What is it going to take to get people to really wake up and realize the importance of having an EDC (Every Day Carry) or BOB (Bug Out Bag, or 72-96 hr kit) readily available at all times. I'm in the practice of carrying mine everywhere. I keep at least one in my car. As a Realtor I know that if something happens, I've got an 80% chance I have at least one additional person with me when the $%#* hits the fan. Am I crazy or is everyone else crazy? I think having a kit of some kind is an absolute necessity.My wife and I each have our EDC bags in our car at all times. They are equipped with at least 48 hours worth of food, emergency blankets, water, and first aid kits. There are more items, but those are the absolute necessities. Whenever I travel more than 30 minutes from home I carry my 96 hr kit too, that way if I have a client or have a long way to travel home, I've got resources. So why am I ranting?
We just went on a family trip to Disney Land and Huntington Beach. I had with me my 96 hr Kit. We had my wife and I, her sister and her husband and their kid in our car (no bag of their own), and three of her other brothers, a sister in law, two other kids and her parents in the following two cars. All combined we had 1.5 emergency bags. One of my brother in laws carried an emergency kit in his truck and a solar powered generator along with a few items, so we'll count that.My concern is this. What if we had an emergency? What about the earthquakes? We experienced a minor one while we were sleeping the second night. It was around 12:53 in the morning about 100 miles north, but on the 13th floor of a high rise, I felt it. Thankfully it wasn't big and wasn't local. Had we had a 6.0 or higher, there would have been major damage nearly all throughout the LA area. Yes, Disneyland would have been an even wilder trip than expected. So what if? Well, I'm the only one with a decent bag, and my entire extended family would have all been screwed. Yeah, I said it. I'm not sharing my single bag across that many people. It's not feasible. Especially when I reminded all of them to bring their bags, twice.
Thankfully we had an uneventful trip and nobody had to worry about using their bags. I just wish people would take things more seriously and take care of their own needs rather than carrying a hope that someone would take care of them. I urge everyone who is reading this post to get their kits together. CARRY them with you, at least in your cars. Mine is always nearby or on me. At work I have a small kit in my work bag, and the EDC in my car which is within 100 yards while I am working. I'm not perfect, but I'm not going to relax and hope someone will save me. It's just not a reality. Public services take at least 72 hours to get things going again after an event. That's why 72 hour kits are so important and why mine is 96 hours. I don't want to have to hope. Neither should you.
