What to carry / keep in your car(s)?

**jgalt** · 11-17-09, 17:18

I need to build a "box" (could be a box, bag, pile, combination, etc...) of necessary items to be kept in my cars at all times in case of breakdowns &/or emergencies. In light of all the info I've been reading in this sub-forum, I am interested in a "layered" approach to this:

1. What items are in your car(s) at all times, to cover every day occurrences / emergencies? I am fairly mechanically inclined, but have never worked on a car before so don't currently have the knowledge to do a whole lot of fixing / repairing of things that have broken on my own. So long as AAA is available, they will likely be my go-to for when things break. Since I haven't done this before, don't hesitate to list those things most might think of as 'obvious', like jumper cables.

I live in Minnesota (a burb of the Twin Cities), so my main concern actually is keeping warm until help can arrive should something occur I can't handle on my own. The only thing I ask is that you explain the purpose / usefulness of any item you recommend that might not be obvious...

2. Do any of you keep supplies in your car that might allow you to handle something like a breakdown in a rural area - lets assume during a blizzard - where you might be best served by staying in the car for more than a day waiting for help? If yes, what do you recommend for this purpose?

3. I've seen references to bug out bags to be kept in vehicles in case you need to leave the car and hoof it / find alternate transportation home. I'd like to build something for this purpose as well. Assume for the moment this is not a SHTF / societal breakdown situation - just normal, every day life where I need to get home without my car.

4. Assume some type of natural disaster that might occur while I'm away from home - tornado or blizzard / ice storm are the most likely in my area. Would you have a different list of supplies for your bug out bag in this situation, or would it be the same as in #3 above?

5. Any other situations I should be considering - short of some type of societal collapse / zombies in the streets scenario?

Note - Anything that will be kept in the car will be in addition to the handgun, extra mag (or 2), Leatherman, cell phone, flashlight, & Zippo I carry with me on my person every day.

Any and all advice will be helpful and appreciated! Thanks.

**PA PATRIOT** · 11-17-09, 18:48

Number One item no matter what the weather or Emergency.....Your Brain!.......and a little common sense. Since you live in the land of the cold I would work my bag around weather conditions you would face in the winter. Plus I would have to equip for the country you most travel in, is it urban, semi rural or out in the sticks? Urban and semi rural one would most likely be near other people and workable cell phone coverage. Just calling or knocking on a door would bring help in most cases asap.

But the out in the sticks bags I would be a little more extensive most likely being two small bags and one large vehicle storage bag.

The large bag would stay in the vehicle 24/7 and contain some blankets, a few Mylar survival bags, gloves, knit hats and a pair of winter boots and some fire making gear, also some signaling gear like mirrors, flares and markers and a small fold-able snow shovel.

My first small bag would contain a few bottles of water, Hi-Calorie survival food bars and some sealed hand warmers enough for three days for each person expected to ride in the vehicle. Snow can be melted into water so I would go more heavy on the food and have a small metal container for melting snow.

My second small bag would contain a pistol with four to six hi-cap magazines, a GSP, Mylar survival bag, a pre-paid cell phone, a LED flashlight, fire starting gear, sealed hand warmers, extra battery's, signal mirror/whistle and marker and a area map and compass.

I would not leave the car until forced to do so and mark my area around the vehicle the best I could to attract attention, make sure to keep a half tank or better of gas for any trip and clear the exhaust pipe of the vehicle of snow if you become stranded so CO2 does not kill everyone inside if your running the engine for heat. The two small bags are removable and portable if need be and would only be inside the vehicle when I was driving somewhere.

**whiterabbit05** · 11-17-09, 18:56

I keep:

A tool box with the essentials

Cross lug nut wrench, the shorty that comes with the car doesn't give the proper leverage

Factory car jack

Wheel chocks

Jumper Cables

Extra anti-freeze, engine oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, etc.

Road flares

Reflective hazard triangle

Flashlight

De-icer

Ice scraper

Fix-a-flat for emergencies or when more than one tire is flat

First aid kit

**jgalt** · 11-17-09, 19:29

Originally Posted by Phila PD

Number One item no matter what the weather or Emergency.....Your Brain!.......and a little common sense. Since you live in the land of the cold I would work my bag around weather conditions you would face in the winter. Plus I would have to equip for the country you most travel in, is it urban, semi rural or out in the sticks? Urban and semi rural one would most likely be near other people and workable cell phone coverage. Just calling or knocking on a door would bring help in most cases asap.

But the out in the sticks bags I would be a little more extensive most likely being two small bags and one large vehicle storage bag.

The large bag would stay in the vehicle 24/7 and contain some blankets, a few Mylar survival bags, gloves, knit hats and a pair of winter boots and some fire making gear, also some signaling gear like mirrors, flares and markers and a small fold-able snow shovel.

My first small bag would contain a few bottles of water, Hi-Calorie survival food bars and some sealed hand warmers enough for three days for each person expected to ride in the vehicle. Snow can be melted into water so I would go more heavy on the food and have a small metal container for melting snow.

My second small bag would contain a pistol with four to six hi-cap magazines, a GSP, Mylar survival bag, a pre-paid cell phone, a LED flashlight, fire starting gear, sealed hand warmers, extra battery's, signal mirror/whistle and marker and a area map and compass.

I would not leave the car until forced to do so and mark my area around the vehicle the best I could to attract attention, make sure to keep a half tank or better of gas for any trip and clear the exhaust pipe of the vehicle of snow if you become stranded so CO2 does not kill everyone inside if your running the engine for heat. The two small bags are removable and portable if need be and would only be inside the vehicle when I was driving somewhere.

My typical trips are into one or the other of the Twin Cities &/or their suburbs, so mostly urban. Once or twice a week I head out to the gun club and the route is part interstate, part rural highway (a few miles of each...). The only semi-problematic trips will be those into WI to visit family & friends - a lot of rural interstate, a little urban, and a lot of rural state highways, depending on the people we're going to see. These are actually the trips I'm most "worried" about simply due to the large distances between populated areas. Also, no loaded weapons or magazines in the vehicle. I can always transport my Glock in its case & keep enough ammo to fill a few mags though, so I'm not stuck being completely unarmed, though I might need to buy some type of drop-leg holster to allow me to open carry with a winter jacket on. And of course, I'll always have my brain & the little common sense I carry with me...

I like the idea of multiple bags, as well as the suggestions regarding what to keep in them. I would not have come up with some of those items on my own any time soon, so thanks! Any suggestions on specific "high calorie survival bars"? Something edible when it is 20 below...

Question - what is "GSP"? I typed it into Google and didn't get anything that made sense in the context of your post...

**jgalt** · 11-17-09, 19:42

Originally Posted by whiterabbit05

I keep:

A tool box with the essentials... <snip>

...Extra anti-freeze, engine oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, etc.

Do you keep these in small bottles so as to have just enough to get by in an emergency? I'd assume regular sized bottles of all those items would take up more space than is practical in a typical sedan trunk...

<snip>

...Fix-a-flat for emergencies or when more than one tire is flat...

Ooooo, fix-a-flat! Excellent idea - don't know why I didn't think of that myself!

Thank you very much!

**PA PATRIOT** · 11-17-09, 19:46

Originally Posted by jgalt

My typical trips are into one or the other of the Twin Cities &/or their suburbs, so mostly urban. Once or twice a week I head out to the gun club and the route is part interstate, part rural highway (a few miles of each...). The only semi-problematic trips will be those into WI to visit family & friends - a lot of rural interstate, a little urban, and a lot of rural state highways, depending on the people we're going to see. These are actually the trips I'm most "worried" about simply due to the large distances between populated areas. Also, no loaded weapons or magazines in the vehicle. I can always transport my Glock in its case & keep enough ammo to fill a few mags though, so I'm not stuck being completely unarmed, though I might need to buy some type of drop-leg holster to allow me to open carry with a winter jacket on. And of course, I'll always have my brain & the little common sense I carry with me...

I like the idea of multiple bags, as well as the suggestions regarding what to keep in them. I would not have come up with some of those items on my own any time soon, so thanks! Any suggestions on specific "high calorie survival bars"? Something edible when it is 20 below...

Question - what is "GSP"? I typed it into Google and didn't get anything that made sense in the context of your post...

Sorry thats GPS, typing faster than my brain is spelling. Are you able to apply for a permit to carry concealed? Some states recognize each others concealed permits so that would work out for you if your travel states do so.

**jgalt** · 11-17-09, 20:03

Originally Posted by Phila PD

Sorry thats GPS, typing faster than my brain is spelling. Are you able to apply for a permit to carry concealed? Some states recognize each others concealed permits so that would work out for you if your travel states do so.

I figured you meant GPS, but thought it best to ask...

No concealed carry in WI, period. I've got both MN & UT permits though, so most other trips I'd take would be fine.

Interesting side bar - the attorney general of WI put out a letter early this year that made it clear that open carry is allowed under the state Constitution (there is no law recognizing it, but as it isn't specifically forbidden, it is OK), hence the idea of a drop-leg holster should I need to carry during the winter. An OWB holster under a winter jacket would definitely be concealed and a very big no-no in WI. And, since there is no mention in WI law regarding the carrying of a handgun, other than the law specifically forbidding concealed carry, any gun in any vehicle is covered under the transport laws designed for hunting or going to a range, i.e. gun fully encased & outside the passenger compartment or behind the seat in a pickup, with no ammo in mags. There have actually been a number of "open carry picnics" in various parts of WI recently, hoping to bring attention to the fact that it is one of two states (w/Illinois) that doesn't allow anyone who is not law enforcement to carry concealed, and with the current Governor not running in 2010, there is a decent chance some type of concealed carry law will pass in 2011, as the legislature has voted twice for it, being only one vote short of a veto-override last time...

**00leland00** · 11-17-09, 23:44

Along with everything mentioned,

tire plugs

car charger/ hand crank charger for cell phone.

FIRE

extra blankets, socks, gloves

puzzle book/ something to keep your mind occupied

**PA PATRIOT** · 11-18-09, 00:49

Originally Posted by 00leland00

Along with everything mentioned,

tire plugs

car charger/ hand crank charger for cell phone.

FIRE

extra blankets, socks, gloves

puzzle book/ something to keep your mind occupied

car charger/ hand crank charger for cell phone.

Would you have a link for that hand crank charger?