Emergency Stuff in Your Truck? What Do You Carry For Emergencies?

[RLader]

I've used them several times, if you go cheap and get a small one they have a hard time turning over a big engine, especially if it is cold.

We hike a lot and keep a "hiking" kit. Water, cell battery packs, flashlight, strobe light, mini-air horn, first aid kit, fire starter and rain gear. I want to buy a personal locator beacon for when we really get out in the sticks.

I bought the Derringer for a snake gun and the 9mm for everything else. I'm not going to be a mountain lions' dinner without a fight.

Should be okay for Maverick. Also in Georgia you are more likely to end up dinner for a black bear or boar.

Sponsored

 

[RLader]

Yeah that was my initial rationale, I am not the kind of person that will ever consciously buy a road flare or a reflective triangle but they are useful when you need them. Not sure what it is, I also don't check my oil on every gas fill up even though its easy and can be done before the gas is done filling. These sorts of things I make myself buy as part of a larger kit to justify it in my mind. $50 is nothing for safety, I'd spend any amount of money if I thought it would make a difference to myself or my wife but at the same time I can't help but notice I've never needed any of these things once and every first aid kit in every car I've ever driven was expired.

Long story short, I just have to trick my brain into buying things I don't feel like I need by getting them in a bundle so even a cheap crappy reflective triangle is better than me changing a tire alone at night on the side of the road.

In fifty years of driving I have had to have two tires changed. Used an umbrella countless times though. Only when I worked with scouts did I carry any kind of first aid kit and then it was one we made.

 

[commadorebob]

In fifty years of driving I have had to have two tires changed. Used an umbrella countless times though. Only when I worked with scouts did I carry any kind of first aid kit and then it was one we made.

My scouts had to make a "survival bag" a couple years ago for a camporee. It now resides in my vehicle on campouts. Has pretty much everything you need to a survival situation.

 

[RLader]

Glad someone else mentioned a PLB. Doesn't even have to be a really remote area. I wear mine around my neck when I drive long distance or through the mountains. Would suck to roll the car off the road and not be found for hours/days if you're just out of view.

I have the Ocean Signal Rescue Me PLB1. It's about the size of a pager (if anyone remembers those!)

If I ventured out more frequently and/or had a desire for 2-way communication, I'd get the Garmin InReach Mini.

The main takeaways are that a PLB is one-way, but has no ongoing costs. You buy the device and register it with NOAA, and then it's good until the battery expires (about 6-7 years). However, if you need to be rescued, you push the button and hope that someone eventually shows up.

A satellite communicator is 2-way, requires a subscription, and also isn't as fast as texting via cellular. Cell texts happen almost instantly. Satellite texts can take minutes or hours. Garmin's plan allows for unlimited preset texts, of which you can set three. Most folks I've talked to have an "I'm okay and on time" message, an "I'm okay but delayed" message, and a "This is not urgent, but please send help" message (urgent rescue can be called by hitting the SOS button).



Same. After an incident where I had to pool literally a dozen $10 first aid kits to sort of patch up one person, I made my own. The $10 first aid kits have decent self-adhesive bandages but everything else (tape, gloves, gauze, tools, etc) suck.



I find fire spray more handy to have in the car than a fire extinguisher. And yes I've had to use both.

Fire spray isn't as effective, but it's still great for putting out carburetor or grease fires, leaves no mess like ABC powder, is way cheaper than halon or halotron extinguishers, and it's no larger than a can of Raid.

I keep one in my truck's driver side front bottle holder. Because if you see a fire, the last thing you want to do is waste time unboxing or otherwise digging around for the extinguisher.

As for nourishment, I just carry emergency food bars.

I don't carry regular food because of the temperature swings that a vehicle's cabin sees. Things like granola bars or Nutri-grain bars will melt then solidify then melt again.

The exception to the rule is that I do carry a single pack of M&Ms or Skittles. But they are in MRE's for a reason; the hard candy coating prevents them from spoiling or melting together.

On that note, the last thing I can stress is gear check. Anything you carry is only helpful if you know that you have it, know where it is, can get to it, and know how to use it. Yes, all those conditions apply.

So if you decide to buy items that others have posted, I suggest you open them, read the instructions, try them out in the garage, and go through your vehicle monthly for gear check. Even for something as simple as warning triangles or an air compressor. Because if you're in a stressful situation (like having to change a puncture at night, on the freeway, facing uphill, in the rain), you want everything to be second-nature. The last thing you want to do is try to remember where you put the air compressor or how the attachments go together.

I don't believe you should carry a fire extinguisher. Most vehicle fires I have personally know about were very quick to spread. Just the other day my supervisor was in a jeep that caught fire. He barely had time to get out. A tire blew catching woods on fire and then gas tank blew. Best thing to have is insurance and get away from burning vehicle, especially a hybrid if battery catches fire. Fire departments don't have equipment to put out lithium battery fire. They usually let them burn for hours or days.

 

[clavicus]

Car dealership I work at uses them. Unless you use it daily should not be a problem.

Thanks I did end up buying this one and it stays in the truck now. Possibly overkill for jumping the hybrid but useful to jump other standard vehicles as well.

Audewdirect Jump Starter 1500A...

 

[Greg_in_GA]

A couple of things that may not have been mentioned.

1) A printed list of important phone numbers. If your phone is lost or broken and you need to use someone elses phone that might come in handy.

2) $20 in cash in small bills. I have left my wallet at home and that can come in handy.

3) A list of medications that you and your family are taking in case you end up in an emergency room.

 

[MrCigar]

Hmmm, I’m a simple man, needed basics more than once but not more: First Aid kit, tow strap, jumper cables, butt tape (tp for the common man) flannel, multi tool, bottle of bourbon. Outside of that you’re getting fancy lol.

 

[Edge Haley]

A couple of things that may not have been mentioned.

1) A printed list of important phone numbers. If your phone is lost or broken and you need to use someone elses phone that might come in handy.

2) $20 in cash in small bills. I have left my wallet at home and that can come in handy.

3) A list of medications that you and your family are taking in case you end up in an emergency room.

Just added: Thx -Good Ones
1) Recent article noted that most people do NOT know their home/spouse's cell phone number since they are dependent on their phone's contact list. No cellphone no calls.
I have lost a wallet on an out of state trip and not having emergency cash is something I will never do again. Also have encountered needs for places where small businesses do not accept Credit cards.

 

[Xjeepguy]

That's for amateurs. Get some wet ones: not only can you wipe your bum, you can use them to clean small cuts, disinfect stuff like public toilet seats and wipe spaghetti sauce off your face or shirt.

Using multiple sheets i hope?

 

[Decayed]

Using multiple sheets i hope?

Why waste a perfectly good wet wipe? Use it until it dries out!

 

[Barracuda340]

I might as well be ready for...whatever. Here are the things I'm gathering to put in my Mav when it finally comes in:
- fire extinguisher
- fix-a-flat
- first aid kit
- tow strap
- flashlight
- blanket
- jumper cables

You pretty much covered the list. I'd add wheel chocks, and some hazard lights you can place on the road edge. You can buy some nice flashing orange LED ones that come 3 in a set.

 

[BoboysTruck]

Some really good suggestions here. I have most mentioned and will be adding some that I don't have, like a printed list of prone numbers.
But one thing I didn't see mentioned, unless I missed it, are ratcheting straps.

I drive alot and the two things I've used more than anything are tire plugs and air compressor. My most recent flat tire was on my Maverick two weeks ago. I mean it was flat like zero psi. I pumped it some and found the hole. Tried as I might, I couldn't push the plug into the hole even after running that pointy file thingy for a while. I guess I'm getting weak as I get older. Then I remembered I had the ratcheting strap. I wrapped it through the wheel and over the plug tool and started ratcheting. That save me. Luckily, the tire wasn't damaged and it's holding air just fine.

 

[Joe Kelly]

I might as well be ready for...whatever. Here are the things I'm gathering to put in my Mav when it finally comes in:
- fire extinguisher
- fix-a-flat
- first aid kit
- tow strap
- flashlight
- blanket
- jumper cables

Your list are all very good but us from older generation would add a few things for just in case you need to party While you wait for rescue:
Burbon, scotch, pre mix drinks of your choice, beer, wine, assortment of snacks, water for mixer. I am sure I left something out but in December of 1972 our car pool was stopped on I70 for four hours and we were stopped behind a Grocery store and several individuals made the first of several trips to the store for party supplies. It was a night we never forget snow ball fights building snow men and just making new friends while waiting for the road ahead to be cleared. This was in the days of CB communications On the highway So the word got out. We did not move until 8 in the evening or later. Follw the Boy Scout rule “”Always be Prepared”. You never know when a party can break out.

 

[Barracuda340]

Your list are all very good but us from older generation would add a few things for just in case you need to party While you wait for rescue:
Burbon, scotch, pre mix drinks of your choice, beer, wine, assortment of snacks, water for mixer. I am sure I left something out but in December of 1972 our car pool was stopped on I70 for four hours and we were stopped behind a Grocery store and several individuals made the first of several trips to the store for party supplies. It was a night we never forget snow ball fights building snow men and just making new friends while waiting for the road ahead to be cleared. This was in the days of CB communications On the highway So the word got out. We did not move until 8 in the evening or later. Follw the Boy Scout rule “”Always be Prepared”. You never know when a party can break out.

In that case I'd say also carry a roll of toilet paper, and baby wipes.

 

[Cjackson7646]

I might as well be ready for...whatever. Here are the things I'm gathering to put in my Mav when it finally comes in:
- fire extinguisher
- fix-a-flat
- first aid kit
- tow strap
- flashlight
- blanket
- jumper cables

I plan on keeping a rechargeable jump starter in mine. Would suck to need a jump and not have anyone around

Sponsored