miniMe,<br><br>Sorry for the length of this post.<br><br>I’d be very interested in such a discussion. We’ve skirted around it a couple of times, and I think I’ve even made some of the points that you just did. I agree wholeheartedly on the value of money in the urban PSK (UPSK?), and have said so once or twice. I also agree on the apparent limitations, and the jarring change in emphasis of the urban section of this site relative to the rest of it- but I got the distinct impression that it was not open to discussion. I also agree with your remarks on fire.<br><br>My own perspective is that of a commuter, and hence, for me, the emphasis is staying alive in the short term, and getting out of the city, possibly on foot.<br><br>Even if I was a resident of the city, I wouldn’t worry much about snares and traps. If food shipments were cut off to a major city for more than a week, you’d be competing with literally millions of other people for anything edible. I certainly don’t have snares in my UPSK. I do have water purification tablets, but they don’t take up much room in that tiny 20-tablet flask. I also carry a whistle- think “trapped in the rubble” as opposed to “lost in the woods”.<br><br>Here are some subjects that might provide fodder for discussion:<br><br>The fact that most urban emergencies tend to be amazingly localized. A few blocks away from where it seems like the end of the world, shopkeepers are open for business as usual.<br><br>The urban imperative to "bug out" (leave the trouble area quickly) vs. the wilderness strategy of "stay put". The enormous risk of staying to watch the drama unfold. The almost-unique urban need to be able to recognize a potentially life-threatening situation EARLY and react quickly and positively, even if it makes you look foolish 95 percent of the time. How many in the WTC on 9/11 didn't take the situation seriously enough soon enough- didn't think the problem could possibly reach them, didn't think trouble in one tower made it worth leaving the other, didn't think the buildings could possibly collapse- I have seen people work at their desks through fire alarms and evacuations, simply because they had work to finish and there had been too many false alarms recently.<br><br>The value of battery-powered (hand-crank?) radios, and of having one (or maybe even a TV) in your office, to know what's happening and WHERE even if the power goes out, and one that can be carried for evacuation. This came to mind again while watching the recent special on the fire departments at the WTC during 9/11. They didn’t know about the second plane or the first tower collapse until after. They said again and again that people watching TV from home knew more about what was going on than people on the site. How many times, in how many emergencies, have we heard that? Is there any excuse for it, in this day and age?<br><br>Arguably the most potentially valuable survival resource of all in an urban situation, something that if used freely and intelligently can accomplish seeming miracles, is something that's completely useless in the wilderness: cash. <br><br>The value (and limits) of using cell phones in an emergency, and possible alternatives.<br><br>The possible survival value of a phone calling card (I don’t use them- wouldn’t the numbers be enough?)<br><br>The value of thinking in 3 dimensions in an urban setting.. that potential threats, resources, or escapes can be either above or below ground level.<br><br>The value of having road maps, and of learning possible exit routes beforehand, for both vehicle and foot.<br><br>The potential value of taxicabs in an emergency situation.<br><br>The high relative value of information; names and phone numbers, emergency numbers, evacuation routes, nearest hospital, nearest police station, nearest ATM, taxi companies, nearest seller of bottled water, nearest seller of warm clothing.<br><br>The value of taking the stairs and knowing them well. Always in an emergency, but also routinely if feasible.<br><br>The value of having access to some type of athletic shoes if you must wear dress shoes.<br><br>The value of a basic compass in staying oriented in unfamiliar areas of a city, where line of sight is usually limited.<br><br>The value of flashlights in "urban" situations as opposed to wilderness.<br><br>The unique challenges of carrying useful survival gear if you must face metal detectors and x-ray machines.<br><br>The fact that, unlike the wilderness, potential fire tinder and water containers (if not exactly sanitary) are everywhere. The relatively (compared to wilderness) low utility of fire.<br><br>The fact that you might still have to deal with wind, weather and exposure, but unlike wilderness situations, you're much less likely to be dressed properly for it.<br><br>The fact that there's no place on earth where you're more likely to desperately need a weapon, nor anyplace where the law is more determined to keep you from having one.<br>