Planned for "Emergency" what would you??

[Moondog55]

Let's play "What if?"
You do a lot of walking in rough areas and you often have people come with you. Because you are a cautious person you have always brought a group shelter and a small stove/billy and some foodstuffs.
The scenario is that the weather has descended and because you have a couple of smaller children and an elderly person in the group you have pitched the shelter rather than tough it out and try and walk back to the car/lodge/pub/village.

You are all reasonably well dressed and immediate hypothermia isn't a problem

What foods have you packed to cover feeding the 5 or 6 people now crowded into the single pole pyramid.

Me, I carry coffee and sugar for myself, as that group emergency ration I always carried tomato Cup-a-soup and 2-minute noodles when I had my kidlings with me, there were 3 of them so I usually had other snacks and treats in my pack too. I have a tin of Herrings in tomato sauce that has been my emergency ration for the last decade, I really should replace it

[Giddy_up]

Bout the same MD. Only thing I would add is about a hip flask of "Oban". That should see you through.


"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards"

[FatCanyoner]

Miso soup. It weighs nothing, but provides the soothing pleasure of a warm meal. I keep a couple small miso satchels in my first aid kit.

[Son of a Beach]

I always carry a zip lock back with some rice in it, and sometimes a packet of dried peas. Not very exciting to eat, but has a lot of (lasting) energy for the size/weight. I carry more for longer walks where I could potentially be stuck in an isolated place for longer.

I've never had to use it yet, but I know that one day it will be needed.

[perfectlydark]

I always take jerky just for chewing anyway but have a spare lot that I keep as "emergency" energy

[DARRIN-G]

Pop corn in a chip packet only 20 grams they are filling and about 400 kj ....

[Onestepmore]

Miso soup and teabags are always in our bags, as well as a couple of cup a soups or 2 minute noodles - they are fine even if they get smushed to bits. I always carry some jelly snakes or jelly beans for my son - he's like an energiser bunny, when he goes quiet and slows down, pop in a snake, and off he goes again like the drumming bunny. Dried apricots and some almonds for me do the same thing. Some beef jerky is always in my bag for the trip home. And each bag has one of those One Sqaure Meal things
In New Zealand I carried an 'Emergency Frog' - a chocolate Freddo. When someone got tired or injured I'd ask if it was bad enough to have to break out the emergency frog. It was never bad enough, and we'd save him in case something happened later that was worse. So at the end of the 5 day walk we took a photo of Freddo proudly sruvivng at the end of the track. Then we had a ritualistic dismemberment, and ate him, lol. It's now started a bit of a tradition, and I always carry an Emergency Frog (who is often fairly deformed by the end, depending on the weather!)

[Moondog55]

LOL
Was that the normal Freddo or the extra large one?

I've started to collect and hoard sugar sachets from cafes to put into the day trip billy.
Perhaps i should make a bright coloured stuff sack a for the billy and label it "Brew-up Kit" for when I am almost too tired to think

[Onestepmore]

I confess I steal the cracked pepper sachets from McDonalds

[Moondog55]

Cuppasoup was on special so I just bought 2 packs of TOMATO just in case, reminds me to put some 2-minute noodles in the pack.
Will need to pull out the sewing machine again and make another storage sack the right size for the small dixie

[perfectlydark]

I guess ill also add that "emergency" to me implies that I might not be able to start a fire or stove, which leaves out the soupy options. Just dry food you eat straight

[Strider]

I guess ill also add that "emergency" to me implies that I might not be able to start a fire or stove, which leaves out the soupy options. Just dry food you eat straight

if you can't start a fire, then you aren't prepared for an emergency.

[perfectlydark]

True, although the proverbial can hit the fan (your firekit lost or something..)

[Son of a Beach]

True... but your emergency food could get lost too. Better bring two and keep them in separate packs!

[Moondog55]

I had considered those options; which id why I put emergency in quotation marks, I would not consider bad weather to be an emergency but inexperienced people who are at the extremes of the age spread may.
My own kids used to treat the practice sessions I held as "Adventures" and the only time weather was a problem was at home in the city during one of our summer cold and rainy changes

[perfectlydark]

Good point. Weather is not normally an issue, unless your in alpine areas or a sudden flood gets you

[Onestepmore]

In my 'emergency' kit there is always a little orange waterproof screw container with matches and a striker cut off a matchbox, as well as the mini bic lighter and a steel firestarter in my cook kit. And in the first aid kit there are always a couple of water purifying tabs, as well as packing either a steripen or squeeze bag. And in the cook pot with the gas stove and canister there is one of those tiny folding three pronged titanium stoves and a couple of esbit tabs. A hot drink does wonders for morale if you get stuck.
Just in case....
I like backups
Stuff fails
And breaks
Usually at the worst times


The stripen especially seems to be a bit temperamental. Maybe its the wrong time of the month for it or something.
It always works perfectly well when we get it home

[wayno]

well, i live on a dormant volcanoe field, last eruption 500 years ago....... when your times up. your times up....

[Moondog55]

I do see a difference in my own planning and behaviour Pre & Post children, after the kids were older and big enough to come on overnite walks I started to carry a lot more redundancy with food, drink and shelter.
These morale boosting drinks don't weigh much or take up much room, especially compared to a Megamid or Megalite and neither do the stove/pot etc.
On very cold mornings my Grandfather used to swear by hot Bonox rather than his usual cups of sweet black tea; and that is more the tone of my original question.

[Monkeymagic]

id have a bag of mixed nuts, muesli and roll up bars, 3 in 1 coffee bags, some mixed lollies and maybe two big cans of spam..thats for me for the rest of the group id make do what bear grylls does for food lol haha

[GPSGuided]

The stripen especially seems to be a bit temperamental. Maybe its the wrong time of the month for it or something.
It always works perfectly well when we get it home

What are you experiencing? How is it temperamental? Not lighting up or flashing?

[Lophophaps]

A nylon pocket about 60 X 80 mm with a velcro closure has been stitched to the inside of my pack. This holds a box of matches, some firelighters, a candle stub and a small torch, all in a plastic bag. Unless conditions are very bad indeed or there is no wood I can always light a fire. The stove stand is designed for this, burning small pieces of wood.

Matches and candles are scattered throughout the food bags, each of two person-days. After the first two days I tend to save small portions of food, which is eaten on the last night.

Under no circs light a fire inside a tent. Even with the floor rolled back, smoke builds up very quickly.