Bug out bag who has one?

[rhoda_bruce]

I'm kinda with suncatcher.....I can probably add more things to my 'collection' to be better prepared, but I'm more about staying put, packing it in. Anyone would visit and just think I'm prepared for a serious storm if they went thru my pantry.

 

[chickenjoe]

After surviving Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, we all have bug out bags. My husband and I split what is included. Naturally we have all the usual items, flashlight, water bottle, granola bars, bandages and OTC meds such as aspirin (really needed it during Katrina), extra socks and underwear, soap, small size shampoos, eye drops, tissues and a roll of T-P, and a number of personal items such as insurance paperwork. Also sunglasses, spare reading glasses, phone charger (hand crank kind), toothpaste and manual tooth brush, and a whole lot of other small items.

We were able to leave before the storm and stay with family for the storm. What we thought would be 3 days turned into 14 months. So don't count on your bug out to last for the duration. I find the easiest way to figure out what you'd need is put box on your counter in the bath and one in the kitchen. When you are getting ready in the morning, put each item you regularly use in the box. Then inventory after a few days. Whatever you needed at home, you're going to need if you have to evacuate.

Also, remember that ATMs didn't work for weeks and prescription drugs ran out the first week after the storm. Have extra cash and your meds for at least a month.

Keep an address book with the addresses, emails, mobile phone numbers etc. of everyone you will need to contact The landlines were down for a month in some areas but you could text from some locations. Also have old fashioned paper maps with routes marked to key meet up locations. Make a copy for everyone you will need to meet up with after the disaster.

Also, this is just a personal thing but I keep at least one pillowcase in the bag. Nothing like being able to sleep on a pillow that feels like home even in a shelter.

Good luck with your bag. We hadn't had a hurricane in 40 years until Katrina. Luckily we had family to rely on in the country when our home was wrecked. Not everyone was so lucky. Even 6 year later, there are still people living in cars, tents, and on friend's couches who used to be homeowners. Don't think it can't happen to you, because no one is immune from disaster.

we had Irene come through we were lucky. but people about an 1 hour way and near rivers are still rebuilding their house, or just walked away from their properties, because they couldn't rebiuld. I expiecenced the ATM not working when we had bad ice storm another time. tried getting gas for the generator. so I got me thinking about getting more prepared.

 

[Denim Deb]

I need to clean out my truck. And, when it's clean, it will have things in it that I need. I know I posted some place B4 what all I'd have in there, and don't feel like posting it again.

At the farm, once my tack shed is finished, it will have plenty of food, etc for just in case I were to get stuck out there. Sure, RU would let me in the house, but I don't want to have to rely on her-especially if she's away!

 

[rhoda_bruce]

Oh man, thats true. After Katrina and Gustave, no phones.....land or cells. I got to thinking that I'd want a CB radio.....home base and auto. Hopefully convince some of my immediate family to do the same. Only thing is to protect the antenias before the storm hits.

 

[Beekissed]

Nope...never have had one. I've always carried certain things in the truck for emergencies on the road but never felt the need to keep any in the home. There are no emergencies in my area that would call for actually leaving my home and traveling elsewhere. My home is the kind of place other people travel to in case of emergency.

 

[THEFAN]

Nope...never have had one. I've always carried certain things in the truck for emergencies on the road but never felt the need to keep any in the home. There are no emergencies in my area that would call for actually leaving my home and traveling elsewhere. My home is the kind of place other people travel to in case of emergency.

Here Here!!! Love where I live. Not going to be an easy place to get to when the smelly hits the fan cap. I still have to carry a bag when I go off island. It always feels like a foreign country when I do now and just feels right.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I stay for whatever happens, because thats just how I am, but if I HAVE to leave and choose to comply, I'm going see you, cuz I'm convinced we can have a great conversation over a few cups of coffee.

Nope...never have had one. I've always carried certain things in the truck for emergencies on the road but never felt the need to keep any in the home. There are no emergencies in my area that would call for actually leaving my home and traveling elsewhere. My home is the kind of place other people travel to in case of emergency.

 

[Beekissed]

The more the merrier! We have board games and always have a fresh deck of cards on hand....

 

[donrae]

We are working on putting bags together. I do get kinda intimidated by the hard core crowd's "everything you need to live off the land for three days" mentality, so I need to keep in mind a realistic assessment of our threats.

House fire, this can happen to anyone. I'm wondering, those who say they'd never need to leave home, what about this? This is not sarcastic, it is an honest question. Do you have back-up living quarters (camper, etc) you plan to go? We do have family in the area we could stay with, but I wouldn't choose to for more than a day or so. A go-bag would be nice, even if you're staying with family or at a hotel.

Fire, flood and earthquake are all about the same risk for us, I think. I'm actually in a pretty safe area as far as natural disasters. None of these are very likely, but all remotely possible.

We are building our "shelter in place" plan. Again, very rare area for severe weather, etc. But hey, that's why they're called freak storms, right? So we have three days food and water if the power goes out, we could last a good month if the power is on. Well, depending on how much hay we have. That's the one thing that's hard to keep a large supply on hand, due to storage space. But the people and all other animals are covered.

My boys are thrilled with putting their bags together. We're slowly building them up, and have found keeping food in them is not going to work as little fingers can't leave the food alone, but we can work around that. So far they have water, flashlights, a change of clothes and extra socks and undies, and some entertainment. Like I said, we're working on it.

I travel for work, so my car is always stocked. I could make it almost a week from what's in there! I don't have any bag, though, everythings in rubbermaid totes.

 

[Icu4dzs]

I keep one in each vehicle because getting stuck in the snow for an overnight here is a real possibility. As for long term, I feel that I am where I would have run TO, not from in any other situation. Should things get so bad that I would feel the need to leave my farm you can bet I wouldn't be going to far before I turn around and come back at a time of MY choosing and take care of whoever was responsible for making me leave...if you get my drift.
Having things in the car that will sustain you for a night in the worst of weather is probably the only issue for me now. I am where I need to be, PERIOD.
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//BT//