A lot of you guy know I am L.E.O. and I have been a Deputy for 20 years, I work a very rual county surrounded by woods and rivers with most of the time just me on shift. No other L.E.O. in the county but me with backup 45min to an hour away. My question is I have my large bob at home stocked and ready to go, I carry a small Voodoo sling bag to work with me and have extra ammo, Military style trauma kit that I done which is set for gunshots, stabbings and so on that can be self applied, 3 MRE's a small survival kit with fire, water, knife, paracord, compass and a county map. Any suggestions on any thing to add, ways to save on space in my bag. I have always carried a EDC bag but if there are any monkey's out there that has a job in this type of environment (backwood WV) suggestions are welcomed. I am the type of prepper who is constantly wanting to add to my bags and kits always unpacking and repacking(I think Im obsessed on the quest for the holy grail/perfect EDC keeping everything and going smaller) trying to make space and add.
Alpha! LTNS Bud. I do a lot of motorcycle camping and sounds like you got your sling bag down to what you need, though I might add a GPS, a few fish hooks and a few spices, and swap the MREs for energy bars. A folded square of aluminum foil makes an improvised pot, signal mirror, oven, and will even improvise as a mini space blanket. Dry socks! mechanics nitrile gloves. Gallon zip-locks don't take much space and can keep stuff dry and carry water. A sippy-straw and some water purification tablets are useful. Both of my bikes have a Hennesay jungle hammock, a kelly-kettle, and a Eureka Silver City sleeping bag. A couple of plastic drum liners don't take much space and can be used for an improvised shelter, ground-cloth, rain cover, carrying water or fresh kill, and don't forget that those zip-ties aren't just for handcuffs any more.
Seems like you may have two fundamental needs. Gear to support and maintain you in a grid down survival kind of scenario and gear to support you for bad situations you may encounter in the context of law enforcement. For the later kind of situation, comms to summon help and backup, even if it's an hour away is vital. Don't know how good your radio and cell phone coverage is, but I'm guessing backwoods WV has plenty of totally dead zones where you regularly go but have no comms. In that situation it would seem very prudent to have a satellite texting type device such as the DeLorme InReach, Spot Connect, Geopro Messinger or similar. A couple hundred bucks plus a modest monthly subscription and per message fee that I'd think the department should pick up. Help an hour away that can be contacted is still better than no help if you broke an ankle in winter, took a gunshot etc where multiple hours/days till help arrived could be fatal. And these are small enough for a belt pouch or cargo pocket to always have on you. AT
I second the Backup Comm gear.... Being that you are the lone LEO on shift.... Your dispatch must be from the State Police, or other outfit.... What is the Cellphone coverage thru most of the county? If you lose the vehicle, what is your next best way to get in touch with your dispatch? Oh, and nice to see a Post from you Dog... We were wondering, if you were still around.... Your LEO insights have always been enlightening..... .....
As @Seacowboys said and then some, I have a mini metal fishing gear case that has hooks, line, and miscellaneous fishing materials including some tied flies for various types of fishing ....that goes in the bottom of the bag...never know how you will have to make it for food so this is one solid way to feed your self....at least in my neck of the woods.
Weighted down M80's and something to attract fish works pretty good too, lol. For use in emergencies only, of course.
@Alpha Dog you are more prepared than I am on the EDC front for sure. Heck, I only carry a pocket knife, some aluminum foil and potassium iodide on me as a nuclear/rad protection kit. That's it. I generally keep my vehicle as the primary source for backup supplies for day to day use. The guys mentioned alternate comms, and that's what the truck is for --lots of iDen's charged up, CB on standby, too. The best pieces of kit I have in the truck are a protective mask and Tyvek fallout suit, with extended use items like a heavy fireman's axe and cookout griddle in case I need to make camp the old fashioned way. A few extra heavy duty tarps go a long way, and at least one wool blanket just 'because'. A bag of saline, and IV drip/lock kit would be a wise investment, too.
I def need to look into extra form of comms because here cell phone singal comes and goes I have been looking at some of the small portable hams. I have also been researching some of the small roll up bag one man tent it looks like you could almost fit one of them in bdu cargo pocket.
Lemme see if I can define the scenario a bit. I'm guessing that you check in with dispatch periodically, and that they know roughly where you were last check in. Thus, if you don't make sked, they will know where to start looking. They will find the car, burnt out or not, and you will be skeletonized inside or nearby if not. (As always, when lost, sit tight and let them find you.) So, it seems to me, if the car is intact, you have shelter and maybe even primary comms. If it's a hulk the primary comms are done for, too. Smoke signals will attract attention, so the fire starting stuff will be handy for warm and the MREs. You aren't looking for surviving a true, longer term SHTF, and you want to be found by good guys (I'm ignoring E & E situations, a whole different pot of stew.) You have all the arms and ammo that might be wanted in the patrol car as well as on your carcass. You have first aid covered (including as possible helping yourself) as issued stuff in the car as well. You have a day or two's worth of rations that will see you thru already in the "run away from the burning car" bag. That leaves shelter and backup comms lacking. Space blanket vs. rollup tent, maybe? If you are injured, a tent might be hard to handle. Comms, then. Think ham, as you already indicated. Once there, a handheld transceiver might well do the trick, especially if you leave a designated frequency with someone (useful for E & E, too) who will know to listen for you if all else fails. I might carry a wire antenna with a way to deploy it even if partially disabled that could be plugged into the h/t; that will take some study of compatibility. Here, I'm thinking of NVIS signals that could be bounced over the hills (others will comment on that, I don't know enough about it.)
I don't know it could be long term with the way our dispatchers are (lol) I did a test the other day to show my point to the Sheriff about dispatch and why I worry about my Boots. I went on duty a 0800hrs at 0845hrs contacted control and advised I would be out of my unit on 5 unknown male subjects in a remote area of the County. Now this area is a place that know one would ever go unless they were trying to hide or up to no good every call we have had there in the past has led to Deputies having to fight. I never called back in to control as being clear at 1800hrs I went off duty Control had never checked to see if everything was ok, never contacted anyone to go check. Next morning the Sheriff went to the 911 center and ask where I was the same dispatcher said he didn't know. The Sheriff ask when was the last time they had contact the dispatcher stated I hadn't came on duty yet. Sheriff made them back up the 911 log over 24 hours I had been left out to hang needless to say the Sheriff did some ars chewing. Then told the dispatcher it had been a test they failed.
