No problem. My first impulse was to say "not a heck of a lot happens in Queens" but decided to let people know where I'm coming from.

I've been revisiting this site off and on since 9/11. Have been to this site and many others over the years, but just recently registered here. We all realize by now that the "perfect" kit or combination of tools depends on our respective environments, among other things. I have a bad back (and am older...certainly older than 8 years ago!) so need to carry something light. I opted for the tin approach after trying Scott Vests with 64 pockets per square inch, go bags, light satchels, fanny packs. My back just can't take it. It's very true that ounces suddenly turn into pounds when you create a kit.

It's important to feel prepared on a psychological level. It helps keep a positive outlook if something does happen. I've attached the contents of my tins--it's what I'm comfortable with. Can I give myself first aid? Can I pry open a window or air conditioning duct? Will diarrhea get the best of me? I think I've attached 2 files here: the contents of my tins and a list of other uses for some of my items. They are pdf files. I apologize if they end up not being attached.

Very clever approach to the container selection (as a multy use item), UrbanKathy. Thank you for sharing!

So, it looks like the content of a pocket kit is pretty much covered for now. Let's share the pocket kit container ideas.

I'm thinking of a heavy modification of the stainless hip style flask like this:



(8oz)

It fits very well in my pockets (ScotteVest, jeans, other jackets). Very rigid, and most importantly (IMO) will allow to boil a decent amount of water. I plan to cut it about 1/2" from the top side and then weld/glue a tall steel lip around the bottom part's opening to accept the top part as a snug fit lid. With some means of hermetic closure (perhaps a gasket and some latch mechanism) I hope to keep the watertight flask function intact.

I know, a piece of aluminum foil is considered the classic ultimate pocket substitution for a boiling vessel. However my experience of carrying it in the pocket kit shows that it's too fragile for that. After a while it wears into holes along the folding lines and became almost useless.

I worked downtown on 9/11--we've since moved. After that I used to have a go bag with stuff aimed at about 2 days of being on my own (water, Mainstay bars, etc)--with no one taking me or anyone else in, having to stay in place somewhere unfamiliar. All sort of unlikely in NYC, but not 100% unlikely. Then when I realized I just couldn't carry the bag--even at a slow pace--I changed it a bit.

Now I have in a small bag (locked in my file cabinet in the office) holding a couple of extra bottles of water, candy bars that I like (I try to get things with the least amount of salt), a space blanket (just to keep my fanny from getting wet in the rain), poncho (rain, extra warmth), pair of socks, old pair of gloves, a "hygiene" ziplock bag to feel human--extra pair of underwear, makeup of course!, disposable toothbrush--you get the picture. Just as an fyi, it would take me 6 or 7 hours to walk home on hard pavement.

As much as I'd like to have more, it's just not possible. The good part is that since the 70s, every blackout I've been in, subway strike, smoke condition on the train (smoke condition according the NYC MTA means fire), 9/11, subway breakdowns, etc, the people of New York have been wonderful in helping out. Of course, of there's a dirty bomb, biological bomb...who knows what panic there would be. But in terms of my life until now, luckily these things have been rare. I'm actually concerned more with getting to and from work and having some tools to get out of an immediate jam.

That's a nice project. It would be very sturdy. If I had to boil water in my aluminum tins, I guess I'd be brain dead by the time I finished drinking it because of the stuff that comes out of aluminum (yes, I'm exagerating). And the water in the tins wouldn't fill a cavity in anyone's mouth!

So the top comes off and goes on the bottom, you make a new top that will be waterproof (gasket) and you put your items/tools in. Is that right? Then you maintain the flask by figuring out a way to reattach after you've dumped everything in your pockets? I don't mean to sound stupid, just want to make sure I have it right.

Is the flask heavy? I held one once and it was kind if heavy, but that might have been an old-fashioned one.

Jeanette: It looks like you're got a lot of good gear. I realized after my last post that there is a perfectly good place to stash bulky items that don't fit in a mini-survival kit ... your car. I mention that because that's exactly what I do. Of course, this solution assumes that you drive each day to work. If you don't, then that gear might be inaccessible in the daytime.

Pete

Let me add a helpful comment here.

In the old days I used to do the same thing as a lot of people ... compile a list of items that I thought would be helpful - or cool - to have in a survival kit. This approach could be termed the "itemized list" way of doing things. There is some value to this. Specifically, the itemized list method will help you to identify some critical items for your survival kit that you might otherwise have forgotten. For this reason alone, it's a valuable step to take.

Nowadays, however, I do not use the itemized list approach as my primary way of designing a survival kit. Instead I use a method that could be termed the "functional survival approach". It works along the following lines:

I identify the essential activities that will be needed to survive over the period of time that is required - for the environment where I will be located. These are simple things: travel (e.g. walking), food, water, shelter, medicine & first-aid, sleeping, clothing & staying warm/cool. Then I work through the steps that are required to effectively do each activity - and make sure I have sufficient essential equipment to accomplish the tasks. The functional approach takes more time - but is guaranteed to be more reliable because you are forced to ask yourself exactly HOW you are going to do things.

Let me pick one example: shelter in the urban environment

Shelter is not a trivial thing. It could be quite easy, but also could be quite difficult. If, for example, the emergency happens in the morning then you will have all day to walk home. Chances are that you can make it, and if you have comfortable footwear and a warm jacket (plus some water) then you may need no permanent shelter. But imagine instead that the emergency happens in the late evening, and you are faced with walking home at night through your city. In an urban environment this could still be fine - or it could be quite dangerous. So it is important to think through options on exactly how you would do this. Perhaps you realize that you actually need a place to sleep at work - your choice is not to travel at night. Or perhaps you realize that there is a friend who lives near work, and you need to use their apartment. In that case it would be helpful to make arrangements with your friend to be able to stay if needed. So in this case your need for "shelter" is satisfied by some smart advance planning. For women this is particularly important because you want to be able to guard your safety at night.

Other options are also available. You could simply decide to sleep in your car. You could lock the vehicle, so that provides some safety (better if you know the parking spot or the garage is safe from strangers). It would still be nice to have something warm to throw on when you doze inside your vehicle - so a spare blanket packed in your car could be very nice. Otherwise, you're left with a more challenging final option - you are going to find shelter somewhere out in the city in an impromptu location. It might be possible to hike to a local police station - they are likely to be coping with a lot of people who have the same problem. There might even be a place in the city assigned as temporary quarters for "lost people". Failing these options, you will need to establish a safe, warm place in the city to hole up out of the weather - and away from human predators. That is a much more challenging option - quite possibly one where you might wish to have a weapon for protection, or a location where you're guaranteed not to be disturbed. Again, it would be helpful to have something warm (warm clothes, or a blanket, or sleeping bag) for the night. A fire is also possible for warmth, but will be likely to reveal your location. So the challenge becomes to solve this problem NOW - while you've got time to do it. It is much harder to make good decisions when you are under the pressure of a real emergency.

So ... you can see the steps involved in the process. This is more time consuming - but allows you to realistically tackle the real problems you will face. The chance of a positive outcome is very much improved. Practically, what tends to happen is that you realize there is some way to set up things in advance to remove most of the serious difficulties.

---------------------------------------------------
TO SUMMARIZE:

If you want to really survive you need three things:

1. Survival equipment (or a kit)
2. A survival plan or strategy
3. Real survival skills

All three things are essential. Many people make the mistake of thinking that if they only have the first item (equipment) then they are done. But unless you are lucky and you only get into limited difficulties, this is not true. In addition, peope often make the mistake of thinking that if they read about a survival technique in a book (or see them on TV) - then they have a skill. This is not so. Real skills must be practiced. You are really only as good as the actual skills you can demonstrate in a practical situation.

The advantage of using the "functional survival" approach I mentioned above it that it will automatically lead you devise a plan or strategy - which will be suited to your own needs. After that, you can begin practicing the skills you really need.

Pete

All points well-taken

I have not read through this entire thread so please forgive me if this has already been discussed. With winter approaching (or already here depending on your area) I found an article here:
http://weather.about.com/od/winterweather/p/winterdeaths.htm
regarding causes of winter storm deaths. It may make you reconsider including fire-starting supplies in your urban kit. Also regardless of whether it's a wilderness or urban survival situation, our basic needs do not change. That said be VERY WARY of carbon monoxide. The quote can be found here:
http://www.justpeace.org/warmth.htm
that "People die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning when they fire up charcoal briquets inside the house to keep warm." Maybe someone else has an idea for an emergency heater that eliminates or minimizes the problem.

Looks like good sites. I'll take a look tonight. Thanks