Not long ago, you could have rejected serious catastrophe preparedness as a paranoid activity. But if this year has taught us anything, it’s that we should all take disaster preparedness seriously. The phrase “anything might happen” now appears to be less of a warning and more of a casual introduction to the daily news update.
A survival plan that accounts for circumstances in which your family may need to flee your house is required to prepare for a number of probable calamities. By assembling a “go bag” or “bug-out bag,” you’ll have all the resources and tools you need to survive outside of your home for at least 72 hours if calamity hits.
Don’t put off establishing a strategy or convince yourself that doing so would lead to disaster. On the contrary, starting to collect the essentials for a portable go pack will put your mind at ease. While you are likely to have some of the materials you require on hand, we recommend investing in quality products when possible so that they do not fail you when you need them. While many of the items below have many purposes, others also have overlapping functions: When you need to build a fire, charge a lantern, or create a rain shelter, having a Plan B or C on hand is a smart idea.
What items should be in a bug-out bag?
Whether you’re seeking to create a more minimalist bug-out bag or the ultimate bug-out bag, here’s a list of the things you’ll need to consider gathering, no matter the season or the emergency:
First Aid and Sanitation
- Comprehensive first aid kit
- N95 face masks
- Prescriptions
- Spare set of glasses
- Antibacterial wipes and ointment
- Splint
- Sunscreen
- Folding shovel
- Condensed soap
- Toothbrush
- Travel towel
- Hand sanitizer
- Nail clippers
- Tampons, pads, or silicone menstrual cup
- Toilet paper/wet wipes
- Contractor garbage bags
Food and Water
- 3 days’ furnish of non-perishable meals (healthy canned items in non-BPA lined cans, different shelf-stable foods, high-nutrition electricity bars, even MREs, the boxed ready-to-eat foods that troopers carry) per household member
- Portable water filtration system
- Chemical water purification capsules or drops
- Collapsible water bag or bladder
- Stainless metal water bottles for every household member
- Stainless metal bowl/pot
- Spork multi-utensil
- Field knife
- Collapsible fishing kit
- Portable stove
- Fuel for stove/fire (solid fuel, hearth starters, ferro rod, water-proof suits or petroleum soaked cotton ball DIY fire-starters)
- Multipurpose device with knife, can opener, screwdriver, etc.
- Waterproof Ziploc luggage
Warmth and Shelter
- Lightweight tent
- Sleeping bag
- Ground pad
- Emergency water resistant blanket or house blanket
- Tarp
- Hand warmers
- Gloves
- 50′ of parachute wire (paracord)
- Hatchet or machete
- Knife sharpening stone
- Clothes
- Rain poncho or different long lasting water-resistant outer shell layer
- Warm and light-weight wintry weather jacket
- Warmth layer (wool, fleece)
- 2 units of quick-dry underclothes per person
- 2 pairs of wool trekking socks per person
- Sturdy trekking footwear or boots
- Hat for warmness (winter) or solar safety (summer)
Light, Safety, and Communication
- Whistle
- Two-way walkie talkie
- Compass
- Watch
- Pepper spray
- Hand-cranked radio
- Hand-cranked flashlight
- Hand-cranked or solar-powered lantern
- Headlamp and rechargeable batteries
- Glow sticks
- Portable photo voltaic charger and power-charging cords for devices
- Cell phones
- Important Documents in a Waterproof Bag
- Passports
- Deeds/titles to domestic and car
- Bank info
- Insurance policies
- Health records
- Pencil and notebook
- Family photos
- Paper avenue maps and topographic maps
- Printed listing of pal and household names and addresses
- Cash (small bills)
- Survival handbook
Useful Items for Improvising Solutions
- Safety pins
- Duct tape
- Zip ties
- Superglue
- Dental floss
- Sewing kit
- Petroleum jelly
Conclusion:
Being prepared in times of crisis or disaster is critical because you can easily create and practice an escape plan if you are certain that you have everything you need in your Bug-Out Bag. It will offer you peace of mind since you will know what to do and what to grab in the event of an emergency. You may also have the opportunity to assist others in need, particularly the elderly and the infirm at this time.
Always be prepared and up to date.