6 Items to Keep in Your Car Trunk
You know that TV commercial where they ask, “What’s in your wallet?” Well, I don’t care about that, but I do want to know what’s in your car trunk. You probably have a spare tire and a jack in your trunk, as well as a window brush and scraper.
And if you’re like me, you have a bag of old clothes in there that you keep meaning to take to Goodwill. And you might also have a few fast food wrappers that you hastily tossed into your trunk after you realized you’d have to give somebody a ride somewhere.
Most of us have assembled stockpiles of food and water, plus other essential items in our homes. A number of us also have bug-out bags loaded with things we’ll need, located near the front door so we can bug out quickly if we need to.
A small percentage of us also have a back-up supply of emergency items at a secondary location, just in case a disaster results in the destruction of our home or we are away from home when a crisis strikes and can’t get back.
But what if you are in your vehicle or at work when a crisis happens and you can’t get home or to your secondary location? Your car or place of business just might be your home for the next 24 to 72 hours until things return to normal.
That’s why it is essential that you keep a three-day supply of items in your vehicle at all times. They could save your life someday. It’s like a traveling bug-out bag – it will go wherever you go and be available when you need it most.
Here are six items I suggest you keep in this bag or in your trunk:
- Water. Three gallons of clean drinking water should be enough. Also include some smaller, empty water bottles you can fill up and drink out of.
- Non-perishable food. You could survive without food for three days, but during a crisis your body will need strength. Pack high-calorie items.
- First-aid kit. Include bandages, anti-bacterial wipes, burn salve, wound-closure strips, aspirin or ibuprofen, lip balm, and any meds you take regularly.
- Clothing. Pack for a three-day trip, with socks and underwear, pants and shirts, sweaters, windbreaker, coat, gloves, hat and hiking boots.
- Outdoor kit. Just in case you’re forced outdoors, include fire-starters, paracord, flashlight, hunting knife, tent, poncho, compass and duct tape.
- Filled gas can. A crisis might mean more driving than you were anticipating. Running out of gas could be deadly, so be prepared.
Finally, make sure your bag is large enough and sturdy enough to hold everything except the large water containers and gas can, but light enough to carry. Don’t wait any longer to put this car kit together.
Spare tire
I love this list. No gas as it gets very hot where I live. I suggest some hand warmers also. I am putting in clothes I never wear so that I don’t take out and forget to put back.
A filled gas can will expand and release fumes into the car in any heat like an enclosed car will invariably experience. A jeep with an external rack for a gas can would be a better, safer way to carry extra gas. Rotate gas so it doesn’t get older than a month. Use fuel preservation products to stabilize it. Some vehicles have an option of an extended range tank or regular tank.
Every other carry item should be in every car regularly.
Gas will not go bad in a month especially with a fuel stabilizer! 3 even 4 months is just fine.
Of the items on your list I do keep a case of bottled water which I rotate every 6 months, I keep a first aid kit along with a couple throwaway ponchos, at least 1 tarp that could be used for shelter, a flashlight, a couple of different knives, a couple of different ways to start fire, a tool kit and a large plastic locking tub filled with gloves, various tools, rope, bungee cords and ratchet straps, a battery jump start and a separate set of jumper cables but I don’t have much of a food supply mostly hard candy, this is one item I’ll have to look into along with a change of clothing, as far as a gas can first my cars are open to the trunk area so the gas smell comes through the whole car and gas cans are susceptible to heat that could cause an explosion, one thing I thought of checking out is they sell fuel in sealed cans at stores like Walmart, while expensive and the cans are small usually a quart this might be a way to carry a small amount of extra fuel safely! and of course I almost always have a gun with me, I’ve read where people leave one in their cars but I don’t think that is a good idea just in case someone steals your car or breaks into it, the later happened to my wife’s car, there was nothing like a gun in her car all they stole was some loose change, if they would have looked a little better they might have found the real money stash, I try to keep a small amount of cash hidden just in case needed, I do keep a secured lock box in case I have to leave my gun unattended.
I wouldn’t store a can of gas inside your mini van or truck. #1)Fumes inside the van due to poor ventalation #2) In the truck of your car, opps you just got rear ended and now you have a leaking container or worse. Boom. It won’t matter that it’s in a plastic approved container. AAA report.
Sounds like you are very well prepared, Jerry. Keep up the good work.
Red plastic portable gasoline containers—consumer gas cans sold throughout the U.S—pose a rare but real explosion hazard many Americans may not know about, an NBC News investigation has found.
Most do NOT have flame arresters to stop flash back
cnbc. com/2013/12/04/warning-scientists-say-gas-cans-carry-risk-of-explosion. html
People might be a little more cautious with gasoline if the stopped to think about how much potential energy is in it. 1 gallon can move your 4 pound car 20 miles down the road at 60 mph while also creating 40,000 engines revolutions in that time as well. that requires an enormous amount of energy and it’s contained in only 1 gallon of the stuff.
Typo….4,000 pound car
I also have questions about the gas can. Is it dangerous? Are there certain kinds of cans that are safer? How often should the gas be changed? What kind of non perishable food is best? How long can it stay in a hot trunk? AZ, TX, FL, etc.?
Dear Frank,
Great topic! Wish more people would keep a fully stocked BOB and a change of roughing it clothes in their car all the time, as we do, especially when traveling a long way from home.
God Bless to All,
Orrin
I like the list however in Florida, gas cans in trunks can become bombs!