BUG OUT BAG

A bug out bag is a grab-and-go bag (usually a backpack).  It’s for situations when you may have to set out on foot to escape a disastrous scenario.  This is in addition to your evacuation supplies.  You may be forced to leave your vehicle to get away so you will only be able to carry what’s on your back.  It may be used to get home or to escape but it is one of your most important disaster preparedness tools.  This is truly a survival pack.  You should take it wherever you go, especially if you plan to be more than a few miles from home.

Because the bug out bag and its contents could end up being your lifeline, you should not skimp on quality.  Spending a few extra dollars now will make all the difference in the world when you need the items the most.

The Bag:

In the bag:

Your bug out bag should be constructed with the Rule of Threes in mind:

“You can live three minutes without oxygen, three hours without shelter, three days without water and three weeks without food.”

This simple rule helps you select your bug out bag contents.

·         The first part of the Rule of Threes has to do with anything respiratory.  This is why we add the N95 particle masks to our bug out bag and if you have a gas mask, you may want to keep it with your bug out bag.  You can always discard it or leave it behind if you don’t think you’ll need it.

·        The second part of the rule is not just about shelter.  It encompasses everything that is related to exposure to the elements. This include items such as, warm clothes, fire making kit, gloves, rain gear etc.

·        Because we can only live about three days without water (depending on conditions) we will need to carry some water and have a means to purify water as we find it.

·         Even though, we can survive for about three weeks without food, we can be affected by the lack of food in as little as one day.  We will start to notice lower energy levels and reduced ability to concentrate.  But, most of all, having food keeps our spirits up and staves off feelings of desperation.

·        Keep in mind that the Rule of Threes does not address trauma, injury or self-defense so you will need to have first aid supplies and self-defense items in your bug out bag.

Organizing your bug out bag is fairly important.  Throwing a bunch off loose items in your backpack will come back to bite you on some dark night when you’re hiding and in a hurry.  You don’t want to have to unpack the entire contents of your bug out bag to find one item.  That’s how you lose things and it slows you down when you’re in a rush to move.  Consider bagging like items in ziplock bags.  Try to visualize what you might need the most often and put those items in a pouch that is easily accessible.  Put your flashlight in a place that you can easily access in the dark and in a hurry.  Once you get it all organized, test it out.  Go out in the dark and try to set up a quick camp.  When you take something out of your pack, always put it back in the same place so its there when you need it next.  You should be able to retrieve any given item in complete darkness so practice.

It’s wise to have some redundancies incorporated into your bug out bag. You should have more than one method of making fire, more than one flashlight, more than one knife and so on for life dependent items. Here’s a list of items that you should consider having in your bug out bag.  You can add items to customize but always keep weight versus necessity in mind.