I think the answer to this question is simple...just being prepared is a common sense "no brainer".... it doesn't have to be a wilderness situation or a terrorist situation... I take pleasure in my own urban preparedness...what happens if the car breaks down on a deserted highway in a snowstorm? what happens if you are in a building during a powerfailure and you are in the pitch black? Just having some basic items to make yourself and your situation as comfortable as possible is the reason I do it...My everyday carry is a mirror image of Doug's "Don't leave home without it" gear, and I don't know how many times I have used each of thses pieces of gear to make a bad situation more bearable...how many times (before you learned to be prepared) did you have to confront situations that were very stressful or uncomfortable that could have been a "walk in the park" had you been prepared...being prepared just makes things easier when the going gets tough !! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />