The theme of The Martialist is survival – taking every advantage in the face of adversity, "fighting unfairly" against those who mean you harm.  To be a Martialist is, in effect, to be a survivalist – which means being prepared for a host of possible troubles that have nothing to do with assailants and dark alleyways.

Recently, a stunning and record-breaking blackout hit parts of Canada and Northeast America.  It was during that blackout that I drove home, listening somewhat anxiously to my car radio and reports of the blackout's severity, knowing it was time to get the Big Red Box of Power Outage Supplies from the closet.

The Big Red Box was born after what we in Central New York refer to as "The Labor Day Storm."  Several years ago, a vicious windstorm tore through the area, knocking down power lines and leaving most residents without electricity for about three days.  As you can imagine, flashlights, batteries, and other power outage necessities were in short supply in the area.  I ended up buying battery-powered lamps in another town to which I commuted for work, cursing my lack of preparedness the entire time.

Since then, the Big Red Box has grown as I gradually add to it, knowing that the next time the power goes out or severe weather hits – no matter what time of year – my wife and I will have the items we need to endure the difficulties we face.

The Big Red Box is just that – a standard toolbox that I bought specifically because it is a bright color, more easily spotted in the dark and more readily identifiable as an "emergency" item.  It can be locked, though there's no need to keep it that way unless you're worried your own Big Red Box might be disturbed by small and curious children.  In it I keep nearly everything I'll need in a power outage or other problem involving infrastructure and public services.

The Big Red Box, emptied of its contents.

Given that the first problem encountered in power outages is a lack of light, the Big Red Box is heavy on illumination products.  There are glowsticks, a 2AA flashlight in a leather belt case, matches (both safety matches and waterproof lifeboat matches), disposable and Zippo lighters (and lighter fluid), and magnesium fire-starter blocks.  To these I've added numerous emergency candles and solid fuel sticks.  (The fuel sticks are good tinder.)

Four of the flashlights are the convertible flashlight/area lamp type.  I chose these because they can be used both for spot lighting and as room lamps (the straps are great for hanging them from things, such as the corners of the medicine cabinet in a darkened bathroom).  All of the flashlights in the Big Red Box run on AA batteries, including the self-adhesive dome light area lamps I recently purchased.  (Whenever possible, simplify the consumables you must keep on hand to keep your emergency gear running.)  As you might expect, I have plenty of replacement bulbs for all the flashlights, too.

The most plentiful batteries in the box are the AAs, of which I have almost too many.  I keep a few of each other battery type on hand as well, including D-cells and 9-volts.  You never know when you might need to "feed" a new piece of equipment you did not anticipate.

The key to emergency preparedness is anticipation.  I keep some gear around for which I have only vague ideas, knowing that it will be useful in emergencies I cannot imagine.  Among the emergency gear in the Big Red Box is a first aid kit, two little "combat survival kit" tins (which hold a variety of items, from fish hooks to tiny penknives), paracord, Potable Aqua tablets (for purifying water), a multi-bit screwdriver, a wire saw, a role of duct tape and several small roles of colored electrical tape, emergency ponchos, emergency space blankets, and field dressing gloves.  There is also a tube of insect repellent (with the emergence of West Nile Virus, this is more important than ever) and a pair of emergency whistles that hold matches in waterproof compartments.

Rounding out the contents of the Big Red Box is a large tarp.  Combined with the duct tape it could be used for numerous functions, both protective and utilitarian.

Not shown here (because it doesn't actually "live" in the Big Red Box) is the most important part of the kit – a portable radio that receives AM/FM signals as well as television station audio.  This is obviously necessary to receive information in a blackout or other emergency, but it's a creature comfort, too.  During the recent blackout, my wife and I relaxed and listened to The Amazing Race on one of our local television stations, spending a quiet evening marveling at just how much you can "see" when listening to TV.

A critical component of survival in an emergency situation is food and water, which I don't address here because they're outside the scope of the Big Red Box.  Be aware that you've got to keep enough food and jugs of water handy (the food should not require refrigeration, obviously) to get you and your family through at least three days in which you can't use your microwave and you can't drink water from your taps.  If you have a gas stove, propane grill, or the material to grill with charcoal, those will work too.  Use your head, though.  Don't set fire to your house grilling indoors (and don't tip over any of those emergency candles lighting the place).

The Big Red Box is really a supplement to my daily survival items, which I keep in a small Pock-Its utility holster.  The Pock-Its is an inexpensive nylon pouch with various pockets and loops, into which I have placed items purchased at local discount and retail stores.  None of the items is very expensive – the multitool is probably the most costly of all of them – but having them has helped me many times.  The beauty of this small kit is that it is completely portable.  I carry it in my briefcase when I go to work, I keep it with my luggage when I travel, and it is at home or in my car wherever I happen to be.

Emptied, the kit contains quite a few items, all of which are extremely useful in emergencies: There is some overlap compared to the Big Red Box, but that's because the smaller kit would conceivably have to serve me on its own until I get home to reach my other supplies.  The Pock-Its items include the following:

• Butane lighter

• Small folding hacksaw

• Leatherman multitool

• Locking folding knife (selected for its flat profile)

• Diamond sharpening rod in pen-cap case

• Nail clippers

• 2AA Flashlight

• Sewing kit

• Smaller locking folding knife (part of first aid kit)

• First aid kit (containing small adhesive bandages and first aid card)

• Small Swiss Army Knife

• Victorinox SwissCard

There are other small items that could be added to such a kit, to suit your individual needs, including condoms, rubber bands, safety pins, string or cord, painkillers, and the like.  Your emergency accessories are limited only by your imagination and effort.

It appalls me to think of the people who'll rush out to stores, scrambling and even fighting for dwindling supplies, when they could have taken a few minutes to gather necessities well ahead of time.  Basic emergencies are a part of life, though hopefully not common.  They will occur, however – so start shopping for a Big Red Box of your own.