasters. I was living in Brooklyn when the attacks on 9/11 happened and I remember scooping ashes off my windowsill from the fallen towers the air was so thick with it. Note that you need to buy N95 or N100 type masks some of models of which have a small filter in the front. Surgical masks or single band dust masks won’t work. This box of 10 are cheap and you can keep enough for your family in your go bag and/or car (they don’t fit small children however). I carry one in my briefcase when I’m taking the subway / going into sky scrapers – just in case of fire or other disaster.

PRY BAR

There are numerous ways that one of these can be a useful tool and get you of out of a sticky situation. This $5 pry bar from Stanley is super strong but very light weight and low profile- keep one in your go bag and car or even work bag. For heavier work car / home kit this 18" one is bigger/stronger but still cheap.

NOTE - carrying the pry bar, mask, and pair of work gloves in a small bag with you in urban environments (subway, buildings, etc.) can give you options in a disaster situation.

RADIO

Having a reliable radio is an important emergency preparedness item for go-bag, house, and car so that you can get updates on weather, disaster updates, government assistance, etc. This one is completely self-powered via hand crank or solar - functions as flashlight, radio, and phone charger and it's only about $20. There are definitely more high-performing versions available but this will pass the bare minimum in meeting your needs for a reasonable price. Alternatively, you can go with a smaller, cheaper, even more portable $10 radio that is battery powered.

LANTERN

While putting the flashlights I recommend on their base and having them shine upwards onto the ceiling will work as an improvised lantern depending upon the size of the room and color of the walls, this relatively small, portable lantern works great, has three brightness levels and an SOS setting, has a hook and removable globe for hanging as an area light, is durable, and can last 30 days on it’s lower setting. Wouldn’t include this in a go bag but great for home kit.

CANDLES

Stock up on a few of these long lasting candles even if you don’t have the lantern that goes with them -cheap, long lasting, simple light source.

PARACORD

Having 75- 100 feet of military spec 550 para cord handy provides an innumerable number of uses that include lashing things to your car or pack, building shelter with a tarp or contractor bag, improvising splints or other first aid tools, hanging food in bear country, substitute shoe laces or snow shoe bindings, repairing things, etc. If you really want to geek out, this survival paracord has individual strands of fishing line, fire starter tinder, and snare-wire integrated into its core.

Of course you’ll need to be proficient in tying knots for this to be of use to you so if you don’t know how to tie them, definitely learn the Bowline, clove hitch, trucker’s hitch, prussic, figure eight on a bight, figure eight follow-through, palomar (all knots I use outdoors all the time) get practicing.

SANITATION / HYGIENE

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If you’re in a true disaster situation - earthquake, pandemic, etc. and the plumbing in your house is no longer functional / you have to hunker down somewhere without sanitation it’s a good idea to have some packages of wet wipes to use if you don’t have a working shower, and if you’re staying in place this simple and cheap portable bucket camp toilet is a great and practical option - I recommend buying the liner bags that go with it which have a chemical agent in them to make the whole thing more pleasant. Otherwise you can simply use large garbage bags to line it, or by themselves if you don’t have the bucket. Also there is no overstating how much toilet paper you’ll need- stock up!

OTHER ITEMS TO BUILD OUT A KIT FOR YOUR CAR

It’s a good idea to keep a number of the above items in your car (space blanket, filled water bottles, flashlight, knife, first aid kit, multi-tool, duct tape, battery pack, work gloves, pry bar) but in addition to these there are several other items that can prove invaluable in some circumstances:

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PORTABLE JUMP STARTER

I haven’t used this particular model but this portable jump-starter battery pack comes very well reviewed, is small and stows away neatly in your car and can be a life-saver if your car battery dies- this way you can be completely self-reliant on being able to get your car going again when the chips are down.

GLASS BREAKER/SEAT BELT CUTTER

This fantastic small tool has a foolproof, spring-loaded glass breaker and a seat belt cutter. Can get you out of a car or through a window quickly. Good thing to keep in reach in your car and include in your go-bag, house, or EDC bag. Learn how to use it. Alternatively, you can buy one of these folding knives that have seat belt cutters and glass breakers built in, but not as reliable (if you’re underwater you can’t really swing your arm hard enough to break a window).

FIRE EXTINGUISHER

This one is small, cheap and made for putting out gas, electrical, oil, grease fires - fits easily in trunk or glove compartment.

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FOLDING SAW

This hand saw folds up super compact and light but could help you clear downed tree branches from the road in an emergency, and of course can be invaluable for making firewood / shelter.

REFLECTIVE VEST

Having one of these on if you have to change a tire at night / in bad conditions could prevent you from becoming road kill. This vest folds up small in your glove box, is cheap, highly visible, and easy to put on and off quickly and over other clothing. Plus you’ll be prepared if you want to participate in political protests in France ;-).

SNOW SHOVEL

People who have the space and live in snowy environments can opt for one of these more burly f oldable shovels to keep in the car, however, this snow claw is cheap, super compact, light, works great and has multiple other uses: Shovel, snow anchor, emergency splint, plate, sled, waterproof seat, etc. Made from high impact copolymer. It fits flat in your trunk or back of your day pack if you’re day hiking in winter – great emergency item to carry into the back country as you can make a quick snow shelter much easier if you’re caught in a storm/have to spend the night.

TOW ROPE

For less than $15, and taking up almost no space, a tow rope with clip hooks can enable one car to pull another out of a stuck situation if you’re somewhere where cellphone service or professional help is unavailable.

FIX A FLAT

Keep one of the bigger cans on hand- can seal up to a 1/4” puncture and inflate a full tire well enough so that you can drive to the nearest garage.