I've been looking at my everyday routines, and evaluating how well prepared I am for any given time or place.
I have come to the conclusion the place where I am least prepared is in bed. (no tasteless jokes please <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> )
What gear do you have on your beside table? I would imagine a torch would be the first item that should come to hand, but there are numerous other items I can think of, that would be just as important, especially in case of a fire.
Has anyone thought more along these lines, and are happy with their setup? I would be interested to hear their reasonings
Cheers
Martin

Joblot:

I have a large "ABC" fire extinguisher at my bedroom door for the most real of dangers in the house. I prefer to use that for fires as snuffing the fires out with a US Cal. .45 auto makes for excessive air leakage through the walls.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

As I´m living in a flat in the attic (don´t know the correct explanation in english?) and my home is nearly completly of wood I storre a extinguisher near the bedroom door and a rope-ladder near the window.
In my beside table I storre a little cowbar, some dustmasks and a flashlight.
In my closet are two duffles (one my wife an one for me) with emergency clothings and some other helpfull stuff like some water, MRE, FAK, tarp and a poncholiner.
Beneath my bed stands a little bag in which I storre my PSK as long as I´m at home (I usualy carry that bag alltime with me - from one room to the other). Mad? Maybe, but my PSK contains my PDA, Cellphone etc. as well.

Molf

There was a recent discussion in which I mentioned keeping my core EDC next to my bed at night. It includes a torch.

I have a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, and I sleep under the window which is also the house emergency exit. I have a bug-out bag, albeit not in the same room.

Ditto the CO detector. That can be a true life saver.

The bedstand also holds a S&W Model 66 and a 5-Cell Maglite which should serve as an excellent bludgeon in a pinch. My pants hold the rest of my EDC: Wave, Photon II, Metal Match, Mini-Bic, P-38, 12' #550 Paracord, Wallet. My pants are always on the floor next to my bed.

Also in the bedstand are some spare eyeglasses (I wear contacts) and some old condoms. Probably time to rotate the latter. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Regards, Vince

all my EDC stuff are within hand reach when I'm sleeping. But I do have an alarm/early warning security system installed. It has it's flaws and it is prone to errors and can be easily jammed using pork products but it works. You can see it here.

Also key is a pair of shoes (or slippers with sturdy soles) under the bed, in case there's glass or other debris on the path between the bed and the door or window. And if you might be affected by earthquakes, it's probably a good idea to anchor any heavy items -- armoires, media units, bookshelves -- to the wall. (If a big quake ever hits NYC, I am so dead ... I live in a rental, so I can't bolt my bookshelves to the walls, and I have a LOT of books on the five 6-foot-high shelves in my bedroom!)

Well let?s see now! Other than the usual stuff of blankets, clothes etc. I have the following in the bedroom.

In the headboard
1. 2 D-cell Maglight
2. One of two loaded handguns
3. ASP Baton
4. Older cellular phone, no service, but I keep it charged as a backup for 9-1-1.
5. Next to the bed is always a magazine or two I haven?t read in awhile, could be grabbed for fire starting. (No funny jokes either please!)
6. A hardwired phone. If the power goes out like it did the other morning, I can still make a phone call out.

Just outside the door is a fire extinguisher. There is a smoke detector in the bedroom. I usually hang my winter coat in the bedroom closet, which has a flashlight and FAK in it. Then there is the 600 gallons or so of water. I still have my waterbed, but I wouldn?t necessarily pick it up and toss it out the window either. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Also check your fire extinguishers and replace the batteries in your smoke detectors, please!

Take care,

Stargazer

"If we believe in absurdities, we shall commit atrocities - Voltaire"