Urban Survival Kit

Does anyone know of any urban survival kit?

Jeanette Isabelle

I used to until losing it recently. It was an Altoids tin that held some first aid stuff, "repair" stuff, and few odds/ends.

First aid: aspirin, Imodium AD, Midol (for the wife), Benadryl, bandaids, moleskin.

Repair stuff: duct tape, dental floss, zip ties, safety pins, sewing needles, small uber-strong magnet, paper clip

Odds/ends: small compass, mini-Bic, trick birthday candle (relights itself after blowing out), emory board, 3 NATO stom matches.

The theory behind this kit (coupled with my LM multitool) allowed me to make a lot of makeshift repairs to stuff or handle minor boo-boos right on the spot rather to go off in search of the necessary supplies. Most of my time is spent in urban setting where I am able easily able to obtain water, shelter, food from many places under most circumstances so I don't worry about that (though I do keep extra food/water/clothing stashed at work and in my truck).

It was really just a convienence kit and and I haven't replaced it in the six weeks since losing it, though I did start carrying a lighter. I like to know I can call up fire anytime I want.

Sidenote: my keychain has a whistle, a flashlight, a P-38 can opener, a pill fob, and a screwdriver thingy.

-Blast

In a wilderness setting, fire making tools are good to have. In an urban setting, firewood is sparse. Also in an urban environment one can't build a camp fire just anywhere though there are places to do so such as in a park charcoal grill.

Jeanette Isabelle

In an urban setting if you have to traverse a lot of city before you get to the country you might try to carry one of these: http://www.rei.com/product/785006
that way you could slip into an alley and at least have a hot cup of something.

True, but my lighter has come to the rescue lighting the candles on more than one birthday cake at work. This definitely scores me brownie points which is a good thing. Tools aren't just for disasters, the ability to create a flame isn't just for campfires.

-Blast

ESBITs work really well.
There is a more rugged version folding steel stove that also contains the tablets - they were standard British army issue before chemical heating packs.
Not exactly precise control for fine cuisine and a bit pricey for extended use but half a tablet will make a cup of tea on a mountain in 5mins.

For all things Esbit http://zenstoves.net/SolidFuelBurner.htm

ps. If you are a Brit of a certain age - these are the fuel tablets from Mamod steam engines.

I live in a town, and I have no intention of building a camp fire, but I definitely keep fire-making stuff in my kit. I have survival candles that give off heat as well as light. I have a propane camp stove that I would cook on if I'm in my particular survival situation.* There are lots of uses for fire other than camp fires, even in a town.

However, don't discount campfires just because you live in an "urban environment." Assuming it hasn't all burned down from raging gas-fed fires when all the gas mains break, there'll be lots of building scraps laying in huge piles after the quake, and having a camp fire in a parking lot is a great way to fight off depression and cold. I recommend safely built and tended fires. They're not just for cooking.




*I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and my expected disaster is an earthquake. It's my assumption that I'll be stranded a week with no outside help of any kind. I have supplies for the two of us for a month.

If you Google "Urban Survival Kit" quite a few items pop up. None I'm familiar with.

By Urban Survival Kit, are you envisioning something sized for a pocket? A purse? Briefcase? Backpack?

My life is truly urban -- inner city home, office and most socializing. I can walk home in pumps without too much pain. For a suburban commuter I'd put footwear and blister prevention and care high up on the USK list.

My tiniest USK is my neck lanyard that I don't even walk down the block without, on it is: Doug's new flashlight, Fox-40 whistle, house key. Several years ago while walking home from work, much of my zip code lost power. Thank goodness I was already in the post-9/11 habit of having a Petzl Zipka headlamp in my purse. Couldn't see my hand in front of my face before I turned that headlamp on.

Purse: cash, headlamp, Doug's e-PICO flashlight, small cheap pocketknife (in case it's confiscated at a security checkpoint), pepper spray.

Car: my Honda Element is itself a tent on wheels and well stocked at all times with bottled water, Luna Bars, camping gear (including Coleman Dual-Fuel one-burner), backpack, hiking boots/socks, rain parka, Marmot Dri-Clime, hats, gloves, First Aid and road safety gear. Whenever I'm driving around the metro area or further I grab a shoulder bag that includes cash, Doug's MK3 knife, CRKT MAK-1 and CRKT Extrik-8-7 (emergency tool and seatbelt cutter), Gransfors Bruks mini-belt hatchet and an extra pair of eyeglasses (my contacts are disposables).

Home: Now that I've got 7 seven-gallon Aquatiners for storing water, I have enough food, water and camping gear at the ready at home to be comfortable far longer than I'd want to be in this city in a severe emergency. Oh, and the preparations include dog food and dog meds. My dog is on a high-end food that the chains don't carry so I'm in the habit of keeping at least a month's supply on hand for her.

Someone (Doug) should market a Commuter Survival Kit, with a lightweight rucksack as the vessel.

If I lived more than a few miles from work, I would have in my office a backpack that had Gore-tex hiking shoes containing hiking socks carabinered to it (in the event there is much wreckage from buildings collapsing then you'd want some sturdy shoes).

Backpack contents:

Two water bottles
AM-FM radio + extra batteries
Headlamp + extra batteries
Flashlight + extra batteries
Knife (Doug's RSK MK-1 being my preference)
Rain parka
Hat
Season-appropriate clothes (especially in winter)
Leather gloves
Extra eyeglasses
First Aid kit
AMK Bivvy
cotton bandanas
pepper spray

More than a 10 mile commute and I'd have a larger backpack and add to it:

firestarter + lighter + matches
AMK Heatsheets 2-person Survival Blanket
paracord
Luna Bars (or Cliff MoJo bars)
Katadyn Micropur Water purification tablets


There ought to be a sizable market for a Commuter Survival Kit. Few ever hike in the woods yet those kits are selling.

Previous discussion of USK's - Might be useful

Most people here would probably do it better, and the price raises an eyebrow but this isn't too bad (to have at work/car/home if not actually carry !)



http://www.rei.com/product/753288

I thought my question was clear. I mean a pocket size survival kit like Doug Ritter's Pocket Survival Pack, only specific to an urban environment.

Jeanette Isabelle

Sorry, I realized that and edited my answer.

As the post TeacherRO linked to, an urban EDC is probably a LED keychain flashlight, disposable rain poncho and a bus ticket.
Although in US cities less logically laid out than Manhattan a watchband compass is also useful.

Jeanette:

I'm strictly urban, and don't carry a wilderness PSK on me at all. The farthest off-road I go is the grass and paths in the parks. My "Survival" items are:

Cell Phone
Hidden cash cache
AMK Mini-FAK with extra bandaids
Hand Sanitizer and Antiseptic Wipes
Small Camp Mirror (for self-examination and signaling)
Lights (I could also use my cell phone or PDA if it really came down to it.)
Pocket Knife
Multitool
Space Blanket
Large Garbage Bag
Coghlan's combo Whistle/Thermometer/Compass/Magnifier
Duct Tape*, Orange Tape*, and Paracord
Bic Lighter and Spark-Lite & Tinder (I don't smoke)

*Make your own flat packs by folding it around a business card (lengthwise).


This is carried in my EDC shoulder bag. I also have a FAK, water, and a GHB in my car, with an AMK PSK, food, and more weather items, but if I were stranded outdoors overnight, even in one of the local canyons or gullies, I think I'd be okay with the above. Not happy, and maybe even not completely comfortable, but okay. My thinking is covered in more detail here.

For a U-PSK....

-A small spool of dental floss (I think you can sometimes find 50' rolls) or a sewing machine bobbin of GOOD thread (or 20# braided fishing line), a couple of buttons and a few needles with eyes big enough.
-Duct tape, 4-6'
-Whistle (and one on your keys)
-asprin
-immodium
-change, small bills
-button compass
-small flashlight (and one on your keys)
-3-4' of wire
-paper and pencil

That should fit in an altoids tin or a pouch like the AMK pocket kits come in.

Honestly, it wouldn't hard to take a PSP and pull out the fishing kit, mirror, sparklite and tinder, and swap in the cash, light, and meds. Keep the safety pins and sewing needle in their vial, maybe add a couple of screws for glasses if needed, along with the buttons.

Add that to a small SAK or a compact multi with scissors, good boots laced with paracord, a small fak (AMK's .3 or .5 would be perfect), and a contractor bag or two. That fits in the pockets of most jackets, or the bottom of a bag or day pack with ease. Carry a water bottle.

The pyro in me NEEDS to have a lighter or a ferro rod, but I live in a state that doesn't have any one city with more 20K people in it, so I'm always thinking of the woods.

Scaling up, add a full sized multi or a pair of pliers. Pocket knife. Map. More change and cash. Better flashlight or a small headlamp. Poncho and/or heatsheet/space blanket. More duct tape/wire/paracord. Small strobe. Pepper spray and/or a sidearm, or a stout walking stick or umbrella.

As Doug Ritter has said, "If it isn't with you, it can't save you." I have the Pocket Survival Pack. It's currently sitting on my desk next to the computer monitor. I don't carry it with me.

Since I have one, cost is clearly not the issue. I have a first aid kit that's larger than the Pocket Survival Pack so size is not the issue either. The issue is, I see it strictly as a wilderness kit. The fishing kit, the instructions. . . . With the exception of a few items, everything about it points to that this is strictly a wilderness kit. Furthermore, to quote a passage from the frequently asked questions, "Many of the survivors who will need to rely on these instructions will have limited or no experience with the skills necessary to survive an unexpected stay in the wilderness."

Either I don't need it or I don't think I need it. If Doug intended it to be an urban and wilderness kit, I think he missed it by not making it clear this is for all environments.

Jeanette Isabelle

A lot of the individual items people have listed are items I have listed in the Urban EDC thread. However your idea of converting a Pocket Survival Pack into an urban survival kit is something I've considered this week. Since the Pocket Survival Pack includes a needle and thread, a thimble would seem more useful than some of the other items.

Jeanette Isabelle

I would start with one of these I keep it in my laptop bag for trips. It's the same size as the PSK



(if the image doesn't show up it's the AMK pocket medic)

The tweezers are great for splinters (never had to use them ticks), and it used to come with decent folding scissors.

I added a scalpel blade (which so far TSA have missed) a LED light, button compass and whistle. Then wrapped it and an orange rain poncho with 15' orange paracord.
You can also use the vial the forceps come in for ibuprofen.

Urban survival requires sensible shoes that adhere to slippery surfaces, the ability to look both ways when crossing a road, having airbags in your vehicle, putting your seat belt on and keeping a smoke hood on your person if having to live or work in buildings more than 5 story's high etc.

This might be a worthwhile video to watch.

I went into a potential urban survival situation once. In addition to what I needed for the job, I added:

Cartridge respirator with HEPA cartridges
HD leather work gloves
Explosion proof flashlight
5W handheld ham radio
Extra batteries and charger
Boots
Hardhat
Extra socks
Small camping towel
Alcohol hand wipes
Long sleave button up shirt
Leatherman tool

What I missed that I didn't take was:

Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Comb

I EDC an altoids tin with:

needles (2 thick and 2 curved and 4 regular)
20 ft thread (black)
Fishing line (50lb test about 30 ft mostly for thread or cordage)
Back up red led flashlight (micro handmade by me)
8-200 mg ibuprofen
4 bandaids (cloth)
4 Iodine wipes
Vial of OralGel
4 q-tips
2 2x3 gauze pad
Sport tape
super glue
1/2 roll of gauze
Razor blade
Duct tape
4 heavy rubber bands (different sizes, thicknesses)
5 Safety pins (from little brass to a big one)
Little piece of picture wire
2 copper wires
Can opener

Mostly I carry stuff that I have said "I wish I had..." My kit is designed with the attitude that I will use/need these things often enough that it warrants carrying daily. I just consolidated into the tin so I am still testing to see what stays/goes.

OK, I'll make mine REAL short

Back before I drove to work, and took a truck, I carried a backpack - now I was a tad overloaded, but as I did volunteer work, I di have 'extra stuff'

Today I carry a smaller bag, but the stuff I don't carry is in another bag in the truck...

NO disclaimer on this one - the web page is all mine, mine, mine

My Go Bag Page

You are one VERY prepaired person

Well, I have a lot of stuff.


;-)

I'm in the process of modifying my Pocket Survival Pack to make an urban survival kit. I'm keeping the most important item in the PSK, the instructions. Though most of the information pertains to strictly wilderness survival, there is some information which pertains to all environments. The magnifying lens would come in handy in the event anything happened to my glasses. The Spark-Lite and tender would come in handy if I needed to light a barbecue grill, assuming I had charcoal. The signal mirror can be used as a mirror. Though I already have a conventional size FOX40, a backup whistle wouldn't hurt. A compass can be used in any environment. The pencil and note paper does not take up much room so I may as well leave them in there. I can definitely use the sewing needle, thread and safety pins. There is one important item missing from the sewing group, a thimble. I always felt the PSK was missing this important item so today I'm adding one to it. The fishing kit takes up so little room and there is a creek within walking distance from where I live. I never caught a fish and it's unlikely that I will but it's there just in case.

I have a separate first aid kit so I won't be adding any first aid items. Other than a thimble, does anyone have ideas on what to add to an urban PSK? Are there items, which I have left, that need to be removed? Also, has Doug said anything about making an urban specific PSK? I feel he has left out an entire target group who would never leave the city unless they were evacuated by the local, state or federal government.

Jeanette Isabelle

Map, in a ziplock bag.

AM-FM radio. Information could be lifesaving.

Those items would be hard to add to a Pocket Survival Pack.

Jeanette Isabelle

Actually, I have an FM radio that's smaller than my cellphone.

Reception's crap, though. If SHTF, my best bet would be the cellphone itself with its built-in radio...

You didn't specify pocket in your initial post so I haven't been operating under that assumption. And I have more than one pocket so have never felt limited to one pocket.

You should get a tiny AM-FM radio. Or a headset radio. I would not want to be walking around the metro area in a disaster without news reports. This Sony armband AM-FM-Weather radio looks good:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Walkman-Digit...868&sr=8-16

On 9/11, pedestrians and drivers here were starved for news as the attacks were unfolding. They needed news reports to base their decisions on whether to evacuate and where to go as roads were being closed and bridges were affected -- especially in Arlington in proximity to the Pentagon.

My neighbors and I were out on the sidewalk during much of the 9/11 exodus, letting drivers know what we were hearing and seeing on television.

I've carried a radio in my purse ever since. Next to the Petzl Zipka headlamp.

What cell phone is that? I'd love that setup. Few people could get through on cell phones in the first hours of 9/11.

Portable radios were gold -- especially for pedestrians.

I'd be concerned about situational awareness wearing a radio headset. While a radio headset would be good to keep the broadcast news coming in, that headset could deny SA as to what is happening close by.

Get a small cheap AM/FM radio such as a Sony ICF-S10MK2 Pocket AM/FM Radio or a maybe a Grundig M300 World Radio and use with a single ear earbud or teh built-in speaker. Keep at least one ear for that part of the world that can immediately impact your well being.

With a headset, you can keep one side off your ear. I do get by nicely with a little Grundig and ear bud. Also have a little Eton with ear bud.

Both have shortwave bands in addition to AM-FM. Battery life is good, too ("AA")

I do have a Grundig YB-P 2000 radio. It's powered by AA batteries but it's a bit large to be a practical EDC radio.

Jeanette Isabelle

This "GP-4L" has come up in my research. 5 ounces. 3.4" X 2.55" X .83" From $23 to $26 from what I've seen so far.

I had an itty bitty Sony Walkman radio in college and am trying to find something like that. No speaker, just ear bud.

http://countycomm.com/gp4light.htm


a review:
http://www.endtimesreport.com/GP-4L_Survival_Radio.html

The GP-4 radio was originally designed for the US government. The State Department is still buying them by the tens of thousands, as they want all overseas personnel and dependents to be able to receive the latest news anywhere in the world. Only a tiny radio would likely by carried at all times, and the outstanding reception on AM, FM and SW would enable them to know what was happening and head for safety in the event of another embassy terrorist "event" like the two a few years ago in Africa.

Smaller than a pack of cigarettes, the tiny Survival radio is absolutely perfect to have handy to keep informed of the latest emergency news - on AM, FM, or two short wave bands! Digital dialing lets you select - and find again - any station.

Powered by two AA batteries which last for over 150 hours (over 300 hours with the supplied ear buds), this tiny radio had incredible reception. This tiny pocket radio can keep you informed of events even if you have to listen on short wave!

Another review:
http://www.radiointel.com/review-gp4.htm

...marketed by County Comm and manufactured by Degen. This is a very simple to use single conversion AM-FM-SW radio with surprisingly good performance on SW. The GP-4 is an analog radio with digital frequency readout.

This is truly a pocket radio. The GP-4 checks in at 3.5"H x 2.5" x .75" D. With 2 AA cells installed, it weighs approximately 5 ounces. Frequency coverage for FM is 80 - 108 MHz and MW is 520-1710. Shortwave is broken into two chunks. Per the manual, SW1 = 5.95 - 9.95 and SW2 = 11.65 - 17.90 MHz. My unit was more forgiving on the band edges and gave me approximately 400 kHz additional coverage beyond the specs.

This Sangean SR-3 looks even better.

http://www.amazon.com/Sangean-SR-3-Pocket-Size-Receiver/dp/B000066R6N

Amazon.com Product Description

This stylish, compact FM/AM radio exemplifies everything Sangean radios are known for: efficiency, innovation, and convenience. Weighing a mere 58 grams (without battery), the SR-3 is as small as a lighter. You can tuck it into most pockets and it won't slow you down during a fast-paced workout or busy commute.

The radio comes with stereo earbuds and a neck strap, as well as a trailing antenna. DBB (Deep Bass Boost) enhances the low end, while a stereo-mono switch improves reception when needed. Measuring a mere 1.5 by 3 by 0.6 inches, the unit runs on a single AAA battery (not included).

And this Sony SRF-59 FM/AM Radio Walkman may beat them all.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-SRF-59-Radio-Walkman-Headphones/dp/B00006JQ06/ref=pd_sim_e_2

Amazon.com Product Description

The SRF-59 is lightweight, simple-to-use FM/AM stereo receiver. Weighing only 3 ounces (84 grams), this compact player is a perfect companion for the track, bike trail or work area. The FM antenna is part of the headphone cord, so you are sure to receive a strong signal. The AM antenna is a ferrite bar type. The local/distant switch will help you fine tune the reception. Both the volume and tuning buttons are rotary dials, providing a nice sight-free way to make major changes to the Walkman.

Sony has included their MDR (micro dynamic receiver) headphones with the SRF-59. These headphones are open air type; the headphones will allow ambient noise to filter into the ear canal, providing a rich sound and keeping you safely aware of events, people and automobiles around you. The headphones provide ample dynamic range and sound. The Walkman requires only one AA battery, keeping the receiver lightweight and inexpensive to operate. When using a Sony alkaline battery, you can expect an impressive 100-140 hours of use. There is also a belt clip included, so you can carry the Walkman on your belt. The color is a sporty silver.

The GP-4L is a good radio. Selectivity is an issue, but in the areas for which the radio was designed (outconus) that might not be an issue. I'm trying to remember who made that radio for CountyComm and I'm thinking it was Kaito. . . yep, check out the Kaito KA202L Pocket-Size AM/FM/Shortwave Radio. Same radio but under the manufacturer label.

But a small disposable lighter is handy nonetheless. I have used it to light candles at our table in a restaurant. My wife appreciated it. So it was all good.

What Blast said. I posted my reply before reading his.

I wear shorts practically every day, even to see clients, so my pocket urban EDC is my survival kit.

I carry my wallet which includes the usual cards including AAA and a phone card. It also holds a fresnel lens, a couple of band aids, a sparklite, a tinderquick, and some jute cord.

I also carry a phone, a pen, an index card or two, some cash, and a whistle. I always wear a watch and carry an alox farmer with a BSA hotspark and a NiteCore EZ AA attached.

Most of the time, I wear shoes. And when I remember, I carry chapstick, a disposable lighter and a bandana.

And I take water with me. If I am out and about, the water will wait in the car.

I used to carry a short hank of cord as a lanyard to my SAK, but since I removed it, I haven't been carrying it. I will likely stick it back in my pocket as I have used it many times for many things. Maybe, I will substitute the cord with a roll of dental floss.

My cell phone has a built in radio. I have a Motorola 376g from Tracfone

To use the radio you have to plug in the hands-free. The wire works as an antenna. It chews through the battery quickly, and the reception is pretty spotty but its better than nothing.

Yes, telecommunication and information are needed in urban survival. However I feel we are drifting off-topic with the discussion of radios.

People either have no idea what is needed in an urban pocket kit, did not read my clarification post or do not think a pocket kit is needed in an urban setting. I'm not sure which. If people did not read my post of clarification then maybe I need to write a new thread which spells everything out.

Jeanette Isabelle

My understanding is that you wish to add/delete items from your PSP to create a kit that is geared more specifically to an urban environment without changing the footprint of the original kit.

I would add a condom so you can carry water and if would fit, a garbage bag as rain protection/ground cloth/harvesting sack. I would lose the fishing gear if I needed the space but otherwise feel everything else in the kit has utility in an urban environment.

I would add a couple of crisp dollar bills for vending machines I might encounter.


Kona 1

Trying to think of specifically what you could add to a pocket sized kit that would help in an urban situation, I can only come up with 4 things:

Small flashlight - always handy, even the coin cell type

Paper dust mask - handy if there are fires nearby or dust from fallen structures in the area.

Self adhesive retro-reflective tape - handy if you're walking near where others are driving. Even a 2"x4" piece front and back would make you much more visible to a car or truck at night.

Cash - a couple of 20's for rides and a couple of singles for vending machines, as others have mentioned.

City wood produces toxic arsenic ash,
http://www.origen.net/ccawood.html

Thank you. I am considering these suggestions. I am particularly relieved to know people are paying attention.

Jeanette Isabelle

Using the information in the thread, "Best way to clue EMTs to medical facts," I included a piece of paper (4 1/2" by 3 5/8") with medical and contact information, front and back, placed in the back of my Pocket Survival Pack. I plan to EDC my Pocket Survival Pack in my pocket rather than in my purse in the event something happens to my purse.

Today I realized the thimble is a bit big for the Pocket Survival Pack so I took it out. I will be adding a $5 bill (day pass bus fare) with a high likelihood of additional bills. I imagine this has been addressed before, how is the best way to add medications without crushing them? I was thinking of using an additional plastic vial, like the one for the sewing needle and safety pins. Does anyone have another suggestion for storing medication in my Pocket Survival Pack?

Jeanette Isabelle

My EDC/PSK (at home) consists of what I carry daily upon my person:

Double Leather Magazine pouch with the following: photon/laser light (w/spare batteries), leatherman, Buck 110 lock blade, 20 ft woven nylon cord

In my pants: cell phone, inkpen, Bic lighter, eyeglass case, pocket watch, & a Blood Stone

If, like Monday morning, I had to run an errand to a town 20 miles away, I also carry my GHB and a pistol/hunting knife

At work, I carry the same things in my pants, but in the pouch that I have on my belt is: SAK, Leatherman, photon/laser light (w/spare batteries), magnesium bar w/flint, Bic Lighter, 4 AA size batteries, Mini-Maglite, "credit card survival tool" (includes a magnifying glass and a compass)

At work, I alweays keep my GHB close to me.

Does it have to be in the PSP? How about a pill fob on your key chain?

A travel pill case is very flat, about the size of a matchbook and should have a flatter profile than the vial, even multiples would be flat, also have you looked at a leather thimble? Flatter than regular ones and quite effective.



Kona1

I use one of those plastic orange 'match' containers. They are sturdy, and most importantly, have a plastic/rubber seal and a screw top. This keeps the top on--I've used 'pill boxes' only to have the tops pop open. Also, the 'pill boxes' don't keep out humidity/moisture, which causes meds to become useless in short order.

The only problem is that unless filled tightly, the pills will bounce around and eventually you get a fine powder off the pills. If this is a problem, try stuffing it tight with a cotton ball to keep everything snug. It also will double as tinder.

If it is an Rx medication, you better have a copy of the 'script or the label with you. If you don't, it can be difficult to explain to the LEO that has had legal reason to search you. Ask my wife, she experienced this herself in Dallas.

Luckily, the fine officer went along with a cell phone call to me. I verified the script and offered to come to the scene with it. (pill case fell out of purse in front of officer at traffic stop.) Also blew any chance DW had at hiding the ticket from me......

I used the small zip-lock bag used to hold the tinder, filled one row of tablets, rolled it up to squeeze as much of the air out as possible, placed the rolled-up zip-lock bag in a plastic vial from a used-up Ultralight first aid kit, printed out the name and milligrams of the medication, trimmed it to the size of the text and placed it in the vial with the print visible. With three layers of protection, zip-lock, plastic vial and Pocket Survival Pack, the medication should be safe.

Jeanette Isabelle

I transfered the pills over to a nickel-plated brass pill fob which I bought today at the apothecary. I also bought a blank emergency alert bracelet which I will have engraved tomorrow.

Jeanette Isabelle

Jeanette

Exactly what situation do you have in mind when you think about urban survival?

How big of a town or city do you live in?

Do you expect your location to be affected by a major natural disaster, or is this more like a personal survival situation?

Pete
(not "Paramedic Pete" ... but the other Pete)

I want to be prepared for all reasonable situations including, but not limited to, widespread power outages, man made disasters, restricted transportation, unable to return home and unavoidable loss of some EDC items. I live in The Metroplex, the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States.


Both.

Jeanette Isabelle

There is no link in the private message you asked me to post in the forum; the nitroglycerine pill fob I bought is the right size for my PRN medication.

Jeanette Isabelle

I am not convinced of the efficacy of a pocket kit for urban preparedness. I carry a backpack daily to work and all of my vehicles have one as well. I also wear cargo pants so pockets aren't a problem.

One thing that I am never without, especially in a city, is a handgun. I realize that it won't fit in your pocket kit, but realistically in an emergency it could be critical to getting you home safe. It may not be an option for someone in Wash DC, but in DFW you would have that option.

Oh, as for your thimble problem, my wife likes to use these:



They take up almost no space and work pretty well.

Enjoy!

Greg

Jeanette

I'm with Greg on this one.
I don't think a pocket kit is the answer.

You need at least a small backpack for your urban survival needs. Some items like a spare pair of sneakers, a warm fleece jacket, a quart of water, a flashlight (w. batteries), and some energy bars are bulky. But they are necessary. Some warm gloves and a beret (or a fleece hat) are also good ideas.

I suggest that you expand the volume of your gear a little bit.

Pete

Backpacks are not fashionable. Furthermore, in an emergency situation, one needs to blend in. I looked at alternatives in the usual places and I came across what could be an acceptable alternative, a weekender bag such as this:

http://piperlime.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=39765&vid=1&pid=700095&scid=700095002

Jeanette Isabelle

I like that tote, it reminds me of Mary Popin's magic carpet bag.
-Blast

I prefer not to think of an urban survival kit as a single "kit," but rather as a continuum of choices. I carry phone, SAK, photon flashlight (actually, a fauxton), whistle, and money on my person pretty much at all times.

I think it would be a poor choice to have these items tucked away in a self-contained kit because these items are daily use and/or need to be immediately accessibe.

I keep additional resources in vehicles and in the house.

At work, I keep a waist pack in my office in the event of an emergency evacuation. It inclues dust masks, water, knife, OTC pain medication, benadryl, adhesive bandages, sun block, flashlight, energy bars, whistle, paper, pencil, duct tape, super glue (liquid wound closure), moleskin, compass. Based on comments in this topic, I intend to add a map, immodium and a pocket radio to the waist pack.

Jeanette

Survival itself is not a "fashionable" experience.

Under mild circumstances, survival helps you to avoid serious discomfort.
Under extreme circumstances - survival is a bitc*. It's the last thing you do ... before you die or live.
My suggestion is to save "fashionable" for the good things of your life.

The tote bag is not a bad choice, esp. if you can avoid carrying heavy loads and walking a lot of miles.

A backpack is convenient because: 1) It's strong, 2) It may have a lot of compartments which allows better organization (it's faster to find things), 3) It spreads the weight evenly on both of your shoulders, 4) It allows you to keep the load centered on your body - making long-distance walks less tiring, and 5) It allows you to keep both hands free in a personal emergency.

But the important thing may simply be - that you have some kind of bag set aside with a few essentials in it. Everything else is just gravy.

Pete

As I look at Doug's "Don't Leave Home Without It" gear, I more or less carry what he carries when traveling in the local area. Notable exceptions are differences in preferred tools and I don't carry a firearm. Nevertheless, I continue to look for ways to be prepared for reasonable contingencies.

Jeanette Isabelle

The smaller bag which I have with me is more useful than a larger bag which I don't have with me. Any gear I have in a backpack would not do any good if I don't have the pack on me. I carry a purse. Therefore I need to be prepared while keeping weight and volume down.

Jeanette Isabelle

Purses are an advantage women have. Even a modest-sized purse is a lot bigger than a pocket. I could carry at least six of Doug's PSK's in my everyday purse. And I have bigger purses that could hold quite a lot.

My purse has stored a headlamp for several years, which came in very handy walking home from work one night when a blackout hit my zip code.

With a long enough shoulder strap a purse can be carried very comfortably.

They don't look tactical, which I think is also an advantage.

And there are purses designed for concealed carry. I won't do that in DC but it would be appealing elsewhere.

I don't know how many women post on this forum but we could have an endless thread on purse options.

Just a couple of thoughts:

"Fashionable" might sound petty, but I suspect it isn't in this case. For a 20 something year old woman, looking sharp is part of being taken seriously in the business world. That's not petty, it's smart. For older folks such as myself, it doesn't matter as much, but it still matters a little. (Ok, for me it means not having holes in my clothes, but that's not the point here.)

UPSK - The whole point of the pocket survival kit is that this is what you have if you lose whatever bigger kit you had with you. It's SOP for traveling in the wilderness, and makes sense for an urban situation, too. I believe that's the premise of the thread.

Jeanette

I have a business satchel ... which be the male equivalent of your purse. I keep a number of simple survival items in the satchel, incl. useful day-to-day items such as my cell phone, keys, wallet. I usually also have a small multi-tool or a knife, and a small emergency flashlight (depending on where I am going). So yes, there's certainly the possibility of a small carry bag for a few daily essentials.

But I also keep a medium wilderness backpack behind the door in my office. No-one can see it there. It contains the essential stuff that will be really important in a natural disaster.

So perhaps it's possible for you to store a larger emergency bag in some location where you could access it during the day? You don't need to carry it continuously - you just need to be able to get to it if there's a real problem.

Pete

A backpack is better suited for a survival situation and in a survival situation I would want a backpack. How often would I face a survival situation, one day out of seven years? For the sake of this discussion, let's say seven years. There are 365 days in a year and 2,556 days in a seven-year period assuming there is one leap year in that seven-year period. Yes, for that one day, a backpack will come in handy. What about the other 2,555 days in which I have a 0.039% chance of needing a backpack? On those days how I present myself is more important than preparing for an event with a 0.039% chance.

Should I avoid any sort of preparedness because there is a 0.039% chance that something will happen? No. I buckle my seat belt every time I get in a car though I have never been in anything beyond a fender bender. It's called being reasonably prepared.


I don't remember what SOP stands for; I think we are on the same page. Should anything happen to my purse, I still would have a pocket kit in my pocket. I've got some good ideas for an Urban Pocket Survival Pack and I have room for a couple more ideas.

Jeanette Isabelle

SOP = Standard Operating Procedure

Jeanette & Others.

I'm not trying to beat up on anyone's "mini survival kit" here.

But let's look at it from my own situation. I live in Los Angeles. Guess what's going to happen if we get hit by the Big One (earthquake) out here? There's NO WAY that the US Gov't or FEMA can possibly get food and water to all the people in my city. It AIN'T happening. I expect our stores to be completely looted of all food, water & emergency supplies within 24 hours after the quake. I expect people to be running out of their basic supplies at home after 2-3 days. After that - it will start getting really nasty on the streets. Really nasty.

Why would people not have supplies ready? Same logic that Jeanette just explained. A real emergency is a very rare event. So it's incredibly tough to be ready for. People "want" to have an earthquke kit together, but almost none of them ever do. They cannot maintain the mental discipline to keep a high level of preparation active over a very long time. So they wind up minimizing their preparations -and then letting them go altogether. And tne net outcome - really nasty stuff WILL happen when things go to he** in a handbasket.

We need to be fashionable for real life.
But we need to be solid with preparations if things go wrong.
It's a tough game.

I'm totally in favor of having a small survival kit that anyone can pop into a purse or satchel. But if you give it a little deep thought - it's not enough. Real urban survival is a much tougher proposition than that. Those basic items I mentioned (warm fleece jacket, spare sneakers, quart of water, energy bars, flashlight) will give you a huge headstart on the survival process. They are bulky ... that is unavoidable. But it is a really good idea to tip the odds in your favor.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Pete

Women wearing heels are going to be so sorry.

Even my most diminutive sneakers -- Keds -- take up a lot of room in a briefcase, let alone a purse. I always have a coat appropriate to the weather -- be it casual or work attire. Plus a hat and gloves in winter.

Especially where bug out shoes are concerned, out of the building meetings to which one doesn't drive their own car are a conundrum. I can't take a backpack to a meeting.

Rockport has a line of womens Flats.

Ick. And would drain power from my power suits.

;-)

Of course people need to be prepared . . . on every level. A pocket kit is a backup, something to use when all else is gone. Take for example the #22 scalpel blade in Doug's Pocket Survival Pack: "First off, this is not a substitute for a real knife. However, an ultra-sharp blade such as this can be very useful and it serves as a back-up for your primary blade."

Yes I need supplies at home and yes I need my purse equipped within reason which is why I'm on the lookout for ways to further equip my purse while keeping weight and volume down. What if I'm away from home and my purse is gone? A pocket kit in my pocket, as ill equipped as it is, is my last line of defense.

Jeanette Isabelle

I want to let everyone know I went over this thread again.

Pete, why would I carry a pair of sneakers in my purse? Also, in separate thread, I have included a flashlight as part of my EDC. It's a 2AA LED MAG LITE. The advantage of an AA flashlight is that I can buy batteries at any place that sells batteries, including the convenience store around the corner. Furthermore lithium batteries come in size AA.

Though I don't believe I have mentioned this, I carry a .5L bottle of water in my purse. Also I always bring a jacket when there is an indication I may need it. I'd rather be too warm or carry my jacket under my arm than be too cool. The only thing you have mentioned which I don't EDC (yet) is an energy bar.

By the way, I added SPF 15 lip balm to my pocket kit after reading Doug's reviews of the various pocket kits.

Jeanette Isabelle

I think everyone has to remember that there is a huge difference between a natural disaster (earthquake, hurricane, tonradoe, etc) vs limited building collapses, whether from gas main break, terrorist attack, etc...and subway problems (train wreck, "smoke condition)...and blackouts. I have a BOB in my car (I need to revisit what's in it) plus water, Rescue tool, and first aid kit (including QuikClot) secured in the console next to the driver's seat of my car.

But I carry my EDC in my jacket or coat pocket all the time. It includes first aid, SAK, water carrier, etc. It's a tin a bit bigger than an Altoids tin. Holds a lot of goodies to help. If my arm gets sliced, at least I have Steri-strips and triple oitment. If I sustain some minor or even one major burn, I have some Burn Gel. If I sustain third-degree burns over half my body and no one's there to help, a BOB isn't going to help me. And in an urban scenario, it's very likely that you will lose your BOB or purse. If I'm running away from REAL danger, I'm ditching everything to get away. If I'm trapped underground because of an explosion, I want my mask, whistle, SAK, and flashlight--I want them in my pants or jacket. Not in a bag.

I also have an Altoids-sized Tool Tin with Leatherman Squirt, prybar and other assorted things. It can usually be on my person.

I wear walking shoes every day and have flats for the office if I ever have to use them--no high heels. If something happens, I know I can at least walk home comfortably--or run.

Kathy, good planning! May I sugest another pocket option: A well washed, orange cotton bandanna. Give it an intense hot dry ironing and fold it with the iron. Place it immeadiately in a new Gerber Breast Milk Bag and seal. Cover the bag edges with Gorilla Tape. Flat fold an additional meter of Gorilla Tape to about 4 inches. lightly tape the folded G Tape to the bagged bandanna. This gives you an almost sterile bandage/dust mask/signal flag/sucking chest wound, pocket kit that weighs almost nothing. This packet has served me well for years.

Yes, I carry a cotton bandanna (as opposed to silk, which some people suggest because it sops water better) with it. Good for all your reasons, including sopping water. The water carrier in my tin is a Lansinoh breast milk storage bag. Women gave it a thumbs up over Gerber--they say it is more resilient. And Lansinoh actually markets it as such. The idea of using it as the basis for a very clean "bandage" is outstanding! Also, I could see using something like that as the basis for a lightweight kit. My EDC tin is in an old first aid pouch so I can dump everything in it if I have to (the pouch also holds a facemask and 6' paracord); the tool tin is an a 4 x 7 Aloksak, so it's another water carrier and can handle hot water.

I can't assume that if I'm in an explosion or building collapse and end up below ground that bottles of Poland Spring will come with me. But there might be leaking pipes, maybe a coffee urn from the local deli ends up there, etc.

I'm not married to tins...I just think they can come in handy. You can leave them unattended to catch dripping water, make noise, dig if there's too much glass around and nothing else to dig with.

Kathy,

You live in Queens. What the heck could happen?

I work 10 to 14 hours a day in Manhattan, sometimes weekends too, and ride the subways constantly. That's what can happen.

Neither the Northridge quake (1994) or the Loma Prieta quake (1989)resulted in the doomsday scenario you envision. The largest quake to hit an US urban area, the 1906 San Francisco quake (somewhere around a 7.8) was a bit different. Martial law was declared and the army shot roughly 500 looters, some of whom may have been legitimate owners salvaging their own property. Refugee camps were established, including some temporary structures that resemble Katrina cottages, and remained in use for about two years. The 1906 quake was the largest insurance payout in US history until Katrina.

Some looting is an inevitable result of almost any incident, but it takes a really big event to trigger chaos. Historically, California does a pretty decent job of weathering catastrophes. San Francisco in 1906 had a population of just slightly over 400,000, so the next Richter 8 may have a much nastier effect on highly urbanized and heavily populated SoCAl. Maybe we will find out and maybe we won't.

Hikermore - those were minor earthquakes compared to the big one that is coming. A huge earthquake will affect millions and millions of people over a wide scale in So. California.

Next time you take an airplane out of Los Angeles, take a look at the density of housing. It goes for long, long distances in all directions. There are very few sources of fresh water in the L.A. basin, and those that do exist are not accessible to a lot of people. It is reasonable to expect that the scenario of looting, scavenging, and fighting could be very real.

I do believe that a lot of people will show some of the best traits in human nature. People will share food, water and meds. But it's also reasonable to expect the worst as well.

The smart strategy is to be as self-sufficient as possble - because it allows you (and your family) to stay off the streets as long as possible. Maintaining a good survival kit, with long-term food & water, is a vital way to do this.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Pete

JeanetteIsabelle: As I said earlier - the idea of a mini kit is fine. But you do need extra stuff if you really want to seriously improve your odds. Definitely you will need sneakers and a warm jacket (fleece is good). These things WON'T fit into your purse at all. Therefore, the strategy I am suggesting to you is that you pack these extra bulky items in a special (larger) bag and store it in a special location. You do not need to access this emergency bag daily, or even weekly. It can sit for months in your designated location - just so long as nobody messes it up. Therefore, a part of your survival strategy is to figure out WHERE to stash this emergency bag. Maybe you've got a friend who lives close to work? Maybe there's a locker you can get for free? Maybe there is some spare storage space somewhere at your work location - some place that you can lock and nobody cares about it. It will really help you if you can find your pwn personal storage spot.

UrbanKathy: You've got a lot of great ideas there. I use bandannas for a lot of purposes. They are great for head protection (do-rags), bandages, water filters, pressure dressings, providing flammable materials to start a fire, signalling, and - believe it or not - as a very effective self-defense tool. Carry on with the good work! Some time we need to start a separate thread to discuss how to find sources of drinking water in an urban environment. This is not a trivial undertaking. That's why it is REALLY helpful to have one (or two) quarts of clean water stashed away in a place that only you can access.

Pete

Pete. I really do not think we are communicating. Why would I need sneakers when I am able to walk from where work to home in the footwear I normally wear? Furthermore, as I said in my last post to you, "I always bring a jacket when there is an indication I may need it." Today I checked today's forecast as I normally do. Today's high temperature is 70°F. I most certainly need a jacket today. The jacket I'm wearing today is not a fleece jacket but it is ideal for today's weather.

Jeanette Isabelle

Jeanette: Perhaps you are already ready for anything that could happen during a 24-hr period. In that case you are perfectly fine. No problems - best wishes to you.
Pete

Kathy,
What part of Queens? I'm up in Bayside Hills

If I thought that I was prepared on every level I would not be asking about urban pocket kits.

Here is a brief refresher on what I have on different levels:

At home I have a couple of cases of bottled water, food which does not require cooking such as protein bars, a first aid kit and extra first aid supplies, battery powered radio, flashlight, spare batteries, and tools.

In my car I have one day's supply of bottled water, tools specific to repairs I know how to make on my car, a roadside kit which includes a small first aid kit and an escape tool. The escape tool has been relocated from the roadside kit to the pocket of the driver-side door and secured by placing a detailers' towel on top of it.

In my purse I have things like a checkbook, Ultralight .7 first aid kit, CPR mask, a .5L bottle of water, medications and certain other items typically found in a purse.

On my person I have clothing and footwear appropriate for that day's forecast, an FOX40 whistle, a pill fob with my anxiety medication, cell phone, medical ID bracelet, AA LED flashlight and a pocket kit (which is a work in progress). Sometimes I carry a .5L bottle of water in addition to the one I have in my purse.

Note: Earlier I carried a bigger flashlight in my purse. Now that I have a smaller flashlight on my person I find that I use it more often.

Jeanette Isabelle

Urban Kathy, my comment as to what can happen in Queens(?)was a feeble effort at humor by a New York suburbanite!

I am going to put my oar in the water on this one.

I have been following this thread closely. I check it almost every day. What I have gathered is there are variations on a theme in regards to the USK. After perusing this thread time and again, I believe the answer has been given in the form of all the options and insights put forth. I am thinking that a definitive list or answer is being requested. A few times there have been statements similar to "what I meant to ask" or "what I meant to say". I do not think there is a lack of communication. I believe it is just as mentioned earlier, there is not a definitive list posted by a single person. I have gleaned more than enough information from the recommendations to assemble a USK. Everyone has done a great job at bringing forth ideas and asking questions to further clarify the situation. This is an outstanding discussion. I have learned a lot. Thanks to everyone who has contributed.

My $.02

No problem. My first impulse was to say "not a heck of a lot happens in Queens" but decided to let people know where I'm coming from.

I've been revisiting this site off and on since 9/11. Have been to this site and many others over the years, but just recently registered here. We all realize by now that the "perfect" kit or combination of tools depends on our respective environments, among other things. I have a bad back (and am older...certainly older than 8 years ago!) so need to carry something light. I opted for the tin approach after trying Scott Vests with 64 pockets per square inch, go bags, light satchels, fanny packs. My back just can't take it. It's very true that ounces suddenly turn into pounds when you create a kit.

It's important to feel prepared on a psychological level. It helps keep a positive outlook if something does happen. I've attached the contents of my tins--it's what I'm comfortable with. Can I give myself first aid? Can I pry open a window or air conditioning duct? Will diarrhea get the best of me? I think I've attached 2 files here: the contents of my tins and a list of other uses for some of my items. They are pdf files. I apologize if they end up not being attached.

Very clever approach to the container selection (as a multy use item), UrbanKathy. Thank you for sharing!

So, it looks like the content of a pocket kit is pretty much covered for now. Let's share the pocket kit container ideas.

I'm thinking of a heavy modification of the stainless hip style flask like this:



(8oz)

It fits very well in my pockets (ScotteVest, jeans, other jackets). Very rigid, and most importantly (IMO) will allow to boil a decent amount of water. I plan to cut it about 1/2" from the top side and then weld/glue a tall steel lip around the bottom part's opening to accept the top part as a snug fit lid. With some means of hermetic closure (perhaps a gasket and some latch mechanism) I hope to keep the watertight flask function intact.

I know, a piece of aluminum foil is considered the classic ultimate pocket substitution for a boiling vessel. However my experience of carrying it in the pocket kit shows that it's too fragile for that. After a while it wears into holes along the folding lines and became almost useless.

I worked downtown on 9/11--we've since moved. After that I used to have a go bag with stuff aimed at about 2 days of being on my own (water, Mainstay bars, etc)--with no one taking me or anyone else in, having to stay in place somewhere unfamiliar. All sort of unlikely in NYC, but not 100% unlikely. Then when I realized I just couldn't carry the bag--even at a slow pace--I changed it a bit.

Now I have in a small bag (locked in my file cabinet in the office) holding a couple of extra bottles of water, candy bars that I like (I try to get things with the least amount of salt), a space blanket (just to keep my fanny from getting wet in the rain), poncho (rain, extra warmth), pair of socks, old pair of gloves, a "hygiene" ziplock bag to feel human--extra pair of underwear, makeup of course!, disposable toothbrush--you get the picture. Just as an fyi, it would take me 6 or 7 hours to walk home on hard pavement.

As much as I'd like to have more, it's just not possible. The good part is that since the 70s, every blackout I've been in, subway strike, smoke condition on the train (smoke condition according the NYC MTA means fire), 9/11, subway breakdowns, etc, the people of New York have been wonderful in helping out. Of course, of there's a dirty bomb, biological bomb...who knows what panic there would be. But in terms of my life until now, luckily these things have been rare. I'm actually concerned more with getting to and from work and having some tools to get out of an immediate jam.

That's a nice project. It would be very sturdy. If I had to boil water in my aluminum tins, I guess I'd be brain dead by the time I finished drinking it because of the stuff that comes out of aluminum (yes, I'm exagerating). And the water in the tins wouldn't fill a cavity in anyone's mouth!

So the top comes off and goes on the bottom, you make a new top that will be waterproof (gasket) and you put your items/tools in. Is that right? Then you maintain the flask by figuring out a way to reattach after you've dumped everything in your pockets? I don't mean to sound stupid, just want to make sure I have it right.

Is the flask heavy? I held one once and it was kind if heavy, but that might have been an old-fashioned one.

Jeanette: It looks like you're got a lot of good gear. I realized after my last post that there is a perfectly good place to stash bulky items that don't fit in a mini-survival kit ... your car. I mention that because that's exactly what I do. Of course, this solution assumes that you drive each day to work. If you don't, then that gear might be inaccessible in the daytime.

Pete

Let me add a helpful comment here.

In the old days I used to do the same thing as a lot of people ... compile a list of items that I thought would be helpful - or cool - to have in a survival kit. This approach could be termed the "itemized list" way of doing things. There is some value to this. Specifically, the itemized list method will help you to identify some critical items for your survival kit that you might otherwise have forgotten. For this reason alone, it's a valuable step to take.

Nowadays, however, I do not use the itemized list approach as my primary way of designing a survival kit. Instead I use a method that could be termed the "functional survival approach". It works along the following lines:

I identify the essential activities that will be needed to survive over the period of time that is required - for the environment where I will be located. These are simple things: travel (e.g. walking), food, water, shelter, medicine & first-aid, sleeping, clothing & staying warm/cool. Then I work through the steps that are required to effectively do each activity - and make sure I have sufficient essential equipment to accomplish the tasks. The functional approach takes more time - but is guaranteed to be more reliable because you are forced to ask yourself exactly HOW you are going to do things.

Let me pick one example: shelter in the urban environment

Shelter is not a trivial thing. It could be quite easy, but also could be quite difficult. If, for example, the emergency happens in the morning then you will have all day to walk home. Chances are that you can make it, and if you have comfortable footwear and a warm jacket (plus some water) then you may need no permanent shelter. But imagine instead that the emergency happens in the late evening, and you are faced with walking home at night through your city. In an urban environment this could still be fine - or it could be quite dangerous. So it is important to think through options on exactly how you would do this. Perhaps you realize that you actually need a place to sleep at work - your choice is not to travel at night. Or perhaps you realize that there is a friend who lives near work, and you need to use their apartment. In that case it would be helpful to make arrangements with your friend to be able to stay if needed. So in this case your need for "shelter" is satisfied by some smart advance planning. For women this is particularly important because you want to be able to guard your safety at night.

Other options are also available. You could simply decide to sleep in your car. You could lock the vehicle, so that provides some safety (better if you know the parking spot or the garage is safe from strangers). It would still be nice to have something warm to throw on when you doze inside your vehicle - so a spare blanket packed in your car could be very nice. Otherwise, you're left with a more challenging final option - you are going to find shelter somewhere out in the city in an impromptu location. It might be possible to hike to a local police station - they are likely to be coping with a lot of people who have the same problem. There might even be a place in the city assigned as temporary quarters for "lost people". Failing these options, you will need to establish a safe, warm place in the city to hole up out of the weather - and away from human predators. That is a much more challenging option - quite possibly one where you might wish to have a weapon for protection, or a location where you're guaranteed not to be disturbed. Again, it would be helpful to have something warm (warm clothes, or a blanket, or sleeping bag) for the night. A fire is also possible for warmth, but will be likely to reveal your location. So the challenge becomes to solve this problem NOW - while you've got time to do it. It is much harder to make good decisions when you are under the pressure of a real emergency.

So ... you can see the steps involved in the process. This is more time consuming - but allows you to realistically tackle the real problems you will face. The chance of a positive outcome is very much improved. Practically, what tends to happen is that you realize there is some way to set up things in advance to remove most of the serious difficulties.

---------------------------------------------------
TO SUMMARIZE:

If you want to really survive you need three things:

1. Survival equipment (or a kit)
2. A survival plan or strategy
3. Real survival skills

All three things are essential. Many people make the mistake of thinking that if they only have the first item (equipment) then they are done. But unless you are lucky and you only get into limited difficulties, this is not true. In addition, peope often make the mistake of thinking that if they read about a survival technique in a book (or see them on TV) - then they have a skill. This is not so. Real skills must be practiced. You are really only as good as the actual skills you can demonstrate in a practical situation.

The advantage of using the "functional survival" approach I mentioned above it that it will automatically lead you devise a plan or strategy - which will be suited to your own needs. After that, you can begin practicing the skills you really need.

Pete

All points well-taken

I have not read through this entire thread so please forgive me if this has already been discussed. With winter approaching (or already here depending on your area) I found an article here:
http://weather.about.com/od/winterweather/p/winterdeaths.htm
regarding causes of winter storm deaths. It may make you reconsider including fire-starting supplies in your urban kit. Also regardless of whether it's a wilderness or urban survival situation, our basic needs do not change. That said be VERY WARY of carbon monoxide. The quote can be found here:
http://www.justpeace.org/warmth.htm
that "People die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning when they fire up charcoal briquets inside the house to keep warm." Maybe someone else has an idea for an emergency heater that eliminates or minimizes the problem.

Looks like good sites. I'll take a look tonight. Thanks

In urban, big city, environments a backpack might look out of place and attract attention exactly when you most want to blend. Depends a lot on the the specific area you travel in. If there are schools or a community college in the are your likely to see backpacks fairly often.

Of course a backpack isn't your only option. Duffel or gym bags are pretty common if there are athletic facilities in the area. It might also disguise your survival kit, something they might want, as sweaty gym clothes, something they wouldn't be interested in.

Diaper bags, a stroller would be an interesting carrier, and the sort of large lunchboxes you see construction workers using are also options. Both are pretty commonly seen in urban areas and things people don't associate with having anything valuable inside. And you can mix and match. A duffel with a shoulder strap and a lunch box might work together.

Wrapping you kit in garbage bags and tossing them into a shopping cart, or one of those folding two-wheel carts, would blend in in most built-up areas. Particularly if the area is a bit run down. Add a scruffy floppy hat and OD green army jacket and your just another homeless guy. At home in any city.

Fitting your kit into cardboard boxes and place then on a common hand truck and your just another delivery guy. Just make a lot of turns to keep the sight line short. So no one notices that your traveling farther than any delivery person would.

In the past I tried to come up with an EDC kit that was urban oriented. Even though I do not live or work in a truly urban environment, I was still considering it to be an Urban Survival Kit. My intention was for this to be a basic kit for daily urban carry that I could add additional items to for wilderness carry. I considered my needs and came to a conclusion that regardless of the environment our basic human needs do not change, nor do your priorities in a survival situation; they are medical, shelter, warmth, water, signaling and food. Basically my urban survival kit became just another wilderness survival kit. Which at least in part explains why a modified PSP makes such good sense. All you need is to add a few urban specific items (I am thinking of LARGE urban area specific items, like a credit card, phone card, copies of id in case you lose your originals, and a metro card – whatever that is) while removing anything that may violate local laws.
However as Doug points out in his own materials for the Pocket Survival Pak more items are needed than just the PSP. His own suggestions are to add a knife, items for shelter, pocket flashlight, a first aid kit, items for water purification and carry, and personal meds. Point I am making (and others have made on this thread) is that an urban pocket survival pak on its own may not address all your needs in a survival situation, even an urban one. You can however augment its capabilities by carrying additional items in the kit or on your person. I think everyone has made some pretty good suggestions on what to carry/add for an urban survival kit. Also, based on your earlier post:

"At home I have ...

In my car I have ...

In my purse I have ...

On my person I have ..."

it sounds to me like you already have most things covered. The only other items you might add to your kit and/or pockets (if you haven’t already):

1. Coins to go with the cash (assuming you can still "drop a dime" for a phone call" or come across a vending machine)
2. Credit card (like those visa gift cards)
3. Other useful cards like a metro card if that is applicable
4. ID (copy of your driver’s license or id card, copy of social security card maybe)
5. Shelter items
6. Emergency water items (since you don't always carry the .5L water bottle on your person)
7. Extra batteries – Can you ALWAYS count on being able to buy extras at a store?
8. Bandanna
9. Dust mask (maybe you could leave this out if you include the bandanna)
10. Knife (if it is legal to carry – you may want to make sure the scalpel in the PSP won’t cause you any legal trouble as well)
11. Extra keys to car and home

I think most everyone else has mentioned items along these lines so no revelations here (I cheated and looked back through the thread and picked out what looked like the best suggested items ). Doug has pointed out, no single kit can “contain all the equipment or supplies you might need or want in an emergency.” In the end you have to evaluate your own needs, couple that with our suggestions and your own experience, and let us know what you come up with. Hope this helps. Jeanette, your thread has generated some thought-provoking discussion and made at least a few of us think more outside the box.

Kind of late to this thread, and haven't read all of it, but...
My iTouch, and therefore I assume the iPhone, has an app that functions as a scanner. Has many fire and police dept. channels on it. Not necessarily an AM/FM, but still useful. I need to have a WiFi hotspot to use it, but I would assume the iPhone wouldn't

Don't forget the ever reliable briefcase. I could carry mine quite a ways if slung on my shoulder. Its first cousin is the messenger bag, also easily portable.

You can always grab a grocery cart and be just another homeless person.

That's interesting. Here is the sites for those who have no iGadgets but can/want to listen to the EMS feeds on the internet too:
1. http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/
2. http://www.dxzone.com/catalog/Internet_and_Radio/Police_Scanners/
3. http://www.police-scanner.info/live-police-scanners.htm
Probably not all of them, but quite a long lists.

I have to say I that, as a newbie, I appreciate all the info and debate on this topic. Most of the other sites I visited were focused on hard-core, Armageddon, end of civilization scenarios. It is great to find a place that offers more practical information for the rest of us "Sheep," not just for "Sheepdogs."

A few weeks ago my department moved from a low-profile office building in an upscale suburban town only 15 minutes from home, to a huge, 40-story skyscraper in a major city that takes me 90 minutes by car and train each way. So my previous plan of keeping an emergency kit ready at home needed some adjustment.

My first reaction was to stuff enough tools and supplies into a daypack with my laptop and drag that back-and-forth every day. I'm doing this, but at 30 pounds and who knows how many cubic inches, I'm not sure all the Tylenol I could carry would help me make it home. Even if I could catch, gut and cook a fish or a squirrel or, more likely, a pigeon, I'm not sure that eating an animal that lives in an inner city or polluted river will aid in my survival, and I'm not sure I could find much dry wood to saw or hack for a campfire. Plus, as others have pointed out, a stuffed daypack will draw some attention and, if I have to go on-foot, I'm fairly certain I wouldn't make it through some of the unsavory neighborhoods I'd have to cross during the first 10 miles of my trek.

So now I'm adjusting my kit to try carry only the most essential items. I figure that with careful attention to purpose, I can carry 100% of what I would need to deal with 95% of possible disaster scenarios in one or two pockets. For the other 5%, I can keep bulky/heavy items in my desk with duplicates in my car, and grab them as appropriate before evacuating the disaster or use them for shelter-in-place. Then my biggest exposure would be when I visit other buildings traveling by foot or mass transit.

Some comments on other postings from experience:

1. Make a clear copy of the first page of your passport (the one with your photo and information on it) on one side of some heavy paper, and your driver's license and insurance ID on the other. Print your emergency medical (blood type, allergies, meds, contact lenses) and emergency contact numbers along the borders in red ink. Laminate this with 3/4" excess plastic on one side where you can punch a hole and run a lanyard through. It might not be accepted as positive ID, but it should serve in an emergency and it will help you get replacement ID faster than if you have nothing. And if you are found unconscious the medics will have some basic information.
2. Lots of companies make ID holders that go around your neck and can hold a passport. Some of the military/law-enforcement focused companies have an elastic strap on the back for pens, so you could easily put a small flashlight like the Fenix L0D, pen knife like the Victorinox Recruit, a Sharpie Marker and a USB memory key (see next). The Maxpedition Traveler seems to be a good, although expensive option. I would also stick my laminated ID card, emergency cash and spare debit card in the pouch and then put my work ID card over top so, through the window, all you would be able to see is my work ID. Carry it inside your shirt when you're in hostile territory and you might get to keep it when the more obvious items are "confiscated."
3. Carry your medical information on a USB memory key. There are outfits that sell memory keys specifically for this purpose, but you can use any memory key as long as you label it clearly. Some doctors will help you load and update the data, but for the most part you need to do it yourself with notes, scans of documents, test results, prescriptions, even X-Rays/MRI/Cat Scans if you can get them. But make sure you carefully secure the key to your ID holder or kit so you don't loose it. You can encrypt the data, but then you need to be conscious and coherent to tell the medical personnel how to get to the data. So this is most useful -- but most risky from a confidentiality perspective -- if the data is not encrypted.
4. A multi-tool is handy in a wide variety of situations, but few of them are important to your immediate survival. They are also bulky, heavy and expensive targets for anyone who might accost you during evacuation. I might keep one in my bag, but a more useful Pocket EDC tool would be a small Victorinox Recruit or similar, with a knife blade (albeit small), can opener and tweezers, or the Victorinox Sportsman, which is a bit thicker but adds an awl, nailfile, and corkscrew (for that all-important bottle of French survival wine).
5. In a disaster you cannot rely on your cell phone or any of the applets on it (such as GPS/Navigation, radio streams) that depend on either cellular or wifi services to be up-and-running. Cell towers may be destroyed, equipment shacks flooded, communications lines disrupted, power and backup systems fail, or the system can be overwhelmed by calls. I would not plan on relying on just a cell phone for news and information in lieu of a small AM/FM radio. The Sony ICF-S10MK2 is small, light and cheap, and is still available on sites like Amazon.com for around $10.00. I carry a SanDisk Sansa MP3 player with built-in FM radio that I've had for years, with presets for the powerful talk/news stations in my area (plus 16GB of music to listen to, when I'm not worried about running down the 30 hour battery).
6. A 15g pouch of Celox Clotting Granuals, a couple of non-stick gauze's or a trauma pad, a few band aids and some medical or duct tape looks to me the best an individual can do for self-repair short of a full trauma kit. Initially sold only to military, Celox is reputed to even stop arterial bleeding in a minute. Though expensive and difficult to find, this should improve as the manufacturer has started to focus on US consumer sales now.
7. A signal mirror might also be handy, not just for signaling, but seeing to repair any head or neck wounds.

I fear I've rambled for too long. Thanks again for the useful info. If there's any interest, I'll post the details on my kit when its finished. Right now I'm trying to figure out what to pack it in without making something myself (my sewing skills leave much to be desired).

Welcome. Watch out though, if you start carrying serious kit someone might mistake you for a sheepdog

Mark_M--

You're so right about listing the meds (there's another forum on that...you've probably seen it). After my Mom had her stroke, I created med cards for her and my Dad. They (and I) carry them in our wallets and leave them on their kitchen table. When my Mom had to go to the hospital a few years later, it was so nice to hand EMT the card. I'm good about updating them.

But it's now occurred to me that even though I don't take ongoing meds, EMT should know that anyway. I keep a business card in my EDC (which I always have) with a listing of phone numbers I might need if I lose my phone/PDA/pocketbook. Tonight I'm going to write on the face "No known allergies" and "No maintenance therapy." Also my blood type. It's just as important for them to know that.

I'd be afraid of carrying a copy of my passport and other documents. But after I read your post, I made a very good color copy of my driver's license. I'll laminate it and put it in the EDC in case I lose my wallet in an emergency. At least it looks somwhat official and might help. I wouldn't carry a USB with personal info unless it was encrypted--just too afraid of losing it. I carry them, but with programs and nonessential stuff.

I used to carry QuikClot and Kerlix but don't anymore (it's in my car, though). I'd rather be able to carry it on me than in a pocketbook. But I'm going to rethink that. I didn't realize they carry granules (per your Celox comment). In the urban scenario I've tried to prepare for, that's an absolute major plus as opposed to small first aid stuff. The granule packet might be a bit lighter than the QuikClot sponges.

Don't worry--you didn't ramble!

My son went on a trip with some classmates to Ecuador this summer to do volunteer work. One of the other parents works for the US Dept. of State, and as many parents had some concerns about safety and security, he arranged for a State Dept. security agent recently returned from Ecuador to explain the environment and what type of precautions should be taken, as well as how the State Dept would help in various scenarios.

The agent stressed the point to always carry copies of your passport, and to secure your original as best you can. If anyone asks for your passport -- from hotels to law enforcement -- give them the copy and explain you don't have your original on you. This will usually be accepted and you will go on your way. Conversely, if you give up your original passport it might be confiscated and held ransom (although this, he said, was less likely in Ecuador than other places).

Finally, he said if your original passport gets lost, stolen, held ransom, or whatever, if you have a copy the State Dept. will usually be able to verify your identity (including a comparison of your digitally-stored photo) and issue a temporary replacement on the same day, versus several days if you don't have a copy.

There's nothing on the ID page of my passport that isn't on my Driver's License except for the passport number itself. So I don't consider this any riskier than carrying my driver's license. But if I loose all other forms of ID, it is comforting to know I can make my way to a State Dept. office and get a new passport the same day. I could not do the same for my NJ driver's license -- I would first have to obtain the necessary 6-points of ID (of which a Passport is worth 4).

FYI: Kingston DataTraveler DTLocker+ is a USB key with 100% hardware-based AES-256 encryption and enforced password protection. If stolen, it will erase and reformat the contents after 10 failed password attempts.

The disadvantage is that you have to be coherent to tell someone how to access the data. A trade-off in emergency situations, but perhaps one you might consider. My company uses these and the more expensive, enterprise-focused SanDisk hardware-encrypted USB sticks and they work flawlessly.

Mark M, if you already have your emergency medical information on your person, I am just curious why you would also carry the USB with your medical information on it? Why risk it (from a confidentiality POV). Also if the emergency medical info is on your person, the need to be conscious would be less critical as the excess medical info would not necessarily need to be accessed right away, thus the USB info could be encrypted IMO. Am I missing anything else? Always learning, always taking notes .

We're a little off-topic here from the original post. But i'll add some remarks because the info could be useful to people who travel ...
-------------------
Mark M said: "The agent stressed the point to always carry copies of your passport, and to secure your original as best you can. If anyone asks for your passport -- from hotels to law enforcement -- give them the copy and explain you don't have your original on you. This will usually be accepted and you will go on your way. Conversely, if you give up your original passport it might be confiscated and held ransom (although this, he said, was less likely in Ecuador than other places).Finally, he said if your original passport gets lost, stolen, held ransom, or whatever, if you have a copy the State Dept. will usually be able to verify your identity (including a comparison of your digitally-stored photo) and issue a temporary replacement on the same day, versus several days if you don't have a copy."

MY COMMENT:
Very good advice!
I take teams of people overseas - sometimes to "problem areas" of the world. I routinely require people to have a photocopy of their passport, and airline tickets. They also need to carry some backup passport photo's, and there are a number of procedures in case people have delays while reaching their destination by air.

All this stuff paid off in a big way this last summer when of the ladies on my team lost her passport in the UK (I'm not sure if it was an accident or stolen). The US Consulate in London was able to produce a duplicate passport for her very quickly - because she had the photocopy of the original document PLUS the spare passport photo's. Naturally, it is very distressing to people to suddenly discover that their travel documents are completely missing when they are about to board a plane. But having the backup copies helps tremendously!!

Passports are often required by banks and money exchanges overseas during cash transactions. I doubt very seriously that these places would accept a copy of your passport. So you wind up having to carry the real thing - at least when doing formal activities (like checking into a hotel or exchanging money). You just need to be super-careful with your important documents, and double-check frequently that you've got them on your person.

Pete

Wow, that's good advice that I hadn't though of - I keep the photocopy when I travel, but its time to go get a fresh set of passport photos down at Kinkos/Fedex. Thanks Pete!

And by the way ... back to the medical info.

While I am intrigued by the possibility of carrying a USB key - I would not rely on that method at all. If you know that you have specific medical issues, get them stamped onto some sort of dog tag and wear it around your neck. The tag does not have to be big - get the writing done in a concise way, but still readable in English. It is always advisable to keep things as simple as possible for an emergency situation.

For example ...

"John Doe. Blood type O+. Allergic to penicillin. Suffers epileptic seizures."

Keep it that simple. It gets across the absolute basics - not your whole life story. Wear the dog tag around your neck - because any EMT who's got a shred of sense will check your neck first for a carotid pulse. Hopefully they will notice the tag at that time (or the hospital will later). You can always be selective about when your decide to wear the tag, and when you don't.

Pete

Here is a breakdown of my current situation. I drive to and from work which is less than two miles from home. As mentioned before, I dress according to that day's forecast and unless I am dressed for a formal occasion, I always wear shoes appropriate for walking. Therefore I can walk home from work in appropriate footwear if I need to. If there is a train derailment I may need to walk further as I have to cross the rail road to and from work. There are restaurants, a pharmacy and a convenience store near work.

When I'm shopping, I'm a few miles away from home or further. Once again I'm in my car.

When I'm with family or friends, I'm their car. Rarely are we in mine.

Sometimes I drive to the nearest bus or train station to use public transportation. That is when I am most venerable since all I have is what's on me or in my purse. I can't think of any remote location where I can store gear when using public transportation.

Jeanette Isabelle

The great part about being able to talk to other people is to improve your own knowledge and opinions. This forum and an open mind are wonderful resources.

On reflection, there's probably nothing beyond what I would print on an emergency medical card that would be needed in an urgent situation. So the use of an encrypted USB would be the right thing to do. I might go the extra step of telling the password to my emergency contacts so, if they were contacted, they could disclose the password under the right conditions.

Also, most people might not have anything to add to the USB stick that wouldn't be on their emergency card/ID. But what if you're a cancer patient or survivor? Or you have degenerative bone disease, lupus, HIV or cystic fibrosis? Wouldn't your treatment regimen and progress be useful to your treating physician after you are stabilized? Recent foreign travel to areas associated with particular diseases? Date of last tetanus booster? Past fractures, surgery or heart issues? I'm not a medical professional so I don't know what's relevant, but I know I have difficult remembering all the details of my medical history without referring to notes. And if I have to carry notes aren't they more susceptible to inappropriate disclosure than being on a USB key?

But, without getting into details, and for reasons not necessarily my own, I have a lot of interaction with hospitals, doctors, clinics and insurance companies. For longer-term care, the more medical history you can provide, the better your chances for success, both physically and financially.

In regards to confidentiality, in spite of HIPAA, there are still plenty of gaps in the system, mostly due to human error or indifference. But think of who you are trying to keep your medical history from and why?

• Certainly, you don't want your info posted on the Internet or in a newspaper, where any prospective employer or mate could access it without knowing all the details.
• Your insurance company already knows the info, and shares it with other insurance companies as part of their "coordination of benefits."
• Some conditions must be reported to local health departments and/or the CDC.
• Your prescription plan has much of your info.
• Many insurance companies off-shore or outsource processes to foreign locations where the rules and attitudes are different.
• In many case, particularly with larger employers, your employer IS the insurance company, and a firm like AETNA or United Healthcare or Medco are just "program administrators." In this case, your employer also knows your full medical history. And when mergers and divestitures occur, this information gets propagated, even if only incidentally via computer archives.
• In smaller companies its not too difficult to correlate the "aggregate, anonymized" activity data to specific employees.
• HIPAA notwithstanding, there are still plenty of confidentiality breaches due to human error, ignorance or indifference, or even intentional disregard of the law. I see it regularly, and I don't work in the health care field.

The reality is that, for most people, unless you are famous or the data was found locally in your community or at work, or the information shows you were treated for an STD from a 15 year-old prostitute in Bangkok or some other controversial condition, nobody would care and no harm would be done.

Since I'm not famous, not even within my own community, and I have no skeletons in my closet like underage hookers, (foreign or otherwise), I'm not as concerned about the confidentiality of my medical history as I am in my chances for survival.

Like you, I'm always listening with an open mind.

You are lucky to be so close to work, but in some ways this can also be a disadvantage. What if you live in a earthquake zone, or a location frequented by crippling snowstorms, tornadoes or hurricanes? Or if you live in a major city that's a potential target of terrorist or military attack? You might not be able or allowed to go home, or you might get there and find it's been destroyed.

I would make arrangements to leave a BOB at a relative's or friend's house further away, but still someplace you could get to reasonably, and then prepare my EDC with a goal of getting to that location.

Jeanette

If you are only 2 miles from home - then you are in great shape. You can walk home in about 30-40 minutes. Perhaps a little longer if you are tired or not feeling 100%.

Under these circumstances I can't see why you would need any elaborate equipment at work. And you don't have any of the concerns that I was hinting at in my longer post (earlier). It is simply far too easy - and logical - for you to just walk home at the earliest convenience during an emergency. You can store all your survival needs at home. All you really need at work is a small survival kit (which you've got), perhaps a small amount of water, a warm jacket, a small flashlight, and maybe a couple of bandages.

You are very fortunate compared to a lot of people. Out here in CA there are people who regularly commute 60-120 miles to work each day (that's one-way from work to home). You can see the kinds of odds they are up against in a real emergency if transportation methods get shut down.

cheers,
Pete

Now that we have established that some catastrophes occurring while I'm at work is not a problem for me, let's shift our focus on what would be a problem. In an earlier post I said: "Sometimes I drive to the nearest bus or train station to use public transportation. That is when I am most venerable since all I have is what's on me or in my purse. I can't think of any remote location where I can store gear when using public transportation."

When using public transportation, all I have is what is on me and in my purse. I have established that I dress according to that day's forecast. Jacket, check. I have established I always have a flashlight on me. Flashlight, check. I have established that I have an Ultralight .7 first aid kit, EMT sheers and a CPR mask in my purse. First aid kit, check. When using public transportation I have a .5L bottle of water in my purse and I carry a second .5L bottle of water. One liter of water, check.

I know I'm sounding like a broken vinyl media storage device but I do so in hopes to get across the preparations I have made and the issues I still face.

Jeanette Isabelle

As noted, you really want to think about the situations you are trying to prepare for and work from there.

I live in a suburban area, but work about 25 miles away in a downtown high-rise in earthquake country.

This is my EDC urban kit:

EDC Kit

Actually, I suppose I've made a few adjustments, but the kit is largely the same.

Obviously, you are interested in a much more streamlined kit. From that perspective, I'd try to keep it simple.

- Always have a good knife on your person.
- Always have light.
- Always have sensible shoes and clothes.
- Water.
- Water.
- Flat dust masks.
- Always have a means to make fire.

In reality, just these few items probably could serve you pretty well.

When thinking to expand, consider:

- Trauma bandage.
- Small roll duct tape.
- Small radio.
- Cell phone.
- Cord.
- Navigation assistance (map or GPS) if it makes sense.
- Gloves.

Extra credit:

- Small pry bar.

Remember dehydration is an enemy. Water is your friend. Also, a little fuel (food) can help keep your body moving. A Snickers bar or two in your bag might help you on the top of the curve.

If you are trying to keep this lean, remember high speed, low drag. What do you need to keep moving.

Then, think through what-if situations. Consider what you've picked. Consider the pros and cons. Would something else work better than a particular item?

Keep honing the list. Note the situations your gear doesn't help you.

Post the situation and list here for feedback. I did a lot of thinking about my first aid kit for example, then posted here. I got a lot of good feedback that helped me further refine the kit.

-john


Given what I can see of your list, I'd consider adding:

- Knife
- Trauma bandage
- Duct tape
- Couple of snacks
- Couple of fold flat dust masks
- Pair of well fitting leather gloves

I assume you also have a fully-charged cell phone and have your essential meds in the first aid kit. Most women I know keep everything (and I do mean everything) in their purse, which means if you get robbed you wind up with nothing. So I would suggest thinking about how you could carry some items separate from your purse, such as:

• The aforementioned or a separate flashlight
• A whistle
• Emergency cash and Debit Card
• Copy of ID
• Emergency contacts

Maybe you've considered these and dismissed them, but some other items to think about:

• Small mace/pepper spray (if legal)
• Swiss Army Executive knife (usually permitted where a larger knife won't)
• A card with some needles, thread and safety pins.
• A feminine napkin (can also be used as an improvised trauma pad).
• An energy bar, granola bar, Clif bar or similar.
• Chewing gum, breath mints or hard candy.
• Emergency poncho (the kind that folds-up real small take up almost no room)
• Flat-folding N95 mask
• Wet-Naps (good for more than washing your hands)
• Small notepad and pen/pencil
• Spare contacts/glasses

I'd also carry a small subway/street map because I'm not that familiar with most of the city.

I'm thinking scenarios like being stuck on an elevator or in the subway, or hit by an unexpectedly severe storm.

I have the following on me rather than in my purse:

Jeanette Isabelle

I assemebled a Pocket Urban Survival Kit before, from a 2oz tin, but I found it too bulky to carry everyday. It had duct tape, a swiss army classic, waterproof paper and penicl, mini bic, intant cloth pills, B12 vitamins, matches, purification tablets, water bag, whistle, foil, P-38, and razor blades.

Instead, I have a AMK Adventure First Aid 1.0 with,
Water purification tablets
Aluminum foil
Sewing kit
Safety pins
Water bag
Instant cloth pills
Along with assorted first aid items for treating minor injuries.

Survival Keychain,
House key
Pill fob with cotton tinder
Slim Rescue Howler
Streamlight Nano Light
P-38 can opener

In my jacket,
Gerber STL 2.0
Red Bic Mini (removed safety)
Duct tape (wrapped around cut down pen tube)
25ft of Paracord
AMK Heatsheets blanket

I figure these items, though not in a single survival kit, make a good urban/suburban system.

Hope this helps somewhat!

Nice Topaz. I'm just wondering why you would remove the safety.

Sorry, Topaz. I completely forgot how a Bic lighter worked pre-child resistant--always on.

I frequently see paracord in USK's. I have 50' of it in my USK. But I wonder what practical benefits paracord provides versus smaller 1/8" cord. Another thread (no pun intended) already dismissed its usefulness for climbing, rappeling or abseiling. I cannot envision needing to build a raft or a substantial shelter in an urban environment. It would seem to me that an equal length of 1/8" cord would be just as practical while taking up half the space.

In what urban situations do you envision where paracord would be necessary versus 1/8" cord?

Because paracord is really 8 stranded [cover plus 7 internal strands] it just gives you more options. You can use all or any of the strands to get the strength or diameter you think best.

Mark_M:

I haven't thought about 1/8" cord vs paracord--I just happened to have the paracord.

I'm thinking in general terms--making a belt of sorts if I need one or a shoulder strap. In a building collapse you often have stuck doors--very hard to pull the doorknob, and only one person at a time can try it. Maybe you could wrap the cord around the knob and a few people could pull at the same time. You could hold bandages in place. Might give you some leverage if you're climbing over things and need to latch on. Could wrap it around head to make an eyepatch. I think there are a lot of unintended uses that any good cord could handle.

I don't envision sewing with its innards or using as dental floss...although the dental floss aspect might actually help if you have a mouthful of dirt.

If you want to have fun, start a thread on survival uses of paracord!

Yes, and rubber bands and paper clips!

A laptop back pack would work well and provide for extra space for some of the other things. Add a power converter 12Vdc to 120, this can charge cell phone ect.
I would include a small pry bar, channel loc pliers, a couple of screwdrivers. This was part of my EDC at several of the offices that I have worked.

Rich