What’s In Your Bag?
Understanding that level one is all about the local emergent crisis where safety likely lies just across town, you don’t need a ton of stuff. All you need are some basic provisions, tools, and supplies to get you there.
Tech -
How many times have you been out and about and discovered that your phone is dead or close to it? In an emergent crisis, cell networks may or may not be working. If they are working, they may be down soon or get overwhelmed by traffic as the word of the crisis spreads. This is not the time to be an hour from home with a dead phone battery and your kids don’t know where you are. If you have a working vehicle and a charging cord, great. I never assume circumstances will be ideal and ALWAYS have a back-up battery to charge my phone. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and charging capacities. Do your homework and pick what works for you, but have one.
Illumination -
A basic light source is a must. A quality flashlight is a powerful piece of gear. It can light the way. It can signal. It can blind. It can identify the unknown. Your level one light should be durable, waterproof, have high quality batteries and spares, and ideally be equipped some form of retention. Retention can be a pouch, a lanyard, a finger loop or belt clip. Products by ModLite, SureFire, MagLight and Streamlight are great choices. Carry at least one flashlight, but a second one for backup isn’t a bad idea. Also, consider lithium batteries. Sadly, lots of quality flashlights have been thrown away because an alkaline battery ruptured inside the unit. Three or four colored chemlights are also a great idea. They have a very long shelf life and can be preferable to a bright flashlight when only close range illumination is needed.
ProTip: Wherever you stow your light in any GoBag, get accustomed to drawing it with your weak or off hand. This leaves your strong side hand free to draw a weapon.
Water -
Is anything more essential? There’s good news at level one. You aren’t far from home and most places have potable water sources you already know and even some you haven’t thought about. You are probably not going to have to worry about drinking from puddles. In short, you don’t need physical water in your level one bag. As long as the city’s water system is running, water can be found in any faucet, hose bib and even toilet tank (not bowl). If you have a car, you should ALWAYS carry a few bottles of water stored in the trunk. They can be a life-saver. This all being said, what if you DO have to get drastic with water? For example, you’re sightseeing in a remote wilderness an hour’s drive from home when the crisis emerges. For reasons you don’t understand, your vehicle won’t start and your cell phone has no signal. Now what? Hike home? Maybe. You assess your resources and discover to your horror that you have no water other than a few swallows in a plastic bottle and a nearby lake and whatever is in the radiator of your car, likely tainted with antifreeze. Here is where a simple water purification system can save your life. These simple pocket-sized products give you the ability to make use of natural water sources with far less chance of biological contamination. Harmful bacteria such as salmonella, shigella, E. coli, vibrio and others are common in ponds, lakes and rivers. These pathogens can and do kill humans each year. Products by LifeStraw, Katadyn and Sawyer are great, lightweight, small, easy to use and very effective at filtering many gallons of water in a short-term survival situation. Water purification tablets containing iodine also help to reduce the risks. I keep both in my level one.
ProTip: Include a folding mylar canteen in your bag. It allows you to store a small amount of water filtered through your prep of choice. This can be handy in getting you to the next water source.
Food -
This is not a camping trip, you hope, and you don’t need a well-rounded diet. At level one, your goal is to keep up your energy and stamina long enough to make it to safety in your routine local environment. Keep a couple granola or protein bars in this bag, preferably something that won’t melt in the heat and has a one-year shelf life. Maybe even a roll of Grandma’s cherry Lifesavers.
ProTip: People often think of carbs in this scenario and neglect electrolytes. Half a dozen salt tablets or a couple bouillon cubes that can be dissolved in water will help the body regulate fluids, stay hydrated and support brain function.
A Roll of Quarters -
Wait, what? Vending machines are a common sight in many places such as college campuses, rest stops, service stations and malls. You probably take them for granted. While all of us are perfectly capable of throwing a cinder block through the front of one, why draw unwanted attention? A dozen quarters is usually enough to get a soda or Gatorade and a Snickers bar out of a vending machine, assuming power is still on. This could be the fuel you need for the hike across town.
ProTip: A roll of quarters is easier to carry than a cinder block!
Fire -
Light is one thing, but the ability to ignite a flame is among our oldest and most versatile discoveries. In an unknown and evolving crisis, a simple flame has the ability to defeat the cold, sterilize instruments, cauterize wounds, cook food, boil water, create a diversion and so much more. Whether you are a smoker or not, a reliable lighter, waterproof matches, even magnesium striker rods that can ignite leaf litter and other tinder are precious. Redundancies are important here. Have at least two ways to start a fire in your level one GoBag.
ProTip: Regardless of what form of ignition you choose, include a small bag of dry fuel pellets that can help to start a fire if the fuel in the environment isn’t ideally dry. Such pellets are available online or at most camping supply stores like REI and BassPro.
Gloves -
Your daily routine likely doesn’t see you wearing gloves unless you are a mechanic, first responder or tree surgeon. Fact is that in an emergency you’re going to encounter situations that may require you to clear debris, smash a window, use a shovel, or protect your hands from sharp or toxic substances, not to mention biological hazards. A quality pair of work or tactical gloves can serve many roles. Some even include slash proof materials.
ProTip: Include a couple pair of nitrile (not latex) medical gloves in the event you have to handle human body fluids or tend to wounds. Rotate these products out annually as they degrade over time and become useless.
Blade -
I did an article a few months ago on knives. For me, blades are personal. I simply refuse to skimp on quality to save a buck. It goes without saying that a quality blade can serve many roles, most often as a tool, but in a pinch as a weapon. The ability to cut through clothing, rope, cord, tape, kindling, fish and more is a very basic survival need. If this blade is part of a multi-tool, all the better. Whether you prefer folder or fixed, choose models with a high quality blade that will not only hold a fine edge, but also resist breaking. Benchmade, CKRT, ESEE, Randall and more are example of great bladecraft. Please do not trust your survival to something you bought at a flea market or truck stop. The quality is simply not there. You definitely get what you pay for. It doesn’t hurt to have a small sharpening stone in your level one. A dull blade is less than useless.
ProTip: Don’t go for exotic profiles that limit usage and fancy spring assists that can get jammed with dirt and blood. Go with what’s proven, durable and simple. You’ll thank me later.
Zip ties, para-cord and duct tape, oh my! -
I lump these together because they are the triad of joinery that is a must-have in any level GoBag. Zip ties of various sizes can be used to secure, restrain, repair, reinforce and more. They are waterproof, do not stretch and the black ones are largely UV stable, meaning they won’t rot in the sun quite as fast as the white ones. A dozen or so 12” or 24” ties rolled into a coil and secured with a little electrical zip tie is a must in a level one GoBag. Para-cord, similarly can be used for lashing things together, preparing splints, making tourniquets, and more. Duct tape, well, nuff said, right? Good news is that you don’t need a whole roll. Get an old credit card and wrap duct tape around it 20 to 30 times to create a small, flat roll of tape that can be used on the fly.
ProTip: Zip ties, para-cord and duct tape can all be used to transform a folding or fixed blade knife into a defensive or hunting spear simply by lashing it to any scrounged broomstick, shovel handle, walking stick or length of pipe. This can be priceless in its ability to keep distance from aggressors, animal or human.
Basic first aid -
This can be a tough one. Many people I know won’t be caught without a tourniquet on their belt, or a trauma kit. For a level one bag, I like to carry a couple of flat wound dressings, preferably with a clotting agent, a small bottle of antibacterial soap, iodine or alcohol wipes, liquid suture (medical super glue), antibiotic tablets, a tourniquet, scissors, tweezers and dressing tape. The biggest challenge of what to carry from a first aid perspective is knowing how and when to use the items contained. The best advice I can give is to take a Stop the Bleed class, a CPR class and a basic first aid class. This will give you a much better idea of what to carry in your car or in your level one GoBag as an individual first aid kit (IFAK).
ProTip: Are you on meds? Might be a good idea to get a back-up refill just for your level one bag. Depending upon the severity of your condition and your dependence on a prescription, this could be a very worthwhile choice. Personally, the only meds I use are Goody’s powders and Tums. I have a small moisture proof supply in my level one at all times.
Other -
While not necessary, there are many items you may choose to include at level one that aren’t mentioned here. My personal choices are a small tube of gun lube, a Rite-in-the-Rain notepad and pen, a small tubular high-pitched metal whistle, a pair of ear plugs, a fourth magazine for my EDC pistol (I normally have one in the gun and two more on my belt) and a small 70 gram Sabre Defense OC/tear gas spray, primarily for deterring animals. Your choices may vary, but try to keep it light. When we discuss level two next month, you’ll be able to explore a broader selection of emergency needs for when you know your trek to safety will take longer or have innately higher risk.
Final thoughts on level one -
Any reasonably resourceful person can scrounge all kinds of useful things that may mitigate the need for such items in a level one GoBag. The whole point here is that you spend your time getting to safety and not on a scavenger hunt for stuff that will help you get to safety. Know your gear. Keep your blades sharp, your batteries, meds, gloves and bandages fresh, your matches dry and your training current. Hurricane season is a great reminder to rotate old stuff out.
Shoot me any questions you may have and I am happy to discuss various GoBag levels with you.
Carry Level One and Stay Safe!
Todd Johnson - Contributor-at-Large
Lawful Defense ╾━╤デ╦︻ ShootGTR
