So Who Has Got Their Bug Out Bag?

I am not an alarmist or anything like that. Back in Febuary this year my hometown suffered a major power black out owing to a failure with a major underground cable which took a few hours to repair. It was the final straw that made me think to myself I need to buy myself a bug out bag. So I have done so.

www.amazon.co.uk...

I will add to it over time, i.e. portable gas cooker, a more comprehensive first aid kit, portable radio handsets, portable torch/headlamp etc. But this is a good starting point. I also plan to purchase a first aid kit I can plonk in my daily commute bag as well.

In addition I have completed a full first aid course as well. A lot of people who know me would be surprised I have invested in something like this. But quite frankly with the world being as it is and Islamic State spreading its evil terror to all corners of the globe, I think it is a sensible precaution. As I say I am NOT a prepper by any means, but I think a few sensible things like this is now a necessity. I wont be digging an underground bunker anytime soon though!!!!!

So what do YOU have ? Please do post pictures of what you have as well. It would be a useful exercise to share ideas as to what we should have in our bug out bags.

a reply to: Wirral Bagpuss

I've just got my regular rucksack packed ready for camping on the moors.
I have no plans to 'bug out' anywhere anytime soon though, I'll stay in my house until or unless there is good reason for me to leave.
If there is ever a reason so dramatic that hoards of us are forced out of our homes then we're pretty much #ed in the UK, no 'bug out' bag is gonna make much of a difference then.

a reply to: Wirral Bagpuss

Well, I do not keep a bag with all the items in it, in one place all ready to go. There is a simple reason for this. If those items are all in one place, and something happens to the part of the building I keep those items in, then I am screwed.

I figure its best to have a bag, and know where all the crap I need is in the house, to the point where I can walk from my room, through the house, and out the door, collecting stuff as I go, without any significant delay in getting out of the building. That way, if some items are unavailable due to the building being damaged, I will only be a certain percentage of screwed, rather than completely.

If the crap hits the fan, I will don my black assault vest, which already has some essential gear in it, and pack the remaining pockets with cereal bars, batteries, a wind up phone charger, strap on the contents of my collection of sharp objects and some other sundry kit. My roll bag, empty, is always in reach, as is my Bergen backpack. These will be stocked with change of clothes, medical kit, blankets, toiletries, bottled water and my assorted camping accessories. To the backpack, I will attach my pop up tent. It weighs next to bugger all.

Because I can make fire out of pretty much any combustible material without having to use petroleum based fuel, I need no stove, just a pan or three. Because I can make a tripod to hang my pans on with ease out of pretty much any suitable material I happen to find in my travels, I have no need to carry anything to help me do that with me, other than a knife to help shape any suitable sticks I locate on my travels. These can be bound with grasses, or strips of bark from flexible woods, soaked in water to make them extra supple, and suitable for tying stuff together.

Keep it simple, carry as little as possible, make as much from natural resources as you can. That's how I figure it will work for me.

a reply to: Wirral BagpussMy B.O.B is in my living room along with all my camping and fishing gear. I live in a apartment, so there is no room to store it else where. The only thing I need to dig out of my bedroom closet is my Ruger 10/22. My sisters and dad have already got the RV in place for the summer. We just have a short 40 min drive to our campsite.

I'm already living where you would bug out to.
Knife, waterproof fire starter, water, tarp, survival bag, bivvy sack.
Rain gear, rucksack, good boots. Good coat or jacket or some layers, long johns, extra socks
windproof pants. Basics for staying alive in all weather. Car is a portable shelter.
The less weight the better. Bushcraft the rest, firewood, lean to, root vegetables, nuts, edible weeds, meat, seeds, water, grubs ; )
Maybe a rifle and stay away from people it is a collapse scenario and near potable water in an area near game and mixed ecosystems.
Bad water and the cold kill quickest. Find a sandy bank near fresh water and dig a hole so the sand filters the water of microorganisms, never drink water in spruce forests and downstream from beaver ponds. 40 degree temperatures can kill city folks in a night or two. You can always pile up dry leaves and cover with tarp if you don't have a bag. Get under spruce trees is good too, spruce bow shelter can be made in a couple of hours, stay out of a breeze, look for heavily forested hollows.
a reply to: Wirral Bagpuss

We don't have an actual bug-out bag or bags we can just grab and go. For one thing we are in our mid to late 60's and bugging out on foot, we might not get too far.

If I ever have to out run a zombie horde, I'm afraid I'd be a nice meal for them.

But seriously, we have several water purifying thingy's and also some tablet for purifying water. We have a generator and we have first aid supplies and we do have a nice stash of dehydrated foods good for many more years. And we also can protect ourselves or go hunting if need be. And we also have a big river near-by that we can easily walk to, for water or hopefully fish.

So instead of bugging out, we would hunker down, unless a FEMA truck comes around and wants to take us to a nice safe place until whatever it is passes.

We like to be prepared for things a bit anyway, because we have lost power before for up to a week during the winter.
you don't know what cold is until you have your dirty dishes frozen in your sink.

a reply to: Wirral Bagpuss

While a BOB is essential as an important part of a general survival scheme the average American and elsewhere in the modern world is better off hunkering down in their home unless that is totally impossible. As a rule, your living quarters contains many times over the amount of shelter, food AND equipment you will carry in a BOB, which, of course, can only be the bare essentials.

Along with those physical attributes there are the intangibles of knowing your neighborhood and neighbors, local sources for water, and the ability to protect yourself and family in your own home. All too often on survival threads the safety of one's family, children, etc. are never mentioned and you get only the image of an AR-15-armed individual swaggering down the street looking for bad guys to take out. The reality for survival is more practical.

As we see in daily events, there are various scenarios that can happen: fire, flood, earthquake, asteroid fall, mass terrorist acts, chemical/biological warfare and diseases, etc. Some could drive you from your home, but you are more secure in your home than out on the street whether alone or with children in tow. Sit tight until you know exactly what is the score. That may take days to figure out. Use your home as a refuge in the beginning and don't simply grab your BOB and rush out on the street to become another refugee with maybe no place to go.

a reply to: Wirral Bagpuss

Just an after thought, keep a few cans of tuna in oil in your bag as well, there are always a few in mine, makes a handy cooking/heat/light source as well as food. I wrote a thread about it a couple of years ago:
Easy emergency stove/candle from a can of tuna in oil

a reply to: Aliensun

Good post, that is our philosophy. And as someone else point out, we also live in an area a lot of folks would be bugging out too.

If we were living in a big city, I think I'd want to leave, well depending on what the emergency was of course.

Grainofsand, great tip about the tuna fish in oil.

I'll tell you guys what is not a good tip, we do have our stash of stuff and occasionally check dates or take something out. Wowzer, when I was a kid in the 1950's you know what was so damn good, Vienna Sausages, the ones in those tiny little cans.

So anyway we sometimes raid our "apocalypse now" stah and tried the Vienna Sausages awhile back. Crikey those are the worst things on the planet, were they always that disgusting?!? I was thinking wow, talk about insult to injury, here the world is coming to an end and if that isn't bad enough I have to eat Vienna Sausages too!

I keep a small bag, 1 in each car that has a simple shelter, survival whistle, compass, mylar blanket, 3 days food and water, steel cup camp stove, fuel tablets, waterproof matches, rain poncho, first aid/hygiene kits.

In the house 2 large capacity backpacks food and water for 3 months, sleeping bags, tents, assorted knives, tools, shovels, larger first aid kits .. Basically me or my wife can live off the land for 3 months.

But the preference is to bug in first, but be ready to bail on your home at a moments notice.

I still have my bug out bike with the list of gear, kwakakev.com.... I did make a few little changes along the way as some things break and new things show up.

Best way to prepare is to go out camping some where, how good is your clothing if sleeping rough? Are there any weak spot in the jacket, socks, gloves, ect. A good headlamp is one thing still I regularly use.

Oh gosh...lol

Do you know what it's called a BUG out bag....
Once you catch the bug it's over. That's how it all starts...." Hey, maybe a bug out bag is a good idea, I think I'll put one together"

Next thing you know...you'll be building a faraday cage house and organizing canned goods by expiration dates.

Or, maybe that's just my personal experience.

Bug out from what?

An asteroid strike?

Can't run from that.

A nuclear bomb, earthquake, tornado?

Ditto

Mass arrest, roundups?

They want you to run, If you run they get to run their progrom on you.

Hunger?, Plague, War?

Some hungrier refugee will steal your kit.

Hurricane?

Don't forget your car (or boat).

Bug out kits fill a narrow margin of scenario, mostly in your comfort zone.

But make for good doom porn.

I know, the last "survival preparedness" epoch was the 80's when Reagan got elected.

We were as sure the world would end then, too.

I had the best kit, completely useless.

If anything bad happens plan on sheltering in place, helping the sick and wounded in your locale ( they will help you back) if the need arises.

Anyone caught outside or on the road after dark will be arrested or shot on site.

Put in a store of food, medic basics, source of light and some kind of minimal defense and information service like a radio.

Stay at home, if you go sneaking around you're looking for trouble.

If you are rural, get out the popcorn, you can watch it on TV.

a reply to: intrptr

Agreed.
Britain is a small island, I'm only leaving my home if it is wrecked or I'm forced out.
...even if it is wrecked I'll make a shelter out of whatever is left. 'Bugging' out is a dreamworld US thing as far as I see it.

Just in case something big does happen , I dont have a bugout bag . I have an entire bugout location.Almost off the grid , running water , water mill ,on some good farming land , solar and water provided electricity , generator backup ,dairy farm next door , horse farm on the other side ,stocked food for about 6 months ,etc. I think I have all bases covered.

a reply to: grainofsand

'Bugging' out is a dreamworld US thing as far as I see it.

Makes for good consumerism, too.

a reply to: Wirral Bagpuss

Go to Pro-Pac.com
Ready.Gov

Ready.gov can lead you to complete needs youre not even thinking about to include...simple stuff.

I have a quite lengthy list of near 100 small and average-size items...as its not a PDF file....I think I can post it here

It will be long but the best anyone's got. Give me a few hrs. today and check back here.

originally posted by: Wetpaint72
Oh gosh...lol

Do you know what it's called a BUG out bag....
Once you catch the bug it's over. That's how it all starts...." Hey, maybe a bug out bag is a good idea, I think I'll put one together"

Next thing you know...you'll be building a faraday cage house and organizing canned goods by expiration dates.

Or, maybe that's just my personal experience.

Or you find yourselves thinking.."Hey you know I bet we could dig out under the house and make a hiding place for our stuff or even ourselves."

a reply to: Wirral Bagpuss

I have than whats listed below. I will shortly post a 2nd list.

Get what you can out of it that fits you and your family. More to follow shortly. MS
Emergency Kit

***Food:
MREs for 3 days
Instant Cereal
Instant Hot Chocolate
Food Bars

***Shelter/Bedding:
Tube Tent
Rain Poncho
Space Blanket
Wool Blanket
Sleeping Bags

***Water:
Water
Water Purification
Tablets

***Sanitation:
Toilet Paper
Soap/Shampoo
Toothbrush/Paste
Personal Hygiene Items

***Heat/Light:
Pocket Hand Warmers
Matches/Candles
Propane Stove
Fire Starter Kit
Flashlight
Gloves

***Misc. Items:
Extra set of Car Keys
Credit Cards and Case
List of Family Physicians
Special Items for Infants, Elderly or Disabled Family
1 Gallon of Water per person per day

***Communications:
Battery Powered Radio/Lighting
Extra Batteries

***First Aid Manual:
Sterile Adhesive Bandages
Sterile Gauze Pads
Hypoallergenic Adhesive Tape
Triangular Bandages
Roller Bandages - 2 & 3 inches
Scissors
Tweezers
Needle
Thermometer
Tongue Blades
Assorted Sizes of Safety Pins
Latex Gloves
Antiseptic Soap
Rubbing Alcohol
Cotton
Disposable Diapers
Insect Repellent
Moistened Towelettes
Antiseptic-Cream
Neosporin
Petroleum Jelly
Aspirin or
Non-Aspirin Pain Reliever
Laxatives
Anti-Diarrhea Medication
Syrup of Ipecac -
To induce vomiting if advised
by Poison Control
Antacid
Sterile Adhesive Bandages
in assorted Sizes
Special Medications for Family
• Prescription and Non- prescription Medicines.
• Tools, Equipment, Supplies (manual can opener, utensils, fire extinguisher, matches, money, batteries, etc.)
• Special Items (baby supplies, pet food, important family documents, etc.)
• Extra Food and Water.
• Camping gear tents, canopies, and cooking stoves, Sleeping bags, cooking equipment, utensils, etc
• Communications gear, especially amateur (ham) or citizen's band radio
• Equipment and tools used for debris removal, home repair, snow removal
•
• ***Basic Emergency Supply Kit:
• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio/Batteries
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask, plastic sheeting, duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags, plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers
•
• ***Additional Items Emergency Supply Kit:
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
• Cash or traveler's checks and change
• Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
• Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
• Fire Extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
• Paper and pencil
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Ready.Gov

a reply to: Wirral Bagpuss

Here's 2nd list below...even more to follow soon. MS

www.backdoorsurvival.com...
1. A wise traveler not only carries a passport, but also a photocopy of the passport and well as a scanned version on a laptop, CD, or flash drive.
2. Your healthcare insurance or Medicare card.
3. Your driver’s license, proof of insurance and the 24 hour claims number for your insurance company.
4. Two credits cards (in case one gets lost or is stolen) along with the customer service numbers for the credit card companies written down and stored someplace other than your wallet.
5. A list of emergency contacts, include telephone numbers and email addresses.
6. A prepaid long distance card for making calls when there is no cell phone service or when the calls will be too expensive due to roaming charges.
7. A few blank checks plus some funds in the local currency (if you are traveling out of the country).
8. Prescription medications sorted into daily packets with at least 3 days over and above the number of days you plan to be gone.
9. An emergency first aid kit including bandages, pain medication, instant hot packs, antibiotics, antibiotic ointment, an anti-diarrheal and anything else that you commonly use.
10. Insect repellent and sunscreen.
11. Protein or snack bars.
12. Travel tissues and a travel sized roll of TP (you would be surprised at how often this “essential” will come in handy.)
13. Hand sanitizer plus sanitizer wipes.
14. A mini, LED flashlight and possibly an LED headlamp as well.
15. Pocket knife or Swiss Army style knife. (who knows if this makes it)
16. Chemical light sticks.
17. An emergency whistle.
18. Paracord – in bracelet, keychain or lanyard form for portability.
19. Water purification tabs for ensuring safe, drinkable water if supplies at your destination are compromised.
20. A small roll of duct tape and some tie wraps (also called cable wraps).
21. Mylar emergency blankets.
22. A pocket poncho for every member of your group.
23. Two-way radios that include a NOAA weather scan and emergency alert.
24. Batteries (or rechargeables plus a battery charger).
25. Your cell phone charger or a USB cable to use as a charging cable.
26. Key passwords to access email accounts and online financial data.
27. Pre-printed labels with you home address, home number, and email address. Include one or more of these labels in each checked bag.