Thoughts on Bugging Out…….and Heading Home

Font Size » Large | Small

Something I have thought of many times -

What if you are at work, running errands, etc. when TSHTF?

When disaster strikes – there is no guarantee you will be at home. You need to have a plan to get back home or to your predetermined retreat locale. One of my biggest concerns are bridges. If terrorist really wanted to disrupt our economy – there are several key bridges that could be easily taken out- segregating areas of the country from the others. Without the ability to transport goods across the country in a timely manner – things could go south quickly. Regardless – dealing with being able to get home is important. The video in this blog brings up some good points and provides an example of a bugout kit to keep in your car.

[Original video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj9ahG1284k]

This posting will concentrate on the contents and planning with this situation – not on vehicle types, maintenance of said vehicle, etc.

The first step – #1. The Plan:

Have a map of your local area including your residence/retreat
Highlight several routes on the map from common areas you visit – all leading to each other and to your final destination – home. If there are friends or family that are also in the area – include them in your route planning. The goal is to do the thinking now when everything is OK and there is plenty of time.
Those involved in your survival planning (immediate family especially) need to be included in a planned WHAT TO DO in case all are separated when TSHTF. All need to be clear as to who should meet where as well as back up locations in case certain destinations cannot be accessed. Remember – all communications may be down.

#2. What to Have:

Water – A snow storm once caused me to drive for 5 – 1/2 hours a distance that normally took me 20 minutes – I got thirsty. Water is critical to have available as you just do not know how long you will be on your own. Suggestion: Keep 16-20 oz water bottles in your vehicle – much easier to carry in case you end up on foot.
Food – A few nutrition bars at a minimum should be kept in your vehicle. Again – portability should be considered. Throwing some MRE’s in your pack is good security.
Clothes – Extra clothes are important. You never know what may happen. You could be doused with antifreeze while filling your radiator. What if you are drenched changing a flat and it is raining out – and very cold? Have a spare pair of jeans, a t-shirt or two, couple pairs of socks and some undies – and don’t forget an extra pair of shoes.
Survival Kit – You must have a kit similar to that which is described in the video above. Your survival kit should contain a variety of items to cover those “just in case” situations you may run across. First aid, fire starting, compass, GPS system, walkie talkies, portable CB, etc. You also need to decide whether to keep some means to defend yourself in your kit. There are tons of information on the net about survival kits – see here.

#3. Putting It All Together – a fictional account:

If you find yourself 20 miles away from your house – and family – when “it” happens – your plan will come into action. You call your wife and she has picked up the kids – they are at home. The doors are locked, the Mossberg is loaded and at the ready – you need to get home. You decide to forget the highway – you know it will be backed up. You pull out the GPS and access the pre-programed alternate route home. You head out.

On a normal day – 30 minutes tops -today you just do not know. You get 5 miles driving through connecting neighborhoods with no issues – then the first traffic jam. Others are trying to get around the non-moving highway. Two hours it takes you to move another 5 miles. The S&W M&P 9mm is in the seat beside you as news that violence has started already. The stress is beginning to get to people and the lower members of society are beginning to take advantage of the situation. You have been sipping water during the drive – contemplating tasks that must be done once you arrive at home. The radio is abuzz with news of “The Event” – there are concerns and evidense that more “events” may be occurring over the next few hours. Your GPS directs you to take the next left – you are familiar with the road. It’s pretty much obstacle free from here. The long country road is lacking much traffic. A few more turns and you reach home.

Your wife opens the door – she had been watching for you upstairs with the kids. You walk in and find that she had fueled the generator, also had cleaned and filled the second tub with water – just in case. You feel lucky that you were able to drive the whole 20 miles – in a little over 3 hours – with no problems. If there were problems – you were prepared.

So – something for you to think about. What would you do if TSHTF and you were away from home and family? Would they know what to do?

Take care all -

Rourke

PS – The picture of the 4×4 at the top of this post is not a suggestion that your vehicle should look like the one pictured. I just thought it was pretty cool looking.

Tags: bug out vehicle, bugging out

bugging out | Rourke July 3, 2010

4 Comments to “Thoughts on Bugging Out…….and Heading Home”

By TJ Jackson, July 4, 2010 @ 5:17 am

Interesting article but I see a flaw that is recurring in these types of articles. You are all assuming that you will be allowed into the area that you have chosen for a retreat. This might not be so. I am on the other end of this spectrum in so far as I live in a rural area and have quietly prepared for many years. I have a few friends and family and we are well prepared as we think that these problems will soon come to a head and it will be time to move to our retreat. When I say “move” I mean that they will come here and we will act collectively toward our common goal of surviving the debacle. Our plans include closing the local roads and keeping everyone out. We have chosen various spots depending on the level of the intensity of the problem. In this area it will be easy to close off a road, we take a vehicle and park it across the two-laner at a narrow spot and one or two armed men to keep anyone from going past our roadblock. I wonder what the bug-out people will do when confronted with this situation a long way from their planned retreat location.
By Rourke, July 4, 2010 @ 1:23 pm

I am assuming that when you close off the local roads – you are letting residents that possibly may live nearby through. If not – you are drawing a lot of attention to yourselves that may turn bad – both the road blockers and those trying to get to their friends/family.

Think exposing yourself like that may be a problem – of course I don’t know your area and circumstances.

No doubt that there could be road blocks preventing access to certain areas. In my particular situation – I see that as a very little possibility. If that did happen – on foot I would go.
By TJ Jackson, July 6, 2010 @ 12:12 am

It all depends on how bad it gets and how quickly things go downhill. If I anticipate problems that will probably occur in a week or so, I will call a neighborhood conference and we will probably act and work together. I know all of these people (about 10 to fifteen principals) and know that they are as afraid as I am of being overrun by the MBZ’s if that is the scenario. If it is an instantaneous problem ie, nuclear attack downwind of us or an EMP type of attack my little group has preplanned to meet here. I doubt that my neighbors have anywhere the supplies that I have but they have enough stuff to get them through a few weeks. During that time we will meet and confer and we will see what the future holds. We can easily close off the road if necessary as there are only two ways into this area and the upper road can be closed quite easily as it is only marginally passable now. We would have no intention of letting anyone in as they would only complicate the situation in so far as they would not have the food and/or shelter that would be needed to survive over a long period of time. We would assume that they would be the “we can live off the land” type of morons and would only increase our security problems.
Every weekend we see a lot of quad drivers coming into the area. I assume that at least some of them are thinking survival and may even be caching supplies somewhere above us on the mesa and the hills. There is another way for them to get to that area and they will have to take the long route to get to their supplies.
You talk about going around a road block on foot. It would be possible in the dark hours but you would have to leave your supplies etc. and what would you do then. Would you have a place to go to that is fully stocked. I assume that our wooded area will be crawling with a lot of loose cannons for awhile and we will have to deal with them on a case by case basis. Our roadblocks are designed to prevent someone from leaving once they notice that they have to stop. We would probably try and convince them that they need to go away but if gentle persuasion does not work, the alternative will be applied. We are all ex-military and/or ex-police or both.
I sympathize with people in your situation but I have to keep in mind the primary goal of protecting my family and cohorts through these possible difficult times. We have an agreement that we will do whatever is necessary to succeed. We emphasize “whatever”. We believe that the future belongs to the prepared. We have prepared for many years and we believe that the future belongs to us.
By Rourke, July 6, 2010 @ 1:39 am

Some good points TJ –

In my situation I work approx 20 miles from home. In the events that I have to go afoot – my bug out bag would come with me. The goal would be to walk to get home.

I should be able to make it, depending upon where I start – within several hours.

Take care –
Rourke