Packing a mini survival kit for your purse is a valuable safety precaution. Assembling one is not time consuming and can be accomplished relatively quickly. In addition, if amassed with just a moderate amount of planning, it could someday come in quite handy.
The kit itself should be enclosed in two separate heavy-duty zip style bags. Do not use thin sandwich bags, as they will quickly wear through. Freezer bags, such as Hefty One Zips work well. Placement in your purse is as important as the enclosed items. For your everyday purse, place the kit in an easy to reach pocket by itself. If it is buried at the bottom of your purse, impossible to reach, it may not be able to serve at its fullest potential, especially in the case of an emergency where time is of importance.
In the first bag that you will share between your regular purse and an evening bag, you should include the following necessities:
- Whistle: if you ever find yourself in a precarious or uncomfortable situation, haul out that whistle and blow. If a possible attacker knows that you are capable of drawing attention, he or she may think twice about approaching you. A whistle also works well for hailing a taxi or for drawing attention to yourself if you are having car troubles
- Dependant on local and state laws, carry some type of repellant spray
- Distress flag to put on a car antenna
- Extra set of keys
- Change for pay phone: even in this modern age of cell phones there may be times that a pay phone is available and your cell phone has no reception
- Bee kit or other allergy medicines
- Tylenol or ibuprofen tablets
- Tweezers
- Individual antiseptic cloths
- Band-Aids
- Antacid
Your regular purse should also include a second kit that includes the following:
- Small pen light or similar sized flashlight: remember to change your batteries once or twice a year so it is useable if and when needed
- Emergency list of numbers including insurance information, emergency contact numbers
- Pen and paper
- Safety pins
- Emery board
- Small sewing kit or needle and thread
- Chap stick
What else goes into the survival kit is partly dependant on the size purse you carry. By double assembling it with a smaller kit inside the main one, you can quickly transfer the most needed items into a small evening bag for a night on the town. Also, think of items that we may not have listed here, but due to personal circumstances, you should include, such as extra batteries for a hearing aid, extra contact lenses, etc. You may also find yourself customizing the kit depending on the time of year and the main places you travel. If it is winter and you spend a large amount of time on back roads, which are snow covered, include an extra pair of gloves and a thermal blanket that comes sealed in a small foil pack. In the summer, if you often find yourself waiting outside for one reason or another, keep a fresh moistened washcloth in another zip bag that you replace daily. In addition to the items listed, always carry a cell phone that is charged. You never know when this modern day convenience may be needed.
