I was laying in bed last night and had a scenario pop into my head. What would most of us do if we had to "bug out" or grab our gear in the middle of the night? Especially now with early winter nights arriving.

Being so used to just flipping a light on while gathering needed belongings made me realize a major weak point in my preparedness scheme. I starting thinking that if an earthquake or other disaster struck at 0300 I'd be S.O.L.

I need to get my gear organized better and keep it in one centrally-located place in the house. Also time to keep several flashlights strategically located.

Anyone have any suggestions, tips, or stories they can share?

I keep basic items in my pants. My pants, socks, shoes, & shirt from the day prior are next to my bed. I put them in the dirty clothes hamper the next day after I have dressed. My BOB is in the living room & my backpack/combat harness is in the garage which, I will be able to get to 1, if not both. Earthquakes & volcanos are not part of the swamplands of Louisiana scenarios, but it seems like a good idea to be ready for anything.
As a kid @ 0315 on 14Feb68 in Laurel, Ms, A large propane train, with large propane tank cars, derailed and the tanks started going off, 1 at a time. It looked like small nukes going off! one never knows what or when.

Wow im real glad you brought this up. I would be in trouble but now ill look into planning for night operations. I have the horrible habit of not waking up during anything,example a bomb could not wake me up even if it was next to me. Im a really heavy sleeper, and when i do wake up im like a zombie,well except for the eating brains part <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />.haha.it takes me awhile to get fully awake.
i usually have some jeans and a shirt or jacket on a chair with my shoes. and a maglite is next to my bed. my bob and other kits lie right in the middle of the house.But im in the process of creating a disaster checklist so if anything goes down i can refer to it and make sure i have everything,like the dog,money,water,etc...

If you live in a house or an appartment with a patio, get some solar garden lights they charge during the day and are lit all night long. if a problem happens you have light right outside

I keep a small 9V battery clip-on flashlight in the drawer next to my bed. My bedroom window gives on the side windows of another apartment building, so sometimes when I need to check things in the night (assuming the blinds are up to let some fresh air in), I will use this dim light instead of closing the blinds and turning on the regular lamp.

If I need a more powerul lamp, there's one next to the microwave in the kitchen.

Oh man, how many nights in college did I have that drill. And now that I'm out, I still have the same kind of instincts.

Bag of tricks has the stuff from my pockets slipped into it, and it sits on the seat of my bedroom chair. I've got a jacket hanging on the back of that, and when I swing my feet over the side of the bed, my work boots are right behind my heels. The Surefire is right next to my glasses. And I usually sleep in sweats.

So, in order-
Feet down, pull out boots, step into them.
Pick up glases with left hand, pass them to the right hand, put them on as left hand picks up pocket sun.
Take one step, sling BoT, grab jacket.
Take four steps, check door- if cool, open, begin to locate and evac cats (in college, I was the last one out of my area if we had an alarm, even if not the RA); if hot, use chair to open window and exit that way.

That's better than the college version. If the door had been hot then, I'd have used the roommate to open the window, toss him out, and follow. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Last night we had a bad windstorm, and the power went out about midnight and didn't come back on until 8:30.

You tend to forget how much you depend on ambiant light from the neighbors, streetlights, etc. I knew I had a couple of lightsticks tucked between the mattress and the box springs, but I didn't want to waste them just letting the dog out and finding the bathroom. I had left my flashlight in the kitchen <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />, so I just felt my way to the back door and then into the kitchen. Still couldn't find the flashlight (cats had knocked it onto a chair).

It's really amazing how your bare feet find all the junk you left lying on the floor! <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Sue

LED light in dresser next to bed
LED light in desk less than 10ft away from bed
LED light on bookcase 2ft from desk
LIGHT sticks in desk

I can pretty much iluminate anything within a matter of seconds and find what I want very quick... jackets in closets, everything else in bag.. and go <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

When I was in the Navy we practiced egressing our berthing spaces with our eyes closed. You had to be able to get up to an outside deck as fast a possible. Once you had your favorite route down, then you had to try alternative routes. I still do this today. I never thought about it until I read this thread, but try it. Count the number of stairs and turns and practice. Some of us do our best work in the dark <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

JR

One extra wrinkle about a middle-of-the-night earthquake is that: a) Any flashlight on your nightstand may no longer be there after the shaking stops, and b) You may really need a light to walk around/over objects thrown to the floor. It's one thing to practice bugging out in the dark (excellent practice btw) but when things aren't where they are supposed to be, glass on the floor, bookcases knocked down, doors stuck in doorframes, a light is critical.

You may want to physically attach a light to your bedpost so that it can't get thrown into the darkness during an earthquake. Even tying a lowly Photon to the bedpost is fine, so that you can use it to find the bigger, brighter flashlight that got knocked off the nightstand. As Susan mentioned, she thought she knew where her flashlight was, but her cat unexpectedly moved it and she never did find it during a power outage.

I have found that the small single AA Gerber Infinity Ultra is great for wondering around at night. The battery lasts a long time and the clip can be used to keep it in one place. I have one on the dresser (right in front of the clock) that I use regularly, but if stuff started falling, there's another clipped to a bag that's right at my feet as I get up. Also clipped to that bag is an RSK (you never know). Boots with socks are just to the left of the bag between the bed and wall, within reach of me sitting on the bed. After a major earthquake I'd grab the light and do a quick check before I got up, if it's clear I'd grab my jeans (which still have a knife clipped to the pocket) put on the boots (rather than the cross trainers I'd normally wear) and then whatever shirt, sweater felt appropriate for the weather.

If it's just an earthquake and everything is still standing, there's no reason to evacuate, the damage is done. If bugging out is still the goal, I'd finish loading the pockets, grab a couple critical bags (a couple items I don't store in the truck) and drive away. I keep gear in the truck 24/7 so packing is not a time consuming project. I can't imagine what would make me drive away on a moments notice, other than a nuc, and then the question of where you gonna go comes up.

Some great responses and suggestions. Thanks! Keep 'em coming... <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

good thoughts -- find flashlight, find glasses, find pants.
asses situation -- if you need to exit, how do you alert other family members
test door for hear
find keys, cats and cell
exit

Even a small earthquake will shake your glasses and flashlight off the side table. In a drawer might be better. Has anyone tried those recharageable flashlights that stay plugged in until a power outage, then then turn themselves on?

TRO

I haven't but I think it's a great idea. It's like having one of those battery-operated emergency lights from work in your own home. The one thing I don't like about them is that they all turn on at full power. What if I'm not at home? Then that's wasted battery power that I might find handy when I do come home. If they could be set to either turn on at a low setting or turn on a small LED or something instead of only full power, that would be handy.

Actually, I have seen flashlights, like at Target, that have a permanently blinking "here-I-am" LED. That should help make it easier to find in the pitch dark. You could put a number of them in strategic locations between your bedroom and the exit and even if the power were out, you could use the blinking LED's to orient yourself and just follow them to the outside. Just an idea.

*EDIT*
Duh, if you follow the blinking light to the first flashlight, then just use that flashlight to get out. No need to follow the trail of blinking LED's. Sometimes we just make things too difficult, eh? <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
* END EDIT*

Occasionally you'll see one of these plug-in lights that uses a flourescent lamp instead of an incandescent bulb. The flourescent would be more efficient and give more runtime or at least a broader area light. As another option, an LED bulb would be nice, too, but I have yet to see one of these emergency plug-in lights with an LED. An LED bulb would also be very efficient and give long runtime, probably much longer than a flourescent lamp.

I put a large safety pin on the bottom part of my mattress at the head of the bed, I have a small Garrity LED keychain flashlight on a carbiner that I keep clipped on the safety pin. Unless my bed gets out of the house before I do then I know I will have light. I just have to run my hand down the corner of my bed and unclip it and i'm ready to go.

Yes, that's exactly the type of lighting solution I was thinking about in case of an earthquake!

Now, I'm just waiting for someone to post the hypothetical situation question--an earthquake totally destroys your house and you crawl out of the wreckage. The gas main catches fire and burns up everything you own. All you have is a keychain light and the carabiner and large safety pin that held it to the mattress. How do you survive? <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I don't live in earthquake country exactly but I do keep a BOB next to my bed so I would survive just fine. I was only refering to a handy light.

I'm in SOCAL, but away from the major faults. Still, I wanted to have a light handy just in case. Once you have light, getting dressed and booted up becomes much quicker. That small bag next to my side of the bed has lots of little things that could make things stop bumping in the middle of the night.

I didn't think I live in an earthquake zone; earlier this year I looked up fault lines in Texas. This far north, we are at greater risk of an earthquake than a hurricane. We are at a greater risk of a tornado and the problem with tornados are they have a tendency to blow away all your survival equipment. At least hurricanes have the courtesy of giving people advanced notice.

Jeanette Isabelle

Hmmmm, where to start?...

My BOB's are kept in the vehicles. I figure wherever I am, they'll be nearby. Also in each vehicle is a duffle bag with a change of clothing (pants, shirt, jacket, gloves, hats, socks, etc.) and an old pair of work boots and two sleeping bags. I also have a 'grab-and-go' bag, which sits on top of a second fridge at the bottom of my basement steps. It's like a BOB, just larger. It contains 2 or 3 changes of clothing (some old pants, shirts, t-shirts, underwear, socks, hats, scarves, gloves (leather and wool)), boots, a heavy coat, pullovers, etc. Most of the clothing/boots are old and pretty sad looking, but in an emergency, who cares? It also has a tent, some blankets, a few of those charcoal handwarmers & extra fuel rods, firestarting supplies (folding saw, tinder, matches/lighters, etc.), some food items (needs to be rotated every now and then). I'm sure I missed some things in there but you get the idea.

If you live by yourself, it just a matter of keeping your gear where you can find it quickly. A friend keeps his gear bag in the kitchen cabinet just next to their rear door.
My clothes (with a flashlight on my belt) lay on a chair next to my bed with my boots under it. I have an old camping flashlight hung from my bedpost on a cord. It'll be changed to an LED one soon. The flashlights get fresh batteries every time the clocks change, along with the smoke and CO detectors (You do have smoke detectors, don't you??). The older batteries go into a box to get used whenever needed.

I've heard of others keeping a small bag under their beds with flashlights, leather glovers, and a prybar for stuck doors. All the interior doors in my house are those flimsy doors I can punch through, but if you live in an apartment with heavy wood or steel doors, maybe a prybar (and a sledgehammer) would be a good idea. One of those headlight things with an elastic band would allow you use of both hands. Make sure your bedroom slippers have tough, puncture-resistant bottoms, so you can jump in them and go (and anchor your taller pieces of furniture to the wall so they won't be as likely to fall over). A long, thick (and warm!) bathrobe, especially nice if you like to sleep 'au natural' (Rappelling naked from your 5th floor apartment's bedroom window in the middle of a midnight fire would get you quite a few interesting looks, as well as a front page photo!! <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />) I keep a small flashlight in my bathrobe with spare keys to the vehicles and my mom's house tied to it. You might want spare keys to your car, spare prescription glasses, phone numbers of friends or family living nearby, etc.

If you have kids, try having monthly or quarterly evac drills. It teaches them to exit the house/building quickly and safely. You could keep it somewhat playful and lighthearted, as long as they learn what to do. If everyone does well, reward them with a pizza dinner that night. If the emergency is only your house or building and they get separated from you, teach them to go to a safe place like a friendly neighbor. If it's on a larger scale, a nearby corner/building/parking lot/etc. Just make sure they know that if they don't see mom or dad, they go to your 'chosen meeting place', wherever that may be and wait, not walk around looking for you and becoming lost. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to make sure they have some form of ID on them either, especially if they're young. No idea how to do that consistently unless you tattoo your name and cell phone number on their butts. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The problem in getting out of my house at night would not be finding a flashlight ... it would be trying not to trip over one! I have way too many flashlights.

Is the house on fire before or after you dig your way out of it, and how big is the boom? I'd think that might be a fairly cirtical factor. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Those flashlights that you leave plugged in are okay, but they don't last forever. Sooner or later, they're just sitting there in an electrical outlet, dead. But if you pick up your other flashlights and set them down somewhere else, these would be okay as long as you kept an eye on them.

If you want to use a large safety pin to attach things to a mattress (etc), check out your local feed store and ask where they keep the horse blanket pins. Stainless, 3" long, very sturdy. About $1.25 each.

And if you're rappelling down the outside of your apartment building while naked, mind you watch for rope burns. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Sue

Speaking of being prepared, one may find it handy to already be in their pajamas when needing to leave the house in a matter of seconds.

Jeanette Isabelle

'...one may find it handy to already be in their pajamas when needing to leave the house in a matter of seconds.'

That's what I've always thought!

I just have this awful feeling that if my area were hit with a major earthquake, it would happen at night, in winter, while I was in the shower with shampoo in my hair and eyes, and it will be raining or snowing outside!

I was still living in SoCal when the Sylmar quake hit about 6 a.m. I was sound asleep when it started, but before it was over, I was out of bed, had opened the door, and was standing in the doorway when I woke up. I guess that's what you might call 'conditioning'.

<img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />Sue

Carry a Photon as earring...

I remember the Loma Prieta quake in 1989 along with plenty other smaller ones. First thought was, "What the HELL is THAT?!" Second thought was, "Earthquakkke!"

The suggestion of anchoring or attaching a light to something is a great idea. Just in case a pet or earthquake decides to move it... <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

In addition to flashlights out the whazoo (in each bedside table and by each toilet, etc), I also use a chem light as a keychain for each of the "fire keys" which are kept on a hook near each door of the house so they could be found feeling along the wall while crawling under smoke, etc.

I don't have a specific BOB for middle of the night bailouts...yet.

When we lived in San Jose, CA, we had two AA Maglites, one on each side of the bed, clipped to the underside of the top of the bedside tables (aka nightstand). Now we are in New Zealand we have the same two Maglites, with LED upgrade, but not clipped in place. Having seen the comment about torches falling or moving due to an earthquake I must remedy that situation.

Anyway, we (my wife and I) are Civil Defence volunteers, and when we went for training we found we were probably the only people who kept a torch by the bed. The main reason for this (we are told) is to light up the floor to look for broken glass *before* getting up.

A

I wasn't listening very carefully, but there was a segment on NPR radio this morning about a team of scientists who built a full size two-story wooden house on a "shake table" to study what happens when a simulated 6.5(?) quake occurs just a few miles away. The structure itself fared very well, but apparently the contents were strewn all over the place, including heavy appliances and furniture.

Anyway, just more confirmation that some form of light will likely be critical immediately after a large earthquake strikes in the middle of the night. All that stuff on the floor and rearranging of objects that will likely occur inside our homes will make it difficult to find things or even get around without some light.

What's a "fire key"? Do you have security gates or deadbolts at each door that need to be unlocked with a key from the inside to escape? Or do you mean "keys to take with you in case of fire," like the car keys?

I keep my "D" cell Mag-Lite in my purse which is close to my bed at night, and yes I can find my purse in the night.

Jeanette Isabelle

A wise man told me "always keep your clothes and weapons where you can find them in the dark". So BOB is at bedside, yesterdays clothes with all EDC stuff still in them go on top of the BOB and get transfered to clean ones in the morning. LED lights in every room and extra one is All Day Carry with me. A larger version of a PSK is in every vehicle. Recently I've considered the need to have a version of a BOB in every vehicle.

Good point Arney, I did need to clarify:

I have double cylinder deadbolts on all doors and a key is indeed required to get out. I put a hook at 3 feet from the floor near each door and put a key there.

They can't be reached by someone reaching in through a broken window.

My child has been trained to find them with eyes closed (we would play "fire drill" when she was little). I noticed that while she and I were practicing that the key would sometimes get dropped as we were rushing and fumbling with it so I put a chem light on each key to add some light in an emergency and make it easier to find when I drop it.