Coat Pocket Survival
What’s in your coat pocket?
By Jim Jones
One of my mantras is “ It’s not what you have, It’s what you have with you”
Consider a “Coat Pocket Survival Kit”
There are all kinds of “survival kits” There are big tote bin kits for the home emergency, survival backpacks for when you need to head for the hills, survival kits for the belt, purse or briefcase. But no survival kit will help you if you don’t have it with you when you need it most. There are a few very inexpensive items that should always be in your pockets. These are the “very least” you should have with you “just in case”.
- The first item is always a knife of some kind. Although I generally carry at least one knife and one multi-tool, I still have a cheap penknife in the pocket of every jacket. Of course this will have to be dispense with if you are going to be going through any security checks.
- The second item is a fire starter. This can be as simple as a pack of common safety matches or butane lighter. Yes, waterproof camp matches are better but the box is bulky and you may not want to have them in every coat and pair of pants you have. Small magnesium fires starters are best of all if you can afford have one in every jacket.
- The third item is a few paper napkins. Better yet, carry one or two bandanas. These “old school” items can be used as emergency respirators, bandages, “help” flags and tourniquets. These are always handy, cheap and have many emergency applications. An even better choice is a folding N95 respirator.
- Fourth is a small plastic sandwich bag. This can be a handy container or it can keep your wallet dry. The bigger the bag the better but we are talking about your pockets not a backpack.
- Finally have a few heavy-duty rubber bands.
You can distribute these items throughout your pockets so you hardly know they are there. Here are just a few of the emergency uses for these items:
| MATCHES / FIRE STARTER | PAPER NAPKINS / BANDANA |
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| PLASTIC BAG (small) | RUBBER BANDS (heavy Duty) |
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Of course a few more items would help. Larger trash pages can be used to protect against wind, rain, and chemical agents and even keep radioactive dust off your clothes. A few Band-Aids are a good pocket item. A small square of folded heavy aluminum foil can also come in hands. But the items listed are dirt cheap, easy to carry and just enough to give you the survival edge in a number of emergency situations. Don’t leave home without them!
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About the Author: IndianaJJ
Author Bio: James C. Jones is the president of Live Free USA, a not-for-profit organization devoted to advocating and supporting emergency preparedness and family self-reliance. Live Free USA publishes the American Survivor newsletter, conducts seminars and supports chapters. They can be contacted at www.AmericanSurvivor.Org, LFINOW@AOL.COM or at Live Free USA, Box 3295, Munster, IN 46321
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This is nice–short and sweet. Too often, the lists are extensive and the creation of the tools is difficult. Sometimes, the order in which the items are packed is critical to the closing of the container.
I always have a knife and all my (different use) BOBs have bandannas as tourniquets. The heavy-duty rubber bands and plastic bags are an easy addition.
You can make just about any size or type of survival kit these days. Check out http://www.survivalkit.com/ to make a survival kit.
Joshua, Those pre-made gimmick BOB bags will not save your life. There is no point in carrying tools that you are not familiar with, if you don’t know how to use it, it’s simply dead weight.
Plus those sites are WAY overpriced. The car kit on the website you mentioned is listed for $80.+shipping… which is the exact same car kit that Walmart sells for $25., no shipping. If you’re going to buy a gimmick, at least save money while you’re doing it!
…of course I feel the same way about this article; which is geared toward single men… because most woman have this stuff, and much more, tucked away in her purse and car; and any man who has a woman, knows this.