Emergency Kit Preparedness
Emergency Kit Preparedness
Posted on March 3, 2021
Midland Honda Safety Kit giveaway contest focuses nicely on the need to have you vehicle ready for the unexpected during winter and summer driving. You probably have heard a few stories about stranded motorists – everything from a six-hour standstill on Highway 69 to a driver who survived eating mints and Swiss Chalet sauce after getting stuck in the snow on a country lane with no cell service. Why would anyone want to suffer the indignity of consuming a mint chicken sauce for dinner? Let’s just spend a little time gathering provisions from home and gear from the store of your choice to outfit the front and back of your vehicle for the unlikely event that you become stuck waiting for help.
- Motoring Association surveys indicate 45% of drivers without a kit plan to get one but “haven’t gotten around to it”.
- 22% say they’ll just call for help if needed
- 12% think they don’t need one because they only drive in-town
So maybe twenty percent of drivers have suitable food, water and gear in their vehicles when they embark on their winter excursions. This is hardly enough preparedness for drivers living in Midland’s snow belt. One should consider the following list to remain on the safe side of winter driving.
Honda Safety Kit Contents
- Booster cables
- Phone charger
- Hand/foot warmers
- Reflective armbands
- Ice scraper
- Folding shovel
- Sand / kitty litter
- Fire extinguisher
- Multi-tool (pliers, knife etc.)
- Candles for light & heat
- Waterproof matches, lighter
- Tin can (to hold the candle)
- Small first aid kit
- Self-powered flashlight
- Work gloves
- Paper towel / rags
- Warm clothing
- A jug of water
- Protein bars (rotate regularly)
- Caution triangle for visibility
- A warm blanket
- A local map
- Duct tape
You may be amused by some of the YouTube videos posted by survivalists who have scaled up their approach to outfitting their vehicles with emergency gear. There is hardly enough room in the spare tire wheel well or the trunk to accommodate the crowbars, saws, rope, sleeping bags, torches and extra fuel just in case. These dudes are either on a serious bug-out bag mission or they are ready to be the best Good Samaritan on the road ready to help those in need. I do like their three-zone approach to gearing up a vehicle. The first zone, the driver’s seat, has a few things within easy reach in case of delay or calamity. In the center console box you have your glass breaking/seat belt-cutting tool, some energy bars or nuts, flashlight and water in the door or cup holders. Have your handy heat, light candle and medical mini pack near by in the front cabin. Also, have your engine starting battery pack behind one of the seats. This small pack has a variety of charging wires that you can use to keep your phone battery operational if and when you can’t use the vehicle’s battery. The second zone is found in the trunk or back bed of your SUV. Easily accessible gear such as windshield washer liquid, another more powerful flashlight, more food and water, a wool blanket and most likely your collapsible shovel. The last zone would be the wheel well or floor compartment that would house flares, tools like pliers and bungee cords and your duct tape. Got to have a roll of duct tape in your car at all times winter and summer!
One survivalist had a great idea for stowing extra water in any zone. Buy and store small prepared packets of water for greater convenience. These packets can be easily thawed in your hands or by hand warming products.
I have procrastinated long enough. Thanks to Megan’s Honda Safety Kit contest and awareness campaign I’m cleaning my CRV of old ketchup packets and bringing in some quality trail mix and a nifty collapsible shovel.
Until next time...
Macky.
