I work downtown, and I sometimes wonder what would happen if all goes to heck while I’m at work. Can I get home? Are cars able to start? If not, can I get to my bug out bag in my car?
And then I think… I really should have a few supplies in my purse.
Some of this will depend on your purse size and how close to your car you are while you’re at work. If you’re nowhere near your car, I’d opt for a larger purse than I normally would — something with multiple sections, that way, you can keep all of your survival gear together.
The Purpose of Having Survival Gear in Your Purse
A purse survival kit is the bare minimum for maintaining sanity for 1-2 days. You are not meant to survive indefinitely on these items. These items are merely meant to help you get from wherever you’re stranded to your safe place, taking into consideration that you may need clean drinking water, food, and a makeshift shelter.
Waterproof/Stormproof matches – Matches are the quickest, most efficient way to start a fire, a fire that you may need for cooking or warmth. For long-term survival, you may want to learn how to use a flint and steel, or a magnesium fire starter — but for the purpose of getting from A to B, matches are quick and easy.
Pencil sharpener – A pencil sharpener is a great idea to create tinder: sharpen twigs to create shavings for easy fire-starting. (You can also use the sharpener for your eye pencil.)
Pocket Mirror – Use the compact from your makeup, OR pack a separate signal mirror. This can be used for starting a fire or signaling across long distances.
Local Map & Compass – Have a map of your area to have on hand, and study it to find alternate routes to your safe place. Obviously, having a compass is key to make sure you’re headed in the right direction. (I love the idea of the Survival Bracelet, which comes with a compass, is woven out of paracord, and comes with several other tools that could be used in a pinch.)
Mace – Hopefully you won’t need to use this… but as a woman potentially on her own, you’ll be glad you have it. For me, it also brings peace of mind when walking alone on dark evenings.
Water filtration straw (with pouch) – For cleaning running water you may find from creeks or streams. (Drinking stagnant water is a last resort.)
(3) high protein bars of your choice – I opt for these over the 3600 calorie bricks that weigh far too much for a purse. (Remember to swap out these bars every five months since they don’t keep as long as the vacuum-sealed type.) I almost always have raw almonds and a pouch of tuna with me — it functions as a a healthy back-up lunch option if nothing else.
Miniature leatherman – There are multiple uses for a small leatherman. Bringing a miniature pocket knife to work depends on where you work — obviously, a school or daycare is a bad idea — and probably against policy.
Poncho – To keep dry in case of rain.
Emergency Mylar Tent – If your home/safe place is more than a few hours’ walk from your office, a mylar tent can help keep basic elements off of you and reflect heat (should you need to traverse fields and forests. Not really recommended for city use).
Space Blanket (x2) – Again, this is for extreme conditions when you may need to keep warm.
Socks – A pair of dry socks can make all of the difference for morale.
Collapsible/Rollup shoes– This is a larger item that can only fit in larger purses, but if you’re stuck in high heels and have no place to keep sneakers at your office, these are better than going barefoot.
Optional:
4-6 pouches of drinking water– If you live in an arid part of the country that doesn’t see a lot of rainfall, it’s a very good idea to keep pouches of water on hand. I store mine in the car.
If Assembling the Purse Survival Kit for Others…
If you’re planning on assembling a “purse survival kit” for your wives, mom, or sister who may not be 100% on board with prepping, remember: presentation is everything. Consider packing it up neatly in something like a medium-sized makeup organizer.
What would you add to the purse survival kit?
Matches was mentioned. i suggest going with a 5 function whistle. in which it has a compass. signal mirror. a dry storage comparment for matches. and a striker for the matches.they also come with a string that allows a person to wear it around their neck as a neckless.pencil sharpeners with the part to catch the shavings is great to have.i save the shavings from pencils in 1 cup zip bags.