Martin:

I definitely think you may be on the right track. I've read all the usual paranoid garabage espoused by the 'militia' survivalist camp, and I too have come to the conclusion that living on the run is very likely impossible, especially if you have young children.

Bugging out may be an appropriate response if you are facing a limited-term, localized emergency. The obvious emergencies are natural disasters such as hurricanes, inner city civil unrest, and, unfortunately, September 11 type incidents. In some of the cases you may well have to pack up and leave for a week or so. And in these cases, you should have access to food, medicines and supplies in other areas.

However, there does exist the possibility of longer-lasting, more wide-spread incidents. The first that comes to mind is infact the infamous ice storm in the North East. Areas here were without power for six weeks... I'm sure you can invision other longer term scenarios. If you experience a long term incident, I seriously doubt you can transport all you need for an extended period of time. A significant stock of supplies kept in your home may well be the best option.

I favour the home option for several reasons: It's warmer and more weather-proof than any tent or shelter I can construct. I know my home area better than others. I can store greater amounts of food and supplies. I have more tools and equipment. In short, I can eat better, drink more clean water, take care of illnesses, and generally be more secure at home than trotting through the woods. (The one obvious exception may be large urban apartment dwellers. I'm in rural NY).

I tend to view "survival" as a wholistic concept. It's a lifestyle, not a particular piece of equipement. And having 5 years worth of dehydrated cabbage flakes does you no good if the bank repossesses your home because you are in default. Ideally then, any survival plan considers day-to-day economic reality. Get your financial house in order. Reduce or eliminate debt. Save enough money to cover an extended stretch of unemployment or illness. These issues are more likely to create a real difficulty than any storm, riot or earthquake...

Once your finances are in order I would suggest you forget the mail-order survival stockpile route. It is expensive, and most of that stuff is not particularly useful. The simpliest and least expensive approach is an incremental one: Start buying larger quantities of food you actually eat, supplimented with reasonable amounts of specialty items.

I simply wait for grocery items to come on sale. Instead of buying 2 or 3, I buy 12 or 20. I do this each week, and the cost impact is minimal. I may actually save money this way: I never run out of something and have to buy it at full retail. I stockpile the obvious: canned fruits and veggies, flour, rice, soups, beans, peanut butter, pasta, spagetti sauce, toilet paper, OTC medicines, batteries, matches, you name it.

This stockpile is supplimented in a couple of ways: I do have a very limited supply of more portable food and supplies. I consider this a short-term bug out kit.

It would be extremely difficult to lock yourself away and live solely and exclusively off stockpiled supplies for any extended period of time. I recomment you find ways to suppliment supplies with food you can grow or barter for. In my case a modest home garden lowers my weekly food bill, and provides excellent fresh veggies I eat immediately or can for future. I'm a hobby beekeeper, and barter away a significant amount of honey for other "stuff". And the local deer population provides my with 100-150lbs of venison each Fall.

I would recomment you reconsider the generator requirement. I have a generator, and consider it fine for short term (few days to perhaps a month) incidents. It runs my furnace, well pump, lights and refrigerator. However, the operation of a generator for extended period s is unlikely: Generator and fuel costs, and fuel storage issues make this difficult.

Instead of investing tens of thousands in large generators, tanks and fuel, I recommend you consider "alternative" systems. Install a decent wood stove, and set aside a few cords of good hardwood and a decent chainsaw (and buck saw). This low-tech approach can reduce your regular monthly heating bill, and can serve as a primary heat source for long periods at a far lower cost than generated electricity. Purchase a few such tools (Oil lamps, hand tools, a tiller, pressure canner, canning jars, etc).

The beauty of my approach is its low cost and practicality. I never spend extravigant amounts on exotic items. I buy "real" food, not dehyrdated clery sticks. I get real everyday use out of my reasonably price equipment instead of having ten grand tied up in a huge generator and fuel tank. My wood stove is not a primary heat source, but it does supplement my furnace during cold snaps. The only expensive purely survival items I own are an AR-15.

For what it's worth, I conservatively estimate that I could completely forgo the grocery store for 6 to 8 months, and could live comfortably. I will miss certain foods, and I'm sure a more basic diet would become a little tiresome, but I'll not be scrambling for food. And all my supplies would fit comfortably in a large closet.

My approach is simple: Buy more than you need, when its on sale. Buy 'storable' items like canned goods, dry goods, rice, peanut butter, oil, toilet paper, diapers, whatever. Suppliement it the means to produce food (do not count on wild game. It will disapper in short order), and to store food. And add a limited amount of specialized "survival" gear: A few 5 gallong water jugs, a wood stove, a few oil lamps, some garden tools, a decent firearm or two).

An above all means, tend to your very real and enverday survival. Eliminate debt, stach a modest contingency fund, and the like.

It works for me. The Mrs and I could loose our jobs today, and with a little belt tightening (cancelling the insurance on the snowmobile, cancelling the cell phone, and not doing restaurants) we could get by financially for about the next two years. A six week power failure would mean little inconvenience (no internet surfing. Big deal). And a six month to year long economic disruption means I eat a basic but otherwise very healthy diet, cooked on a wood stove, until I can triple the size of the back yard garden...

Frozenny