An emergency managers every day carry

When it comes to a persons Every Day Carry or EDC set up, it’s often times as unique to the users work and professional life as a finger print is to their body. I use that statement to get you into the thinking mindset that everyone is an individual and what works for your situation or career may not work for others. In my 9-5 day job life I am an Emergency Management Professional, which means on my commute to the office I have a backpack that has the “required” work items for the office, folders, pens, note pads etc. The bonus part of having to drag folders and office related garbage with me in a bag is that I can pack a little extra level of gear into it without looking like I am preparing to hike the Appalachian Trail. I’m sure some of our readers can relate to the experience of having to carry a backpack or small bag to work everyday, just like you did for years as a child going to school.

If there is a difficulty sometimes with my chosen career it is that I often find myself in meetings and working groups in various local, state and federal government buildings. These buildings as you can image are very specific about their firearms policies with the frequent signs posted reading “NOTICE: NO FIREARMS ALLOW IN THIS FACILITY”. This no gun policy also extends to the parking lots and common areas around the building. That poses a situation that must be handled carefully. How to devise an Every Day Carry set up that unfortunately doesn’t allow for firearms use. Many people in openly anti gun states also face this same problem on a daily basis. So now that I have let you into my world a little bit I figured with September being National Preparedness Month and winding down I would let you look into the EDC of someone who by is essentially a professional prepper on some level. I’ve started my short list going from biggest piece of daily gear to smallest piece of daily gear, so without anymore words let’s get to the gear already.

1.) Vertex Gamut Backpack

The Gamut by Vertx to be is as close to a perfect city pack as I’ve ever used. I chose the Brakes color pattern because it’s essentially two shades of brown and a little lighter colored leather trim. It doesn’t make people think “there goes tactical tim” as I walk by them on busy streets. It blends and looks like something you can get from REI or LL Bean. It’s a 28 liter pack that can hold a 15″ laptop, folders, and the rest of the gear I normally have to drag with me. Price $199.00

2.) Associated Work Folders

The worst part of my EDC, work folders which usually consists of amazingly interesting things like project folders, timelines, excel spread sheets, progress reports and planning guides from FEMA. Just what every person wants to drag back and forth from the office.

3.) Wild Hedgehog Tactical EDC Pocket Kit 

This is where some people lose their minds and carry too much, I went with a simple small kit for a few reasons. Firstly have you ever looked into an official medical kit for something small like a band-aid ? Usually the same injury prone office worker has taken all the band aids and stashed them. Most injuries in the settings I am in required some band aids or something small, like the kind of stuff in the WH Tactical kit. The EDC kit also has a few other pieces that might be needed like a CPR mask and a SWAT-T bandage/tourniquet for that rare occasion. Price $69.99

4.) Streamlight ProTac HL Flashlight 

I live in Alaska and it can be dark here so I needed something small that works. The ProTac HL is simple, effective that provides 750 lumens of light and only needs a few CR123 batteries. At 5.25″ long and just over 5 ounces it’s not like you are carrying the old school 6D Cell maglite. Features a pocket clip to hold it in place in my bag and an easy to use push button on the rear of the body. Priced at a reasonable $ 69.99, it doesn’t kill the wallet.

5.) Bad Monkey Tango style folding knife by Southern Grind Knife Company 

An easy to open blade that is lightweight, sharp and made stronger than an anvil, that about sums up the Bad Monkey by Zac Brown’s Southern Grind Knife Company. I reviewed this knife almost a year ago and I still one of my favorites. It’s a bit steep on the wallet at $260 + but when you score one of these at a great deal you just carry it everywhere

6.) USB Hard Drive 

Probably the most boring piece of daily EDC, a USB compatible hard drive that is password protected. This one of course is loaded with scanned copies of important paperwork so in the event I can’t get back to my house during a disaster or my house is destroyed. I learned when my in laws house burned down that having scanned copies of things like insurance documents, vehicle titles, account numbers and contact information stored of site can save your bacon.

7.) Pen and Paper

In the days of the 21st century some things never go out of style. Power may fail, solar flares or any number of natural or man-made events can render cell phones and technology useless. The ultimate back up plan is good old pen or pencil and paper. Because I’m a mindless drone who wades through governmental bureaucracy and tend to have to make a lot of notes daily I chose to go with a good pen. The Bona Fide pen by John Noveske Sr, if that name sounds a little familiar it should. The founder of the company is the father of acclaimed rifle builder John Novekse Jr.

EDC vs Get Home Bag

The set up I have to use while I work a 9-5 job is very limited and fits it’s purpose. I’m not a spy, a gun fighter or some HALO qualified Space Shuttle Doorgunner, and I don’t pretend to be. I need a few items plus one or two things and need to carry them in a backpackthat doesn’t look like advertisement for Blackwater. Some people reading this will pound their chest and talk about how they never go anywhere unarmed etc, well I’m not willing to risk a felony charge and dismissal from a job I love so I make adjustments and carry what I can. My EDC bag is not the normal “Get Home” bag and defiantly not my EDC for the weekends. Those are slightly different because they suit a very different purpose. I will go over that bag in the very near future, rest assured. I’m curious what other people who work in restricted areas carry for their every day carry options. If you have something that works better I’m all ears.