One of those nagging things I always think is a good idea but never get around to is having emergency supplies in my house and car. Every time I read one of those articles about what should be in either one in case of emergencies, I realize I have almost none of those things in the trunk or basement and start feeling guilty.

Today I take off on a nine-hour road trip into snow-covered Virginia and am going a little better prepared. The folks at 4SurvivalToGo sent me one of their compact emergency kits to try out, so with this and a shake flashlight I’m at least partially armed and ready should we hit a blizzard along the way.

This Grab & Go Kit is the dimensions of a trade paperback but far thinner, so it could fit in a glove compartment or be unobtrusive in a hiking backpack. It’s packed with lots of items though that could come in handy in an emergency. Here’s what’s inside:

duct tape
bleeding control gauze
antimicrobial hand wipes
face mask
emergency whistle
glow stick
rubber gloves
biohazard bag

It all goes inside a thick plastic waterproof pouch.

If that’s not robust enough for you, there’s a a larger 72-hour kit with a carrying case that is loaded up with more, like a survival sleeping bag, a rain poncho, a knife, and waterproof matches.

The Grab & Go kit retails for $20 and you can get it at the 4survivaltogo.com site. Sure, you could probably put together one of these on your own for less, but will you ever get around to it? I’ve learned I probably won’t, so this is a convenient way to compensate.

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