Bugout Bag Resource List

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Fred Fuller

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The Bug Out Bag Resource List – Covering the Best Sources Online
by JOHN on OCTOBER 20, 2011
====================

There are times when the only way to handle a particular difficulty is to get out of Dodge. Hurricanes, floods, wildfires etc. often come with sufficient warning to allow a degree of orderly departure. Having organized resources (a BoB) at hand can help speed that departure.

BoBs can come in handy in others ways as well. Some are configured as 'get home bags' for urban workers. They can serve as 'shelter in place' resources if that's an appropriate response to the situation at hand. They come in all shapes and sizes for all sorts of purposes.

But for what it's worth, here's a collection of sources that might be useful to anyone who's putting together or reorganizing a bag. Thanks to Claire Wolfe for the reference to the link ( http://www.backwoodshome.com/blogs/...-out-bag-links-and-family-preparedness-group/ ).
 
I am actually doing that right now. I am a university student and one of my classes is Geology 3100, Natural Disasters. The class is a lot of fun. We were recently recieved an assignment to create our own disaster plan including a 72 hour bag. We are also supposed to prepare for an emergency in our homes as well. I hunt and hike with my external frame pack, so I am thinking about using it for my BOB. I already have a lot of the contents I will use left over from hike/hunting. In the last few days, I have been reading into it. I, as well as my professor, think that it is a must. In a disaster, you and your family need to be able to survive without having to rely on someone else. It's your responsibility.
 
now think about the season (the contents change depending where you live)
how do you do family (hint, it should be a single bag, with common stuff but not JUST one bag)

special needs
and on the note of special needs, sometimes you have to accept that your choices are hunker in place and the public shelter.
 
Well I am a tad surprised to see this topic put up by a moderator and remain open. Wow. In years past I had always wondered why people in harsher climates didn’t routinely carry such in the vehicles. You hear news reports occasionally where a motorist/tourist takes a wrong turn or gets caught in a freak storm and ends up dying weeks later because no one knew where to look for them. A bag with some basic items could have saved their life.

Fast forward to the present and even though I live in a mild, albeit hot climate, I took note of FEMA’s advice to “Get a Kit, Make a Plan”. I assembled a Get Home Bag of sorts with a change of clothes, comfortable walking shoes, a couple bottles of water, flashlight, insect repellant, etc. just in case the need were to arise where I had to leave my truck and walk an extended distance. It just seemed to make sense. And no, I don’t have a fold-up carbine, Rambo knife or mall ninja gear, just some basic hiking/camping gear. As I said, it just makes sense.
 
I am a tad surprised to see this topic put up by a moderator and remain open

Why so?

Reasonable preparation for reasonable problems is on topic for ST&T and such things have been discussed here before. SHTF, TEOTWAWKI, zombie fantasies and anything else where the discussion revolves around being ankle deep in hot brass has gotten short shrift here in the past, and will continue to do so.

Perhaps you're confusing this with zombies? :D Perhaps another reference to http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=561603 might help...

Defense in the home and elsewhere are both acceptable topics of discussion, with a few limitations. We generally discourage the discussion of road rage incidents, as the use of weapons is rarely if ever appropriate, and as driving techniques are beyond the scope of The High Road. Scenarios must be realistic. SHTF, TETOWAWKI, and fantasy/zombie scenarios will not be entertained here, nor will we engage in discussions relating to the preparation for possible societal breakdown, foreign invasion, and so forth.

Since defensive tactics and strategies applicable the event of realistic emergencies such as storms and floods are inextricably related to other aspects of survival in such circumstances, what to have on hand or to take with you are acceptable subjects of discussion. For example, limited, constructive discussions of the appropriate contents of “bug out bags” are acceptable, as long as they do not turn into “show and tell” exhibitions.

However, broader discussion of “survival” issues, such as the laying in of long term food supplies, water purification, alternative energy, etc. fall outside of the scope of our mission here at THR.org.
 
Lee - I'm not arguing with the legitimacy of the discussion as you posed it, I've just seen conversations in this direction quickly shut down, that's all.

Trust me, I took the steps I took simply because I would not want to potentially hike 3 or 4 miles in my business attire and Johnson & Murphy wingtips. Talk about a walking target. As I said, it makes sense to me.
 
The rest of THR is definitely more gun-centric than ST&T.

In fact, I just stumbled over posting to a thread elsewhere that another mod closed shortly thereafter for being OT. My only excuse was spending so much time here as to be out of touch with the focus elsewhere on the board.

Mods here yell at other mods too, if it makes you feel any better... :D
 
I check my survival bag pretty regularly, probably monthly. In Michigan, the weather can change drastically in a matter of hours, sometimes minutes. We're experiencing a bit of snow/ sleet in the GR area as a matter of fact.

My Bug out/ get home/ survival bag consists really of nothing more than a multitool, flashlight, change of clothes, thermals, a small blanket, some of those hand warmers, and a couple packs of emergency rations. Water tends to freeze solid, so I only pack water if I know I'm going to be out of the house for several hours instead of leaving it there indefinetely. In any event, I have my 1 liter bottle I refill daily.

I'm trying to get the wife to put together a bag to keep in her vehicle. She doesn't share my mindset.

I haven't thought much about the kids having a BOB. In the event of any real disaster, which in my area we are talking snow storms and not much else, we would be sheltered in place, huddled around the fireplace. We're not likely to actually bug out and sally forth into the wild blue yonder with nothing but our packs on our backs.
 
One of the most common suggestions I make to people is to add experience to their BOB.
I meet a lot of people in the outdoors/backpacking hobby who are new at it, and I have a lot of people strike up conversations with me about the BOB.
Putting the right things in the bag is okay, but if you haven't slept outdoors or walked more than the length of your driveway in years, then you should take your equipment out and use it at least once a month if you can. A couple of times a year, minimum.
The learning curve of how to pitch your tent, hang your hammock, build a fire, filter or purify water, etc. is not lethal every time, but it's steep enough that you need to feel comfortable with all your stuff.
Don't wait til it's time to use it to learn how to use it. It'll strip a level of stress off of an already stressful situation, if you have practiced skills.
Experience is the key ingredient to any BOB.
 
Lee,

Thanks for bringing this up. It is VERY useful information. Natural Disaster strikes. Weather your in Hurricane territory, earthquake territory, snow-storm teritory, tornado territory or a flood plain. You need to be prepared when disaster strikes.
 
I cannot imagine heading out in a motor vehicle in the winter in a northern area on anything but a short local trip within the city without being prepared for being lost or stuck for some period in the cold.

Yes, I've done it, but in retrospect I realize that it was most unwise. Thirty six years ago this month, my wife and I started off for Davenport, Iowa from St. Louis for Thanksgiving just as the snow began to accumulate on the ground, after having been advised by the Automobile Club that we should make it safely if we went north on the Illinois side. Shortly after crossing the Mississippi, we were ploughing though four inches of snow, and we heard on the radio that four more were expected--not including the effects of a rapidly forming second front that had not been predicted.

We turned around before it was too late. We later heard of hundreds of motorists who were stranded for days between Peoria and Rockford. It can happen and it does.

What one might need will depend a lot on where one will be traveling. Hunting and fishing gear and fire starting kits would be of little use on the Interstate 80 west of Chicago, but in the Snake River area, one might think a lot differently.

USAF_Vet has some good ideas here:

My Bug out/ get home/ survival bag consists really of nothing more than a multitool, flashlight, change of clothes, thermals, a small blanket, some of those hand warmers, and a couple packs of emergency rations. Water tends to freeze solid, so I only pack water if I know I'm going to be out of the house for several hours instead of leaving it there indefinetely. In any event, I have my 1 liter bottle I refill daily.
Click to expand...

I would add a first aid kit, medications, flares, and a weather radio would be good ideas.

As a matter of fact, I think that having a first aid kit in the car is always a good idea.

Now, I think I'll go back and study those links.
 
My car has a fully stocked FAK, along with meds, a space blanket and another packet of emergency rations. Flares are in the trunk, too. My BOB takes all the items that are a permanent fixture in my car into consideration.

I've also got some basic fire starting equipment in the BOB, since my car is new enough not to come standard with a cigarette lighter. I don't smoke, so paying $35 for a lighter from the dealer was out of the question. However, I'm now reconsidering that and might hit the junkyard to salvage one for a couple bucks.
 
I had a good test of my bobs last March during and after the earthquake. My first level bob is a fanny pack that has cash, bankbooks, passports and other important documents. It also has a flash memory with pictures of all of my other important documents and some family pix, a wind up radio and cell phone charger, and Id cards. (thanks to http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/blogs/klessons/ for the tips, this guy really got it right) Next level is a standing out in the parking lot bob. It has what you need to stand out in the parking lot for a few hours waiting for the aftershocks (or whatever) to stop. Mostly clothes, food, and water. Just upgraded that one for winter yesterday. It's all in a duffel bag at the entrance. Then there is the evacuate bob, in a large wheeled travel pack. Anything more serious I would need to put together. You may laugh at camping gear but if you end up a refugee even for a short time living the hotel life can bleed your wallet.
 
I don't smoke, so paying $35 for a lighter from the dealer was out of the question. However, I'm now reconsidering that and might hit the junkyard to salvage one for a couple bucks.
Click to expand...
You can buy a universal lighter at parts stores for only a couple of bucks and wire it into the engine compartment or traditional under dash area. Makes a good dock for a solar trickle charger too, when you wire straight to the battery and avoid the factory harness.
 
My car came equipped with the socket, just not the actual heating element they call a cigarette lighter. I've seen them for sale a tthe dealer as an option, and Wal-Mart ptobably carries them too. I don't need the whole set-up and wiring, just the actual plug in heating element.

I don't smoke, but I typically carry a lighter just in case anyway, and my BOB has a couple tossed in for good measure.
 
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