by Brian Griffin October 30, 2018
With autumn comes some big changes from the warm days of summer. Sspecially for those of us who live in the temperate zones. Along with the changing colors of the foliage, come some other changes as well. It can be a good idea to make a few easy to manage contingency preparations in advance, rather than being caught off guard by Mr. Murphy's laws and possibly putting your or your family at risk.
With the coming of Autumn come lower temps. Although they can fluctuate at first, and trick us into relaxing before they settle into being much cooler. The first day of autumn is a good day to put a spare sweater or jacket, a cheap throw, and a rain coat in our vehicles. This will help us and/or our children cope with the colder temps if we unexpectedly get caught out longer than we intended.
With the passing of the autumnal equinox also comes earlier sunsets and shorter days. So it tends to get dark during our normal hours of being out and about, while we're out shopping or having dinner with our friends and family. Along with the wallet to pay for your evening, and a pen to sign the check with, a small flashlight really can come in handy also. Dropping your keys and having difficulty finding them mostly just annoying in the warmer months, but having that same issue in the colder months can actually be dangerous, especially if it is cold and wet out.
Even if you don't smoke, having a lighter on hand can also be very helpful. Liquid fueled lighters are not only handy for starting fires, their ability to burn while free-standing allows them to serve as small portable heaters if hands have gotten chilled to the point of discomfort or danger. Plus they can also serve as a backup light source if you don't have a flashlight, the batteries die, or you just need more light on the situation.
A small ready bag of emergency supplies with; a first aid kit, some tools, and a quick improvised shelter option is a good idea any time of the year, but especially in the colder months. It doesn't take up a lot of space, and under the right conditions it could easily make all the difference between surviving an uncomfortable night, and a loved one having to read, or worse yet write, your obituary the next day.
The different seasons bring different changes to different parts of the world, at least for those of us well above or well below the equator. Whatever changes the colder months will bring in your part of the world, the beginning of autumn is a good time to make some quick and easy preparations. Choose things that will help you cope with any contingencies that might occur in the shorter days and colder temps.
December 18, 2018
@Adam Sorry, I thought I responded to this but it must not have gone through. I was on my phone so that may have been an issue. Thank you, and that is an E&E Bag by Cooper Expedition Gear.
November 14, 2018
Great ideas, especially the ready bag for the car. What type of bag do you use? Looks like the pictured bag is a perfect size.
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by Kevin Estela July 25, 2024
by Kevin Estela April 11, 2024 2 Comments
by Kevin Estela February 26, 2024
“Flesh runs from steel”. That’s an old Filipino expression. You can probably recall the last time you accidentally cut yourself. We’ve all had it happen to us. When that blade touches your skin, you retract your hand or pull away. Getting cut hurts and we all have a visceral reaction to the idea of it. Compound this idea with thoughts of your kids or kids entrusted to you and your blood pressure and stress levels will skyrocket. You never want to see a child in pain and yet there will come a time when you must teach a child how to use a knife because one day, they’ll need to. This task can be daunting but there are some very easy rules a kid can follow that you are probably already familiar with. When emotions overpower how we think, we can default to a proven method of breaking down safety by looking to another tool kids should know how to use. If you’re familiar with the 4 Rules of Firearms Safety popularized by Jeff Cooper, you’ll appreciate this methodology.
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Brian Griffin
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Brian Griffin is an author, photographer, wilderness and survival skills teacher, knife enthusiast, outdoor gear researcher and product development consultant. He has a decades-long history of using and developing outdoor related tools and gear.