A car kit update

A few weeks ago I had a mini emergency while I was running errands, so I opened up my car emergency kit and was sad to see that it was mostly empty.  We had used the, first aid supplies, water, and food.   It was definitely time to restock. 

My car kit is one that I use all the time.  It is there for big emergencies and for every day emergencies so it needs to be restocked about every six months. 

We store all of our supplies in a large tote.  I like the tote because I don't have things rolling around in the car, also it is easy to pack around.  
 
Here is what I added:

First Aid Kit: 

I purchased a premade kit from Wal-Mart for $9.00 and then added, tissues, more Band-Aids, hand sanitizer, tums, Tylenol, lotion, a toothbrush, night quil/day quil, and children’s Tylenol.   I still need to add children’s Benadryl.  I LOVE the premeasured children’s Benadryl but it is hard to find.   (I can find it at Walgreens sometimes).

This is what the Benadryl looks like: 

It is the thing we use the very most in our first aid kit.  It seems that where ever we are there is a kid that is having an allergic reaction.  It is a must for our kit. 

Food:

Cheese and Crackers,

Pb and J Cracker

Cliff Bars

Bottled Water

Emergency Supplies

Blanket—this is fleece on one side and is water proof on the others.  This makes it awesome for a picnic, or a in the rain it works for a poncho.

Tools

Ratchet—both US and Metric sockets

Hammer

Screwdriver—Philips and flat head (the flip around ones are perfect)

Leather Gloves

Work Towels (we like the blue garage/shop towels)

Jack and Tire Iron—make sure you know where it is and how to use it.

Jumper Cables

Snow Grabber Mat

I live where there is deep snow for four or five months a year and getting stuck in the snow is always a possibility.  A few weeks ago a neighbor slid off the rode in front of my house and landed in a huge snow bank.  I watched as he and a large group of men dug out their Suburban, they tried ever trice in the book to get the suburban out but could not get any traction and the car was stuck.  After a while a teenage girl brought over these Grabber mats, slid them under the tires and they effortlessly drove out.  I talked to her father about the mats later in the week and he told me that they use them all the time and they always work.  You can find them at the local Wal-Mart or online. 

All of our tools are stored together in a tool bag. (with the exception of the snow grabber mat it is too big for the bag.  

Sun Oven

Have you heard of the Sun Oven?  

I went to an emergency preparedness fair a while back and saw a Sun Oven demonstration.  I was blown away.  It was the middle of February and was over cast.  The sun worked amazingly well.  I spoke to a few people in the class about it and those that had a sun oven already said they loved it and that it worked very well in the cold northern climate I live in, even in the winter.  The more I thought about it the more I thought that the Sun Oven is the perfect answer to the problem of cooking my food storage in the event of a long term loss of power.  

What is the Sun Oven? 

It is a solar oven that allows you to cook, boil, steam, roast, and bake various foods at cooking temperatures of 360^oF.   The oven includes a thermostat to show its internal temperature.  Once the oven is heated, it has the same cook time as a conventional oven.  The sun oven weighs just over 20 pounds and is designed to be portable. 

I think they are something that everyone should think about adding to their emergency supplies. 
 
The video below is an in depth explanation of the sun oven, how to use it, tips and tricks.   Let me tell you that if you watch this video you are going to want one.