personal geek security pack
I always carry these items, in a tiny Pelican case in my backpack:
- Prepaid phone card
- BARTticket (or the local equivalent)
- Cash. $20, $50, or $100 is all good, but in twenties or smaller denominations.
- 4 quarters(Think parking meter.)
- Duct tape, in a flat "roll"
- Gu Energy Gel! Food goo with caffeine
- Painkiller of your choice. I like ibuprofen, but if you've got an extra vicodin sitting around, throw that in too. Most 911 first responders can't give you morphine, you know. So if you live the kind of lifestyle where (say) dislocating your shoulder or dropping a couch on your toe is not unlikely, it'd sure be nice to have real painkillers around. Your mileage may vary!
- LED Flashlight. I use an Inova
- USB thumb drive with recovery software for your favorite OS's. The Sony USM-H Micro Vault is 1.5cm x 3cm x 2.7mm.
- Pocketknife. My dad turned me on to Columbia River Knife and Tool. IMHO, a single tough blade beats the leatherman on weight vs utility and volume vs utility for civilized situations. (I don't go to Borneo much, do you? Although it is a pleasure to answer in the affirmative when someone says, "anybody got pliers?" If this matters to you, put a small pocketknife if in the emergency pack, and carry the leatherman in your pocket.)
- A lighter. When the power goes out, a flashlight is nice, but I dare you to find a lighter in your apartment in the middle of the night aided only by a flashlight. This item pairs with a stock of candles in a well-known location in your apartment.
Don't keep this in your wallet! One of the use cases for this packet is "I lost my wallet." (Or, more likely, "someone stole my wallet.")
Any suggestions for other things to add?