Emergency Preparedness – Putting Together a Car Survival Kit

Daily sprints from point-a to point-b, as well as long distance road trips, along with the large amount of time we spend in our vehicles create plenty of opportunity for unexpected disaster to present itself. In this article, I will discuss the need for a car survival kit, the items to include, and how it will help you and your family prepare for emergency situations.

At a young age I learned from my father to be as prepared as possible for situations in and out of your control. He still reminds me every year (usually right before winter) to make sure my auto survival kit is updated and ready for business. I was reminded again last week while sitting in my car engulfed in a winter blizzard wishing I had better prepared for situations of being stuck in the parking lot of work (bald tires + lots of snow = stuck car).

Items in Car Survival Kits

Your survival kit can include a lot of supplies to help you prepare for the unexpected emergency. Keep in mind the amount of space you have to store your kit, and the amount of passengers in the vehicle in addition to yourself. Here are some items to think about when putting together your own. Again, these are just a few to cover the basics. Include any items that pertain specifically to you and your passengers additional needs.

• Storage: Box, bag, or container to hold supplies
• Physical Needs: Food and water such as energy bars (for each person)
• Medical Supplies: First-Aid Kit, band aids, prescribed medications, female hygiene products, toilet paper, diapers and other baby needs
• Extra Clothing: Coats, blankets, socks, gloves, shoes, sleeping bags etc.
• Automobile Care: Jumper cables, fix-a-flat, functional spare tire, tool set, fire extinguisher, oil/other fluids, seat belt cover
• AttentionGetters: Whistle, road flares, pen/marker, paper/cardboard, cell phone battery and charger, emergency radio, flashlights or spotlight, headlamp
• Pure Survival Based: Axe or knife, rope/paracord, matches or lighter, heat source such as InstaFire, emergency power generators, flashlights and extra batteries,
• Miscellaneous: Boy Scout manual

For car survival kit items and other basic disaster products, check out www.survivalbased.com

Pack Smart – “Knowing is half the battle”

Remember, the items in your car kit are only as good as your knowledge of how to use them. A Boy Scout manual is a great resource for basic emergency preparation and survival education. Check out your library or the internet for other ideas.

Make sure you know how to:

• Build a fire for cooking/warmth in all weather conditions (check out InstaFire)
• Prepare the specific food in your kit
• Change a flat tire and other basics of automobile maintenance
• Tie knots with the rope/paracord
• Build shelter
• General first-aid basics

Prevent the Unnecessary

We all have experienced the “If I would  have done this, then this wouldn’t have happened” lessons of life. Be sure to perform regular maintenance on your vehicle to help prevent the unnecessary from even occurring. Change your oil, check tire pressure, and make sure your car is fit to handle the daily use and weather conditions it will face. A lot of my personal “If…then” experiences involved my car some way or another.  If I replaced my bald tires before winter like I should have, then I wouldn’t have found myself (and three coworkers) trying to get my car out of the parking lot in the snow.

Disaster preparedness is a matter of life and death. Well thought out car survival kits and the knowledge of how to use it will help you prepare for your chess match with mother nature and other battles of unexpected situations.