Chantry Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 For those of you who haven't seen the story: https://www.wric.com/traffic/starving-freezing-hundreds-of-drivers-stranded-for-hours-in-cars-on-i-95-near-stafford-county/ Maryland and points farther south just aren't equipped to deal with anything resembling a significant amount of snow and/or ice. How many of us keep stuff in our vehicles in case something happens? I'm doing an inventory of the small/medium sized backpack I keep everything: Pair of socks in a ziploc bag, several of the silver "space" blankets, 550 cord, a large candle, wool hat, compass, multitool, flexible saw, MRE crackers & drink mixes, army wool blanket, water purifier and a very basic medical kit (Mostly bandaids and such). There is also a Glock folding shovel in the car. I think I am going to add a couple of single use ponchos, see if there is a better option than the army wool blanket, upgrade to something better than MRE crackers and add a tourniquet, trauma bandage & medical shears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grass Range Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 All the above, plus tire chains and a shovel. ( Although watching the number of stuck cars on the news nobody ever uses tire chains.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 Chantry - you've got dry socks. You've got a wool hat. You got your head and your feet covered. Have you thought about your hands? In my "stashed behind the seat" bag I've got some nomex flyers gloves. They're not the warmest gloves out there, but they do hold some heat in. And they're thin enough that you can do things while wearing them. Then I have a pair of wool mittens. I can put the nomex on and then put the mittens on top of it, and if I need some dexterity I can take the mitten off without freezing my fingers. I also have some leather gloves, so if I needed to use my saw or my shovel I could do it without destroying my wool mittens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 You also mentioned a flexible saw. I presume that is one of those "cable saws", that are designed to go in survival kits? I have one of these. https://www.amazon.com/Gerber-46036-Exchange-a-Blade-Saw/dp/B0001WAQ60/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=gerber+folding+saw&qid=1641309725&sr=8-3 It comes with a wood blade and a bone blade. The wood blade cuts in both directions. I have cut logs up to six inches in diameter with this saw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Possum Stu Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 I do. I have an identical backpack in each car with some basics like a blanket, space blanket, 550 cord, lighter and matches, can of sterno, gloves and socks, Mora knife, a few basic tools, very basic first aid stuff, flashlight, bottled water and one of those lifeboat ration bars. Its actually been on my mind for the last couple of weeks that I should go through and update/add to the contents of the bags. I like the idea of adding a tourniquet and trauma kit, and of having different types of gloves for different uses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chantry Posted January 4, 2022 Author Share Posted January 4, 2022 57 minutes ago, Alpo said: You also mentioned a flexible saw. I presume that is one of those "cable saws", that are designed to go in survival kits? I have one of these. https://www.amazon.com/Gerber-46036-Exchange-a-Blade-Saw/dp/B0001WAQ60/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=gerber+folding+saw&qid=1641309725&sr=8-3 It comes with a wood blade and a bone blade. The wood blade cuts in both directions. I have cut logs up to six inches in diameter with this saw. Yes I keep gloves in the car year round. The saw I have kind of resembles a bicycle chain with cutting teeth on it. I just ordered more stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 30 minutes ago, Chantry said: The saw I have kind of resembles a bicycle chain with cutting teeth on it. Ah. A pocket chainsaw. I've got one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Bob Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 1 hour ago, Possum Stu said: I do. I have an identical backpack in each car with some basics like a blanket, space blanket, 550 cord, lighter and matches, can of sterno, gloves and socks, Mora knife, a few basic tools, very basic first aid stuff, flashlight, bottled water and one of those lifeboat ration bars. Its actually been on my mind for the last couple of weeks that I should go through and update/add to the contents of the bags. I like the idea of adding a tourniquet and trauma kit, and of having different types of gloves for different uses. I keep a med kit in both my cars , with a bad injury you will bleed out before a ambulance ever arrives. You can put them together your self or there are allot of people selling some pretty good ones for a fair price out there . I like this guy’s offerings https://medicalgearoutfitters.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grass Range Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 I keep a pack of MREs also but from experience I know the chemical pack that comes with will not thaw the main course enough so you can eat it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassnetguy50 Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 Blankets are good for inside the vehicle and signaling. I keep a Carhartt behind the seat in case outside work is needed (digging out, changing tire, trekking to the highway). A metal bottle to melt snow with. Fill up when the fuel tank reaches half, then it'll always last 20hours idling. CBradio to communicate where cell phones can't. A bag of traction grit, or tire cables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Possum Stu Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 26 minutes ago, Buckshot Bob said: I keep a med kit in both my cars , with a bad injury you will bleed out before a ambulance ever arrives. You can put them together your self or there are allot of people selling some pretty good ones for a fair price out there . I like this guy’s offerings https://medicalgearoutfitters.com/ Thanks! I’ll check his stuff out. I’ve been trying to figure out the best sources for medical stuff so I can get my med kits put together. This should help. Planning on taking some first aid trainings in the near future as well, and getting my Ham license when time allows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flanigan Flats Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 Where are you going to poop and pee if your stranded on the highway in your car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Bob Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 5 minutes ago, Possum Stu said: Thanks! I’ll check his stuff out. I’ve been trying to figure out the best sources for medical stuff so I can get my med kits put together. This should help. Planning on taking some first aid trainings in the near future as well, and getting my Ham license when time allows. When I priced making my own kit I didn’t find I was really saving anything. Maybe if you were going to make up number of them you could see some savings. There are allot of business like the one I posted, I had just heard good reviews of his kits and after purchasing a couple felt they were good . I’ve just taken a couple of CPR classes but my wife has been a nurse for 30 years and did a few years in the ER and didn’t feel there was anything substandard about what we got . But just like guns and shooting there will be allot of debate about what you should have among the experts . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Duncan Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 Top priority would not to own an electric vehicle! Bet the electric heaters in those things use up the batteries fast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Bob Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 2 minutes ago, Flanigan Flats said: Where are you going to poop and pee if your stranded on the highway in your car? I’ve found if I have a roll of TP I’m pretty much set Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Duncan Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 4 minutes ago, Flanigan Flats said: Where are you going to poop and pee if your stranded on the highway in your car? Outside. If you’re modest, build a igloo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog McCoy SASS #5672 Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 Add a metal coffee can to your kit. You can put your candles in the can and reduce the risk of fire and to makes a it into more of a small stove to heat you water in your tin cup. Crackers and beef jerky or potted meat ( $.50 a can with 2 year shelf life) will get you thru a couple days and a few candy bars. I have hot chocolate and tea bags and I can melt snow/ ice if needed in my cup if my bottle water freezes. I have insulated coveralls. insulated leather gloves that will hold heat when wet, and one of those goof looking ear flap hats for hunting in orange for my head, and insulated leather/rubber boots. I also have a roll of paper towels and some shop rags in the truck. I was in Chicago when they shutdown the instates one year and got lucky as I was home before i got stranded. If you are running your car during being stranded, make sure to keep the exhaust cleared so you don't fill the car with carbon monoxide. In bad weather, you want to top off your fuel at 3/4 to 1/2 a tank when possible, i know a lot of people that run it down until the need fuel light comes on and will run out of gas if stranded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish ike, SASS #43615 Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 When I lived in Southern Commiefornia all of our vehicles had a 3 days kit in them, walking shoes, and extra water. No need for blankets, saws, etc. And a med kit. There it was being stranded because of collapsed bridges or buildings caused by the "big one". Interesting question on the innerweb. You're in a Tesla, stranded on the highway because of snow. When the batteries go dead then wha?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog McCoy SASS #5672 Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 One more thing, if you are stranded and you bundle up to the point that you start to sweat, strip off a layer or two and dry yourself off. Most things will not keep you warm once they get wet. Don't wear your coat or heavy outside stuff in the car if you are running the heat, you want to warm the inside of the car and should you need to get out, put them on outside the car. if you are getting out due to a nature call, don't bundle up, just go and get back in asap and you can use a blanket or coat for the chill, but only until you have warmed up.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Bob Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 11 minutes ago, Maddog McCoy SASS #5672 said: One more thing, if you are stranded and you bundle up to the point that you start to sweat, strip off a layer or two and dry yourself off. Most things will not keep you warm once they get wet. Don't wear your coat or heavy outside stuff in the car if you are running the heat, you want to warm the inside of the car and should you need to get out, put them on outside the car. if you are getting out due to a nature call, don't bundle up, just go and get back in asap and you can use a blanket or coat for the chill, but only until you have warmed up.. I agree, most people who haven’t spent extended periods of time outside don’t realize how important staying dry is , especially your feet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muleshoe Bill SASS #67022 Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 Well, here in South central Texas and points towards the Rio Grande, we keep a solar powered air conditioner, a fridge, spare shorts, sun tan oil and bottled water that also heats up to boiling during the day useful to flush wounds. We keep snakebite kits, strips of sterile cloth cause band-aids just cook off inside the vehicle when sun warms the inside to 150 degrees. In the winter we leave the AC out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassnetguy50 Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 4 hours ago, Alpo said: Chantry - you've got dry socks. You've got a wool hat. You got your head and your feet covered. Have you thought about your hands? In my "stashed behind the seat" bag I've got some nomex flyers gloves. They're not the warmest gloves out there, but they do hold some heat in. And they're thin enough that you can do things while wearing them. Then I have a pair of wool mittens. I can put the nomex on and then put the mittens on top of it, and if I need some dexterity I can take the mitten off without freezing my fingers. I also have some leather gloves, so if I needed to use my saw or my shovel I could do it without destroying my wool mittens. The wool liner flyer mittens are very tough, warm, easy on and off. The local milsurp store only sells the synthetic lined mittens now. https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/us-military-surplus-n4b-flyer039s-mitts-with-liner-new?a=490282 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 For the possibility of stranding in a car in the snow: several blankets, fleeces, knit caps, etc. And a good supply of food and drink. In an automobile stranding situation, such as out on a shutdown highway or freeway, or spun into a snowbank, the main priority is warmth and food and water awaiting rescue or the situation clearing up. A lot of survival gear, like saws and cord and such, relate more to trouble in the woods, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Sheridan Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 Also don't forget to keep your gas tank close to full. A lot of people like to drive around with less than 1/4 left in the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 The back of my truck behind the rear seat looks like I am ready to go for a weekend camping at a moment's notice. Small Kelty tent, small sleeping pad, my old CLS bag from the Army (without IV fluids and starter kits), a woobie, and a couple of MREs, along with water. There's also an e-tool, a couple of knives and a Gerber camp hatchet. Oh, and my old Army Gore-Tex. A couple of rolls of TP in ziplock bags, and that is about it at the moment. I keep planning to buy a small one-burner stove, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. If I am going any distance, I check the weather, and take outer garments accordingly. I also agree with @Sixgun Sheridanthat a near full tank of gas is a priority. It is the only vehicle I take any distance, unless it is my wife's car with her in it, but all of them have at a minimum a blanket or woobie, water and food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 I keep a sufficient 2-3 day supply of emergency stuff in the winter. When I lived in Florida I kept a few hurricane related things in storm season. The rest of the time just a sunblock, a flashlight and a Margarita. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 8 minutes ago, DocWard said: I keep planning to buy a small one-burner stove, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Coleman 533 is just right for the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 Oh, I almost forgot, I also keep a shemagh in my vehicles, for their multiple uses. Like I said, my truck is my main distance vehicle, and I have always had a two way radio in my "distance vehicle." Now it is a Kenwood 2m/70cm radio, since I have my amateur radio tech license. My old Uniden CB still rests in the console, and could be hooked up if need be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 19 minutes ago, DocWard said: Oh, I almost forgot, I also keep a shemagh in my vehicles, for their multiple uses. Like I said, my truck is my main distance vehicle, and I have always had a two way radio in my "distance vehicle." Now it is a Kenwood 2m/70cm radio, since I have my amateur radio tech license. My old Uniden CB still rests in the console, and could be hooked up if need be. Try to not be wearing the shemagh when the National Guard shows up to rescue you Just sayin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 1 minute ago, Utah Bob #35998 said: Try to not be wearing the shemagh when the National Guard shows up to rescue you Just sayin' What group do you think I belonged to when I got my first one??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 We keep a lot of the things listed above on our cars. I also keep a small kit in my saddlebags. Here in CA there isn’t much need for snowy weather items but we are more prepared for a long walk home or a night or two in our vehicles after an earthquake. I keep a few extra food bars and jerky in my kit for trade with homeless folks in case I am stuck. It helps to be friendly with the natives if the crap really hits the fan, especially around where I work. Also, one can make friends with a roving pack of feral dogs with jerky and protein bars. 10 hours ago, Chantry said: There is also a Glock folding shovel in the car. How do you like that shovel? I saw one at a gun show and considered buying one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Ron Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 Howdy, Just dont move out east. But how can you go wrong with army blanket and folding shovel? Or stay in during that first big storm. Thats when everybody forgets how to drive in snow. Best CR and whats this darn blue line???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 When it comes to candles, I really like these. Dripless and less likely to start a fire if knocked over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamus McGillicuddy Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 We have bug out bags in the house and a few items in the car. Car includes folding shovel, tire chains, extra coat and shoes, mini stove that burns anything and can charge up a phone, emergency radio that runs on hand cranked power, personal water filter. I need to add some more food and water. Seamus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 39 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said: When it comes to candles, I really like these. Dripless and less likely to start a fire if knocked over. I had forgotten about these. I have a couple in my camping gear. Nice little lamps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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