On leaving one's EDC at home in an emergency

We adopted a 12-year-old chihuahua-Pomeranian from a local rescue. He's a real sweetie. Hard of hearing, heart murmer, missing teeth. But he has lots of love to give.

He had some sort of fit the morning of January 1. Happy New Year! I was looking forward to a lazy morning, which I instead spent in a local animal emergency hospital. Arnie is still with us (with a diagnosis of possible syncope), but gave us a royal shock.

I think I have a new bunch of gray hair now. Or is that because I'm nearly 45? <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Anyway, my wife and I are very quickly exiting the house. I give no thought at all to my EDC shoulder bag. I'm carrying Arnie, and he's my primary concern. My wife asks what we should do about cash, and I tell her to grab the dentist envelope. Again, I'm thinking only about Arnie.

Our dentist is great, but they've been burned by insurance companies so often they now prefer to be paid up front in cash. So that's what we do.

We get to the animal hospital, fill out the forms, and wait. While we wait, I think, gee I wish I had this or that with me. Everything was at home in my shoulder bag. Including my emergency stash of cash. I hid it so I wouldn't spend it on gas. I remembered it only after we got back home.

Lesson learned: My meticulously assembled EDC shoulder bag doesn't do me any good if I don't remember to take it with me, especially in an emergency. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

-- Craig

Yes, that tends to be how it goes! <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

When there is an emergency, my field of focus really narrows down to only the essential needs. I'm quite certain that this is not the best thing to happen (it would be helpful to know what's going on on the peripheries, too), but I think it's just the way it goes.

It's still better than cringing in a corner, wringing your hands and crying.

And I would like to compliment you on your generosity in adopting one of society's throwaway older dogs. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Sue

Sometimes I'd rather sit in a corner and cry, but I'm just not the type.

I adopt older dogs because they need it. No one seems to want them, but they always seem grateful for the second chance. It's hell when you have to put them down, but it goes with the territory.

People always say, why not get a puppy. Well, because everyone wants a puppy. I'd rather save an older dog considered unadoptable.

-- Craig

One advantage of the pre-prepared bag is that you don't have to think much about it, just grab it.

What things did you need and not have, apart from the money?

I EDC a Maxpedition Fatboy. I clip my folder & hang my keys on the outside when I get home. That way it's pretty tough to take just the keys.
Dave

I have to keep the bag out of sight, in the closet. With me, it's out of sight, out of mind. The cat chews up anything leather. My bag has leather trim

To answer your question, a pen and notebook, to write down the veterinarian's diagnosis of "extended syncopal episode," which I remembered anyway.

-- Craig

Perhpas, just perhaps, we have programmed our brains too narrowly on what is considered "emergency". And then, its only in what we consider "emergency" that our subconsious kicks in and trigger the rememberance of the "kit".

What I am saying is this: either we program our minds for "urban" , err.. less dramatic, less hazardous events, as "emergencies too, or we fnd a ways ( or ways) to make forgetting the EDC impossible.

You can have another kit in the car.

That's why I have back-up gear in the car.

I have back-up gear in my car, yes, but I don't have back-up cash there. Not since gas prices went up. What I really missed from my EDC shoulder bag was my stash of cash.

-- Craig

I've never had a problem leaving my shoulder bag behind. It'd be like walking out the door without shoes on.

It's really fairly simple, if you can't drum it into your head "grab the go bag BEFORE the socks and underwear", then have a backup bag in your car/truck. I tend to do both, my hands are full going out the door, and my vehicle looks like I'm ready for a camping trip. I occasionally get some chuckles out of friends/coworkers, but I'm always the first one they come to when they need the widget that nobody else has with them at the time too.

Troy

I've jumped out of a burning car, leaving my purse and paycheck on the seat! If I'd had my shoes on the seat, they would have been left behind, too!

Sue

I understand, but at this moment in time, I was holding my dog in my arms, and he had just experienced a fit or a seizure.

I was scared to death he'd die right in my arms before we could drive to the vet's.

I admit, I wasn't thinking of ANYTHING beyond getting help for my Arnie.

-- Craig

I also do "an X-Ray Dave".

My Fatboy is placed in a strategic place for the night.
Amazing the amount of stuff in there.

Just got the larger version of the Fatboy. Looks like substantially more room. However it is not really good for daily wear - I'm only 5'8"

Yeah, and too many people buy puppies without realizing how much of a commitment they're making, then dispose of them when they're no longer cute and misbehave. But it's not the dog's fault the owner's neglected to train him!

The adopted older dogs are usually more mellow, anyway, and really appreciate an environment where they can just relax.

On weekend mornings after his walk, he kind of knows he gets to snuggle in bed with us. Once I lift him onto the bed, he happily wiggles around a bit, noses his way under the covers, and prompty drifts off into a contented slumber -- and begins snoring. Grin.

-- Craig

Yep, there've been times too when I left the shoulderbag in the hooch, along with my shoes, running like hell for the bunker in the middle of the night. Sometimes all you have time for is grab the body armor and whatever you're already wearing.

This kind of "bug out" can happen with your KID in your arms. I understand how serious it can be, and how possible it can take place any time. So, keep a "kit" in your vehicle including money . Why wont you leave some cash in the car ?? If someone steals your car (worth hundreds or thousands of $$$) , it wont hurt you much more that it had some $50 hidden in it.

I do hide a few $$$ in my car, shhh .. don't tell anyone !!!

And BTW, this type of "hole" in any emergency plan we may draw strengthens my belief in the "cache" idea , which I can rename multi-BOB or multi-KIT system. Where you have backups here and there. OK, you wont have one hhidden in a clinic , but one in the car, another in your office or gym locker ( including cash too) , and so on. You never know when you need that $ 50, and your workplace is only a walking distance from where you are.

On the "cache" (not cash... <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ) idea...

Since many of us do follow the law, and rarely ever break it intentionally, sometimes we need to think "outside the box" and realize that there may be instance where your personal survival trumps written law.

For example, you might say "I can't leave a kit here at work, the place is all locked up at night and I can't get to it". You are thinking as a law abiding person. Take a step back and evaluate : Can I get to my kit after hours if I need to? Just food for thought.

There are two problems with this as I see it:

1) "Looting" during disasters can get you shot
2) Some people may not want your personal property stored on their personal property, and the cache may not be safe from being stolen/destroyed

Agree with you 100%. No use having a kit to help you solve a problem, and result in you losing your life or sinking in a bigger ( legal) problem.

We have to think clearly and plan properly before being in a survival situation. My idea of storing something at workplace is understood to be when it is YOUR place , and no problem would face you when you get in at that time. Say, it is a mechanic shop or a restaurant, wahtever, and you are the enterpreneur that runs it, you are the boss there and have the keys.

If its a bank <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />, well, I wont try. However, even then, if you can locate another kit there, you should. Because you never know when a disaster strikes ( while you are working) and need another kit for backup, for a spouse or dear friend. Everyone working anywhere have some personal space. A small psk in your desk drawer wont do anyone any harm.

BTW, I know two brothers who have each others car keys. Im emergency they know that anyone of them can take any of the two cars.

Seems I am drifting toooo far off the topic. Sorry. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

This goes back to the "you have 5 minutes to leave" posts
Don't you guys have your PSK? I should HOPE your PSK is either 1)in your pocket 2)If your asleep - in the pocket of the pants you have ready to put on if the word "GO" happens or 3)On top of your wallet

As for a larger bag - I might forget it - but each car has it's own kit - and each kit has a good abount of what is in the bag - the things missing are things like ham radio HTs (in the wifes car - the truck has a spare HT in it) - people look in the back of my truck and laugh - there are 2 rubbermaid containers and a 5 gal pail - FULL, back there - at all times