Pvs And Your 72Hour Emergency Kit

[Brandon]

As storm season hits me here in tornado alley I've started wondering about a 72 hour emergency kit (aka Bug-Out-Bag). I'm long overdue for making one, and last year was a stark reminder of that fact: 8 deaths here in my home town February 2009, only 1/2 mile away from me. I've been lucky in the fact that I've personally seen 9 tornadoes during my lifetime. Last year's 2009 disaster would have been number 10 except that it was night, so visibility would have been impossible except during the brief instances during lightening flashes, but I was huddled inside when the golf-all-sized hail started to hit.

Despite seeing 9 other tornadoes during my life, last year's incident really shook me up. Something I didn't realize until my wife pointed out the fact that I've bought about 20 flashlights since then. Now I'm starting to realize it scared the **** out of me on an unconscious level. I guess spending the night alone in the bathtub in the dark with only a piddly little AA flashlight made me realize how unprepared I am. Yeah that's right, I was born and raised in tornado alley but I don't have a storm shelter. Shame on me (but that's a totally different topic).

So besides other things, my question is this: Does a personal vaporizer really have a place in a 72 hour emergency kit? I've started to get a few items together (I'm a big fan of MREs since my brother-in-law went down to New Orleans to assist in the Katrina relief efforts, and survived off them for a couple weeks and brought some back to play with).

But do they really belong in a 72 hour kit? The only device I can fathom to include would be a home-made 3AA alkaline battery box mod (in a disaster, who's going to think to grab some 14500 lithiums?). That's no problem to make, but should I really be thinking about nicotine when that weight and space could be better suited to more food, water, tools, radios, etc?

[FTJoe]

So besides other things, my question is this: Does a personal vaporizer really have a place in a 72 hour emergency kit?

I would think so, the stress levels at that point in time would be pretty severe. Maybe some nicorette or lozenges? If you could have something driven off AA or AAAs that would be good.

[nana]

I think it has a place there, Brandon. I can remember all the times I ever had to run for the basement (and we never ended up having a tornado as close as you've had) and one of the first things I grabbed on my way down was the cigarettes, lighter, and ashtray. There is no way I could have stayed calm down there without them. I would have been going nuts without them. Same thing will hold true this tornado season - only it will be my PVs that go down with me this time. I've given it a lot of thought and that's why I have so many spare batteries. And keep them charged up, too. It wouldn't just be the time spent in the basement during a warning, but if the power went out or worse we had damage and couldn't get out right away. I'm a firm believer in being as prepared as possible and that would include PV supplies. Well, for me anyway.

[Tektronik]

Hmmmmm. Haven't thought about that, yet the winds have been crazy here lately!

Brandon, do you need more MRE's? I think the Commissary still sells them here, and come to think of it, I see a lot of those floating around for sale during our exercises. I can find out how they are purchasing them directly from our supply system. It might take a bit of time, but I can find out. Let me know if you need them.

[FTJoe]

And just in case it goes a little longer than 72 hours...

Bunker food

Just noticed its off sale, was a couple hundred lower...

Edited April 30, 2010 by FTJoe

[kitsune]

My Vote is yes !!! I wouldn't last long in a stressful situation without some nicotine. I usually have my PCC(510) and a small carrying case with bits and pieces readily available to grab when out and about. would be easy enough to grab on my way to the basement.

[Mark]

Hey Brandon, I think it goes without saying that PVs and accesories will be part of my emergency stash. I have plenty of backups (and more on the way), always keep my batteries charged, and in an emegency I have my generator for electricity . Lets hope that no one needs an emergency stash but just in case it is always good to be prepared.

[Brandon]

Great posts in here everyone, thank you all! Sounds like I'll be making and packing a three AA alkaline battery box mod at the very least. Since AA alkalines are so easy to find, I think that would be my best bet.

@Tektronik - actually I do need some more MREs. I've only got 2 left, so I've been cruising through the consumer-version market and have found some acceptable substitutes for the real military version. I've got my eye on a 12 case right now but I'm hesitating to press that button. I totally appreciate your gesture to try and find out more from your commissary. Thanks a lot!

@FTJoe - I haven't seen that brand of freeze dried food before. I've been keeping a close eye on Mountain House and Alpine Air. But this Thrive brand is about half the cost of most 1yr systems I've seen. Thanks for the link!

[FTJoe]

@FTJoe - I haven't seen that brand of freeze dried food before. I've been keeping a close eye on Mountain House and Alpine Air. But this Thrive brand is about half the cost of most 1yr systems I've seen. Thanks for the link!

No probs - was really a goof, but it was only $599 a week or two ago, maybe it goes off and on sale.

Here's the list at costco..

http://www.costco.com/Common/Category.aspx?cat=75277&eCat=BC|3605|75277&lang=en-US&whse=BC&topnav=

Is it the same as this as amazon?

http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-THRIVE-1-year-Dehydrated-Freeze-Dried/dp/B0030DKTAA

If I got this my wife would kill me. She won't even let me buy physical gold.

[Brandon]

Wow. HUGE price difference there! And yes, that's the exact same kit!

Hard to believe there's such a difference.

[snubber]

It seems to me that if you've lived in tornado alley all these years you would have already been ready but I guess it's kinda like a will, you really don't think about it till the time gets close. Another thought would be to go the an army/navy surplus store and get some of those MRE's. They last a long time and you can store them for later.

And yes stock up on pv's, attys and juice.

[ddavelarsen]

Yeah, well some of us stock that stuff up just because of our government. I'm sure one. And you're right, I think everyone should have some stock of backup food and water ready to throw in the truck and boogie, if nothing else. There's no telling what can happen, and weather is just the most obvious threat. I've lived around tornados too Brandon, and you'll believe me when I say, there isn't much that's more frightening than seeing that dark funnel reaching for the ground...

Yet... I'm not prepared for any extended survival situation either. I doubt that many people are, other than the really paranoid folks out in the woods surrounded by barbed wire. Which doesn't sound crazy at all to me, frankly. About all we have are a couple cases of canned water and a box of survival books and maps. No food really, other than the normal canned stuff I live off of anyway. There's enough of that around for a few days, no more.

But really folks, water is far more important to your immediate survival than food is. If you need to start stocking up somewhere, that's a clear choice. Also, nicotine in whatever form you favor. I think FTJoe's suggestion for gum is a good one. I hadn't thought about nicotine until this thread but I'm sure going to keep my nic stash close at hand for ready grabbing. Or at least add that to my mental 'ditch' rehearsal.

Brandon, have you tried regular AA batts in a mod? That would be worth a try. I don't know whether they'd have the power to drive an atty; does anyone have experience with that? With grandkids, I have a whole lot of AA batteries on hand most of the time. Just never tried them in a PV. Costco is a good place to buy those in bulk too, and they have lasted quite well for me.

Good thread Brandon, thanks.

[Brandon]

Thanks for the thoughts there Dave and also the additional info.

Disaster preparedness has really been on my mind a lot lately. Last year I got pretty freaky about it and read everything I could get my hands on (including bomb-shelter info) but I've resisted the urge to jump in with both feet.

Also thanks for the tip on water. Food is easy: there are tons of long-term storage foods available. But I never really looked into the water thing. I will now!

I've not yet tried regular alkaline batteries in a PV though I've got plenty of spare boxes (and atty connectors) to wire up and plenty of batteries. Once the dust has cleared from the mother's-day rush here at work, I'll have time to play with it.

I'll be fairly vacant from the forums this week and next. We triple (or more) our staffing during the mother's day rush and I'm on 70hr work weeks now