Well, there's a good thing to pack when you travel...

[Manedwolf]

A blinking safety LED. From someone in Mumbai just now.

With smoke now billowing into the room, she took a wine opener from the mini-bar and began chiseling away at the window's wood frame.

Spotting firefighters out the window, she turned on the room lights and waved.

"They were looking up, but they didn't see me," she continued. "Now I know what they were looking at -- the massive fireball that was above my room.

"I was able to get a tiny, millimeter opening in the window, and I was breathing through that. I was just trying not to panic," she said.

Then Cirincione remembered she had an emergency head lamp with a bright, blinking light in her tour gear. She grabbed it and waved it near her window.

Firefighters immediately spotted her and, within minutes, three of them were on a ladder truck outside her window. They smashed it with axes and guided her down the ladder to safety about 2:30 or 3 a.m. Thursday.

[Bogie]

You know, they might have also noticed her if she'd thrown a chair out the window.
 

[Azrael256]

Pistol, small flashlight, cellphone, pocketknife.

Always have 'em nearby.  Terrorist attack, power outage, mugging, car crash, stubborn package of m&m's, whatever.  It's a basic toolkit that just makes life eaiser.  Any Boy Scout should know this... Few people practice it.  Simple stuff like that saves lives a hundred times a day.

[KD5NRH]

You know, they might have also noticed her if she'd thrown a chair out the window.

With a dead terrorist in it?

[Jamisjockey]

Pistol, small flashlight, cellphone, pocketknife.

Always have 'em nearby.  Terrorist attack, power outage, mugging, car crash, stubborn package of m&m's, whatever.  It's a basic toolkit that just makes life eaiser.  Any Boy Scout should know this... Few people practice it.  Simple stuff like that saves lives a hundred times a day.

Pistol's a hard thing to take with you on a trip to India.

[mtnbkr]

I have a small LED on my keychain that has a blink mode.  I've had it for a couple years and found it more useful than a high dollar "tactical" light.  Mainly because it's always with me while a Surefire might get left at home or in the car.

Chris

[LAK]

Actually, one of those pocket strobes could come in handy once in awhile - like being at the roadside changing a tire at night or in a rainstorm.

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[S. Williamson]

Pistol, small flashlight, cellphone, pocketknife.

Always have 'em nearby.  Terrorist attack, power outage, mugging, car crash, stubborn package of m&m's, whatever.  It's a basic toolkit that just makes life eaiser.  Any Boy Scout should know this... Few people practice it.  Simple stuff like that saves lives a hundred times a day.

Hate to admit it, John, but I actually envisioned you blasting open a bag of peanut M&Ms with a Kel Tec.  Couldn't stop laughing. 

[Tallpine]

I carry one of those Wally-World Brinkman "Maxfire" (Surefire clone) flashlights everywhere except in the shower.

[mtnbkr]

I carry one of those Wally-World Brinkman "Maxfire" (Surefire clone) flashlights everywhere except in the shower.

I have two of the early versions, one in each vehicle, and the newer, more Surefire-looking one in my camping/hunting box.  All three together cost less than a Surefire 6P (yes, I know the difference in quality, I have a 6p as well). 

Chris

[Manedwolf]

You know, they might have also noticed her if she'd thrown a chair out the window.
 

Cirincione smashed a chair against the window, but the furniture splintered into a million pieces without leaving a dent on the double-paned window. The window, it turned out, was welded into its frame.

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=076e36ec-e6d2-433e-9d59-7579493d4478

[K Frame]

I carry one of those Wally-World Brinkman "Maxfire" (Surefire clone) flashlights everywhere except in the shower.

A little vaseline would take care of the "in the shower without a light" problem...

[freedom lover]

The window, it turned out, was welded into its frame.

Can you spell DEATH TRAP 

[Bogie]

Concept: You don't smash the chair "all over" the window. You use a point. Like a leg. It's tempered glass, but when it goes, it'll go nicely.
 
She probably struck it a somewhat glancing blow, broke the legs off, and quit right there...

[Manedwolf]

Concept: You don't smash the chair "all over" the window. You use a point. Like a leg. It's tempered glass, but when it goes, it'll go nicely.
 
She probably struck it a somewhat glancing blow, broke the legs off, and quit right there...

Knowing the Taj, it probably had rather elegant and fragile British Colonial furniture. It's that sort of hotel. If you've seen pictures of it, it was absolutely beautiful.

I call using your jogging light for attention rather resourceful, actually, especially considering there was gunfire and a fire outside her room.

[Bob F.]

Spring-loaded center punch can shatter tempered glass, as in car windows. ut since I don't carry one. a pocket knife would have to do! Will it work? I dunno, buy me a ticket to India and I'll try it!

Bob

[Gewehr98]

Y'all ain't truly prepared unless you have a wheelbarrow at the ready.   

[Tallpine]

A little vaseline would take care of the "in the shower without a light" problem...

I suppose that goes under the category of "bringing light to dark places" 

[Azrael256]

I actually envisioned you blasting open a bag of peanut M&Ms with a Kel Tec.

That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard.  Seriously.

Everybody knows the Kel-Tec is for stubborn pudding cans.  I use the Beretta on M&Ms.

[S. Williamson]

 

Aside from the pistol, I've got the basics covered almost decently--
Flashlight (Fenix P1D)
Pocketknife (Leatherman Fuse at the moment, might be upgraded to a Surge after Christmas)
Cell phone (cheap one, but it works)

And, as soon as it's approved, my CCW license.  Probably going to be going with a Sig P6. 

[Manedwolf]

And, as soon as it's approved, my CCW license.  Probably going to be going with a Sig P6. 

Awfully bulky carry for such a small capacity.