Urban EDC reality check

I've been rethinking my EDC (preparedness is a journey, not a destination, right?) and I'd like a reality check:

I mentioned that I had room to carry a full PSK in my every day bag, but the more I think about it, the more it feels like carrying a shotgun in case I see a mouse. (I've learned over the years that this kind of obsession is usually my subconscious poking me in the ribs.)

The most extreme situation I can imagine running into on my daily travels is my car going off the road into a gully or canyon, having to abandon the car and everything in it, and being stuck in the gully/canyon at night in the rain and cold while waiting for the rescuers I called on my cell phone to find me. (I live in San Diego, so we're only talking 40 degrees, not sub-freezing.)

In that case I am more likely to need first aid stuff than fire starting or fishing stuff.

I already EDC a lighter, cell phone, Mini-Mag, pocket knife and multi-tool. I'm thinking I should put the PSK in my GHB, put a small FAK in my shoulder bag and add:

* Spare Battery
* Space Blanket/Heat Sheet
* Large Garbage Bag (smaller than an Emergency Poncho)
* Whistle
* Small Mirror (both for signaling and for self-examination)

Anything else you'd recommend?



And are you all interested in further ruminations as I develop my preparedness? It's all pretty new and exciting to me, but I realize it's old hat to most of you, and I don't want to be annoying.

San Diego? Water -- I keep a 3 gallon jug in the truck.

Money, ATM/credit card, important phone number list, medication and health condition list card, who to contact in emergency, copy of health insurance card, copy of car insurance, copy of driver's license, copy of car registration.

Double sided and reduced size copies and cards probably practical.

Think: I have just been separated from my wallet and my car.

Russ, how long does that jug last in the heat? I have 2L in the trunk right now, in my GHB, and I'm going to add a couple more in a small cooler to protect them from heat. It's a Ford Escort, I can't put TOO much in the trunk.


Dweste: The copies of documents is a VERY good idea. I was going to put copies in my GHB. Smaller ones that fit in my shoulder bag are even better. (It's a little larger than a typical fanny pack, with both shoulder and waist straps. I normally use just the shoulder strap.) Normal pocket stuff (wallet, keys, etc.) are all in the bag. Folding knife and two pens are all that's actually in my pockets. (Plus a 10x magnifier in my work pants.)

Don't know, I swap it out before it's bad. I use it as required and refill at first oppoortunity; that and the back of my truck probably stays a tad cooler than the trunk of an Escort -- not much, but a little can mean a lot.

Please rethink the firemaking materials.

Most people die from hypothermia when the air temperature is 32-50ºF. When it's colder than that, they usually have suitable clothing. A 40ºF air temperature with a breeze of 5 mph = 36ºF, a breeze of 10 mph = 34ºF, wind of 15 mph = 32ºF, and a wind of 20 mph = 30ºF.

If the ambiant air temperature was 35F, those figures drop to 31ºF, 27ºF, 25ºF, and 24ºF.

And cold air is like water in that it settles in the low places, like a small valley or a canyon. Being trapped in a cold spot can be the death of you.

Just for fun, go to a spot similar to where you might end up, and spend the night (not in summer -- make it interesting). You might end up revising what you think you'll need.

Let alone when you are sweaty.

Susan: I call anything below 70F cold, and anything below 65F is "frickin' freezin'"*, so you have a good point. I am carrying a medium weight jacket in the trunk even now, but I did say "and abandon everything in [the car]".

I bought a Spark-Lite/Tinder pack separate from the PSK to "play with", and still have five tinders in that pack. I'll slip that in as a backup to the lighter.

"Spend the night at a drive-in campground, see how much I remember, how hard/easy these things are to do" is already on my To Do list. There are several of them here, so if things go too badly, I'll just pack it in, drive home, and note what I need to work on.


*A friend who grew up in Alaska once asked me "What would you do if you lived somewhere REALLY cold?" I said "Move."

Great idea for the self-examination bit. I may just go to the auto store and buy a telescoping mirror just for that purpose.

> going off the road into a gully or canyon, having to abandon the car

The people I've read about that survived going off the road into a gully or canyon were trapped in the vehicle and couldn't call, even though they had cell phones, because of the combination of vehicle damage and injuries.

What's your plan if you go off the road, roll, and are trapped in the driver's seat?

Don't forget that he's in wildfire prone San Diego. We've had "hunters" start signal fires that literally burned down the county ( Cedar Fire). While fire-making skills are a good thing, in San Diego staying warm without fire is a good preparation goal.

I have no plans to go off road into a gully. I drive with the intent of staying in control and on the road. That said, it's always good to have a "Plan B".

I look at the vehicle as primary emergency shelter; however, I keep an Alpine Bivy and a lightweight sleeping bag in the car for shelter outside the vehicle. There's also a winter kit (wool underwear, synthetic outerwear to include parka) in the bed if I get stuck in the Siskiyou's on I-5 (NOCAL, Southern OR).

"Spend the night at a drive-in campground, see how much I remember, how hard/easy these things are to do" is already on my To Do list. There are several of them here, so if things go too badly, I'll just pack it in, drive home, and note what I need to work on.

stay the night in the Laguna mountians.

If I understand correctly, cell phones are more or less line-of-sight? In a canyon, that might be a problem.

I consider a cell phone a convenience when they work and a piece of junk where they don't.

Not really line of site, but close.

Susan,
Everything is a piece of junk if it does not work.

In the states are you still able to call 911 on your cell phone even if you have no minutes on a prepaid phone or a dead billing account?

LONG universal reply (love the questions, love the reality checks, thank you!!!):

Phiilip:

Lifehammer in the wraparound pad on my shoulder belt. Buck folding knife in my pocket. Leatherman Juice in my shoulder bag (which stays "on" me, even while driving). One way or another, I should be able to get out of the belts.

Each of those plus my keys. I should be able to break a side window. (I'm seriously considering going to a junkyard, and "renting" a couple of doors long enough to test each method and see how well they work.) If I can only go out the windshield or rear window, I also have a 12" crowbar under the driver's seat, and the saw blade on the Juice. Glass is more of a hazard then, though. (The crowbar is velcro strapped to one of the seat supports, with the hook helping hold it against sudden stops.)

If injuries prevent me from getting out of the car, I'll do what I can with the small FAK that's now in my bag. I'm going to put a larger FAK in the car, and I'm seriously considering keeping it under the driver's seat, too. (In a soft-sided case, so if it hits my heels/ankles, it's less likely to hurt.)

If I have life-threatening bleeding, I'll put a tourniquet on it with my belt or something if I can. I'd rather lose a limb than my life, and right now I don't know how to do anything else for a severe injury. I need to refresh my first-aid knowledge (Scouting was a LONG time ago), but right now that's all I know.

I have no one expecting me at home but my cat. If I can't get out of the car, and can't get a signal, I'll have to try to attract attention. I can get into the trunk from the passenger compartment, and there's 2 L of water in there right now (I'll be adding more this weekend).

I'm limited on what I can carry visible in the passenger compartment. I don't want to encourage breaking in, just for a bottle of water.


Susan:

Yes, my cell phone is only a first resort. Even then, I'm going to get up out of that gully/canyon if I can, just because it makes it easier for them to find me. I just put "test phone in a some canyons" on my To Do list. There are a couple of "natural" parks that I can do that in. (I'll take my full GHB with me to get a feel for walking with it on, and "just in case".


Russ:

I don't actually plan to go off the road either. But I'm well aware how fast the Salad can Hit The Fan. I've been in 5 serious collisions (only one was I even behind the wheel), and all of them were the fault of the other driver. (I don't ride with people whose driving I don't trust.) That's just the worst scenario I can think of with a day-to-day probability. (Of course I have worse ones, but they aren't that likely.)

("Salad Hits The Fan" is how a friend once explained "SHTF" to her mother. It stuck in my head ever since.)


Big Al:

City campground first. Laguna would be a later stage of testing. I haven't even built a fire in anything but a fireplace since I was in my 20's -- and that was a long time agon. Hmmm... maybe I should try to start a fire in the fireplace (yes, I have a real fireplace!) with dampened wood and a (small) fan blowing on it . . . and a wet towel and one of my fire extinguishers right there, too.



Keep 'em coming, all. Your collected knowledge and experience is truly priceless!

You could also roll up and carry a black plastic barrel liner in your vehicle for a make shift shelter/warmth. A thick newspaper can be used to start a fire and the pages crumpled up to add dead space for added warmth to the plastic bag. Just a thought. Seems like I have a newspaper on the floor in my backseat on any given day regardless lol.

"In the states are you still able to call 911 on your cell phone even if you have no minutes on a prepaid phone or a dead billing account?"

Yes, all you need is a charged battery. Several organizations collect old working cell phones to distribute to abuse victims and the elderly just for that reason.

Rescu-Me on your key ring.

If I put anything else on my keys, I'll have to put on a larger split ring. Again.

It isn't too big until you've had to put in a new ignition switch.

Or if you realize that there is a pound of gear, an no house or car keys.

Then you create a second ring of stuff for the other pocket so you balance when you waddle down the street.

<chuckle>

I was considering going to a second ring for the non-key stuff, but that would kind of defeat the purpose.

I just checked out the site, though, and they had several good alternate suggestions: on a visor, attached to the Gear Shift lever with a hair tie, on a Turn Signal/Wiper lever, headlight knob, etc. NOT in an Ashtray, door pocket, etc.

What purpose? How would a second key ring defeat that purpose?

I've actually known people who had this happen. Too much weight on the ignition switch can break it.

Well, I see one reason for having this stuff on the keyring is so that after a collision, you know where to look for it. And you don't have to try to get it out of a pocket or bag while hanging upside down in your seatbelts, and unable to use your dominant hand for whatever reason.

For me, an auto accident is not hypothetical speculation. I've been driving for almost 40 years, and I've been in 5 major collisions, one of which nearly killed both me and the driver. (Paramedics were able to get there and stabilize both of us before our injuries finished us off.) I wasn't even behind the wheel in three of them, and all of them were the result of the other drivers' stupidities/intoxication. Other than the almost lethal one, I've never been injured or trapped, but I am well aware how easily it could happen.

Understandable. The auto accident / must have immediately at hand limitation was not something I realized was a focus of this thread. My bad.

Well, originally it was just a reality check on my EDC, but I seem to have helped hijack my own thread . . . .

It happened to me after 15 years. Luckily, on my Toyota truck, ignition switches are really easy to change out. At least in 1988 Toyotas....

Now I put all similar keys on a ring, and a ring for non-key essentials - photon, sliver gripper, p38, etc. I have 5 rings. I use a small carabiner to hold them all, and now when driving, just use the one ring in the ignition, the rest hang off the carabiner, which hangs on a belt loop on my pants.

My wife says I look like a janitor everywhere I go, but it works for me.

My old chevy with 200k on it you could jiggle the key and get it to come out if you pulled hard enough while the engine was running, worn it down enough it was that loose.

Might need a tutorial from you later, for my 1990...

Good point. I carry blankets, a tarp, gloves, a fleece vest, scarf and hat year round.

Back to the 10lb key ring...
My old Ford truck actually had that problem, and I had to replace the entire steering column. Year and a half later I could start it without the key. Six months later and it was time to replace the column again. I chose not to and instead would jump it right off the solenoid (IIRC) when I got to where I wanted, pop the hood and disconnect the battery. Ahhhhhh, sweet memories of a punk youth.
Now I carry multiple rings, with the one ring being house, truck and mail key with a monkeyfist fob. No more worn out ignition switches for me.

I've heard that bit about the ignitions and heavy key rings, but have never had the problem.

I have always only carried ONE keyring. Long, long before I knew I had ADD, it was the only way to have the key I needed with me. I have 16 keys and a screwdriver on the ring. I drive a decrepit old 1985 Chev Cavalier with only five windows on the odometer, so I don't know how many times it's gone around.

You guys must be driving those wimpy, namby-pamby vehicles.

Sue

Not all lock cylinders are equal, some are better than others at taking the load. Had a chevy with the same problem as BillLiptak's ford. Local locksmith said that he would be happy to fix it for $$$, but repair would only last a year or so before the plastic part that was bad would wear out and need to be replaced again. So either get used to spending the money, or learn to live with it.

Also not all key users are the same either. Have seen many keys and cylinders worn out by heavy handed key users. Some people stuff the key into the cylinder like they are driving a nail not gently pushing a key into the ignition cylinder.

food. Water. tiny flashlight. blankets.

I also had a 1989 Toyota pickup that the key was broken in half in the ignition when I bought it used. All you had to do was insert the other half (or a screwdriver) and turn it to crank it, then remove whatever you used to crank it with.

Every now and then I'd leave the half key sticking out of the ignition by accident, and it would always just fall out going down the road and land the whole keyring in the floorboard.

I've put the PSK back in my GHB in the trunk, and put the mini-FAK in my bag along with the extra Spark-Lite/Tinder.

I moved my registration and insurance info to my bag from the glove box (if someone steals my car, they won't have my address), and added a printed list of emergency contact numbers in case my Palm isn't working.

I'll be getting a Res-Q-Me next month, and then my EDC is (for now) about as good as it's going to get.

Thanks to all for the suggestions!

"...if someone steals my car, they won't have my address"

If they steal it out of your driveway, they already KNOW your address. If they can read, anyway.

Sue

If they get one of my vehicles out of the garage, they are good and fast. The overhead doors are alarmed, and the GSD's have a dog door from the house to the garage and from the house to the back yard.

Recent experience mentioned elsewhere has shown the GSD's will protect my family and property. I just have to stay out of the way! Right Sue??

I'm not sue but it would be a good learned behavior.

Keeping your key clean and using a bit of lube is a smart idea to prevent lock issues.

"I just have to stay out of the way! Right Sue??"

YEP! Just let the dogs do their job and have some fun! (CHOMP-CHOMP!)

Sue

?GSD? guard ? dog?

GSD = German Shepherd

German Shepherd Dog. The actual full name of the breed.

I just had to stop a little altercation Friday when one of the neighbors dogs tried to get aggressive with DD while she was walking one of our GSD's. Our GSD took offense at the other dog's actions. I drove around the corner just as the fun started and my GSD was beginning to disassemble the other dog for its misbehavior.

Never, NEVER get between the bite-er, and the bite-ee.

Second time in 12 years I have had no choice but to dive into the "flying fur ball" to prevent someone else from being harmed. Having been the decoy for the MP K-9's in the Army, I knew what I was getting into.

I sure have missed the protective bite sleeve both times though.....

Just look to the left for a prime example of the breed - German Shepherd Dog.

Craig.

"Never, NEVER get between the bite-er, and the bite-ee."

Just when you think you've determined which is which, they change designations. And they KNOW some human fool is going to try to butt in and ruin all the fun, so they tend to bite them, too.

Compugeek,

You may want to consider switcing out the Minimag flashlight. they have a horable tendancy to not work when you need them. You may benifit by upgrading to a higher quality LED or Xion Bulb.

I would add a flat roll of duck and black tape to you EDC, No matter where you are Duck and black tape are usefull. Personaly I end up using the Duck and black tape in the urban enviorment more than anywhere.

Susan:

LOL! I was thinking of it being stolen (or hijacked) when I'm out and about. It's garaged at night.

I use a steering wheel lock religiously when I'm out, and it's an '89 Escort, so the chances of it being stolen in the first place are pretty slim.

But "pretty slim chances" are the very basis of Preparedness, no?



Tyber:

You read my mind! I put a home-made flat pack of duct tape in last night! Along with about 10' of Paracord, mostly because it fit nicely in the bottom, and a small bottle of hand sanitizer.

An LED upgrade or replacement for the Mag Solitaire (I was in error on which one it was) is on the list.

As for my every day carry, I have the usual: Money, debit card, credit cards, driver license, medical insurance information, list of medications, contact information, etcetera. I also have my cell phone, Ultralight.5, EMT sheers (my tool of choice), Fox40 whistle, pocket-size LED flashlight and medications. Also I often have on me a .5 liter bottle of water.

Jeanette Isabelle

Hi again Jeanette. My EDC starts to include stuff like spare light weight gloves, a toque and a warm jacket now that winter is coming on.

I have items such as tools and gloves in my car, but I thought EDC refers to items one has on them.

Jeanette Isabelle

Yes, I live in Canada. As soon as it is fall the jacket goes everywhere with spare gloves and toque in the pockets.

When winter hits the jacket becomes a Parka, with mitts and toque.

UPDATE

There's now a Res-Q-Me hanging from the rearview mirror. The Lifehammer is now in the glove compartment until I get a new mounting bracket.

There's a large FAK under the passenger seat. (Well, large by commercial standards -- here it's more like "a good start". )

And I now have two Photons in addition to the Maglite Solitaire.

I put an AMK Mini-FAK and a Spark-Lite & Tinder in my bag, and I think I'm set for the scenario I outlined in the original post.

Thank you ALL for your inputs!

Rearview mirrors have a tendency to break off in a car-crash.

You might want to consider putting it on your car keys or attaching it to your seatbelt with a ziptie instead..