Not so Urban Survival Bag

[ras]

Since the big event in SOCAL is an magnitude 9 earthquake we can expect just about everything to be out of stock or out of reach in a very short time. No flooding, but depending on the epicenter, infrastructure and buildings could be damaged/down, there may be lots of serious-fatal injuries and some roads could be impassable. As on the Gulf Coast, in the initial aftermath you are on your own. For this, my Bug-In-Bag (not really a bag) has a lot more of everything: water, food, flashlights, batteries, ammo et al. . . More cash could be very useful.

For the wildfire that could start up (big T-storms last night), by truck is my Bug-Out-Bag and it will be loaded early with things that aren't replaceable or that I'll need (laptop, important paperwork, weapons, some ammo, an assortment of clothes). I've done this exercise enough that it only takes a few hours; where I live there are usually days to prepare. Once I'm well clear of the area (not necessarily out of town), I can get a room and see what happens.

More cash is always a good thing, but in the case of a wildfire I'd expect my bank and credit cards to still work. Just keep any cash you do keep stashed out of sight so you don't become a target. $10's and $20's are again probably more useful than $100's.

 

[tidefan]

This may have been mentioned and I just overlooked it, but a small battery powered radio is worth it's weight for keeping up to date on the situation. I live in central florida as well and we were hit pretty hard by Charlie and Jeanne...and I found out how valuable that little radio was. Hope that helps, Jim

 

[ras]

Speaking of battery powered things like flashlights and radios, my emergency radio is a Sony AM/FM/SW that can run on AA alkalines and my back-up is a Sony Walkman type that also runs on AA. Likewise, my primary flashlights are powered by AA alkalines/lithiums. When looking at stuff that runs on batteries, the type of battery is a criteria as to whether I buy or not. If it runs on a battery that I stock, the decision is much easier.

 

[cheung_victor]

First, let me say thank you for all the great posts here. I've read these forums for quite some time now, and nearly every thread has made me rethink parts of my bag.

I moved to central florida in between the hurricanes in late 2004 to continue with college, and found my kit, designed for Upstate NY survival, a little out of it's element here. The hurricanes caused so much damage, and injured so many people that I've decided the bag needs to be completely redesigned.

I carry the basics with me everywhere.
First aid kit -self built- 500 or so pieces + 100 count bottle of Iburofin.
Sawyer Extractor
Applegate fairbain Covert Folder
Magnesium block
2 Milspec MRE's
2 liter Hydration bladder
Water Purification tabs
Surefire E2O
Leatherman Wave

These are all in my bag, along with any books in need for a normal day at college. Level III assault pack

Mil gear blends in well locally, I've seen countless ALICE type bags before, and BDU is common on students also.

Now, I need to try to revamp my "real kit", the bag that sits at home, to a point where it's useful for Florida.

The Obvious stuff is in there
Water filter (anyone have any experiance with The Katadyn Pocket Filter? Suppose to do 13,000 gallons before filter change)
My Kabar
Tarps
Paracord
Fishing/snare stuff
Larger, 23lb Firstaid kit
Collapsible water containers.
Diamond Strike-a-fire matches.
A few D cell Mag lites (because powerouts are common here, and I can recharge my D cells)
2 More Sawyer Extractors, as goodwill/barter/backup in an emergency.
1/2 Gallon bleach - Water purification.
Glock 17 w/ 5 mags ammo. (and a Florida CCW)
2 Liter hydration bladders, for me, and my Girlfriend.
5 days of Milspec/Hiking food, each
Rain gear.
2 Army survival guides.(souly for goodwill)

I know i need (anyone have good suggestions):
Good, cut/puncture resistant gloves.
Titanium prybar


While i know this is technially an USP, i don't consider it as such. I look at this pack as "After Hurricane XxXxX, there is no urban, only wreckage"

My main goal is to keep my Girl, myself, and a few of our friends (who are building kits, themselves) alive, and well. I will help others, with Firstaid, getting food/water, etc. I'm a trained first responder, and I've been trained countless times in survival(ex military) and feel it's my duty as such to help others who require it.

Any suggestions for this kit? I admit, subtropical is definatly not my area.. but it's where i live now. the ECWS gear has no use anymore, so it's obviously out..

One thing i wanted to ask you.What is your gun for?! I'm a canadian so i'm not really big on guns.

 

[ras]

The guns in my "bag" are for the folks who don't honor the castle in the aftermath of a disaster, or day-to-day. Check the looting and violence in New Orleans, any large city (eg, Vancouver B.C.) could easily go the same way. Indications are that when it's all finished, there will be a number of "flood victims" who didn't drown, they were murdered. If you choose to not own a meaningful self-defense weapon because you're Canadian, that's your decision. But there are other Canadians, some of whom I know who will be armed. It's your life and your choice.

 

[HK2001]

One thing i wanted to ask you.What is your gun for?! I'm a canadian so i'm not really big on guns

The guns are there for the same reason everything else is in the bag: My personal survival.

After seeing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.. seeing the looting, raping, beatings, amd all the other ^$#@ that went on.. There's no question the gun is there to stay. It's there for 2 reasons: self defense, and to aquire food.

Yesterday I completely redid my bag.. I went in to Mississippi after Katrina... and I now have no doubts what I need, what I could be facing, and how completely unprepared every other living soul is.

While I need to inventory everything in the bag, here's a basic rundown of the changes:
-Everything is now in a Medium ALICE
-I dropped the FAK to 8lb.. Trauma dressings, splints, antibiotics, Betadine, and basic Medicines, for Digestive problems, pain, allergies, (I still need to get a damn Epipen) hemostat kit, medical scapals.
-fire- 25 nato matches, a bic, and a ferro rod. everything else I had in the kit is now out.
-20oz lexan bottle full of bleach- wrapped in 3 bandanas.. all the water purification I need.
-I dumped all the flashlights and replaced them with Inova X5T's
-added 10-12hour glowsticks.
-I added powerbars, Multivitamins
-2 10*10 tarps.
-For knives.. I'm sticking with my Kabar... it went through hell and back these last few weeks.. and it's still strong.. and it's still sharp.

In the Alice, with the frame, and 2 liters of water the entire thing weighs 45lbs.

I also have my "base camp" kit, which is a lot more extensive... I just added 10lb of Pasta to that... But my USK/BoB will hold me through 2-3 weeks in the feild.. If this next storm hits as had as they say it will... I'll probably have a chance to test it.

If not.. I'll just have to wait till a storm decides it wants to go to Disney World.

 

[ras]

HK2001,
I liked everything except

-I dumped all the flashlights and replaced them with Inova X5T's

I don't know what you dumped, but while the X5T is a nice light, it uses 123a lithium batteries and is unregulated. The UK4AAeLED OTOH uses much more common and less expensive AA alkaline batteries and if you don't need the hazardous location ratings/certification, it will run on AA lithiums also. My kits include this light and additional AA lithiums good 'til 2020. If I haven't used them by 2015, I'll replace and use the batteries in the kit. AA batteries are the standard for me, they run radios, flashlights/headlamps, gps and lithium AAs have great shelf life. YMMV

 

[cardimon]

-I dumped all the flashlights and replaced them with Inova X5T's

What flashlights did you dump, and why?

I'm curious, because I'd rather have the Inova XO3 in a survival situation. They're both LEDs, but the XO3 can THROW its beam.

 

[HK2001]

I dumped the Mag lite.. simply for the fact that it's to big, it's batteries are to f'n heavy.. I also shelved my surefires because they eat batteries waaay to fast for anything time intensive.

I know I need a torch that has a better throw.. i really really need one that does.. but I don't want to have it go through a box of batteries in a night.

I will have to look at the XO3.. thanks for the suggestion =)

The reason I'm married to the 123a for the moment is because I recently bought 20 boxes of surefire 123a batteries at a going out of business sale. They were $5 a box.. so I'm not complaining.

The X5T that I have lasted 16+ hours on a set of bat's... So we'll call that 2 nights..

I'd like to find a torch with a good throw that lasts at least 5.

For the wildfire that could start up (big T-storms last night), by truck is my Bug-Out-Bag and it will be loaded early with things that aren't replaceable or that I'll need (laptop, important paperwork, weapons, some ammo, an assortment of clothes). I've done this exercise enough that it only takes a few hours; where I live there are usually days to prepare. Once I'm well clear of the area (not necessarily out of town), I can get a room and see what happens.

On the note of the laptop... I currently work in 2d/3d design.. so everything I do is on the computer.. It's not a bad idea to get a small Pelican case that will fit your Hard drive inside of it.. I don't plan on taking my computer if SHTF.. but grabbing my drive, that has financial info, passwords, phonenumbers, and most inportantly.. my work is a great idea.

 

[Ravaillac]

On the note of the laptop... I currently work in 2d/3d design.. so everything I do is on the computer.. It's not a bad idea to get a small Pelican case that will fit your Hard drive inside of it.. I don't plan on taking my computer if SHTF.. but grabbing my drive, that has financial info, passwords, phonenumbers, and most inportantly.. my work is a great idea.

Burn a DVD.

 

[ras]

I dumped the Mag lite.. simply for the fact that it's to big, it's batteries are to f'n heavy.. I also shelved my surefires because they eat batteries waaay to fast for anything time intensive.

I know I need a torch that has a better throw..

The Epieon LED Replacement Bulb for C and D-Cell Maglites is a good way to get LED bulb and battery life teamed with D-Cell capacity. I have these bulbs in the 2D Maglite in my truck and the 3D Maglite next to my bed. Better battery life and the bulbs don't break when the light is dropped. You can still shape the beam as with the incandescent bulbs; the throw is excellent. They're pricey, but you only need to buy them once.

20 boxes of surefire 123a batteries would probably alter my battery plan too. At this point I'm trying to standardize with AA's with a few D cell (maglites) and AAA (small stuff that doesn't come in AA) exceptions.

 

[HK2001]

Burn a DVD.

Maybe when this new Blu-Ray technolgy comes out, backing up my work drive to disk may be a viable option..

But at the moment, my "work" drive is 500GB.. and it's nearly full..

that's not including my Personal info, my "videos" , music, or my gaming info..

All in all this comp has a capacity of 4TB.. not the kind of stuff even Blu-Ray can handle.

 

[Ravaillac]

But at the moment, my "work" drive is 500GB.. and it's nearly full...

The day it crashes you'll look stupid. You should make backup disks of some sort anyway.

 

[HK2001]

The day it crashes you'll look stupid. You should make backup disks of some sort anyway.

I do have backups... but I never have to backup The wonders of RAID 1


Besides, other then RAID there's no reliable way (that i know of) to backup half a terabyte of drive space.