Urban Survival Secrets

Traveling to Gallup – Survival gear and being prepared

Last week I went from Phoenix up to Gallup for a job.  My rental car, while nice (can’t beat satellite radio!)  Was not a 4 wheeler!  I would have liked to take the F-250 diesel for the ride, but that was not in the budget.  Anyhow, as I was packing I decided to take a few extra items – some stuff for survival in case I got stuck in the snow (yes Virginia, it does snow in Arizona and the levels were down to 6500 feet on Wed and Thurs).  Being a good survivalist, I packed the trunk with these lil gems

• Sleeping bag
• food and water
• gloves (work and winter)
• Snow boots
• shovel
• stove (with the appropriate cooking utensils)
• water and a few energy drinks
• flares
• First Aid Kit
• radio/flashlight combo

Though I was glad I did not have to use anything except the energy drinks for the long, slow drive throught the mountains, life was good.  I would rather be prepared than not.  Who knows what would have happened on my way up when I left at 6 p.m.  and arrived around 11 p.m.  I did tell the boss (er, wife) that I would check in and gave her the route map I planned to take.  I did make sure there were check in times as well – though my son forgot to relay a message to her when I left early to beat the incoming storm!

Also, another training resource for all.  The Boy Scouts of America is requiring all adult leaders to take online hazardous weather training.  They also have a web page for weather resources at their weather smart portal:

http://olc.scouting.org/courses/hws/ws_news.html

As for my kids, I bought them crank LED flashlights for their stockings – lets see how they hold up after a year!  I recieved froma vendor a fake leatherman – looks like crash and burn testing.  If anyone wants to donate a Skeletool for testing, I would love it.  Leatherman was not giving out testing units when I contacted them last (bummer!)

Also, I am working on a couple of videos which will be posted on You Tube for emergency preparedness – be prpared to see how easy some of the fundamentals really are!

Merry Christmas if I don’t post again before the end of the year!

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