Do You Have a Car BOB?

My husband and I believe in being prepared.

We know bad things happen.  Especially to those who are not prepared for it!  And since September is National Prepardness Month, I thought it would be a great time to share with you all one of our emergency prep items.

 The Car BOB.

This is why you need a Car BOB!

A what?!?  A Car Bug Out Bag.  Silly name I know....it's also referred to as a GOOD Bag (Get Out of Dodge) or a 72 Hour Car Kit or a Get Home Bag.  We call it our Car BOB because my son thinks the name is silly and it's easy for him to remember.

What's a Car BOB for?  Well, what if you get lost on your picnic in the woods?  Take a wrong turn on that mountain pass.  Or let's imagine you are driving home from work and a massive snow storm hits. The freeways become parking lots and folks are literally stuck in their cars all night long- some even decide to trek the 20 miles home and literally abandon their cars on the freeway.  Don't think this can happen?  Think again!  It can and it did!  This happened in my hometown just a few years ago.  It was insane.

Now, had this happened to my family I know we would have been fine.  Thanks Car BOB!

So here's what I keep in my Car BOB year round.  I also rotate the food items in here every 6 months and add fresh water since we usually end up drinking a bottle or two.  It's important to note that my Car BOB is designed for my family of 3 and our 2 dogs.

Spare tire (kept under car)                        
Jumper Cables
Rope
Tire Inflation Kit
Flares
Screwdriver & other basic hand tools

Buy an Emergency Car Kit to get you started!

2 Flashlights with extra batteries
Maps of my state and the closest 3 states to me
Basic 1st Aid Kit
Large Wool Blanket
1 Emergency Mylar Blanket
1 Poncho
1 Bandanna
1 pair Work Gloves
4 Matchbooks
2 Large Heavy Duty Plastic Bags
2 packages Hand Warmers
Small radio with extra batteries
1 travel size bottle of Hand Sanitizer
1 travel size bottle of Tylenol
8 water bottles
6 organic fig bars
6 boxes raisins
1 package beef jerky
3 cans soup
1 large can dog food
1 ziploc bag of dry dog food
Pocket Knife
$20 cash in ziploc bag

Once November hits, we usually throw in our tire chains and keep those in the back of our SUV until about April.  We also strive to keep the gas tank 1/2 full during the colder months, just in case.

Keep everything you need in one easy bag

The basic hand tools are stored in a hidden side compartment in the back of our SUV.  The rest of the items are kept in a small rolling suitcase.  The idea is that if we needed to abandon the vehicle, we could easily bring the Car BOB with us.

I also always keep extra hand sanitizer, handful of napkins (can double as toilet paper), dental floss, extra sunglasses, eye glass repair kit, Sharpie markers, car cell phone charger, straws & plastic silverware in my glove box.  You would be surprised how often we use these!

I know that I still have some work to do on my Car BOB.  I would like to add some extra clothing items and perhaps and extra pair of old tennis shoes for each of us.  I also think it's a good idea to keep extra gas in the car as well as keeping the tank 1/2 full, so I will discuss that with my husband to see what he thinks.  I also need to buy a LifeHammer to keep in the front of the car.  So it's still very much a work in progress.

But in general, everything I need for myself and my family is nicely tucked away in this small little suitcase.  I have enough food and water to last 3 days.  I have emergency cash tucked away just in case ATM machines aren't working.  I have actual maps in case the GPS is down.   And the best part is that it barely takes up any room in the back of my SUV!  And it makes me feel a whole lot better when I'm on the road!

As the colder weather approaches, I highly recommend you put together a small emergency kit for your family car.  It is always better to be safe then sorry!

**Click this link for some additional reading on how to make your Car BOB.