The First 72 Hours: EDC in a Professional Setting

Part 10 of a continuing series on prepping for a disaster, with an emphasis on how and where to start while on a Blue Collar budget.

Urban Every Day Carry 

I've mentioned in earlier posts that I have Every Day Carry items and a Get Home Bag in my vehicle, and now is the time to share what's in my EDC kits. Since California is almost-but-not-quite a Shall Issue state, I do not have any personal defense items.

On My Body

Here are all the items (minus coins) I have on my person every day:

Top Row

• Vertical iPhone 4 case w/ phone below, work
• Horizontal iPhone 4S case and phone, personal
• Leatherman Kick, sales goal reward
• Coast PX25 LED flashlight, all mine

Middle Row

• Wallet, unknown brand, big enough for DL, Credit Cards and receipts
• Kershaw Leek, in Stainless Steel, pointy and very sharp
• Unknown small folder, also in Stainless Steel, utility knife
• Keys, assorted
• Kleenex tissue, Tacti-cool package

Bottom Row

• Money clip, not enough

On weekends, the work phone is off the belt and sometimes the flashlight too, but everything else stays. The Leatherman Kick is a compact tool (now discontinued), that I really like for its light weight. The Coast PX25 was a splurge buy several years ago, as an upgrade from the five-for-$10 Home Depot Christmas specials. It's very bright at over 200 lumens and does not quickly drain the batteries like some of the cheaper lights. The left front pants pocket has the wallet and Kershaw Leek, right pocket gets keys, money clip, coins, small knife and during allergy season, Tacti-cool Kleenex in a hip pocket.

If you don't know already, Kershaw makes a quality knife here in the U.S. at a very affordable price.

In the Bag

This is a bit complicated, as my carry bag is a soft-side salesman's grip, which needs to be replaced and down-sized.*

These items are in the bag that goes to work with me and at the end of the day stays in the truck, but not what makes up my Get Home Bag (that is the basis for a later article). 

Top Row

• Plano Waterproof box filled with band-aids, triple antibiotic and gauze pads 
• Write anywhere pen and waterproof pad
• Nail File, disposable
• Box cutter, Hi Viz Green and spare blades
• Tooth brush, tooth paste and floss

Middle Row

• Alka Seltzer
• Aleve
• Generic Tylenol
• Wet Wipes
• Kleenex
• Hand Sanitzer, unscented
• Reading /magnifying glasses
• Disposable Lighter
• Micro fiber cloth

Bottom Row

• Emergen-C vitamin packets
• Gum
• Claritin allergy tabs  
• Small spiral notebook

Not shown are my catalogs, small binders and other portable office items used during my day such as highlighters, pens, pencils, paper clips, and mini staple gun.

The Plano Waterproof box was purchased in Home Depot for $7 and filled with assorted knuckle, fingertip and strip band-aids, plus some gauze pads and the smallest triple antibiotic cream tube I could find. This is a work in progress and I refer everyone back to the BCP First Aid series, starting here.

I believe the pen and note book were a gift. The nail file is also unknown; the box cutter and blades, approximately $6 from Home Depot. Dental stuff purchased from various stores.

The items in the middle row are self explanatory; general personal care items, lighter and wiping cloth. 

And on the bottom row, vitamin packets for immune support and trace minerals that dissolve quickly, gum to help keep your mouth moist, allergy tabs for the obvious uses and a plain notebook I can share with someone else in need.

Items to be Purchased

• Inexpensive Pepper Spray, legal here but check your state
• Expanded 1st aid supplies
• New bag* to carry items

* I am actively looking for suggestions for replacement bags. The small bag (sling) needs to be small enough  to carry all the time, but large enough to hold a Kindle Fire or B&N Nook, plus most of my belt worn items and pens and note book. The larger bag needs to hold the rest of the listed supplies and binders, whether a Messenger, sling or another style, I'm uncertain. I am not looking for an obvious tactical bag with MOLLE and PALS attachments everywhere, but a sturdy, clean designed bag.

As always, if you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!