survival and information

Maps - This is one of those 'Duh!' items that frequently get passed over. Everyone should have a collection of paper maps preferably rolled up in a water proof tube. In a Bug-Out situation many routes may be blocked for any number of reasons, Military or FEMA checkpoints, quarantine zones, natural barriers such as landslides, construction/ destruction zones, fallen structures...etcetera... so having alternative exits and routes is a must. A good map of the local area and surrounding country is necessary. As familiar as one may be with the city or town they live in one may not be so familiar with neighboring towns or country. Maps that everybody should have include Road maps, Recreational maps and USGS topo maps of the surrounding area and National Forest Service maps of all National forests areas around your state.

Books - After a mini USB thumb drive I'd recommend some books. Most survivalist minded people will have a few survival books in their library or books collection. The SAS manual, the military FM on survival, and maybe a few others. I also recommend a book on animal tracks and signs, the one by Mark Elbroch is great. A book on dressing and butchering animals. A 'Pocket Ref' book later editions. And a few fiction or story books. The main reason to have a few non-survival related books is to allow for some measure of entertainment and pleasure. In a survival situation there may be long periods of waiting with not much work to do and a restless mind. Having a good book is a great way to wind down and stay occupied. Books can also provide a measure of escapism when in a long term stressful situation. If one is serious about building a useful library, I'd recommend the Audubon Field Guides as a start.

USB mini Flash thumb drive 16-32 Gb - It may seem unimportant to retain various sorts of data and computer components in an emergency situation. However in the modern age we cannot tell when or where electricity and information technology will be available. With a thumb-drive of decent size one can retain a virtual library of data in a very small and highly portable device. A good thumb-drive can survive submersion in water and a wide range of temperatures making them a very stable form of information storage. Data ranging from family photos to financial information, maps, books, and even programs can be carried in your pocket and retrieved when a functional computer is available. Newer thumb-drives have proven themselves to be very durable and long lasting. I've unknowingly put one through a washing mashing and clothes dryer multiple times without a single problem.