wife's perspective on what to take if we need to leave home

[Onward Allusion]

Sheepdog1968
wife's perspective on what to take if we need to leave home

Your wife is a smart woman.

In a get out of Dodge situation (i.e. wildfire, hurricane, earthquake NOT zombies), it doesn't make sense grabbing something that is heavy to lug around. In terms of firearms, a hi-cap 9mm with a few loaded mags and another 100 rounds and a good holster/belt combo will suffice. If you happen to already have a AK/AR with goodies in your vehicle all the more better, but I wouldn't make a point of grabbing something like that 'cause you'll have your hands full with the wife & kids and the few essentials and one or two sentimental items.

 

[Cluster Bomb]

this makes me want to have a plan bag.....

in most natural disasters though we are safe. far back in the woods.

if ever there wer a disaster it would probably be while we wernt home, as we both work in the city.

as far as handguns i have none atm sold em all. and long guns i have a 300wby with scope a 4595ts a mossberg 20g and a gsg522 none really for safty fending off frantic panicy people if we have something they want. now this gives me a reason to buy more lol

glad that you have a good one, now days alot of women are used to having things done for them and many dont even drive....lol mine shoots, works, drives, cleans etc. shes a keeper too.

 

[MikeNice]

I think that instead of the Mrs. grabbing one of the guns that you decide to keep loaded, she should decide which gun she wants to grab. Then THAT gun should stay loaded, with a box of ammo known to work well with it it nearby.

That is pretty much what I was thinking. There should be one she can grab for her and a second one to toss in the bag for him.

This is also why I keep my CZ P-07 in a holster with a mag holder. You get 31 rounds of ammo in one grab. Grab the gun, strap the rig on the belt with a velcro strap, and keep moving. Either one of us can grab it and have it ready to go in less than a minute. We both shoot it well at defense distances and anything more can possibly become a burden.

After reading the thread I am thinking of updating our two small bags with a few things. Thanks guys.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I would imagine in most cases you'd probably have ample time to load a vehicle pretty heavily with gear, food, weapons, etc. So, in light of that, if you really have the survival mentality, what you should probably focus more on than the specifics of what you'll grab to run with is having a reliable, tough vehicle that can haul it all with you. IMO, you could equip yourself with the best survival kit in the world, but if getting away from whatever it is that threatens you depends on the family Prius, some econobox or a sportscar, you may not be in such a good spot after all.

Think of it this way: If the vehicle is not up to a weekend camping trip down a few miles of moderate trail, it's not fit for a bug out.

The best example I can think of is Katrina. There was (more than) ample warning that the S was gonna HTF. I can understand wanting to guard your home and livelihood as long as possible, but the downside to that is you may be faced with a more challenging exit as roads become impassable by average vehicles with flooding and debris. What good is that super-dooper survival/bug-out kit if you can't get out?

I realize it's not feasible/possible for everyone due to budget, parking situation or myriad other factors, but it's my opinion that anyone serious about survival should have a simple and very robust 4x4 that is kept in good running order, whether tagged or not. What do I mean by simple? Something that you can work on and have spare parts on hand to keep it running. My personal example:

1983 Dodge Ramcharger 4x4, 4" lift, 35" tires
Carbureted 318 V8, 4 spd. manual trans, manual T-case, manual hubs

In addition to the large emergency kit and tools, I keep in/on the truck:
2 Spare tires
drive belts
radiator hoses
coolant & oil
fuel pump & hose
Alternator
voltage regulator
distributor
ignition coil
ECU
Starter/ignition relay
headlights
headlight switch
Spare U-joints
Spare front axle stub shafts
Fuses, wire, other electrical repair items
Duct tape

About $600 worth of spare parts (tires not included) on a $2,500 truck, and I'm basically carrying everything I need to keep it running short of a catastrophic failure. If I was bugging out, I'd grab batteries out of a couple of my other cars, too.

You cannot do this with a modern truck. Too many expensive, hard to replace parts that bring them down. Most vehicles made after ~1998 even have to have the powertrain modules coded to them to run, which can't be done without an internet connection and pass-though device, should the PCM get zapped somehow.

Most of us here have fantasized the TEOTWAWKI scenario, but I think how dependent we'd be on a vehicle is often overlooked. Odds of survival without one are not nearly as high; You're slow, you're exposed to the elements, and if you become injured, being on foot is extra bad.

Just some food for thought and my $0.02

 

[Madcap_Magician]

In the list of important documents, make sure you have copies of your resume and anything you might need to get a new job.

I say this because the majority of realistic "bug-out" scenarios involve relocation, i.e. Hurricane Katrina, in which residents are displaced and may end up living for several months or a year away from their homes.

The online file storage backup is a good idea.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

In a huricane Katrina situation I would have been one of the first to leave the city. I have good insurance and there aren't that many possessions I have that are near and dear to my heart. I did have all of the photos scanned by digmyoics in AZ (geat outfit). It wasn't cheap by any means but photos are probably my most cherished possition and duplicates are stored in various geographic locations. I had a former boss whose home burnt down while he was off on a big family vacation. He lost everything. The only thing he really seemed to miss, not be able to replace were photos. I took it to heart. At the end of the day, firearms are just tools and I have them documented and can replace them. I just need one to protect my family and I can make do with whatever my wife would grab if I weren't home.

 

[Kaptain Five]

Thank god in the age of the internet, all of my wife and i's photos are online. I keep all of my handguns locked in one case, and earlier this year, when we were evacuated w/ five minutes notice due to flooding, I was able to grab my case and get the dogs out the door, while my wife got our clothes, phones, and Small stuff rounded up. Being displaced is a horrible feeling all by itself. i can't imagine that feeling being compounded by knowing you have no way to defend yourself.

 

[Sav .250]

Different strokes(as in weapons) for different ..........newly weds.

 

[thedrewcifur]

my girl would grab her ar-15 and her browning hi power.