Survival and disaster preparedness

[Jack Aubrey]

I had two great phone conversations last night. The first was with my Mom and Dad. When I last saw them a month ago, I gave them a survival kit for them to keep in their car which I had assembled for them. They travel a lot so it's a "just in case you're ever stranded (God forbid)" kit. Just out of the blue last night, my parents thanked me for making them the kit. They said it's something they never would have thought to do themselves and that although the chances are slim that they'll ever need it, they said just knowing they had it with them on the road gave them tremendous peace of mind. My Dad said that a traveller always has "what do we do if the car breaks down in a remote area" in the back of their mind, but now he doesn't have to worry about that since he has the tools to deal with it should it happen (again, God forbid).

 

Afterwards my buddy Gary who lives in Minnesota called. We of course discussed the weather, how cold it is in his area, and the blizzard that's hit a large piece of the country. I told him that he's super tough to deal with that kind of weather. He said that he'd rather live where he is than where I am (South Carolina). When I asked him why he said because he'd hate to have to deal with a hurricane. It then occurred to me that no matter where you live you've got some kind of heavy weather or natural disaster you'll have to contend with. The West Coast has earthquakes, mudslides, wildfires, and heavy snow in the North, the heartland has tornadoes and Yellowstone is basically a supervolcano that could blow at any time, the midwest has more snow, and of course the East Coast has hurricanes and earthquakes. Now, assuming you aren't killed when the disaster happens, are you prepared if caught in one? Are you prepared if your vehicle breaks down in a remote area? I'd very much like to help. I've read over 30 different survival manuals and have field-tested survival techniques in all kinds of weather and found what works best. Firstly, what I'd like to do is present my recommendations for a small bare-bones survival kit that you can keep in your car. You will need the following:

 

A five-pound coffee can with lid to put everything in. You'll need a coffee can as opposed to a plastic container because your coffee can will double as a container for boiling water.

 

A good stout knife. I'd recommend a fixed blade as opposed to a folder simply because a folder's blade can come free of the handle under rough use. You can get a good fixed blade just about anywhere. Wal-Mart, the local hardware store, etc. I'd recommend a smallish one with a 3 or 4 inch blade. You don't need the foot-long Rambo knife to survive. Make sure that the knife you buy has a hole in the hilt for tying on a lanyard and tie one on if it doesn't come with one! You will need parachute cord for this (more on that later). Then whenever you use your knife get into the habit of making double-sure the lanyard is around your wrist. Don't ever lose your knife!

 

A knife sharpener. Smiths make a good pocket-sized one. They're made of black plastic with 2 v-notches for sharpening the blade and a diamond rod for sharpening serrated edges and they're available at Home Depot and Lowe's for about 12 dollars. Read all instructions carefully and then practice on a dull knife or pair of scissors you've got laying around the house (I know you have at least one) until sharpening a knife is second nature to you. Judging by all the dull knives carried by other people I've encountered in my travels, it seems that there's only an elite few who can properly dress a knife edge. Join us and become one of those few!

 

A fire starter. Wal-Mart and Harbor Freight tools both carry them. They are a rectangular block of magnesium with a flint striker bar attached to the long edge. The ones sold at Harbor Freight come with a length of hacksaw blade to use against the striker. If you buy one from Wal-Mart they don't have this, so get a hacksaw blade with it, cut it down, and attach it to the fire starter. Using the hacksaw blade will save you having to use your knife blade, and those starters will dull the heck out of them. You scrape off magnesium until it piles up about the size of a nickel, then you turn the bar around and drag the hacksaw blade down the flint rod to make sparks. The magnesium will take the spark and flare up at 5400 degrees F. This will start up a fire pretty much anywhere, even if your tinder is damp!

 

Strike anywhere matches, a small magnifying glass, and a butane lighter. Because you want to have as many options for starting a fire as you can. Fire is life when you're surviving. Get also a match safe. Wal-Mart sells a good one that's bright orange. Cut off the striker surface from the original match box and super glue it to the top of the match safe. I know I said use strike-anywhere matches, and they work as advertised, but have the striker surface glued to your match safe just in case.

 

A compass. Go to your local military surplus store and tell them you want a lensatic compass. There are two types, one that's made with tritium and glows for a long time in the dark and one that's made with something else and glows for a short time in the dark. The one made with tritium will be around $100, the one made without will be around $20. Get the second one. Here's a good guide to the lensatic compass: How to use a lensatic compass.

 

Parachute cord! O para cord, how I do love thee! Para cord has a breaking strength of 550 pounds so it's the stoutest and lightest cord money can buy. I'd recommend carrying 50 feet, 100 feet would be better. You can also take the inner strands out of the core and use them for small cord applications, from fishing to stitching up your clothes or a bad cut. Beware of the fake stuff! Dick's sporting goods sells something they call parachute cord but it's not the real thing as it has a fuzzy core that would be best used for stuffing teddy bears. Real parachute cord has 5 to 7 strands of thinner cord wrapped in an outer core.

 

Some small fish hooks and weights and 100 ft. of fishing line. Wind the line around a small stick and it'll take up less room.

 

Duct tape, 1001 uses. Get the bright orange kind so you can also use it for signalling.

 

A blue plastic tarp. I know, it won't fit in the coffee can. Put it in your vehicle's wheel well instead. The tarp, a couple of tree branches, and some small twigs to use as stakes along with some parachute cord are the components for your emergency shelter. Get also a couple of those emergency blankets aka space blankets, just don't try sleeping in one! They creak and rattle and are about as loud as a jet plane taking off. Instead, line the inside of you emergency shelter with a space blanket. It will help hold heat in like nobody's business! Also grab a couple of those disposable rain ponchos. Take care of it and it'll last a good while.

 

A mini mag light with spare batteries.

 

An ouch kit. Ten or so large rectangular band aids (because you can cover a small wound with a big band aid, but not vice-versa) and some Neosporin.

 

A bandana. Bandage, sling, head cover, convenient thing for soaking up small amounts of water. No kit should be without one.

 

John "Lofty" Wiseman's most excellent SAS Survival Guide. Why am I recommending this one in particular? Simple! It's pocket-sized, friends, and therefore fits easily into your kit. Plus, Mr. Wiseman is no dummy and really knows what he's talking about. In case you don't know, "SAS" is the British equivalent of Special Forces. It stands for "Special Air Service" and those guys are definitely squared away! Link: SAS Survival Guide.

 

A good water bottle or canteen. I know it won't fit inside the coffee can, so just duct tape it to the side of the can.

 

Assemble one of these for the car and one for the house and you will be a genuine bona fide ready for anything steely-eyed survivor!

 

I welcome any questions you good folks might have. Feel free to make me your resource and pick my brain all you want on this subject. I care about you and I want you around, so please go and assemble yourself a kit or two and keep it handy!

Edited February 11, 2010 by Jack Aubrey

[GeddyRulz]

Good job! I'll need to print that out and make a shopping list. Great tips.

 

And I still need to buy a good rope ladder for the second floor of my house, in case of fire. (What are we waiting for?!) Sure, some people can't rationalize the cost, but after your family burns to death would you still make a stink about the $150?

 

 

 

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Feb 11 2010, 10:58 AM)

Good job! I'll need to print that out and make a shopping list. Great tips. And I still need to buy a good rope ladder for the second floor of my house, in case of fire. (What are we waiting for?!) Sure, some people can't rationalize the cost, but after your family burns to death would you still make a stink about the $150?

COOL! Super-cool! Nice one, Marko!

 

If you're feeling really froggy, it would be cheaper to make your own rope ladder. How to make a rope ladder. If you do decide to do this, please take pics as you're making it and post them! I love stuff like that.

[tangy]

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 11:27 AM)

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Feb 11 2010, 10:58 AM) Good job!  I'll need to print that out and make a shopping list.  Great tips. And I still need to buy a good rope ladder for the second floor of my house, in case of fire.  (What are we waiting for?!) Sure, some people can't rationalize the cost, but after your family burns to death would you still make a stink about the $150? COOL! Super-cool! Nice one, Marko!   If you're feeling really froggy, it would be cheaper to make your own rope ladder. How to make a rope ladder. If you do decide to do this, please take pics as you're making it and post them! I love stuff like that. i think you can them get cheaper than $150? its been a few years since I bought one but that seems high.   i just did a quick google search and you can get a two story ladder for around $40 at walmart.   google up escape ladders.   of course it doesn't hurt to know how to tie a sheet bend knot.

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (tangy @ Feb 11 2010, 11:36 AM)

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 11:27 AM) QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Feb 11 2010, 10:58 AM) Good job!  I'll need to print that out and make a shopping list.  Great tips. And I still need to buy a good rope ladder for the second floor of my house, in case of fire.  (What are we waiting for?!) Sure, some people can't rationalize the cost, but after your family burns to death would you still make a stink about the $150? COOL! Super-cool! Nice one, Marko!   If you're feeling really froggy, it would be cheaper to make your own rope ladder. How to make a rope ladder. If you do decide to do this, please take pics as you're making it and post them! I love stuff like that. i think you can them get cheaper than $150? its been a few years since I bought one but that seems high.   i just did a quick google search and you can get a two story ladder for around $40 at walmart.   google up escape ladders.   of course it doesn't hurt to know how to tie a sheet bend knot. That's true! I've got a couple of books on knot craft and am looking at graduating to making stuff like nets. I love that stuff.

[tangy]

I would like to think i am prepared. We lost power for 3 days before Christmas and while I was adequately prepared I also had lots of time to think how I could be better prepared. I have an emergency box loaded with various goodies to get through the next storm.

 

In terms of car survival I am all for having a kit but think in most cases one should stay by or in the vehicle to wait for help.

 

I also take some form of survival kit anytime I am hiking or biking. The space blanket is an excellent suggestion and given how cheap and light they are I take one with me at all times in the woods. If someone gets hurt and you need to leave them to get help, the space blanket could be a life saver especially in shock instances.

 

One thing that I do need to get to be better prepared is an epi-pen.

 

Great topic!

[Alph Seeker]

QUOTE

Some small fish hooks and weights and 100 ft. of fishing line. Wind the line around a small stick and it'll take up less room.

 

Add a jar or two of Powerbait. (Unless you are like me and try to always carry a fly rod (you never know when a mental break down needs to be averted)).

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (tangy @ Feb 11 2010, 11:59 AM)

I would like to think i am prepared. We lost power for 3 days before Christmas and while I was adequately prepared I also had lots of time to think how I could be better prepared. I have an emergency box loaded with various goodies to get through the next storm. In terms of car survival I am all for having a kit but think in most cases one should stay by or in the vehicle to wait for help. I also take some form of survival kit anytime I am hiking or biking. The space blanket is an excellent suggestion and given how cheap and light they are I take one with me at all times in the woods. If someone gets hurt and you need to leave them to get help, the space blanket could be a life saver especially in shock instances. One thing that I do need to get to be better prepared is an epi-pen. Great topic!

Thanks very much! It does my heart good to know there's someone else on this forum who believes in the power of a survival kit! Good man!

 

Another thing to put in a kit that I forgot to mention is a whistle. The kind you don't want is your standard coach's whistle with a pea (small rubber ball) inside it that makes it trill. The peas have been know to fall out or freeze or melt to the inside of the whistle, thus lessening it's effectiveness. The kind of whistle I have is a Rescue Howler, they contain no pea and are designed for survival situations. They're cheap, come in a two-pack, are available at Dick's Sporting Goods, and, most importantly, they are loud! Rescue Howler whistle.

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (Alph Seeker @ Feb 11 2010, 12:26 PM)

QUOTE Some small fish hooks and weights and 100 ft. of fishing line. Wind the line around a small stick and it'll take up less room.   Add a jar or two of Powerbait. (Unless you are like me and try to always carry a fly rod (you never know when a mental break down needs to be averted)). Good idea! You can also throw in a couple of small lures.   It's also handy to know how to "grunt" worms. You take two sticks, one about four feet long and another about a foot and a half. Take the long one and drive it into the ground with a rock, leaving about 8 inches sticking up above the ground. Take the shorter stick and carve twenty to thirty notches in it one on top of another and perpendicular to the shaft of the stick. Take your notched stick with a hand on either end, hold it about 45 degrees relative to the one sticking up out of the ground, and drag it across the edge of the top. This makes a grunting sound and produces lots of vibration and after about 4 minutes, you'll see worms crawling up out of the dirt. I have field-tested this technique myself and it works great.

[Tom Sawyer]

Excellent list!

[tangy]

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 12:28 PM)

QUOTE (tangy @ Feb 11 2010, 11:59 AM) I would like to think i am prepared. We lost power for 3 days before Christmas and while I was adequately prepared I also had lots of time to think how I could be better prepared. I have an emergency box loaded with various goodies to get through the next storm. In terms of car survival I am all for having a kit but think in most cases one should stay by or in the vehicle to wait for help. I also take some form of survival kit anytime I am hiking or biking. The space blanket is an excellent suggestion and given how cheap and light they are I take one with me at all times in the woods. If someone gets hurt and you need to leave them to get help, the space blanket could be a life saver especially in shock instances. One thing that I do need to get to be better prepared is an epi-pen. Great topic! Thanks very much! It does my heart good to know there's someone else on this forum who believes in the power of a survival kit! Good man!   Another thing to put in a kit that I forgot to mention is a whistle. The kind you don't want is your standard coach's whistle with a pea (small rubber ball) inside it that makes it trill. The peas have been know to fall out or freeze or melt to the inside of the whistle, thus lessening it's effectiveness. The kind of whistle I have is a Rescue Howler, they contain no pea and are designed for survival situations. They're cheap, come in a two-pack, are available at Dick's Sporting Goods, and, most importantly, they are loud! Rescue Howler whistle. yes, a whistle is a good add. A small mirror is another good thing to have.   i carry water purifying tablets and have had the same bottle for years never used. nowadays they make a straw that purifies any water drawn through it. i think thats a good idea and will probably get a straw sooner or later.   speaking of car survival i would like to get a tool that i saw that is designed for cutting seatbelts and smashing out windows.

[troutman]

Great thread!!

 

People really should be prepared for any type of disaster!!

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 11:27 AM)

If you're feeling really froggy....

What's that?

 

 

 

[Jack Aubrey]

Knives, the cutting edge.

 

You'll notice that I go into details about the knife issue in my first post. That's because it's a sticky topic, ask a hundred knife owners which one is the best and you get a hundred different answers, ninety-nine on a good day. However, I thought it'd be a good idea to talk about it a bit in case someone with no knife experience should see this.

 

Of course, you want a good knife as this is not the time to skimp on quality. Buck, Gerber, Schrade, and Cold Steel are the four brands I know off the top of my head that offer good knives for reasonable prices so write those names down before you go knife shopping. My knife is a Cold Steel and only cost $30, however in a knife test I saw in a video online, it out-performed a $200 purpose-built survival combat knife made by a reputable company, which is why I bought it. It's a little bigger than I like, with a five-inch blade, but the quality outweighs it's "a little too big" size. If you were to pin me down and ask which was the best knife for the cheapest price I would of course pick the venerable Ka-Bar. Hundreds of thousands of Marines have field-tested this knife under all types of conditions, in both peacetime and wartime and the overwhelming consensus is that this baby flat-out performs! The knife has just one real drawback; you need to keep the blade coated with a light oil or it will rust. The company that has Ka-Bars for the best price is Cheaper Than Dirt: Ka-Bar at CTD. Unfortunately, Ka-Bars don't have a hole in the pommel for a lanyard, so tie your lanyard tightly right below the pommel and it should work pretty good. Something you should do with all knives you're going to be using outdoors is to apply some non-skid tape to the handle. Non-skid tape is basically sticky fine-grit sandpaper and it'll help you get a good purchase on your blade. Non-skid tape is available at most hardware stores. You can also get it sold under the name skateboard tape at sporting goods stores, but it's overpriced.

[troutman]

QUOTE (Alph Seeker @ Feb 11 2010, 08:26 AM)

QUOTE Some small fish hooks and weights and 100 ft. of fishing line. Wind the line around a small stick and it'll take up less room.   Add a jar or two of Powerbait. (Unless you are like me and try to always carry a fly rod (you never know when a mental break down needs to be averted)).

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (tangy @ Feb 11 2010, 01:45 PM)

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 12:28 PM) QUOTE (tangy @ Feb 11 2010, 11:59 AM) I would like to think i am prepared. We lost power for 3 days before Christmas and while I was adequately prepared I also had lots of time to think how I could be better prepared. I have an emergency box loaded with various goodies to get through the next storm. In terms of car survival I am all for having a kit but think in most cases one should stay by or in the vehicle to wait for help. I also take some form of survival kit anytime I am hiking or biking. The space blanket is an excellent suggestion and given how cheap and light they are I take one with me at all times in the woods. If someone gets hurt and you need to leave them to get help, the space blanket could be a life saver especially in shock instances. One thing that I do need to get to be better prepared is an epi-pen. Great topic! Thanks very much! It does my heart good to know there's someone else on this forum who believes in the power of a survival kit! Good man!   Another thing to put in a kit that I forgot to mention is a whistle. The kind you don't want is your standard coach's whistle with a pea (small rubber ball) inside it that makes it trill. The peas have been know to fall out or freeze or melt to the inside of the whistle, thus lessening it's effectiveness. The kind of whistle I have is a Rescue Howler, they contain no pea and are designed for survival situations. They're cheap, come in a two-pack, are available at Dick's Sporting Goods, and, most importantly, they are loud! Rescue Howler whistle. yes, a whistle is a good add. A small mirror is another good thing to have.   i carry water purifying tablets and have had the same bottle for years never used. nowadays they make a straw that purifies any water drawn through it. i think thats a good idea and will probably get a straw sooner or later.   speaking of car survival i would like to get a tool that i saw that is designed for cutting seatbelts and smashing out windows. Here's the filter that I have:Aquamira Frontier Pro. It's a good one!

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Feb 11 2010, 01:51 PM)

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 11:27 AM) If you're feeling really froggy.... What's that?

[tangy]

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 01:55 PM)

QUOTE (tangy @ Feb 11 2010, 01:45 PM) QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 12:28 PM) QUOTE (tangy @ Feb 11 2010, 11:59 AM) I would like to think i am prepared. We lost power for 3 days before Christmas and while I was adequately prepared I also had lots of time to think how I could be better prepared. I have an emergency box loaded with various goodies to get through the next storm. In terms of car survival I am all for having a kit but think in most cases one should stay by or in the vehicle to wait for help. I also take some form of survival kit anytime I am hiking or biking. The space blanket is an excellent suggestion and given how cheap and light they are I take one with me at all times in the woods. If someone gets hurt and you need to leave them to get help, the space blanket could be a life saver especially in shock instances. One thing that I do need to get to be better prepared is an epi-pen. Great topic! Thanks very much! It does my heart good to know there's someone else on this forum who believes in the power of a survival kit! Good man!   Another thing to put in a kit that I forgot to mention is a whistle. The kind you don't want is your standard coach's whistle with a pea (small rubber ball) inside it that makes it trill. The peas have been know to fall out or freeze or melt to the inside of the whistle, thus lessening it's effectiveness. The kind of whistle I have is a Rescue Howler, they contain no pea and are designed for survival situations. They're cheap, come in a two-pack, are available at Dick's Sporting Goods, and, most importantly, they are loud! Rescue Howler whistle. yes, a whistle is a good add. A small mirror is another good thing to have.   i carry water purifying tablets and have had the same bottle for years never used. nowadays they make a straw that purifies any water drawn through it. i think thats a good idea and will probably get a straw sooner or later.   speaking of car survival i would like to get a tool that i saw that is designed for cutting seatbelts and smashing out windows. Here's the filter that I have:Aquamira Frontier Pro. It's a good one! i have an older purwater filter i use for backpacking but i really like the one you linked to. Only $20. Seems like a deal to me!   I have a well so I have to store water for when the power goes out. I have a couple of the blue 8 gallon aquatainers and various other containers.

[tangy]

Jack, I have not ordered anything from the sportmans guide in years but have bought some cool stuff from them like my throwing tomahawks and throwing knife.

 

I also think that is where i got a sword concealed inside a cane and " a brush with death" which is a pointed plastic object concealed as the handle to the hair brush.

 

Just bookmarked that page.

[spirit of radio]

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 12:35 PM)

QUOTE (Alph Seeker @ Feb 11 2010, 12:26 PM) QUOTE Some small fish hooks and weights and 100 ft. of fishing line. Wind the line around a small stick and it'll take up less room.   Add a jar or two of Powerbait. (Unless you are like me and try to always carry a fly rod (you never know when a mental break down needs to be averted)). Good idea! You can also throw in a couple of small lures.   It's also handy to know how to "grunt" worms. You take two sticks, one about four feet long and another about a foot and a half. Take the long one and drive it into the ground with a rock, leaving about 8 inches sticking up above the ground. Take the shorter stick and carve twenty to thirty notches in it one on top of another and perpendicular to the shaft of the stick. Take your notched stick with a hand on either end, hold it about 45 degrees relative to the one sticking up out of the ground, and drag it across the edge of the top. This makes a grunting sound and produces lots of vibration and after about 4 minutes, you'll see worms crawling up out of the dirt. I have field-tested this technique myself and it works great. Grunting worms...who knew...you learn something new every day Good to know Jack

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (tangy @ Feb 11 2010, 02:05 PM)

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 01:55 PM) QUOTE (tangy @ Feb 11 2010, 01:45 PM) QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 12:28 PM) QUOTE (tangy @ Feb 11 2010, 11:59 AM) I would like to think i am prepared. We lost power for 3 days before Christmas and while I was adequately prepared I also had lots of time to think how I could be better prepared. I have an emergency box loaded with various goodies to get through the next storm. In terms of car survival I am all for having a kit but think in most cases one should stay by or in the vehicle to wait for help. I also take some form of survival kit anytime I am hiking or biking. The space blanket is an excellent suggestion and given how cheap and light they are I take one with me at all times in the woods. If someone gets hurt and you need to leave them to get help, the space blanket could be a life saver especially in shock instances. One thing that I do need to get to be better prepared is an epi-pen. Great topic! Thanks very much! It does my heart good to know there's someone else on this forum who believes in the power of a survival kit! Good man!   Another thing to put in a kit that I forgot to mention is a whistle. The kind you don't want is your standard coach's whistle with a pea (small rubber ball) inside it that makes it trill. The peas have been know to fall out or freeze or melt to the inside of the whistle, thus lessening it's effectiveness. The kind of whistle I have is a Rescue Howler, they contain no pea and are designed for survival situations. They're cheap, come in a two-pack, are available at Dick's Sporting Goods, and, most importantly, they are loud! Rescue Howler whistle. yes, a whistle is a good add. A small mirror is another good thing to have.   i carry water purifying tablets and have had the same bottle for years never used. nowadays they make a straw that purifies any water drawn through it. i think thats a good idea and will probably get a straw sooner or later.   speaking of car survival i would like to get a tool that i saw that is designed for cutting seatbelts and smashing out windows. Here's the filter that I have:Aquamira Frontier Pro. It's a good one! i have an older purwater filter i use for backpacking but i really like the one you linked to. Only $20. Seems like a deal to me!   I have a well so I have to store water for when the power goes out. I have a couple of the blue 8 gallon aquatainers and various other containers. It's a fantastic deal and it comes with several spare filters, enough to filter a total of 250 gallons.   Regarding that car escape tool you mentioned, I put a case cutter knife and a spring-loaded punch in my glove compartment. I figured that'd work just as well and it's cheaper. The upside to the spring-loaded punch is that you don't have to swing it.   Edit: good idea with the water containers, too! Have you seen the Water Bob? I have two and I recommend them.

Edited February 11, 2010 by Jack Aubrey

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (spirit of radio @ Feb 11 2010, 04:14 PM)

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 12:35 PM) QUOTE (Alph Seeker @ Feb 11 2010, 12:26 PM) QUOTE Some small fish hooks and weights and 100 ft. of fishing line. Wind the line around a small stick and it'll take up less room.   Add a jar or two of Powerbait. (Unless you are like me and try to always carry a fly rod (you never know when a mental break down needs to be averted)). Good idea! You can also throw in a couple of small lures.   It's also handy to know how to "grunt" worms. You take two sticks, one about four feet long and another about a foot and a half. Take the long one and drive it into the ground with a rock, leaving about 8 inches sticking up above the ground. Take the shorter stick and carve twenty to thirty notches in it one on top of another and perpendicular to the shaft of the stick. Take your notched stick with a hand on either end, hold it about 45 degrees relative to the one sticking up out of the ground, and drag it across the edge of the top. This makes a grunting sound and produces lots of vibration and after about 4 minutes, you'll see worms crawling up out of the dirt. I have field-tested this technique myself and it works great. Grunting worms...who knew...you learn something new every day Good to know Jack Glad to pass it on, brother-man!

[Mara]

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 05:39 PM)

QUOTE (spirit of radio @ Feb 11 2010, 04:14 PM) QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 12:35 PM) QUOTE (Alph Seeker @ Feb 11 2010, 12:26 PM) QUOTE Some small fish hooks and weights and 100 ft. of fishing line. Wind the line around a small stick and it'll take up less room.   Add a jar or two of Powerbait. (Unless you are like me and try to always carry a fly rod (you never know when a mental break down needs to be averted)). Good idea! You can also throw in a couple of small lures.   It's also handy to know how to "grunt" worms. You take two sticks, one about four feet long and another about a foot and a half. Take the long one and drive it into the ground with a rock, leaving about 8 inches sticking up above the ground. Take the shorter stick and carve twenty to thirty notches in it one on top of another and perpendicular to the shaft of the stick. Take your notched stick with a hand on either end, hold it about 45 degrees relative to the one sticking up out of the ground, and drag it across the edge of the top. This makes a grunting sound and produces lots of vibration and after about 4 minutes, you'll see worms crawling up out of the dirt. I have field-tested this technique myself and it works great. Grunting worms...who knew...you learn something new every day Good to know Jack Glad to pass it on, brother-man! I imagine it would take some patience and effort to get 3.5' of stick driven into the ground, especially in hard rocky soil. . .

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (Mara @ Feb 11 2010, 04:47 PM)

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 05:39 PM) QUOTE (spirit of radio @ Feb 11 2010, 04:14 PM) QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 12:35 PM) QUOTE (Alph Seeker @ Feb 11 2010, 12:26 PM) QUOTE Some small fish hooks and weights and 100 ft. of fishing line. Wind the line around a small stick and it'll take up less room.   Add a jar or two of Powerbait. (Unless you are like me and try to always carry a fly rod (you never know when a mental break down needs to be averted)). Good idea! You can also throw in a couple of small lures.   It's also handy to know how to "grunt" worms. You take two sticks, one about four feet long and another about a foot and a half. Take the long one and drive it into the ground with a rock, leaving about 8 inches sticking up above the ground. Take the shorter stick and carve twenty to thirty notches in it one on top of another and perpendicular to the shaft of the stick. Take your notched stick with a hand on either end, hold it about 45 degrees relative to the one sticking up out of the ground, and drag it across the edge of the top. This makes a grunting sound and produces lots of vibration and after about 4 minutes, you'll see worms crawling up out of the dirt. I have field-tested this technique myself and it works great. Grunting worms...who knew...you learn something new every day Good to know Jack Glad to pass it on, brother-man! I imagine it would take some patience and effort to get 3.5' of stick driven into the ground, especially in hard rocky soil. . . You want to look for soft-ish ground, which will also contain more worms than hard rocky soil.

[tangy]

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 04:36 PM)

QUOTE (tangy @ Feb 11 2010, 02:05 PM) QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 01:55 PM) QUOTE (tangy @ Feb 11 2010, 01:45 PM) QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Feb 11 2010, 12:28 PM) QUOTE (tangy @ Feb 11 2010, 11:59 AM) I would like to think i am prepared. We lost power for 3 days before Christmas and while I was adequately prepared I also had lots of time to think how I could be better prepared. I have an emergency box loaded with various goodies to get through the next storm. In terms of car survival I am all for having a kit but think in most cases one should stay by or in the vehicle to wait for help. I also take some form of survival kit anytime I am hiking or biking. The space blanket is an excellent suggestion and given how cheap and light they are I take one with me at all times in the woods. If someone gets hurt and you need to leave them to get help, the space blanket could be a life saver especially in shock instances. One thing that I do need to get to be better prepared is an epi-pen. Great topic! Thanks very much! It does my heart good to know there's someone else on this forum who believes in the power of a survival kit! Good man!   Another thing to put in a kit that I forgot to mention is a whistle. The kind you don't want is your standard coach's whistle with a pea (small rubber ball) inside it that makes it trill. The peas have been know to fall out or freeze or melt to the inside of the whistle, thus lessening it's effectiveness. The kind of whistle I have is a Rescue Howler, they contain no pea and are designed for survival situations. They're cheap, come in a two-pack, are available at Dick's Sporting Goods, and, most importantly, they are loud! Rescue Howler whistle. yes, a whistle is a good add. A small mirror is another good thing to have.   i carry water purifying tablets and have had the same bottle for years never used. nowadays they make a straw that purifies any water drawn through it. i think thats a good idea and will probably get a straw sooner or later.   speaking of car survival i would like to get a tool that i saw that is designed for cutting seatbelts and smashing out windows. Here's the filter that I have:Aquamira Frontier Pro. It's a good one! i have an older purwater filter i use for backpacking but i really like the one you linked to. Only $20. Seems like a deal to me!   I have a well so I have to store water for when the power goes out. I have a couple of the blue 8 gallon aquatainers and various other containers. It's a fantastic deal and it comes with several spare filters, enough to filter a total of 250 gallons.   Regarding that car escape tool you mentioned, I put a case cutter knife and a spring-loaded punch in my glove compartment. I figured that'd work just as well and it's cheaper. The upside to the spring-loaded punch is that you don't have to swing it.   Edit: good idea with the water containers, too! Have you seen the Water Bob? I have two and I recommend them. now that is being prepared! might have to get me a Water Bob.