Mama,<br><br>One thing that I don't think has been mentioned is where you live, where you would be bugging out to, and the availability of water in both places. I agree with all of the suggestions so far (carry what you can, small containers, etc...), but 72hrs is a long time and has the potential to turn into 96 or 120 or 144.... I think you should make some provision for aqquiring more, which means a filter or treatment process of some sort. If this is something you have already considered and taken care of, good for you.<br><br><br>Take care,<br><br>Andy

Late post, but here's my perspective.<br>I don't carry water in my MOBs. None, not a drop.<br>Since my bags are actually SAR bags, SOP is to carry: no food, no water, no fuel.<br>If I need to go out looking for a lost hunter at 1 AM, I don't want to worry if my water or rations in my pack are good.<br><br>-INSTEAD-<br>leave room for those provisions in your bag and keep perishables- food, water, fuel in a separate bin next to BOB.<br>I usually have a case of 1L water bottles in all my vehicles. Desani or Aquafina. When the fridge is low (we refill 'em from PUR faucet mount filter too), I rotate cases out of the vehicles and restock.<br>If something bad were to happen, I would likely have 36 liters of bottled water in addition to multiple means to purify more.<br><br>BTW, I keep plastic jars of peanut butter in the vehicles. I will usually will have more food items, but I always know I have an unopened jar of Jif.<br><br>One to four liters of water in a BOB is simply not sufficient for extremis. For example, a four hour search will consume 3 or 4 liters from body fluid loss and several more liters will be used in clean-up/ field shower. If something bad were to happen and you were required to evacuate, you will need more water than a backpack will hold. Those one liter bottes are cheap, easy to divy up, durable, and uniquely designed to be poured into a camelback bladder!

Mama, how big are those kids? I know my family is a LITTLE *grins broadly at the understatement of the mellenium* weird, but when I was 6 or 7, I had my first BOB given to me. A liter or two isn't much, but it is better than nothing. <br><br>As for 72 hours worth of water, forget it. Most of my contingency planning has been for areas where purifiable water can be had, so my point of view is biased, I'll state that outright. 48 hours of water (6-8 liters) is all you really can carry IMO, and refill and drop in tabs when you can. I carry in my main pack two, one-liter water bladders, and 2 2-liter plastic canteens and 2, one-liter nageleen bottles. There is also a couple of empty water bladders in case something gets popped, or we can dig in. But I'm also a pretty big husky with a framepack, and I know option isn't for everyone.<br><br>Andy and Chris talked about water in vehilces. Carry at least a gallon at all times, and more if you can. Ditto in the house. I like the big, blue, cubical "aquatainers" (?? not sure, the labels fell of years ago), and clean and refill them regualry. At least 5 gallons per person. <br><br>BTW, for the kids, is it wrong to use large cat carriers for them? J/k, I've never been able to figure out how to evac small humans- I'll be honset, I'm scared of them, but I know mentally that childern and pets will be the hardest part of any such action.

Cyberraven,<br><br>I LOL at your post...my kids are 9 & 7 years old, boy/girl, and the 7 yo is a big help to me with all the preps. She likes organizing the bags and knows how to use all the gear except the matches/lighters.<br><br>I always carry 4 gallons of water in the car, but I think I'm going to use a mixture of filled water bottles, empty bladders, and refillable containers in the adult bags. The kids can carry at least a couple of half-liter bottles and some refillable flat containers.<br><br>You mentioned the Aquatainers -- I love those! I cleaned out our Wal-Mart of all they had a few months ago. They're a bit heavy for me to lift, so I put a towel under them and drag them around if necessary.<br><br>Take care, don't let your state's Dept. of Family Services see you with your kids in the cat carrier. :-]]<br><br>Mamabear<br><br>

ACK! I don't have any kids, hopefully not ever. Like I said, I'm scared of them. Same way I'm scared of the sudden stop at the bottom of 200 foot cliff if I fall off, orstanding in a puddle of gas with a lit match in my hands, or.....<br><br>It was mainly an "for my information" question. I have images of paniced kids running loose, and maybe containerizing them would help to reduce that. *shrugs*

Raven,<br><br>I have kids, ages 11 and 3. You're right, they are dangerous, treacherous, spiteful, sneaky and just plain mean. But...they're mine and I love them, and they come by their traits honestly. Pet carriers don't work; they'll just gnaw their way out, or worse yet, put on this miserable innocent face and make you feel sorry for them. Then they kick you in the shins when they get out and run away laughing....God, I love the little buggers.<br><br>Andy