Why bugout bags aren't really just for nutjobs...

[CRQuarto]

Last night La Habra, which is just a couple of miles from our home, had a 5.1 earthquake. I was at work in Cerritos, sitting in my patrol unit doing paperwork and suddenly the whole car was shaking pretty good. The trees got to moving, street lights too, and I was thinking, "Damn, this is a good one.."

Meanwhile, at home, my pregnant wife was terrified as everything in our house began falling over or flying off shelves. Our idiot dog (who we love dearly, but let's face it ...he's a few bricks short of a building) was just standing there looking slightly confused. The parrots (our African Grey and Military Macaw), were having heart attacks, all ratcheting up the overall stress level for the wife.

Know what she did without a moment of hesitation? She grabbed our two bugout bags and the dog, and high tailed it outta the house.

Thankfully it was not that strong of a quake to cause real damage to the apartment where we couldn't go back home, but if it had been, she would have had a solid three days of food and water, warm clothes and survival equipment in her bag, plus mine.

Bugout bags aren't for world Armageddon, honestly, they are for when a simple earthquake renders your home ruined, and all you have is what's on your back.

 

[The Black Cloud]

Good advice, Charles.  I happened to be sitting with friends drinking and hanging out when we noticed the whole building was rocking a bit.  It wasn't much up here in the Valley.  I do have enough camping gear to keep things okay for a while if it's needed.  That's my hope, anyway.

 

[Light this!]

Never thought about it that way but I guess it really does makes sense. My son is a big Alex Jones fanatic and I try to to explain to him that we don't need to move to Utah have an underground bunker and buy up all the ammo we can find and lastly load up the bunker with organic food.
 
I don't like to go overboard but it's a good idea to have some bugout bags, an extra good supply of food and water in the the basement and of course some guns and ammo. Heck, I just caught up on all three seasons of the Walking Dead - I'm ready. 

 

[Devil Doc]

I understand these last two "minor" quakes are a precursor for a big one.
 
Doc

 

[CRQuarto]

If something like an earthquake levels your home, do you want to be dependent on the government or Red Cross to help you? Politics aside, we've all seen how poor the response was during Katrina and Sandy both. I'm firmly of the mindset you should be able to help yourself, and anything else is just an added layer. You're a refugee...but are you the one that will be sitting there hungry, cold and scared, waiting for FEMA to show up and bring you what you need?

We were told by our emergency operations bureau if we had a quake like the one that Japan had which caused the Fukishima disaster, it would take TEN DAYS for help to get to people because of the sheer volume of damage and assistance needed.

Ten days. Chances are I'd be at work when something happens...

I understand these last two "minor" quakes are a precursor for a big one.
 
Doc

They say that every time. I always figure it's best to just assume it's coming at any given moment, and to just be ready for it. Far less stressful knowing we have emergency gear ready and waiting.

 

[The Black Cloud]

I understand these last two "minor" quakes are a precursor for a big one.
 
Doc

Pretty soon we're gonna break off and float towards Hawaii.  Having just had a ramen burger for the first time from L&L, I look forward to it.
 

 

[CRQuarto]

I understand these last two "minor" quakes are a precursor for a big one.
 
Doc

Pretty soon we're gonna break off and float towards Hawaii.  Having just had a ramen burger for the first time from L&L, I look forward to it.
 

Damn, that looks delicious....

 

[The Black Cloud]

It's pretty awesome.  Nearly impossible to hold in the hand.  L&L is good stuff, although I'm sure there's better out there that I'm not aware of.

 

[Rod]

I understand these last two "minor" quakes are a precursor for a big one.
 
Doc

 
Yep, still waiting. We haven't had a decent shaker since 1994. Seems the Pacific tectonic plates are becoming active again. Fine time to get your ham radio license in you haven't already! Last night it was taking well over an hour for txt's to go through. Imagine how degraded cell service would be if we had a major quake.  

 

[ironpeddler]

 

I understand these last two "minor" quakes are a precursor for a big one.
 
Doc

 
Yep, still waiting. We haven't had a decent shaker since 1994. Seems the Pacific tectonic plates are becoming active again. Fine time to get your ham radio license in you haven't already! Last night it was taking well over an hour for txt's to go through. Imagine how degraded cell service would be if we had a major quake.  
 

 
I would imagine it being much worst than what we went through during the Sandy flooding...it took almost 2 weeks to re-establish cell communications in our area. They had to set up propane powered generators to run the temporary cell towers because most areas had no power for close to 3/4 weeks. 
 
You don't realize how cut off you feel when you don't know what's going on around you. We had to scramble around for an AM radio to hear the enormity of the situation while sitting in the dark with a few candles burning....for days. Scary stuff. Great advice on the ham radio use.

 

[Juanote]

So what is in an ideal BOB, and how much does it weigh?

 

[MadMonk]

I think too many bug-out bags lean too heavily to bushcraft than an urban setting. Of course, the basics crossover.
Agree that it is best to have some sort of easily portable emergency kit. Good for your wife for utilizing what you two had prepared.

 

[Not A Nice Person]

Well, ideally you want to be able to carry it on your back.  A fully loaded military pack goes about 70#, but we were all in better shape back then . . .  :blush:
 
Airline luggage limit is 50#.  Think back to the last trip you made and ask yourself how far you could carry that luggage. 
 
What goes in it depends on your situation and skills.  Will you be travelling by road, to a friend/family member out of the area, or ZOMG! EOTHWAWKI! headed for the woods?  A good punchlist would be one change of clothing (with two changes of underwear and socks),  food (MRE, dehydrated hiking/camping meals, protein bars), water purification/filtration device, first aid kit, paracord, survival/tactical knife and multitool, something to sleep on.
 
~Boar

 

[CRQuarto]

I tried to keep our bags as light as possible, especially considering how petite my wife is. With a baby on the way, that also makes me want to keep the bags light, because with switching off carrying the kid, it's going to get real tiring, real fast.

-Nalgene bottle w/ nesting pot
-Esbit solid fuel stove w/6 fuel tabs
-life straw water filter
-ketadyne water purification tablets (30)
-Morakniv bushcraft knife (integrated firesteel and hone)
-3 mil contractor grade trash bag (x2)
-10' duct tape wrapped around a plastic card
-toilet paper roll, minus the tube (x2)
-small Vaseline tub (multi use, great stuff)
-first aid kit
-50' paracord
-emergency Mylar blanket
-emergency poncho
-layerable warm clothing, synthetic material for quick drying (long sleeve shirt, pants, under shirt, underwear, thermals, socks, boots, beanie, gloves)
-storm proof matches in case
-bic lighter (x2)
-cheap blue foam sleep pad
-water
-food
-compass
-watch
-hammock
-sleeping bag
-headlamp w/extra batteries
-leatherman wingman
-spare flashlight w/batteries
-sidearm w/three magazines and drop leg rig
-p51 can opener
-long Spork
-dryer lint (fire starting)
Most of that I carry backpacking, so I'm used to using it. Weight wise it's not bad, the water is the worst part of it. It's important to have a quality pack to carry everything in, and knowing how to load a pack makes a big difference. I'm using a 5.11 rush 72, the wife is using a comparable Camelbak pack. Both are quality bags built to take a beating, with good hip belts and back support. Realistically, using our bags is absolute last resort, considering we have plenty of food and water stocked at the house.

 

[ironpeddler]

I tried to keep our bags as light as possible, especially considering how petite my wife is. With a baby on the way, that also makes me want to keep the bags light, because with switching off carrying the kid, it's going to get real tiring, real fast.

-Nalgene bottle w/ nesting pot
-Esbit solid fuel stove w/6 fuel tabs
-life straw water filter
-ketadyne water purification tablets (30)
-Morakniv bushcraft knife (integrated firesteel and hone)
-3 mil contractor grade trash bag (x2)
-10' duct tape wrapped around a plastic card
-toilet paper roll, minus the tube (x2)
-small Vaseline tub (multi use, great stuff)
-first aid kit
-50' paracord
-emergency Mylar blanket
-emergency poncho
-layerable warm clothing, synthetic material for quick drying (long sleeve shirt, pants, under shirt, underwear, thermals, socks, boots, beanie, gloves)
-storm proof matches in case
-bic lighter (x2)
-cheap blue foam sleep pad
-water
-food
-compass
-watch
-hammock
-sleeping bag
-headlamp w/extra batteries
-leatherman wingman
-spare flashlight w/batteries
-sidearm w/three magazines and drop leg rig
-p51 can opener
-long Spork
-dryer lint (fire starting)
Most of that I carry backpacking, so I'm used to using it. Weight wise it's not bad, the water is the worst part of it. It's important to have a quality pack to carry everything in, and knowing how to load a pack makes a big difference. I'm using a 5.11 rush 72, the wife is using a comparable Camelbak pack. Both are quality bags built to take a beating, with good hip belts and back support. Realistically, using our bags is absolute last resort, considering we have plenty of food and water stocked at the house.

 
...no travel humi?...not a single cigar? 
 
Sheesh, who wants to live like that?  :laugh:

 

[MadMonk]

I'd add some cordage, whistles and signals mirrors to that.

 

[CRQuarto]

Ah yes, I forgot. I do in fact have signal whistles and mirrors. As for actual rope, not yet. I really should pick up a length of climbing rope.

Haha, well, I keep a separate EDC bag I use daily to and from work which has my travel humi in it. Chances are if I'm able to load up the truck, it's going with.

 

[MadMonk]

Yes, at least 1000 cigars is warranted for a bug out bag.  (I wonder how much that would weigh hahaha)
I smoke a pipe too, so a pound of baccy is easy to deal with.

 

[Devil Doc]

I would add, potassium iodide, a Merck manual, and substitute flint and steel for the matches. You need the iodine if the commies or the Arabs are responsible for the predicament you're in, the Merck if you don't know shit about first aid or took some BS Red Cross course and matches just ain't worth beans in damp weather. Plus they don't last long.
 
Doc

 

[CRQuarto]

I would add, potassium iodide, a Merck manual, and substitute flint and steel for the matches. You need the iodine if the commies or the Arabs are responsible for the predicament your in, the Merck if you don't know shit about first aid or took some BS Red Cross course and matches just ain't worth beans in damp weather. Plus they don't last long.
 
Doc

Yeah, I try to keep three ways to start fire on hand. Firesteel as a primary (the fat ones, 12k strikes lifespan), bic lighter as a secondary emergency igniter, and waterproof storm matches as an absolute "oh shit" redundancy.

Potassium iodide is a great add on for our first aid kits, actually. I'd be less worried about a rouge state than I would some dipshit terrorists setting off a dirty bomb in our long beach port or Disneyland or something. I do have Israeli NBC quality gas masks on order. In a major earthquake those would be useful as well because of all the chlorine storage tanks and such most people don't realize major cities have.