Was thinking about a little bag or box to set aside the bed of family members along with a flashlight and some water just something to grab if we had to get right out. Now i already have a bob but i want something smaller that i could grab if i didnt have enugh time. Any suggestions on what to put it in or what it should contain?
Thanks ,Tom

Consider one of the small fanny packs on the market. Not so big that it'll take up a lot of room beside the bed, but big enough to hold several things. The belt can go around your waist or over your shoulder.

I would include a list of important phone numbers (insurance co., family, friends, etc.), some form of ID, some money (bills and change), insurance information, socks, a small PSK, whistle, mace, folding knife and extra flashlight (I'm thinking small headlamp).

Might be something to grab in case of fire, flood, break-in, etc. You could even include a CD or floppy with important information you may have on your computer (financial data, house inventory with serial numbers, etc.)

Throw in a crowbar, or keep it near the bag. If it's truly a "grab and go" situation, a crowbar may be needed to escape or rescue others. You can get good ones anywhere for around $15. Cheap life insurance if you ask me.

A good pair of leather-palmed work gloves would also be handy for the same reasons.

John McIntire

I totally agree a crowbar is an excellent idea. I keep a 3' bar under my bed, a good flashlite, a knife and my wallet on the nightstand. You may need or want the wallet for ATM, credit cards, cash and ID for loads of reasons.

I would also make sure each person keeps a pair of sturdy shoes near the bed. If eyeglasses are needed I would add an old pair. I would also add a list of emergency numbers, relatives, coworkers, neighbors etc.

Depending on how you dress for sleep it may be a good idea to add a tee shirt and old pants or something.

I sat down a while back and looked at all my gear / tools / toys pileing up in the garage / bedroom / kitchen / etc and realized that in an emergency I could do nothing fast but trip over all that stuff. I started over a year ago buying different bags in sizes and types. Now about half of everyhting I own is stored in a bag specifically for it. In the event of any type of emergency I can decided based on time available what I want to take. For example, I have my laptop bag, a special one that opens up as a small lap table so the laptop stays in it as well as a few cd's with backups of the important software and important data. I have all my other cd's that could be replaced if left behind if necessary in another case. I have my external cd burner, which I use to make all my backup cd's in a modified laptop case where it can be used from in the case making it easy to grab and go. I keep a small pack with anything I might need for a few day hotel stay in a small pack left in the truck. Another small pack has tools because its faster than pulling them out of the big toolbox in the garage into something that I can carry. I built a small shelf beside my bed where I keep my EDC cell phone and charger, leatherman, mag lite, etc. What has happend is I am now more prepared as well as organized. About 50% of the time I can now find things I need because they have a pack or bag where they belong and these packs are small enough and convient enough that I put stuff away. My plans now are to biuld another pack that can hold the hotel stay one and also carry some clothes/food/etc, and a wilderness bag.

We're also using the modular approach to preparedness. I have an EDK that's very small and handy, always on my person or on the night stand and a PSK that's pretty darn good as well, and that's always hanging by the door. We could do fine with just those two items. but I too did a sub-set of the biger BOB kits in the basement in the event of a very quick exit.

What to put in the Grab & Go was a bit of a quandary for me for a long time. I too had too much stuff and to many packing methods. After trying boxes, large frame packs, duffel bags and other packing methods, I've found that the North Face Recon backpack neatly meets all of my grab-n-go requirements in terms of space and comfort.

Here's what's in our g-n-g bag, which is presumed to augment my EDK and PSK, which have Fire-making, Candles, some tools Signalling stuff in them already.

1 Larger First Aid Kit. We got it at EMS, it's called the "Guide" model , we added a bottle of potasium iodate to the kit
3 Liters of water in three bottles
1 Collapsing Cup
Assortment of Granola/Snack Foods
$200 Cash
Copies of the various "Important Papers"
2 CD's of family pictures
1 County Map
1. National Map
1 90 Minute Calling Card (AT&T)
1 LED Flashlight
10 AA Batteries (IKEA batteries are as good as or better than any I've ever used - they are made by Varta and are only $1.95 for 10!)
1 Yaesu VX-5 Radio with AA Battery Adaptor and 12 Lighter Adapter (I'm a ham operator, and this radio is a 2-way Radio/Scanner/AM/FM/TV Audio all in a tiny package)
1- Wool Blanket (Strapped to the bottom)
1- Space All Weather Blanket (an excellent thing!)
4 - Red Trash Bags (30 gallon)
8 - Gallon size Ziplock Bags
50' 3/8 " Nylon Rope
100' 1/4" Nylon Rope
1 Folding Saw (sandvik brand, amazing cutting power)

I'll be adding a crowbar to this kit now, that's a good idea.

Eugene and martyf-
We'd love to see some pics of your GnG kits. Please private msg. me if you need space/help to post them. thanks!
-red_jeep

Personally i have a work overall!! I have bits and bobs in the pockets like documents, gloves, torch, knife etc. I have this in a small light bag so i could either throw it on as i got out of bed(if i couldn't find any clothes) or grab the bag and get it on when outside, an overall takes literally second to don!

Mark

I guess I see this a bit differently that those posting so far. I don't think this is such a good idea.

For me (EDC and PSK aside) a BOB is just that... a Bug Out Bag! A bag with what I need to make it..(and the lists posted could go on forever..) and kept where I can grab it when I have to bug out. Fire, flood, invasion of the living dead, etc. One bag. Grab. Run.

My objection to a BOB and a grab and go (which I see as a mini-BOB) is related to how the mind functions in a crisis. One bag. Grab. Scram. No need to think/decide WHICH bag.
One bag. Always the same bag. Always in the same place. Grab. Scram.

I am confused.

You have time to snatch a Grab-N-Go bag but not a BOB bag? What is the difference? If you have time to grab a bag, you have time to grab a bag.

In order for me to tell you what I think you need, I need to better understand how you are going to use this kit. Are you going to a hotel across town until the event ends or are you going Jerimah Johnson and live off th fat of the land, or somewhere in between? How big a container do you envision?

My BOBs are in day packs. Next to them I have a Rubbermaid tub with four fanny packs that are in essense BOB-lites or mini-BOBs. Bigger than a pocket kit but not yet a full blown BOB. I intend them to be used by the family as personal mini-BOBs that will be resupplied by the daypack BOBs. The daypack BOBs will be carried by the adults while everyone gets a fanny pack. The fanny pack will help act as a waist strap to shift some of the weight of the daypack to the hips.

The BOBs are designed to support two people but could be extended by use of the fanny packs. With two BOBs, if one is lost or damaged, we still have a fall back position.

My wife and I just went through this exercise. The first thing we did was walk into our bathroom and list every toiletry item that we each use in the course of a month. We each then collected or purchased a 3 day (or more) supply of each item for both of us. These were then placed in heavy duty tupperware containers with our initials on them (ie. she has a three day kit and I have a three day kit). We also made up a separate container that included items such as, tp, eating utensils, sak, matches, playing cards, paper, pencils, tape, etc. These containers, and some other BOB type items are now in a wheeled backpack in our hall closet. This is not a survival kit (We keep our hiking packs loaded all the time) but more of a kit to take to a shelter or relative's house in case of evacuation.

Interestingly enough, this kit was not put together with survival in mind. We did it because of a recent event. Back in November I was admitted to the hospital unexpectedly for surgery and remained there for a week. While this was not a survival situation. My wife was at a loss as to what to pack for my stay (She was understandably distraught at the time). With our system, we now have the option of either taking the whole pack (which would be overkill for a hospital stay) or extracting our personal kit. Either way, we'll know that we have most basic needs covered.

Our next step is to make up a similar kit for the dog. In that kit I plan on including, food, bowl(s), grooming supplies and a mesh cage if I can find a cheap one.


Chris

Chris,

I keep a similar bag packed for similar emergencies. I've had to take off a couple of times with my father to the hospital (which is a two hour drive from our home). I keep a small bag packed with a change of clothes, tee shirt, shorts, underwear, socks, money, phone card, extended family phone numbers and daily use items (razor, toothpaste, etc.) I also have a smal PSK in the bag.

Beats trying to pack a few things while running out the door. <img src="images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

NAro,

I can see your point...but in my mind, different situations calls for different needs. I keep thinking about a fire in your home which puts you out (for a few nights or for good). In reality, if a fire occurs in my home and I get out...I'm going to need things like extra clothes, toiletry items, money, etc. I'd also want things like insurance policies, inventory items, ect. Things like flint and snares probally aren't going to help me much as I would be staying with realitives. Now if it's a SHTF scenerio (something that affects the entire community, county, state or country) then the flint and snares would be pretty handy and the insurance info and paper money (possibly) would only be good tender.

In something like a house fire...you may only have seconds to get out and you'll be lucky to have anything in hand. What I would want with me after a fire or flood would differ greatly from what I would want with me if Russian troops started falling from the sky <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Why I'm flattered. Will be down inthe basement tonight laying it all out for you and will post to my server later!

I don't have one single bag, rather everything I own I keep in some kind of bag/pack. I work with computers for a living as a consultant so I have everything on my laptop, tech info/manuals, etc. Have a big software collection, test servers/routers/etc. Then my different toolkits, bags/etc. I like to have everything setup, for anything. Say I have to go out of town to a client site, I can grab my laptop, hotel bag and go. House catches fire I grab whats most important. Nukes hit and laptop is fried, leave it and take a different bag.

We probably don't really disagree about this that much. My BOB has the supplies you mentioned, as well as the "snares, etc" for more of a SHTF scenario. My important documents, insurance papers, etc, are already in a fire safe just in case I'm not at home to bug out. And I wasn't truthful when I said I had one and only one thing to grab. I would grab my one BOB... but I'd also grab my last-ditch, SHTF accessory: my H&K P7M8 9mm and ammo, with a list of all my neighbors who are unarmed and keep supplies.
My neighborhood is really a survival oasis: there is a liquor salesman with two rather plump children, and he doesn't believe in firearms! Talk about forage...

NAro,

ROFLMAO

John

I like the idea of a coverall! I volunteer on our local EMS squad and we have jumpsuits as uniforms. When I am on call for an overnight I wear Long-Johns to bed and when the pager goes off I have fire-drill response time. I am able to get in the jump suit and out of the house only sllightly sloweer than it would take me to get out naked (which is the way I prefer to sleep.

The jump suit has a uniform garrison belt, larg front and back pockets at waist level as well as two large patch pockets on the chest and large emt type cargo pockets on the legs and upper arms. This thing can hold more gear than many day packs would. I carry my EDC whenever I leave the house. This includes my PSK and my peersonal FAK and my wallett and a few other things. Having a fully loaded jump suit hanging nest to the bed might be considered odd by the casual observer but If you have to bail out the window because the hall is in flames and it is two in the morning and your naked then you might be glad to be putting on your fully loaded lined jumpsuit while you stand in the snow on some sub-zero night in february.

I guess it is all about scenarios and layers. If I am anywhere that I have driven then I have my vehicle survival kit and my EDC which, when combined constitutes a fairly decent BOB. If I am at home I have a 4X4 and a bunch of other stuff in the shed that would be stuffed in the 4X4 if TSHTF. If I am asleep and naked and fire alarm goes off for a real reason then I am probably not interested in the basement full of optional stuff that would get attention in a SHTF scenario where my BOB would be important. My bedroom is somewhat small and filled quite nicely with my wifes stuff so I am not going to keep a fully loaded ruck-sack anyway near my bed or even in my bedroom. But I can keep a fully loaded jumpsuit in my closet or even hanging by the bed (until I get too much greiv from the wife.)

So. In a SHTF scenario that I discoveer while at home, I change into the Jump-suit since it is the most multifunctional item to wear and it contains all my EDC stuff. Put on my Gortex outer layer, go down to the basement and get the guns, ammo, extra water and fuel; go out to the shed and grab the base-camp gear; throw it all in the 4X4 and hit the road. Thhis is the SHTF bob scenario. If the mob of angry villagers is already marching through town then I will probably only grab my shotgun from the basement my ruck from the shed and hit the trail.

It is all about scenarios and layers.

In a natural catastrophe evacuation scenario I will probably take the time to load the 4X4.

I may have missed this in someone's post, but I've just recently added a laminated sheet with a quick & dirty medical history for all family members. For instance, I could never remember when my kid's last tetanus shot was if we evac'ed, he got hurt, and needed medical care in a Red Cross setting. I know it's a 'What If', but it makes me sleep better knowing I have that in the G-n-G bag!