Emergency supplies in your car

[Dru Edwards]

This is a different take from the other 'emergency supplies' home thread. What emergency supplies to you keep in your car? If you just drive locally it's not as important but when you often drive hundreds of miles and sometimes in bad weather and at night it's important.

In the winter I always have a shovel and spare tuque, gloves, scarf, blanket tucked under my seat. An extra large pair of winter boots in the back seat. That's in addition to the first aid kit, basic tool kit, flashlight, granola bars, etc.

How about you?

[imwjl]

Items already mentioned and small shovels in winter. For sentimental reasons and as a fat bike trail grooming tool my own shovel is my avalanche shovel. It original purpose was back country skiing not happening much these days.

For 2020 I make sure there are cleaning supplies and masks.

I got my kids all in one kits COSTCO had that have basic road side emergency and first aid things.

I also carry fire extinguisher. Twice in many years of driving they saved the moment or more for other drivers. When I was a truck driver I came across a car with a fire smoldering. Once crossing IN in middle of night a car flipped in front of us. My brother and another car that stopped got the driver out as fire started. That would have been a burned up drunk if I didn't have a fire extinguisher in the car.

[CarolD]

Well, probably doesn’t apply to too many here, but a dry bag with a complete change of clothes in case I flip my single. Oh, and always a pack of fig newtons!

[fazool]

I live in Buffalo.

It's not as common as people think but a simple commute from work has been known to be a 12 hours stranded event. So even for short drives a full supply of emergency items is appropriate.

I have a small tool box, flare, jumper cables, flares, tow rope, mini fire extinguisher, first aid kit, extra cell phone(*), candles, granola bars, water bottles (which are ice in winter), blanket, rain coat and rain pants, gloves, hat, etc.



* - little known fact : most folks have old cell phones lying around. By law, in the US, they have to allow 911 calls even without a cell contract. So keep one in your car in case of extreme emergency and a broken cell phone.

[1neeto]

I live in Hawaii and my Lexus has a first aid kit. So... [emoji1745]

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by imwjl

Items already mentioned and small shovels in winter. For sentimental reasons and as a fat bike trail grooming tool my own shovel is my avalanche shovel. It original purpose was back country skiing not happening much these days.

For 2020 I make sure there are cleaning supplies and masks.

I got my kids all in one kits COSTCO had that have basic road side emergency and first aid things.

I also carry fire extinguisher. Twice in many years of driving they saved the moment or more for other drivers. When I was a truck driver I came across a car with a fire smoldering. Once crossing IN in middle of night a car flipped in front of us. My brother and another car that stopped got the driver out as fire started. That would have been a burned up drunk if I didn't have a fire extinguisher in the car.

I too have the PPE in my car as of a few months ago. There's about a dozen masks, a pump jar of disinfectant that's in on of my coffee cup holders, and a small plastic container of disinfectant.

Originally Posted by CarolD

Well, probably doesn’t apply to too many here, but a dry bag with a complete change of clothes in case I flip my single. Oh, and always a pack of fig newtons!

I think I'll start to keep a complete change of clothes too and just hide it away in the trunk. I do bring a change when I hike just in case. mmmm Fig Newtons .

Originally Posted by fazool

I live in Buffalo.

It's not as common as people think but a simple commute from work has been known to be a 12 hours stranded event. So even for short drives a full supply of emergency items is appropriate.

I have a small tool box, flare, jumper cables, flares, tow rope, mini fire extinguisher, first aid kit, extra cell phone(*), candles, granola bars, water bottles (which are ice in winter), blanket, rain coat and rain pants, gloves, hat, etc.

* - little known fact : most folks have old cell phones lying around. By law, in the US, they have to allow 911 calls even without a cell contract. So keep one in your car in case of extreme emergency and a broken cell phone.

What a great idea about the old cell phone. That must be why when I turn on my old cell phone it states 'emergency calls only'.

Originally Posted by 1neeto

I live in Hawaii and my Lexus has a first aid kit. So... [emoji1745]

I'm envying you more every day now that the cold weather is moving in .

[FLRon]

When I lived in Ohio I always carried emergency blankets and extra flashlight batteries. Oh, and I never let the gas tank get below 1/2 tank. I was always concerned about sliding off the road and not being found for a couple of days. Don't miss any of that now!

[Fogducker]

A simple item, is a sack of "kitty litter" for when stuck and needing something to throw under your spinning wheels. Oh yeah, don't forget a couple packs of matches guys.

Fog

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Fogducker

A simple item, is a sack of "kitty litter" for when stuck and needing something to throw under your spinning wheels. Oh yeah, don't forget a couple packs of matches guys.

Fog

Hey Fog, great point on the kitty litter. I've never carried any but I have read about it and thinking I should get some.

[marty bradbury]

Flares, flashlight, blanket, TP, and my backpack which supplies food, matches, etc..If I need to walk my pack is strapped on,

[rllink]

In the winter, a shovel, a stocking hat, a pair of work gloves and my triple A card. In the summer, work gloves in case I need to get out and do something and my triple A card.

[M Hayden]

I used to live in a remote corner of New England and routinely drive long distances in winter, so:

• A bag with several layers of clothing incl a goretex jacket.
• Flashlights - several magnetic bases, flashers etc.
• Batteries
• Basic toolkit including jumper cables and such
• First aid kit
• basic shelter kit - tent/bivy, fire-making tools, etc.
• a couple of water bottles

When we’re on a long road trip, it gets extended a bit - cooking gear and a car fridge. We’ve been in places where we’ve been tired and in the middle of nowhere and have decided on a whim to stop for the night, and we can usually do so without a lot of fuss.

[The Growler]

In addition to many of the items mentioned above, I keep an emergency battery pack/jumper with USB ports included. Starts V8 engines and is quite compact. I also keep some bungy cords, ratchet straps (in my truck) and a good lock back Buck knife (a 110 with synthetic handle) in a nylon sheath. Some nylon rope too.

[czgunner]

I didn’t see it mentioned, but have tourniquets in your kit. You will bleed out very fast if a limb gets an arterial wound. Often well before help can arrive. I recommend Field Craft Survival, they sell a great bleeder kit. I’m a combat vet and was trained as a combat life saver, so this is a big deal to me [emoji38].

[Earl49]

When I lived in Alaska and routinely drove from Anchorage to Fairbanks in the winter at -40°F, I most often took a heavy sleeping bag and lots of cold weather gear like Sorel boots, Wiggy's jacket, and wool-lined mittens. There were tools and lots of water and snacks too. I would also often stop by my airplane and grab the extensive survival kit from it. You really need that stuff whenever you are "off the pizza delivery grid" as one radio host put it. Half of the bed of my pickup truck was full of survival gear most of the winter.