What are the essential elements to include in an emergency (winter) vehicle kit?

Bucky

Bucky

Joined
Jun 10, 2000
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I am starting to piece together a more complete rendition of a vehicle surival kit. Obviously, most of us have a flashlight in the car, but what other elements do you consider essential? In addition, what elements need to be added to a normal kit during the winter.

Right now I have a SureFire G2 (the nitrolon is much easier on the hands in the winter months) in the glove compartment and a collapsible snow shovel in the trunk. I have some yellow EMS emergency blankets on the way as well which I will also throw in an "emergency" box in the trunk. What am I missing?

Links to "must have" emergency items and/or links with lists of what you should include in such a kit, would be great.

Thanks,

Bucky
 
I strongly recommend the Equipped to Survive web site. It has some good advice on putting together various types of emergency kits as well as some product reviews that can help you select.

I also recommend the book "Practical Outdoor Survival" by Len McDougall. Unlike a lot of survival books, this one focuses on short-term practical issues and techniques. (Too many books want to teach primitive camping instead.)

The first additions I would recommend are some kind of fire-starting equipment (emergency matches and tinder blocks are a good bet), a saw or hatchet for gathering wood, "space blanket"-type bags for shelter and warmth, and a long-term light source like a red Photon II (120 hours) or a Krill Lamp.

--Bob Q
 
Thanks for your response Bob. I frequent Doug's Equipped site all the time and agree that it is a great source. Though when I was perusing that site the other day, I found that the suggested list of what to include in a vehicle in order to be prepared for an emergency was voluminous and to be quite honest, quite tedious to go through.

I guess I am looking for general suggestions such as you gave Bob, not a comprehensive list of how many bandages and gauze pads I should include.

I think my first addition should be to include some sort of firestarter. Thanks for the ideas.

Bucky
 
I always keep Thinsulite work gloves in the car and a warm hat as well as the blankets and shovel. A container to hold/melt water/snow is a good idea along with a heat source. I keep several rechargable heat packs. They don't give off heat for very long, but I have found that two of them will melt a decent amount of snow in a cup. Also might want to get a multiple LED flashlight for times when you need light for longer than the battery life of a Surefire (I keep a E2 and a Nightbuster in the car). I also normally keep some energy bars on me (not a bad idea as my GF has some blood sugar issues).
 
One thing I do each year is get my car ready for the cold weather,this I believe can help prevent problems in the first place.
Heres what I do.

Put on snow tires.They out perform all seasons by a long shot.They may keep you out of the ditch to begin with.:)

Check coolent,belts and hoses.Replace wipers,check battery,oil all locks.

Now what i keep in my car,remember I'm in suburbs and the city with a little farm country time thrown in.I'm not out in the sticks.
Hat and gloves,extra fleece top,shovel,can of salt and old piece of carpet for traction,jumper cabels,blanket,tools,light,first aid kit,rope,and of course a cell phone.Cash is always good,when theres a lot of people stuck,the guy waving the most bills gets pulled out first!;)
 
I suggest you add the following

Duck tape
extra fan belts.
bic lighter
Gloves and some sort of wool hat.
Candy or power bar
cb radio
snow chains depending where you live and where you go
sleeping bag
 
I've found that the Cold Steel shovel holds up much better than the collapsible snow shovels in heavy snow.
Some cyalume lights are good too. Last a long time and constant light. Better for morale.
Some candy (hard tack or chocolate) is good for morale.
 
A candy bar like snickers in a ziplock is a good idea, although you should replace them every once in a while, which means you get to eat the old one ;) I also keep a old blanket in the car, it comes in handy for lots of things. It even gets used in winter when we aren't stuck. We live 30 miles from "town" and down back roads. I actually keep a second old cell "bagphone" with their own batteries. Any cell phone can dial 911, you don't need service for the call. I also keep those little hand warmers that you break and they give off heat in the car. They aren't to expensive, but could save your fingers. And of course a couple of differnt flashlights.
 
All great suggestions. I'd also add:
* for the cell phone, I saw a product that is a packaged, charged battery ready to go, with a shelf life of a few years. Unfortunately, I don't recall the manufacturer's name, but it makes sense--buy one and throw it into the kit.
*keep some of your gear within reach, like under the seat. I keep a small plastic box with a flash, money, whatever you might need BEFORE you can get to the trunk and its larger BOB.
*I've seen a product that is basically a portable battery with enough juice to give you one good start. It was pretty small, and if no one is available to give you a jump, this might be a good buy at $29.95 (www.shoplifestyle.com, item FMU522)
*a few plastic bags of the gallon or so size, like ziplocks, along with a roll of duct or clear packing tape, as mentioned. You'll always find a need for these items
*Still am looking for the "best" ice scraper/snow brush...!
*throwaway binoculars/monoculars, and a disposable camera, which I keep in the glove compartment. You never know:)
 
After researching them, I'll be purchasing a set of Carhartt arctic coveralls to put in my vehicle for when Murphy attacks.
 
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