Posted on 06/06/2009 5:13:34 PM PDT by appleseed
Have you heard of a Bug out bag (BOB)? If you have read even a few articles on urban survival then you have heard of this mysterious thing. Loosely defined, it is a bag packed with supplies and equipment for a few days to a week. It is intended to be something handy to grab, if you have to get out of where you are quickly. The thousands of items that could possibly be packed in a BOB are often a source of great debate among people building, packing, and storing their own bag.
But what about the times when you won't need to evacuate your residence, home, business, or other location? Then you will need what I humorously term an Anti-Bug Out Bag (ABOB.) If, like me, you work from home or are not traveling out of town, you are rarely more than a few miles from where you spend most of your time, your home. It is often overlooked that you will more than likely be at your home, or close to it, should something happen. Some events like bad weather you may even have a few days notice of the threat.
So let's start with the big picture of maintaining your gear.
When planning your Anti-Bug Out Bag (ABOB), you are only limited by your storage space and budget. However, for the average person, a big closet, basement corner, or wall of the garage should do fine. After deciding the location, it is time to identify the contents. I will not even begin to list individual items, but will attempt to address the logical process of determining what is most important for you.
The very first consideration of any item is: how many uses does it have? One? Two? Each and every item should be able to serve at least three uses. And yes, I do realize there are a few items that may be very specific, but those rare items will be obvious if you try to find other uses as you evaluate each piece of gear.
An example would be a basic tool kit. Instead of a regular hammer, what about a dry wall hammer with a hammer head and hatchet back. This type of hammer also has a nail-pulling notch under the blade of the hatchet. This adds an extra purpose and increases its value and usefulness. Another great example is types of rope. We all know the value of heavy rope, para-cord, twine, and even bungee cords. But you can add 1" tube webbing to your supply and it can serve many more needs. Straps for packs, slings for tools and weapons, and even belts for your clothes. The heavier type designed for rock climbing and mountaineering is fairly inexpensive and is strong enough to pull a car out of a ditch. Try that with nylon rope from Wal-Mart!
The important part is to add the items that will help you in as many ways as possible to reduce waste and increase efficiency in your work.
The next major consideration is quality and durability.
With today's wasteful use of resources we have all become conditioned to throwing things away and replacing them when they break again. This has the bad effect of putting a lot of junk equipment to be on the market. I do caution you against just using price as an indicator of quality. We all have things we paid almost nothing for that will outlast the most expensive piece of equipment.
The fact that many of these items simply are not made to withstand daily use in a rugged environment will be a disaster when you need them to work the most. Make sure you get the best you can afford. Learn to take care of them, and be able to repair them if needed.
For an example of this, take the spade shovel in my garage. I saw it on sale at a bargain store for under $10 dollars. It has a solid wood handle, with strong rivets to hold it all together. I have had it for almost seven years and put some hard use on in my landscaping days. I had another one that was bought as extra equipment for one of my crews at a name-brand hardware store for over $30. Within a month the cheap aluminum rivets twisted out and the handle came out. After repairing it with large stainless steel bolts, a weld came apart on the handle assembly. This shovel just couldn't take the abuse we were putting on it. But the less expensive one thrived on the rough use. So evaluate each piece in your ABOB based on quality and craftsmanship.
After filtering your selected items throughout the first two steps it is on to the third. How many of these do I need? Everything has it's limit of usefulness. And everything can wear out and break no matter how good the quality. So you must determine how many of each item you need. Do you need two pry bars? Probably not, because other items can be used if needed. Do you need two pick axes? If you plan on doing a lot of farming with no tractor, then you might. How about an extra sewing kit to repair clothes and packs? Most assuredly. So determining the items life span in a survival environment is critical to deciding how many to have as back up.
Of course I haven't discussed weapons yet, but this is one of the most crucial things to evaluate with the above rules. My preference has always been the 12-gauge shotgun. And as a hunter and outdoorsman I own enough guns to make my wife roll her eyes every time I open the safe. But when I applied this to my own supply, I realized that in a survival situation I need to look for which ones would I be most reliable. The autoloaders? Great on the dove fields but can be prone to jamming on occasion.
I choose the pump shotgun as reliable and simple. But I had to add another because I wanted two of them in case one is damaged, I always have a backup. It is the same model so that there are spare parts. Also I decided to go one more step and add a single-shot 12-gauge break action. So now I feel I will have one that works.
This also includes ammo. How many of each caliber you need is your choice, but I would be thinking in the thousands, not the hundreds. So whether you are looking at just one extra box or dozens, you have to decide before you need them, because after you realize you needed them, it will just be too late.
These three rules are designed as guidelines to help you prepare your supplies. If you apply each one to every selection you make you will most likely have an edge if and when it is time to use your ABOB. The most important part of any item is knowing how to use it. So as you add equipment, take the time to learn to use it. Just that simple step can help you increase your odds of survival in difficult times.
Best thing about going primative is you get a workout while actually acomplishing your chores.
Self Reliant/Survivalist ping list
ping for later
I had one of these bags for my son when he was a teenager just after 9/11/01. We were in the DC suburbs and I was afraid he would be on his own after another terrorist attack.
I told him to take a fast shower to wash off radiation, grab the bag, and get as far away from the blast zone as possible asap, even if he had to ride with strangers, and let him know that to try to get to me would be hopeless. The bag had cash, birth certificate, flashlight, peanuts, and I forget what else.
My family, including my children, thought it was hilarious. I admit it was pathetic, but I was a worried mother.
For me, at my age and health, I'll just be hunkering down here at home ..... providing a base for kids and their families to work from. I'd like to be farther from the city, but the S will HTF before I'll be able to, I'm quite sure.
Nam Vet
Great list! Good to know.
Anti bug out bag, eh?
That’s what I call a BASEMENT.
<I admit it was pathetic, but I was a worried mother.
From one mom to another (and with immediate family in DC), not so pathetic.
My mother had a packed bag at the door during the MLK riots. I don’t know why she thought rioters were going to come from 14th & U to the Walter Reed area, but there you are.
When you must have a back up, go with the same model for the spare parts. That way you've managed to give it the first two lives plus a third with interchangeable parts.
please add me to your list
You are a great Mom!
I would do the same thing.
After Katrina, I was thinking about shat supplies I would (should) pack to grab quickly and I thought that copies of birth certificates, SS cards, bank records, CC records, insurance records, (pared down to the basic info) sealed in a plastic bag would be important to put in the bottom of your satchel, or suitcase — perhaps under the liner.
Check out http://thesurvivalmom.com/ she is a Freeper and has some excelllent info. on this.
Added to the list. Thanks for your service from a fellow Vet.!!!
Added to the list. I like your name.
When I was overseas my Mom and Dad sent me a care package once a month. It usually had peanuts, candy, chips and other goodies. Mom’s are the greatest!
If you are building a ping list, please add my name. I have a lot of tips and ideas, so if anybody is interested in what an old lady has learned through the years, just give me an fmail or a ping.
Being Prepared to Survive on Your Own
With the threat of catastrophic terror attacks on US soil, and with the help of other survival instructors the below is a list of actions to take and supplies to have on hand to help us survive the next hit.
Pre Event Actions:
1. Learn about the natural disasters that could occur in your community from your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter. Learn whether hazardous materials are produced, stored or transported near your area. Learn about possible consequences of deliberate acts of terror. Ask how to prepare for each potential emergency and how to respond.
2. Talk with employers and school officials about their emergency response plans.
3. Talk with your household about potential emergencies and how to respond to each. Talk about what you would need to do in an evacuation. If someone in the family has a critical job, expect them to be gone.
4. Plan how your household would stay in contact if you were separated. Identify two meeting places: the first should be near your home—in case of fire, perhaps a tree or a telephone pole; the second should be away from your neighborhood in case you cannot return home.
5. Pick a friend or relative who lives out of the area for household members to call to say they are okay.
6. Draw a floor plan of your home. Mark two escape routes from each room.
7. Post emergency telephone numbers by telephones. Teach children how and when to call 911.
8. Make sure everyone in your household knows how and when to shut off water, gas, and electricity at the main switches. Consult with your local utilities if you have questions.
9. Take a first aid and CPR class. Local American Red Cross chapters can provide information. Official certification by the American Red Cross provides “good Samaritan” law protection for those giving first aid.
10. Reduce the economic impact of disaster on your property and your household’s health and financial well-being:
Review property insurance policies before disaster strikes – make sure policies are current and be certain they meet your needs (type of coverage, amount of coverage, and hazards covered – flood, earthquake, etc.)
Protect your household’s financial well-being before a disaster strikes— review life insurance policies and consider saving money in an “emergency” savings account that could be used in any crisis. It is advisable to keep a small amount of cash or traveler’s checks at home in a safe place where you can quickly gain access to it in case of an evacuation.
Be certain that health insurance policies are current and meet the needs of your household.
11. Consider ways to help neighbors who may need special assistance, such as the elderly or the disabled.
12. Make arrangements for pets. Pets are not allowed in public shelters. Service animals for those who depend on them are allowed.
13. Ensure all immunizations are up-to-date. If we are hit with true mass causality event, the bodies may lie around for days or weeks. Rotting corpses will cause disease outbreaks.
14. If you have a disability or special need, you may have to take additional steps to protect yourself and your household in an emergency. If you know of friends or neighbors with special needs, help them with these extra precautions. Hearing impaired may need to make special arrangements to receive warning. Mobility impaired may need assistance in getting to a shelter. Households with a single working parent may need help from others both in planning for disasters and during an emergency. People without vehicles may need to make arrangements for transportation. People with special dietary needs should have an adequate emergency food supply. Find out about special assistance that may be available in your community. Register with the office of emergency services or fire department for assistance, so needed help can be provided quickly in an emergency.
15. Create a network of neighbors, relatives, friends and co-workers to aid you in an emergency. Discuss your needs and make sure they know how to operate necessary equipment.
16. If you are mobility impaired and live or work in a high-rise building, have an escape chair. If you live in an apartment building, ask the management to mark accessible exits clearly and to make arrangements to help you evacuate the building. Keep extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen, catheters, medication, food for guide or hearing-ear dogs, or other items you might need. Also, keep a list of the type and serial numbers of medical devices you need.
17. Those who are not disabled should learn who in their neighborhood or building is disabled so that they may assist them during emergencies. If you are a care-giver for a person with special needs, make sure you have a plan to communicate if an emergency occurs.
Preparedness Overview:
You may need to survive on your own for three days or more. This means having your own water, food and emergency supplies. Try using backpacks or duffel bags to keep the supplies together. Assembling the supplies you might need following a disaster is an important part of your disaster plan. You should prepare emergency supplies for the following situations:
A disaster supply kit with essential food, water, and supplies for at least three days—this kit should be kept in a designated place and be ready to “grab and go” in case you have to leave your home quickly because of a disaster, such as a flash flood or major chemical emergency. Make sure all household members know where the kit is kept.
Consider having additional supplies for sheltering or home confinement for up to four weeks.
You should also have a disaster supply kit at work. This should be in one container, ready to "grab and go" in case you have to evacuate the building. Remember to have a comfortable pair of shoes in case you need to walk long distances.
A car kit of emergency supplies, including food and water, to keep stored in your car at all times. This kit would also include flares, jumper cables, and seasonal supplies.
Stockpiling Water Safely
Stocking water reserves should be a top priority. Drinking water in emergency situations should not be rationed. Therefore, it is critical to store adequate amounts of water for your household. Individual needs vary, depending on age, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate. A normally active person needs at least two quarts of water daily just for drinking. Children, nursing mothers, and ill people need more. Very hot temperatures can double the amount of water needed. Because you will also need water for sanitary purposes and, possibly, for cooking, you should store at least one gallon of water per person per day.
Store water in thoroughly washed plastic, fiberglass or enamel-lined metal containers. Don't use containers that can break, such as glass bottles. Never use a container that has held toxic substances. Sound plastic containers, such as soft drink bottles, are best. You can also purchase food grade plastic buckets or drums. Containers for water should be rinsed with a diluted bleach solution (one part bleach to ten parts water) before use. Previously used bottles or other containers may be contaminated with microbes or chemicals. Do not rely on untested devices for decontaminating water.
If your water is treated commercially by a water utility, you do not need to treat water before storing it. Additional treatments of treated public water will not increase storage life. If you have a well or public water that has not been treated, follow the treatment instructions provided by your public health service or water provider. If you suspect that your well may be contaminated, contact your local or state health department or agriculture extension agent for specific advice.
Seal your water containers tightly, label them and store them in a cool, dark place. It is important to change stored water every six months.
Food:
If activity is reduced, healthy people can survive on half their usual food intake for an extended period or without any food for many days. Food, unlike water, may be rationed safely, except for children and pregnant women.
You don’t need to go out and buy unfamiliar foods to prepare an emergency food supply. You can use the canned foods, dry mixes and other staples on your cupboard shelves. Canned foods do not require cooking, water or special preparation. Be sure to include a manual can opener.
Keep canned foods in a dry place where the temperature is fairly cool. To protect boxed foods from pests and to extend their shelf life, store the food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers.
Replace items in your food supply every six months. Throw out any canned good that becomes swollen, dented, or corroded. Use foods before they go bad, and replace them with fresh supplies. Date each food item with a marker. Place new items at the back of the storage area and older ones in front.
Food items that you might consider including in your disaster supply kit include: ready-to-eat meats, fruits, and vegetables; canned or boxed juices, milk, and soup; high-energy foods like peanut butter, jelly, low-sodium crackers, granola bars, and trail mix; vitamins; foods for infants or persons on special diets; cookies, hard candy; instant coffee, cereals, and powdered milk.
Buy a box of MRE entrée’s – 72 packages of main course MRE meals and keep them at home. They will fee a familty of four for about a week. It’s no frills eating.
You may need to survive on your own after a disaster. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it may take days. Basic services, such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones, may be cut off for days, even a week or longer. Or you may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you.
You probably won’t have the opportunity to shop or search for the supplies you’ll need. Your household will cope best by preparing for disaster before it strikes.
First aid:
Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
Assorted sizes of safety pins
Isopropyl alcohol
Hydrogen peroxide
Antibiotic ointment
Latex gloves (2 pairs)
Petroleum jelly
2-inch and 4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6 each size)
Triangular bandages(3)
2-inch and 3-inch sterile rolled bandages (3 rolls each)
Cotton balls
Scissors
Tweezers
Needle
Moistened towelettes
Antiseptic
Thermometer
Tongue depressor blades (2)
Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
Sunscreen
Aspirin
Anti-diarrhea medication
Antacid
Tagamet
Decongestant
Cough Suppressant
Space Blanket
Mole Skin & Foam
Epi-pin
Snake Bite Kit
Tools:
A portable, battery-powered radio and extra batteries
Flashlight(3), extra bulbs(6) & batteries(12)
Oil Lamps (Hurricane)
Signal flare(6)
Candles
Matches
Lighters
Waterproof Matches
Magnesium Fire Starter
Paraffin
Leather-man Tool(2)
All Purpose Knife(2)
Duct tape
Scissors
Plastic sheeting
Whistle
Small canister, A-B-C-type fire extinguisher(2)
Compass(2)
Work gloves (2)
Paper, pens, and pencils
Needles and thread (2)
Wrist Watch
Honing Stone & Oil
Hatchet
Shovel
Kitchen items:
Manual can opener
Mess kit
Fork & Spoon
Knife
Frying Pan
Pots
Plastic Forks, Spoons, Knives
Heavy Duty Paper Plates
PUR Drinking Water System
Extra filters & batteries for PUR Water Filter
Water Bottles
Propane Stove
Propane Grill
Extra Case(s) Propane
Heavy Duty Tin Foil
Trioxane Stove
Trioxane Fuel
Sterno Fuel
ZipLoc bags (Lg & Sm)
Cooler
Food:
Vitamins
Summer Sausage
Beef Jerky
Slim Jim
Peanut Butter
Hard Candy
Freeze Dried Dinners
Canned Veggies
Canned Meats
Canned Soups & Stews
Bulk Flour
Bulk Grains (Wheat, etc.)
Coffee
Tea
Sugar
Salt & Pepper
Water:
(1 gal. per person per day)
Sanitation and hygiene items:
Washcloth and towel
Towelettes
Soap
Hand sanitizer
Liquid detergent
Tooth paste and toothbrushes
Shampoo
Deodorant
Feminine Supplies
Razor
Shaving cream
Lip balm
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Heavy-duty plastic garbage bags (to go potty in)
Toilet paper
Medium-sized plastic bucket with tight lid
Disinfectant
Chlorine bleach
Shovel (for a latrine)
Documents:
Personal identification
Cash
Emergency phone numbers
Maps of the area
Misc:
Extra pair of prescription glasses
Candles
Extra set of car & house keys
Reading material, books, etc.
Games for the kids
Clothing (no cotton):
Heavy, Waterproof Boots
Wool Socks
Rain gear
Hat w/ visor
Gloves
Sunglasses
Capelin Pants (4)
Wind pants
Polypro Shirt (2)(short sleeve)
Polortek Shirt (2)(Long sleeve)
Polartek Pants (2)
Polypro Boxers(5)
Gortex/Thinsulate Parka
Gortex/Thinsulate Bibs
Shelter:
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Tent
Small Tarps
Large Tarp
Folding Chair
Nylon Cord __________
Added to the list. Look forward to your wisdom and experiences.
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