When people make plans for a road trip, they will always think of and remember to pack their clothes and hygiene items and daily medicines. One area they do not plan or pack for is if there is an emergency while traveling, the emergency could be one of many different scenarios from a simple flat tire to a major winter storm shutting the interstate down. During my Preteens I was a member of the Boy Scouts of America. It is the Scout Motto “Be Prepared” this is used to teach scouts to be mentally and physically ready for any situation that may come to them.
That teaching has stuck with me since. During my time in the Military I practiced it every day, I remember one 36-hour period that stands out in my memory that turned into a teaching moment and I will share it with you. The unit I was in had scheduled a 12-hour block live fire training exercise, what’s that you may ask well its when soldiers train with their team engaging targets and team movements while using live ammo. The weather on the day of the training started out as a nice mild Kentucky winter morning around 40 degrees, that would change later that evening. Due to an accident on the range the time frame went from a 12-hour day to an unknow end date. When the sun went down so did the temperature and it started to sleet. Our Command Group came through and told us to do what is needed to stay warm, we were staying the night. Now in my platoon I was the “Old Man” since I was almost 30 and still on a line team, because of my experiences and training I had brought my 3-day pack with me. No other member of my team or platoon had brought any gear other than what was needed for a 1-day exercise, in my pack I had with me my poncho and 550 paracord and bungee straps, my Woobie and heavier cold weather thermals and wool glove inserts along with my wet weather top and bottom. My team members only had the wet weather tops and bottoms with them. So me being who I am I took my poncho and made a modified lean to hooch I gathered a bunch of Cedar boughs and placed them on the ground for insulation, when my team mates had noticed what I had done they asked if they could huddle under my shelter with me needless to say Four soldiers took shelter under the hooch for almost 24 hours sharing body heat under the woobie to stay warm, after this training exercise all of my team members built and started carrying a 3day bag with them to all training.
The peak of preparedness for a soldier during my time enlisted
Now as a Civilian I still carry a 3day pack every time I leave my house it contains a fixed blade knife with a 90 degree spine made of high carbon steel and the necessities of survival : fire a 6inch Ferro Rod and Scarper and a Bic lighter with different types of Tender, water is my Grayl Ultra press and iodine tabs with a 32 ounce stainless steel bottle for shelter I have a blue 5X7 light weight tarp I bought off of Walmart with 5 tent stacks and a 50 foot ridge line with prusik knots tied to it and food I have Nutri grain bars and trail mix. My wife fusses at me for loading her SUV up with a kit that takes up too much room, I always tell her its best to have and not need than it is to need and not have. The kit covers the four necessities of Survival Fire, Shelter water and food. Most of the items in the vehicle came from the house or goodwill. There is always one queen Size wool blanket and a twin size as well along with a hand full of emergency blankets and hand warmers. There is a Shelter kit that contains an Arcturus Tarp with reflective side and 5 plastic stakes with a 50-foot Ridge line all in one bag. There is always water packed when we travel, usually 3 to 4 bottles per person, along with my Sawyer Squeeze with a 32 oz Klean Kanteen , I Have children there is always food packed for trips. I have 1 or 2 forms of artificial light in the vehicle be it head lamp or flashlights; I carry a pack of 4 glow sticks that I bought at Walmart these are not expensive and glow for hours and are a good signaling device. For Vehicle emergencies I have a small tool kit that is stored in the spare tire compartment, I always carry two first aid kits the first one is a small Boo Boo kit mostly band aids and small gauzes and tape the second kit is more for major medical emergencies there is 2 tourniquets and field dressing and quick clot to mention a few items. The subject of Personal protection is an area that a lot of people feel that is not necessary, that is until they need it. Before I started to carry, I looked up the state laws of the surrounding states to see if the CCDW from KY is Accepted, it is accepted in the states that surround Kentucky except the state of Illinois. So, I went through the required training and got my License and now I carry it everywhere I go, I always have a spare mag in my pocket and an additional one in my go bag.
A simple go Bag in my automobile keeps me prepared when I'm afield in my civilian life.
As I sit here and write this, I think about the winter storms that have hit the past couple of years leaving motorists stranded on the interstate overnight. I can’t help thinking that if those people were given a list of items to have in their car and some training with the items if there would have been as many deaths as there have been. People died from exposure to the cold, due to the lack of clothing or they ran out of fuel in their car, or they did not know that they needed to keep the snow and ice cleared away from the vehicle's exhaust and died of asphyxiation. All of this is preventable with a little training and gear. There is no set list of items to carry in your car for emergencies, just remember the basics Shelter, fire water, food and personal safety and a way to signal for help be it reflective tape a bright-colored piece of cloth tied to the antenna, or chem lights, if your like me you have CDs still your car and guess what they make a nice reflecting mirror for signaling. The items you carry is limitless, I guess it depends on how big a vehicle you are driving on how big of a kit you can take with you on your adventure.
So, I suggest you sit down and look for some online or in-person survival and first aid classes to take. Write out a list of what you may need to survive if you become stranded. Just remember that you will need the basics shelter, fire, water and food and personal safety. All these items will be determined in the environment you will be traveling through, the items for urban will be a little different from some needed for rural areas like you may want a sillcock key in an urban area to help secure water but not need it in a rural area. One thing to remember is you do not have to go out to a hunting store or get online and order the best or the most expensive gear on the market hit up flea markets, garage sales and Goodwill, you will be shocked at what you will find. Do not break the bank trying to prepare for a potential emergency.
Being A former Boy Scout and a Veteran has taught me through some first-person experiences that I have learned from, some have been easy lesson and some have been hot and cold miserable lessons. It doesn’t matter how much your prepare for an emergency there will always be that one item or situation you did not think of that will smack you in the face and open your eyes, that is a learning experience the hard way and you will remember it from then on. Remember you will never know everything, but a little planning will help you out better than no planning.
The Bible verses from Matthew 24:44 Says “So always be ready, alert and prepared, because at an hour when you’re not expecting him, the son of man will come. If you are able live your life ready for the lord to return, then you should be able to be ready for any emergency. The Motto” Be Prepared” is not just a saying its an way of life spiritually ,physical and mentally.
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