If the scenarios predicted in the 14th Reinstated become reality, and it’s looking more and more like they might, you need to be prepared. If you must leave your home in a hurry, can you survive the next few days?
When the shit hits the fan nobody can predict the splatter pattern.
In the world of understatement it might be a classic to say we live in uncertain times. Floods, fires, severe weather, social collapse and terrorism all hang over our heads like the sword of Damocles. It’s been proven time and again that in the real world, it’s the self-sufficient, problem-solving person who survives, not the “victims” who beg for the government to save them.
It would appear more and more that it’s not so much if disaster will find you, but when. There are times when it’s best to hunker down, arm yourself and wait it out. But there are other times when you need to move and move fast. This article is about those times.
It doesn’t really matter what; tornado, wild fire, hostile troops or a raging mob, but something very bad is headed your way. You need to evacuate now, in fact now is almost too late. You have 90 seconds to get yourself and your family out the door, into your vehicle and down the road. You could well be in for an extended stay away from home and you will probably be on your own. You can’t count on “the social safety net” to protect you and feed you. Survival for you and your family in the next few days or even weeks depends on what is in the vehicle when you pull out of your driveway or on your back as you run away. But you have only seconds to load up.
You may not be able to find food, water, shelter or safety unless you provide it yourself. You will probably encounter desperate people who may be armed and law enforcement may not be found. Your family’s only first responder is you, so be ready.
The first thing to remember is firearms, because without them you have no way to protect the rest of your survival gear.
Back when Y2K was the next looming crisis, there was an exchange at a neighborhood Christmas party. One participant, (me) was a gun owner and an NRA member. The other was a social worker who is anti-gun. The social worker was talking about all the food, seeds and water she had stored in preparation for the possible social collapse. I interrupted her and asked if she had any guns. She spat back at me with the predictable venom of a committed anti-gunner that she did not. Then she condescendingly asked what I had done to prepare for the coming social collapse.
“Nothing,” came the reply.
“You are a fool,” she said.
“Maybe, but I am an armed fool, so I’ll just come to your house and take your food.”
I was just yanking her chain and having some fun, but the message was clear. True to liberal doctrine, the social worker later asked me to “give” (not sell) her a gun. Enlightenment is always a wonderful thing to witness.
My “gotta go now” bag is the Blackhawk S.O.F. Ruck Pack Kit. This pack has 6,000 cubic inches of capacity and ten pockets. Best of all, it is almost indestructible. With the frame and straps included in the kit, it’s comfortable to carry with a heavy load. I keep adding gear and the pack now weighs more than 80 pounds which causes it no strain to the pack. In fact, it can handle a lot more weight than I can. The first backpack I tested, one that was sold as a bug out bag, broke a shoulder strap when I was running down the stairs during a drill with half this much weight. Don’t skimp, get the best.
You cannot add anything you need once you bug out, so it’s stuffed full and heavy, as I plan to use a vehicle. But if I have to hump it on my back, I can always remove things and leave them behind.
I have another small bag that fits in my backpack. It contains a Smith & Wesson 1911 .45 ACP pistol, four magazines and 100 rounds of ammo. I also have a holster and a couple of mag holders so I can transfer the pistol to my belt. There is a SOG Seal Pup fixed blade knife attached to the small bag, which also can transfer to my belt. Because a knife is the best survival tool you can have, I also have another folding tactical knife.
I keep a soft case with an AR-15 rifle with four loaded, 30-round magazines beside the Blackhawk backpack. I will grab it as well, if I can, because a long gun increases the odds in any survival situation. Just be aware that a long gun is much more visible and can bring unwanted attention that a concealed handgun may not.
Included is a small gun cleaning kit and a tool kit to do simple repairs on the guns and gear. A set of binoculars are a good idea as well. It’s always best to spot trouble before it spots you.
I have thirty-six Mainstay Brand four-ounce foil bags of 5-year shelf life, drinking water. They add a lot of the weight and if I am on foot I would jettison them and depend on my water filter. I will note that water is common where I live, if you are in a place where it is not, adjust the strategy. There are two 3600 calorie blocks of Mainstay 5-year shelf life, “Emergency Food Rations.” I also stashed several protein and granola bars. I use these bars on big game hunts and they can keep you going when food is hard to find. I rotate them every few months to keep them fresh.
The bug out bag has several MRE meals, and some freeze dried backpacker meals. I also included a backpacker’s mess kit and a Primus Omni-Fuel Stove that can burn most any fuel from butane to jet fuel, including kerosene, gasoline or diesel fuel. The bag also contains a collapsible five gallon water jug. Don’t neglect little necessities like instant coffee, toilet paper, soap, several extra toothbrushes, tooth paste and some baby wipes.
I included a headlamp with extra batteries and a small battery powered lantern. There is also a crank powered emergency AM/FM/NOAA radio; a GPS, a road atlas and a Leatherman Tool. Also included are an AMK “Weekender” first aid kit; a one liter water bottle; two AMK emergency blankets; two Thermo-Lite bivvy sacks; two vinyl ponchos and 4 light sticks.
I added some antibiotics, pain killers and a few other medical supplies recommended by a pharmacist and prescribed by my doctor. I also added a couple of packages of Quick Clot to deal with any major bleeding injuries.
Strapped to the side is an Adventure Medical Kits Expedition size first aid kit. This kit was designed for large parties doing extended back country wilderness trips, so it has advanced first aid gear. It is recommended that some of the gear be used by people with EMT training. It’s a good idea to have advanced first aid training anyway, but even if you don’t, having this kit gives you a better chance of surviving. The only thing I would add is their suture kit. Bad cuts need attention and if you can’t get to medical help, doing it yourself is better than not doing anything at all.
In one side pocket I put a water filter and some water purification tablets. I added a small roll of parachute cord and two high end tactical flashlights with extra batteries. Also insect repellant because, without it, on some nights death would be welcome. I added a few Grabber brand body warmer heat packs and some backpacker’s candles for light and to help start a fire. Fire is important so I included a magnesium fire starter, waterproof matches in a waterproof case and a couple of disposable lighters. I also have a folding stove with heat tablets to help heat water or start a fire. One tablet can heat a cup of water in about five minutes. You can make a pan out of a soda can. A few foil packets of coffee or tea can help boost the morale. Remember, your mental state is very important to survival, too. In addition to the baby wipes I have a small “backpacker’s” bottle of liquid soap for personal hygiene. I also added a couple of full size Space Blankets. This handy product has made my life more comfortable on a lot of wilderness trips and perhaps even saved it once in Alaska.
It’s a very good idea to have some money in the bag. If you need to leave in a hurry you may not have your wallet or purse and you will need some cash.
The more gear you can bring, the more comfortable you will be and perhaps the better your chances of survival. But, the bag is heavy, about 85 pounds. Fine if you are in a vehicle, but if you go on foot, that’s a lot of weight. I have proven on sheep hunts that I can carry that much weight for several miles, but there is a limit. I have a mental list of what can be left behind if I have to go on foot and I can dump a lot of weight once I am at a safe location.
The key is to plan ahead, drill a few times and take a few practice camping trips to find the problems you didn’t see, and then pray you never need to use any of it..
