Is Your “Bug Out Bag” Ready For An Emergency?
Be prepared for almost any type emergency. Go Bags or BOB’s Bug Out Bag are the same thing by a different label. When the brown waste material hits the rotating airfoil, such as a fire, earthquake or Zombie invasion, your bag(s) should be filled and ready to go. If not done ahead of time, respond at the first notice of a possible evacuation. Preferably these should be soft bags like gym bags as multiple soft bags pack easier than the rigid suitcases and readily conform to small and large contents.
Valuables
Make a list of everything you treasure and keep it near the bag(s). Items on the list or prepacked in the bag should be such things such as:
- jewelry
- duplicate keys
- credit cards
- check books
- cash
- coin collection
- stock certificates
- most recent insurance policies
- hand guns & ammo
- passports
- birth certificates
- military discharges
- a camera
- cell phone with charger
- one or more LED flashlights
- extra batteries
- prescription medications
- important OTC meds
- toilet paper
- bar or liquid soap
- pet food
- list of important telephone numbers
- local map for possible evacuation routes
- GPS
Obviously, if you have a safe deposit box, keep your important papers there.
Personals Items
Additionally, consider these items for each member of the family:
- clothes for two to four days
- warm jackets
- personal hygiene items
- spare eye glasses
- sleeping bags
Group Items
And these items for your family as a whole:
- 24 pack/case or more of water or 2 to 5 gallon polyethylene jugs of water
- hand held CB radio
- a pair of hand held family radios (walkie talkies)
- an AM/FM radio (battery operated)
- a small LED lantern
- lap top computer
- folding camp chairs
- light weight tarps for ground covers or to fashion a tent
- 100ft. of 1/4″ rope
- first aid kit
- large plastic garbage bags (they also make good rain ponchos)
- a small one burner camp stove
- eating utensils
Strategic Planning
Mobility
Other considerations is to keep each of your vehicles with no less than 1/2 tank of gas. Most vehicles can travel at least 150 to 200 miles on a half tank of fuel. Decide which will be your primary escape vehicle. If you have a 4×4, use that vehicle without a doubt.
Food
Keep (2) WISE brand (or similar) 5 gallon containers of dehydrated survival food, much like MRE’s. These just need hot water to activate. Also position canned and boxed foods to grab easily and a can opener.
Storage Devices
Get a solid state 1 tera byte hard drive for about $75.00. Download all your pictures and important documents from your computer on a regular basis. These hard drives are about 5″ x 3″ x 5/8″. All electronic stores will carry this item. It will be reassuring to know that you will be able to save so many of your memories. Photograph the inside of your house and your vehicles in detail and down load the images to the drive for possible insurance purposes at a later date if need be.
Extreme Caution
In the event a truck with caustic material overturns on the highway, be sure to have gas masks available for each member of your party. There’s nothing like planning ahead.
Get Your “Bug Out Bag” Ready
While you are making a “GO list”, you will think of other items that are important to your individual safety, survival and future reference. Don’t wait to the last minute- times a wasting.