Four Things to Always Have With You at Work

I am looking for the original source for this information. IIRC, it was New York City, post 9/11. The items were a flashlight, whistle, bandana, and knife. I think it was discussed here, but search and Google site search did not find it. Any help is appreciated.

Maybe this thread started by Martin?

Those four are a cinch - so long as I have my purse. I always have at least two sets of flashlight-whistle-knife because those are on my house key neck lanyard as well as on my car key ring. There's always a bandanna in my purse.

My purse has gone to all meetings since the anthrax attacks which occurred a few weeks after 9/11.

I also have a firesteel-striker and tiny prybar on my car key ring.

for a rather inconspicuous package, a Leatherman juice s2 (or Vic Farmer),single cr123 Streamlight (110 lumen)light, metal whistle, and firesteel will fit in a generic multi tool pouch... bandana, and a couple of R95 or N95 masks (you could probably vacuum seal them into a pocketable size), and foldable water storage pouch (wallet)could easily round out the ensemble and not look out of place on the job

Knife is forbidden by Human Relations. (no matter how small - they seem to think somebody will hijack the building and take it to Cuba)

Got flashlights- one is on my neck lanyard. Have seen emergency lighting system fail to come on. Windowless building get REALLY dark then.

Recently my workdays have been spent in a large downtown office building. I have two flashlights, a locking folder (Ritter Minigrip) and a whistle on my person. Bandanna is in my laptop bag along with the rest of my commuter kit.

I don't keep a whistle on me, or a bandanna. But, I do have a pocket knife in my left front pocket and my keys in the right front pocket, and a flashlight is connected to the key ring.

Does a hanky count instead of a bandanna? I keep two of them in my left rear pants pocket.

I do have a whistle/compass/thermometer combo in the outer pouch of my lunch bag. I could get to it in the dark if I had to as it sits on my desk, as long as I was in my office when I needed it.

I couldn't do the bandana, but that's the easiest for me to improvise if I fail to bring one. It's correctly in the fourth position. Using that list, here's the order of priority for me:

1. Pocket knife
2. Flashlight
3. Whistle
4. Bandana

Is it wrong of me to ask about cell phone?

That message got brought home to me many years ago in a large (but old) downtown shopping mall. Built long before the modern passive skylight phase, when a storm knocked out power and their backup lighting failed. 12:30 in the afternoon, but you could not see your hand in front of your face inside that mall, but for my small keyring light.

This is one of the most essential parts of my EDC, and it's on my person or in arm's reach at all times, excepting only when I'm swimming or in the shower.

No matter how long you wait, you can't dark adapt to that much dark. My photon microlite let me find my way to my mini-maglite in my backpack.

The senior manager in the area didn't think I was being reasonable when I suggested that he have the area evacuated when Facilities was going to turn off ALL lighting AGAIN to troubleshoot. He thought everyone would be fine if they just didn't move.

He reinforced for me that your own safety is your own responsibility. (But visitors to this site already know that. :-)

Those four items would all be great if one of the potential threats you see is a building collapse (due to weather, mad bomber, etc.) But I don't see the bandana as being a routine requirement everywhere. Maybe not even the whistle. Flashlight and knife - yeah - I agree on that for sure. Those two items I use multiple times every single day. Not even requiring an emergency for me to need them.

I use scissors every day.

For those not allowed a knife, perhaps a cheap pair of EMT snips nearby?

They are the only things allowed off the ground in many ropes challenge courses. They still cut climbing rope and clothing but
less likely to accidentally cut a person or the WRONG rope if
the person slips.

Thanks Arney. That is it!

I believe that cell phones are a great tool. But they can stop working for a variety of reasons (some of which are beyond our control).

I did this drill with my local CERT group. Two found dead batteries in EDC flashlights (not mine). All of the women had whistles, none of the men (but they were in their go bags).

Thanks everyone for helping me source this for my group.

A whistle is very light with minimal bulk. While I don't use one often at all (most commonly to get someone's attention at the range) it's worth it to me to carry one all the time.

I find a bandanna to be incredibly versatile, and that is why one rides in my left rear pocket almost always. Situations vary..... I did have a whistle on my key ring, but took it off, putting it on a lanyard in my briefcase. It will be on body if deep in the woods. I also like to e close to some sort of fire making apparatus - my current favorite is a split pea lighter - it stands up to key ring carry quite well. And there is still room on my key ring for .....Keys!

I agree with the (?) regarding the bandana. I never carry one because I've never needed one. I could put my hands on an N95 mask and nitrile gloves faster than a bandana.

Knife, whistle and flashlight are easy. I can get to my EDC backpack with my eyes closed and it has those and much more.

I think a cell phone is a great addition; info,( news) contacts, emergency flashlight, apps, gps and more.

For me, telling me to carry a cell phone is like telling me to wear shoes. It's just there, but yeah I recognize its utility.

I've submitted this before, but it works so well for me and my family that I'm going to repeat it. In addition to a regular bandana or handkerchief , I take a well washed, standard size, yellow or orange, cotton bandana and press it with a very hot dry iron, folding it and pressing it to pocket size. I immediately slip it into a (sterile) Gerber Breast Milk Bag, press out the air with a flat book and seal it. I now have a nearly sterile bandage, dust mask, signal flag, sweatband,etc. I reinforce the bag edges with Gorilla Tape to foster pocket durability . Lastly, I make a four inch flat roll of forty inches of two inch Gorilla Tape and tape the flat pack to the bandana bag. This gives me tape for all the obvious uses and the possibility of making an effective chest seal bandage. It really packs amazingly flat and is almost weightless. It will also anchor your wallet in your front pocket and make pickpockets cringe. Try it. I think you'll like it!

I must've missed your prior posts on this, acropolis. Did you ever post a photo of what it looks like? I just ask because...so you just tape that pack of tape to the outside of the bag, or it goes in with the bandana before you seal it? If it's on the outside of the plastic bag, unless you cover all sides of it, seems like the edges of the tape bundle would catch on things in your pocket, potentially ripping the bag in the process, and also really build up some lint over time. Although, I guess maybe the "catching on things" angle is what you're referring to about helping prevent pick pockets, so in that case, it would be an advantage.

agree with all 4 but when it comes to knives what they dont know might save them......

Arny, I am fairly computer illiterate, so no picture at this time. I'll ask my son for some help on that score. Until then, let me try a word picture to answer your questions : Once the hot pressed bandana is sealed in the bag , I cover all four edges of the bag with 2"Gorilla Tape, overlapped about an inch over each edge. That leaves two clear plastic "windows", one on each flat side. I add a length of 2" wide G Tape down the middle of the window on one side, to add abrasion resistance. On the other side, I lay on the ~5" long flat roll of 40" of G Tape. It is placed down the middle of the window , like the reinforcing tape strip on the other side. I tape the flat roll onto the bag with 3 lengths of 1" G Tape, overlappingt the top and bottom of the roll and place one length in the middle. This makes the whole package fairly stiff on the vertical axis. It goes into my pocket , tape roll side towards my leg, my wallet on top of it . It anchors well. The package lasts for about six months to a year and then you do it over in a new bag . Lint or roll detachment has never been a problem , at least not until it would be recycled anyway. If I'm carrying an EDC bag, I'll have another bandana/ tape pack in the bag . Same for my wife's bag and my son's school backpack.

Thanks, acropolis. I think I can picture your set up now. Sounds like the whole package is pretty well taped up, except for that one "window" on the side opposite the tape roll. Neat idea.

After 9/11 I thought I saw,

1. N95 mask
2. swim goggles
3. light
4. ? gloves

Only four?
No way, and I mean No Way.

Cellphone. Be smart here and buy a high end smartphone. I've loaded compass, GPS and Swiss Army apps on mine. Very useful. Also make sure it has a torch function.

Key's. Two set's here. One to use and one lanyarded to you. Saves you a horrendous amount of grief if you loose/mislay a set

Cash money. How much is up to you. Take it as a given that the ATM always goes U/S at exactly the wrong moment.

Multitool. If it's a no-no for work, go work elsewere.

Torches. Always carry two. One to use, and one to not use. That way you always have a charged torch.

Lighter. The good old disposable Bic is first choice here. Again two. As above.

A small tin with basic med's, plasters etc is always useful.

Wow, Leigh, are you carrying a purse/man bag or something? I carry one, but it seems like most men don't.

Anyway yes, it's more than 4. However, I think the idea here is the top ranked 4 items without compromise for an urban environment. I'm thinking a lighter is not in the top 4 for an urban environment. I personally do not even consider a lighter to be a necessary survival item to carry for urban. For those who think otherwise, please explain how a lighter was an essential part of your survival in an urban environment.

Leigh,

I'd add a water bottle and some food bars.

tro

ireckon... it's really hard to light an Arturo Fuente Opus X Double Robusto with a LMF firesteel...

This is key for me, I don't really consider something to be an EDC item unless it's actually on my body.

This is especially true of the context we are talking about here; a true emergency during the work day isn't necessarily going to happen when I'm within arms reach of my bag. I might be out at the coffee shop, in a meeting room, on a different floor, running a quick errand or any other of a multitude of reasons that I may not be at my desk.

That's not to say I don't have a backpack that supplements my EDC which is available when I'm at my desk, but I realize that there is a decent chance that if something bad happens I may not have access to it.

Based on this, I think the initial list of flashlight, whistle, knife (or multi-tool) and bandanna (or, my preference, a Buff) is a good set of things to have on your person at all times. To this I'd add your keys and either money or transit fare to ensure that if you had to evacuate your workplace before going back to your desk that you could still get home easily.

might be a good idea if the bandana is made out of Nomex or other fire retardant cloth... IIRC back in my Scout days, we made a fire resistant solution of borax and boric acid to coat the cotton tents we were then using

In answer to your question:

Quite a large percentage of our readership live either in an environment where earthquakes are a daily fact of life, or there are other environmental factor's that make the ability to make fire essential. To me, the cost in terms of convenience is outweighed by the value of fire.

Ok, clarification. These are the item's that personal experience has taught me to carry.

Two is one, one is none. A good rule to work by.

Two sets of keys because that's common sense.
The torches are decent quality single cell AAA.
I use Bic's because they are by far away the most robust small, light, easily obtainable lighter on the market.
The Ouch kit stops me bleeding all over my desk. For some odd reason people find that distressing. Peculiar, but there you go.

Leigh, I was sincerely wondering how you carry all these items on your person. Do you carry them in your pocket, or do you carry a purse/man bag always, even while going to the other floor to get some coffee?

I personally carry a man bag always, even while I'm sitting at my desk. It's a small bag. I hate carrying stuff in my pockets. All the stuff I want on me won't fit in my pockets anyway. So, man bag it is. Plus, I don't have to unload all my items at the end of the day, only to reload the next day in new pants.

I can see how you can easily carry this. I don't always have the FAK on my person but everything else is easy to carry. A add a bandana in one pocket too, which can address the FAK needs in the short term, depending on the issue.

My work EDC is similar:

(Wrist) Digital watch
(Wrist) Paracord bracelet
(Belt) Leatherman - maglite solitare , ferro rod & striker, cotton balls and jute twine (all in LM sheath) *I often carry a spare AAA for the light instead of a ferro rod in an urban vs wilderness environment
(Belt) Cell Phone - cash, ID and bank card in carrying case
(Neck) Photon - on paracord lanyard around my neck
(Pants pocket) Mini BIC
(Pants pocket) Bandana
(Pants pocket or belt) Keys - home/office/jeep/hubby's tuck on paracord lanyard with SAK, fauxton, fox40 (these sometimes get left at my desk but not the key to my Jeep. It gets detached an put in a pocket if the key chain is left behind)

One extended corporate fire alarm in the middle of winter taught me to keep the basics on me, including a sweater in cold weather.

Why a bandana? Think smoke/fumes, blood/bodily fluids, other first aid, improvised hat, signalling....

Why fire? Mostly habit I guess, when it comes to urban carry, but I do use it for things like melting the ends of my kid's broken shoelaces, a quick light source, lighting candles, etc.

FAK in wallet...I carry a tri fold nylon wallet with velcro closure, so is somewhat adaptable...I've pared the contents to....
water pouch (vacuum sealer bag)
4 water purification tabs
sealed 2x2 bloodstopper gauze
2 2x2 non adherent pads
2 cloth knuckle bandaids
2' duct tape

without adding too much bulk

a 4 x 2 1/2 x 1 generic multi tool pouch holds small Leatherman,Streamlight 110 lumen, fire steel, hacksaw blade, needle, safety pins...slightly wider or thinner material and the Bic would fit also (was replaced by the Streamlight)

key ring...P38,Fenix E01,brass whistle, and a pill fob for aspirin, immodium, ibuprofen

I carry a larger axis lock Benchmade in front pocket, and older Motorola Razr phone on belt...

the additional multi tool pouch is not too obtrusive in a workplace...much less than a pocket clip from a folder would have been in a public high school

. . .so where am I working today? I agree with Leigh; the list is way longer than four. If that is the limit for this academic discussion, then I reserve the right to have a different list of four things for each of my various work environments and some gear is assumed and not listed.

I get the impression that some peeps live in normally very safe office environments where a paper cut is a big deal. My typical carry has way more than four and it isn't necessarily my decision. To get down to four I'd need to dump stuff required for the job; even then some things are assumed even though they aren't listed. Is this like four things in addition to wallet (cash & ID), keys, locking folder and cell-phone?

I don't work in an office environment and I typically carry a lot of stuff.
Depending on where work is today I may be carrying/wearing or have ready access (within arms reach) of:
Flying:
* Nomex flight suit
* Aviation survival vest
* flight bag which contains:
-- radio headset (attached to both UHF and one VHF radios)
-- ear plugs (under the headset)
-- leather/nomex flight gloves
-- multiple LED flashlights
-- multi-tool

Not flying:
* leather gloves
* ear plugs + outer ear muffs
* multi-tool
* 1xAA LED flashlight

My truck and its kits are a short walk away in the parking lot.

Folks concerned about which four items to carry should think about whether their work environment is safe My work environment is not inherently safe and no one calls OSHA

Stop worrying about arbitrary lists and just carry what you think is appropriate for whatever likely possibilities. When whatever hits you will wish you had a lot more.

This is what I consider my office/urban EDC:

• Front right pocket: Leatherman Skeletool CX
• Front left pocket: keys w/ slimmed down Fox40 & Fenix E01
• Rear left pocket: Buff
• Rear right pocket: wallet w/ band-aids (one large, a couple regular), duct tape, spare house key, P-51, safety pins, magnifying lens, extra transit ticket
• Belt: iPhone
• Wrist: analogue watch

I am usually in corporate office environments and the only aspect of this EDC which is somewhat uncommon, but noticeable is the Skeletool clipped to my pocket.

For carrying my keyring in a non-obtrusive & comfortable manner I've started looping a small, black lanyard around my belt with the keys clipped to the end on a small carabiner. It is barely visible, unlike my old method of clipping the carabiner to my belt loop, but is still comfortable because it keeps things from laying in a bunch on the bottom of the pocket.

Also, fire is conspicuously missing from this list. I used to have a mini-Bic in a pocket too, but am considering getting a split-pea lighter to add to the keyring.

And while I have some redundancy and additional items available in the backpack I take to & from work I don't consider them to be EDC items because they are not always with me.

Looking at the original post, I think this topic is specifically aimed at office workers in an urban setting.

Really, I think the question is what items can the average office worker put in their pockets that would help them if some sort of local disaster strikes while they are at work - be it a building fire, earthquake, terrorist attack, etc.

Given this, I think 4 is a reasonable number of items, though I don't think the question necessarily constrains answers to that. For myself, I think the constraint is more what items would be helpful yet can be carried inconspicuously and comfortably while wearing typical corporate attire.

I have found that when the rules provide for an insufficient answer, you need to consider changing the rules. Is four a real limit or is it self-imposed? Many limits are self-imposed and are not rules at all.

As an academic discussion setting a limit of four is fine, but once it goes beyond academia and into the real world, arbitrary limits need to be dumped. I find it better to dump the limits early and just prioritize. FWIW

While I agree with your sentiment, without reading too much into the original post hopefully, I think the unasked question is really more along the lines of: What items could the average urban office worker carry on their person that would be helpful in the case of a local disaster, but at the same time could be carried inconspicuously and comfortably while wearing typical corporate attire?

I also assumed we could exclude from this answer things that your average worker would have anyway, like a cellphone or a wallet.

It just so happens the original poster recalled a post that answered this question with a list comprised of four items, and was searching for that. That said, I don't really find fault with the answer to this question being four items; a flashlight, whistle, multi-tool, and a bandanna/Buff seem to be reasonable to me given the intent.

I guess part of this too is we've jumped in to discussing what the best answer is to a question that no one actually asked

Bingo! LOL, the thread just started with trying to find an old post that mentioned those particular four items. KI6IW never actually asked folks what their four things would be.

OK, Russ, I vote that anyone that needs to wear Nomex to work every day can deviate from the 4 original items.

lol -- Just the items in the flight suit would take me over the limit; the gear in the vest is way over the top. We know it's not safe so we dress for it.

My point (if I have a point) is that sometimes you are better off being prepared in an unsafe environment than working in a relative safe office with "rules".

The question is in the title of the thread. I find the limit of four to be a much more useful and interesting exercise for me personally. If the limit here were two things, then it would be a knife and a flashlight, and frankly I wouldn't feel too unequipped. These two items prove their weight in gold at least once a week. We already have plenty of threads about everyday carry where people list off everything without limits. Those threads are not that useful for me in my urban environment because I prefer to travel lightly, or rather ultra-lightly whenever possible.

I work from a home office and occasionally go into downtown for meetings in large buildings. I wear business attire. I have to make a decision on every single piece of gear. I often take the train (BART) into downtown, and I'm walking here and there, changing trains, etc.

I can't carry every "just in case" item, and I don't have room for too many backups. For example, I only have room for one set of keys and maybe one spare key for my car. I used to carry a spare plastic car key, but it broke inside my car door when I needed it most. (I won't be getting one of those again.) I don't have room for a lighter, or it's more like I don't feel I need a lighter. I have room for a knife or a multi-tool, but not both. I do carry a single AA flashlight and a fauxton light. I "use" the fauxton and keep the flashlight fresh. I carry a whistle, but have never used it in an urban environment, even though I've had opportunities. I understand the need for a bandana, but I no longer carry one. I'm talking ultra-light and compact here, and decisions have to be made. Anyway, if I really need a bandana, I can make something with the help of my knife.

Of course, my limits are self-imposed, but I'm of the mindset that being light, maneuverable, and inconspicuous is also quite valuable for survival in an urban environment. Traveling light also has an added perk of NOT being the biggest target of beggars. I am confident in my ability to improvise something out of nothing. I've done it several times in the past, and I'll do it again if the need arises. I can't even get close to carrying everything I'd like to have anyway.

Go work elsewhere if you can't carry a multi-tool? Theres some solid advice folks. Nothing like getting carried away with the whole EDC thing.

I like to say I am as "prepared" as the next guy, but to laynard a second set of keys to my body or carry a flashlight to use, and one "not to use" is a bit over the top for normal everyday life IMO. It's a wonder some of us can walk around the corner to check the mail without a tac vest full of supplies.

A bandana wouldn't protect from either of those things very well IMO. Firt aid, yes I could see the utility there for a sling or whatever but in an urban setting it should be easy enough to improvise using other materials. Signalling maybe, but any bright colored clothing would do the same thing.

Under what circumstances would you need to improvise a hat in an urban setting ?

My usual EDC list would include:

- Iphone 4 with mophie case (extra battery charge)
- wallet with ID, Cash, a couple of knuckle bandages
- Leatherman skeletool
- E01 AAA flashlight
- storm lighter with few feet of gorilla tape wrapped around it
- write in the rain pen
- sunglasses
- keys

If I am at work I may carry a Leatherman surge instead of the skeletool, a solid pair of work gloves depinding on the days activities, a write in the rain note pad and a larger/brighter flashlight instead of the EO1. Everything else I could wish for is in my locker or my truck which is'nt very far away.

If I need it and I don't have it I will improvise with what I have available to me. If I can't do that I will simply make do without.

You're probably right about using it as a mask, but it would buy me time to get to a proper mask, or out of the building, in the event of a fire or chemical spill. The warehouse I work in is small and my Jeep is parked right outside so I'm not thinking about hours, but rather minutes.

Good point about clothing. That's a another layer of preparedness that hasn't come up in this thread but, I figure if the remote possibility came up that I was trapped and needed to signal, I'd either be able to improvise something or I'd be trapped and unable to move. Grabbing a bandana from my pocket might be the only option. Very remote but something to think consider when you work in an industrial complex.

A hat? Not likely. One of our Scouts made one out of tin foil this weekend so it's at the front of my brain. I keep a hat close at hand, if not on my head. How about fire alarm + blazing sun + ill co-worker? Leaky fire repression system after the nuke alarm goes off? Belief that the bosses are using mind-control devices?

True, You could take the time to whip out the bandana and tie it around your nose as a temporary mask ...or

you could reach down, grab the top of your shirt collar and pull it up over your nose. Volia, you now have a piece of cloth over your mouth and nose serving the same purpose as the bandana would have in a fraction of the time. Breathing through your shirt would be equally effective (or ineffective as it were)

Unless the ladies don't wear shirts where you work. In that case let me know where it is and I will swing by to drop off a resume

Seriously though, to each their own but I have always viewed a bandana as one of those things people always think they need but never really find a practical use for. Almost like it's taboo to not carry one because all the "survival experts" will make fun of you if you don't. I wonder has anyone used one for anything other than wiping sweat off themselves? Personally I think a pair of gloves would be much better to pack in a pocket if you insist on using the space. If you think about it, a bandana should be the easiest piece of gear in the world to improvise from your urban surroundings if you did suddenly need one. Simply find some cloth and cut to size.

Hey, I just noticed you are from Ontario Jack. I just sold my house in Alberta and will be moving there in a few weeks. Maybe I will see you out on the trails.

That's one reason I carry a Buff instead of a regular bandanna. I have used it several times, but always as a clothing supplement - do-rag, watch cap, neck gaiter, balaclava, etc. I find the Buff is much easier to use in this capacity than a bandanna.

Here is a demo of the Buff for those unfamiliar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQAKQ0y87d0

I have spent more than 30 years doing a great deal of out door work and I have found a hundred uses for a bandana, including as a mask, for dust though. I do not think it would help much in a chemical contamination situation. You are right that it is easy to improvise, but it always seems that if you don't bring it, you won't have it. A bandana takes up little room and weighs almost nothing. I generally use a triangular bandage as a bandana, but I do like to have a larger one at times.

Just talking about scenarios where there is contamination, I have experimented with a clear plastic bag. If you have clean air to fill it with, you can put it over your head and breath safely for more than a minute, keeping a tight seal around your neck. I know how this sounds, but I tried it and it works for a short time. Maybe enough to escape to a safer environment.

Mommy always told me to never do that.

Hmmm, if we ignore Mommy's advice, think of the possibilities with one of those big plastic dry cleaning bags!

Ugh, sorry, I haven't had my morning coffee yet...

Seriously, it's a good idea in certain situations, if it comes to that. Better than getting a big whiff of tear gas or anthrax spores or whatever, until I can hightail it out of immediate danger. Think about many of those smoke or "escape" hoods on the market--many are essentially a plastic bag you put over your head, except these have a way to breathe through them (I'm being safe, Mom, really!)

LOL! That wouldn't be pretty.



I used mine this past weekend, actually, when one of my Cub Scouts got a gash on her leg at camp and my FAK was a little walk away. Grabbed by banadana and water bottle water and cleaned her right up. Put a little pressure on while someone else brought the kit. It wasn't bad enough to need to stitches, so far from an emergency, but it stopped the tears quickly.



Cool! Hopefully this heat wave will clear out before you get here. It's 45C with the humidex, or some such nonesense, right now.

Ahhh yes, I agree that some may indeed find use for a bandana in the outdoors, but the topic was related to things to always have at work.

I suppose it depends where you work, but in most urban settings the space may be better used. Just an opinion of course. I find it equally as odd when people list a fire steel high on the list of urban survival tools.

After dealing with -50 deg cel winters I won't mind a bit of heat.

If you don't mind Jack. I may send you a PM when I am settled to get some intel on good trails in the area. Assuming you are anywhere close to where I will be living anyway.

Take care

Three different ways of charging my phone, wall charger, car and battery pack. Most useful.

When I walk from one building to the next at my job or outside in my yard (threat level zero), all I have with me are what is in my pockets: cell phone and key chain with a Fox 40 Classic and my anxiety medication in a pill fob.

Jeanette Isabelle

.

I could totally go for some of that winter right now. I much prefer winter to summer. You can always warm up but coooling down isn't so easy some times.

It would be my pleasure, Stephen. I don't know 'em all but do know a lot of people throughout the province who'd gladly pass on their sage advice.

Yes, that was me who started it. And I still have all of those items on my person at all times.

Knife problem solved:

http://www.swisstechtools.com/proddetail.aspx?pid=5

Let's just say that I know they aren't great, but mine has a lot of frequent flier miles on it.

Well, it's certainly compact enough.

Glad you found the info and brought it back to our attention.

Nice exercise, I had everything on my person except the whistle, and had other things on my person that weren't on the list - billfold, cell phone, lighter, keys (office and home/car), and antacids.

I read this exercise a bit differently than others did. I read it as "4 things to ALWAYS have with you ..." NOT "4 things to ONLY have with you ..." . I see no reason why you can't have other stuff on or with you as your work, environment, etc requires, just to make sure you always have access to at least these 4 items. And yes a bandana is a VERY useful item, useful enough to make sure you have one on your person in places other than at work (one of mine was recently donated to an overheated spectator at a civil war reenactment - a dip in a cooler full of ice water and careful application helped cool them down ... we had to leave so I did not ask for the bandana back on that occasion). It can be improvised, but it takes up so little space and adds hardly any weight, why should I put myself in a situation where I have to.

I should have seen this also which would eliminate the self-imposed limitations argument. This establishes a minimum carry, not an artificial/arbitrary limit.

I'm pretty sure I remember the original article that KI6IW was looking for (but I can't find a link). If I'm right, it was more historical rather than speculative: what items were most useful during 9/11? Except the answer I remember had a dust mask rather than a bandanna. Dust was apparently a big problem.

Other items, such as gloves, might be useful in the next building collapse, but just weren't identified as being needed in that one.

Few things. I work as a FF in a city and cover highrises,a bandana could be very usefull imho. dusk mask for sure and hands free as opposed to holding your shirt collar over your nose as you run,crawl,climb etc.

Also a good door stop right? stairway doors lock behind you once you enter, thats it till the ground floor, well what if your not sure of conditons in the stairway and don't want to be locked in just yet ? Well plug the latch hole with the bandana and check things out. Beats using a shoe...I've pulled people out of stairways laying face down sucking air ? dirt off the floor, bet they'd like a bandana.

I use mine a lot for day to day stuff, wiping sweat, drying off chairs,covering my bald head from the sun from time to time, works as gauze in a pinch. keeps my 1 cell light from rolling out of my pocket now as i carry them togather.

The biggest thing is to learn your highrise. Do your doors lock behind you in the stairways? What are the stairways called? A/B North/South 1/2 ? you need to know as the FD will assign one for attack and one for escape, although you may have to use whats close. Do they have smoke towers in them ?

If a firm has many floors do they have private stairways between their own floors ? That could be a lifesaver.
Does your build use a vanity address? You can call your building " One Union Square" but if the real address is 666 Skidrow,well it would be nice to tell 911 that one.

Years ago Chicago FD drove around not finding the address given for a highrise fire because of this.

For the naysayers on the bandana/N95...

I was working in engineering dept for a hospital 7-8 blocks from ground zero. We had close to thousand people come in first day when towers fell for dust/debris inhalation issues.
Simple disposable N95, handkerchief or bandana would have alleviated a lot of that.
I carry both in my little EDC bag.

As an aside: First day we had a 2" accumulation of dirt and debris over all our rooftop HVAC equipment. Prior to this one of our mechanics had a great idea to put hospital sheets over all the air handling, prevented clogged filters and helped keep equipment running.

I'm not a naysayer on the bandana. I understand its importance. However, I feel like a bandana is not that difficult to replicate by using my knife and the clothing on me. Of the 4 things mentioned here, the bandana is priority #4 for me.

For those who could not replicate a bandana from a knife and their clothing (or somebody's clothing, a drape, or anything similar), then carrying a bandana would be useless for survival anyway. They would forget why their significant other packed it in their bag. A minimal level of creativity and skill is required in an extremely unusual disaster like 911.

I wonder how many people died in 911 because they were stuck below rubble without a whistle while nobody could hear their voice, or without a flashlight to see a passageway out. I guess we'll never know, but the number of people who died this way has got to be more than zero.

I would much rather EDC a bandanna instead of cutting my clothing regardless of the reason and circumstances....

Me too...that's not my point. Let me put this another way. Of the four things mentioned, the bandana is the only thing that can be improvised relatively easily. A knife, a flashlight, and a whistle cannot. No, forming a whistle with your mouth and/or fingers is not a substitute for a plastic/metal whistle. The human whistle uses about 10 times more energy.

It's seems to me people are excited about a bandana because it's a non-obvious item on the list, and it does have use. However, it's still not in the same league as the other three.

I'm going to interpret this as "Four things to always have on your person in addition to typical daily ballast". Typical daily ballast is what most people have on them: watch, wallet, keys, and cell phone.

1) Flashlight - No working streetlight and the glare from passing cars kills your night vision. Not to mention most bathrooms don't have emergency lighting. You haven't lived until the lights go out while you're on the john.
2) SAK or MT - Being able to cut things is good, but a knife isn't a screwdriver or a bottle opener. Urban setting means more mechanization. Carry the correct tools for it.
3) Whistle or alarm - No argument. It's better than screaming and makes for cool keychain bling.
4) Pen and pad - Don't count on decent recall when you're stressed or tired. Remember all those history tests you blanked on? If it's important; write it down.

EDIT

As far as the no-knife workplaces: How do they feel about bladeless/scissors only multitools? Will they accept it on the technicality that there are no cutting edges or piercing points, or is it a blanket ban on personal tools?

Smartphone with USB cable, multitool, bandana, 50ft paracord.

I always had a phone with me. It was part of my job...

For sake of my sanity at work I always had my tablet and/or kindle, various chargers, cables.

swiss-tool, and pill fob on keychain.
Leatherman squirt Ps4
Lighter (Refillable Butane)
Quick release paracord bracelet w/ Whistle
Flashlight
Bandana
16GB usb key

Here's my two cents on bandanas. You can use it in a lot of ways, even when your not at your 100%, meaning no fuss or extra work required. Cutting up your shirt, pants can leave your skin exposed to sun, cuts, burns, etc.. If I have room, I keep on with me.

Somewhat related aside:

You know how you can watch 1 YouTube video, then follow a rabbit trail of related or semi-related YouTube links? Yesterday I found myself watching some of the raw World Trade Center footage from 9/11. Haven't done that in a long time.

It got to me. I thought of those people. Many were FUBAR-ed no matter what they did or carried. But how many would have made it out alive if they were more tuned in to the kind of thinking on this thread?

It saddened me.

The thread title calls for things that are "with you", not necessarily "on you". In that spirit some thoughts:

I agree on the knife, but a prybar or mechanical lever seems nearly as useful.

Heavy-duty gloves ought to be there somewhere.

I don't do the bandanna and do an N95 mask instead. I wear a vest and have room for a 3M folding N95 on my person but don't carry it since I'm concerned that constant flexure would harm the mask.

Goggles? If I don't want to breath it I probably don't want it in my eyes.

For some people keeping a set of safety footwear at work may be a good idea, i.e., something you'd wear walking across debris-strewn concrete, soft mud, and anything in-between.

This may seem excessive but I have a cheap AC voltage detector in the safety kit. If there's a bad storm that knocks down wires I can safely tell if they're live.

PS. I sure seem fixated on body protection. I should probably start with a list of firefighter's gear and work back to practicality from there.

No. No you can't. Assume that all downed wires are live until the power utility or fire department tells you otherwise. Your voltage detector will not be able to reliably tell if a wire is live before you get close enough to get shocked.

But why "Four Things" then? I'm hauling a 30 pound wheel bag (transformable to the backpack) to work everyday. Does that count a s 1 item? It contains hundreds of urban survival items though.

With 110v AC I seem to get about an inch away when the alarm starts, when sensitivity is turned up.

Better yet, Extech sells some where the probe is on a 3' insulated extendible stalk.

I probably shouldn't have mentioned it because it is way-out-there risky, certainly not anything I'd do except as last resort. But I have the tool and store it with the emergency gear, just in case...

PS. And, dead wires may not stay dead...

Under no circumstances should a homeowner attempt to verify whether a downed power line is energized or not.

The safe minimum distance is at least 10'. And 10' may not even be enough distance under some circumstances. So stay even farther away than 10' if you can. You NEVER want to hold and extend an object of any kind toward a potentially energized power line. It is possible that by doing this you could become a path to ground, and get electrocuted.

Call 911 in these situations. If you can't get through to 911, your best option is to put up a barricade, florescent tape, or cones to keep people a safe distance away from the danger. Then keep trying to get in touch with emergency services, power company, etc.

I cannot fathom a last resort for which this tool is appropriate for a downed power line. My suggestion is that you remove it from your kit.



Very true.



Ten feet should be considered the absolute minimum, and if the power wire is near standing water or anything made of metal give the same respect and clearance to those things.

The 10' rule you are referring too is for the downed high voltage power main (a wire lying on the street coming off the pole). Regular 110V wires in the house are safe enough to test with a voltage detector. I have been testing the 220V lines with my bare hand just making sure I'm not grounded by any other part of my body. I have such a voltage detector in my GHB kit now.

What bugs me a lot in this country is that it is impossible to find a proper pair of gloves certified for electrical work at any hardware store around. Does Americans are so scared of electricity?