Originally Posted By: countrymouse
Paul,

Great pack. I wish all students were as well prepared (I'm a faculty member).

One thing I would suggest is some "positive" propaganda. Something like an emergency card with phone numbers of campus security, local police, next of kin, numbers for campus resources, personal contact information, etc.

Unfortunately, with all that's going on at various campuses, someone noticing your pack or finding it for whatever reason might label you as suspicious. I only mention this because I've thought of it myself in my EDC.

It's important to distinguish yourself as a well-planned individual and not someone prepared to run and hide out after committing some atrocity.

I don't think it's a fair judgment, but one I've seen on campuses when I start asking about escape routes and routine safety information.

Conventional wisdom unfortunately wants us to cower in a classroom and leave everything else to the "experts."





That's one of the things that always amazed me. The "official" way to deal with any kind of incident is lock the hollow wooden doors (with the big glass windows), close the shades, and turn the lights off. Doesn't matter what it is.

I like knowing I'm somewhat better prepared than "lock the door and hope for the best." Generally, communication is so bad, people don't even know when to do that. The students often know before the professors. They spend so much money on everything else, yet emergency preparedness is seemingly quite neglected (though things seem to have improved a little since VT).


As far as the emergency info goes, all that is written on my planner. Which is the first thing you see when you open the bag. smile