I finally have an EDC configuration I am proud enough to post about!

Considerations: I live in a moderately urban area in South Louisiana. I work as a trial lawyer, and I spend about half my day in court. I can't EDC any kind of knife, gun, or other obvious weapon, which irks me to no end. Even the leatherman squirt I EDC gets taken from me from time to time because of its 1" blade (oooh.. watch out!). I don't EDC a compass as I know my way around and they are about useless in South Louisiana. There is no NSEW here. Directions are: "Down the Bayou, Up the Bayou, and Across the Bayou."

Training-wise, I am studying to be an EMT and I'm a volunteer firefighter. I keep a 24-hour kit and turnout bag in the car and will start to carry a trauma kit once I certify as EMT. I am never more than about 300' from my car, so I can keep stuff I might otherwise EDC in there.



Current EDC:

Treo 650 and belt holster
contact database
docket calendar
e-docs reader
Main Wallet
DL, Bar Card, Credit Card, business cards, cash
Maglight w/ LED retrofit and paracord "keppo" wrap
EMT Sheers
$40 Emergency Cash (1x20, 1x10, 1x5, 5x1)
Bandana
Wristwatch
water resistant 100m
seconds display, alarm, coundown timer, stopwatch
Emergency wallet
Carries emergency cash, gloves, bandaids, sewing kit, duct tape
emergency contact list
$5 refillable phone card
Latex-free examination gloves
Sewing kit (10' HD thread, threaded needle wrapped around business card)
Duct Tape (6' flat roll)
Large, heavy duty bandaids (x2)
Carbiner key-ring
Jump Drive (512 Mb)
Bookmark list
contact list
business data backup
gif's of property for insurance purposes
Leatherman Squirt-p
LED light (red)
Flat Whistle

All this stuff fits in my front pockets without messing up the lines too much, but it does draw some attention when I go through security. It reminds me of that scene in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome when he keeps pulling weapons out and putting them on the table...

Upgrades I am currently considering: I am pondering adding software and data files to my treo and jump drive. Maps might be useful, but there aren't any I can find of where I live. Not sure what other software might be good. Also, E-docs would be nice, but not sure what to add. I'm on the lookout for legal e-docs, and tried my hand at making some, but didn't get far. Rules of procedure and evidence might be useful, and, now I'm thinking maybe sample text for common emergency-related documents like powers of attorney, wills, living wills and such. (I keep blank forms and a notary stamp in my 24 hour kit.) Any other emergency-related legal forms I might want to carry? Anything I might add, subtract, or change?

I am considering a mini-bic or something for fire, but I don't see any need to carry one, as I have survival equipment in the car.

Lastly, I am considering an emergency poncho. I have one in my car, but if I needed it, it wouldn't do me much good there. I could, I suppose, keep it in my briefcase, but I don't like to carry a briefcase, believe it or not (they are kind of heavy). Maybe I need to change that. The ability to lock stuff up in one is nice, but I wouldn't EDC one (like to the grocery store or something), so, I don't know. Maybe I should just keep one in my car for when I need it, but, man, my trunk is getting full with all the emergency crap I keep as it is!

Good post, Fiacharry. In the sporting goods section at Wal-Mart they have very small, light rain ponchos for 89 cents. They are certainly disposable, probably won't last more than 1 or 2 uses and would be impossible to fold back up as compactly as they came. But at that price, it's like using paper plates for dinner. I think they're a viable option when you wouldn't be able to carry anything larger.

Yeah, that's the kind I bought. Very compact, it is. I have it in my hip bag, but is not something I truely EDC. I am thinking of one for my briefcase and maybe lugging that thing around at the courthouse. The weather around here, you never know what it's going to do.

Hmm... maybe something to check the weather easily on my Treo...

You might want to add some antibiotic ointment packets, or at least a BZC wipe.
Also is your treo password protected?

Great ideas! I'm going to look for some disinfectant packets now. I have a couple in my FAK, but I need to buy a supply of them.

I know the treo should be PW protected. I'm just lazy. Although now that I think of it more, if it did get stolen, it has my entire client list and future calendar on it... big confidentiality problem. Yeah, I need to put PW protection on the sucker, though it would make taking calls a hastle. Maybe there is protection just for DB files? Something I need to look into.

Look on my site, we sell them individually.

WHy the shears instead of a blunt tip rescue knife?

TRO

I haven't tested my theory yet, but I don't think they will let me in to court with a rescue knife. I am not even absolutely sure I won't have a problem with the sheers! But I think they will be more likely to pass security that any kind of knife. Even the 1" blade on my Squirt has caused problems.

One problem is there is no hard and fast rule about these things. It's up to the individual bailiff. Some of them have sticks up their butts, and some of them just waive me through with checking at all.

What specific blunt tip knife are you refering to? I thought that a folder with 2 blades would be good. One blade normal point, one blade serrated with rescue type point. AFAIK, this does not exist. I have a knife with a hook blade which is supposed to cut clothing, but it doesn't work very well at all.

You may want to consider adding the duct tape /and or lite cord(HD thread) to the maglite wrapping lower on the body. Also placing items like first aid stuff elsewhere on your person and briefcase. I presume you have a number of writing implements as well?

I'm assuming he means the most likely kind I could get through security: one with a blunt tip. Even with those, a bailiff might say: "Well, you could cut someone's throat with that." I don't think they could say the same about the shears. Time will tell.

One with two blades, one blade normal, would definitely be out.

Writing emplements, I have boxes of my favorites: blue Pilot G-2 07mm. I grab a couple and some highlighters for my shirt pocket when going to court, but I don't EDC them. I'm considering EDC-ing one I just found out about: it's a G-2 mini. I grabbed what I thought was a G-2 and started writing, but it felt funny. I looked at it and saw it was a couple inches shorter than the usual ones. I guess my secretary picked one up somewhere. I don't know where it came from.

I am also considering a mont blanc pen. Very stylish writing and not bad as a piercing weapon if need be. I like that it is more deadly than my "keppo" but even less likely to draw attention as a potential weapon.

Lastly, I think I'll add a couple of mini sticky-notes. Those things are damn useful.

As for the duct tape, I have another maglite with duct tape rolled on it, and I do like that. There isn't enough room on it as it is, but if I move the keppo wrap up, there would be, and it would be easier to grip in my teeth when I need hands-free light, so I think I'll do that.

Oh, and one thing I forgot to list in my EDC: there is a small plastic bag in my treo holster to cover the treo when things get wet.

I'm examining my briefcase to see what can be done with it. There is a lot of wasted space in the briefcase due to these leather office-supply holders I never use. I'm considering doing some rather major modifications to it so it can better hold various EDC gear, like a poncho and a real FAK, for those situations I don't want to get the trauma bag out of the trunk. When / If I finish with it, I'll share some pics with you folks.

I just want to say, this is one of the most fascinating forums I visit. People would pay good money for the kind of advice you guys give. I find it inspirational, too. I don't know if I would be half as prepared as I am right now if I never found out about this site.

In fact, now that I think of it, I think I got the inspiration to join the fire department and study EMT from you guys! Man... I really do owe you guys a lot... <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />