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#270541 - 06/19/14 12:44 AM Some basic planning thoughts...
TeacherRO Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 03/11/05
Posts: 2574
What should I plan for?
What should I pack?
Which is the best one for me?

The answers to many questions here are...It depends.

Planning and prep are highly dependent on a variety of factors;
What is your state of health? Where are you located? What is your budget?
Season? Altitude? training? Others in your primary group?

Etc. and so on on.

We're here to help, but often the answers is -- well, this is what worked well for me. YMMV

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#270552 - 06/19/14 05:10 PM Re: Some basic planning thoughts... [Re: TeacherRO]
Deathwind Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 02/01/14
Posts: 310
I've been thinking of a major BOB that would serve the needs of all three of us, the baby, the little woman and myself, for up to 7 days, in the event we can only take one bag. While she's very strong and capable, in a really bad situation her main job is the baby. To this end I am thinking of one of the huge backpacks like they use in the arctic. I also have a duffel so large that we jokingly refer to as the bodybag. I had thought I could make another BOB in it and leave it in the back of her SUV with the other survival gear. Though as has been pointed out on here duffels are not the greatest idea for BOBs. I am entirely open to any advice on this project.

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#270553 - 06/19/14 06:00 PM Re: Some basic planning thoughts... [Re: TeacherRO]
unimogbert Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 08/10/06
Posts: 882
Loc: Colorado
Originally Posted By: TeacherRO
We're here to help, but often the answers is -- well, this is what worked well for me. YMMV


I think it might be closer to "here's what I've worked out but I've never actually needed it."

Only a few of the denizens here have actually bugged out and fewer still have stayed bugged out for very long.

But the discussion is useful for improving one's plans.

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#270555 - 06/19/14 07:03 PM Re: Some basic planning thoughts... [Re: Deathwind]
Eugene Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/26/02
Posts: 2995
Originally Posted By: Deathwind
I've been thinking of a major BOB that would serve the needs of all three of us, the baby, the little woman and myself, for up to 7 days, in the event we can only take one bag. While she's very strong and capable, in a really bad situation her main job is the baby. To this end I am thinking of one of the huge backpacks like they use in the arctic. I also have a duffel so large that we jokingly refer to as the bodybag. I had thought I could make another BOB in it and leave it in the back of her SUV with the other survival gear. Though as has been pointed out on here duffels are not the greatest idea for BOBs. I am entirely open to any advice on this project.


Start with TeacherRO's first question "What should I plan for". This is the basis of a risk assessment and will get some different answers depending where you live.

As an example I like to use house fire since that is something that can affect everyone.
Imagine the scenario: its winter, your asleep and are woken up by the smoke alarm and smell of smoke. What do you do? You find you can't get out the main entrance of the house. Do you have a flashlight within reach so you can see? Do you have a backpack with a change of clothes, shoes, etc in the room? Can you get clothes on you and the wife and baby, smash a window and get out? Can you shelter somewhere after and call the fire department?

I've known two families that went through this scenario. First I was a teen living in my parents house in the country. Middle of the night the teen aged son of the neighbor a mile up the road was knocking on the door. Let him in and he used out phone to call the fire department. He was wearing only his pajamas, no coat, hat, gloves, socks or shoes and had ran through the snow to get to out house. Their shoes, coats and car keys were all in the living room where the old wood stove caught fire so they had to go out the windows with little protecting from the elements.
Second was just a couple years ago in a suburb. Neighbor dropped a blanket behind the dryer and it caught fire. He ran upstairs, got his wife and kids and cat and went out the door. They did have cell phones in their pockets to call 911. neighbors gave them a car carrier, raincoats, etc. After the fire was out they were able to get keys and a wallet and go to a hotel.
So my lessons learned from this scenario and preps include: Go bag has enough clothes to be comfortable and it kept in the bedroom so I can reach it if I can't get out of the bedroom. Kids have theirs in their rooms and are instructed to swing the backpacks at the window if they can't get them open. Phones and vehicle keys are kept in the bedrooms with us once we retire to the bedroom for the night. I've seen many people with keys by the front door and cell phone charging stations there as well.
Next was a good fireproof safe and expensive keepsakes/heirlooms/pictures/important documents/computer backups there. My MIL for example leaves old pictures in the picture frame in her living room behind new pictures and says if her house is ever on fire all she has to do is grab all the pictures off the walls. If my house is on fire I'm not going to run around gathering stuff. Pictures on my walls are copies made on my own photo printer/copier and originals are scanned and kept in the safe.

You mention baby, so thats another layer of planning.
I took the freebie diaper bags the hospital gave us and kept them stocked and in each vehicle. Run out of diaper bags in the one you normally use you have a backup in the vehicle. Have to run out of town for a relatives funeral, You have some items pre-packed.

So think of all the scenarios. Is flood a risk in your area, tornados, etc.
I planned for fire since it is a risk for everyone and I've personally known two others to go through it. I plan for the trip out of town as my relatives are in another state. So thats sort of a "bug" out scenario where someone gets hurt and you have to go quick. I keep a travel bag pre-packed for each. I keep a "bob" for each which is your typical bob, food, water, gear that we take on those trips (what if you break down/get stuck along the way). I then keep a larger backpack that goes in the back which supplements the smaller packs we take. After listing all our "what to plan for's" I built a modular tiered system.

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#270556 - 06/19/14 08:10 PM Re: Some basic planning thoughts... [Re: unimogbert]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
Originally Posted By: unimogbert


I think it might be closer to "here's what I've worked out but I've never actually needed it."

Only a few of the denizens here have actually bugged out and fewer still have stayed bugged out for very long.

Getting involved in SAR will give a significant amount of real world experience, if my history is anywhere near typical.

We would get calls anytime, day or night, for operations that lasted anywhere from a few minutes to some that persisted for weeks.

It was useful to have a bag packed so that you could just pick it up and walk out the door. Sometimes you could "fine tune" it (brew up a thermos of nice hot tea to ward off that 3AM slump), but often you just went with what was in the pack. It was of course a good idea to adjust for the seasons....

After a bit if this, you pretty well knew what was essential, what was nice to have, and what could stay behind.

Currently I reside in a place that could be affected by wildfires. We keep a checklist of priority items to load into the car if we need to evacuate. We have followed the checklist and loaded up the cars on two occasions. Very useful exercise....
_________________________
Geezer in Chief

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#270558 - 06/19/14 08:40 PM Re: Some basic planning thoughts... [Re: Eugene]
Deathwind Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 02/01/14
Posts: 310
Very good advice. You've given me a lot to think about Eugene. I thank you for that. We have the the BOBs for us built into the so called pilot bags. They currently reside in a closet in the bedroom, along with a backpack for the baby.
You mentioned pets. Her ferret and both cats sleep with us so the ferret can be taken, though the cats mite just get in the way while we get out then run away. The dog sleeps besides the babies bed. We call her the baby even though she's two.. Since you've mentioned fire I now consider if I can destroy the wall to get to her in the next room if the hallway is on fire. We have French doors leading to a patio off the master, so us getting out should be no problem. But there is the issue of getting her out. All photos,documents etc are duped onto a flashdrive taped inside my locker at work and updated monthly. Papers, drives etc are in a five star binder with a shoulder strap sewn onto it and kept on the bedroom desk. We'll be moving our keys and cells into the bedroom starting tonight, and there are two way radios in the BOBs. I doubt a shelter would accept the pets but the ferret is quiet and I would give them no choice with the dog. Saddlebags for the dog seem a good idea, and he's absolute security for my wife and the baby.

Ideally we could simply get in one or possibly both SUVs and drive away, perhaps with the small trailer attached, or go to a smaller home we own and are currently finishing up renovations on.
But when it hits the fan such niceities are rarely actualized. We can sleep in an SUV if need be, and a more realistic scenario would be bumper to bumper traffic held up by broke down vehicles and when we do arrive in a safe location no rooms would be available ad we might be forced to stay in a shelter, which are security nightmares.
So, if reduced to the one bag thought, I'll have to carry a lot of everything.
Though three days seems to be the rule of thumb before help arrives I would prefer a week, i keep remembering Katrina and how they waited. And waited. We can do with less food but the baby eats like a horse, so does the dog. Water is a concern, and medical.
I see a lot of work going into this project. Thanks once more for your insight.

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#270560 - 06/19/14 09:36 PM Re: Some basic planning thoughts... [Re: TeacherRO]
Mark_R Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 05/29/10
Posts: 863
Loc: Southern California
What about storing gear outside in a shed or storage bench with a combination lock? There's the increased possability of theft, but it's balanced against the fact that house fires, earthquakes, etc. won't burn or bury your supplies under a couple tons of rubble.
_________________________
Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane

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#270561 - 06/19/14 09:40 PM Re: Some basic planning thoughts... [Re: hikermor]
Deathwind Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 02/01/14
Posts: 310
Good advice. Thanks hikermor.

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#270562 - 06/19/14 09:45 PM Re: Some basic planning thoughts... [Re: Mark_R]
Deathwind Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 02/01/14
Posts: 310
I've thought of thsat also Mark. We keep our sporting gods and gear in a Tuff Shed towards the back of the property. It would be easy to store the big bag there and still try to bring the older BOBs out with us. We have yard security (lights, cameras and sensors) so it should be safe. Thanks for validating my idea.

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#270565 - 06/19/14 11:42 PM Re: Some basic planning thoughts... [Re: TeacherRO]
LesSnyder Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 07/11/10
Posts: 1680
Loc: New Port Richey, Fla
I have a lightweight 5x8' utility trailer... have been planning to upgrade it with a spare tire... with thoughts of getting a small 5x7' tent... just throw a piece of plywood in the bottom, lash down the propane and fuel tanks, load a couple of totes, and di di mao down the road about 20miles to relatives with a post Andrew code home....in case of a Cat 4 or better... I've seen 125mph sustained here, but I'm not a young as I think I am...

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