Some basic planning thoughts...

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

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.

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.

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.

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....

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.

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.

Good advice. Thanks hikermor.

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.

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...

A family tent (i.e. something like a Vango Omega 600XL) and some military BCB sleeping cots could easily be carried in an SUV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iQhcQ7_p-c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dPsRW0zjrs (Use with an appropriate Thermarest or Multimat inflatable mat for cold weather bug out)

A lifesaver Jerrycan and a couple of 20l NATO water Jerry cans would provide around 60 Litres or nearly 16 US Gallons of water for 1 gallon per person per day. Enough for 7 days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWjZ0i94eTQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhn8r7W0YLk

A multifuel stove (one which can also take Gas Cartridges such as 4 season mix for convenience inside the tent 2-3 500gm cartridges should easily last more than 1 week) i.e. a Primus Omnifuel Himalaya Stove, which can also use unleaded petrol outside the tent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdja7UCIt0Y

Add a couple of 20 litre Jerry Cans for additional Petrol. If you can get the NATO spec Explo-Safe jerry cans together with the spout.

http://www.jerrycans.co.uk/explo-safe-jerry-cans-30-c.asp

These may extend your vehicle range from 100-200 miles for the additional 10+ US gallons of fuel.

Food for 1 week at 3000 Kcal per person per day using French RCIR rations or something similar would weigh around 21Kg for 14 ration packs. (excluding the baby food of course). You could go lighter (save 50% weight) with freeze dried but this would be dependent on available water available if water is heavily contaminated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62Ykn5daKng

Again various tools are a requirement as well such as an entrenching tool or small spade, axe, saw etc.

Total Additional weight to your BOBs in the SUV vehicle would be around 150-160 Kg

You may also consider using a large Camo Net enough to cover both the SUV vehicle and Tent when parked up out the way.

Has anyone else considered using a military helmet and plate carrier when bugging out by vehicle? (not so much of a concern in the UK)

Deathwind, it sounds like you have a very solid framework in place. I just want to add a few comments from lessons learned during previous incidents
Cash on hand-There will be a run at banks and ATMs as people make last minute preps. Add a roll of quarters for vending machines.
Gasoline-Top off your tanks whenever there is a high risk of an wildfire or other incident. The lines at the gas pump during the '07 fires in San Diego were nuts.
Empty boxes and bubble wrap-Photo albums, house blessings, extra clothes, baby lovies, toys, etc. games. Just general quality of life and amusement stuff. Expect to be figbting boredom after getting where your going.
Lastly-Thumb drives were never designed for archival storage. Get an extra drive(s) and copy your files to both. Sort of a ertsatz RAID drive. The chances of both failing simultaneously are much lower then having your only one go bad at the worst possible moment.

re: multi fuel cooking... I switched to propane for hurricane fuel needs many years ago, but would recommend a multi fuel camp stove with an additional propane adapter for someone looking for emergency cooking appliances today... having the ability to use regular unleaded gasoline makes sense... my GI multi fuel stove disappeared, and was replaced with this single burner Coleman

In earthquake country, it is a good practice to top off your tanks whenever they get one half full (or empty, depending on how you see it), EQs being essentially unpredictable...

Only when bugging out in my blast protected Humvee.
Bullets don't always start flying in the average disaster around here

Just make sure you are also "....using a large Camo Net enough to cover both the SUV vehicle and Tent when parked up out the way.", and also that "Your entire wardrobe is black tactical wear and boots..." LOL

Military helmets and plate carriers are specific items best used by military personnel doing specific military stuff.(combat operations) They are heavy and uncomfortable to wear at the best of times. Helmets are designed for shrapnel protection and only block bullets in the movies. If shrapnel is a concern where you live you have bigger problems. A good set of plates may or may not stop a projectile depending on caliber and angle of strike. If you were shot with the average sized rifle round (even a hollow point) wearing a plate and lucky enough to not have it go through you will still most likely need medical aid very quick as severe bruising and broken ribs/internal bleeding is very likely.

Personally I feel that a self defense firearm would suit you better in this kind of scenario. That's a topic for other forums I guess.

Do you mean like these fellows.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqQG_MvvPRM

The S-10 respirator may prove handy for any CS gas in the area you may need to drive through.

Actually I just mentioned the ballistic helmet and plates just in case you find your self inside a cross fire outside a Korean Corner Store in LA (forgot the BOB Twinkies) or meeting up with some New Orleans LEOs on Danziger Bridge after some inclement weather.

http://m.video.pbs.org/video/2029672776/

A level IIIa helmet such as the British Mk7 should stop most pistol ammunition with a V50 of 650m/s. (or otherwise think of its use as a general purpose hi spec hard hat).

The Camo net may also make sense for some for some Bug out occasions, especially if having to ditch the vehicle in some woodland to continue on shank's pony or other means. It could be the difference between the vehicle being discovered and stolen or being looted or not.

Another planning note -- While its fun to plan for the coming zombie apocalypse; most of us would bugging out to a hotel, relatives' hour or shelter. And we'd be driving.

Not much practical need for the folding kayak and 6 weeks of MRE's.

A few days ago, I went to dad's house to help taking care of him after some hospital time. I came back home with a bad respiratory problem plus injured muscles on the left hand.

All my house projects stopped , as well as some family plans
I spent much of the last few days swalloing antibiotics, vitamin supplements, and sleeping.

One thing all of us should remember is : If YOU are not healthy, you aren't going to do much in a bad situation, much less in a survival situation.

It's rare that a disaster will result widespread firefights. Looting, yes, but not shooting. The last disaster I remeber invoving widespread firefights was the '92 LA riots. Most of the lead exchanged was in K-town where the Korean-American community had bunkered down and was under siege by the looters.

Oh...a challenge.
-Blast

I don't know.

2 weeks ago an F2 tornado hit a small town a couple of hours away from me. The Red Cross came and went within 24 hours because paramedics took care of all the injuries and everyone was bunked in safely with friends and relatives. 2 weeks later and they're just this week being allowed to go back into their homes for resupply.

Some of us are one tight budgets and 6 weeks of rations would go a long way to help to feed houseguests during an extended stay. MREs or the like would also be more economical than eating out for every meal if you're stuck in a hotel. Been there, done that, and we were ever so thankful to have our camping gear and food with us.

Besides, 2 weeks co-habitating with the in-laws or in a shelter might make living in a tent in the backyard more appealing.

I'll make the popcorn!!

Lol. Wow. That's a LOT of black. I'll let them take the lead and follow them doing mop up.

Excellent advice Mark. I wasn't aware about thumb drives not being archival, I'll get right on backing it up. What about using DVDs for long term storage? We have cash and quarters in our bags, so we have that covered. I have added a cheap pay as you go cell to the babys bag, I'll just have to add money every few minutes every few minutes, giving the little woman an extra means of communication, especially if we get seperated. There's a charger of ofcourse, but considering that there may be no power I'll be looking for a few spare batteries for it. We haves toys for the baby and some of us have read and recorder her favorite books and stories and put them on a small stick mp3 to help keep her amused and cut out external noise. We have toys and have considered a small (7 inch) tablet also. Thanks again mark. I've sent all your suggestions to the boss and she likes them as well. Thanks.

Most CDs/ DVDs / BluRay are not archival either, though there are archival quality ones on the market but those are typically out our your and mine's budget.

For backups, I backup multiple different ways, sync'ed between multiple devices, hard drive in an external case, USB flash or other flash device, cd/dvd/bluray.

I used to keep some offsite but I kept having to explain to my parents that I intended to leave those there but she would still tell me once every couple weeks that I forgot something.

Thanks Eugene. That's kind of troubling. Be nice to have information I can access when I'm old and infirm. I had thought a flashdrives would do the job, but better safe then sorry.

With regards to the prepaid cell, during previous inidents the cell networks were overloaded. Text (SMS) messages were the only thing that reliably got through. If the cell doesn't have a querty keyboard, learning how to text on a 12-key numpad will be valuable. There is a fairly steep learning curve w/o using T9 predictive text. I've never mastered T9 myself.

I have three ways to charge our phones in case of no available power.
1) Car charger (of course)
2) Battery pack with replaceable batteries and a spare pack of batteries. I got my Wife a 6AA battery pack for travel as her phone is a battery hog. It's good for two charges of her phone or three of mine. Alkaline shelf lives have reached the point where they are now viable for emergency use, but you still can't store them in the device. EDIT: TSA was interested quite in that battery pack during her last trip.
3) Emergency radio has a hand crank and a USB port on it. Charging a phone is slower then molasses in a winter, but it works regardless of the conditions (no car, no batteries, no sun, etc.

Very true mark. I still use a 12 key pad and text extensively at times. Those tiny qwerty boards were never meant for hands as big as mine. Wife has a smart phone so a refresher course on the 12 key may be in order. I had completely forgotten that our hand crank can recharge cell phones. Good catch there. Thanks again.

If you regularly make backups to those media then it shouldn't be an issue. For example, burn a new DVD once a year that way your media is never more than a year old.

This is where preparedness and organization meet. Classify and group your data.
Keep all the important documents in one place, all the identity info (ss card, birth certificate, etc), health records, etc. Those are in one place on the computer and in the important documents binder in the safe. Those are backed up across multiple systems and multiple media types (encrypted volume).
Keep all the archived stuff in one place, the tax returns, old bank statements, etc. Stuff you keep because they may be useful some day but don't need them as often and they don't change often. Re-burn that DVD at least annually even if the archived data hasn't changed. Then you can eliminate some of the older copies where the media is more likely to fail.

Speaking of which, my backup cloud storage provider decided to close up shop on me. I'll add it to the list of service providers that folded under me. Looks like I'm to storing a backup drive in a safe deposit box.

For those of you with computer expertise, is breaking a hard drive into multiple partitions, each one with a full copy of the data, more secure then a single partition? My though was if a sector became corrupted on one of the partitions, the other copies of the data would still be viable.

No. Sector corruption can happen but some filesystems can compensate for this. The problem is more commonly failure of the drive itself (and ALL partitions fail simultaneously) or power supply issues take out all hard drives on the system simultaneously and possibly multiple systems on the same power grid.

The only thing that having multiple copies on the same hard drive will save is if one deletes a file accidentally, a 2nd copy is available for backup (assuming that you having configured it to automatically mirror).

Off site and off line backup is needed for data security.

I've seen the storage provider close happen often, even seen the cloud storage provider loose data and say "oops, we don't have a backup, our TOS says we provide storage not foolproof backups".

Bank branches can close and safe deposit boxes get destroyed as well (hurricane Katrina).

You need multiple backups in multiple places. My most important data is always synced to 4 devices (phone, tablet, laptop and "server") not counting backups. So even if my home were destroyed, and backup locations destroyed my phone is still in my pocket with its copy.

And another scenario I hadn't encountered before. The dynamic dns provider I use to sync my mobile devices from outside my home network was attacked by Microsoft. http://www.noip.com/blog/2014/06/30/ips-...mpaign=takedown

So internet politics is another risk to backup strategy.

Speaking of Zombies, this one's coming back from the dead ...

A Scientific Model Of What A Zombie Apocalypse Would Look Like (And Where Not To Hide), complete with maps that change as the Zombie Apoc' spreads. So there you go, initially most areas outside major cities are good to go, then later on, not so much.

I for one greatly appreciate having a place like ETS to ask questions and seek advice, even if the replies are "it depends" or "this is what worked for me YMMV." I often struggle finding a place to start, whether it's making a pocket sized PSK or a full sized BOB. I know some folks here get a bit exasperated with the sometimes basic questions I ask as their years of experience and expertise have carried them far beyond such mundane queries but I still appreciate being able to ask them, and also appreciate the folks who take the time to reply and offer their advice.

Many thanks to everyone here at ETS.