Bug out bag - serious this time

Just take a moment and read whats already been posted. Or use your noggin. This is not rocket science, but simply list making. An hurry up too, time's a wasting

There have been dozens of threads dealing with this and other issues since Katrina arrived... the "Search" function is your friend. No time for new suggestions now!

Two bits of advice from me:

1. Gas up your vehicle(s) NOW, and fill every spare gas container you can. If you don't have spare gas containers, go buy enough for at least another tankful!

2. Leave before the rest do!

Good luck...

Don't forget the beer and feminine hygene products. If ya need one, you're gonna need the other!

Biker

What Preacherman said. . .

It's serious every time. Many of us have taken all the lessons learned from prior storms and applied them to our ongoing plans. Nothing has changed in the last couple of days.

As was said earlier.. Get that vehicle fueled now.

1. All of your important documents
2. CASH CASH CASH... did I mention CASH?
3. Contact information for your family and such... make sure to contact them now and let them know where you're going.
4. LEAVE TOWN NOW

Everything else would be considered secondary by me at least...

3. 1 week worth of clothing for you and yours
4. Some Basic Food stuff
5. Comfort Foods
6. Tobacco if you use it
7. What ever else your common sense says to take. Don't try packing the whole damn house, if it is not replacable take it if you have room. If not, pack the item well in water tight storage and stash it somewhere in the house for now.

Take care man

The only thing I would add to what has already been said is medication. If you take anykind of medication get as much of it as you can and pack it out with you. Most likely your Dr. is in the same location as you are and it will be hard to have a prescription called in if he buggs out too.

A week is too much for clothing. 3 days worth is enough. You can go without undergarments in a warm environment like Fla.
Anything you don't take (clothes) oughta go into a trashbag, tied shut into a knot. At least this gives you a shot at recovering it if your casa is damaged.

And while it is a five now. It is projected as a two when it hits FL

Alex:
I'm in the same boat as you. I'm just north of Sarasota.
Use common sense in packing a Bob. Lot's of people have different things they stuff in their bags.
The one thing I'm doing this time is NOT waiting to GET OUT.
If I feel it's aiming at me, I'm gone.
Now the latest is Wilma will hit as a cat 2 or 3.
But remember charlie. A CAT 1 nice and friendly and out of the blue 2 hours from me a CAT 4. And just missed me when it turned.
So if my tummy says run, I'm heading to Atlanta.

AFS

Run from the water, hide from the wind.

Are you in an area that a Cat 5 storm surge would flood? If so, then go. If you are further inland and you don't live in a mobile home I'd hunker down. Get a generator or two, get LOTS of gasoline (you'll be able to share some with the less fortunate), prepare your house for the wind and hunker down.

This is what I did when Rita came to town and I'm glad I did. I weighed leaving really carefully but convinced my darling bride that staying was the wisest choice and we're glad we did.

Keep in mind, the actual "bag" (more likely a small backpack) is for an emergency evacuation, i.e. your house is burning down, some dam just broke and floodwaters are nearing the area - you need to leave NOW and do not have the time for niceties like packing.

Especially nice at 0300 when you are fast asleep and undressed...

For an event that you have time to prepare for it is one more item on your packing list as you get ready to leave.

As several have already pointed out have both cash and credit handy, and enough gas to get to your destination.

Having a bug-out-bag is just being ready to go backpacking at a moment's notice. Only difference is intent: holy-crap-run-now vs. hey-let's-go-camping.

There's plenty of threads on this. The Katrina-prompted ones are the best. You're asking us to go over what has already been discussed & recorded in great detail.

If you have dogs, make sure you take their rabies vac. paperwork, not just the collar tags. I don't know about your county, but I know a few years ago Monroe County wouldn't let you back in with your pets unless you had the paperwork, not just the tag.