just a comment...at a meeting with the Emergency Management Director of MacDill AFB in Tampa, who was helping us prepare a student service community activity, the topic of flooding came up.. MacDill is pretty low with an elevation of around 14'...he said his great fear was the next two feet (height of a toilet), when the toilets would backup and overflow... something to think about...I know I hadn't

I always have cash on me, enough for a cab ride home at least. I've been avoiding keeping cash or a credit card anywhere that isn't on my person or secured at home. This leaves me vulnerable to loss of my wallet, but makes it easier to prevent cash from being stolen or credit cards from being misused.



I just took the quarters out of my commuter kit. I can't remember seeing any payphones in the last six months, the vending machines all take dollar bills, and if I'm parking I'll have my car kit which includes $5 in quarters. If I'm desperate for something inside a vending machine and it's a life-threatening emergency, I can break the glass to get at it or bust something open that has coins in it.



Got the gloves. Swim goggles seem excessive to me; the chances I'll be around a survivable incident where sunglasses wouldn't be enough but swim goggles would be seem remote.



Again, I'm more concerned about identity fraud (happened to me three times in 2011!) versus being totally unable to get access to medical insurance, identity or credit card information. If credit cards are important, chances are that phones will work and I can call American Express -- I've memorized the numbers on my card. The ER will treat me without proof of medical insurance and I can get a fresh card for that easily if I incur medical bills.

It does make sense, however, for me to update the encrypted file on my phone containing the information from my wallet cards. Thank you for the reminder.



I have duct tape and OTC meds. I'm not currently on any prescriptions.



A silcock key is a heavy single-use item. My Leatherman is needed for work and does a number of things reasonably well. I've never seen a silcock I couldn't open with it.



I can filter particulates with my dust mask, bandanna or the microfiber cloth I carry to keep my laptop screen clean. I can kill bugs with the chlorine dioxide tabs. What straw filter or bottle will reliably filter pollution or chemicals?



I'm carrying more like 20 feet of light accessory cord. Fifty feet of 550 cord would take up a lot of room comparatively.



The MyXcaper looks like a good piece of kit. I've been avoiding buying one due to cost and space considerations, reasoning that while I do spend quite a bit of time in high-rises they all have multiple stairwells and sprinklers. I'm going to think this one over.



I do have a minimalist trauma kit. And I certainly join you in hoping I won't need any of this stuff.

Chaosmagnet, I appreciate the consideration you have given to my and other suggestions and I respect your choices . I usually don't argue after the decision is given, but you did end in part with an inquiry about what bottle purifiers can deal with chemical and biological contamination. The answer is : Seychelles Advanced (both bottle and straw), Katadyn Extream XR, Berkey and Sawyer, albeit the last two might also require tablets or bleach. I personally chose both the Seychelles Advanced bottles and straws, as they are the lightest and smallest. In other apps, I've used Katadyn too. Finally, the MyXcaper is fairly small and very light and the five year model is the better value. But, if you need the mask, you'll also need goggles for your eyes. Xcaper has them as a kit, but swim goggles seal better, can be bought with anti fog coating and are cheaper.

Thanks!

Just my $0.02, and I have not checked all the responses on this thread. You've certainly got a lot of excellent items, and many look pretty compact. But there is a lot of stuff - it would be worth reducing the quantity of gear.

One idea is to get a small box that holds all this stuff, and then pack only some fraction of it for any specific trip. PILE all the stuff in your "survival box", and then pack only 50% of it for any trip that you are taking. Leave the rest in your survival box at home. You can vary what you take, depending on circumstances.

I'm not a believer in planning for all possible contingencies - it creates too much bulk and weight. I think it's better to be forced to prioritize your choices - those important choices (and mistakes) teach yo how best to prepare.

BTW, three flashlights seems excessive. One good penlight and a back-up micro-light (LED) should be more than effective.

Pete2

That's certainly what I'm trying to do. Believe me this is much smaller than my car kit! Other than the FAK and the water bottle everything is light and compact, limited in space to two small pockets in my laptop bag. The only component of the FAK I haven't used for myself or a coworker recently is the trauma kit, which is pretty small.



Recognizing that I'm not entirely rational on the subject, I have the Preon 2 for work, the iTP 1xAAA as my backup flashlight, and the 1xAAA Fenix E01 as either the backup to the iTP, another light I can give away, or the world's most robust battery holder, take your pick.

I haven't tried it but in Toronto the stations, tunnels and underground city would get pretty dark in a power failure. There's emergency lighting but I'd rather have my own dependable light, especially if that emergency lighting ever failed. Having a light to give away sounds like a very smart idea in those scenarios. (Of course, that's just one more reason I've stopped commuting to TO and why I choose to take my car when I do need to go the big city or anywhere else on the commuter lines.

I received mine today. I put it in the BOB kept in my car. The CountyComm Pocket Widgy that was there went into my laptop bag kit. I think I'll get another Mini-Prybar for my wife's BOB.

I find mini-bars to be very useful items. I have various sizes in my vehicle and smaller ones in my briefcase or pack. I have a nice big one that I keep under the bed for use when the Big One strikes our fair city.

Sorry to revive an old thread but I have to ask if the 4Sevens titanium (God's metal) whistle is worth the $20 bucks over a standard $3 REI whistle?

For example does it not have plastic inserts?