Thanks very much for the comprehensive shopping list. I've got a lot of stuff in the back of my truck (under the tonneau cover), but now that I see your list the lightbulb turns on. I've never inventoried the back of my truck. I'll do that and then spend the US Treasury check (mad money) I received just yesterday filling the gaps.

BTW, IMO you need more water, but then I live in SOCAL <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Great post, Martin. Thanks for putting it together.

Ah, I had thought that this was your standard, always in the car kit. So it's basically a deployment bag.

I must have missed the goggles.

I know what you mean by haveing to do a lot of diffrent jobs on a rural dept. I have found that also no matter how much protection you use something (blood,vomit, ect.) always gets on you. But I guess that is part of the job

Sounds like you keep a pretty complete kit, I have a couple of additions. I have one of those white tool boxes that go across the back of your truck, I have only my no kidding E-kit stuff in it, and believe me it's stuffed. I'm not going to disaggree with you on anything you carry, but I carry two cases of bottled water under the tool box and two cases of MREs. Yeah it's extra weight but I live in AZ and water is essential and extra MREs give you the extra time to assess your situation and devise a plan in a uncertain situation. You may have water readily available so the extra water may not be necesaary, but having food to cover you for several days may be an option you may want to consider.

The reason there's not more water in that bag is that it's not a bag that's intended to REPLACE what's in vehicles already, it's used pretty much always for local excursions, as an overnight kit, or just to have a mix of gear that I actually use.

The genesis of this kit came a few years ago when we got a fire call for "wires" which is one of the worst calls you can get.

You sit in the truck, for HOURS, watching the wires spark, hum and eventually grow silent and deadly. Eventually the utility shows up and turns off the power. It was on one of those calls, at 2AM on a sunday morning, where I was wishing I had a book. And a granola bar. So I tossed that into a bag.

Then, maybe a few months later, I was at a body recovery job that went on for days on a cold January. The side sonar crew found it and the divers went in after dark, pulled him up and all I had to do was drive the boat trailer back after all was done. Well it started to snow, and I didn't have a hat and winter gloves, just turnout gear, which was silly...

Anyway, everything in the bag is reactive to situations I've actually been in. The only thing that's really a candidate for removal at this point is the "D" batteries, which are heavy and only used to cover someone else's ass when their maglight goes bad. I'm perhaps not as altrusitic as I used to be.

One thing that might get added in the future is some sort of something to sit on, but I'm really at a loss as to what I can find that's LIGHT, TINY when folded but strong enough to hold my fat 200 lb butt. Something in titanium, perhaps with shock-corded 3/8" poles and a nylon seat, under 2 lbs total weight.

Not really funiture, but how about just a foam sitting mat? Very light, small, reasonable durable and multipurpose.

Sportsmans Guide has a couple of nice folding camp stools with 300 lb capacity in their latest catalog. Item JX6M 107466. $14.97 for two.

As much as I blush to admit it, Walmart's Ozark Trails line has a nice little chair that holds me, and I've got a bit on you. I've had it for two years, and it's held up fine. I think it is rated for 250 pounds, and they are probably clearencing htem to get them gone.

Packed it might be bigger than you want, about 4" dia, and about 30" long, I'd guess the weight about 3 pounds. But what do you expect for somethign that is normally 12 bucks?