Welcome to DK Preppers: A place to discuss practical ways to get through emergencies, both short term and long. Topics may include skills for growing, storing and sharing food, lost and historical skill sets, sustainability issues, living and leaving safely, and growing community. Everyone is welcome, and the comments are open. We have open threads weekly.
Let’s talk about what you carry with you every day. Could it help you survive in an emergency?
Preppers like to compare their EDC (Every Day Carry) bags, and argue about the best items to include, but really, what should be in YOUR EDC bag? It depends on where you live, and what you think you might need when all hell breaks loose- and whatever that might mean to you.
My EDC bag will be very different than yours.
First, my EDC is my purse. I live in rural Northern Ohio. I’m not a big doomsday-er, so the emergencies think about to stock my EDC are mostly not apocalyptic. The emergencies I think are likely are medical, or auto accidents, sudden illnesses- things like that. In my humble opinion, if an atomic weapon falls on Ohio, the contents of my purse are not going to be at all important. But if I accidentally get hit by a bus, my purse will be invaluable to my family.
First, I have notebook with a page (or more) for each person in my family. Since several of my family members have health issues, my notebook has a page with that person’s birth date, the medications they take (if any), their allergies, a list of their doctors names and phone numbers. Work phone numbers, friends names and numbers, and any information I think might be useful. I have in mind “how would I locate this person if I needed to, just using this notebook as a starting point”. If I’m in an accident, I want my family to be easy to contact. I could keep this info in my phone, of course, but I think it would be easier for a medical professional to access in notebook form. In a pocket on the notebook, I have fairly recent photos of each person- their name written on the back.
I have a page in my notebook for myself. Also in this notebook, I have a list of passwords to access my computer. My family might have to try the list to get to the right ones, but they’ll get in. There is also the name of a file in the notebook too. That file tells all the passwords to my bank account, where my insurance policies can be found at home and online, where my key to my safety deposit box is, and all that sort of information. In that file I have photographs of documents that my family might need if I were to die. (There is a hard copy of that file in the safety deposit box too).
I also have a miniature multi-tool in my purse. It has a blade, pliers, a tiny flashlight, magnifying lens, and a screwdriver. I have a micro-first aid kit with needle and thread, allergy pills, band-aids, antiseptic, ibuprofen, asthma inhaler, and migraine pills.
Some people consider their cars as part of their Every Day Carry. In my car, I have a bundle of things in case I were to get stuck in the middle of nowhere in the winter: several cheap space blankets, two good sleeping bags, large pocket knife, a small candle stove and candles, matches, dried fruits and nuts, flares, and a crank radio/flashlight, juice boxes and some water.
So, tell me. What do you carry? What have you done to be prepared this week?