Bug-out bag
A
bug-out bag, also known as a
go kit,
go bag,
72-hour kit,
run bag and other names, is a container which keeps essential survival items readily available in case of an emergency. It is a type of
survival kit but differs from a typical earthquake or hurricane kit in that weight and size are primary considerations in anticipation of leaving the disaster area and taking your bag with you. It also differs from a typical wilderness survival kit, in that a bug-out bag's purpose is to help you leave your usual place of residence or work (such as a home or a city) in the event of a major emergency.
Typical "BoB"s include enough supplies for at least 72 hours. There is no authoritative list for the contents of a BoB because survival is heavily dependent on where the disaster occurs, but the following types of supplies are commonly included:
* Food and
energy bars
* Water or
filtration equipment*
First aid kits
* Necessary Medicines (insulin for diabetics, asthma inhalers, extra eyeglasses, etc.)
* Change of clothing
* Cash
* Important documents (identification, property titles,medical prescriptions, etc.)
* Defensive tools or weapons
* Shelter of some form
There are literally millions of combinations for what a family or individual might keep in a BoB. The key is to keep as much as you can and keep it portable. If an individual, then there is no option for carrying -- you have to tote it all. A family can break items into heavy/light or dangerous/non-dangerous categories for adults-children or stronger-weaker members.
Military rations or "Meal, Ready to Eat" (
MRE) are available. These are hermetically sealed and heat treated (
sterilized) so they keep for up to five years under ideal temperature conditions. Refrigerating them gives longer life, hot climates shorten the life. They are compact and designed to provide proper nutrition.
Some use a home dehydrator for food storage preparation. You may also consider dry foods such as pasta, beans, rice if you can seal them hermetically and prevent access by vermin.
Whatever your food supply, it is wise to periodically test it. MREs are made in batches with a date code so you can sample one from a batch. Self-prepared food will depend on you. Make sure you know what you are doing.
Apportion food to duration of self support. If you can carry everything and have space for more food, then do it. You will not suffer for having too much food. MREs can also be traded or shared easily.
As seen in the New Orleans Hurricane Katrina disaster, potable water often becomes unattainable in emergency situations, particularly during large scale natural disasters affecting the water supply. Scenes of military helicopters airdropping cases of bottled water should drive home how important clean water is.
Water can be prepared by boiling, filtering, or chemical treatment. Any of these are fine if you make sure to follow instructions. It is best to not rely on one in preparation because you do not know what your circumstances will be when a disaster hits. If you have no heat source, how will you boil water?
A good BoB will have a heat source for multi-use (sterilization, cooking and water boiling), a small water filter pack (remember you can pack things inside the container to save space, make sure to bring filter spares), and chemical treatment. You may even use regular laundry bleach in SMALL ratios. This means drops per gallon, depending on how bad the water is. If you use commercial bleach, let the water sit over night so that the bleach evaporates.
Water is vital. Don't expect to have enough from your supply of Evian in the cupboard.
This is really two separate categories, but they use the same tools, which is why they are listed together.
First aid is the initial treatment of wounds which will then be handled by professionals. CPR is first aid, but intubation and hospital care is later. When a disaster happens you may be required to give both first aid and extended care. Dressing a wound, setting a broken bone or closing a gash with a surgical suture are all first aid, believe it or not.
First aid kits should have enough to do basic suturing. A military field surgery kit has all you need to do wound care. Likewise, simple items like bandages, aspirin, antibiotics (internal and topical) are all vital. Nothing worse than dressing a wound properly and not having something to clean it!
If you can, get some training. The
Red Cross and other organizations offers courses for first aid, and you may consider organizing your neighborhood and hiring a professional to give some training. If you can't do this, you should at least have a book showing how to do first aid.
Extended care is the step after first aid. If you're in a disaster, help might be days or even weeks away. Knowing how to take care of someone who is injured will likely save their life. This is a hard one to do because you never know what will happen or how bad it will be. Again, training and having a resource onhand is vital.
This speaks for itself. If you or a family member has asthma, diabetes or any other chronic malady which requires medication you should store a good supply of it. If you can, hermetically seal it in plastic with no air and put it in your freezer. Medicines, like all chemicals, oxidize over time. Vacuum-packing them and sealing them in the freezer slows this down just like when you freeze food. Its always a good idea to include dessicant within the vacuum bagging to minimize/eliminate humidity.
The videos of Hurricane Katrina victims walking miles in waist-deep water or paddling canoes should explain this. You may have to move to get to safety and your trip may be hours or even days. Having high-sugar, high-carb snacks available which you can get to easily will help.
The most likely time to need this is right after the disaster happens. A nuclear evacuation will not give you time to prepare. Moving quickly means having the energy to do so. Make sure these are on the top and that you have enough to last 2-3 days (figure 3-4 per person per day, equivalent to one granola bar and one chocolate bar each). Don't worry about the health aspect of it -- if you are fleeing a disaster, the last thing you need to worry about is your waistline.
Diabetics especially should prepare for this and double the number of available snacks appropriately. Having a mix of different sizes and types is best (i.e. small sweets in the mix).
In many scenarios that BoBs would be useful, including
riots or
terrorism, there is typically a breakdown in civil order. As such there is definitely a high potential for violence and some feel that weapons are a necessary part of any BoB. Any decision to include a weapon must be weighed by the amount of training previously received, the potential for accidents, and posible escalation of any stressful situation to include (deadly) violence.
Firearms are the modern weapon of choice, although there is great debate over how many and what type should be included in any BoB. Firearm laws also vary widely between localities which will limit their availability.
Pepper spray or
tear gas is effective against dogs and other animals, it also is useful as a non lethal defense weapon when lethal force is not justified. Disaster shelters rarely allow any form of a weapon.
Knives should also be considered for inclusion in any BoB. In addition to usage as a weapon, knives are multi-purpose tools that can also be used as a gauze cutter, a glass breaker, a food cutter, and a clothing cutter, among other uses.
Shelter can be as simple as a tarpaulin and complex as a quality backpacking tent. In either case, ensure that some form of protection from the elements is included in your BoB plans.
*
International Red Cross Preparedness Plan*
Equipped to Survive Foundation - reviews, articles, discussion forum*
Yahoo's First Aid Directory*
U.S. FEMA, Are You Ready?*
Free First Aid Guide*
Looksmart's Recommendations for First Aid Kits for Mothers*
HealthWorld Online - Emergency & First Aid*
DMOZ.org First Aid Guide*
The "Bug Out Bag" and You!
