Winter Preparedness & Food For Thought

[Mistwalker]

I carry a bag of kitty litter for traction, one can get stuck on an icy patch as happens at the group mailboxes where the turn around is tight. Distances are long between homes in these parts, often I carry a shovel in addition to good vehicle maintenance and keeping the fuel level above half tank.

Good suggestions!

I have been frantically preparing for winter in the Philippines........just need some sunscreen and I'm sorted!



Looking forward to going home on saturday for a month

Yeah yeah, rub it in! I hope you get mosquito bites on your bits

 

[Tim the Wizard]

I use the ACR ResQLink GPS-Integrated Personal Locator Beacon. It is registered with NOAA as a 406 MHz beacon and integrates with the SARSAT network. The ACR site has an ever-growing cache of survivor stories posted by members. Worth looking into!

The SARSAT system uses NOAA satellites in low-earth and geostationary orbits to detect and locate aviators, mariners, and land-based users in distress. The satellites relay distress signals from emergency beacons to a network of ground stations and ultimately to the U.S. Mission Control Center (USMCC) in Suitland, Maryland. The USMCC processes the distress signal and alerts the appropriate search and rescue authorities to who is in distress and, more importantly, where they are located. Truly, SARSAT takes the "search" out of search and rescue!

 

[Tekton]

Great post Brian. Living in Alberta Canada, where temperatures frequently sit at -4 F and driving long distances over mountain roads, to BC and back, I also keep kits in my vehicle.

 

[M4Super90]

I always enjoy your writing Brian. It's very interesting to me to think about how different the same the concept can be by location. I'm in a unique enough part of the world where I could readily use your winter suggestions in the afternoon and be enjoying the sunshine by the pool only a few hours later. We keep packs in all our vehicles, however our focus is normally on shade and water. I also resupply mine regularly, as the 150-170+ heat in the summers kills the supplies super quick. I'm spoiled now with he drawer system in the FJ and have a hard time slimming things down if I were to need to hump the basics any distance. For the most part it would be as much water as I can carry and a small ditty-bag (homage to Sears). Speaking of, what's the med kit pouch shown? I've been a fan of the TAD OP1 for a while now. I'm not a TAD fanboy, but it's just so functional for its size. Mine lives in the bottom of my daily work bag and carries the following:

Reflective thermal blanket
Compass, signal mirror
Water purification tabs
Collapsible water bladder
a few folded Qt ziplocks
Space pen, mini sharpie
Waterproof writing paper
Brightly colored flagging material
Bic lighter, secondary fire source (magnesium block)
Tinder in a waterproof container
Headlamp, extra 3A batteries
Mini flashlight
Small multi tool
Whistle
Aspirin, Ibuprophen, Benadryl, Neosporin, Iodine wipes, tweezers, surgical glue, band-aids, mole skin, roll of dental floss
Needle and thread, safety pins
Mini roll of 100 mph tape
and a folding titanium spork

 

[M4Super90]

...double tap

 

[Mistwalker]

Great post Brian. Living in Alberta Canada, where temperatures frequently sit at -4 F and driving long distances over mountain roads, to BC and back, I also keep kits in my vehicle.

Thanks man, and yes I bet you do. I kept a back back full of gear, several tools, and an extensive first aid kit in my truck all winter the year we were in Michigan.

I always enjoy your writing Brian. It's very interesting to me to think about how different the same the concept can be by location. I'm in a unique enough part of the world where I could readily use your winter suggestions in the afternoon and be enjoying the sunshine by the pool only a few hours later. We keep packs in all our vehicles, however our focus is normally on shade and water. I also resupply mine regularly, as the 150-170+ heat in the summers kills the supplies super quick. I'm spoiled now with he drawer system in the FJ and have a hard time slimming things down if I were to need to hump the basics any distance. For the most part it would be as much water as I can carry and a small ditty-bag (homage to Sears). Speaking of, what's the med kit pouch shown? I've been a fan of the TAD OP1 for a while now. I'm not a TAD fanboy, but it's just so functional for its size. Mine lives in the bottom of my daily work bag and carries the following:

Reflective thermal blanket
Compass, signal mirror
Water purification tabs
Collapsible water bladder
a few folded Qt ziplocks
Space pen, mini sharpie
Waterproof writing paper
Brightly colored flagging material
Bic lighter, secondary fire source (magnesium block)
Tinder in a waterproof container
Headlamp, extra 3A batteries
Mini flashlight
Small multi tool
Whistle
Aspirin, Ibuprophen, Benadryl, Neosporin, Iodine wipes, tweezers, surgical glue, band-aids, mole skin, roll of dental floss
Needle and thread, safety pins
Mini roll of 100 mph tape
and a folding titanium spork

Thanks man. Yeah, it can vary a lot from place to place. I probably carried 10 times the gear the winter in Michigan than I would have ever carried in south Florida in the winter Nice kit man, and it gives me some idea for my larger kits. The one shown is just a small maxped mini edc organizer that easily drops in a cargo pocket. It's just a minimal contingency kit, but I am going to get a fat boy edc organizer that will hold more for her. This was just something I had on hand for day hikes. I keep a much more extensive kit in my truck do to the nature of my work and the potential for accidents.

 

[Tim the Wizard]

I am definitely adding an epi-pen to my daily kit.

 

[VANCE]

a couple months ago there was a recall of epipens.

 

[Tim the Wizard]

Nice catch. It does look like a brand was recalled. These are prescription only though so hopefully everyone that needed the recall got a new RX.

 

[VANCE]

Nice catch. It does look like a brand was recalled. These are prescription only though so hopefully everyone that needed the recall got a new RX.

i didnt know the specifics but i did know something involving epipens was recalled. i stood out to me because one of Allens kids has pretty bad reactions to peanuts. thanks for the clarification!

 

[Mistwalker]

i didnt know the specifics but i did know something involving epipens was recalled. i stood out to me because one of Allens kids has pretty bad reactions to peanuts. thanks for the clarification!

Eh, not quite as much need for epi pens in the winter as in the summer, so they should have it sorted out by then.