What's in Your Kit? Part 2: In Case of Emergency

Fun fact about me: Blood makes me queasy.

Not in the sense that a papercut will trigger my gag reflex, but incessantly talking about blood loss will make me lightheaded. So, when one of the instructors for our little group at the Shawnee County CERT Awareness Course Jan. 27-28 kept talking about bleeding out and how to stop it, I had to excuse myself and go outside for a few minutes.

Proof that I'm now aware of CERT.


Courses for CERT, or Community Emergency Response Team, cover everything from search and rescue basics, situational awareness, and of course some emergency life-saving techniques. CERT is made up of volunteers, with teams designated based on the county someone lives in. With my sister Melinda now a Topeka resident and me being a former one, attending the Shawnee County course made sense.

The instructors our class of five had were quite knowledgeable on emergency preparedness and response -- so much so, I literally couldn't bear it. One time in 7th grade, I passed out briefly and fell out of my chair in class because someone in a video we were watching kept going on about sacrificial bloodletting practices of the Inca Empire. Just the person talking about it made me get lightheaded, black out and fall to the floor. Kids around me asked what happened, but I had no idea, so I got some water and went to the counselor's office to chill for a bit.

This time, I just went outside and breathed some chilly air to calm down. Nothing against the instructor, he did a great job explaining tourniquet application techniques (I'm sure). Thankfully Melinda took notes.

Even though talking about losing blood bothers me, I'm still going to carry a first-aid kit in my car when I chase storms. Melinda has a kit in her car with some of the basics, as does my chase partner Mira. I wish this CERT Awareness Course covered CPR, but knowing how to apply a tourniquet in case someone's bleeding is also beneficial.

When I get a new vehicle sometime this year, I'm going to also get a decent-sized plastic storage tote to keep in the trunk. I'll fill that with my "just in case" equipment, which as of right now will include:

  • First-aid kit w/ gauze and wraps
  • At least two spare 2-liter bottles of water; it's important to change them out every couple of months for freshness
  • Sanitary wipes
  • A couple of non-perishable food items, like cans of fruit or tuna
  • Multitool with can opener and pliers
  • Some sort of knife, probably a folding blade
  • Vice grips or pliers (non-sparking, for turning off utilities)
  • Orange high-visibility vest
  • Heavy-duty boots and thick socks (I can't stand wearing thin socks in work boots)
  • Work gloves
  • Disposable rubber gloves
  • Shop towels (the blue ones)
  • Trash bags
  • Rain ponchos
  • Matches in a waterproof container
  • Flashlight or lantern
  • A couple of hardhats
  • 3 pairs of safety glasses
  • Pack of N95 masks
  • Duct tape
  • Sharpies/markers or chalk for marking buildings during searches
Like Mira, I also want to get a couple of reference books on how to handle specific emergencies. The contents of the magic box of "just in case" supplies is subject to change. There's other stuff I've mentioned in a previous blog post that's part of my storm chasing kit, like a change of clothes and whatever snacks we want. In the future I'll also get an ice cooler for food and drinks on longer trips.

What's in your "just in case" stash of stuff? What else should go in mine? Let me know!

P.S. I would recommend attending a CERT awareness or introductory course if you're interested in learning some basic emergency prep information. Typically your local county emergency management office organizes those courses.

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