The Car 72 Hour Kit - Wander in Peace
By Jeanette Vale
Don’t you love a road trip? There is no goal but to drive in a straight line for hours. Hear the hum of rubber on asphalt as the yellow lines streak by in their visual rhythm. You blast the music and sing along as the sun warms your skin.
Who’s in the passenger seat? Is it a dog? Is he just as happy with his tongue lopping out of his sweet doggy face? Or Is it your human? Are there kids in the back? A road trip makes you feel like the world is right again. All bad vibes whip away at 80 mph.
It’s so nice when a road trip goes well. It’s a nightmare when it doesn’t. I heard of a family whose car broke down in the desert. They resorted to eating crayons to satiate their hunger.
We can do better than that. So let’s talk prep!
Carrying a Car 72 Emergency Kit is a must, especially since we are LITERALLY living in apocalyptic times.
FOOD
Food is a critical component of a 72 hour kit. We sell the SOS Bars. But in addition, store something hearty. Once I stored Dinty Moore Beef Stew. No can opener needed. Yes, it bothered me that these cans were in a hot car all summer. But me and my passengers eventually ate them when working long hours on my land. They tasted fine cold.
Children won’t eat them ‘just for fun’. So there is no threat of the kids burning through them. The heat did not affect the flavor. I wouldn’t want to store these for two years in a hot car. They even survived a freezing winter, without bursting.
To prevent food fatigue, pack your other favorites. Crackers, cookies, granola bars, raisins, trail mix, powder drink mixes, etc.
Store a small rocket stove that can be fueled by sticks and debris from your surroundings. A pot to heat the stew and don’t forget the spoons.
WATER
Storing water in plastic bottles in a hot car for days is another concern. Having stainless steel water bottles is a good idea. Aren’t our cupboards overflowing with these anyway? Take these extra’s and fill them with water. Keep these in a tote in the car. Don’t break into them unless you are in an emergency.
Have a way to purify water in the car. This can be as simple as a Seychell water bottle or Chlor-Floc tablets.
Tools for City /Sports /Sanity
Multi head charger cable
Mobile Solar charging panels
Tablets & cell phones
Hand sanitizer
Tissue
Baby wipes
Dental floss
Paper towels
Trash bags
Clorox Wipes
Blankets & neck pillows
Good chapter books (the electronics really don’t beat a good read!)
I met a four year old child in my extended family and I read her a book. She asked and I did ten more. Then she asked if she could come and live with me. I think in this electronic age, children still need someone to read to them! In a stressful breakdown situation, a book reading can soothe the family. So can a game of cards.
Sanitation
Potty Box - If little bladders can’t reach a bathroom in time, or the line to the public restroom is out the door, or you don’t want to send your children into public RR’s in the first place, this is a super product! See video.
The privacy shelter couples well with it.
Tools for Wilderness Survival in your Car
You can go full throttle on what you store, when it comes to surviving if your car breaks down in the boonies.
Or you can do a light version. We don’t all drive huge vehicles that can fit everything. Having said that, at least carry a knife, fire starter, shovel, tarp, & saw at all times in the car.
If you are hiking, carry as many of these items as you can even if you think your hike will be short. Sometimes short hikes turn into overnighters because people lose their cars. Yeah, it happens.
I drive a van so I err on the side of being fully prepared. I have a cart I can use if I need to abandon my van. You can see my system here BLOG
Have you ever driven across town, in a blizzard, while wearing shorts and a tank top? We are so confident that nothing bad will happen. Emergencies have a mind of their own and happen suddenly. "There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices", a funny Meme I once saw.
We had two feet of snow dump on us. Statewide, we all have sore backs from shoveling. Just yesterday I had to dig myself out of snow while I tried to exit a gas station. I was so glad I had a bright orange metal shovel as part of my prepping gear because no one came to my rescue. I kept my head up and eyes alert for any cars that might have slid into me.
It felt good to be prepared vs. being a damsel in distress.
In Conclusion
Wander in Peace. It starts with having a tote or a bag full of things that could save your life. You can start simply. I invite you to throw a large trash bag into the back and every day add something to that bag. Don’t be a perfectionist. Just do it. You can fine tune it later.
We also sell ready made kits if you don't have time to worry about it.
Family Prep Survival Kit - 4 Person
Read this blog to do a mad dash emergency kit collection.
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