In case of emergency

Submitted: Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 00:23
ThreadID: 33701 Views:3115 Replies:8 FollowUps:12
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Jacqui has had for quite a while now her "essential bag". This is an insulated picnic pack that we are always going to when on the beach or an overnight stop. It's got the bottle opener, stubbie holders, lighter, salt & pepper, a few knives forks & spoons, serviettes, plastic cups, a small cutting board, two plastic plates, water bottle, and lots of handy bits n bobs for picnic type situations.

After reading a post by Ruth from Birdsville Caravan Park, Jacqui and I have decided to get an "emergency bag".

As Ruth so wisely said, the most common accident involving 4WDriving are rollovers, and in case of this, or a fire, it is handy to be able to grab just one bag and get away from the car, if you have to!

So the obvious things like water, the first aid kit, torch + spare batteries, swiss army knife, handheld UHF + spare batteries + instructions, EPIRB + instructions, compass, sunscreen.....

What have I left out?

I realise that if I put much more in this bag I won't want to carry it, and it might even be a hassle lugging it around in the car, but I figure that we already carry half this stuff anyway, it's just spread out all over the place.....some in the glove box, some under my seat, some in the bag with the snatch strap, some in the passenger door !!!

It's also got to be a "back pack" style in case of a long treck on foot, or a climb where both hands are needed.

Obviously we could go over board with things like hats, sunglasses, insect repellant, tool kit, spare rain coat, shovel, axe, kitchen sink blah blah blah

Cheers,

Muzz
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Reply By: Jo and Mark - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 03:55

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 03:55
I have often kept some sort of bag or container in the car with emergency stuff, but never did get around to doing a new and improved one when we bought the 4wd.... I'm in, I promise I will write my list and do something about it!
Jo
AnswerID: 171641

Reply By: bombsquad - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 09:02

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 09:02
I have one with bare essentials in it. It is a pelican case with satphone and epirb, and usually contains any keys, camera's, phones etc that I don't want to lose. It's handy to take in whatever situation I'm in - Boat, 4wd, wifes car (on a blacktop trip) It is usually stored in the vehicle next to the first aid kit. Possibly requires a bit more stuff, but it is a bit full when there is 2 camera's in it.

Commercial vessels are usually equiped with a similar bag in a very accesable place so if it goes down quickly or atches on fire you aren't in the water watching the flares and epirb go up in smoke

Cheers Andrew
AnswerID: 171662

Reply By: Member - Dick (Int) - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 12:57

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 12:57
I would add a portable HF, Satcom, both with spare battries, MAPS, GPS, WATER and dried food and waterproof matches, Clothing to suit the area, a groundsheet and a small tent. I work on the basis I might have to survive a few days in a remote area.

Cheers
Dick







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Follow Up By: Muzzgit (WA) - Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 00:41

Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 00:41
Aren't portable HF radio's really big and heavy ?
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Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 13:02

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 13:02
shoelaces
AnswerID: 171696

Follow Up By: muzzimbidgie - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 13:33

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 13:33
You were a bit slow on that Truckster, I was expecting you to be the first respondant. HAHAHA
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Follow Up By: Pajman Pete (SA) - Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 08:20

Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 08:20
I feel so left out.

I was away bush when the great shoelace thread ran and was deleted.
Any mug can be uncomfortable out bush

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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 19:58

Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 19:58
S'ok Pete.
Where would you rather have been? I know where I would have rather have been!
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Reply By: ellmcg - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 13:12

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 13:12
I don't want to put a dampener on the idea, but I'd dispute the 'backpack style' bag being important, since the number 1 rule of being stuck/lost is 'Don't Leave Your Vehicle'. Perhaps something which will protect the contents would be more important...
AnswerID: 171698

Follow Up By: bombsquad - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 13:41

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 13:41
Thats one of the reasons I go with the pelican case - sturdy, waterproof, floats etc..

Cheers Andrew
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Follow Up By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 14:23

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 14:23
G'day guys,

I use a backpack because there have been some recent examples of people walking (just for a look) from their cars and being unable to find their cars afterwards. No point just having it in the car at that point.

Kind regards
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Follow Up By: muzzimbidgie - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 20:20

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 20:20
I was thinking more along the lines of maybe being in the situation where we may have have to get to a position where a GPS or sat phone will work, and a back pack is easier to hike with.
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Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 20:28

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 20:28
>since the number 1 rule of being stuck/lost is
>'Don't Leave Your Vehicle'.

There are no rules in these situations.

Staying with the vehicle is the best option in many situations but in any given emergency it _may_ be better to walk out - it all depends on the specifics of the incident....

If it were possible to make judgments ahead of time we wouldn't need emergency preparations.

Mike Harding
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Reply By: muzzimbidgie - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 13:31

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 13:31
OK, so today I've been getting prices and so far for just an EPIRB & hand held UHF it's gonna get to over $700.00

The EPIRB is just over $230.00 (GME MT310), but I want a UHF with a 5 watt output and the ability to use replaceable batteries (AA), and the only one is an ICOM (IC-40S), at nearly $500.00, plus the battery cradle at $40.00.......
I don't want to be in the position of having a UHF in my hands and it has a flat battery and needs a car with the right cradle to re-charge it!

Also, the arial on these hand helds isn't really that good, so I was thinking of getting a "ground plane independant" arial with a couple of feet of coax to put in a tree or even taped to a stick out the back of the back pack.

Phew, this is getting complicated already, maybe I should just look at getting a GPS and hiring a sat phone for any "out back" trip instead!!
AnswerID: 171704

Follow Up By: HJ60-2H - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 21:16

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 21:16
Install lithium batteries in it. Replace every 5 years if you never use them. This is what I use for my boat and its hand held VHF
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Reply By: Mike Harding - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 14:43

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 14:43
Commonly called a "Grab Bag". To some degree the contents depend upon which area(s) of Australia you plan to visit - in his excellent book "Australian Bush Survival Skills" Kevin Casey suggests the following items for a personal survival kit and a grab bag:

Matches, marine or waterproof
Disposable cig. lighter
Candle
Compass
Fishing gear
Basic medical needs
Condom (non lubricated - emergency water container)
Sewing gear
Pencil
Salt (rehydration use)
Signal mirror (almost as important as an EPIRB imo)
Glow lights (tubular chemical lights)
A strong sharp knife
Emergency food (high energy stuff, nuts, fat etc)
Signal flares
Torch
Clear, big & very strong plastic bag (transpiration use)
Billy and a few teabags
Tarp
Water

Seems like a long list but you may be surprised how small it will all pack down to I don't take the flares but have an EPIRB instead. If you seriously think you may get into a situation where you need the above I cannot recommend Casey's book highly enough.

Mike Harding
AnswerID: 171717

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 07:44

Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 07:44
You forgot a bog roll.. :p
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Reply By: Mikee5 - Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 18:00

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 18:00
Hi there,
I recently found out that the EPIRPs like the GME MT310 will be obsolete from February 2009. After then 121.5 MHz will not be monitored. The new frequency will be 406 MHz. The new type of GPS is much more expensive to buy but eliminates the guesswork from a search or false alarm. The owner of the new type of GPS can be registered with AusSAR with phone no and address. I don't know if this will be compulsory?
AnswerID: 171771

Follow Up By: Muzzgit (WA) - Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 00:40

Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 00:40
So I guess the next question is.......Is this other frequency being monitored now?

Pity those who have an EPIRB in the boat or with their hiking gear who don't know that in a couple of years it aint gonna save their lives!!!!!!!!!

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FollowupID: 427346

Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 06:47

Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 06:47
This link will tell you all about the EPIRB situation

beacons.amsa.gov.au/

Mike Harding
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FollowupID: 427353

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