Suggestion: Keep a big, thick beach towel in a Ziploc bag in your trunk. It's good for mundane things like drying off if you're caught in the rain or covering the seat if you've got messy. It's also good to bundle up along with the space blanket, or folded as a pillow. The Hitchhiker's Guide knew what they were talking about.

A side note on the tampons: Regardless of your gender, they are extremely useful for what they are made to do - deal with bleeding. I competed in wrestling growing up and have always had *terrible* nosebleeds... my coaches and myself found that a tampon is the absolute greatest thing to help with a very bad nosebleed, in a pinch. Not necessarily an emergency situation, but nosebleeds could be. If the air is extremely dry and you get a nosebleed while not having medical access, it would be beneficial to not loose a significant amount of blood and contaminate stuff. Probably also some other medical uses there if there is a lot of blood from an injury (though I'm no doctor, so grain of salt and all that). And lastly, many people (50%-ish) that you might be with/ meet may need some. I have had tampons in my first aid and emergency kits since I built my first ones, despite not being someone who has periods. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

Twice I've been caught in multi-hour traffic jams on 400-series highways in Ontario, one in midsummer and one was during a snowy Christmas Eve. I stock decent emergency kits, with seasonal variations, so I was prepared and never felt in any particular peril myself, but both times I was able to help families who weren't prepared at all. In the first, a young couple with a small baby was in the car ahead of me and stressed by being stuck in 30+ Celsius heat in a long stretch between cities. They'd hit the road with only basic supplies and it wasn't long before they were audibly fretting over an overheating baby with a diaper blowout. This was back before cell phones were a thing, but word soon passed back between vehicles that emergency services were saying it'd be at least an hour before the road would clear for travel. Through open windows I could hear the couple planning to abandon the car and risk taking the baby on foot to the next city, and that's when I introduced myself. I shared water, cookies, aloe, sunscreen, a mylar blanket for shade, and we decided that a sponge bath might help the baby, so I dumped my kit to use the large clean plastic tub along with water and bandage fabric. Then we fashioned ad hoc diapers out of extra-long overnight pads with wings, which was hilarious but worked well enough. It was all a bit clumsy, but I think just having something to do and feeling like they weren't alone in the world was enough to restore good humour and more constructive attitudes. (The calmer baby might have helped too.) I think about them every time I pass that stretch again, and I re-stock that kit every spring. Traffic was stuck for 2.5 hours in the Christmas Eve jam, and snow fell almost the whole time. According to a local radio report, a snowplow had run into trouble and traffic was blocked until more plows could show up to dig us all out. By then I had a cell phone and used precious minutes to let my family know I was stuck. I didn't want to waste gas to stay warm, so I raided the trunk for my winter kit, thinking of hand warmers and glow sticks and an insulated sleeping bag. At the same time I brought in the Christmas stocking supplies, thinking that I'd appreciate the chocolate and fruit soon enough too. The thing is, the next time I went out to clear snow from on and around my car, I couldn't help noticing that the kids in the car directly next to mine weren't handling the inactivity well. So I put together a care package of glow sticks, candles, hand warmers, puzzle books, colouring supplies, mini games, candy, fruit, cheap socks and mittens, and whatever else I could find in the stockings. Even gave them a couple mini flashlights (I buy them in bulk every couple years, and every bag I own has a pocket to stash one). Needless to say, it made a big difference to their outlook and I enjoyed the appreciation, the lack of screaming, and the pages they coloured and gave to me in thanks. I realize this goes beyond a true preparedness scenario, because fruit and candy LOL, but that's when I also added colouring stuff and puzzle books to the inventory, and I think everyone should have them in their kits too.

The video is fantastic but the comment section is loaded with brilliant ideas!!!!!! Love this community!!

Our rule is, every time we change the oil, we check our kit.

This was awesome. Please do a thousand more preparedness videos. I saw your Altoids video 3 years ago and it sparked something in me. Then the inverted yield curve happened and I got serious. Well, as serious as I could on a poverty budget. I'm leaps and bounds ahead now, thanks mostly to you and LeadFarmer73. You guys saved my life a year ago when that big freeze came through. I live in a camper and my pipes and tanks froze on day zero, and the roads were impassable for 12 days. Thanks to you and Lead, I had everything I needed and knew how to stay basically comfortable for the duration. I was even able to help my elderly neighbors, and that was a really good feeling. We desperately need more of a leftist presence in preparedness spaces. Thank you so much for doing this. 💚💚💚

I'd strongly recommend keeping some Cash in your survival kit, maybe $100 in smaller bills. For the more mild emergencies, having a couple extra bucks on hand can be a lifesaver.

Last time we had a power outage due to high winds and dust storm my youngest was terrified. I dug through the recycling and filled plastic bottles with water and a few left over glow sticks from Halloween. The water amplifies the light from the glow sticks. I made several and it was very calming for the little one.

I store my flashlights without batteries in them. Batteries stored separate, so that if batteries bust, it doesn't ruin the flashlight.

If you're in a snowy climate, you need to have a "snow kit" for the car, including ice scraper / snow brush, shovel, booster cables, traction bars, antifreeze, and road flares. Also stuff to keep you warm if you need to turn the car off: blankets are good, but you also want to have extra socks, scarves, hats, mittens, long underwear, etc. in case yours get wet while you're taking care of the car. An extra coat is great if you have space for it. Also, for people like me who are less road-savvy, your AAA / CAA card and a print-out of emergency contacts with their contact information (in case your phone isn't working). A few other items that might be really good to include more generally: a box of menstrual hygiene products and a package of hair elastics.

Living in the very hot, very drywall southwest I keep 4 gallons of water in the car at all times. I water plants with the old gallons in the fall, and put 4 new ones in for winter. I pour off about a cup from each to allow for freezing. Tomorrow I intend to check all my go bags. Thanks Beau

Shovel. Definitely need a shovel for bathroom stops or to get you unstuck out of mud or snow.

Daylight Savings Time is safety day in our house. The same day we change the clocks we review the safety and communication plans, take inventory and test/replace items in kits and prep, test the smoke alarms, give the dryer vent a thorough clean-out, etc. It's really helped us stay on top of it. Edit: undoing autocorrect

While obviously I don't have all these things in there, you'd be surprised to know how many of them are actually in my purse! There's a reason my kids call it the Zombie Apocalypse Bag.

I understand the point was “make sure you check your stuff”, but it’s amazing how this highlighted the old axiom “if you have one, you have none”. Because there were duplicates and triplicates (even quadruplets) in there, there was actually probably still enough usable stuff in there to get you by. Which is kind of amazing considering it hadn’t been touched in 5 years.

I got stuck in a snow storm on the interstate once. Didn't move for 13 hours. 4 wheel drive didn't do me any good because the road was completely blocked with 2 wheel drive cars. I was with my wife and daughter who was 6 months old. So glad that we were prepared with food, water, blankets, formula, plenty of gas to stay warm. People around us were struggling. The only "help" we had was a few firefighters riding around in a four wheeler. I have great respect for those men to get out in that weather and try to help people, but there was little they could do. The only regret is that I didn't have enough to share with other people who had it much worse than we did.

If you live in a colder environment I have always found a great piece of advice is to put your old winter coat in the trunk. The biggest warmest you have.

I would also recommend water filtration (life straw, sawyer mini), books on survival, and a deck of cards

Growing up in Northern Minnesota, I was always taught to put a winter road kit in my car , and I do every year. A lot of these items are in there.

im glad to see that our kits are very similar, i would also highly recommend a small bottle of wd40. it can help with some mechanical stuff but also help start a fire especially with wet wood

Beau, this is one of the best videos ever. Ladies, ladies please pay attention and prepare accordingly. There are a lot of modern tools that you can add to your kit but if nothing else keep a first aid kit! Tailor the kit to where you live or travel and please learn basic car care. Being a military spouse I had to be able to take care of myself and my children when the hubby was away. It became critical one day when I blew a tire in 100 plus degree heat. I pulled over, put my overalls on and was preparing to change the tire. A couple stopped to help and I was adamant that I didn’t need help. They were probably harmless good people but I couldn’t take a chance with my children. I’ve lived through hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes and snow storms. Being prepared got me through it all! I must say I’m loving all of the recommendations in the comments! Keep ‘em coming!

Some things last longer than expiration dates.

Living on the Oregon Coast, the Cascadia Earthquake & Tsunami, (and fires!) are ongoing threats. 4 yrs ago my son and son-in-law (both Marines) put together a PNW specific BUG OUT bag for me . For motivation, they packed it in the same pack my son carried throughout Iraq and Afghanistan deployments. A treasured gift. ❤️ However, after watching this, I now must unpack it to check items. Not sure how I could possibly repack as perfectly as they did. Also it's 35 lbs... 😳 THANK YOU for this!!!

Spent several years in military logistics and it taught me the virtue of stock rotation, because, once put together, everything starts to deteriorate. An attached baggie with a 3 x 5 card could be used for an inspection record. It's just a thought...

I have several emergency boxes and you have given me some great tips! I'm in an area where more water is needed so I have lifestraws in my boxes. They have really come down in price. Another thing I do is as I am loading a box I make an inventory sheet to put in the box and I check expiration dates as I am loading them then write the product and expiration date of the soonest to expire product on a sticker and put the sticker on the outside of the box for easy reference and the inventory sheet will go on the inside of the box. Ok, now to browse the comments for more great tips!

I prepared mini traveling kits for family and friends. Using my food saver machine. I also use it to make small hygiene kits for the homeless shelter. It a great investment. ✌👍

This was fun. Some things shown is useless where I live, some was usefull and others that I need to have was completely missing. Btw, I preff to keep my batterys and my flachlights seperat. That way 1 corroded battery dont ruin the flashlight

Water, shovel, sand, 2 of those special blankets, snacky foods, flashlight, battery's, flares. MOST IMPORTANT, STAY WITH YOUR CAR! I lived in Oregon for 24 yrs. Learned a lot. I have a flashlight that you shake to make work. It is about 18yrs old and still works.

Those canisters of fuel used at buffets can also be used to cook food on.

On the first aid front I would definitely add at least 2 purpose made tourniquets, and learn how to use them properly. Car accidents can be horrific. I had a friend witness and assist at a particularly bad car accident in which the driver was trapped. His legs were crushed and one arm had been sheared off at the elbow. He also had severe facial injuries. My friend managed to staunch the blood loss and keep the guys airway clear until paramedics arrived, and the accident victim survived. He lost a leg, but they managed to reattach his arm. The attending emergency crew said afterwards the victim was the most badly injured person they'd ever seen that actually survived. My friend was just a mailman, but he had volunteer search and rescue training and first aid training. He won a bravery award for what he did that day. Be prepared folks.

It's a pretty easy logical leap to "Live in cold climate, get a heavier blanket," but if you're in a desert and you end up outside without cover overnight you'll still want a heavier blanket. You can end up with freezing temperatures easily even in times of the year it might seem like it would be warmest. Also a good idea to keep a set of sealing eyewear near to go with the mask in case a dust storm kicks up.

The facial expressions re: the compass are great, lmao.

Remember in an accident boxes or coolers can become projectiles! So secure them! And yes it takes years for sterile items to be unusable unless gotten wet. Tampons can help bleeding wounds!

The first time I drove across the country (Ca. to Tn. that trip), I was in a beat-up old Toyota that had been enjoying the salty Northern Cali coastal breezes for about six years. I had pulled onto the soft shoulder on a length of nowhere in Arizona to stretch my legs. I got back in, turned the key, heard a god-awful CRACK, then a thud. The rusted out engine mounts had given way, dropping the tiny four cylinder. The last "town" I had passed was about 15 miles away, it was 11 a.m. and getting hot, seemed like a bad idea to try it. The next according to the map was about 15 miles, even worse. Luckily, along with a several gallons of water, a spare, a jack and some other tools, I had Duct tape in the trunk. It took some levering and work with the jack, but the engine block was light enough that I was able to wrestle it pretty much into place in about 40 minutes (including a water break in the shade of the car) then duct tape it so it couldn't move.. The drive shaft looked secure (I was no mechanic, but it didn't wobble or look cracked), so I crossed my fingers, and turned the key. I crawled my way to the next town, was told by a mechanic there that he could get the parts and fix it in a bit more than a week, and it'd cost me more than the car had. I finished my trip and had it fixed by a mechanic who spent half his time swigging locally-sourced Tennessee whiskey. At some point since then, if there's a risk, started carrying the food/water/first aid/shelter/fire. I grew up country, so I've always carried a knife. Lesson I learned that time, though has resulted in always having duct tape handy. Some of the most useful stuff on Earth, and can save your life.

Awesome video Beau, thank you for an additional brain to help me plan my kits, and for educating people. The only thing that immediately comes to mind that I would say "absolutely" add to a kit: Water filtration. If you can afford it, water filtration straws, and regardless, some water purification tablets. And I love your saying : "If you have one, you have none." Thank you Beau, from the internet people.

Took a trip to see my old college buddies, not necessarily a survival situation but we needed batteries for the wii remote and I had a kit in my car. Most of them were corroded but enough worked for us to play some Mario cart 🤙🏻 definitely update your kits

I love the thermal undershirt look! It's the visual equivalent to the brandy-laced, hot apple cider steaming on my table. It's crazy how cozy and calming I find it to watch you go through a container in a shed, while dressed in warm winter clothing. I know its childish, but I mean it!

Thanks this is great. Because I'm a scatterbrain. I have made sure my son has such items but have not checked my own emergency kit. Ahhhhhh, I need to talk to my son about his road emergency kit.

Very informative. I lieu of tampons as fire starter I always collect dryer lint every time I do laundry. I have bags and bags of it stored. Learned it from my bushcrafting days. Takes a spark like nobody's business (which is why so many laundry fires start) and it's pretty much free and virtually limitless.

I’d kinda add that it should be in a ruck. Even in a car or truck, because one might find themselves on foot, but still needing their kit. Two rucks if you can share the load. Rocket box in my pickup has a Jack and jumper battery and a pump, shovel and Polanski. But I have a everyday pack, and I have a rucksack. No I’m not a prepper. I just know people get stuck on mtn passes without cell service. And they have suffocated from their exhaust trying to stay warm, or ran out of fuel and frozen. My area, have a zero degree sleeping bag or warmer in the car all the time. Preferably an alcohol stove , because it doesn’t carbon monoxide you to death. Water, maybe a bit of whiskey, though it’s not smart it doesn’t warm you up like the myth, but it can raise the spirits, protein and sugar. Spend a bit on quality flashlights. Spend a bit on quality pocket knives. And an axe that can split, chop, and hammer. A little up front is cheaper than a hospital bill, and a helicopter ride out. I’ve been there. Your car isn’t a fortress

Just a note- that's not a striker on the bottom of the match case, it's a tiny ferro rod. I've got a dozen of those little match containers, the steel isn't for striking matches it's for creating a spark when struck with a knife or striker.

Those flashlights can be cleaned of the corrosion. It would be useless if discovered in an emergency. But with the right tools, time and know how, refurbishing electronics isn't as hard as some would think.

I teach disaster Prep and Urban survival on the west coast. The Airfare did a study on medications and found that dry, as in not liquid medications were still effaceable 9 years after their expiration date. For fishing line, I only use Spyder Wire, usually in the 60-80 pound test weight. I also like to keep some .020 safety wire in my kit. for flashlights I use OLights

According to many stuck on 95 in VA, a big necessity was a place to “do one’s business.”

In addition to all the essential survival items,throw in a couple books,some crosswords,a pack of cards. Anything you'd use to pass the time non-devisedly. Time can pass very slowly with nothing to keep your brain busy.

Had to use a heat gun to rescue my snow boots from the trunk of my car (at home) in our1st cold and snow this season . Another revelation from my car kit were the extra diapers packed for the twin grandkids in the kit. The twins don't ride with me since they graduated from uni but I'll keep those supplies in case I might need them myself :). I really do appreciate your tips!:) thx.

The only thing I'd like to add is bags. A satchel to carry stuff with you and enough Ziplocs to place everything with liquid, including batteries, in its own container.

Howdy

This reminds me: Even the stuff in my "back pantry," stored up to help us get through a two-week shut down, needs to be rotated and replenished from time to time. Same for what's in the freezer. Use the back stock, but replenish as you do so, folks.

Thanks Beau for the emergency road kit , much appreciated.👍👍👍👍

Oh, and a couple of strong garden bags! Useful for so many things. Can carry water or miscellaneous items . Use as a tarp when under the vehicle doing repairs, as a makeshift tent or windbreak, for storing waste of all types, as a signal panel, etc, etc. A tiny weight and take up a tiny space.

Simple and free idea: keep a zip lock of dryer lint, maybe w some silica to keep it dry. Great fire starter that costs nothing.

FIFO (first-in-first-out) and constant rotation of your kit is highly beneficial. Pack a kit with similar expiration dates and then rotate it out with another kit and use up what was in the first one. Waste not want not. Prepping is expensive if you don't do it right. Packing a 90-day food supply won't do you any good, either, if you let it all rot. It'll let you down when you need it the most, and probably make you extremely ill at a time when you can least afford to get sick. Animals that get sick in the wild usually die. Contrary to popular belief, humans are also animals.

very off topic but as a long time watcher of these videos it's incredibly satisfying to finally see what's in the crates in the background my goblin brain was wondering about that for ages

Michigan here. Bottled water stays frozen for awhile. Have put it in my pocket to melt a few sips. Might be best to figure that problem out.

In Wisconsin we keep chocolate bars,a pot, collapsible shovel, lots of warm blankets, either sand bag or kitty litter, first aid kit, water bottles. Winter weather definitely needs different supplies.

Great tips, and I would add a couple of MREs to the food supply. Good for at least a few years and readily available at a local surplus store or online. Also, a bright orange poncho can help keep you dry as well as highly visible for rescuers. I still have my entrenching tool and bought a pair of bivy kits online for warmth, since they are essentially lightweight sleeping bags. Stay safe, everyone.

You really want to have a backpack style you can take in and out of the car and not leave it in the trunk. Same for an emergency "truck shotgun"....it will get rusty (especially in the south) if you leave it in the truck.

A vacuum sealer would be very handy here. Helps to extend expiration dates.

Beau - Demonstrating why you fully equip your PPE before completing your tasks. Keeps the corrosion and sticky stuff off your unprotected fingers.

Great reminder. Thank you, Beau.

Thank you for this great emergency preparedness on the road guide. Very thorough, and very needed. :)

This is pretty rad. My know nothing person had these things in my kits. The ppe ending up getting used. In the beginning of the pandemic I sent out n95s to Drs and nurses I knew. Left me and my family with 2 per person. Then a week or 2 later you said 3 per is good. 😳 It was all good though. Go through your stuff. Actively use it. That's how you know what works best and what lasts the longest. With a little redundancy you will be ok as long as you keep that no problems only solutions attitude.

I check mine every season at the bare minimum & before every road trip

Loved the look on the face when checking compass

This looks like me going through my old boxes that I never unpacked lol.

In 1975, I know that's a long time ago, I was in 5/6th grade (?) and we had the assignment to put together a road safety kit. I remember Mr. Davies giving us the assignment due to the severe winter we were having. Chem lights had just been invented and they were the hottest ticket. This brought back such memories! That candle belongs on the bent carrot commercial! 🤣🤣🤣 As a rule I never store batteries in devices. Vaseline and dryer lint/tampons are great kindling. Heat tabs, compressed trioxane, Army type are excellent choices but need to off gas. Canteen cup, canteen and most of any veterans closet are good choices.

Grew up on the US-Canada border. Our kit serves for all. And always have multiple mylar blankets. They make great insulating barriers against cold *and* heat!

👋🏾Add: I’ve gone very old school and stored rice, beans, milk powder and soup powder. This was a suggestion from Beau in one of his earlier videos . Atleast the dry beans and rice will last for such a long time.

Beau , as someone who has been stuck both in the mountains, a couple days and nights, and desert, just a day and night, your bag is pretty thorough. I needed water, tea bags, sugar and even some creamers, lol. And yes, it should be checked monthly, if possible. 👍🥰❣✌

Unboxing with beau!

This topic remind me of how void land is in America. Here in Italy is rare to be more than a 20 min. walk from the nearest house.

Great video Beau, thanks for reinforcing the need for the maintenance of this stuff. I don't keep my lights in the trunk kit because I'd rather have them easy access up front and it's easier to monitor the condition of the batteries. I specifically have a couple good torches and a headlamp. The headlamp makes everything easier. First aid also lives separately in a shoulder bag that's around my center console. Easy to reach in an emergency, easy to grab if I'm responding to an accident. Cabela's and likely most other outdoor stores have small Plano gasket boxes with about the same cubic space as the crate you show, but have that seal to protect against moisture. I store my water vertically, upside down in case it freezes. Two of the half dozen bottles live in Italian AR70 mag pouches I got at a surplus store. They're the same size as an M16 ALICE pouch, but unstructured and don't have the frag pouches. It's easy to clip to my belt to make transport easier if I need to walk about for a while. An AK or US M9 bayonet might not be a bad thing to have because of the wire cutter function with the sheath. They're not spectacular knives, but they're pretty affordable and the saw teeth are decent. Kalash bayos are nice because they're so small. I keep a sleeve of N95s in the car because of stories I've heard of people driving by areas near fire or a major building collapse. Helps keep from getting choked on what's in the air. I also have a little pick/hoe thing. Sharp enough to chip a small branch in half, also good for digging a latrine hole

Great demonstration. I like to keep a machete in my kit because I lived in Central America and learned how useful they are. 12 to 18" is a good size. Sharpen them with an angle grinder then a file. I keep mine in a leather sheath I bought in Costa Rica but you can order good machetes (Imacasa is a good brand made for work) and sheaths online. I don't recommend anything with a stainless blade or with saw teeth on the back.

I've been a fan of your vids for awhile, this is my first comment. You are a very special person - I mean that - a true leader. Just reading what your fans have written here is an eye-opener. These people actually care about others. If I'm ever despairing of the human race - I can just refer to this vid and the comments. The love and compassion your fans express here (as well as practical very important info) is a wake-up call. I've been too angry and critical of others. We humans are capable of such goodness. Actual love for others and not just words!!!

A shovel, of any size. A trowel in that box (or one of those collapsible ones), or a full size regular one in trunk. Metal, not plastic, so you can use it to bash things (like ice) or dig things (like snow or dirt). Also, in winter up north I always kept a bag of sand in the truck, for grit on ice.

You got lucky those flash lights the red one are the same kind that harbor freight gives away they were blue in my case and they seem to last forever (not really) but years longer than any other product from harbor freight at least. And that hook on the back of them is good for hanging the light when working. Recently they realized this and redesigned them so now they suck.

This is a very helpful reminder that I really need to update the kit in my car's trunk.

Those batteries are why I only store NIMH (regularly charged) and primary lithium. Alkaline is actually pretty terrible. Also, if you're storing a flashlight, spend the extra money and buy a decent one, you'll understand why if you ever need to use it.

I live in Virginia, near Washington DC. A similar I-95 fiasco happened about 10 years ago or so around Springfield VA; albeit for significantly less time stuck on the highway. My wife was riding in a carpool.. she was stuck in the car for about 5 hours on I-95. Me, personally, I keep an SHTF backpack in my truck, along with an assortment of items in case of an emergency.

Yeah I found where mice chewed into one of our food stores totes , luckily only a limited amount of stuff impacted. But the lesson was clear, proper storage and annual checks of supplies are a must 👌

The compass moment was gold! It *should* still work. It's just a little slow 😅

I'm sending this to everyone who calls me paranoid for having a jump pack flashlight batteries water granola & problem bars first aid kit etc. in my car for these exact situations!

Also a metal plate, bowl, cup and small pot could come in handy.

Hey, that’s COFFEE. Always remember your dog. ❤️

My personal survival kits keep about 5 gallons of water in the car (Southern California) and we have more portable food options like nutrition bars as I have a food allergy. I also keep a few more first aid related items like old T-shirts (can be used for slings/tourniquets/splint wrappings), maxi-pads as wound coverings (a cheaper alterative to trauma bandages) as well as coagulant power. In addition to battery powered devices we have some of the crank style flashlight/AM radio devices so they aren't all dependent on batteries. I keep a store of personal medicine in my kit - enough meds for at least a month, and just rotate what's in the kit as I get refills. I keep personal documents in my home kit (passport, insurance info, IDs, etc) as we have been evacuated due to fire three times in the past decade, and it's a relief to just grab a bag and go when that happens. Learn the patterns for your area and what other needs you might have, and adjust as needed. Making your kit a living, breathing part of your routine means that your meds and food get rotated and are less likely to go out of date without knowing. Spare clothes are also a decent idea as emergencies can see sweats/scrubs/T-shirts and cheap athletic shoes as valuable attire for yourself or others. Oh, almost forgot about this one... it's not part of my current kit, but an old copy of the Boy Scout Handbook or other survival handbook would be of great use in most cases. Just because I have knowledge about survival doesn't mean I'll be the one to use my kit - think of others who might use or need it!

Annual Survival Day -- Family goes camping and busts open last year's kit and uses it as part of that experience. Empty container is available for next-year's kit. Teach the kids what is needed, how to use it, what needs replacing annually. If you're buying cheap flashlights and knives, budget replacement.

Maybe wrap the smaller torches in cling film with some silicon gel or suchlike to absorb the moisture in side the wrap. Probably won't corrode that way.

I'm so stupid. I just realized a who lives in a nearby park is my friend. And my friend has virtually no survival kit. So today I took him to the store and paid for a bunch of essentials. As soon as he put the tent up, it started raining. It took me months of working in a minimum wage job before I learned I could make this much difference.

I’ve got a wool military style blanket in the back of my car along with a toolbox first aid kit and most of what you had in there or an analog.

I'm in Florida now, but the last time DC got slammed by a mid day snowstorm I got stuck on the interstate for 10 hours. However, I was packed on a bus and not in my own vehicle, but thankfully was dressed for the weather and made it home safely (we actually wound up having to abandon the commuter bus and a group of us walked the mile or so off the interstate to the bus stop and our cars). Definitely opened my eyes on what can go wrong though.

If the Hand sanitizer is Alcohol based, then it's still good , and also a useful source of fuel for the folding stove. or starting a woodfire. Get a good solar panel light see (luminAid), saves on all those batteries, and can charge your other devices I'd add a water filter (katadyn "Be Free") plus Paracord and Ductape .

Thanks for a huge reminder, I do have a tornado type box/tote downstair and need to go through it and I'm sure my big battery(8V?) isn't any good plus so much of the food stuff and matches etc come be no good even if there in my basement. I do have a case of water and not sure if it ever goes bad, but it's been down there a few years. I would love to see something more in detail for ones like me that is older and handicapped to maybe make it easier to survive. Like me I can't just go downstair and it would take me awhile to do on my butt plus I have my service dog and a handicap dog as well at the moment. Blessings!

Heck yeah side channel update, heck yeah

The water that is stored in plastic bottles is not good if it is kept in a trunk. Thanks for everything, Beau.

That is serious, but a totally hilarious video. That topic should be required in schools from age 10 and up, along with the skills, every year! 2 main takeaways, "if you have one you have none , if you have two you might have one" , and check your stuff at least once a year. Good video dude !!!

There are many videos online that will give you good guidelines for constructing a car survival kit. This is a very good reminder to update your kit. Especially batteries, food, meds. Third, only carry things you know how to use (Can you set a snare? Thought not), practice using your survival gear (axes, knives, firestarting require practice before you need them in an emergency), and buy quality equipment and food. A lot of the stuff in this kit was marginal when new. Get at least one good headlamp in addition to your flashlight (maglite still rules). A box of gloves and masks, enough for everyone, not just one set.

Every fall and spring my family's tradition is to put an emergency kit together for each car. We do more than one box per car however. Our blankets are virgin wool cause they're waterproof and left in the car draped over the back of the seats. Frankly, they're so comfy! Separate box in the trunk for road stuff for the car. It has every fluid that car takes and more. Another box is a portable kitchen. Lots that folds flat and yup sterno and a scout cooking eating set folds etc. Food is dried not canned cause it works. 2 heavyweight tarps covered by a rug on the bottom of the trunk. 1 ground cover and one for the roof. But they're big so fold in half to adjust the size.. The acrylic eastern type rug protects the Tarps and is the floor and provides warmth in the tent we can make with it. Hatchet/hammer tool at least, and cut stakes as needed with hatchet and pocket knives. Firestriker and a metal box with towe. It's a given that you have a sharp pocket knife on you. Bare bones basics. In New England we boil snow steam water from a fresh running stream in a covered pot or tap the birch trees for water. But we've added the new potable water filtration available these days to our kit. I added some solar powered lights to my kit and tie them to the trees or tent as needed. Practical and no fire danger. Yes I have used my kits on more than one occasion. Blizzard of 78 got caught out in that. Coming home from Cape Cod saw an accident happen - no cell phones in those days so sent someone to the local state barracks for help. Broke down in PA. Was caravaning with friends in upstate NY when we broke down so I pulled out my kits and pulled the tarps to max and fit 10, and made beef and beans with biscuits in my Dutch oven. So far no major medical stuff! So yes folks. Do a kit or two.

I feel more and more like watching Mary Poppins, taking so much stuff out of her travel bag. ;.)

A helpful idea for any emergency kit rotation is to check it out and update twice a year during daylight savings weekend.