Updating My "Urban Altoids" Kit - Any Suggestions?

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maury

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Sep 24, 2000
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I live in Manhattan - actually was within site of the WTC towers from the front steps of my apartment building. Clearly, 9-11 has caused all of us to do some thinking about just what to carry in terms of an "urban survival kit."

My premise - and I think I might have touched on this in a couple of other postings - is that in the event of another attack or similar emergency situation, I would have the benefit of a suburb emergency response system, perhaps the best of its kind in the world. Given that, I have pretty much discounted the need for carrying any first aid supplies: if I am well enough to move or signal my whereabouts, help will arrive; if I am too badly injured to move AND unable to let rescuers know where I am, then it is doubtful that anything I could comfortably (and practically) have along would change my situation.

So, my concern is based on what I can carry, pretty much at all times, that would improve my survival chances. Most "traditional" survival items like snare wire, fishing gear, sewing kit, a compass or a "space blanket" really don't apply here (IMHO).

Currently, here is what I always try to have with me:

On my key ring my 2 most important items: a Photon II flashlight and a Fox 40 whistle.

One or two large bandanas to use as emergency dust mask.

A large multitool on my belt - although with many office buildings now using metal detectors and "wanding" visitors, this is getting to be problematic, and I often switch it (reluctantly) for a smaller SAK.

Which, in my round-a bout way, brings me to my little tin box- and my question. So far, I have decided to pack it like so:

A couple of pieces of HACKSAW BLADE, cut to fit
Another FOX 40 WHISTLE
Another PHOTON II
5 WATERPROOF MATCHES and a STRIKER
20' of FLORESCENT COLORED NYLON MASON'S TWINE
A sheet of WATERPROOF PAPER and a tiny PENCIL
A SINGLE EDGED RAZOR BLADE

- and the box will be wrapped in about 20' of 550 PARACORD

Now, this still leaves a bit of room in my Altoids tin, so: any suggestions as to what else I could/should/must include?
 
Not really for the tin but after working in Manhatten for many year's in the bowl's and not seen place's of maze's and service passage way's ,keep on your person :Flash light,Multitool or screwdriver/needlenose vicegrip or the #8,take a piece of Hacksaw blade 4 inches long put it on your key chain,it'll be used to open box's, mail ect. most of the time,But it's great when you have to open a door!! For your tin the Magic candle's the one's that don't blow out, a mini bic lighter, some brass wire or wire fishing leader,have some short section's of wood to use for door stop's they can all be uesed to hold door's opened till you verify that the next door will let you in!
 
A metal match, tape around the opening seam with either electrical or duct tape to help waterproof, plus the tape has other uses. A candle or two. Easy start tender, sewing kit (needles, fishing line, safety pins) all of which have other uses. I'd carry a strip of water purification tablets in my kit as well. Too many things can happen that will contaminate the water supplies and all too often water availability will stop due to broken pipes and so on, so you might want to consider an unlubricated condom or two as well for water storage. Or, what I carry is a 1 gal. ziplock freezer bag folded up small and rubberbanded.

Thinking back on the 9/11 event you openned your thread with. Don't count too highly on the EMS in your area to be available to patch you up. They are often first responders and as we learned with the Towers, are often very vulnerable.


psk002.jpg
 
How about shrink wrapping that bad boy? The 550 can be used to tie off doors instead of chocking. On another note, if you are into chocking say like a safe room, the best thing is a Wedge-it. I use them on operations. Even on carpets you will break the door before the Wedge-it moves.
 
chocking with a wedge is not needed, you can use anything you grab to hold a door open,but the way you'll use the wood section's is to jam between the top rear of the door and the frame by the hinge very fast to do and remove.In a lot of building,s they don't clean the stairwell's on a regular basis ,you get a build up of grit which cause's the wedge to slide
 
Maury, I've been considering fluourescent surveyor's tape for my kit. It can be rolled up pretty tightly. My most likely danger is tornados rather than terrorist attact or subway collapse, but trapped in rubble is trapped in rubble. So, the surveyors tape could be anchored near you (or just hold on to it) and tossed through any opening available so it unrolls and helps mark your position to lead the S&R folks in. And it works even after your voice gives out or you pass out.

Other uses: wind sock, signal streamer in the woods, trail marking and "he went thataway" sign.

What do y'all think?

Chad
 
Originally posted by maury
I live in Manhattan ...snip...

Now, this still leaves a bit of room in my Altoids tin, so: any suggestions as to what else I could/should/must include?
Click to expand...

I'd add

1)Any necessary prescription meds you might need
2)I'd still carry some bandaids and the like - they come in handy
3) A $6 metrocard!!!!!
4)A needle and thread (think sewing)
5)If you walk alot, some Moleskin
 
In mine I have a few $20 bills. It is amazing what you can do with bills. Keep the usual stuff...and bills...make it load to task and environment
 
Thanks all for some very good - and a few "interesting"! - ideas.

Remeber, I am putting this together for an a pretty specific urban area, so I kinda figure there isan't gonna be a whole lot of point in preparing to snare small game, fish for dinner or sew up some emergency garb.

On the other hand, I will be adding:

A COUPLE OF $20 DOLLAR BILLS
A SMALL BIC LIGHTER
A FEW FEET OF LIGHT GUAGE WIRE
SAFTEY PINS
- and a pack of condoms - the lubbed kind; hey, you never know!

Thanks to All for the input!
 
I have read that the 2 greatest problems encountered on 911 by many of the people who did get out were (in my perceived order of magnitude) major choking dust and eyes blinded by said dust. Third most common was probably darkness, but a photon is so simple to carry, I will not mention it again. Burns, various injuries and passage blockages would probably follow.

Have you ever been in a room with drywall or concrete dust so thick you can not see thru it? Would a simple hanky/bandanna be enough? Would wetting it help? I have a pocket cloth dust mask in my laptop case for those times when I "suddenly" find myself having to drill or cut concrete or drywall without proper ventillation. (drilling in a pile of shaving cream will greatly reduce/eliminate dust, but you can't encase the building in it during a disaster...)

The eye problem would probably require visine and goggles. Possibly a water flush. Probably not in the scope of the mini kit either. I have thought about a pair of small athletic prescription goggles as a backup pair of glasses, but never have followed up on it.

Burns and injuries may simply have to be ignored for the moment, unless a quick splint is absolutely necessary. Females into the lowcut/skimpy styles are kind of out of luck if they need to create sling/splint material.

Blocked passages caused quite a few deaths. One group had to cut thru quite a thickness of drywall to escape an elevator. They almost did not make it because no one had a real knife, or only one did. I forget which. Would a cane be useful for prying and working a way thru some blockages? Only heavy wrecking equipment would have gotten the people onto the roof.

Food and water are not really necessary for sustenance in a scenario like this, but water can be used to flush eyes or clear a dusty throat after the face filter is fabricated.

One last question: Isn't using a tin increasing the probability that the kit will be barred from entry into some buildings? Or does the tin get a pass because it is obviously just the curiously strong stuff? I would wonder about the hack saw blade mentioned earlier also.
 
Thanks Grommit - some interesting comments.

I try to carry a bottle of water with me most of the time. A water-soaked bandana will be better than nothing in a dust situation and water is useful as an eye flush.

Your comment on the metal box being picked up by x-ray screening is certainly worth considering: so far it has been passed by "guards" - not sure if this is a comment on the benign image it presents or just the fact that it isan't knife/gun shapped. I think, however, that I should be looking for a plastic box that will work for me.

I also recently found out that there is no central registry of people admitted to hospitals here in NYC - and I suppose the same is true in most major cities. This means that anyone looking for someone who might have been hospitalized here is faced with the task of calling all the hospitals in the area - and there are lots of 'em.

I have added my name, address and contact numbers for my wife, laminated in clear plastic and attached to the lid of the box.
Another copy is in my wallet.

While there is a lot more that I would like to available, I also consider the convenience of one small box that I am most lightly to stick in my pocket of bag or whatever - and have when I need it.

I think the kit as it now stands is about it for me. Thanks again for all the suggestions.
 
Gotta agree with Glocker21 some cash in the tin will definitly help. Don't forget that a lot of people had to find other ways out of south Manhattan when the subway went down. How about including a few bus tokens?
 
You definately need a small compass. You don't need precise navigation, just an idea of which way to go as smoke, dust, or missing landmarks might cause confusion.

For emergency water storage , you can try and always carry a bottle of water which is probably the best idea, or check out Platypus bags. They won't fold up in your mini kit, but you can carry them rolled in a pocket or briefcase.

Eye protection. Again, too big for the kit, but a small set of goggles will go a long way. They would look stupid, but swim goggles are small to carry. If nothing else, a clear set of Oakleys or something similar. Foreign objects in your eye can completely immobilize you, or make you dependant on someone else to help you out.

Last you need something that won't take up any room in your kit, a plan. Check out the building you live in and those you work in as much as possible. Preplan your exit, figure out how the doors work in the stairwells, etc. Expect something to happen and figure out ahead of time what you will do. Under stress, we lose a lot of cognitive capability, leaving you with fight, flight, or freeze, while one of them might work, trusting your life to reptilian responses is pretty risky. Having an immediate action drill can allow you to do something useful while under great stress.

I realize some of these aren't really what you asked about, but for your application, not everything can go in a tin. That's my 2 cents, hope some of it helps.
 
Last you need something that won't take up any room in your kit, a plan. Check out the building you live in and those you work in as much as possible. Preplan your exit, figure out how the doors work in the stairwells, etc. Expect something to happen and figure out ahead of time what you will do. Under stress, we lose a lot of cognitive capability, leaving you with fight, flight, or freeze, while one of them might work, trusting your life to reptilian responses is pretty risky. Having an immediate action drill can allow you to do something useful while under great stress.

Geraldo..you are absolutely correct. I teach wilderness survival ( basic and intermediate )and I agree fully...I like to scope out an area...think of a "What if" plan for various scenarios that could occur.

Remember the 7P's ( Prior Perfect Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance )

Stress is a very interesting thing. It can lead you to errors in judgement..irrational thought...and probably most dangerous > Violent reaction mode.

Think before you sink...

Lets be careful out there guys


Jerry
 
One thing that you will definitly want to have in there is duct tape. Roll some up on a short piece of dowel rod, you never know when it will come in handy. Duct tape is the ultimate power tool. :p
 
One thing that you will definitly want to have in there is duct tape. Roll some up on a short piece of dowel rod, you never know when it will come in handy. Duct tape is the ultimate power tool. :p
 
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