John,

Around here I'd have to take a hell of a spur of the moment trip to get out of the urban area. And I can never, ever recall taking any such spur of the moment trips. Simply not going to happen. In the highly unlikely instance that I would, I'll be in one of the vehicles and they are well equipped for any likely emergency I might encounter while driving them, including a PSP in the glove box I could use in the unlikely event I needed to unexpectedly go off someplace where carrying one on my person would be prudent. However, to be honest, I cannot in my wildest imagination imagine how such a situation might develop.

So, feel free to carry a firestarter if you believe your situation warrants it. After a very thorough self-analysis of my circumstances, and based on just a bit of experience in this subject area, :-) I can't see a reason for me to carry one every day. I already carry a 'ton" of stuff that is more often used to help others than myself. Over the years I've pared back what I carry based on my experience and those of others. If I'm going out of the urban area, then I have my full dress kit with me and that includes at least three means of making a fire because in those circumstances that is a possibility worth covering.

Survival preparation is always about risk management. Everyone's assessment of any particular risk varies, as does their preparations. It's almost always location specific to one degree or another. I am quite confident that I'm well equipped to survive anything that I am likely to encounter in the areas I operate in. My kit varies by what I am doing and where I am doing it. For my everyday ares of operation, making a fire simply isn't a survival issue, ever.