Opportunity to SURVIVE & ESCAPE during Urban Emergency

B

Banshee

Joined
Oct 13, 2001
Messages
402
With Earthquake, Massive Nationwide Power Grid Failure, Floods, Hurricane, Tornadoes, Car Crash etc... who has had the good sense/fortune/luck to have their BOB with them at the time and how was it used to help them overcome these disasters and provide assistance to others??

A description of the usage of particular items and their usefulness/shortcomings would serve as guide to others.

I try to always have a blade, pliers, small light (either LED/incadensences), lighters and ropes with me at all time. Were there any instances where theses items were used to save,prolonge life or help others??

Bob
 
While I have no earth-shattering tales of adventure, I drive a rolling BOB, a Jeep Wrangler, which on several occasions has been able to proceed when everyone else was stranded. I carry a QUALITY set of booster cables, with 8-gauge cables and STURDY clamps, which on numerous occasions have been able to help someone when cheap cables have failed. I carry a rather complete tool set, including a STURDY 4-way lug wrench and an extra-long socket wrench, and STURDY sockets, which have been able to remove wheel lug nuts after flimsy tools had failed. I do not carry it all the time, but when going far from home, or off pavement, I carry a Hi-lift jack, which has come in handy several times to help others, as well as for routine maintenance on our vehicles. I carry two of the heavy-duty plastic Hi-lift jack bases, which are wonderful when there is no pavement under the jack, and it works for the bottle-type hydraulic jacks too. I carry several pairs of gloves, which have been useful, and extra clothing, which has also been handy a time or two. One of the most useful items? I carry several empty one-quart Gatorade bottles. They can be stashed in nooks and crannies that will not hold larger containers, and several can fit into a nylon tote bag to carry water or other fluids. In certain environments, leaving the safety or privacy of the vehicle is not advisable, and the Gatorade bottle can be a handy portable urinal. Like I said, no high adventure, but my $0.02.
 
Sound advice, Rex. I do the same thing, except my rolling bob is a Toyota Tacoma. My father just bought me a canopy for Christmas, so now my truck becomes an RV! Excellent gift.
 
The only time I had to Bug out, was back in 95. I was woke up by the sheriffs dept and as the deputy pounded on the door, he was shouting you gotta get out, get out now! So......I grabbed my clothes and headed out the front door. When I hit the front yard I was standing in 1' of moving water. We lived next to the river and between the time I'd gone to bed and was woke up (1hr 15min) the river rose 6 feet. I heard our neighbor coming up from behind our house, where he lived in a small apt and he was wading in chest deep water. We jumped in the ol' VW and with water coming up over the hood, obscuring my vision as it hit the windshield and me sticking my head out the side window so I could see, we drove the 200 yards to the bridge which was under water, made it across the bridge, the car floating some, but still holding the traction. When we got to dry ground, we looked and every other vehicle was stranded because the bridge had started moving from the force of the rushing water. If I'd had taken the time to grab anything, we'd have never made it out. That night was when I made the decision to start putting an emergency pack in each of the vehicles. That ride sure got the old heart pumping. No doubt about it, it made me a believer in the boy scout motto.
 
Never really had to bug out but have stayed in place during several hurricanes here in the states and typhoons in Okinawa and the PI. I have stuff stocked up and had to utilize my supplies during power outages and pulling duty during typhoons.
 
A description of the usage of particular items and their usefulness/shortcomings would serve as guide to others.
Click to expand...

The other day I helped someone who locked their keys in their car by poping the lock with my rigger belt...Does that count?


S.
 
I posted a similar question just after the 'Blackout'. A lot of interesting comments were made.

The BOB must be applied at different levels. I two have a Jeep with a big tool box in the back. More or less road emergecy stuff as I only go about 5 miles to work. But on longer trips I add to it.

Recently I had some larger tires that would make my spare most likely to small to install. I have a tire repair kit in the back with one of the little pumps. The last flat I had I repaired on the rim and the longest part was waiting for the little pump to fill it back up.

Seems in the Blackout the most important things were to be carried as the traffic caused a complete standstill.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=270350&highlight=Gadget54

Gadget54
 
Sidewinder,

just one question ..... how do you 'POP' the car's lock with a rigger belt ... it was really confusing me to think of it since i do have a Blackhawk Rigger's Belt too ....

Bob
 
..... how do you 'POP' the car's lock with a rigger belt ...
Click to expand...

The car was an older Volvo that has the push down/pull up door locks. When I got out of my car, I see this guy trying to open his door with a stick and a piece of string with a loop at the end. He's trying to push the string around the lock with the stick and hopfully yank up. To me, it didn't look like it was going to work. With no coat hangers around, I tried to think about something else to use. I don't know what made me think of my belt, but I decide to try to lower the buckle through the crack in the window. I managed to get the knob of the lock between the belt buckle and sliding bar. I think it was actually the sliding bar that made contact with the knob. I started to pull the belt to the side and up at a 45 degree angle in a swift motion and up pops the lock on the first try! Kinda surprised myself...

S.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top