I had a few hours last week while waiting on calculations from the PLS, so I spent the time cleaning up the chariot. I sweep it out and dispose of trash at the end of the day as a matter of course, a habit developed three decades ago, but it was time to dig out all the nooks and crannies.
Actual equipment used is generic to pretty much everyone, but have some things that are more personal preference. It got me to thinking about what everyone else considers essential, and why.
1. Survival pack. This is an old backpack with 2 litres of water, sardines, a jar of peanut butter, two packs of dehydrated fruit, a box of saltines and two cans of Sterno. I put it together after being stuck in a snowstorm for 9 hours, and getting scared enough at the time to never leave the house without a week's worth of provisions, just in case.
2. Taser, with modified leads. The ultimate snakebite kit.
3. An old cell phone and charger. While I don't have regular service set up on this one, it will dial 911 and connect. It resides in a pocket in aforementioned backpack.
4. A 3 ton hydraulic jack, an old blanket, and 4' section of pipe. Anyone ever stuck in sand knows why. This is in addition to the regular equipment tire jack.
Let's add to this, and tell why it is essential equipment for your specific region. I love snooping in other people's rigs, and finding out why they keep the stuff they do.
Just essential to those working at a municipality.
10 pound sledge..Used for unseating SSMH's and stuck grates.
Pick and other tools for lifting SSMH's, Valve boxes and such.
Water pump..For cleaning out monument boxes.
Keel. Used for marking inverts and other things.
Extra clothes..For those days that change radically or when you wind up in the creek doing cross sections.
Portable depth finder..For cross sections in creeks or on the lake.
Just a few off the top of my head.
> 2. Taser, with modified leads. The ultimate snakebite kit.
Really?
These guys think not: http://www.herper.com/venom/electro.html
Handyman Jack,
Don't leave home without it!
CV
A roll of TP!
TP,Extra socks,extra boots,meds.
Good article, and more than I've read recently. Years ago a local pharmacist told me based on what he knew (his son taught natural science at the local jr. college) it would only work with necrotic toxins, such as rattlesnake and moccasin, the two predominant species in my little neck of the woods. For copperhead and coral snake, not so much.
Given that most of the firsthand reports I'd read involved neural toxins such as produced by bushmasters and cobras, I was a bit skeptical. However, if faced with a situation where I am hours away from medical help, or have a co-worker incapacitated, I would take the risk.
Handy-dandy cigarette lighter-powered air pump to inflate tires with small leaks.
Bent, rusty, old serving spoon to remove bits of asphalt and small rocks from small-diameter holes dug in asphalt pavement.
Dan,
Thank you for that link. It may convince others to reconsider that methodology.
I live in an area where pit vipers (them ole rattlesnakes and moccasins) are prevalent. Although never bitten, I would be extremely hesitant to implore the use of a “Taser” for medicinal purposes. INMHO it’s just best to carry a snake bite kit, your choice, and remain calm, thence haul ass to the nearest hospital.
Ya’ll have a great week!:-)
Note to P.L Parsons
If anyone in the South is stupid enough to get bitten by a coral snake... well then let nature take it's course.
I drive an extended cab 1500 4x4 so I have lots of room for extras.
TP, socks, flashlight, knife, flagging, nails, marker, bug spray, safety vest, instant heat packets, water bottle, granola bars (rotated weekly), bottle of assorted meds (bynadryl, advil, xanax, etc), some kind of firearm (normally a 45), small amount of cash, leather bound portfolio pad with a 2 pens, business cards, extra sunglasses, long sleeve t-shirt, cell charger, ratchet strap, 20' of rope, and always my #1 machete.
wideband scanner, mostly for listening to traffic helicopters to find a way home
CB with sideband (ssb) to talk to neighbors & other good ol' boys
the all-important dog water bowl + a few days worth of kibble + extra leashes
7x50 binoculars
msr white gas stove + a 9" cast iron pan, for a quick steak or coffee.
pound of dark roast coffee, green tea
them blue enamel camping cups, plates, bowls
bag of charcoal
bundle of firewood (not a usual thing, but leftover from car camping this summer)
a small cooler, available for filling with steaks or groceries as needed
birkenstocks for when my boots are too muddy to buy groceries on the way home
MURS handheld radios for crew
blue camel-hair blazer for association meetings
Power inverter
Rubber boots
A logging chain
50' of rope
A hardopy of my survey equipment manuals
Indelible paint markers - White
Extra Schondstedt batteries
A tree identification book
A tripod stabelizer (when using RTS on hard surfaces)
A survival mirror ( viewing inside MHs & pipes)
A few 1 gallon ziplock bags
Dog treats
Safety glasses
First Aid Kit
MH Lid puller
A ground probe
Jumper cables
An umbrella
A very small but bright headlamp
A retractable fishing rod w/ green rubber worm
A pitching wedge or 9 iron
abacus (for when the batteries on my calculator die)+
* I may start carrying a hatchet.
I want to work with you.
And have TDD for a backup.
I can't tell if you guys are working or camping!
I carry extra shirts, especially in summer time.
I "used to" carry a "sawed off" BB gun and an ultra light Daiwa fishing rod.
:coffee:
I've been on jobs where working did turn into camping. Stuck in a mud bog a long ways from the main roads, farmer locked the gate thinking we had left for the day and not expecting us to work until dark thirty.
And in the early days of GPS then camping just made more sense after trudging up some mountain with all that gear for several days occupations.
Many of us grew up in the scouts so I never felt that it was a bad thing to do a little camping while on a job.
Farmer locking the gate is one thing, but towing the truck is another. One of the guys showed up at dawn and chopped all day until after dark. Showed up the next day and did the same thing. Cops saw the truck parked there and assumed it had been there for 48 hours and towed the truck. He was pretty PO'ed to get back to the truck and find it GONE!. A long walk to the nearest neighbor to call for a ride home.
A duffle bag in my truck stocked with extra clothes, extra sunglasses, phone charger, TP, paper towels, first aid kit, dog biscuits.
A backpack with handheld NAV/COM (aviation) radio, weather radio, laptop, firearm & ammo.
Always have a small cooler with bottle water and snacks.
I agree with the link Dan posted. No electric shock on top of being bitten. No logic in that treatment.
> I drive an extended cab 1500 4x4 so I have lots of room for extras.
>
> TP, socks, flashlight, knife, flagging, nails, marker, bug spray, safety vest, instant heat packets, water bottle, granola bars (rotated weekly), bottle of assorted meds (bynadryl, advil, xanax, etc), some kind of firearm (normally a 45), small amount of cash, leather bound portfolio pad with a 2 pens, business cards, extra sunglasses, long sleeve t-shirt, cell charger, ratchet strap, 20' of rope, and always my #1 machete.
Snoop,
You have about 1/2 as much as I tote around. Of course I drive a 3/4 ton Quad Cab with a tool box so I have a bit more room.
> Farmer locking the gate is one thing, but towing the truck is another. One of the guys showed up at dawn and chopped all day until after dark. Showed up the next day and did the same thing. Cops saw the truck parked there and assumed it had been there for 48 hours and towed the truck. He was pretty PO'ed to get back to the truck and find it GONE!. A long walk to the nearest neighbor to call for a ride home.
PO'ed would have just barely touched the problem if that had been mine. How about felony auto Theft charges against the local PD as a beginning point?
