What's In Your Pockets?

I have way too much sophisticated, modern equipment. Plenty of supplies and material to face down natural and man-made disasters. All stored in a safe place, secure and protected. Of course, most of the time, I am nowhere near proximity to my caches.

Most of us have day jobs and many travel extensively. While you can carry some preparedness supplies with you, space and weight restrictions are growing ever more stringent. With the advent of additional security, questions might be raised if you are found to have these types of supplies on your person or in your luggage.

Besides, most disasters catch people with nothing but the clothes on their back and what they have in their pockets. So, what can you carry with you that will not arouse the wrath of zealous security personnel, but will give you that edge in the face of unknown emergencies? This question is even more convoluted with the potential for the use of weapons of mass destruction. Personal Protective Equipment doesn’t fit in your pocket. So, we need to replace equipment with tactics gained from study and practical experience. (More on this in a future article)

First assess what you have with you now. Most of us carry a wallet, keys, maybe a small pocketknife, perhaps a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and a cell phone. Lets start with the wallet, which should always contain government issued picture ID, adequate emergency funds, perhaps a credit card for big expenses (if you need to leave an area in a hurry), medical insurance identification, contact numbers and special instructions for emergencies. Those numbers might be in your PDA or cell phone, but not accessible to anyone but you. Not helpful if you are unconscious. Some city dwellers consider another separate wallet with a bit of cash and some expired cards, in case they are mugged.

My key ring is way too full and creates a horrible bulge in my pocket, but I have access to everything I need and it makes a good last ditch improvised weapon when clasped in my fist, with a few keys protruding between my fingers. If you plan on this method of defense, practice and have a plan prior to an incident. Planning and practicing ahead can give you the mindset that you need to counter a vicious attack and escape if necessary.

I also carry a wind resistant, weatherproof lighter with me, except on plane flights when I must depend on matches obtained when I reach my destination. The ability to make fire and thus create heat and light is as critical in the city as in an urban environment. Catch the video of an earthquake damaged city sometime to give you an idea of how quickly our modern infrastructure can crumble. Pick a lighter that is rugged, but small enough to ride comfortable in you pocket. My current favorite is the Blazer Microtorch, which may be a bit large for some. But, it is tough, has big reserve fuel tank and burns extremely hot. It also lights my cigars with aplomb, which is my overt excuse for carrying it. Being able to direct the flame is an advantage over the traditional lighters like the Zippo, but the Blazer’s blue flame doesn’t produce near the light that a traditional lighter does. Be wary of using a source of ignition around areas damaged in a disaster, flammable gases and fumes can be difficult to detect in the chaos of an accident.

A tube of lip balm with sun protection also rides in my left pocket. It protects my lips and in a pinch can be used as sunscreen for sensitive areas of my face. Get one with an SPF rating of 15 or more. Smeared around your nostrils, it can also cut the noxious odors from things you might not want to smell.

The final tool in my left pocket is a pocket folding knife, unless I am wearing it in a belt pouch. Usually, I carry my Ritter RSK Griptilian with a blade about 3.5” long. Made of SV30 stainless steel with the Benchmade created Axis lock it’s strong, easy to sharpen and maintain and reasonably priced.

I’m considering a tactical style pen that adds some defensive options. More on this in a later discussion.

Combine these items with a good cell phone and you’ll be ready for many normal and some not so normal challenges.