GHB for wife

[Shirley Temple]

Hi everybody,

I've been looking over the posts on the BOB's and GHB's and thinking it's long overdue for me to get one together for the wife.  We live far from grocery stores, family, friends, etc. so she routinely has to drive 20 to 25 miles.  Complicating matters even further, we have four kids ages 9, 7, 5, and 14 mo. whom she usually has with her.  I'm wondering about the amount of things she'd need and the logistics of getting 4 kids home if the SHTF when she's 20 miles from home.  Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Steve

[Bonnieblue2A]

A tactical nanny?

[Shirley Temple]

A tactical nanny?

I don't know if that was supposed to be funny, but that made me laugh!

[Bonnieblue2A]

I don't know if that was supposed to be funny, but that made me laugh!

It was. My humor is of the dehydrated variety. 

[Hootie]

the logistics of getting 4 kids home if the SHTF when she's 20 miles from home.  Any thoughts?

well, worst case is walking  (2miles per hour, maybe) so that is 10+ hours of walking
remember if it is 5pm... that could mean stopping for a sleep break.
But on a positive note... maybe using the car is still an option.


some basic questions:
- what state or general area you live in (so we can make suggestion based on weather)
- you thinking tactical or just if bad weather hits (helps us ignore the need to prep for zombies )
         *she work 20 from home in a bad part of town or out in the middle of no where.
         *does she have a conceal and carry?


For my wife (no kids), i keep it simple and non-scary.  More of every day items.
- extra blanket (we have cold winters)
- med kit (head ache, bandaids, female items, bug spay)
- pocket knife and lighter and flashlight
- twine and duct tape
- water (case of plastic water bottles)
- food (mainly snacks, breakfast items, jerky. incase she forgets her lunch)

She has told me more than once, that she has opened up the GHB to help a coworker.

[GreekMan]

the situation is such that it dictates apickup.
Set down a plan wiht alternate methods of communicatiosn and pickup places at he start and en route.

[Bob Spelled Backwards]

Fold up strollers don't take up a lot of room and can make a long journey more bearable.

[rikkrack]

My wife finally put a pair of good walking shoes in her bag. She likes the "pretty" shoes in her office. Highly impractical for walking out from work.

In addition to the fold up stroller we picked up a kid backpack, goodwill. We mainly use it when we take the kids hiking and the littlest (21 mo now) gets tired she gets in the pack and rides usually naps, then back to walking. If not riding we can put other gear (watter bottles, sweatshirts etc so we keep hands free for the older kids). It folds up and doesn't take up much space.

Have 4 kids too 11, 10, 4 and 21mo. We ALWAYS have a few snacks stashed in either car or trunk and a few bottles of water. great if out and errands take too long they have a snack a drink. Also the single serving drink mixes makes a good item too. 

Wife has her CCL and says she feels better about if anything happens that she has it with her, and after taking a class specifically for women, she feels more confident in her abilities and taking care of the kids.

[Shirley Temple]

I was kind of thinking a full out SHTF while she was out, but I guess that's pretty unlikely.  Fold up stroller and baby carrier I guess are a must.  Problem comes on grocery trips- they take up so much room.  Ford Expeditions aren't as roomy as one might think.  We are in Minnesota, so I suppose this time of year I should focus on warmth items in case they get stranded?  Trying to think of creative ways to stash things in there.  Thanks for the replies everybody, You guys and ladies are the best!!!!

[rikkrack]

I saw a system where a guy strung up fishing pols along the ceiling of his SUV. He used rope or bungee cords anchored to the clothes hooks above the door. You may get a stroller/carrier up on the ceiling, and a few blankets. May also help for more insulation in SUV. There is also a cloth version, like a papoose from native Americans (probably other people use, just what I remember). Ours is metal frame, but for emergency use, cloth may be better. Could probably save a buck or two and if you are any good at sewing make your own.

We took a warm day and just opened up the doors and all the nooks and crannies in our explorer and found all sorts of places to stash items.

In back where jack is there is room.
In back where fluid reservoir for rear window washer there is room. We pulled ours out because it never worked and used the extra apace.
Space under seats.

We only shop every 3 mo or so and make a list and stock up truck and leave kids at home.

[endurance]

You're definitely going to have to have a winter kit and a summer kit given your northern climate.  I agree with Rikkrack that good footware has to be a foundation for all the bipeds that will be traveling under their own power and it has to be appropriate footware for the season.  I'd toss in a box of toe warmers and hand warmers, enough so everyone could have two sets.  20 miles in one day is absolutely not realistic for anyone that does not train for the distance.  So that presumes spending the night out.

My winter kit includes a mid-weight poly base layer, fleece pants, a fleece jacket, wind-proof pants, heavy wool socks, winter gloves, and an N2B flight jacket (parka).  Multiplying that by five is going to take up a lot of space, but the alternative is not moving at all and having to hunker and wait for help to arrive.

I have the advantage of having a garage, so I can keep about 5-7 liters of water in my car that only freezes a few days a year.  Without that, water can be a real challenge.  For food, I keep it extremely simple: Granola-type bars (they don't melt), Millenium Bars (5 year shelf life), and sports bars and gels.  I do have a small solid fuel stove and metal water bottle along with chicken bullion cubes, but I've been rethinking this and will probably go with an alcohol stove and/or tea lite candles in the future because the exhaust given off by esbit stoves is noxious.  Realistically, the stove and hot soup is just for morale.  Everything else if food cube food and just meant to keep me alive.  I have historically carried several MREs, but their summer shelf life is awful in a car (really, one summer), I don't like the taste, and would rather be able to eat on the move.  Still, some items like ranger bars, lemon poppyseed poundcake, and the crackers are worth considering, but the entrees seem like a waste of space and time.

One kid-transit idea is a shopping cart, however, more and more supermarkets are going to auto-locking wheels so they're worthless when you leave the parking lot. 

[flippydidit]

You're definitely going to have to have a winter kit and a summer kit given your northern climate.  I agree with Rikkrack that good footware has to be a foundation for all the bipeds that will be traveling under their own power and it has to be appropriate footware for the season.  I'd toss in a box of toe warmers and hand warmers, enough so everyone could have two sets.  20 miles in one day is absolutely not realistic for anyone that does not train for the distance.  So that presumes spending the night out.

My winter kit includes a mid-weight poly base layer, fleece pants, a fleece jacket, wind-proof pants, heavy wool socks, winter gloves, and an N2B flight jacket (parka).  Multiplying that by five is going to take up a lot of space, but the alternative is not moving at all and having to hunker and wait for help to arrive.

I have the advantage of having a garage, so I can keep about 5-7 liters of water in my car that only freezes a few days a year.  Without that, water can be a real challenge.  For food, I keep it extremely simple: Granola-type bars (they don't melt), Millenium Bars (5 year shelf life), and sports bars and gels.  I do have a small solid fuel stove and metal water bottle along with chicken bullion cubes, but I've been rethinking this and will probably go with an alcohol stove and/or tea lite candles in the future because the exhaust given off by esbit stoves is noxious.  Realistically, the stove and hot soup is just for morale.  Everything else if food cube food and just meant to keep me alive.  I have historically carried several MREs, but their summer shelf life is awful in a car (really, one summer), I don't like the taste, and would rather be able to eat on the move.  Still, some items like ranger bars, lemon poppyseed poundcake, and the crackers are worth considering, but the entrees seem like a waste of space and time.

One kid-transit idea is a shopping cart, however, more and more supermarkets are going to auto-locking wheels so they're worthless when you leave the parking lot.

When I first read the title I thought it was referring to the "date rape" drug known as GHB.  That puts a WHOLE different perspective on the topic.   

I'd agree with just about everything already posted.  Our vehicle kits were pretty close to the same that endurance described.  For food, I had put in cans of tuna fish, crackers, mayonnaise/sweet relish (single serve packets), and some Nilla wafer cookies.  We had a Ford Explorer and found stash points with the spare tire area, jack area, and on the other side with the speaker.  I'd also recommend a roof-top car carrier (hard body).  You might lose some fuel economy, but you'll always have your "stuff" and it will be out of the way for daily activities.  Besides, a Ford Expedition isn't the most aerodynamic, fuel efficient vehicle to begin with.

[Shirley Temple]

When I first read the title I thought it was referring to the "date rape" drug known as GHB.  That puts a WHOLE different perspective on the topic.   

Hahaha!!