I'm just watching LOADS of videos and it's brought me round to something a friend of mine told me.
In an urban emergency situation, there are 3 things you want to have with you. Handgun, cash/credit-card, and mobile phone.
Obviously, there is a lot more that you'd need to have. But let's be realistic, as a basic kit, this system covers security, coms, and water/food.
It's not a difficult system, or an amazing idea. The principle of this, in his words, are to get you out of the city.
He said a load of other things that really got me thinking.
When was the last time you were out at night, and it was so dark that you couldn't see without a torch? Not saying a torch isn't important. It very clearly is. In buildings and the alike, you can get moments where it's ZERO light, so it's always good to have a torch with you. But in a general city leaving situation, a torch will be more of a beacon than anything else. In a rural setting, the same is true. You'll see someone's torch light well before anything else.
Water is blatantly important, as is food. But again, in a typical emergency situation, a few hours without one or the other won't be a killer. I asked about clothing and the alike. He said "If you ain't properly dressed already, you're either an idiot or at work."
The more I challenge my understandings of prepping, survivalism, self-development, and myself, the more I realise I don't know, or have forgotten.
An urban survival kit can be as simple as security (a gun/knife), food and water (through money/creditcard), and coms (mobile phone). Shelter will be worn, or you'll realise you're in a city and there are buildings all around.
Yes it would be good to have a bag full of gear. But let's not be worrying about having gear. It's only going to be useful if it's with you...which is isn't likely to be....24/7.
While I always carry my phone anyway, I was caught up in the London tube/bus bombings & mobiles were useless as the lovely PTB turned off all the phone signals. Guess what worked perfectly for letting my family know I was ok & nobody else had thought to use? Good old BT pay phones. Do yourself a favour & stick a couple of quid loose change in your pocket. It can save a lot of panicking back at home & has multiple uses.
I watched a program years ago called secret Britain I think it was called.
I think the videos are still on youtube.
But anyway apparently there's an old telephone emergency system in use whereby on a landline if you dial 1 before the number you want it treats your call as priority and connects it straight away.
I did try it a few years ago during new years and it worked BUT that could have been coincidence woth keeping in mind and trying next time you cant get through I suppose.
(10 December 2012, 15:57)Geordie_Rob Wrote: [ -> ]While I always carry my phone anyway, I was caught up in the London tube/bus bombings & mobiles were useless as the lovely PTB turned off all the phone signals. Guess what worked perfectly for letting my family know I was ok & nobody else had thought to use? Good old BT pay phones. Do yourself a favour & stick a couple of quid loose change in your pocket. It can save a lot of panicking back at home & has multiple uses.
That's another great point and another use for the money/creditcard part of what my friend said.
Good input.
The hills that I walk my dogs in is an area of hundreds of square miles of nothing but open country where the weather could kill, bogs that you can dispear in,... in short a dangerous place,...so I have thought long and hard about taking with me what I think is the most important items that can be carried easily, my dogs normaly have back packs,... but its what I always carry thats of interest here
I realise that the kit might have to be different for an urban situation,..
I am never without the following.
An emergency shelter, its made of a material simular to a space blanket, has tie down cords and shaped like the old style ridge tents,... its folded into a packet no bigger that a pipe smokers bacci pouch.
A knife,... not a Rambo type at all, just a simple good quality locking penknife,..in my case its a stockmans knife.
A meal,... a packet of boiled sweets,.. not to be mocked, there is a good reason why boiled sweets are in Military ration packs,...and a fruit drink, a small packet drink the size of a packet of cigs
A phone
Map and compass,...all carried in the pockets of a good jacket
....and most important of all,... Knowledge,... if you know where you are,.. where you are going,..... how you will get there, ...and what to do if you cant,... then you are a prepper
at the end of the day, when TSHTF and all the stores and shops are empty its KNOWLEDGE that will help you survive.
Remember our ancestors lived with NO shop bought kit.
Look at your kit and I mean REALLY look and see what you really need.
Kits good if you have it but like B.P. says knowledge is the real survival kit.
Think on about your reliance on kit as well, its fab when you have it but what about when you don't or you've lost it what then?
You need fire as it has many uses, so you need the ability to light a fire, maybe waterproof matches plus a fire steel plus cotton wool for tinder.
You need shelter because if you assume it'll be sunny and warm that's when it'll snow... so maybe a tarp or poncho plus the knowledge to build a better shelter tomorrow.
The ability to catch food, so snares AND the knowledge to set them because they're useless without that.
Maybe fishing hooks, line and weights, you can improvise a rod if you like rod fishing and or a multiple hook setup tied to a tree for overnight say.
Ok,.. if you have forgotten all your gear then most people will be stuffed,... so its down to what you are wearing,..
I always buy boots that have these extra long laces, the ones you can wrap around your ankles a million time,...if need be a snare can be made from the lace and still have enough left to tie your boots with.
Jackets should be the type with liners, the last thing you need to be is cold and wet,...if you do get wet, then remove the lining and dry it while still staying warm in the jacket..... the zip of the lining can also do as a saw if needed,..if treated with care.... water proof jackets with loose inside pockets can be removed and used to collect water
Often good to have your walking boots a size too big, so that you have to wear two pairs of socks,... you can do the same with a pair of socks as you did with the lining of your jacket,...or you can use one pair as gloves
Remember that many light layers of clothing is far better and far warmer than a couple of heavy layers
When building your survival kit remember, its need, not want - there is a difference.....
MA
(10 December 2012, 16:38)MikeAlpha3041 Wrote: [ -> ]When building your survival kit remember, its need, not want - there is a difference.....
MA
mmmm, not quiet so sure MA,... survival is more complexed than that, its not just whats desperatly needed, but its also about your moral,...to survive well you need to be in the right mind, just to be making do over a length of time is going to get you down, its going to play on your mind and turn your mind to dispare.
Some of the items you should take should be items that are not so much luxury items, but items to lift your spirts,..... your frame of mind is the best survival tool you have