VE6AB Mobile Ops
Road Ready Mobile
Hard to believe that the calendar says its October 4th, however winter can come early to the Southern Alberta Rockies with the landscape transformed as you see it here.
With any luck we should see some of this snow melt, and a return to fall, but who knows for sure.
With the recent snowfall, up to 60 cm in some areas of the Rockies west of Calgary, a rash of accidents brought traffic to a standstill on highway 1 near Canmore AB several days ago.
With vehicles backed up for miles, and nothing moving, many of the motorists spent 10 to 14 hours stranded, many running out of gas, without food, and not wearing appropriate clothing for the night spent in a cold vehicle. After the road finally got cleared, and everyone finally able to reach their destinations, the finger-pointing began as to whose fault it was that this event had occurred stranding everyone.
Regardless of whose fault it was, I like to think that I would have spent the time comfortably while waiting for the road to be cleared.
Bottom line is, so could have those caught out on the road in the above circumstances with a bit of preparation.
If you were to look in the cargo bay of my mobile, you would find it loaded with everything I could possibly need should something happen where I had to spend time out on the road.
I always have a complete emergency preparedness kit with me in my mobile
As a rule I carry enough food and water to last for 72 hours.
Water purification supplies ( I also have a water filter pump )
Cooking supplies ( I have several choices of stoves stored in my emergency go-kit and survival kit.)
A first aid kit.
Fire starting tool ( matches, ferrocerium rod, lighter, etc.)
Maps and compass with travel information ( a gps device is nice, but back it up with a map and compass )
Standard camping equipment, including sanitation supplies
Weather appropriate clothing.
Bedding items such as sleeping bags and blankets ( bags rated for at least -25C if you are travelling in the winter months in Alberta.)
Battery or crank-operated radio ( also, if a ham, a full compliment of ham gear )
Lighting (battery or crank operated flashlight, glow sticks)
Fixed-blade and folding knife, as well as a camp hatchet.
Duct tape and rope/paracord
Plastic tarps for shelter and water collection
Wire for binding and repair of equipment.
Snow shovel
Tow strap with shackle.
Booster cables
Full tank of gas, or at least the top half of the tank.
I could make due for several weeks or longer with my emergency go-kit. I like to keep my emergency go-kit as well as my survival kit in my vehicle as a rule, so that I have them along with me when I am off of the beaten path.
For the the winter months, a full complement of clothing required for survival when the un-expectant happens and your stranded. I also carry a snow shovel that packs away until needed, as well as a snow saw for building snow shelters.
If you cover all of the basics with a kit such as the one described here, you will be more than prepared should a situation such as the one that occurred near Canmore were to happen to you.
