Get Home Bags / Vehicle Emergency Kits

[AZ Prepper]

Here are some examples of Get Home Bags...

Get Home Bag
http://www.utahpreppers.com/2008/12/get-home-bag/


Recently I took some time to rotate a few items in my ‘Get Home Bag’ that I keep in my car. The seasons were changing here, and they require different items to fill the bags purpose. As I was changing, I realized I should take a few pictures to post on here (and satisfy the requests of a few friends wanting to know what I have). With that in mind here’s a basic breakdown of my winter Get Home Bag.

Purpose:

I live a fair distance from my work now (oh how I long to telecommute again!). Around 25 miles one way, around a lake, across a river, through several places that have limited road options. How do I know this? Well, I would say everybody should be very familiar with every alternate route between their home and most common destinations, because you never know when you will need them. I have needed mine. Beyond a natural curiosity and desire to optimize my commute, my neighborhood often requires it because it has a population that overwhelms the local road infrastructure on a good day. Add in an accident, or bad weather and it becomes horrid. Get worse weather, and you can actually shut down access to our town. It’s happened before, it will happen again. Throw in an earthquake, and there will be *no* cars heading home. Whatever your locally preferred disaster, would you be able to get home to your wonderful food storage?

Considerations:

There are several things to consider when creating a Bug Out type kit for your car that you must take care of for your kit to be any good to you. The first point is what are you getting ready for. My kit as I stated is to get me home from work in case I can’t drive. It’s a very likely situation with our current infrastructure. Now I have a different kit in my wife’s vehicle. She doesn’t travel as often, or as far as I do, but she will almost always have our kids with her. During a blizzard last year which shut down all roads into town, she was able to keep our kids fed, entertained, and the youngest in clean diapers, even though they hadn’t planned on being out so many hours. This was all because her kit was ready for that type of situation, sheltering in place until help could come.

Secondly, what space do you have? Do you carpool, or will it stay in a large trunk? Do you ride a bike or drive a truck? All of these change what size your kit can be, and what security it might have. Thirdly, just how far are you from home, and how easily could you travel that distance? Don’t kid yourself with whatever shape you were in a few years ago, think about now. Fourth, weather. Around here it’s likely *really* hot, or *really* cold at the times I’d most likely need my kit. The contents must meet the needs of that weather, which means I have to rotate it. Finally, long-term storability. Some items, especially food items, dont’ last long in a car. That nice MRE you threw in the trunk last summer is probably toast now. The extreme temperature changes combined with the effects of the car make it go bad fast.


The Bag:


Main Bag

My bag itself is a Maxpedition DevilDog. It’s a larger sized butt-pack, that also has a very comfortable shoulder strap when wanted. It’s large enough to hold what I feel I need for this usage, without being too large, or looking out of place. Plus it’s a Maxpedition, which I can’t say enough good about. Also pictured are some of the first items of the kit.

• Datrex Bars : Emergency Calories. 3600 of them actually. Sealed, long lasting, and can handle the heat. They aren’t a lot, but would give me a minimal calorie count for my expected travel time in worst conditions. They are very compact, and lightweight. There are several types of emergency bars out there, and some local preparedness shops let you taste them before buying. I highly suggest this, as some are nasty (but hey, worst case). These one actually taste quite good, like a coconut macaroon.
• SAS Survival Guide : Excellent smaller version of the full handbook. Get both, read them *before* there is a problem. Then keep the guide in your bug out bag or get home bag
• Advil : Muscle and general pain relief. Not used to walking a lot? You’ll be thinking about this after a day.
• Mini-Mag light : With LED bulb. Great inexpensive light, durable, has a holster too so I can move it to my belt.
• Ka-Bar : One of my favorite fixed blade knives, in the smaller 5? version. What’s important here is a strong, reliable knife.
• Gerber Strike Force : My favorite flint starter. It doesn’t break, and I have enough practice to know I can start a fire easily with it.
• CountyCom Micro Widgy bar : Utility tool, very handy to have, wrapped in Paracord 550
• Mini sharpie : Ability to leave notes that will last most anywhere.

Fire and food:

• Fire starter packet : a stable, lightweight firestarter. This is a redundant item that I just threw in to try sometime
• Camp Soap : You want to stay clean, and need to clean up your dishes to not get sick
• Tube of Fire starters : Originally an “airborne” brand vitamin, now perfect for holding several Vaseline soaked cotton balls for starting fires.
• Two MRE snacks : This rotation I have a ‘wheat bread’ and ‘mint chocolate cookie’. Carbs that pack well.
• Swiss Army Knife : my trusty (an old) Victorinox Scout edition, with the lock blade.
• P-51 can opener : Yeah, I have an opener on the knife, but I keep one of these everywhere. Even though I currently don’t have and cans in my kit.
• Gram Weenie Stove : very small alcohol stove, with windshield, and small amount of alcohol in squirt bottle.
• Matches : Strike anywhere, waterproof, and in waterproof case.
• Emergency Mylar blanket : Some warmth, and shelter.
• Vaseline : can make more fire starters, or heal wind/sun chapped lips. Usually just have a chapstick tube here, but didnt’ have an extra handy this rotation, and this was sitting there. (And yes, chapstick is great for making firestarters too, try it!)
• Two emergency candles: light, heat, help with the fire. Wrapped in Aluminum Foil. Keeps them from melting as much, and from getting stuff around them waxy. In emergency the foil can be used to help cook.
• Water filter straw : My route home goes around a large freshwater lake, and crosses a couple streams and rivers. I’ll need the water, but it’s not clean. I dont’ want to pack all the fuel necessary to boil that much water.

Utility:

• Sharpening stone
• Mini Prybar : sharpened edge, and good steel. Something you can use to pry out stuff you don’t want to risk a knife blade on
• First Aid Kit : Covers the basics. Store bought basic package with a few extras (moleskin specifically)
• Chemical lightstick : No batteries necessary, help me be seen if that’s what I need.
• Bug Spray + Sunscreen : Blistering Utah sun in the summer, bouncing off the snow in the winter. And did I mention the lake and streams. Lots of mosquitos if I stay by the water.
• Poncho : gotta stay dry
• Toilet Paper : Do I really need to explain this?
• Latex Gloves : Any biological material around? Treating a wound from an accident?
• Wet Wipes : Better than toilet paper when out and about, and can clean self too.
• Rope : Well, cord. 100 feet of paracord.
• Foot powder : It’s a long walk, I will do whatever necessary to prevent blisters from starting
• Micro monacle : just a very small 4x zoom

Bulk:

• Two water bottles : Start with some clean water, in bottles I can reuse for this trip.
• Water Filter Bottle : Katadyn water filter in a bottle.
• MRE : Specifically a Cold Weather MRE, which is freeze dried, so it can last even in the car heat. Also has a lot more calories. Hard to find, and pricier though, so I don’t have many of these. Only one in the kit.
• More TP
• Two Micro lights : attach to the outside of the bag, redundancy is key here.
• Hotties : Chemical Heat packs for the hands/feet/body. Spending the night out in a blizzard with my ‘work clothes’ isn’t comfy.
• Folding Shovel
• Mini Hatchet : I have the Gerber Back Axe, Small, lightweight, very well made
• HEET bottle : Works very well in alcohol stoves. Sealed container that I can then refill my mini-squirt bottle to load the stove. This will fuel that stove for quite a while.
• Metal Cup : It is the pot for the stove, and the dish to eat from
• Lighter : While I love flints, and my matches are good, a simple lighter is just easier to start with.
• Extra socks : Long walk, water crossings, snow. Gotta keep those feet dry and comfy. Can be mittens too if needed.
• Two Extra Mags : Not pictured is the extra .22-mag, depending on what I’m “wearing” that day.

Extra Gear:



I know that winter travels will take quite a bit more out of me, and a lot more time than a summer trip. Also I have a lot more chances of needing my kit when stuck for an extended time, possibly not going home. So i plan accordingly. These extra items don’t fit in my pack, but would help me last longer if sticking around, or could attach to the outside of my pack or be worn (or consumed) for longer travels.

• 4 Extra meals : Higher calories. The civilian MRE shown will only be here in the winter. Includes its own chem heater for a hot meal.
• Wool blanket : Heat, even if wet. Can be windproof by freezing it solid for extra shelter.
• Lightweight towel : Keeping dry is keeping warm, also can wrap to keep face protected from wind-chill.
• More bug spray : Not as many bugs out now, but it was in the box.
• More Wipes
• Another Mylar Blanket
• Extra LED flashlight
• Mini pliers tool
• Full Size Prybar
• “Survival” knife
• Cook Kit : Swedish Surplus, Likely need to boil more water. Larger quantities here. Contains larger alcohol stove, alcohol, and utensils inside.
• Snow Gloves

All of this fits inside a small plastic container in the trunk of my car. Added some velcro to the side so it sticks and doesn’t slide around. Now I know this has some redundancy, which is unecessary given that I’m planning on packing to my home, not leaving my supplies. But I am a bit gadget bound. You can do with less, and it’s fine. I like to go the overkill route though.

One final note: This kit is also planned around the fact that I EDC a lot of items on myself. My pockets are full, and my work backpack is a whole extra upcoming post. They each have extra items that complement what’s in my kit. Altoid survival tins, Concealed Carry Firearm, Extra flashlight, etc.

Please comment on anything you think I might be missing. To start it off, I’ll mention a few things:

• Buillion cubes – small, sodium rich (sweat problems), helps get warmth in you.
• Gatorade single packs – drink mix in single-serving sizes, help get more water down, mask bad flavors, and replenish minerals from sweating.
• Shoes – what if I’m wearing simple sneakers, wouldn’t some hiking boots be nice? yeah I can dream that I can keep extras of nice shoes in my car, ready to be used.
• Chewing Gum or Candy : Quick pick up.

[AZ Prepper]

Building a Vehicle Emergency Kit
http://www.utahpreppers.com/2009/02/building-a-vehicle-emergency-kit/




Your Car Emergency Kit should be designed to accommodate a wide variety of potential Emergency Situations that may occur while you are in or near your vehicle. There are several categories that you should carefully consider when you are assembling your kit. The most important thing to remember is to not forget about it – an Emergency Kit is never something you just throw in the back and never think about again. You’ll want to maintain it and adapt it regularly for the season.

The best frame of mind to try to put yourself in while planning your kit is to imagine yourself stuck in your car for a 24 – 48 hour period. What would you need, both for survival and for comfort? You should also consider scenarios that would potentially put you in this situation. What type of events could occur that would result in you being stuck in your car for an extended period?

Basic Car Emergency

Basic Car Emergencies include your battery dying, getting stuck in a ditch, running out of gas, simple breakdowns, etc. These are things that we are easily at risk for every time we drive our vehicles. As such, they are the most common things we’ll need our Emergency Kit for. This list includes several things that can be useful in a Basic Emergency.

Battery Jumper Cables – if your battery dies for some reason, you’ll have a much better chance of getting help quickly if you are able to actually supply the jumper cables for would be helpers. These can be purchased at any Automotive store and most Hardware stores or even Wal-Mart for about $35.00 – $50.00. You should make sure you know how to use them too – and anyone else who will be regularly driving your vehicle.

Tow Strap – If for some reason you end up in a ditch, your car dies and you need to get it to town or whatever else may happen that you need someone to pull your car a tow strap is a requirement. Just like with Towing Cables, if you are able to supply the Tow Strap, you’ll be able to get help much quicker.
Tool Set – you don’t need to bring a whole mechanic set with you but many repairs can be rigged together if you have a small assortment of tools, such as:

• Sturdy Lock Blade Knife
• Phillips and Flathead screwdrivers
• Wire Cutters
• Small electrical service kit (with strippers/crimpers and several different types of connectors, electrical tape and some spare wire)
• Duct Tape
• Slip Joint Pliers
• Hammer (this might not be particularly useful other than that in an emergency situation sometimes it is helpful to beat the living tar out of something )
• Hose repair kit – you can buy one of these at any Automotive Store
• Spare fuses – you can buy a kit at your automotive store, if the wrong fuse blows it can incapacitate your vehicle. Being able to quickly switch it out can keep you from an extended emergency. Know where your fuse box is, how to tell if they’re blown and how to replace them.o Spare light bulbs – for your headlights especially but taillights as well.
• Small Shovel – a folding camp shovel will do fine for this. You may need to dig your car out of dirt or snow. It can also be used to make a temporary latrine if your situation warrants.
• Flat Tire Repair Kit – There are two sides to this, a repairable flat and an unrepairable one
• Repairable Flat – A repairable flat is one that you can take care of on the side of the road and drive away from, without changing your tire. There is one thing you need for this – at least one can of Fix-A-Flat (I keep 2 in each car). These are simple to use and will often let you get into town to get your tire fixed
• Unrepairable Flat – this is a flat tire that requires you to remove the tire and put on a different one. There are several things you need to make sure you have in your vehicle for this – and that you are familiar with how to use them:[list:2n592tvc] + Spare Tire (know where it is and how to get it out, this can actually be pretty tricky) Check it at least once a year to make sure it is still functional.
• Jack (again, know where it is and how to get it out and use it)
• Lug Wrench (this is often a part of your jack system, know where it is and how to use it)
• Flashlight – Always keep at least one in your car, fixing any of the above issues will be much harder if you can’t see what you’re doing. Consider keeping a hand crank flashlight as a backup as well.
• Road Flares or Reflector Triangle – If you’re broke down putting one of these out serves two purposes, it warns oncoming vehicles to avoid your stalled vehicle and it also lets people know that help may be needed.
• Money – if you need a tow truck or to purchase emergency repair services you do not want to be caught without money to pay for it. A fairly safe, reliable and easy way to prepare for this is to purchase something like a Visa Gift Card with $100.00 – $300.00 (depending on what is realistic for you) on it and carefully stashing it in your car. Not in your glove box, but more like in the trunk, under the spare tire in a non-descript envelope or something. It doesn’t need to be easily accessible and you don’t want to risk having it stolen. If you don’t have your wallet or credit cards with you for some reason this may become a life-saver. Also keep a couple dollars in quarters in case you have to use a pay phone (remember those things?) Umbrella – Useful for everyday use as well, anytime it’s raining and you want to stay dry. If you have a car emergency in a rain storm you’ll be miserable if you get out, get soaked and then have to sit in the car for several hours.
• Wet Wipes – if you have to get out and do some dirty work on your car these will let you clean up a bit. Very useful for everyday use and extended emergencies as well, especially with kids Diapers – if you have little ones that may be in the car with you, always keep several spare diapers in your car. Your basic emergency may be a sick kid that has a blow out – and a spare diaper may be the solution!
• Toilet Paper – If you have kids, your basic emergency may be a kid that has to use the bathroom NOW and toilet paper may be a necessity on the roadside in the middle of nowhere. If you have an extended emergency or survival situation it will be even more important to have.
• Fire Extinguisher – there are several potential situations where you would need a fire extinguisher, whether it’s your own car or the one in front of you – and none of those situations include giving you time to dig around in your trunk for an extinguisher – figure out a way to keep it within grabbing reach.
• Gloves – keep a pair of work gloves for working on cold metal in the winter, ultra-greasy situations or anything else where you need to protect your hands
• Tarp – a good 6×8 canvas tarp is a multi-use tool. In a basic emergency it can provide you with a clean, dry work space if you have to kneel, sit or lay on the ground to work on your car. In a survival situation, it can be used as an emergency shelter or a blanket.

Extended Emergency

Scenarios beyond the above Basic Emergencies require some different preparations. If you are stuck in your vehicle for more than a couple hours there are several things you may potentially need to have with you.

• Water – especially in the summer, you can quickly become overheated and dehydrated if you are in a dead vehicle for several hours. To be prepared for a 48 hour emergency you should have at least 1 gallon of water for each passenger you have in the vehicle
• Food – General nutrition shouldn’t be an issue here, but hunger might. You should have several granola bars and other types of easily edible foods stored in your emergency kit. You might also consider keeping a few canned meals and a can opener or MREs in your trunk.
• Spare and Rechargeable Batteries – especially for your flashlights. Instead of relying on disposable batteries, invest in good rechargeables and keep a recharger in your car.
• Tekkeon 3450 Universal Battery Pack – This battery pack can be used to power most personal electronic devices including laptop, camera, cell phone, video player, etc. It is very useful for everyday use and during an emergency can be used to extend battery life or to power multiple devices to help keep kids distracted during an emergency. The Tekkeon can be charged by the Sunlinq (below) or by plugging it into a regular outet (with the 12 volt power strip (below) you can use your car battery to charge it as well).
• Cell Phone charger – in an extended emergency it is very likely that your cell phone battery will die. While a cell phone isn’t essential to survival, it certainly will help expedite your rescue (assuming you have phone service). Make sure you have the right Tekkeon Battery Pack (above) adaptors for you phone as well.
• 12 Volt Power Strip – For extended emergencies and even everday use, I strongly recommend you invest in a good power outlet strip that plugs into your cigarette lighter. In my opinion a 4 outlet power strip is an essential in every car, with it you can charge and use pretty much any device – regardless of emergencies.
• Blankets – If you end up having to spend the night in your car then most likely your car isn’t running. In this case, you won’t have any way to heat your vehicle and you and the kids could end up getting very cold.
• Sunlinq 12 Watt Folding Solar Panel – we’ve discussed the benefits of being able to charge you phone and other batteries but there are some potentially critical issues with being able to do that. If you can’t start your car you won’t be able to use the car battery for very long before it dies. With the Sunlinq you can charge pretty much any rechargeable device as long as the sun is out. It is very compact and can be rolled tightly to fit into a backpack or corner of your trunk. (I STRONGLY recommend you have one of these in your regular BOBs as well).
• Chemical Handwarmers – these are activated by air and are available at Wal-Mart and many other stores. If your car isn’t working you won’t have any heat generation, placing a handwarmer on your cold parts can make a situation much more tolerable. These usually last for more than 8 hours but keep more than you think you’ll need – they’re cheap and it’s likely you’ll want to put one in each shoe and hold one in each hand.
• Heat in a Can – look for our article about this. These homemade toilet paper/alcohol stoves generate heat for warming up the car or for cooking on.
• * Hand Crank Radio – if your car battery dies or you go into a survival situation, having one of these will let you catch news and weather updates
• FRS Radio -if you have a HAM license, keep a HAM radio as well. Having either or both of these radios will provide you with other options for calling for help in addition to your cell phone (if you have no cell service, these radios will be your ONLY means of communicating)
• Scriptures – having your scriptures with you can provide comfort in a frightening situation and can help pass the time by getting in some good reading.
• Emergency Phone Numbers – Most of us have these programmed in our cell phones or can call 411 or call a friend to look a number up. A lot of phones can also use the internet to look numbers up. But, it can be useful to have a hand written list stored in your car in case you have forgotten your phone or it isn’t working and you are borrowing someone elses phone or using a pay phone.

Survival

In a scenario where you have to bug out from your vehicle and hoof it to town you will need a basic survival kit (an example of this is if you are in the boonies and your car breaks down or you wreck/get stuck and nobody is around). Some of your survival kit could even be useful even if you just need to set up a camp where you broke down. Here are some things to include (this could easily become a very extensive kit)

• Hiking/Walking shoes
• 2 pairs of socks/person
• Fire Starters (both something to light a fire with and something to get it going, such as a flint/steel set and cotton balls soaked in vaseline)
• Water Filter – if you’re hoofing it, who knows what kind of water you’ll find. Make sure you have a good water filter with you.
• Whistle - this will help you get the attention of potential rescuers
• Map and Compass and/or GPS – not only will you need it to not get lost, you may also need it to find your way back to your car! Mark a waypoint for where your car is before you head out.
• First Aid Kit – check out our post on first aid kits for some ideas on this

Those are the bare necessities for a car survival kit. As I said before, this can (and has in my case) become a full blown survival kit.

[AZ Prepper]

Vehicle Emergency Kit
http://selfrelianceadventures.blogspot.com/2009/05/vehicle-emergency-kit.html


Here's a little kit I put together a while back for my vehicle. And yes, it was in the suburban when I had the flat tire, so if it had happened somewhere where Incident Management Team was not available to fix my jack issue, I would not have died waiting for my sweet husband to come save me. I've had a partial kit thrown in and out in no particular container for some time, but figured I'd better get it organized so stuff wasn't floating around and I'd know what I had. So I swiped an Action Packer container sweet husband hadn't used in months (you know, the one from the food room) and packed it up. This also served to make some more space in my food room to put a couple buckets of oats . . .

This kit takes minimal space in the back of my suburban and could easily fit in a car trunk as well. Yeah, you'll have to pack your groceries around it, but it's worth it to have a little preparedness with you!

We only have the one vehicle. If you have more than one, make one for each one you drive, or be ready to swap your kit over to the car you're driving that day.




Here's what's in my kit (most of it's in the picture):

• Bottled Water
• Flashlight (the shaky kind--I'm actually not a real fan of this flashlight, but had an extra so in the kit it went. I also have a LED light on my key ring.)
• Batteries if you have the kind of flashlight that takes batteries
• Light sticks
• Food--I have hard candy, old MRE crackers, and my Homemade Survival bar bricks
• A couple of cheapo rain ponchos
• A couple of cheapo space blankets
• Wet wipes
• Toilet paper roll (anybody with kids has experienced this emergency)
• Diapers/Feminine needs (okay, I don't have diapers in mine since my kids are thankfully past that stage, but I used to keep diapers in the car when we used them and a change of pants/clothes for the diaper wearer or potty trainer)
• Basic first aid kit (can't tell you how many times we've needed a bandaid at a ball game or the park)
• Blanket
• Umbrella
• Hand warmers
• A cute little buddy burner like cub scouts make with the cardboard rolled up in the tuna fish can and then doused in wax (just had one of these laying around, so I tossed it in)
• Fire starting stuff in an old cookie tin (matches and dryer lint firestarters)
• Hand sanitizer
• Long sleeves for everybody (light jacket or button up shirt)
• A box to hold it all
• Cash (coins and bills) or a prepaid visa card thingy (stashed discreetly)

Outside the box:

• Jumper cables, tool kit, extra car fluids (oil, power steering fluid, wiper fluid, antifreeze, etc.)
• Jack, tire iron (which I now have both of

That's about it. Seriously, we can't all drive around with Incident Management Team's truck of goodies (what a shame), but your car is naked without some gear in it! Plus, you'll feel better driving around knowing you won't be one of those people stranded for days who survived on chewing gum and restaurant mints until somebody happened to find them.

[hcardwell93]

Wow! Great info on this page! Here is a list of the bags I have assembled:

I have put together a couple of bags and equipment that I carry in my car, based loosely on the multi-tier system. I commute 40 miles to work everyday, so there is a lot of area between my home and areas where I can hunker down and wait out any trouble.

My best case scenario is that I can use my gear, stay with my vehicle, and make it home in one piece. Worst case scenario says I have to ditch my car (EMP, earthquake, etc.), and walk 40 miles. There could also be in between situations where a disaster occurs during the commute, or I have to leave the car for a bit but will be able to come back to it later.

ALICE PACK: Weighs approximately 35 pounds
This is a great bag if you know how to pack it. I suggest unpacking and repacking several times and you will get a feel of what items are most important and how accessible certain items will be. What I like about the Alice pack is the aluminum frame it is built on, which provides great support for carrying a lot of weight for an extended period of time. It also allows you to clip on several canteens or ammunition pouches.

SHELTER
1 Space blanket
1 Sleeping pad
1 Poncho, green
WATER
1 1 liter Canteen
6 Gatorade powder
FIRE (smear Vaseline on cotton ball and light...will burn 10-15 minutes to start main fire)
1 BIC lighter (minimum, more are better)
2 Matches, strike anywhere, 32 count
Cotton balls
1 1.75oz. Vaseline
FOOD
3 MRE
3 Ramen Noodles
9 Granola bars, 2 count
COMMUNICATIONS
1 Firework, smoke grenade
Fireworks, miscellaneous
MEDICAL
1 Wet wipes
10 Alcohol prep pads
Band-Aids, assorted
Q-tips
1 1.75oz. Vaseline
1 Hand sanitizer
LIGHT (you can never have too many light sources! Get creative...)
1 Waterproof flashlight
2 Light sticks
10 AAA Batteries
TOOLS
1 Pliers/cutters
1 Snap blade razor
1 Entrenching tool
TOILETRIES/COOKING
1 Toilet paper, half roll
1 Mess kit
1 Knife, spoon, fork kit
2 Wool socks
2 Underwear
1 Shirt
1 Wool scarf/hood
1 Sterno fuel
1 Small coffee can cut down (creates a small cooking stove with sterno)
WEAPONRY
1 18” bayonet
1 Trip wire spool
1 Fox 5.3 pepper spray/holster
4 Magazine, AR-15 (loaded to 25 rounds)
4 Magazine, Glock 22, 10/10/8/8 rounds
80 5.56 NATO Cartridge (180 total)
20 .40 S&W Magazine (56 total)

CAMELBAK: Weighs approximately 3.5 pounds
Camelbaks are great for first aid or trauma bags, as well as carrying your most used items. A Camelbak can hold a pistol and a few spare magazines pretty easily. If you extend the straps you can piggyback it on the Alice pack and buckle the chest straps on the back side to hold it securely. I carry mine with me quite a lot in the summertime, and it looks natural.

SHELTER
1 Poncho, clear
WATER
1 2 Liter Camelbak bladder
1 Water purification tabs
FIRE
1 Matches, strike anywhere, 32 count
FOOD
1 4.5oz Jerky
3 Granola bars, 2 count
MEDICAL
10 Alcohol prep pads
1 Triple antibiotic ointment
1 Hand sanitizer
LIGHT
1 LED flashlight
1 Light sticks
TOILETRIES
1 Mouthwash
1 Toothpaste
1 Toothbrush
1 Kleenex
3 TUMS, 8 count
MISCELLANEOUS
1 Paracord, 550'

MAXPEDITION DOPPELDUFFEL: Weighs approximately 10 pounds
Maxpedition has a full line of high quality, super durable bags. The DoppelDuffel is one of their larger bags and works great for me as a prepper's bag that I can use as a regular suitcase and not raise any suspicions. This bag has hide away back pack straps and an area that holds a 3-litre water bladder. It is also covered with MOLLE straps.
WATER
1 3 liter water bladder
MEDICAL
1 Toothbrush
1 Tooth paste
1 Hand sanitizer
1 Saline solution
1 Contact lens case
1 Razor
LIGHT
1 LED flashlight
1 Light sticks
WEAPONRY
300 5.56 NATO Cartridges
MISCELLANEOUS
Clothing and other items normally carried in an overnight bag

VEHICLE:
I carry all the above bags in my car, but I can't fit everything I might need in a bag to carry. I keep my Glock 22 in a case with 4 high capacity magazines, and a police-sized can of Fox 5.3 pepper spray. I also keep my AR-15 handy as well. I always keep a pair of boots, suitable for the weather, and an extra coat for the winter time as well. Another item I keep handy is a CDV 717 rad meter. I have a range bag with a web belt and thigh holster rig. The leg rig carries a Glock 22, 2 magazines, flashlight, FS fighting knife, and spring loaded punch (used for busting auto glass in emergencies). The belt carries a portable CB, or scanner, and anything else that can be clipped to it (mag pouches, canteens, etc.)

My gear is nowhere near complete, or 100% efficient, but it is always evolving and being evaluated, as all disaster kits should be. My next move is to change my weapons to the FN Five-seveN and PS90 because the ammunition is so much lighter and smaller than both .40 S&W and 5.56 NATO. 5.7x28mm allows you to carry 2-4 times the amount of ammunition, not to mention that the rifle is much shorter as well.

[M4wilson]

For your tow straps avoid the ones with metal hooks on the ends like they are radioactive. I can't tell you how many times I have seen them come off and damage a vehicle or seriously injure some one (one resulting in a very expensive ride in a helicopter). Get the recovery straps with the loops in the end and use an appropriate sized Clevis (commonly referred to as a shackle) to attach the strap to the vehicles, they run @ $2.99 and up, get good ones. Make sure they are rated for overhead lifting, the WLL (working load limit) that is stamped/cast into the body of the Clevis will have a safety factor of 5 built into it. So if the Clevis says 5T WLL will safely support a load of 25 tons or 50,000 lbs. For your average SUV a 2T WLL will more than suffice. I carry a small 3/4T WLL for small cars, a 2T WLL for mid sized cars/trucks and a 5T WLL for the big stuff. My strap is rated for 20,000lbs and is 25ft long. If you can afford them the nylon ropes (3/4inch or bigger) are great because in a pinch (life or death) you can take them apart and make longer lengths for rappelling, but you will ruin the tow rope. Place a floor mat or heavy bag at the mid point of the strap/rope in case it breaks, the weight helps the strap/rope got the ground instead of into a tail light, radiator or body. Floor mats placed in front of the tires are also a great traction aid.
Wife is reminding me I have to go, more to follow.

[Northmountain]

Additional vehicle emergency kit tips from the Earthquake Lady:

Store a case of water bottles in your car. Wrap the case in a sheet of that Mylar blanket (space blanket) and it will protect the water from the freezing winter temps (the water won't freeze) or hot summer temps. After experimenting, water in mylar space blankets doesn't freeze.

Get mylar lined cloth lunch containers--put your medicines, salves, bandaids, etc., in the little box to protect from hot temperatures in car. Pick them up for $1 at the dollar store.

Space blankets are flimsy but can save your life by holding in body heat. They currently cost approx. 2 / $1.89 at Recreation Outlet, etc.

Another use for Kitty Litter! Put kitty litter in an empty (dry) 2 litre plastic bottle. Then put it inside the plastic portapotty bucket with plastic garbage bags and a few rolls of toilet paper. After 2 or 3 uses of bucket, sprinkle some kitty litter on to absorb moisture and odors.

When you evacuate, take your bucket with you...there might not be any facilities. I would also suggest including a tarp and rope to create a private enclosure.

Build a food evacuation bucket, preferably with a $6 buck gamma seal lid so you can open and close easily. Use a large mylar bag to line the 5 gallon bucket. Keep this food in your garage and the mylar keeps it from freezing and roasting. The food mylar bags are available at Walmart. Put in items like canned goods--tuna, vienna sausages, chili, granola, trail mix, soup.

Slip in a can of Sterno and a mess kit in a plastic bag. Cut a piece of metal "plumbers tape" --the stuff with holes--make a circular shape to fit in opening of Sterno, and it will allow the pan to sit on top of Sterno without suffocating the flame. with this you can warm up a baby bottle, boil water, heat up soup etc. Use a mess kit to protect the food container from the flame.

Put small fleece blankets in plastic bags in your trunk--as many as usually ride in your car. These fleece blankets are about $5 at Walmart.

Put comfortable old walking tennis shoes and change of socks in your car. You never know when you might have to abandon the car and walk and heels just aren't going to get you there ladies, no matter how cute those shoes are!" This goes for the men too ... dress shoes are terrible walking shoes.