Self-Defense Against Weather: The Big Red Box of Power Outage Supplies

[Phil Elmore]

The Big Red Box of Power Outage Supplies (http://www.themartialist.com/0903/bigredbox.htm) seems very relevant, given the recent blackout in Northeast America (and parts of Canada) and the impending East Coast visit of "Isabel," whatever category the storm is supposed to be now.

[Nightingale]

SharpPhil-

can you post a link to your article in the Locker Room? I think its something everyone should read!

[arnisador]

I really believe something like this counts as self-defense! Just as having a high salary counts because you can avctually buy a safer place to live, safer car to drive, have a safer job, etc.

[theletch1]

Just as having a high salary counts because you can avctually buy a safer place to live, safer car to drive, have a safer job, etc. Oh, man, I am so screwed:wah:

[arnisador]

I really believe it. Certainly Bill Gates is safer than you--but in general, a higher salary will mean more safety.

It also carries the risk of eating more junk--fatty foods--perhaps, and of a sedentary lifestyle, hich would be a negative for health!

[KenpoGirl]

Hi Phil

Do you have anything in regards to kits for your car. Say for winter driving?

I've always been careful to have extras when driving in the winter as my commute is about 25-30 minutes in the winter. I keep a blanket, heavy snow boots, shovel, traction treds etc....

Just wondering if you had an info on driving emergency kits.

Dot
:asian:

[Phil Elmore]

I wrote an article on car kits for KnifeForums Magazine a while back. Basically, buy yourself a big container for the car and stuff it full of everything you can think of, from tools to a collapsible shovel to those pre-fab emergency kits you can buy in the automotive department. Buy yourself a membership in AAA, too, carry a mobile phone, and always make sure you can describe where you are if you have to pull over.

[arnisador]

I heard the recent windstorms created some power outages out your way!

[Phil Elmore]

They certainly did. Fortunately, I was not affected, except for some intermittent blackouts in the evening on Thursday. I used my television band radio to listen to Survivor when the power blinked out, but it came back on after only a minute or so.

[lhommedieu]

Originally posted by Sharp Phil
I wrote an article on car kits for KnifeForums Magazine a while back. Basically, buy yourself a big container for the car and stuff it full of everything you can think of, from tools to a collapsible shovel to those pre-fab emergency kits you can buy in the automotive department. Buy yourself a membership in AAA, too, carry a mobile phone, and always make sure you can describe where you are if you have to pull over.

Good advice re. power outages. I'll have to look up the article on car kits. If anyone is interested in mine, email me privately and I can send it to you as an attachment. (Note: these things tend to grow as soon as anyone looks yours over and says, "Yeah, but did you think about...)

For anyone interested, there is also good advice about various emergency kits at: http://www.equipped.org. Tuhon Bill McGrath also has a very good emergency supplies (including first aid) list for natural disasters, power outages, etc., at http://www.pekiti-tirsia.com/emergencysupplies.htm.

One kit that you may want to consider is a "grab bag" in case there is a fire in your house. This might contain a change of clothes, sweaters, blankets, toilet articles, money, extra keys, prybar - anything that you might consider important in case you have to leave your house for a few hours in the middle of the night. Of course, my wife just looks at me and says, "But we live across the street from my parents."

Best,

Steve Lamade

[moving target]

one nice thing about living in the pacific northwest is even in the middle of winter (where ever the heck it may fall in a given year) if you were striped naked and dropped in the middle of nowhere you would be fine ;-)

But seriously, what tools are on the mini swiss army knife that are not on the leathermen in your pock-its holster?

[Phil Elmore]

A fine pair of tweezers and a pair of scissors, primarily. The mini Swiss Army knife is my preferred splinter removing tool, for example -- something for which the Leatherman is not really well suited.

[moving target]

It just depends on the size of the splinter :-)