BUG OUT GEAR

[SAR-EMT1]

Today someone asked me if I had a "emergency" kit put together in case the power went out (Id just put on a sweater) [its zero outside]
Or if I have anything in the trunk of my car "in case the world ends"

I wasnt exactly sure how to answer this question. Because quite simply I dont expect the world to end or society to crumble. Maybe if I lived in a big city, but not in rural America. I am not one of those folks who lives in the woods eating rats and hiding from the government. 

That being said...
I just thought Id throw this out in case anyone wanted to have fun with it.

Basic Situation: You and your family must "evacuate" your home for an undetermined amount of time, due to a natural disaster that happens to incite riotous activities (think katrina-level event)   

What do you take.

" If I knew then what I know now I would have saved my  Colt 45 and 100 boxes of ammunition" -- quote from victim of looting after Katrina
(made me say "whoa" )

[mikeylikey]

What would I take.........

Does the wife count as one item or two?

Seriously, I have a "small" bag packed for the end of the world.  When I used to live on Post the routine was every person had to have a kit ready to go if we had to leave the post in a hurry.

So I keep an extra set of prescriptions (and the written scripts that go along with them),
a can opener,
4 each of D, C, A, AA, AAA, AAAA batteries,
a small radio,
a huge ass maglight flashlight,
6 Power bars,
6 Gatorades,
a basic first aid kit,
3 pouches of tuna fish
$100.00 ($10.00 of that in quarters)
1 notebook
2 pens
2 pencils
copies of all important documents (birth certificate, titles to autos, house etc)
1 space blanket
1 collapsable fishing poll (with fake worm)
1 knife
waterproof matches
3 glow sticks
book of stamps
10 envelopes
address card with important people's addresses
set of extra shoelaces
emergency poncho
knit cap
gloves
1 can of red bull (may be the last I ever drink)

AND of course there is an open space in the kit for my gun.  That will either go inside, or on me depending on the situtation!

Hope that helps   

[SarDragon]

1 collapsable fishing poll (with fake worm)

Is that anything like a Gallup or Harris Poll? 

[Stonewall]

In my Exploder Explorer I always have a 24-hr day pack (top pack of the CFP-90) with a handful of supplies.

BDU pants
tshirt
socks
boonie
MRE
2qt canteen (empty)
Jetstream radio w/batteries
GPS 12 w/batteries
E&E kit (matches, signal mirror, fishing stuff, etc)
Poncho
Bungee cords
550 cord
Flashlight
Candles
Space blanket
Signal panel
Polar fleece

Then, I also have a medical kit, but that's more for car accidents and stuff.

Underneath the floor of my Explorer in the back, I've got tools, saw, crowbar, ten 12oz bottles of water, 2 more MREs and a pair of North Face hiking shoes, in case I find myself wearing sandals which I often do.  Heck, now that I think about it, I even have an extra Level IIIA body armor vest in there.

My wife has a similar Bugout Bag, sometimes called a "BOB" in a Blackhawk 3-day pack.

At home, my wife knows the deal.  We have a few different levels of BOB depending on the situation.  We've got the We've gotta go now kit that takes all of 3 minutes to throw in either car and go.  Then we've got the we've got an hour or so and of course, the hurricane is coming, we need to leave tomorrow morning kit.  That comes with a trailer we can pull with a generator, cooler, grill with 2 extra propane tanks and some other major essentials.

Naturally, I always have a firearm with me.  May be a small Glock, Remington 870 or M4.  If I'm at home and we need to get a move on, you better know that I'll have an arsenal with me to protect my family and survival gear.

In addtion to my above day pack, I often put in an "overnight" bag in my truck that is more work related.  Have a set of our "tactical uniform", kevlar with NVG mount, some hygiene stuff, poncho liner, extra socks and undies, sandals, swimsuit, hats, etc.

Below is a picture of the back of my Explorer on any given day.  Often there is more, but no matter what, this stuff will be in there.

[Walkman]

I'm working on getting things ready for my family in case of an emergency, I'm not fully prepared yet, but getting there.

I have my basic GTM 24hr pack (in the top portion of my CFP-90 same as Stonewall) in my car. My son has his in his bedroom.

Most of our emergency prep stuff right now isn't based on a need to flee the area, though. We've got probably 100 gallon of water stored in case there is a problem. We also have a variety of dry packed food (wheat, taters, rice, etc). Our next step in this is to get 72-hour kits ready for each family member.

Step by step...

[RiverAux]

I can't think of anything likely to happen where I live that would warrant fleeing except an event so big that I would probably be dead anyway.  So, I focus more on loss of power & water situations.  Probably I don't have enough water stored.  Plenty of food though. 

[Walkman]

I can't think of anything likely to happen where I live that would warrant fleeing except an event so big that I would probably be dead anyway.  So, I focus more on loss of power & water situations.  Probably I don't have enough water stored.  Plenty of food though. 

That's about the situation I'm in. However, having something planned and prepared for an event is a decent idea. I'm always harping on my 12 & 13 y/o scouts to remember their own motto. 

[JohnKachenmeister]

I've got my CAP 24-hour and 72-hour bags always ready to go.  I have empty boxes in my closet to stick household records and the family albums in.  After I load that in the car, I grab the three or four battery lanterns I keep in case the power goes out in a hurricane I didn't evacuate from, (I don't bug out from anything Category 3 or below.  4 or 5 and I'm outa here!)  My wife will grab the canned food, and I'll get the cases of bottled water. 

Don't forget a couple of bottles of Jim Beam.

I only own two guns.  I'll carry the .45 M-1911 and my wife can hold the .38 Taurus.

Load up a big bag of dog food, treats, and dog toys for Aussie and we're good to go.

Stop by the ATM and get cash and gas on the way out of town. 

I live in Florida on the coast.  We're always ready.

[BigMojo]

To what JohnLachenmeister said, Add a pair of Honda EU2000i Generators (with gas and oil), and some extra meals for the Jetboil, and I just call it my Hurricane Kit.

But seriously...my 24/72hr packs are the perfect bug out gear. Water Filter pump has come in handy especially during Wilma.

[Stonewall]

I can't think of anything likely to happen where I live that would warrant fleeing except an event so big that I would probably be dead anyway.  So, I focus more on loss of power & water situations.  Probably I don't have enough water stored.  Plenty of food though. 

Lots of people may say I'm paranoid, but I've always been one of those who thinks "when" not "if".  Growing up in the Cold War in a town with 3 huge navy bases, to include 70% of the Navy's P-3 Orions, 2 carriers and of course, a state where hurricanes are the norm, I had a big Boy Scout backpack packed with what I thought were the essentials to live in the woods behind my house....yeah, I was between the ages of 10 and 15 during this phase in my life....before I upgraded to a ruck sack and web gear for CAP 

^^That said, I carried that mentality with me into my adult years and thankfully, during 9/11 where I saw the initial plume of smoke from the Pentagon (I was about 2+ miles away), I sprang into action by loading up my Ford Ranger 4x4 (King Cab) with my 2 cases of MREs, 5 gal water jug, go-bags of gear, ammo and CAR-15 (before my M4) and Sig 228.  Went to my girlfriend's house in McLean, VA (<1mile from Langley HQ), gassed up her Suburban, got her 2 kids out of school and prepped for a terrorist war in Northern Virginia/Washington DC.  At the time, I had just gotten out of the ARNG less than a month earlier so I didn't even have an armory or unit to report to.  You have to understand, in DC where we were under attack, the radio (DC 101.1 FM) was reporting things of explosions, a car bomb, and mayhem.  All I had to go by was radio reports and what came across my encrypted MT3000XL radio.  Yes, I used to work for a alphabet agency in/around DC.  We got a report to secure our equipment and "bug out"...hence the Bug Out Gear.

Now, I'm back where I grew up with my original Bugout Bag (BOB).  Since then, they've built a Navy NUKE base 45 minutes to my North.  Now, however, I work for DOD and am in the Air Guard (Security) and am considered "critical personnel"...got the special vehicle pass to prove it.  With all that fun stuff, even if I lived where you live, where ever that is, I'd still have a plan.  Whether it be terrorist attacks, an industrial accident that keeps you from going home, or a natural disaster that precludes you from retrieving any of your essentials from your house; I say "BE READY".

Don't forget a couple of bottles of Jim Beam.

I wasn't going to say anything....looks around for cadets....but yeah, Bacardi for me and Cap'n Morgan for when my wife isn't pregnant.

[Johnny Yuma]

Interesting Thread...

My 24 and 72 hour gear's already in the truck. After that, it's whatever guns, food, clothes and valuables the wife and I can get packed in however amount of time we've got.

The cat's got her carrier, Kim's house rabbits can share a large one, bags of food go too.

Our bugout spot's picked out: Wife's grandmothers are each 45 miles away, easily accessible via several routes. These little old ladies are widowed farm wives and being prepared for whatever's been a way of life for them.

[SAR-EMT1]

Seeing how I started the thread I was stunned to notice that I didnt include my own list... maybe the bit about not hiding in the woods did it

But the only natural disasters I face in these parts are a tornado or a blizzard. On the man made side, the only thing could be a meltdown at the Clinton Nuke Power plant. (But my house is an hour from it and mostly upwind)

I have a rather small vehicle
That said, I have a few things in it at all times
Full set of bunker gear (firefighter)
Medical Gear (bag can attach to webgear)
Crowbar
Fire extinguisher
24 Hour Gear (in a butt pack and ALICE webgear)
Emergency Services Radio
Dashlights
HAZMAT Guide

I also have an old army footlocker in the garage with:
Large ALICE
Eureka tent
Duct tape
camp stove and fuel bottle
dynamo flashlights (no batteries required)
Dynamo FM/AM/NOAA radio
extra sleeping bag
5 gal water bag
case of MREs
*  M17with filters (still in issue condition with drinking system, but may be junk now) - wanna confirm or deny? -
*  Issue condition woodland pattern flack jacket (not bullet proof)
* Issue condition steel pot with woodland cover and liner
( *I know...I know... but until I can afford better its what Ive got)
Water filter
army folding camp ax
army folding shovel
Army survival manual
extra set of bdus (blank)
"Survival Kit" - won in a contest, basic E&E items
Woodland Poncho
Tyvek F nbc suit

In the house I always have a small fireproof lock box next to my desk with copies of all my important documents, copies of my perscriptions, and a spare set of eyeglasses.
I could load the whole footlocker, and lockbox into the car and be on the road in 5 minutes.

Bad thing is I dont own any guns ( FOID card is still "processing")
But I do have a K-bar (for whatever good it might do)

I reckon I can ditch the bunker gear, though it does have some kind of HAZMAT rating...  might just beef up the tyvek OR the flack vest 

[SAR-EMT1]

Also have a flask and a small bottle of Jack in the trunk with the fire gear ... for toasts after calls/ baby deliveries etc...

[JAFO78]

OK guys, since I am new to living full time in Florida, What do I need to have for my family. Basically I am talking big storms.

There are 7 of us plus two cats. We have 2 cars, an Escort and an Aerostar. The Aerostar does not have the very back seat so i can pack lots in back.
When we moved down from Minne-snow-ta we had 90% of our stuff in van.

[SAR-EMT1]

At the most basic level?
24 hour gear for every family member.
(Including water for yourselves and the cats)
Copies of all documentation -- birth certs, perscriptions, house title, insurance papers etc...
cell phone
a gun

If you can do better, increase the food/water/meds to last for 72 hours, and include a second gun.

[BigMojo]

What SAR-EMT1 said...

I keep a list in my fire safe that's an evac checklist. If I decide to leave, I know exactly what I need to get and know I won't forget anything important.

If you decide to hunker down you need to survive without any services for 72 hours. That means at least 3 gallons of water per adult. I like to keep things like trail mix and beef jerky in my hurricane kit for protein and energy. An array of flashlights/lanterns is good. I found the "Snake Light" by Black&Decker extremely useful, especially for taking a refreshing cold shower before bed, as it hangs right over the shower door. I'd also recommend an old water carboy (5 gal clear water jug) with cap. For those that don't like cold showers, fill it early in the AM, and set out in the sun all day, and it's nice and warm at the end of the day.

I recommend a small personal generator, 2000w Honda is great. You can run your fridge or freezer for a couple hours, a fan and TV, or other small convince items. Your fridge and freezer doesn't need to run all day as long as you aren't in them all the time. The Honda is a mizer on fuel, it bases speed on load, and I can run mine all day on 3 gallons, plus it's quiet.

I would recommend having an axe or saw handy, and a firearm on you too depending on where you are moving to. I went 15 days without power during Wilma, learned A LOT.

[NIN]

WIWAC, I went to high school with a guy for whom the movie Red Dawn wasn't entertainment, it was a warning.  He drove this beat up Chevy Nova and at any one minute he was generally carrying 3-5 weapons of various sorts (knives, shurikens, blow gun darts, crazy stuff..) on his person, in school. (His nickname was "Psycho John," but honestly he was about the most even keeled dude I knew.  This was before suburban schools had metal detectors, RFID and body cavity searches...)

John had read a book called "Alas Babylon" by an author named Pat Frank. It was basically your standard post-apocalyptic doom & gloom novel, but he regarded it as an instructional template for his eventual preparations.   Our "circle" of friends all had bugout bags packed (mine were part of my CAP gear) and in this day before cell phones or FRS, we had code words and phrases that would be uttered on the phone or passed via message that basically said "Grab your crap, meet at the rendezvous point. The balloon is going up."

(I was in high school in the early 1980s.  Cold war, red scare, Ronald Reagan, the Day After, Wargames... A lot of folks were easily convinced that we'd be easy pickins for Sov paratroopers or infiltrators from Canada..<GRIN>)

One day, I came home on a Saturday afternoon from some place and there was a note under a magnet on the fridge.  "John C. called. He said you'd know what this meant: 'Alas Babylon'. 12:40pm"    At 2pm, a mile away from home, I was standing at John's house with all my crap (and cursing my packing skills.. This was like a year before I had my driver's license)  We spent the rest of the weekend in the woods in the Thumb of Michigan.   No balloon, no Russian paratroopers...  Just a little test to see if everybody got the word and could do it.

Now, in retrospect I have to laugh my butt off at that.  (Red Dawn didn't come out until after John and I both had graduated from high school.. But we went to see it and were like "See! See! They didn't have their stuff packed! See!")  Man, were we some weird kids.

Now, where'd I put that can of Dinty Moore and my 3-day assault pack?

[Walkman]

^^ RED DAWN!!!!!!

My buddies and I were huge fans of the film. We fantasized about what we'd do, but we didn't go as far as what y'all did. I probably would have if I had been in CAP, though.

[davedove]

While a "Red Dawn" scenario is not very likely, there are events that could happen any day that would require an evacuation.

Natural disasters have already been mentioned, but what about man made disasters.  And I'm not even talking about the "Madman with a bomb" scenarios.  Suppose a truck carrying toxic wastes overturned near your home.  You may need to leave the area for a time.  Things like that.

[Johnny Yuma]

WOLVERINES!!!!!




My Avatar on several other boards.

[RiverAux]

OK guys, since I am new to living full time in Florida, What do I need to have for my family.

A job application from a company in another state....

[_]

While a "Red Dawn" scenario is not very likely, there are events that could happen any day that would require an evacuation.

Natural disasters have already been mentioned, but what about man made disasters.  And I'm not even talking about the "Madman with a bomb" scenarios.  Suppose a truck carrying toxic wastes overturned near your home.  You may need to leave the area for a time.  Things like that.

Or maybe a problem at the local biological weapons research facility near by?

David W. Dove, 1st Lt, CAP
Personnel/Professional Development/Alt Testing
Frederick Composite Squadron
MER-MD-003

Frederick, Md home of Fort Detrick

[Michael]

Check this website.

www.bob-oracle.com

He has this kind of stuff down to a science, literally.

[davedove]

While a "Red Dawn" scenario is not very likely, there are events that could happen any day that would require an evacuation.

Natural disasters have already been mentioned, but what about man made disasters.  And I'm not even talking about the "Madman with a bomb" scenarios.  Suppose a truck carrying toxic wastes overturned near your home.  You may need to leave the area for a time.  Things like that.

Or maybe a problem at the local biological weapons research facility near by?

David W. Dove, 1st Lt, CAP
Personnel/Professional Development/Alt Testing
Frederick Composite Squadron
MER-MD-003

Frederick, Md home of Fort Detrick

I was avoiding that scenario, since I work there and if anything happens I will probably be quarantined on post.

[JAFO78]

OK guys, since I am new to living full time in Florida, What do I need to have for my family.

A job application from a company in another state....

A NO !! The day we left Minnesota in Feb 07 the temp was -25 with wind chill of -25. I have been coming to Fla since I was knee high to my Grandmas thigh (age 5). I even broke out with chicken pox down here while with my GP.

[teesquared]

Check this website.

www.bob-oracle.com

He has this kind of stuff down to a science, literally.

Great site, thanks for the link.