Handbook / Chapter 2 2
Tools and go-bags
Four layers: what’s in your pocket, what’s by the door, what’s in the house, what’s in the car. Each one buys you time to reach the next.
General guidance, not medical, legal or professional advice. Every emergency is different: stay alert, use your judgement and follow official instructions. In danger, call 999 . Read the full disclaimer .
The go-bag, one per person
Seventy-two hours of independence in a backpack you can carry for an hour. Kids’ bags stay light, around a tenth of their body weight. They will still complain.
Water, 2 L, plus purification tablets. More water than this is the car’s job. Food for 3 days. Biscuits, energy bars, serunding, ready-to-eat tins with ring pulls. Headtorch and spare batteries. Hands free for children, bags and railings. Powerbank, charged, plus cable. SIRIM-certified. A swollen cheap one is a fire you carry. Personal first-aid pouch and 7 days of meds. Clinics close; prescriptions don’t pause. Raincoat or poncho. It is Malaysia. It will rain. It is already raining. One change of clothes, quick-dry, plus socks. Wet socks end morale faster than hunger. Whistle. Three blasts means help. Louder than shouting, lasts longer than your voice. Repellent, sanitiser, tissue, face masks. Dengue doesn’t take emergencies off. Document pouch and cash. See the family plan. The adults carry these. Something for morale. A deck of cards, a small toy, a bag of Mamee.
The house kit
Multitool and a proper knife. Keep these at home, not on your belt (see Self-Defence). Parang. The Malaysian Swiss Army knife. Clears, chops, splits, opens coconuts. Crowbar and a small sledge. Jammed doors after a quake or a flood. Tarp 3×3 m, paracord 30 m, duct tape. Roofs, rain catchment, shelter, slings, everything. Camping stove and gas canisters. Hot food without TNB. Lanterns, one per room. Rechargeable or AA. Candles are how a blackout becomes a fire. Battery or wind-up radio. When the internet goes, RTM is still talking. Fire extinguisher and fire blanket. Kitchen. Know which way the pin pulls. Big first-aid kit. Bandages, gauze, tape, scissors, gloves, antiseptic, burn gel. Water containers, 20 L, food-grade, ×4. Air Selangor has trained us well.
The car kit
Where to get it
Place Good for Note
Hardware shop (kedai besi) Parang, crowbar, tarp, rope, jerry cans, tape Cheaper and tougher than anything labelled “tactical”. Mr DIY, Daiso Batteries, containers, ziplocks, lanterns, cable ties Fine for consumables. Don’t trust your life to the RM5 torch. Decathlon Headtorches, ponchos, backpacks, hammocks, first-aid kits, stoves Best single stop for go-bags. Pharmacy (Watsons, Guardian, independents) ORS, paracetamol, antiseptic, bandages, repellent Ask the pharmacist for a 7-day refill letter for prescriptions. Outdoor and camping shops Ferro rods, water filters, gas canisters, quick-dry gear Ask staff who actually trek. They’ll talk you out of the bad stuff. Shopee, Lazada Water filters, solar chargers, radios Official brand stores only. Fake water filters are a special kind of betrayal.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.