What materials do you have on your person RIGHT NOW, or within reach, that could help you survive should a relevant emergency occur? I.E. fire, earthquake, tornado, flood, hostile aggression,civil unrest, medical emergency, etc. How could your personal skills, professional or otherwise, contribute to a solution? <br><br>

Good question... let's see; lighter, pocket first aid kit, sewing kit, swiss army knife, leatherman scissors, photon light, nail clippers, car keys, not as much money as I would like, that's about it.<br><br>T. fisher<br><br>

Right now Im at this computer.It's on a antique table I can duck under when the next earthquake comes.there is a 21/2gallon water jug and and whistle underneath.My old five screw model 10 is loaded with 200grain super police so I wont hit my nieghbors two walls away.My rucksack is loaded,pocket tins in my coat and my car(parked away from buildings)has additional food and water,blankets and first aid kit out of sight(nobody steals 17y/o Volvos).<br><br>

I have a fully equiped becker patrol pack, rechargable fire extinguisher, Chris Reeves Project one, Gerber legend 800 multi tool, 50 gallons of fresh water, over 100 MRE's,vast medical supplies,M1A1 with night scope and day MIL Dot scope,water purification system,duel fuel stove and lantern,Colt combat commander and a 12 pack of ice cold Foster Lager.<br>Ranger.<br><br>Ranger.<br>The older I get, The better I was.

hi Chris,<br>Please don't dive UNDER your desk in an earthquake. People who are under things in earthquakes get crushed to death. People who are BESIDE things survive in the void created there by falling roofs.<br>Check American Rescue Team International website for more info.<br>JB<br><br>Expect poison with the standing water.<br> -William Blake

ON MY PERSON is the tough part. I only have my AFCK knife, a swiss army knife, and my pocket kit (band aiids,gauze pad,iodine, minipliers,matches,tindertabs,aspirinsafetypins,antiseptic,butterflies) and a microlight<br>within a few steps are big plashlights, first aid, weapons, food, etc<br>if I can get to my truck, however, I have it made. .<br>JB<br><br><br>Expect poison with the standing water.<br> -William Blake

This desk came around the horn and survived with my great grandmother the San Francisco earthquake.It was in my grandmother's home in Northridge when that quake knocked the house off the foundation,collapsed the roof and a brick chimney.My grandmother was under it when we arrived. We removed by later count 118 bricks from the top.It won't fit in my pocket tin,but is a key component of the earthquake kit.<br><br>

I have a flame-thrower, a steel drum that can be locked from the inside, a 5-gallon bucket filled with peanut M&Ms and 4 overdue library books. I'm ready for anything.<br><br>WHAAAATAAAAAREYOUUUUDOOOOOOOIIIIING?<br><br>

Hi Chris,<br>That's a cool story. I wish we all had desks that would inspire confidence.<br>JB<br><br>Expect poison with the standing water.<br> -William Blake

I've got a knife and a blanket, It's all I need. Everything else can be obtained from the land.<br><br>

Interesting questions.<br><br>What materials to help me survive a natural or manmade emergency do I have "on [my] person right now"? Lessee, there's what I always wear or carry ... waxed heavy cord necklace, velcro strap watchband, woven tough elastic cord belt, sturdy hiking boots, smartwool socks, sturdy denim jeans, cel phone, comb, cash (both bills & coin), credit cards, checkbook, medical insurance card, drivers' license, laminated note in wallet (with my blood type, medical and other allergies, status as a non-drug user, non-smoker, non-drinker and request to to whoever finds me unconscious to please call the listed family and emergency contact telephone numbers), picture of me and my Girlfriend, Chris Reeve Sebenza with lanyard attached, spiral tablet of "Rite In The Rain" lined waterproof paper, Fisher "Bullet" space pen, "Kubotan" keychain (holding keys to my own home as well as other "backup" abodes, such as my Girlfriend's and Mother's homes) with Acme "Tornado" whistle, B.C.B. Int'l flint rod and Photon "Micro Light II" flashlight attached, one condom ... er ... spermicidally lubricated w/ reservoir tip ... NOT for water purification ... and kept secure NOT in my wallet where it would be constantly subjected to destructive crushing pressure and torque to weaken it every time I sat down, but rather in a small metal white-painted Extra Strength Excedrin tin (12 tablet capacity) for travel or pocket carry (larger than the similar normal strength tins ... er, no joke intended ... really), a mini sized disposable Bic butane lighter, a Leatherman "Micra" mini multitool, two bright 1"x3' ribbons (one yellow, one orange) for flagging down emergency vehicles or other for signalling purposes, two large safety pins, a Brunton "Emergency Pocket Survival Kit" (which is really a set of three waterproof plastic cards with survival instructions, a "floating" compass and a flexible plastic fresnel maginfying lens), two "Tender Quik" waterproof tinders and a small pocket First Aid Kit (with standard small injury items and foil packed two-tablet sets of a few drugs, as well as a CPR "Microshield" one-way valve face shield and a pair of nitrile surgical gloves).<br><br>Today is a little bit odd, because I happen to also have in my pockets a Kriana 180-degree green "Extreme" Krill lamp (with lithium batteries, of course ;-)) and a Shomer-Tec "Blackie Collins" CIA Letter Opener (which I shouldn't have on me, and which I only leave in my desk drawer and actually use -- honest to God -- as a letter opener).<br><br>Then you said "within reach". That would be my polarized lens REI Glacier Sunglasses, Evac-U8 smoke hood, personal inspirational/spiritual material, desk phone, computer (with Internet connection), a veritable library of books and an assortment of large cardboard boxes (which could be used as tinder, kindling and even fuel), spare batteries (not lithium , unfortunately), some mixed nuts, roasted pumpkin seeds & baked cheese snacks, multivitamins, chocolate bars, coffee packets and breath mints. No water. My bad. :-(<br><br>If I extended "within reach" to include my Jeep Wrangler down in the garage (I'm at work as I write this), I've got a full tank of gas, five slightly-larger-than-normal-stock tires, heavy duty suspension, High Lift jack, tow strap, misc. auto gear (such as flares, Cyalumes, heavy gauge tangle-free jumper cables, tire plug kit, electrical tape, duct tape, hose tape, hose clamps, basic hand tools, yadda yadda ...) 4D Mag Light w/ traffic cone attachment, automobile safe (meaning heat-safe) container of pepper spray, Potable Aqua, baseball cap, hairbrush, toilet paper, disposable toilet seat covers, two disposable plastic ponchos, a compact umbrella, sunscreen, *scalp* sunscreen (for that increasingly thin area up there), two pair of heavy duty pigskin gloves, a disposable camera and a large medical bag styled after the one I carried as a Texas state certified Emergency Care Attendant for a number of years on a Medical Response Team at work (which has too much stuff to list here, but which I've altered to be less geared toward industrial settings and more toward traffic accident scenes). I also have a cigarette lighter adaptor for my cel phone. What I need is another tow strap (& someday a winch) & some more and better recovery tools.<br><br>I have not yet pulled my winter kit out of the Jeep. I need to go ahead and do that, and replace it with my summer kit.<br><br>The winter kit has Nuwick candles, BCB lifeboat matches, emergency water packets, rock salt, Reynolds extra heavy duty aluminum foil, Pelican "MityLite Magnum" flashlight w/ spare bulb packed in cotton inside a 35mm film canister, a 180 and a 360 "Extreme" green Krill lamp, spare lithium AA batteries for the Pelican & Krills, Grabber warm packs, reflective "Space" blankets, a nice warm wool blanket and probably some other stuff I'm forgetting. What I need to find is a wind up travel alarm clock.<br><br>The summer kit will have LOTS of water, fanny packs, more sunscreen, another folding umbrella, two lightweight "boonie" hats, insect repellent, chemical cold packs, hiking foods & snacks, extra sunglasses ... er ... and anything else I think of when I'm packing it.<br><br>Geez ... it's already May. I *really* need to get those kits switched out! So much for preparedness...<br><br>At home, I have more emergency water & rations, several survival & combat knives, no guns (although I have just completed my CHL course and will likely be buying a couple before the end of the year), escrima sticks, manriki-gusara, firewood, lots and various candles and, of course, all my survival kits that I only access when appropriate, such as my ditch bag for overwater travel, my offroad bag for four-wheelin', my hiking kits and my bugout bag (kept ready in the closet by my front door).<br><br>Whew!<br><br>I didn't realize I had so much darned *stuff*!<br><br>Personal and professional skills include a lifelong on-and-off-again interest in martial arts (which I keep intending to get more serious about), nine years in the Industrial Security business, four years on an industrial Fire Brigade, two years on a Haz-Mat team, four years on a Medical Response Team (as already mentioned) and (again, as already mentioned) a recently completed CHL class. I have not yet submitted my final paperwork to the state for my license, so no gun on me yet.<br><br>And then, there's my library of books, which contains more than a few on various survival oriented topics such as medicine, outdoor survival, crime safety, natural disasters, social unrest, legal matters, off-roading, sailing, hiking, etc.<br><br>Wow. That was a lot of fun. Thanks for the questiong. I didn't think it would take so long to write this, though, and I didn't expect it to turn into a dissertation. Sorry.<br><br>Stay safe.<br><br><br>

Whew, I'm exhausted just READING that. However, I would like to say that I have you beat because I have all that stuff AND I have a microchip implanted under my skin that a veterinarian can use to identify me AND I wear a parachute at all times (just in case I have a "Wile E. Coyote" experience).<br><br><br>Just joking! :-)<br><br>

dont mind telling me where you guys live to be carrying all that crap? any ways i carry a spyderco pocket knife and a lighter. thats it besides dog tags with personal info. i have enough knowledge to survive for a week or so until i die of pure bordem.<br><br>

I carry a belt case with a SAK Rucksack knife, Leatherman tool, sharpener (eze-lap s), signal mirror (2x3 Starflash), whistle (Perry S.O.S.), firestarter (Spark-Lite w/ tinder), a flint rod off of a magnesium block, P-38 can opener and some dental floss on a little 'bobbin'. I'd like to find a way to get some large, heavy-duty trash bags in there too (unlikely). On the side is a Minimag light. On my keyring, which is attached to my belt with a clip, is another knife and a Princeton Tec Pulsar LED light.<br><br>

I have a Filson Packer's jacket. This is double layered in the main body with rear quarter access panels.This is a traditional small Game Compartment.I slip a few large trash bags in there with my USGS maps inside the bags.When done right the increased bulk is negligable. You can replicate this feature with a little sewing on almost any upper body garment.This also gives you the feature of makeshift insulation.Simply fill the double layer with cat tails, newspaper. leaves etc.<br><br>