Ready. Set. Go.

I believe in being ready.  I believe in being able to face any situation ready.  Mentally first, and then physically.

What does being ready mean?  Well, it does not mean paranoia nor over-zealousness.  It means being ready.

When we say we’re ready it means go ahead with the scenario.  It means starts the test.  It means let’s go.

In short being ready means: I’ve done all I can to prepare let’s begin.  Being ready isn’t perfect and oft-times more mental than physical, but being ready is a constant state.

Let’s talk about two places to be ready: 

1.  Ready anywhere you go.

2.  Ready to get home from you are.

Ready anywhere you go.  This is sometimes called EDC or Every Day Carry.  And this can get completely out of control.

The best way to avoid complete failure in a stressful, critical situation is to keep things simple.   This should apply to EDC, but many times it does not.  I’ve seen EDC that looks more like long-term survival gear than I’m going to the grocery store EDC.

So, what’s wrong with that?  Support gear supports need, not defines need.  Theoretically you can carry a rucksack everywhere you go and at a moment’s notice setup permanent camp. But you have drifted away from the principle of being ready.  You have moved outside the realm of practical where your support gear supports your needs, not defines them.

For this reason you should compartmentalize.  Unless you live in a remote area the majority of possible scenarios are simple and easily dealt with.

1. Ready anywhere you go.

Ask the question the next time you are inside the grocery store or pumping gas.  What do I need right now on my person?  If something should go awry: the most celebrated of these types of scenarios is a robbery or attack.  I say celebrated because it usually the more frequently cited yet rarest of occurrences.  However, it shouldn’t be discounted simply because of its rarity, due to the fact it is perhaps the most important one to be ready for.

So the ultimate worst thing that could happen at any given moment is being attacked: not simply robbed, but another human being trying to hurt, kill, or maim you.

At that moment what do you need?  Is it a pocket water filter?  A compact emergency bivy? 50 feet of paracord? A GPS?  What is it you need at that moment?

A weapon, preferably a gun with a spare magazine carried in a quality holster with a quality gun belt.  Or a knife, even better a gun and pocket knife.  Think CCW.

So, for that moment that’s all you need.  But let’s go one step further and talk about what you need in the moment the attack is over, with you preferably being the victor because you were ready mentally and physically.

What do you need? A med kit.  Chances are it was a surprise attack and the bad guy hit first.  Better patch yourself up.  A cell phone.  You better be calling the police after this.  And you’re going to need medics on scene.

And if this incident took place at night you should have a small but decent light.

That about covers the need for the ultimate worst scenario.

But that doesn’t happen every time you go buy your coco puffs. So, do we need to expand our EDC?

Just a tiny bit, a pen and paper can be a valuable EDC item when out and about.  Take some notes down when on the phone, jot down an idea, leave a note if you door ding someone, &c.

In urban non-apocalyptic America that about covers it.  Obviously I left out wallet, driver’s license, insurance cards, &c.  If you’re not carrying that stuff around, well, you need more personal guidance than a blog post.

That’s EDC ready in a nutshell.  You remain light, fast, unencumbered, and most important you are ready for just about any modern urban non-apocalyptic American scenario. Almost everything else can wait to get fixed when you get home.

EDC for yourself.  Of course, this is if you drive everywhere you go.   And if you drive you must be in a vehicle.

EDC for a vehicle is something a father figure should have taught you.  I’ll briefly go over some items for most places in urban America:

Something to change a flat, battery, fuse, wipers, and small lights. Jumper cables too.

Insurance and registration

Snacks and a water bottle (for long nights home stuck in traffic due to a fatal accident, or if you have kids with you during said traffic jam)

Flares and flashlight

First aid kit

Maps

Camera

Extra Ammo (a spare magazine – not an arsenal)

Pen and paper (which should be part of your personal EDC)

Depending on season, a jacket or sweater in case of a sudden weather change.  Just toss it in the backseat.

The above-suggested items support need for almost every imaginable scenario in urban non-apocalyptic America.  It will get you through just about every car break down, traffic jam, minor collision you can think of without requiring a Mad Max truck.

As with the personal EDC anything else isn’t an emergency and can be fixed later.

The key to the above lists is that they’re simple.  You can get away with carrying that stuff and still blend.  You won’t draw attention to yourself but still be ready.  It’s not the forefront of your day but if the situation turns south you’re ready.

Everybody talks about preparing for when the SHTF or the end of the world as we know it.  That’s cool and let’s you get away with all sorts of neat gadgets.  But, that’s not EDC, and that stuff should be in your house.

And even that should be kept to support need not dictate it.  Natural disasters happen far more frequently than societal collapse.

Now, the second EDC I’ll talk about is #2.

2. Ready to get home from where you are.

This is a bag.  Preferably a backpack.  And this is for those times when earthquake or flood or other disaster has blocked the roads home.  This is for when you have to walk home from where you were earlier in the day: work or fun.  But this is not an end of the world bag.  It’s something you can toss in your trunk or backseat and forget about.  Checking on it every month to make sure items are fresh or season appropriate.

Being stranded in your vehicle is not a good thing.  Walking home, even if it takes a night is better.   How frequently does this happen?  Highways get taken out and people stranded somewhat regularly.  A natural disaster can wipe out your way home for a day or two.

Depending on the situation and your personal capability.  Walking home could be the best option.  And it doesn’t have to be a disaster.  You could have catastrophic vehicle failure and have no one to come help you and no funds for a motel, taxi, tow truck, whatever.  Rather than suffer it out, walk home.  For me from where I work to where I live is an average 35 mile distance.  So, most likely an overnight walk.

The “Get Home Bag” is just as simple as everything else.  Remember this is not for the apocalypse.   Here are some suggested items:

You will notice many of these items cross over from the other two lists we just spoke about.  Simplicity.

Climate appropriate spare clothing (ie a jacket)

Change of small clothes (a change of underwear and spare pair of socks)

GPS and compass

Paper maps

Flashlight

Fire Kit

Batteries

Water (or small filter) and bottle (I like the platypus bottles)

Emergency Bivy

Pen and Paper

First Aid Kit

High Energy Snack

Hat and Sunglasses

Extra prescription glasses or contacts

Paracord

Extra Ammo (a spare magazine or two)

It has a couple items that blur into the SHTF, but walking home because all roads are inaccessible, though not permanent, can be a crazier scenario than the situations you’ll encounter just EDC.  It is, after all, a get home bag and if you can’t drive home or get a ride home and end up walking a tad bit extra won’t hurt.

Or the Get Home Bag could just be what you take with you into a motel until the roads clear up.  It doesn’t have to be the end of the known world.  And this bag isn’t set up for a sudden end of the world scenario happening while you went grocery shopping.

Society might not have collapsed forever, but the next couple days could be hectic.  It’s nice to be able to say, “Ready.”  When asked to face such a scenario.

Remember to always ask yourself if the gear supports need or is defining your need.  Keep it simple, blend, and remember the mental will keep you alive the longest.  Be able to you’re ready.