If disaster strikes while you are away from home and car, you have even more problems since the only supplies you have are those on your back and in your hands. The most important thing to do is: Keep Cool! A positive mental attitude is the #1 resource to ensure survival. Don't flow with the masses, keep planning and figure out what will keep you alive.

Remember that clean air, water, and food are your most important short-term needs. Immediately buy (or take if no one can sell to you) enough for 3 or 4 days. Then, follow your survival plan. Depending on where you are and the circumstances, that plan may be to stay put and stay alive until rescue arrives or it may be to work your way home or to a safer location.

If you are traveling in your own car, then you should have an emergency car kit ready in the trunk with enough tools and supplies to get you through 3 or 4 days of survival and the majority of road hazards and challenges.

Emergency Car Kit
It's easy to just purchase a roadside kit for each of your cars, but you might have more fun, save money, and feel more prepared if you make up your own kits. Think about making kits as gifts for your relatives and neighbors - bulk materials cost less and its a useful gift.
Use this list of items to choose what to include in your emergency road kit:

Emergency Car Kit - First Aid

• Medical Information
  • 1 First Aid Instruction Card
  • 1 Illustrated guide to life-treatening emergencies
• Essential Equipment
  • 3 Pair nitrile (non-latex) gloves
  • 1 Emergency Rescue Blanket
  • 1 tweezers
  • 1 sharp scissors
  • 12 safety pins
  • 1 small bottle Purell hand sanitizer
  • CPR rescue breathing faceshield
  • 5 ZipLoc freezer bags - gallon size
  • your list of emergency phone numbers
• Bandage Materials
  • 20 Adhesive Bandages of various sizes
  • 3 Adhesive Patch Bandages Regular
  • 3 Adhesive Patch Bandages Large
  • 5 Knuckle Bandage
  • 5 Fingertip Bandage
  • 1 Triangular Bandage
  • 1 elastic wrap bandage for sprains
  • 5 2" x 2" sterile gauze pads
  • 5 4" x 4" sterile gauze pads
  • 1 roll of sterile gauze
  • 1 Roll of 2" wide Adhesive Tape
  • 1 8x10 trauma pad
• Wound Management
  • 1 antibiotic cream (triple-antibiotic ointment)
  • 12 Antiseptic Towelettes
  • 4 antiseptic solution packets(like povidone iodine)
  • 2 disposable instant cold packs
• Blister/Burn
  • 2 Spenco 2nd Skin
  • 1 non-woven adhesive knit
  • 1 molefoam
  • 1 Burn Free pain relieving gel tube
• Medication
  • 6 Extra Strength Tylenol
  • 4 antihistamine
  • 6 Motrin
  • 3 sting relief pads
  • 3 HydroCortisone cream 1%
  • 5 hard candy drops (to sooth children)

Emergency Car Kit - Hazard Supplies

• 1 Set of Booster Cables
• 2 45-minute Road Flares
• 1 Multi-function Knife
• 1 Syphon Pump
• 1 Roll of Electrical Tape
• 1 Tow Rope with Steel Locking Hooks
• 3 Bungee cords
• 1 Tire Sealer Inflator
• 1 Flashlight with batteries
• 2 Emergency Candles
• 1 Box of Waterproof Matches
• 1 SOS Flag
• 1 12 hour Litestick
• 1 Pair of Workgloves
• 1 Fluorescent Traffic Vest
• 1 Rain Poncho
• 1 Blanket
• your list of emergency phone numbers

Be sure to have an emergency auto kit in each of your cars and check its contents twice a year when you check your other emergency preparedness kits and supplies. Many roadside incidents can be handled just fine if you have a road kit ready for emergencies. You may even find yourself able to help out a stranger someday because you chose to be prepared.

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