Creating Your "Get Home Bag"

At least half a dozen people have said to me in the last two days that they "wish they had a Bug Out Bag in the car/truck" when they found themselves stranded for the 12 - 48 it was taking to make it from Atlanta out to the suburbs. On one hand, it's been good to discover how ubiquitous the term Bug Out Bag has become. I was still under the impression that that was a term common in LE, Mil, and Prep communities, but I am hearing people mention it who are, or have been, none of those things.

In many ways, the shutting down of Atlanta was wonderfully revealing as to the common weaknesses many people have in taking care of themselves. I don't say this in a finger-pointing way at all - in fact I was stranded for a night myself, unable to get home because of stuck, then abandoned, cars left blocking the road. If you were one of those people who ended up sleeping in your car, maybe for the first time ever, or walking for miles to get to your home, or were just surprised by the lack of planning and effective response that the local government services were able to provide, then this might be the perfect time to pause and consider your own self-sufficiency. After all, in the end we are all responsible for our own selves, and leaving your safety up to others is a recipe for helplessness.

Most of my emergency resources are contained in a large Rubbermaid tub in my vehicle. I do have a bag that goes with me too, but it is usually filled with items from my last excursion, not a preset collection of designated survival gear. As you consider your preparation, a good place to start is to think in terms of a 72 hour period. Nearly all minor disasters are resolved within that time period, and the few that aren't (like Katrina) are the ones where only those who have made preparation their passion for years prior have made it through relatively intact. In disasters of great scale, luck is nearly as important as preparation. In short term and local disasters, you often have a good deal of ability to overcome the circumstances, and you are trying to remove "luck" from the equation as much as possible.

Any 72 hour survival kit should first address the most basic physical needs at a minimum - water, food, and protection from the elements.

• Water. This is the easiest preparation to make. It could not be much simpler than stashing a few 16.9oz water bottles in your trunk. I try to keep six bottles, two for each day if you are alone. Aside from the obvious use of drinking, a bonus for having these bottles is if you have to relieve yourself in your vehicle, these can come in very handy. This is easier for men, but there are actually some pretty simple adapters to allow a woman to do this as well. There were many, many callers on the radio calling to find out if they were going to be cited for using the restroom outside their car "in public."
• Food. This is straightforward as well, and although I do not care for MRE's, they make for a simple meal that will actually feed two people provided you aren't trying to stuff yourself.
• Protection from the elements. This can take several forms and should address a couple different aspects. First, you should carry the clothes/insulation to stay warm or dry. Many people were walking in the snow and ice yesterday dressed in their business clothes - thin slacks, button down shirt with tie, and dress shoes. Most had a light jacket on since it has been in the 20's here for a while, but what a difference comfortable shoes with good traction, jeans, thick coat, and a wool hat could make! I would also suggest a simple tarp and a blanket as two items to include as well. If you have to leave your vehicle but have further than one day's mileage to travel, having something to take shelter under can be vital too.

I joked with my wife as I was trying to get home that if I couldn't make it, I'd just find a piece of woods and make a camping trip out of it. In my gear tub, I also have fishing gear, camping gear, and canoeing equipment. Below are a few of my recommendations and links to find these items. Honestly, you can build a pretty solid kit just with things found on Amazon without spending much money at all if you customize and limit your kit based on only the things you need.

• Pack of lighters
• Small knife
• LED Flashlight and extra batteries
• (2) Lightsticks
• Firearm with extra ammo (Ruger LCP is a great one if you're looking for opinions!)
• Cell phone
• Map of your area
• Fleece or lightweight jacket depending on season
• 100' Paracord
• Compass
• First Aid Kit
• MultiTool
• Notebook
• (2) pens
• Gloves

Finally, I am always an advocate of training and dry runs to supplement gear. ESEE used to run a course where they would let you try out your 72 hour kit in a created scenario. During that time, you got to see in a safe reality what you needed, what you didn't, what you would want more of, and what was just extra weight. If you would like to find out more about this topic and gain a good understanding of the practice, I'd recommend this book. It goes into much greater depth and is quite thorough.

Are there other things that you include that I've overlooked here? Have you ever had to use your kit?