For some reason, it just never ocurred to me that over the last few years, I've been carrying a kit in my vehicle that has gradually become the most practical, useful and more importanly constantly used kit I have.

This is a kit that has been with me on fire calls, at the scene of car wrecks, while searching for lost hunters, on river body recovery jobs, at the firehouse during floods, on the road with my kids. It just never occurred to me to take it apart and inventory it before. It's noteable to me that for a kits that gets very regular use, there's some things in there that I'd never have thought to throw in there (like the Radio Shack universal Power Supply) and stuff in there that's just so very "duh" (toilet paper).

For the most part, the list is as what it is. Some of the stuff you might not quite expect/understand, so I made some annoations as needed.

Clothing
1 Complete Change of clothes
3 Pairs of Socks (socks. always have dry socks.)
1 Rain Poncho
1 Pair of Sneakers
1 Crew Cap
1 Pair Winter Gloves

Signaling
1 Fox 40 Whistle
1 Cylume Light Stick (yellow)

Electronics & Devices
1 Digital Camera (Koday CX4200 with 128MB Memory Card)
12 Lithium AA Cells
1 GPS Receiver (Set for USNG/WGS-84)
1 Surefire G2 Nitrolon
4 CR-123 batteries
1 Radioshack Universal Power Supply with ALL tips. (3-12 Volts 100mA) - exceedingly handy when stuff at the command centerneeds to be plugged in - everything from digital cameras to battery chargers.

1 Three-Way Outlet Extender. (SO many times you need to plug in and there's just no room on the generator outlets on the truck. Great for the cell phone chargers)

2 Motorola Talkabout T6500 w/Lithium AA Cells (has WX Radio and GMRS)

2 Motorola Talkabout T6500 Spare Battery Packs

8 "D" Cell batteries - for all the OTHER flashlights. Not mine.

1 Nokia 1100 Tracfone with 1/year service card (charged, ready 2 go)
1 Nokia 1100 Charger

1 2 GB USB Stick with a fuil set of Portable Apps on it (see www.portableapps.com - basically, with the suite of portable apps, I'm able to read & create MS-office documents, get on the internet as needed, transfer files and so forth)

1 Princeton Tec "Attitude" LED Flashlight. just a spare.

Personal Protection & First Aid
3 "Hot Hands" Hand Warmer Packs
1 "Hot Hands" brand tow warmer pack
4 Pair Purple Nitrile Gloves
1 Can 15% Pepper Spray (Helps keep dogs at bay and crazy people too)
1 First Aid "Boo Boo" Kit (scrapes, bruises and burns)
1 First Aid Mini-Trauma Kit (GSW and heavier stuff)
1 Hand towel (oh so handy for so many things)
2 Pair N95 masks (use these on auto extrications, keeps the blood out of your face)
1 Pair Sunglasses (Polarized)
1 Roll of camp toilet paper
X XXXXXXXX

Shelter
1 Space Emergency Blanket (The red/silver kind, not the all silver kind)
100' Orange 550 Cord
8 Lightweight Titanium Tent Pegs
1 Magfire with tinder (dryer lint in film can)
1 Film can with matches
1 Trioxane Tab
3 Trash Bags

Tools
1 Leatherman Tool (Classic Model)
1 6" Adjustable Wrench
1 Folding Utility Knife
1 Pocketwrench II
1 Pair Safety Goggles
1 Roll Flat Duck Tape
1 Film Canister with Nylon Mason Line
2 Permanent Marker
2 Pencils
2 Pens

Water/Food
1 Liter Water (2 .5 liter bottles)
1 MRE or equivilent meal pack
1 Pack of cookies or other light snack (great when you're standing in the middle of the road, at 3AM, waiting for a wrecker, a coroner, whatever and you're HUNGRY)
1 Pack instant coffee & creamer (mmmm)
1 Hobo Tool
1 Metal Cup (to heat water)

Other stuff
Local Maps (street & topo)
Write in the Rain Hip Pocket Notepad & Pencil
A book to read (see the 3AM, sitting in the truck waiting part)
Binoculars (Waterproof, but nothing fancy)
Compass (Silva)
Business Cards for the Fire Company (Great when you need to give the press your name)
Some Ziplock Bags
100' 3/8 Static Kenrmantle Rope
2 NFPA Approved Carabieners
2 Red Bandanna
2 Whiteboard Markers (because they always seem to be missing from the command post)
1 Key Phone Numbers Printout (better than electronic, printed on Rite In the Rain waterproof paper.


Anyway, thought some folks here would like to see an evolved kit that has come from several years of actual use, and compare this to their own expectations. Sure it's missing some of the TEOTWAWKI stuff (no firearms, for example, I'm in the People's Republic of New Jersey far too often), and it's really light on some of the tools and stuff (no saw, no hammer) but for the most part I've never actually needed those when I was on my own on a call.

mtf

I'm only suprised by two things- the lack of road flares/triangles (or did I miss them), and no safety goggles. Or are flares in with the "car stuff", like wiper fluid and oil and the like?

Other than that, it feels good. How big is it?

There are safety goggles on the list.

This is what I ADD to the vehicles I'm in - which often includes a fire truck!

My Personal vehicles all have road flares, tools, water, blankets, FAK, flashlights, saw, batteries, snacks, battery boxes and jumper cables, that's just permanently in the vehicles. This kit is my kind of "situation" bag that gets used in "situations"

What do you pack most of this stuff in?

Sue

Business cards so you can give the press your name?
WHY?
If you're the Chief/Incident Commander or department PIO, I understand.
Otherwise, most professional departments refer press questions, as a matter of policy, to either the IC or Public Information Officer.

"There is nothing so frightening as ignorance in action."

why use N95 masks as face protection? Isn't a visor better option, to stop blood from getting on your face?

I'm often IC or Information liason. That's why the businss cards.
We're a small company, people wear many hats. As it turns out, my work skills (public speaking, presentations) make me a good choice to be Information Liason. I also do ICS planning division, operations, logistics and even (when forced) administration. We're a rural community. Nobody in emergency services does just one thing. Our Chief is a great guy, but when it comes to the media, I usually handle it.

In an auto extrication, I wear goggles, and a helmet mounted visor. However - and there's no pleasant way to put this - there's occasionally sprays of blood, vomit and other unidentified bodily fluids that can splash or spray if the paitent thrashes ot coughs and it will go right under your visor and get on your face. Thus the N95 mask. Not to mention then you have to deal with the idea that the blood just sprayed on your face is also in the air. I prefer to reduce that risk as much as possible.

Great list Martin. You have given me a few ideas. I used to be involved with a SAR team in Northern California, so I used to carry a bunch of similar gear.

One item that I would add that I dd not see and it might be hiding is a couple of 15 foot sections of 1" webbing to make harnesses with. Also maybe a few prusiks to aid in hauling or climbing. Overall a very good list.

Thanks for posting.

Ready

It's usually in a North Face Recon Pack, sometime this shifts to a duffel-style bag, depending on the season. In summer/warm weather it tends to be in the backpack, in winter, a duffel.