Emergency Preparedness - Leaving your home

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If there is a disaster or extreme situation to where you need to leave your home you want to make sure you have very specific plans as well as supplies. When I say disaster I mean things that happen naturally like an Earthquake or Flooding. When I say extreme situation I'm referring to what most people call "SHTF (Shit hit the fan)". This can be the power going out for extended periods of time or North Korea invading us :). This is what most people refer to as "Bugging Out". I really don't like this term anymore since I believe there are lots of fantasies about this subject but I will use it so every one can relate. I want to say one thing (Hopefully it will get stuck in your heads), there is only one way to bug out. That is having a specific tested plan, supplies, physical fitness and skills. Most people will fail in Bugging Out because all they have is a bag full of gear. You really need to get out there and do things and use the gear. You will find out fast what you need to improve on and the gear you really need.

"Bugging Out" due to a nature disaster

This is area I really would like folks to focus on. When thinking of this subject most go right to extreme situations like nuclear war or an EMP attack. I will discuss that in the next section. This is going to be the most realistic that can happen. So a natural disaster has hit, do you leave home? For the most part you don't want to leave home. It's better that you stay put, protected, with your family and supplies. That way you can just wait out all the chaos and rebuilding. Now if it's something like wild fires nearby, flooding or an Earthquake damaged your home it's time to leave. This is the area where reality and fantasy part ways. You are not going to go run into the woods and try to survive. Your not going to your "Bug Out" location (Unless it's far away from the disaster area or if it happens to be your vacation home). The reality is you are going to your friends/family home or to a Hotel. If those options aren't available than a Red Cross shelter, your vehicle or campsite are options. The only problem with those is that you are at risk of becoming a refugee. Being prepared for this involves having a bag ready to go. Most folks have a tactical style bag full of elaborate gear, which is cool, but I don't recommend going that route. That will draw unnecessary attention to yourself and what I see in those packs it's like they are going to war. Instead, I recommend a travel bag or hiking backpack. That will look like what people use everyday. Me personally, I integrate my travel bag into the "Bug Out" bag. Here is what I have.

  • eBags Duffel (Very sturdy construction and proven usage for years)
  • eBage toiletry kit (Has everything I use on a daily basis related to hygiene plus a sleeping mask, ear plugs, and first aid items.
  • Duct Tape (Multiple uses)
  • 4 gallon trash bags (For pet waste)
  • Zip lock bags (Multiple uses)
  • Titanium spork (Use to eat with)
  • Can opener
  • Life Straw (Use directly in water to purify it)
  • Travel blanket
  • Playing cards
  • Sewing kits
  • Pet Emergency kit (Food holder with 2 bowls, blankets and pet first aid kit)

Add while leaving

  • Food and water (I will carry as much as I can)
  • Waterproof pouch that has all my important information (Personal Journal, Passport, Birth Certificate, Important account information, pet information, copies of my driver license and voter card.
  • Health Documents
  • Portable hard drive (Backup of all my data)
  • Clothes (For the current season)
  • Pet food
  • Pets in containers

You may have noticed that I left out a of lot items you see in Bug Out bags. I did that on purpose. My EDC Messager bag has some of those items and my car has way more. Also my phone, wallet, keys and knive are on my person. Again I want to emphasize that this is not running away into the vast wasteland into mobs of zombies never looking back. That's the impression I get from most Bug Out Bags. This is more than enough for you and your family to be well off for this type of scenario.

Note: I don't like mentioning firearms. Yes, they can be very important but dealing with firearms takes much discipline and frankly they are illegal in many situations. I like to focus on a good knife and martial arts for defense. However, In the next section having firearms is a good idea.

"Bugging Out" due to an extreme situation

If you are extremely worried about Economic Collapse, the power going out indefinitely or an Asteroid hitting the Earth then you will want to take a different approach. Me personality, I don't recommend focusing on this area. There are several reasons for this.

  1. Even if you are the most prepared, no one really knows what something like this will be like. It's better to live life then to focus on this since preparing for something like this is very time consuming and expensive.
  2. Even though there are many similarities in preparing for all the difference scenarios, each one is going to require different planning and items. So it will drive you insane to plan for every possible situation.
  3. Where do you go that is safe? This goes back to it's better to stay put. There is no way humanly possible to have, keep and not run out of everything you will need.
  4. This type of "Bugging Out" is a myth. Most people will die and/or become refugees. That's the honest truth.

Now that I said that. If you really want to plan for something like this here are some ideas.

  • Bunker - The best solution is to buy a spot in the luxury bunkers that are popping up. Most people will be nowhere near affording this. However, they have the right idea. Having your own concrete box underground is death and insanity waiting to happen. So my point is you have to have an elaborate setup or not at all. You still can do one your self but it's going to costs $100K+ and a tremendous amount of time. One day I may want to do that. At the very least it sounds fun. Also keep in mind getting to your bunker may be an issue.
  • Bug Out Location - This is a good idea if you live in a densely populated area and want to get away from the chaos. Pick a location at least 100 miles away from major cities, get to know the locales and visit often. Just keep in mind to secure the property well and make sure the locales are friendly towards you. If something happens and you manage to get here it may already been ransacked and the locales wont want you around.
  • Regardless of your plans this is the time I will mention firearms. If you are going to a bunker or Bug Out location then things are bad. I'm not condoning this, but regardless of the legality, it is a good time to be armed. I want to make the point that you really need to know how to use firearms. If you never shot one before you will be in trouble.

Final thought

This area of preparedness is the most risky and complex. This is just a brief overview of what you should have and do. The best bet would be to live in a community away from the masses, where you get along with your neighbors and in a temperate climate with low risk of disasters. The whole bugging out in the woods is a fantasy. The reality is that everyone will be doing that. There will be no food, people will get hurt, die and it get's very cold at night. If you happen to live in a woodsy area and that is part of your daily life then that statement isn't for you. It's for most of us to live in suburban or metropolitan areas.