Microage97,

As head of a family of four (when DW lets me) let me share with you some of my plans.

Family: Me (39 in good shape), wife (a bit younger , a bit less physically active ), 4 yr old daughter, 2 year old daughter.

Current location: House in northern suburb of Houston, TX, righ off I-45, the main evacuation route north out of Houston.

Threats: Hurricanes, haz-mat train derailment, flooding, ice storm (in theory), civil unrest.

Current BOB vehicles: 2005 Honda Pilot, 2006 double cab Toyota Tacoma with off-road options package, two adult bicycles and a bicycle cart, canoe, wagon with "off-road" tires.

Current vehicle BOBs: The Pilot and Tacoma each has a bag with water, clothing, diapers, personal hygiene supplies, tools, radio, tarp, rope, space blankets, ponchos, radio, "dynamo" flashlight, cooksets, firestarters, etc.

House BOB: this contains four fleece sleeping bags, more changes of clothing, diapers, personal hygiene supplies, radio, earplugs, flashlights, rope, pliers, knife, screwdriver set, deck of cards, bible, etc. This gear is not designed to keep us alive in the woods, it is to simply make us comfortable while we crash at a friend's place or (shudder) a public emergency shelter during a localized disturbance.

Heading into the woods for an extended amount of time with my wife and two young kids is not a realistic option and I say this after taking the family camping a number of times. Texas summers are brutally hot and humid. Minnesota winters are brutally cold (at least they were growing up in St. Michael, MN). Trying to keep the family healthy and safe in such environments is almost futile with just the gear in a bag.

Overall, I believe the chances of the entire USA being plunged into chaos are very slim and my BOBs/BOPs reflect that belief.

-Blast