Great observations, gulliamo, except maybe the "many on this forum can't wait to bug-out" part. In my experience, most people this forum think bug-in first. In fact, most of the recent Hurricane Sandy posts reflect that. Most of us seem to be trying increase our bug-in abilities. Martin's tread is an excellent example of families preparing as best they can to bug-in and communities pulling together to make things work as best they can.

There are some very valid reasons why some have and will consider bugging-out in these circumstances. Your post reflects this very well. Soaked by flooding, freezing temps moving in, already been without power for a week and serious fuel shortages in the region, seem like pretty valid reasons for some people to bug-out to me. Very few people, especially in the area hit by this storm, have the ability to be self-sifficient indefintiely.

The thing that I find interesting, is the tipping point between when to stay and when to go. You made it through the event and you're past the initial 72 hour period. It's been a week now and you're soaked, powerless, supplies are running low either at home or at stores/gas stations or both, etc. but civilization is right around the corner. Emergency services are slowly staring to arrive but your tropical storm is now turning into a winter storm. If you've got the fuel and have a destination, do you go?

Doesn't have to be for the Hills. I hear the Canary Islands are nice this time of year. Its where I spent a few weeks at the beginning of Y2K.

Excellent points bacpacjak! I'm always a bit leery of the "run-for-the-woods" version of bug-out vs. the "bug-out to friend/relative's place". It could be that all the cool gear and equipment come along with the woods version... J

I'm sure most on this board recognize the "woods" option as a last resort but we owe it to the newcomers to remind them how distant an option that should be.

Am I really far off here?

For our preps, there are two bug-out scenarios: Go to a hotel or friend/relative's place until things calm down (i.e. short term, location specific event, like a house fire or neighbourhood event) -or- get out of dodge, which would be a more regional event (like the flooding they've seen in this event. A bug-out with just your family or a few families is an entirely different event than one where thousands of people are trying to get out.


Something else to consider is that by all accounts, returning to some of the areas affected by this disaster is not as easy as it was to go out. (i.e. Carpool restrictions, for instance.)

Agreed. But none of those seem like a "run-for-the-woods" scenario. I'm not sure of a plausible scenario where "run-for-the-woods" would be advisable yet that is what many here seem to be preparing for. That was my point.

Sorry to derail the thread... back to storm updates.

I don't think it's a derail, but an important point of clarification. We need to be clear that "run" doesn't necessarily "run-for-the-woods". Our familie's going to a local hotel/family/friend's house kit is very different from our get-the-heck-out-of-Dodge kit.

BUT...it's important to realize that the two could easily merge, at least for a time, during the evac. Bugging-out, when there's regional fuel shortages for exampe, could easily turn into a more, shall we say, rustic experience, along the route to getting to our chosen destination, especially if thousands of other people are trying to do the same thing. Running out of gas, having to wait overnight (or longer) to refuel, for a blizzard to pass, etc. are all very real possibilities. We've had countless examples on ETS of people trying to get from one home to another or to a hotel, who got stuck along the way because of storms, power failures, etc. You can be smack in the middle of civilization and still be reduced to living out of your pack.

We also need to keep in mind that if we're need to bug-out to a public shelter, that isn't the same as a hotel. Many people affected by Hurricane Sandy and seeking public shelter, were advised to bring bedding, hygiene, etc. to the shelters with them. Just because a shelter is set-up, doesn't mean it will be stocked.