Urban/Office Worker EDC

This has been discussed before occasionally but I would nonetheless appreciate some fresh debate on the topic of urban EDC.

Now, I do keep a BOB at home and I always bring at least a small survival kit on any outdoor activity, even if it's just a short couple of hours walk in the woods. But it has just occured to me that I'm not nearly as well prepared for any serious contingency that might happen when I'm either at work or commuting/shopping/whatever. Which is after all a big part of my everyday routine.

I am lucky in the sense that I work at a location within an easy walking distance (20 minutes) from home. Realistically speaking it is pretty much a low risk environment. I have a desk job and short of a man-made or natural disaster I can see no immediate threats. Fire is potentially the greatest hazard of all. The folks at another department work with fairly volatile chemicals regularly and even though there is little danger of anything going badly wrong we have had a small fire a while ago, which was fortunately contained quickly.

I am in the process of upgrading my EDC kit, which I want to keep as low profile as possible. I always carry a small backpack with me so that is pretty convenient. So far, my only real EDC items in addition to my wallet, cellphone and watch were the following:
- Spyderco Endura,
- Leatherman Wave
- diamond sharpening card
- matches.

There are always some snacks and at least a small bottle of water inside my office. I have added the following items to my backpack:
- Inova X1 flashlight w/ 2 spare batteries
- small tire iron
- BIC lighter
- homemade firestarter
- about 20' of nylon rope
- some string.

Pretty much self-explanatory. The flashlight was really necessary, should have added it long ago. The tire iron may seem out of place and I hope I'll never need it, but it could be used as a small crowbar. Which I think is fairly important - my office is on the 3rd floor and the only way out is through at least two doors with electronic locks. Which have been known to malfunction now and then and the only way to open them is with an electronic card. If that doesn't work I would have to pry the door open or else I'd be trapped inside.

I'd like to keep my kit small but any further ideas would be appreciated. Also, it would be interesting to hear from others who are in a similar situation. Do you carry any survival gear on a daily basis and if yes, do you have any advice to share?

A tire iron, which could really freak some people out, and probably will have a hard time fitting into a security door jam is not a good idea. Go to the hardware store and get a small flat prybar that will be easier hidden, weigh half as much, and do a better job. Upgrade the flashlight to a good D-cell maglite, these are cheap tough and can be left in the desk drawer until need. Mine personally had to be used as an emergency hammer one day (really serious beating) and it still works. Maglites are also for handling unruly persons, thats why cops carry them.

If you want to camoflouge your gear at work think about making a five gallon bucket you can put it all in to grab and go, into a stool. Maybe a cover exist for such thing or you can make one thats just an idea.

A whistle, fleece blanket, duct tape, extra socks and a spare poncho.

-Blast

p.s. Oh, and a few bandaids for the walk home.

+1 on all of the above suggested by Blast.
Rainhiker's got some good ideas, although a D cell Maglite isn't exactly unobtrusive. I keep a 4 D cell Mag under the seat of my car.

Depending on where you live, I'd add:
-water
-hat (fleece or knit)
-gloves (1 pr. work and 1 pr. warmth)
-fleece vest (or something else fairly compact that'll keep you warm)
-sunscreen (no sense getting burned on that walk home)
-maybe some energy bars
-paper napkins (TP, fire starter, wipes, etc.)
-small radio (useful in EQ, big storm, etc.)
-maybe a map for alternate routes or to get to a shelter or food/water distribution point and a small compass
-small bar soap
-hand santitzer
-iodine tablets (in an EQ, water is really unsafe)
-reflective tape (mark your back pack or location)
-magic marker
-plastic eating utensils (if you come across canned goods, can you eat them?)
-water carrier of some sort
-possibly a bit more of a FAK than just bandaids

Some of this is obviously only applicable in a major disaster, not just a localized issue, like a single building on fire. Adjust as applicable.

If by pry bar you mean a smallish flat metal pry bar I have to disagree with you here - I think you do want something a little longer with more leverage, something like this fat max wrecking bar - http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stor...ctId=100060975. The usage is to get through a stuck door, and I'm not sure the small flat prybar can do the job. Its heavy, but sits on top of my office kit to pry open my door and other people's doors after an earthquake, when the mechanics may dictate that the door frame is now off and the door would be pretty stuck. The bigger the better, faster extractions. It can also be used to remove glass partitions near every office door way, better and more safely than a prybar. The $7 wrecking bar is in my kit, not exposed where anyone can freak out. It might also come into play in a self-defense scenario, more than a prybar but that's a whole different story.

Unless you're in a special secured building, at first thought, requiring a card key to exit--particularly in the case of fire--would seem to violate all kinds of fire codes. And you say that these two doors are the only exits for you?

If that's the case, then I would bug management about making sure those locks work reliably, especially considering that there was just a fire, they might be more receptive to doing something about it.

In addition to teh above- i'd keep Off Wipes, small and depending on where you live- a life saver if the bugs are bad. It sounds as if your in a pretty urban environment, Im' in DFW and still carry and use them!

Spare OTC meds too, tums, immodium, pain pills probably wouldn't hurt.

As far as your flashlight goes, i'm a big fan of the Surefire G2 series. You can get an incandescent for 35 bucks, 65 lumens for an hour of run time off Two 123A lithiums. I have since upgraded to the led version-I think they go for around $80. i think its 85 lumens and runs for 11 hours.. very bright and long lasting- I love the nitrolon body- its tough and light! Small powerful light

Stuff to carry on you:

cellphone
folding knife
writing pen
whistle
firearm w/spare mag
wallet w/contacts-meds-allergies infocard
emergency money (separate from wallet)
Tylenol/Advil
1xAAA LED flashlight

In the car/truck:

jacket/rainwear
water
snacks
car stuff (maps, bungees, duct tape, paracord, tow strap, tiedown straps, etc.)
larger LED flashlight
umbrella
folding chair

Yup, that's pretty much the case. It is a fairly high security place. By the way, I have thought much about prybars. the reason why I opted for a tire iron (one of the all-steel, flat versions) is that it gets far less attention than anything resembling a crowbar. That would be a big no-no in my situation. So I basically need something small and inobtrusive that could get me through a stuck door in an emergency. Yup, I'd rather have a demolition charge and a 4' wrecking bar but... So all things considered I can only really pick between something like a tire iron or a big screwdriver.

Thanks for all the other suggestions! In fact, I do keep many of those at hand already (medicine, pen, rain gear..). Looks like I EDC more useful stuff than I'm aware of.

Seems like that might get you in to more trouble than out of, most places.

Mine goes everywhere except elementary/secondary schools and bars. Read the laws on the books in your state, some are more lenient than others. Haven't got in trouble yet, but I keep it well hidden and I have a permit which is super easy to get here in Washington State.

I like to keep a tongue depresser with braided HD fishing line, electrical tape, and duct tape spooled on it. It is a handy way to carry all three.

Meds, like ibuprofren, benadryl, pepto bismol tablets, and immodium are pretty handy as well.

In California, New York, Chicago ... probably. In other places, not so much. Of course I am talking about legally being armed (permits, training) and using discretion (pretty much means "concealed carry").

My Office EDC consists of:

- Keys
- DR photon flashlight
- Swiss-Tech UtiliKey
- Wallet
- Cell phone (mine)
- Blackberry (work's)
- Bic lighter
- Victorinox Classic SAK
- Gerber EZ-OUT Jr.
- Cash (in a money clip)

This is about as much as I can carry around the office in slacks without having a Batbelt.

I then have a bunch of other stuff in my laptop bag (backpack-style) including my PSK and some other knives and tools.

I have my BOB downstairs in the building garage, if I can get to it. It would suck to have to walk home (40 miles; ~ 3 days) but I have enough gear in the BOB to handle that.

In terms of the bic lighter, how do you carry it? Mine keeps getting lint in the striker if I just carry it in my pocket (I'm a non-smoker, so it sits for long periods of time). I wrapped mine in plastic for a while, but my keys wore through that in a few weeks. No big deal, but I'm always looking for that elegant, "now why didn't I think of that" solution.

Jim,

I keep one in a plastic prescription bottle. Works in a pack or bag or loose fitting pants, not so stylish with dress slacks.

I probably overpack but I would suggest adding a beefier FAK. I carry regular stuff like aspirin, Band-Aids, Purel, Tums, etc. in a small pouch on the outside of my workbags so I can get to them easily (and don't have to put the contents of my bag on display). I add a quart-sized baggy (the new ones that you vacumn seal are very nice) that contains some 4x4's, nitrile gloves, a foldable N-95 mask, and some 4" rolled bandages among other stuff. Squeeze or suck the air out and it really doesn't take up much room.

I also stick in a DR PSK, a "space" blanket of some sort, a cheap plastic poncho, couple of food bars and a couple of water purification tabs.

Since I'm a ham I also carry a small handie talkie with wideband receive so I can also listen to AM/FM radio stations and local PD/Fire channels.

I can put all of this plus my laptop/electronics gear in a Maxpedition Typhoon bag (on which I hang a LED flashlight, a Petzel e-lite and some other stuff) and have a very manageable package from a weight and size pov. This bag will also carry a 45 oz hydration bag. I carry this bag into limited access govt. buildings without problems.

Dunno; I haven't had a problem with lint in the striker. I don't smoke anymore (or else I'd still EDC a Zippo), but I do take it out and light it every couple weeks as a test. Perhaps that is enough to keep it clear. I also have matches in my desk drawer, a Sparklite in my PSK and another (zip-tied) Bic down in my BOB, so I'm not too worried about being able to make fire when needed.

I used to carry one, but I don't anymore. When I did, it was a mini-Bic. I took a very small piece of duct tape and rolled it onto itself, making a tight roll about the thickness of a pencil lead. I then cut this down to a small length so that I could bend it into a "U" shape and put it under the gas switch (or whatever you call that part you depress to release the gas). Then I took another small piece of duct tape and put that over the side of the gas switch, holding that "U" in place so the switch wouldn't be accidentally depressed in my pocket. Next, I took two large rubber bands (cut from bicycle inner tube) and attached the mini-Bic to a P-51 can opener (or was it the P-38? ... whichever is the larger of the two). Then the P-51 was attached to my keyring with a small split ring. Kind of a hokey setup, but it worked. And I had the can opener and ranger bands as bonus pieces of equipment.

I'm still quite concerned about these electromagnetic door locks of yours. Have you asked anyone in charge about this situation? The locks may actually disengage when the fire alarm goes off. Another thing I would personally want to know is whether the doors unlock when the power goes out. Some don't, that is, they "fail secure".

This situation bothers me because I remember feeling really sorry for some folks when I read a news article a few years back about some office fire. For security reasons, the doors in the stairwell can't be opened from inside the stairwell once they close behind you. A number of office workers were going down the stairs to escape but ran into thick smoke so they had to retreat back upstairs. Unfortunately, they couldn't gain access to any of the floors and they died in the stairwell from the smoke. I understand the security concerns for setting things up that way, but that's tragic.

The P-51 is the larger of the two.

That's the way it is here in my 8 story office bldg. It's the "roach motel" stairway. You can check in, but you can't check out. I try, if I can remember, to wedge something in the door during evacuations for that very reason.

Thanks for the Bic EDC ideas. Something a little flatter than a pill bottle would be really cool. I'll let you know if I come up with something.

"Thanks for the Bic EDC ideas. Something a little flatter than a pill bottle would be really cool. smile I'll let you know if I come up with something."

While poking through a drawer, I just found some 2"x3" zip-loc bags that can hold 1 or even 2 of the Bic minis.

If you carry a flash drive, get one of the neoprene cases that hold two drives. The mini BICs fit perfectly in the other side.

Dude! You're a genius! That's definitely worth a shot. Thanks!!

I echo Arney's comments. In normal buildings, the doors should always permit exit through even with mag-locks. It's part of every building code. When power is disconnected they should still allow panic bar access to the outside even if they default to a locked position. A default to locked position would prevent entry into the building using those doors which is probably more of a consideration for the fire department access to the structure. Now there are exceptions to this - jails for example where security to doors is in both directions. However, in these cases, the requirements are usually increased for fire compartments, higher level fire separations and mandatory sprinklers to provide additional time and a refuge for occupants from a serious condition like a fire and to permit an orderly but more secure method of evacuating personnel. Maglocks can also be equipped with battery packs to allow for proper operation in case of a fire.

But in Arney's example - something must have been definitely wrongly designed. The locks in the stairwell should have been maglocks (not one way manual locks) and they should have defaulted to open in case of a fire. Not only are stairwells used as emergency exits but are designed to be a safe space for fire fighting crews to enter and circulate in the building. Locked stairwells are illegal. If that actually happened as Arney suggested the building operators could easily have been guilty of negligent homicide and major flak would have been raised with it.

My own office building is grandfathered into the code and we have locked stairwells after business hours but every third floor is a cross-over floor in which the stairwell door is NOT locked and occupants can proceed from one stairwell through the floor space to another stairwell just in the case of a fire after hours. When I get it redesigned in a couple of years this will be engineered properly to comply with current regulations.

I am involved in building management and building code compliance and as luck and timing would have it, I am attending a 3-day conference this week and tomorrow's topic is emergency exiting and control during a fire!

Interesting, because the stairwells are sure locked here, and this isn't a high security building. Once you go in, the only way out is the ground floor. The locks are all regular old-fashioned turn-the-key manual locks that only the security desk and the building office (in another building) have the keys to. Yipes.

Bic make a couple of different cases that will keep a mini-bic from discharging it's fuel, they've been referenced here before. The Bic website is not cooperating or I would post a link or pic, but check your local 7-11 or Wal-mart.

While we're on the topic, does anyone have experience with butane inserts for Zippo lighters? Like this:

http://www.elighters.com/zplus.html

In the building where I work, the stairwell doors are also locked from the stairwell side to keep people off floors that they can't access by the elevator. However, in a fire situation, they actually unlock to allow people to cross over to the other stairwell if one is compromised by smoke or heat.

The doors to our suite open on power failure. We also have emergency release pulls to open the doors in case the usual sensors don't unlock them when someone approaches from the inside; just in case we need to leave in a hurry.

Does California have it's own Code or does every state use the IBC now? IIRC, there used to be about a half dozen Building Codes in effect in the US depending on the region of the country with the SBC the most common. Some buildings may indeed be grandfathered. When newer codes are adopted, usually they don't enforce building owners to change existing conditions unless they are doing major renovations and changes to the building. An older code, however illogical may have allowed such a primitive condition such as locked stairwells to exist. But any building operator worth his salt would have changed out that lock out function just because it is very unsafe.

In Canada we have a quasi National code - that means that all the provincial jurisdictions have input into writing the code, then the "model code" is created which the provinces are thus able to use by adopting as is or to amend if they wish. My province usually adopts it carte blanche and then amends it with a few minor clauses unlike Ontario which rewrites wholesale several sections. Eventually we will get to a true national code.

I got some feedback from Fire Official involved in writing codes. He said that all North American codes can trace their routes back to certain instances and particular fires that have occurred. I will have to check the dates but for example around 1913 there was a major fire in the US that basically set out revisions for certain exiting requirements from structures and another fire in the '50s that generated another set of major changes (ie fire ratings for doors and enclosures). All other changes have been "minor" revisions but were based on those two extreme events.

In Canada, we've had a number of construction site fires in the last number of years (Google "Edmonton condo fire" - this has led to major changes to the Codes and some provinces did not even want to wait for the next major edition of the Code, they simply added the revisions immediately because this was considered as a very high priority.

My wife had those locked stairwell doors at her work (but they were only locked at night). She called building security and they said it was for security (duh!) She asked who her husband (me!) should name in the lawsuit when they find her charred remains in the stairwell after a fire.

All stairwell doors were unlocked the next day, and remain so. This is a large hospital here in Colorado.

LOL! Nothing like the threat of a lawsuit to get people's attention.

I really am sympathetic to the security angle. I would think that with some planning and picking the right hardware, a happy medium could be reached between security and safety. As I said, maybe there are features to your (to Tom L's) setup that you're not aware of so it's best to ask someone who should know.

It just makes me unsettled to think that your only escape from your entire floor is through these locked doors, and the locks have failed in the past such that you feel the need keep prying tools at your desk "just in case". It just seems like a bad situation waiting to happen.

It seems kinda scary to let your life be controlled by a locked door policy for stairs. And to then have to hope that all the locking and unlocking systems work right when you need them to. If the stairs have locks on them, I would rethink my work in the building.

I would bet this type of system gets a low priority upkeep schedule.

Not that I’m telling others to find another job, but I personally would not want to work in a building that is out of reach of a fire truck ladder.

We all know that others (many companies included) don’t plan for disasters too well. and mechanical and computer controlled things break or don’t always work right To rely on others is too dangerous.

All safety rules & laws are written in blood, I would not want it to be my blood.

Can't find a good link right now but I like to carry my bic mini in the bic c2 series metal case. This small case completely covers the lighter and keeps lint from getting to it or anything from accidently pressing the button. I found my at Walmart. I then put the lighter and a few other basics in a small USB drive wallet or maybe a memory card (CF or SD) wallet. For true EDC I go with the memory card wallet but I usually keep a USB drive wallet with the rest of my stuff in the laptop bag or my desk.

Here is what I tend to carry around the office
- small pocket knife (victorinox Alox moneyclip)
- small flashlight (Peak solutions Matterhorn)
- keys
- wallet w/$ and some small bandaids etc.
- small multi tool (Squirt E4)
- lighter (mini bic in C2 case or small colibri)
- magic # generator from IT so I can remote log in to things
- USB drive (2 gig)
- All important Employee Badge with RFID so I can get in the building
- PDA (Palm TX)
- Company Cell Phone (Razor)
- Medium sized notebook (Moleskin) and pen.
and a laptop computer if I am going to be stuck in meetings all day

I tend to keep larger stashes (small pry bars, more bandages,minor meds like aspirin, bigger flashlight etc.) at my desk and in my car (the company really doesn't allow some things like larger knives etc. in the building) so I don't end up clanking as I walk around.

-Eric

The entities that wrote three of the major codes (SBC, NBC, & UBC) merged in 2003 to form the International Code Council (IBC). Approximate historical coverage was SBC in the south, NBC in the north east of the Mississipppi & UBC from the middle plains westward.

I've been using that method for the last couple of years when I started back to school full time. I use an 8GB to keep a full current (weekly or more often) back-up copy of my documents & carry it so I can use one of the campus computer labs instead of carrying the laptop every day. Had one of those lightbulb moments when I was looking for a solution to the same problem.

PS Thanks for the reminder. I need to run the synchronizer program.

It may sound weird, but that's how it is in my case at least. The stairwell (the only stairwell in the entire building accessible from the top floor where I work) is locked all the time. There are no push bars nor any other way out of the building except climbing. There are two possible routes of evacuation from the stairwell, one short and another much longer one. Either way there are two doors with magnetic locks.

I don't know exactly how the electronic locks work. I doubt anybody around here does, though. We've had a malfunction the other day and it took several days to fix it.

I guess that's just the way it is if you work in an old building (well over 100 years). On the other hand, the doors themselves are old as well and seem fairly flimsy. So in an emergency I don't think it would be that difficult to pry them open, supposing you have anything suitable at hand. There are also thick, heavy fire protection doors but these have no locks fortunately.

Anyway, I do feel a lot better now with a tire iron in my pack - keeping my fingers crossed that I'll never have to use it for real.

I am not sure about firestarters, especially that you work in urban environment & thats only 20 minutes away from your home

OTOH, I think you need more lights in your kit

How about a head lamp so you can work utilize both hands if it was dark ?

I keep three lights in my EDC ( one of them is a headlamp) plus two small flashlights in my desk. Nothing worse than an emergency in tall building and you can't see where your are going.

As far as locked doors are concerned, remember that you have fire extinguishers ( I hope you have them !!) If a door wont open in an emergecy, just throw on of these on the glass and smash your way through. THIS APPLIES ONLY TO (ABC)type extinguishers. Don't try that with CO2 extinguishers, or any cylinders containing compressed gas.

Glass? What glass? Ours are solid.

If you are planning to use that to climb out of a window, better get some practice in first. You may find it's impractical without a full abseiling harness.

It sounds like you are looking to get out of the building, and then home. I'd add a whistle, a dust-mask (or N95) and a bandanna. And that's about it, really. You may need clothing to walk home, but if you walked in then presumably you already have it. Presumably you know the local area pretty well.

Your employer ought to have medical kits. You might consider volunteering to be the first-aid guy, or fire marshal, or similar, to help check they are doing it right, that the supplies aren't all past their expiry date etc.

In a situation like that, realistically you have to consider other people. For example, it might be worth getting a load of cheap coin-cell lights so that you aren't the only one with a torch. Stuff like that (and the tire iron) you can probably leave in your desk, rather than carry it in and out every day in your backpack.

Well, reading your posts almost makes me think we work at the same place. But yeah, no glass here either.

Using a fire extinguisher to smash something up must be pretty cool. But as far as I know there are only about 2 fire extinguishers on the entire top floor and even the one closest to me is not within instant reach from my office.

It is a weird situation really. Most of the emergency gear (axes, shovels, crowbars, extra fire extinguishers etc.) is kept in the basement, basically out of sight, out of reach. I understand the upper floors are too crowded already but I would feel much better if at least some of that equipment was made more accessible. Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to happen any time soon. At least not until something bad happens and people start thinking about it more seriously.

BTW, the rope is not meant for absailing. It's just a length of paracord but always useful to have some of that around. Re: the firestarter - I don't stay inside the office all day long. On average I spend at least one day per week on the move, either working at another location or going out of town. When that happens (usually I don't get much advance warning) I'm stuck with whatever I'm carrying with me already, hence the stuff like rope, matches and firestarter.

only about 2 fire extinguishers on the entire top floor


ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO STAY IN THAT COMPANY ??
For God sake, I had a confrontation with management on issues less serious than yours. If I were you, I will NOT sneak in a tire iron or pry bar. The stuff in the basement is brought where it is needed or else ! Mangers and bosses won't be there with you when you face a disaster.

The same applies to your friends or colleagues. I mean they may "freak out" seeing a tire iron and not freak out for being locked up ? We are in a bizzare world !


Edited to add :

If you want the job badly and don't want to risk losing it, then at least ask them to transfer you to the ground floor.

LOL, I am ABSOLUTELY positive I want to keep that job. Especially nowadays with such gloomy times ahead.

I want to be prepared but I still try to be realistic. I mean, there is a very small chance that something will go wrong at my workplace. Even less chance of anything happening to me or while I'm there. But losing my job would be a 100% surefire way to put me in an extremely difficult situation, financially and otherwise. Even more so because I have a very specialized profession - I'm just really happy that I got a nearly perfect job and would like to keep it if at all possible.

Frankly, none of my colleagues would freak out seeing a tire iron in my office, probably because I don't think anybody knows what it's used for. Also, it doesn't have such a bad rep around here, apparently it's not a common improvised weapon in the streets so there is little if any negative connotation. And being the resident mechanical guy whenever the janitor isn't available I've been known to always keep some tools at hand for fixing whatever might need fixing so that would be easy to explain. But a crowbar would be a different story in a high security place like ours (wouldn't want to speak about it too much publicly but a bank would be a pretty close analogy).

I will definitely try to persuade the folks in charge to take our safety a bit more seriously but it will take time. Transferring to the ground floor is not an option - there is a different department down there.

I was thinking about finding some details about that office fire that I mentioned, where people were trapped in the stairwell and died because they couldn't get out of the smoke-filled stairwell. It was a 2003 fire in the Cook County Administration Building in Chicago where six employees died in the stairwell. Here's a somewhat lengthy piece on that fire. If you skip to the second paragraph and the third from the bottom paragraph, you'll see a description of what some of these poor souls went through, including their interaction with emergency services. I mean, these folks talked to 911 and even ran into fire fighters in the stairwell and they still died. This tragedy is so FUBAR on many levels.

I work in NYC and I like your kit (except the tire iron).

I wear a computer backpack and the main things I carry - all the time - are a flashlight, a bandanna, a liter of water in a metal bottle, a leatherman tool, some granola, a 4" Crescent Wrench, some flat duct tape, a small FAK, a scanner radio, some paracord (like 25'), an AA flashlight and a small prybar. The rest of the must-haves we have in the office.

I agree, I did some remodeling in an office in Southern Cal and the contractors were very sensitive to the key card issue- they insisted we make some design changes to avoid what they referred to as "man traps". And all exits required panic bars, etc. Really drove up the cost of my little project but I'm glad they knew their biz......

But you got me thinkin'- I haven't checked out my new offices, and I'm on the third floor......

Looks like a fire drill tomorrow!