A sad but important lesson this week

The discovery of the father' body in Oregon today shows how important a good survival kit is for each vehicle, especially if you are traveling out of an urban evironment. They could have all survived if they had a few survival items and the skill to use them. My prayers to his young family.

:candle:

Yeah there's always bad news, that's why I rarely bother reading papers, etc., but for whatever reason this story really bothered me. Perhaps because as you state is seems like it would have been easy to avoid. If just one person is spurred to prepare better when reading this story, and survives becasue of being prepared, then some good will have come from it.

Have their been threads or discussions on EDC car carry? All I really have is a couple of flashlights and a Costco car emergency kit that consists of a air pump, jumper cables, a few small tools and a little bit of first aid kit. I'm wondering what are essential things to carry yet minimizing size as I have a small car and small trunk.

They say to always stay with your vehicle if lost...I don't know what I would do if my family's lives were at stake.

For those of you that are familiar with CNET's reviews, it was James Kim - their Senior Tech editor. He's in many of their video reviews.

With all due respect ... have you even thought this out? (sorry I'm a bit enraged to see this, and I've been dealing with other people today who are also rather ill-informed about this matter.)

The Kims' had already been out there for over a week before James embarked to seek help. A few food items is what helped keep them going (along with mother Kati, nursing the kids) during at time, but a week for a family of 4 is a lot of supplies. I think you'd empty out such a kit pretty quickly.

I had a friend who just beat it out of Oregon before that storm hit the day before Thanksgiving. It must have been on his tail as he was driving south.

Lee1959 said:

The discovery of the father' body in Oregon today shows how important a good survival kit is for each vehicle, especially if you are traveling out of an urban evironment. They could have all survived if they had a few survival items and the skill to use them. My prayers to his young family.

Click to expand...

It is a very sad story and I feel terrible for him and his family.

Hopefully many will learn to keep survival items in their vehicles and this tragedy will help save someone else in the future. I know it made me think about the items I need in my vehicle.

Well ... like they say, hindsight is always 20/20. And much as many will say that James would have been fine and would be alive today if he had stayed with the vehicle, it's all Monday Morning quarterbacking. Realistically, many have no clue as to what they would have done, and most probably would have perished in a day or two, rather than a week + later.

Sigman said:

They say to always stay with your vehicle if lost...I don't know what I would do if my family's lives were at stake.

Click to expand...

I thought this was interesting:

"Kim apparently traveled in an 8-mile circle and was found less than a mile, separated by a sheer cliff, from where his family's station wagon got stuck in the snow."

I've heard that since one leg is always slightly shorter than the other if you're lost and have nothing to guide you you'll travel in a circle. If nothing else, it might be a good idea to learn the basics of celestial navigation just in case one finds oneself in a similar situation in order to ensure that doesn't happen.

Here's what was being dropped off as a "Care" package from his family in the event that he was alive (info release from Oreson State Police on flashalert.net.) It might serve as a start for what you might need.

* Bright orange sweat shirt
* Sweat pants
* Stocking camp
* Socks
* Gloves
* Bib overalls
* Three 1/2 hour flares
* Flashlight
* MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) Packets
* Blanket
* Letter from the KIM family

LifeNRA said:

It is a very sad story and I feel terrible for him and his family.

Hopefully many will learn to keep survival items in their vehicles and this tragedy will help save someone else in the future. I know it made me think about the items I need in my vehicle.

Click to expand...

Brighteyez,
Thank you for the list. I can see that I am well short in emergency preparedness.

Those were just bundles that they were dropping into the search area. There are probably a few things that you might want to add for personal needs (including your meds!). Unfortunately more often than not, I see people going a bit overboard with these things (and sometimes spending a ton of money from surfing web sites,) where it gets too bulky and it ends up getting removed from the car to make room for something else.

LifeNRA said:

Brighteyez,
Thank you for the list. I can see that I am well short in emergency preparedness.

Click to expand...

What a sad ending for him. I feel badly for his family.

Thanks for that list of survival items, Brighteyez. Food for thought and for travel. I gather that he probably died of hypothermia, so I'm paying special attention to the clothing items. I'd suggest adding some of those chemical-based hand warmers and a set of long johns.

Can anyone "ever" be prepared for "all" situations? No, however...

Hindsight being 20/20 and at the same time trying to learn from others...On any long trip (especially during this time of year and in the environment they were in) - I would suggest having a GPS, some sort of signaling devices (mirror, flares, smoke, air horn, whistle - all fit in a small space) and of course additional applicable gear depending on time of year and length of trip.

I remember driving up & down the Alaska/Canadian Highway (Alcan) with my family on orders several times. The military required we have specific gear with us, inspected that gear, and insured we had it before taking the trip. I realize of course not everyone is exposed to "the military way of doing things". (BTW, that gear included an extra spare tire, fan belts, & extra gas as well.)

IMHO, one valuable tool related to our "Flashaholic" hobby is one of the Laser Rescue Lights/Flares produced by Greatland Lasers here in Alaska. They aren't just for hikers, hunters, fisherman, mariners...anyone traveling should have one!

They're a pretty big selling item up here - easy to feed & carry. I'm not saying it would have helped this family though. Too many situational events per specific incident could affect the success of any method.

I think a compass would have helped also.

It's very sad, and it shows how out of touch I am because this is the first I've heard he didn't make it.

My truck has: A very decently warm coat, a closely knit very nice head cover (which I think is the most important thing in the truck!), a coverall suit, a way to start fire, MANY lights a few of which are AA with Lith AAs, a GPSr (which I could steal Liths for if needed), a way to cut stuff up to small tree and a few other items.

I don't have any Meds to worry about, and I EDC a cooler with two Gatorades and two soft drinks.

So I THINK (especially where I live) that I'll be OK if I'm alive after whatever stops my truck.

Though I think I'll add some sort of food items and a good old compass!!!

Equipped To Survive has (IMHO) some good suggestions for stuff to put together for an emergency kit.

http://www.equipped.org/survlkit.htm

Use the listed items as a starting point, add or remove items as appropriate and remember that your most important survival tool is your brain.

There was a eerily similar story on the show "Amazing Survival or I shouldnt of survived..." or something to that effect on Thanksgiving Day.

Also...Wasnt he one of the tech correspondents on the show The Screen Savers on Tech TV?

Although the outcome wasn't what everyone hoped, I don't think there is a person out there that wouldn't of done the same for his family.

Prayers to his family,
Flavio

It is a very sad end to the story. My thoughts and prayers to his family. I think one issue people need to be aware of is overemphasis on food items, when on foot. Rescue stats accumulated nationwide indicate that less than 10% of people lost die from lack of food or water. Some die from injuries, but most die from exposure. Food and water are critical to survival, but not if you fail to survive long enough to need them. This is, of course, mainly regarding people outside on foot. Suviving longer in a vehicle would certainly benefit from food and water (hopefully in liquid form). I agree wth those advocating appropriate clothing, fire starting gear, and signaling devices. One of those green lasers would be great. At night, you can see the beam in mid air and trace it to its source. Any good reflecting surface could be used in daylight sunshine. As far as Mr. Kim is concerned, many are quick to judge his actions as being poor. Maybe that is an initial reaction. Remember that he was a technical guy, not an experienced outdoorsman. I have to say personally though, that he was a man trying to save his family. No one can take that away fom him. I commend him for putting them first. May we all have such caring. One light shined skyward for Mr. Kim, he deserves it.

just my 2 cents

A PLB would have saved them. I never go into the mountains during winter without one.