Decided to build another bag but...

[WillyPete]

...I can't decide what I want to make of it.
I bought another of this style:



and since I already have the "Day Tripper"; a GHB, a hunting/woods kit, the truck box and a couple others I haven't shown yet, I want to set up something different. Any suggestions?

[Toepopper]

As a general rule it may be a better tactic to have a little of each type of emergency supply in all your different bags. This bag would be perfect for a first aid medical bag but if you were to keep all your medical eggs in the same basket you could easily get caught without this unit and then have zero medical supplies with you. Unless you attached it to your main BOB. Is that new bag waterproof?

[WillyPete]

I was leaning toward this one as a first first aid kit bag instead of another type. It can be part of a larger pack but can be carried by itself when needed. Haven't settled on one just yet but, your suggestion has great merit.
The bag is not waterproof or water resistant so I'll be wrapping the contents in individual waterproofed containers.

[Toepopper]

As soon as I saw the picture of your new bag I said to myself, self, that sure looks like a corpsmans medical bag, the one they called a B-1 unit. Same size with a long carrying strap and overall appearance.
I picked up a small "range Bag" for shooting expeditions. It has 3 AR magazine pouches on the outside and some smaller pouches on the opposite side with several internal compartments and a long, wide carrying strap. I recently took this range bag on a varmint hunting excursion down in Modoc County. Had a hard time carrying this unit while wearing my rucksack and carrying a rifle, it kept slipping off my shoulder so I fastened the strap around the rucksack. Then it bounced something awful every time I took another step and made a "flop/whomp" sound which is a definate no no. Ended up jamming it into an already stuffed rucksack to keep quiet and be more comfortable. Next time out it will be tied onto the ruck where the sleeping bag goes, to eliminate noise and make it more convenient to access.

[308gun]

One special use would be for wife or another family member and any special needs like lady items, special Meds. for that person only , and add some silver coins = dimes, nickels, quarters, small amounts,and compact first aid ( good one)and never for get the children , or pets....

[WillyPete]

I have decided to make this bag a dedicated first aid kit along the lines of a medic bag or platoon first aid kit. I had also bought some nylon duffel bags that I an going to use with 308gun's suggestion. There's three others in my household, who are completely oblivious to goings on in the world and have that distasteful attitude of "It can't happen to us". I'm going to prepare a small kit bag for each of them with basic first aid items, fire making items, food items and some simple tool items. Enough for them to be able to help out without having to dig through the larger stores I have secreted about the house and garage.
What I have assembled so far are a selection of adhesive bandages, some bars of hotel soap for cleanliness, several IV prep pads that can be used to disinfect wound sites, a sharp Swiss Army knife, a small flashlight and batteries, two packs of strike anywhere matches and some high intensity fire starters if I need a fire quickly.
I will be adding other items as I obtain or find them. Once I have the completed kit assembled, I will get the photos together and show how I assembled it.
And, once I put together the kits for everybody else, I'll put them on display as well. They won't be anything special, just some get by kits that will be better than nothing if that's all they have.

[308gun]

another item is add old shirts, or pants that are no longer much use... but will be a life saver for someone , and free samples of anything, some old toy for a kid will be a life saver, that plastic travel mug that has an add on it, look at any extra stuff , grab any free stuff, think how can i use that,,,, that old pocket knife , sharpen it and add,,,, you get the point ,, and ladies add that extra stuff like the band that you got but it's not your regular brand , but still of use ...and that old dress belt that looks bad , Ha, might be someone's lifesaver..........

[WillyPete]

Good ideas all 308. My main intent with the duffel bags is a "get by bag" instead of a full blown BOB or GHB. Since most of the group don't leave the house as much as I do, these are just to tide them over until I get back from wherever I am. Usually no more than three days on foot if the travel route is not problematic. Another 1 or 2 days if it is since I may have to take alternate routes to get home. I'm mainly considering a walk from work which is about 25 or so miles away by interstate, the longest route can be up to 40 miles if I have to take it. I know that I can move at about a constant 5 miles an hour walking so, three days walk from work is a fair estimation since I know most of the obstacles that I can run into and how to get around them. The river crossing may be the worst I encounter.
Since my family members are not inclined to leave the house unless necessary, wife may have issues with leaving since she is a medical professional, I want something available to keep them going until i can hoof it home.
Some foods, food preparation, fire, first aid, water treatment, simple shelter additions, night light and what not, may throw in a deck of cards or dominoes in one or more of the kits for some simple entertainment. Basic necessities first, luxuries later.
As far as a BOB for the remote possibilities, that is still in the works. I've been working mostly on my GHB with improvements such that I haven't yet put together a family BOB if we get forced out of our home.
My truck box can cover all of us to a point but, bags are a necessary addition for specialized needs.
This prep stuff is rather time consuming isn't it?