I landed in London on the morning of July 18, 2005, a newly minted lawyer keen to start my international business career. As the car drove me from Heathrow to my corporate housing near Liverpool Street, I snaked through London, eventually passing Aldgate. It had not even been 2 weeks since the horrific 7/7 bombings, and London was still recovering from the tragedy. I had arrived in a city on high alert.
12 years to the day, several countries and jobs later, I find myself reflecting on that day. Events like 7/7 in London and 9/11 in New York, and more recent events in Manchester, Orlando, Paris, Nice, Brussels and Istanbul have thoroughly underscored the dangerous time we live in.
Having worked in the financial industry for over a decade, I lived in and traveled to major financial centers around the world. In my travels, I met people that were personally affected by 7/7 and 9/11. I feel fortunate that I didn't experience these events first hand, but I often think about what I would’ve done had I been there, how would I have helped others. I know that thousands of people rose to the call to help the victims of the attacks.
My reflection on those events over the years led me to change my career and life focus. I’m now CFO of a growing start-up, Uncharted Supply Company. Our mission is to equip and educate people with the emergency survival gear and knowledge to help themselves and others in emergency situations. Our flagship product, The Seventy2, is a purposely designed emergency survival kit with tools to help manage hundreds of life-threatening situations that can occur in the 72 hours following an emergency.
In the months after 7/7 and 9/11, many people in New York and London were given training and provided with emergency bags, with the hopes that they would have the bare essentials to help if another emergency happened. Unfortunately, I know that many of these backpacks were ill-designed for the situations people hoped they would help. From lack of supplies to inadequate tools to poor organization, most of these packs are now years old, expired and potentially dangerous. 16 years after 9/11, people are still suffering from respiratory problems because they didn’t have air masks. People had to stumble down dark hallways and stairs when the power went out. These are the things we thought about when building the Seventy2. It contains over 35 tools life-saving tools, should you ever need them.
Take a moment to look around your office. Open up that emergency kit in the corner and examine the contents. Does the flashlight’s battery work? Is the food or water expired? Do you have an air mask and goggles? What's in the first aid kit? Do you have an emergency whistle and a change of shoes? At the very least, make sure you have these items. Check out our kit and use it as a checklist for your emergency kit.
And if you don't have one, The Seventy2 is a fully comprehensive, expert reviewed 72 hour survival kit with over 35 tools to help you deal with hundreds of life-threatening emergencies. An ultra-bright CREE LED flashlight, sawyer water filter, Datrex food, and an Eton hand-crank tri-band radio are just a few of the essential tools in The Seventy2. As a modern survival bag, the kit is perfectly organized inside a state-of-the-art waterproof and airtight tarpaulin backpack, which looks great without drawing attention. Weighing just under 12 lbs, its compact size takes up no space in the corner of your office or under your desk.
Your bugout bag should have the basic essentials for an emergency kit, and they can save your life if another event happens. And even better yet, they can save another’s life.
