AZ Preparedness Discussion

I'm lazy and dont really have tools at the condo plus got a giftcard at work today for my bday, ended up ordering the Relentless Fab quick fist mounts to get the shovel/axe set up going.

 

how is this while off roading?

i would imagine the weight at the top of the seat would shimmy and shake you dang near to death.

 

Used it plenty Offroad on other vehicles in the past. On my 3rd gen, it actually makes the seat headrest MORE steady and eliminates the rattle that many folks experience. It’s rock solid and there’s no shifting, shaking, looseness, rattle, or vibration to be had. Weight total I imagine is somewhere around 5lbs including the hardware and mounts. I honestly don’t even feel it behind me. If it were a larger extinguisher, your concerns would probably exist. It wouldn’t be my first mounting choice if I were going to hoon my truck through the desert at 60mph, but it’s perfect for typical slow AZ offroading and crawling. And also see results in post on how it held up in a severe accident I was in.

 

Trauma kit pouch got in. Now I just need to properly build it. A great feature is that it’s completely rip-away with the Velcro back on it, meaning I can just grab the handle and go. Will also attach to any standard molle bag, and it’s a great supplement to my personal first aid kit in my hiking pack. Looks small, but it’s more than adequate for everything going in it. Still working on that list and will post it once my kit is complete.

 

Feeling good - picked up a fire extinguisher today at Lowes and put it in the truck.

What sealed the deal - on the way to Lowes for yard stuff, full size truck in front of me blew a radiator hose and "appeared" to be on fire.

 

This generator went on sale at Costco, finally scooped it up. https://www.costco.com/A-IPower-160...Gas-Inverter-Generator.product.100343958.html

 

How's the kit build coming along? This is a direction I'd like to go in as it would be a valuable asset to have for both work and play.

 

Hey sorry just saw this now. I think I’m mostly complete. My truck trauma kit along with my hiking pack has enough items that I’m comfortable with. I may add a small homemade backboard and implement it into a folding table top when not needed for emergencies. Otherwise I’ve also added hyfin chest seals since I’m around firearms regularly, as well as more quickclot gauze. My kit also includes:

Sawyer sting and bite kit
Regular gauze
Surgical shears
Surgical tape
Multiple bandages
Moleskin
Israeli bandages
Swathes and bandanas
Ceralyte electrolyte pouches
Tourniquet
SAM splint
Mini sharpie
Nasal pharyngeal airway
Disposable Surgical gloves
Goggles with black out inserts for eye injuries
CPR mask
Weatherproof notepad
Epi-pen
Gu packets and honey sticks for diabetics
Topical iodine
Alcohol pads
Small trash bag for haz waste

I’m sure I’m missing something but that’s basically it. I also now have a HAM radio and about to get a Garmin inreach, so that I can hopefully leave the lifesaving to the people who get paid for it haha.

 

2021 OR with Crew Cab (Yeah, Toyota has a catchy label). Rear seats bottoms and backs deleted. Built a 3/4” platform bolted to seat cushion hinges with 5/16” Bolts and T Nuts on Plywood. Plus a section added with a Piano hinge to add more storage on top and a secure, hidden location beneath. Currently awaiting Rigid Molle Panels for both Seat Backs and to install over those plastic cubbies. Overhead MESO Hex Rack in rear. Soon Front Bed Rail will be installed with RotoPax Gas and Water Pax.

1) UHF/VHF Radio in Drivers Side Cubby (call May Day, some Ham is always listening; program for local Repeater Networks). Handheld UHF/VHF. My set up allows me to use Truck for a repeater. My kid has same set up. We often are in field during Elk season chatting more than 15 miles between us as we glass. When we use a Mountain Based Repeater we chat more than 100 miles away.
2) D Cell LED Flashlite on Hex Rack with Quickfists
3) Solid Fire Extinguisher Element E50 on Hex Rack with Quickfists
4) K Bar on Hex Rack
5) Recovery Gear: Come A Long, HyLift with base plate and associated gear, Tow Strap and Snatch Strap with Shackles, etc. Rear receiver insert with shackle
6) Shovel (learned that the hard way after getting High Centered in pal’s truck and we had to dig out with a claw hammer) in bed with Quickfists along with that HyLift.
7) Glock 30 with spare Magazine and 40 extra rounds of Personal Defense rounds
8) Mini 14 with 12 MAGAZINEs loaded with Hornady’s Zombie Rounds and 60 rounds of ammo in boxes.
9) Throwing Tomahawk
10) Hatchet
11) Trauma Kit (suture kits, splints, tourniquet, Blood Clot, Israeli Battle Dressings, etc) this stuff takes up THREE of those Molle Trauma Bags one often sees on line. But after being way out in boonies and slicing open my thigh, I learned to be ready to suture myself up, etc.
12) Leatherman
13) 2 very sharp lock blade knives
14) small multi band radio (AM/FM/SW)
15) lots of spare LITHIUM batteries
16) Jumper Cable Charged Battery do dad.
17) Small Tool Kit including tools to change Serpentine Belt with fuses, etc. Dedicated breaker bar with 6 Point socket for Lug Nuts
18) Gorilla Duct Tape
19) Need to get a good Air Compressor
20) Life Straw with 1L Metal water Bottle (empty)
21) Mylar Blankets and a 2 person Bivy
22) Fire Starting Kits (use dryer lint in a card .board egg carton, then pour melted wax) lots of water proof matches
23) Surefire LED Flashlight on rigid Molle Panel attached to Drivers Sunvisor. This is the one with the crenellated bezel and blinding light. Great to make folks just go away.
24) climbing rope with Carabiners
25) Paracord
26) Pelican Ice Chest strapped to that plywood deck. When empty a great storage box.
27) N95 Masks
28) 92% Isopropyl Alcohol in a spray bottle for hand decontamination
29) TL-29 Pocket Knife (out of production). I found some in PA and bought a bunch.
30) C cell flashlite with strobe

AND room for my Labrador, Diesel.

 

Costco (at least the paradise valley mall costco) carries multi day mountain house boxes. I try to convince my wife every time

I have an automotive and regular extinguisher mounted to my bed rack very cheaply but it’s effective lol.

 

I carry a

$40 BAOFENG UV-5R Ham Radio Long Range Handheld UV5R Dual Band 3800mAh Rechargeable Two Way Radio Walkie Talkies for Adults with Earpiece,Speaker Mic and Programming Cable Full Kit (Black-1Pack)

BAOFENG UV-5R VHF/UHF radio as part of my kit, it's only $25. I also made this guide so someone *cough* unfamiliar with it can use it in an emergency.

 

last time I was at arrowhead Costco they still had them, redywise 30 day I think it is? Yeah wife is not on board with that one yet

 

They’ve had the readywise one at paradise valley Costco but were also selling Mountain House. I want to say they were 3 day kits. Haven’t been in a month or so to check if they’re still there.

 

My local has the same and the price hasn't gone up either. $60

 

I feel like this quite reasonable. Idk why we haven’t got one yet. Maybe after our kid is born lol

 

How much of a PIA is it to get certified to use these?

 

you gotta take classes and obtain a certificate, or you don’t and only use it as a 2 way. Apparently it’s 3 easy steps though.

https://hamradioprep.com/how-to-get...MIhZKOrabg8QIV0xt9Ch1o6QJ3EAAYASAAEgJfFPD_BwE

 

For Amateur Radio (ham radio) license you would need to study for it. You can get study books at the library or download them. You can also download apps that give you practice questions to go through. Once you feel you are ready to take the test, locate your nearest Amateur Radio (ham radio) test site. Schedule a test date and become an Amateur Radio (ham radio) operator through the FCC.
For GRMS/FRS just register and pay your fee to the FCC and they will grant you a license to operate your new radio.

 

Upgrade the antennae to the
TIDRADIO 771 Antenna
And get the 3800 battery

All from Amazonia

KF7ULQ

Get the ARRL books to study. They have 100% of the FCC Test covered.

Forget about those TOY GRMS/FRS. In an actual emergency you will want UHV/VHF. Capable of longer line of site range, capable of hitting repeaters and actually getting HELP.

 

No license required for FRS, but FRS Chan 8-14 are .5W tx limited. The rest of the channels allow 2W tx. Since this radio has 1W tx on the Low power setting, you are gtg (no license required) on Chans 1-7 and 15-22 in Low power mode.
GMRS requires a "license", but all you do is fill out a form and pay $70 for a 10 year license. GMRS overlaps with FRS 1-22, plus has 8 additional channels. With GMRS license you can tx up to 5W on FRS/GMRS Channels 1-7 and up to 50W on channels 15-30. Chans 8-14 are still .5W limited. The Gen 1 and 2 of these radios (what I have) the High power mode tx's at 5W, conveniently fitting in these limits.

Of course in a true emergency situation tx power limits are not my top concern.