Bugging In !!!! Are You Ready ??????

BUGGING IN

For some of us survivalist, there may be a time when having to bug in is the better option than bugging out.

If you live in a major town / city or even the suburbs.
Depending of the type of situation we face, some of us may have to stay put for a while.

ARE YOU READY ????

Again the normal thinking will apply here, in no particular order :-

What situation could you face or are you preparing / prepared to bug in for ????

Food and water ??

Sanitation / hygiene ???

Medical ???

Security and defense ???

Lighting and heating ???

Emergency situations, fire etc ??

Have I missed any ? if so please add the them.

Are you preparing to bug in ???

Food and water speaks for itself, long term food ie pasta, canned food or even your own garden ?? Water plastic bottles for the short term and glass bottle if possible for longer term storage.

Sanitation / Hygiene. Personal hygiene is of upmost important to stop you falling ill. If there are women who are bugging in, storing a supply of sanitary towels. Soap, toothbrush's, towels etc.

Medical. First aid kit large enough to cater for all those bugging in. Medical training / first aid course etc.

Security / defense. Weapons. if you howww.abovetopsecret.com... weapons at home, do you know how to use them effectively. If you have a cross bow / bow. Do you have replacement strings. This is also true of catapults with regards to there elastic. Home made spears / pikes.

Lighting / heating. how will you cook, boil water. How will you see in the dark etc. How will you keep warm in winter etc.

Emergency situations. Fire. Do you have a fire extinguisher ? Do you know how to use it and on what type of fires. ( Depending on what type of sit x, the fire department may never come ).

Do you have a time limit on how long you are prepared to bug in for ???

If you plan to bug in, please share some ideas you have, help improve this thread and pass on important knowledge to others.

Many thanks.

Colec

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[edit on 9/1/2009 by Mirthful Me]

I have two BoB one by the backdoor and one buried 90 yards from my house.
80 pounds of medical supplies in my garage.
A multiple fishing kits and trout lines buried by two rivers here in my city.

But I'm a bugger out.

I remember watching the remake of dawn of the dead when the women is driving thru her street running over zombies and avoiding speeding ambulances. I feel that bugging in must be a LAST resort.
IMHO staying still is asking for trouble. If you look carefully all the fictional zombie or doom flick the zombies/enemy/sickness/Jehovah's Witnesses somehow ALWAYS find a way in. Although its fictional its well enough practical.

Most cities will be untenable, the risk from disease, gang violence, water supplies, security and fire storm make it realistically impossible. Just imagine if a fire broke out and there was no one to put it out, many cities would find entire districts ressembling Dresden. Any disaster that leaves many dead and no civil government to clean up the bodies, shut down the factories and keep the water flowing are going to face wave after wave of pestilence.

Bugging in depends on the type of sit x that you are going to face.

If there was a zombie outbreak I agree that bugging in is not the right thing to do but that is not the only one sit x.

I am also talking about minor sit x's like electric and gas outages. If the power went down for a week would you bug out straight away ???
If no, can you keep lighting going, do you have the ability to cook food and keep warm ???

Remember there are different level's of sit x. They all require looking at and preparing for.

If you were facing a tsunami or a hurricane katrina, yes bugging out would be best before they hit, but this is not always the case. If you were caught in a situation where you may have to stay put for 1-2 weeks would you not rather be prepared to live then leave ???

Bearing in mind, not everyone has the ability to make a hide or cache of supplies.

Originally posted by Northern Raider
Most cities will be untenable, the risk from disease, gang violence, water supplies, security and fire storm make it realistically impossible. Just imagine if a fire broke out and there was no one to put it out, many cities would find entire districts ressembling Dresden. Any disaster that leaves many dead and no civil government to clean up the bodies, shut down the factories and keep the water flowing are going to face wave after wave of pestilence.

Agreed, but what type of sit x is this that you are planning for NR ??
War, Civil unrest ???

We are in the Philly area. Depending on the situation bugging-out could be a real nightmare. We have prepared, best that we can, for shelter in place. If millions of people hit the highways to try to bug out, then they are sitting ducks on those roads and no one will be going anywhere. Therefore - we either bug out extra early, or we shelter in place.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
We are in the Philly area. Depending on the situation bugging-out could be a real nightmare. We have prepared, best that we can, for shelter in place. If millions of people hit the highways to try to bug out, then they are sitting ducks on those roads and no one will be going anywhere. Therefore - we either bug out extra early, or we shelter in place.

I like your forward thinking on have a plan B.
If a major event was to break out I agree with you that the highways and road systems would become blocked and so everyone would be a sitting duck.
Its ok if you can make your way cross country but waiting for the coast to clear and lying low for a week maybe allow you to collect info on whats going on and what the govt and law are doing about it.

Depending on there response you may change your bugging out plans etc.
This Thread is about all different type of situation that you may find yourself in and being prepared for them.
Again Bugging out is not always the option and your plans you include this.

i found this site informative enough for my present situation/location
for whatever may come about suddenly

www.equipped.org...

~Snip~ from link:
"
Be Aware
Before you even think about a means of self-defense, you should learn how to be aware and how to avoid trouble. The best weapons, the best training and the coolest gear won't do you any good if you are oblivious to your surroundings. Being aware of your surroundings usually means you can avoid the situation before it imperils your life. Knowing how to defuse a potentially deadly situation is just another tool with which to defend yourself. Ultimately, avoiding or defusing a confrontation before physical force is required is the best self-defense.

Force Continuum [...] "


its a good read, about 3 minutes worth

Be Aware
Before you even think about a means of self-defense, you should learn how to be aware and how to avoid trouble. The best weapons, the best training and the coolest gear won't do you any good if you are oblivious to your surroundings. Being aware of your surroundings usually means you can avoid the situation before it imperils your life. Knowing how to defuse a potentially deadly situation is just another tool with which to defend yourself. Ultimately, avoiding or defusing a confrontation before physical force is required is the best self-defense.

Yes, this is an excellent reply.
I feel to many people on here would be to quick to reach for their guns when force would not be necessary just some plain dialog or being able to avoid the situation all together.

knowing your surroundings is of upmost importance, this also aids to any survival situation, being able to blend in.
The means of self defense is important but just one of many skills that any survivalist requires.

If I were still living in the city, my prime strategy would be to bug-out at first break of sit-x news asap with as much gear as could be carried comfortably in a 30Ltr pack...vehicles or other transport would be a major no-no as roads and other obvious transport routes would be gridlocked within a very short time, or be risky to travel alone on bike/foot

As I'm now in located at a halfway-point between city and rural in't Yorkshire hills, the strategy has changed to one of bug-in...

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reply to post by colec156


To add to your list of preps, Colec, I'd include:

CO2/Powder fire extinguishers for fire-fighting...CO2 is preferable as they can be used for electrical and gasoline-based fires which would be the most likely encountered



Colur-coding and uses:



They could also be feasibly adapted to become a compressed-gas weapon powerplant by removing the flute and jerry-rigging a push-to-fit 3-4ft barrel-tube to fire projectiles and regulating the firing discharge using the extinguisher trigger-handle.

In an emergency they could be deployed on their own as a 'hostile' repellant

Another thought should be given to emergency Breathing Apparatus...this can be as simple as a 2nd hand scuba kit, and some sets come with a 'buddy breather' add-on...very useful against tear-gas/fire-smoke/chemical agents that may be accidentally or deliberately by authorities/hostiles against a dug-in and fortified residential position

And lastly, building materials.

Keep a good supply of assorted size screws rather than nails, as can be removed and reused elsewhere. Cordless combi-screwdriver/drill with bits and spare batteries kept charged and hand-powered bit+brace unit if/when you happen to run out of power but still need to get the job done

There's a wealth of construction materials to be had to adapt and use from the interior of all houses...when needs must, gut the interiors apart from essential infrastructure.

If (like me) you're planning on fortifying a basement or other room, the main access interior-door can be fire-proof lined using non flammable glass-wool loft insulation and a two overlapping fire blankets attached over the top to give extra time to escape/extinguish in the event of a large scale house-fire

Also useful to keep in the 'secure space' would be a sledgehammer/mallet and cold-chisel or two in case you have no other option than to make a hole through a wall to escape fire or other ...you'll be amazed how fast you can get through a double-skinned load bearing wall if you really have to, with those tools alone!

Silicone bath-sealants and applicator gun/s would be very handy to make window-frames or barricaded doorways airtight too



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[edit on 10-1-2009 by citizen smith]

[edit on Sun Jan 11 2009 by Jbird]

reply to post by citizen smith


Excellent Citizen Smith.
I like you are not in the city, but in the outskirts of the city.
There is a local national park that at most with my BOB would be around 1 1/2 hours walk too.
This is why I would bug in to start with.
I have a whole host of screws and tools here that would help.

I do like the part you posted with regards to the fire extinguisher's.
I have been fire trained with my works but I need to pass this on to my family for any fire emergency.

Excellent info, many thanks.

Colec

Originally posted by colec156

Originally posted by Northern Raider
Most cities will be untenable, the risk from disease, gang violence, water supplies, security and fire storm make it realistically impossible. Just imagine if a fire broke out and there was no one to put it out, many cities would find entire districts ressembling Dresden. Any disaster that leaves many dead and no civil government to clean up the bodies, shut down the factories and keep the water flowing are going to face wave after wave of pestilence.

Agreed, but what type of sit x is this that you are planning for NR ??
War, Civil unrest ???

I can not plan for one specific threat, I have to use a broad brush and generally plan to make my home a safe retreat from the threat of storms, social collapse,power cuts and energy shortages,food shortages, extreme weather, terrorism, crime, etc etc. My vehicle must provide every day transportation but be able to become a self contained BOV at short notice, my personal kit must allow me to do my normal daily work but also provide essential basic tools should something go wrong. However I vary my stockpiles by what is happening in current global events, IE fuel problems in Russia and the middle east mean I keep much more bottled gas than normal and much more diesel as well. Another possible threat is the muslims are kicking off again in many British cities in protest that they are not allowed to kill jews without facing retribution. As I type 12,000 of them are attacking the police in London. I guess social collapse is pretty high on my list of concerns, Failing banks, rising unemployment, criminally behaving US and UK governments, the threat to world peace at the hands of either the US or Islamists. I'm pretty certain the recession will turn into a depression across the globe and this will lead to war for many nations. I can actually see the US going to war against either Europe or the middle east as the domestic problems in the lower 48 drive the US govt to try and divert attention from domestic problems to foreign ones, and poor Britain will once again be stuck in the middle. A point of absolute certainty is that both the US and UK are becoming grossly over crowded with far to many parasites living on benefits, and far to many illegal immigrants causing problems, this always leads to violent unrest in the cities. No one who takes preparedness seriouisly will remain living in cities of more than 20k people.

[edit on 10-1-2009 by Northern Raider]

I'm a bugged out and why?

I lived for a week no civilization, no water, no food, no typical hygiene products, no typical shelter in -30f weather snow past my waist.

Was able to find/trap/fish my own food, made my own fire, made my own shelter, made my own drinking water from snow and streams, etc.

What I had was plenty of layers of warm clothes of course, small piece of fishing line, material to lay on the snow when I slept, 1 sleeping bag, spare clothes in a garbage bag in case the ones I had got wet, a knife with a sharpening stone, a small bit or wire to make traps, small shovel you could fold and a small saw to cut branches for shelter making if need be.

Did it in Alaska and was able to pull it off, never once saw any sign of civilization until my ride picked me up at predetermined area.

Oh also forgot a canteen, compass and map also.

Canteen buried under snow 6-8 inches with the mouth piece facing down will insulate it enough that it won't freeze. Same went for shelter about 8 inches of snow around the entire shelter insulates it so much that sometimes I woke up with the shelter dripping water on me because it would start to melt from my body heat which isn't really a good thing to get wet but it does insulate well. Never ware socks to bed in that weather as even a little wet they will give you frost bite. Turned out staying dry was the most important besides plenty of clothes.

If I could pull that off even though it sucked I was pretty confident I could live anywhere out of civilization.

reply to post by colec156


My plan is to bug in for minor things, and bug out for anything that
might result in wide spread riots and looting.

If it is severe storms ppl here in the heartland tend to pitch in and
help each other after major tornado outbreaks etc.

The only scenarios I can think of for bugging out are:

1) Nuclear War or a serious threat of it
2) Martial Law after they suspend the constitution
3) Comet or Asteroid strike
4) One of the few Super Volcanoes has a VEI-8 eruption
5) Major New Madrid Quake
6) Some event triggers riots, looting and burning
7) Out of control wild fire due to high winds, california had a taste of this
8) Pandemic
9) Terrorist attack with bio, chem or radioactive, real or faked
10) Totally unexpected unanticipated suprise event

For the lesser events I will carry on right here and have several
months food to do so, and a few firearms.

#1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 are very possible in my books.

#3 and 4 are the least likely in my lifetime in my opinion.

Good Luck to you all !

reply to post by Northern Raider


Good reply.
Keeping an eye on global events and taking positive action is the right thing to do for any survivalist.

I agree with bugging in / bugging out will depend on the nature of the sitx we face.
Don't get me wrong here NR, if there was a major event where I live I will be getting out A.S.A.P.
But like I said if the power was down for a few days, you need to be prepared.
AS you say, you keep extra diesel for your van as well as extra bottled gas.

These are really scary times that we all face.

Originally posted by Ex_MislTech
reply to post by colec156

 

My plan is to bug in for minor things, and bug out for anything that
might result in wide spread riots and looting.

Agreed.

This is what being prepared is all about. staying when a situation is minor and being able to leave quickly when a situation rapidly goes down hill.

I will be able to leave when / if the time comes but will also be able to stay until a minor situation blows over.

All the best.

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
Try and plan for as many eventualities as you can.
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

Imagine for example living on the coast of say Alaska and focusing only on surviving power cuts and blizzards and polar bears. You put all your efforts intro surviving the worst the high artic and Pacific north west can throw at you. BUT WAIT! What if you are fully prepared for snowstorms, ice storms and blizzards but Alaska gets a rerun of events of 1963 ? IE A huge bloody great earthquake, followed a few hours later by a massive set of tsunamis.
Or perhaps you are prepared for a huge winter storm blowing in from the Aleutians but did not plan for an out of control bulk LPG super tanker breaking its moorings and splitting open on the rocks only a few hundred feet from shore (one super tanker of exploding LPG has the calorific explosive value of a nuke) Or as forcast on Fox news today a huge solar storms breaks through the Van allan belt and wipes out all electrical systems for thousands of miles. Its folly to plan with a narrow outlook, we must try our utmost to be able to respond to as many problems as possible, IE a secure, self sufficient, storm proof home, that can possibly be used to grow food and possibly use solar, geotherm and wind to be energy self sufficient in a crisis. BUT it also needs at least three usuable bug out routes leading away if different directions. And you will need the vehicles or transport plus kit neccessary to be able to survive if you have to bug out. Flexibility is the key along with adaptability.

[edit on 11-1-2009 by Northern Raider]

There aren't many situations where staying put would be advisable.

The only one I can think of would be a nuclear event where you literally have no direction safe enough to run in. And I don't see that happening. I think you'd have to be very unfortunate to be in that particular area where you have no corridor to exit through.

In almost all events, the safer option is to leave urban areas, places where civil unrest is likely and even probable.

In most events, you have desperate people and criminals as a direct threat. And they will be focused in largely populated areas.
For a disease outbreak, urban areas will rise sharply in disease also.
For a military attack by another nation, capitals and major cities will again be the focus.

I'm quite lucky in that I live in a large town. We do have a large and known communications facility nearby, and that would face attack if we were to be at war, but I can always go in the other direction.
We're surrounded by farmland, by at least 25 miles.

My main plan is to be prepared to leave the town. Get my team together and head for a secluded wood or forest a few miles away (depending on the threat) and stay put for a while while we get another more permanent plan together should the worst happen and a complete breakdown of government and social structure occur.

reply to post by detachedindividual



We must also consider that most modern nuclear munitions are of the airburst variety, so the fallout issue is not as bad as it was twenty years ago when many weapons were designed for ground or sea burst, So proving you dont get vapourised or irradiated instantly you can try and move the opposite direction to the way the wind is blowing.

Dirty weapons such as radioactive material being spread by high explosives across a few city blocks is the most likely terrorist threat which one again reafffirms my believe that cities are simply no good for serious survivalists. Cities are soo vulnerable to food, fuel, water and power being blocked, or terrorist bomb, but also it would only take one terrorist infected with a deadly contagion like Ebola Ziare , Ebola Niger or Hanta Virus to spend a few days travelling round a city on the tubes, trains and buses and eating in fast food resteraunts, or even just getting a job in Mc Donalds that they could spread a disease far and wide killing hundreds of thousands. Cities are places for termites, drones, and the dead.



[edit on 11-1-2009 by Northern Raider]

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[edit on Sun Jan 11 2009 by Jbird]

Originally posted by Northern Raider
Cities are places for termites, drones, and the dead.

That has got be one of the creepiest descriptions of city life I've ever read