EMERGENCY KIT in a Billy Can & ..

I remembered today that my small Emergency Kit hadn't been checked for how long? .. so I fetched it from above my pistol safe and opened it up. - All was good except I seem to have used all the para-cord - and the three 'Cuppa-Soup' packets and tea bags needed changing / rotating.

Currently it holds 3x tea-light candles - box of waterproof matches, a book of matches, & a BIC lighter, a small can-opener with a LED light attached, an Opinel folding knife, 'Energiser' LED Torch, a coil of 'piano' wire, a flexible 'ring saw', - a folding 'tablet fuel' stove, the 3x fresh instant soup sachets and three tea bags and a small container of sugar .. all easily pack into a $20 stainless steel billy can.

I also pocket-carry another Opinel folder tied to a small ferro-rod & striker:

 .. So far - So good .. But here's the bad news 😙.

CAR KIT:
 I keep a plastic crate packed with bulkier emergency/camping equipment in the back of my vehicle.  - WRONG ..  It was on the garage floor covered in dust & leaves where it had been dumped since a previous vehicle had been passed-on .. but even worse - it's 'Bug-Out' gear was filthy and covered with mouse poo and dead spiders.

- Bear in mind that New Zealand has EARTHQUAKES .. and sometimes they are SERIOUS. - We all need to have an emergency kit.

- So it all got stripped and washed in hot bleach solution while I felt hotly ashamed ..  here's what I had:

A Glock Entrenching Tool - This has a decent wood-saw in the telescoped grip. The spade can be edge sharpened for use as an axe.. Quality.

A Glock Knife. - 4 plastic PLATES (one broken!), 2 Stainless steel DISHES, a nice china COFFEE MUG, 2x CAN OPENERS, A SMALL COPPER KETTLE, A HAND TOWEL, A TEA TOWEL, A CLEAN RAG, An alcohol 'SPIRIT' BURNER & a bottle of METHYLATED SPIRITS, - A pair of LEATHER WORK GLOVES & A pair of WOOL MITTENS with liners. - A tupperware box of cutlery.

A bent/melted CANDLE, - candle HOLDER with box of MATCHES, A BIC LIGHTER & 2nd box of MATCHES, TWO more FOLDING STOVES with fuel tablets, SALT, PEPPER, & SUGAR in plastic containers. A plastic ice-cube/water bottle, - A 19 liter SOLAR SHOWER, a small THERMOS FLASK. - And a bungee cord, wheel nut brace & a short tie-down ratchet-strap.

.. USELESS things:
 A 12V. AIR COMPRESSOR, An 'ELASTOPLAST' FIRST AID KIT in a warped container,  a tube of NESTLE Condensed milk NINE YEARS OUT OF DATE, - a WATER FILTER in a mouse eaten cardboard pack, a large screw-top container with two stale teabags, a small warped plastic wash bowl, - and the BAFTA Award for moving images goes to .. an empty biscuit/cracker packet chewed open and eaten by mice(s).

GUILTY? .. YES:  I used to keep a filled water container with canned foods like baked beans & stew in the trunk but I must have "rotated them out" without replacement.

.. & I MUST buy a new folding (pruning?) saw but the Glock Spade has one that works. - para cord too and a couple of SPACE BLANKETS. Maybe another LED TORCH - some coffee, & powdered milk? - What about Tincture of Iodine for water & wound purification .. Google is your friend?

- Do it this week eh.
Out in the garage - where I mean them to be - are a gas barbecue, a twin-burner camping cooker, a large spare gas cylinder, sleeping bags, tent,  a mountain bike, - and various hand tools. - Plus I do keep a well stocked pantry with canned & dried foods. There should be fresh foods growing in the garden.

For what it may be worth there is a 1,000 liter rain water tank, solar garden lights, - a small petrol generator and lawn-mower petrol outside.
Marty K.

Hi Marty

I think you need a few more tea bags, and a sealed pack of fresh batteries (the ones in the torch will deteriorate with time).  I also have a few spare butane cans for my cooker, as well as a hexamine stove.  Add a pack of fire starter briquettes (in a sealed container) and some de-hi meals.  You can’t beat the good old Thermette.  I have sent a couple to mates overseas.  A brick of subsonic .22 ammo and a suppressed rifle should be kept handy as well.

Rod

Yeup to everything there - I do usually have a few packs of the fire starters in the living room .. but right now? - there's only 1/3rd of an open pack ! 

with your agreement I'll add your comment to the post, Cheers & keep happy, M.K.

notes: Can openers are becoming almost passe' now that most cans have 'tear tops'. - Are LED lamps replacing candles? .. but a candle can help get a fire going. - Where is my 'Thermette' .. such a functional piece of  kiwi kit?
 - WATER .. in the last 3 earthquake's - supermarkets were full of  SHELVES EMPTY of bottled water.
 - Broken houses, broken sewers and NO water.

 I've signed-up to Patreon. - NOW you can send me a wee support $ - starting from $1 to get all this stuff from New Zealand:        https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16618870