Nick Italiano in Preparation

Urban Emergency Vehicle Kit

In This Article

The Bag
Vehicle Care
Thermal Protection
Survival
Extras
Closing Thoughts
Read More From Issue 67

Every year, spring brings with it a picturesque landscape. Just as snow melts from the hills and trees, it also generates dangerous road conditions. Depending on where you live, lagging winter remnants can be met with spring storms, sometimes with little warning, creating hazards that can leave you precariously alone. The circumstances that lead to cars being stuck, damaged, or altogether disabled are also the circumstances that hamper first responders, delay roadside assistance, or make immediate aid an impossibility. It’s in those situations, where a little preparation and a vehicle emergency kit could go a long way. It could even save your life.

For those who live in areas prone to harsh winters, nasty storms, or evacuation gridlock, stocking and storing an emergency vehicle kit isn’t a novel idea — it’s simply part of the culture. For everyone else, it’s just a smart move. What to place in that kit, though, is as individual as the person putting it together. There isn’t one catchall that’s right for all emergency kits, although there are certain commonalities that’d be beneficial regardless of region.

Like most, there are some basic tools I’ve always kept in my vehicle. Articles found in most pre-made vehicle kits that you would see in any big-box store or with a quick Internet search: a small toolbox, flares, and a tow strap, among other basics. I do, however, add an additional cache of gear, which are compact, but pack a punch in their respective categories. For those who live in urban areas, where they are never very far away from homes or commercial buildings, a far less robust kit could suffice. But if there’s even a remote chance that my vehicle can be incapacitated away from help or stuck either in traffic or bad weather, I have my gear with me.

Lastly, I try to be efficient with my selections. When putting together my emergency vehicle kit, I don’t fill it with items that are exclusive to that kit. I pull pieces from my gear stash that wouldn’t only be useful in an emergent situation but also provide comfort or assistance in a variety of perilous situations, threatening weather scenarios, or even adventure outings.

The Bag

In most vehicles, space is a premium. It’d be easy to load up all available areas with preparation things. I employ a more realistic approach. I also drive a truck, so trunk space isn’t an option. The bag I use is the Gregory Alpaca Gear Tote 30. It’s sturdy and durable, and the tote style allows me to easily access items in it. It’s designed to fit nicely on the floorboard behind one of the front seats. There’s a faction of people who would prefer to use an enclosed bag to avoid advertising its contents, but, in my experience, people with nefarious intentions are often drawn to closed bags and backpacks with the hope of high payout treasure. So, I place the more enticing or identifiable options at the bottom and top it with the less attractive components.

Be ready for the unexpected. A well-stocked vehicle emergency kit can mean the difference between a minor inconvenience and a major crisis.

Vehicle Care

There are a few vital pieces of equipment that are a must for any emergency vehicle kit: a battery jumper, a power bank/charger, and an air compressor. A dead battery, a phone with little power remaining, or a flat tire can all be disastrous. To meet all those challenges, based on recommendations and ratings, I chose Uncharted’s Zeus Air. Because my truck has a 5.7-liter engine, I needed to ensure I bought a charger/jumper strong enough to get my engine going. The Zeus Air can jump up to 6-liter diesel engines.

It can also charge cell phones, tablets, etc., and includes a built-in flashlight. The air compressor has to be strong enough to inflate a flat truck tire in a timely manner and, just as importantly, be able to reach the tires from the 12-volt plug that’s often near the dash. The Zeus Air takes cord reach out of the equation with its battery-powered 150-psi air inflator. Finally, after the previous mistake of including a low-cost/low-quality snow shovel that quickly broke, I upgraded to the MSR Operator for its low weight, high strength, and durability as well as added a folding utility shovel. Neither take up much space and meet most digging-out needs.

Thermal Protection

Even in warmer months, cold temperatures lurk when the sun goes down. Survival is the priority, but comfort is also a factor. Outdoor Research makes quality warm and durable gloves with good dexterity that I add along with a lined beanie and extra-thick socks. Hand warmers are always a bonus addition that aren’t going to make or break a survival situation but can add a little comfort that could go a long way if I’m stuck and cold. My big-ticket addition is the Therm-A-Rest Honcho Poncho. It’s a 650-fill down poncho that’s functional, warm, and packs nicely into the bag without taking up too much space. It has so many uses beyond a cold-weather crisis and is handy to have available.

For sun protection, I pack a bottle of high SPF sunblock. Be it a calamitous situation or any random outdoor event, a sunburn will quickly ruin your week. For when the clouds roll in, quality rain gear is a big benefit, but for an emergency vehicle kit, a few cheap rain ponchos will suffice. As a matter of fact, they’re likely to be used more than most elements of your kit for all those various caught-in-the-rain situations.

Survival

To some, it may seem like overkill to include food, hydration, and fire-starting pieces, but in my mind, they’re essential additions and take up very little space, providing a lot of bang for your spatial buck. From my hiking supplies, I add my small and reliable MSR Windburner Personal Stove, a few Backpacker’s Pantry meals, a long spoon, and Tailwind electrolyte powder to add hydration and flavor to water. For simplicity, low cost, and low bag space reasons, I threw in a LifeStraw for water filtration. Combined, these provide food and drink that could realistically sustain one person for several days.

Two Nalgene bottles are included. One is 80-percent filled with water to allow expansion if it freezes. The other one is for an often-overlooked aspect of preparation: restroom needs. Heavily stickered to differentiate, my other Nalgene bottle, along with a ziplock bag full of dog potty bags and wipes, is for those emergent needs.

Lighters and long-burn matches are incorporated because every kit for any purpose should have fire-starting capabilities. As a fan of high-quality and multi-use items, I also include the SOL fuel-free rechargeable plasma lighter that also comes with a built-in flashlight. And because you can never have enough light, a rechargeable headlamp is great to free up your hands while providing illumination (and I can rely on my battery charger for a boost if power gets low).

Extras

There’s additional equipment no pack would be complete without. I include a pre-built first aid kit that I customized with additional items. My choice is the First Aid Plus. The compact, water-resistant case holds an impressive cache of medical supplies and features extra gear beyond first aid, such as a multi-tool, matches, Mylar blanket, zip ties, and chem lights.

A full-sized roll of Gorilla or duct tape offers countless options, most notably for clothing or gear repair. And, although it provides zero thermal protection, duct tape can also block ambient wind if glass becomes broken or there’s a puncture into the passenger compartment. Finally, leather work gloves and a folding saw complete the kit. The saw, even though it is a limited-use tool, becomes invaluable when needed. Tree limbs can be caught up under or into a vehicle that need to be cut, and, of course, it gives the ability to cut firewood in a survival situation.

Closing Thoughts

Every year, I raid my outdoor supplies, re-evaluate my needs, and combine them into what you see here. A lot is packed into one small tote. This kit provides peace of mind if I get into a pinch with my truck. It also offers an organized stash of often-utilized items that, honestly, are used far more often for day-to-day adventures than survival, but I have the peace of mind knowing that, if things turn dire, I’m ready.