One idea for the computer is to backup to a USB drive. I have one on my keyring.

For Important documents have a read through the Disaster Prep articles linked from the ETS Home Page (I cant remember exactly where to look but it in one of them)

I think a serious BOB needs more than just throwing the obvious like clothing, a knife, water, food, etc in a duffel bag. You have to prepare carefully your personal emergency contact information like addresses and numbers of area hospitals (as many as you can in your area), the police department number, the local poison control center number, emails of all your family members and contacts because sometimes emails can get through when calls cannot, etc. It takes some time and meticulousness, not only money investment. Your BOB is relative to your emergency plan and if it doesn't call for one, so be it. Don't put one together...

If it works for you and you're happy, rock on.

I live in a 2nd floor apartment not far from Chicago and within a 20-minute drive of one of the country's largest refineries.

I've got an emergency bag in the truck, another in the apartment. A few gallons of water in the apartment, 6 liters in the truck, emergency rations in both. Still intend to put together somethiing closer to a truer BoB with some clothing, toiletries, etc. and to throw some MREs in the truck and in the apartment.

What's it all for? Darned if I know ... but I feel better knowing it's there.

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That said, so ETSers, is an Altoids or a Sucrets tin more effective at protecting my garage door opener against the electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear blast?
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After testing this out, mine survived the electromagnetic pulse, but the blast damaged the polished mirror surface.
So now I will have to find another solution for a signal mirror in case this ever happens again in an emergency situation. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

There's also a thread from a couple of years ago -- when there were several bad fires in California -- called How Much Data is in Your BOB which has some useful suggestions.

Okay, I am ready to interject here.

One morning last week I found myself lying on the floor waiting for the 2nd mortar to land. The first one was about 200 yards out. When the security blows the whistle, that means get to the bunker NOW. As the whistle blew, I got up off the floor, grabbed my body armor and my BOB and ran for the bunker. If things get worse than that, we will be loaded from the bunker into armored vehicles and evacuated. At the point where evac is imminent, we cannot get back to our rooms, our offices, or anywhere else on the compound. We cannot leave the bunker, and all that we have with us may be all we will have for an indefinite time.

There isn't thirty seconds, and it is difficult to think about anything else but getting to the bunker. You cannot think about what you need to grab and bring with you, beyond what you have been drilled to grab and bring.

So I guess my question is why not have a BOB? Cost can't be much of a factor, size restriction shouldn't either (hey, you should see the size of the trailer I am living in). Maybe you will have an additional thirty seconds, maybe not. Why take the chance if you don't have to? It is better to have a thing and not need it, than to need a thing and not have it.

BOBs don't have to be extravagant to be practical. They just have to be handy. The only time I would leave mine behind is if I have to run for my life, in which case the body armor will probably get left behind as well. Unless I am in bed or the shower, I can make do for a bit with what I have on me, but it isn't enough for all occasions.

The BOB is the answer to a whole lotta "What If" scenarios. It isn't going to be a panacea, you need a lamp with a genie in it to cover every contingency. It goes back to my slogan:

Chance favors the prepared mind.

Nix the heater. You want water, survival tools (knife, firestarter, navigation), a little high energy food, a change of clothes, and something that will make a halfway decent emergency shelter. Water is probably your biggest BOB need.

Just speaking from experience. Inbound mortars can simulate a lot of situations for which a BOB is needed.

I think this a point missed by most. I love my Surefire and my Inova's but if the crap hit the fan, don't you think that a mini mag would make you very happy to have. Think about the people that bugged out in NO. Some only had the cloths on their backs. Make your BOB cheap if you have to.

Adam

Just like MGF, I feel better knowing my BOB is there. I keep a Bergen in the boot (Sorry, Cousins! The TRUNK!!) of my car. 3 days worth of British Army Ratpacks, Water, Becker BK7, Stove, E-tool, Tarp, Hiking Shelter (Small tent!), Cordage, Toilet paper, wash kit, mess kit, Radio, Clothes, Flashlight, Petrol can, Baton, Survival Kit, Matches, Candles, etc) Certainly enough to keep me going for a cpl of days, and I'd add to my supplies "along the way". Shame our weapons laws are so crazy, could do with some form of SD better than the baton, E-tool Or BK7.

This has been my spousal challenge. My wife gets grumpy when she thinks I'm spending too much on stuff "that she doesn't even want and will never use". She says, "When it's my time to go, I can't do anything about it anyway."

I tell her that it doesn't mean we can't do everything possible to put off that time!

So I continue to prepare.

It's like my martial arts skills; I hope I don't ever have to use them to defend myself or someone I care about. That doesn't stop me from going to practice. But I feel more secure knowing that I have some control if I were ever attacked physically. I believe it is that sense of control, that helps put humans at a little more ease.

Of course there is always going to be that person that is a more skilled martial artist (or has a nasty weapon) or there is going to be an emergency situation that we aren't quite prepared for, but if we feel that we have some control, the psychological effect can be overwhelmingly positive.

As the song says, "In the end, it doesn't even matter". We prepare ourselves in the ways that best suit our needs, in order to gain that sense of control, but in the end, none of us have very much control over anything at all. But that doesn't mean we don't feel better preparing as best we can.