Does Your Bug Out Bag Have These Essentials?
You might have heard the term “Bug Out Bag” and wondered what it means. Contrary to what it sounds like, this isn’t a bag containing a selection of bug repellent.
A bug out bag is similar to an emergency kit. The only difference, perhaps, is that while most emergency kits assume you are at home, a bug out bag is something you can grab when you need to evacuate or make an emergency escape.
While you can purchase ready-made bug out bags online, these bags are a “one size fits all”, so they won’t work for everyone. For example, most contain freeze-dried meals where you simply add boiling water. If all your kits contain beef stew, your vegan daughter is going to go hungry quite a few nights.
Pick out a military-style type of pack for each person in your family and get ready to start packing!
Essential Bug Out Bag Items
- Food and Water
Although you might be able to boil water, if you’re on the go, you will need your own water supply. You can’t carry the water you will need, so instead, use chlorine drops or purification devices, such as water bottles that have a built-in filter.
Carry enough food for 3 to 7 days. Prepper sites will list a huge selection.
- Other Essentials
Don’t forget the little things that can make life difficult or easy. Pack several different means of creating fire and a few Sterno. Plastic can melt or break, so pack camping (usually metal) sporks, a large spoon for stirring, a cooking pot, and a can opener. A few glowsticks help children feel safer at night, pack a crank-style flashlight and a powerful, battery-operated flashlight for emergencies and a few extra batteries.
- Clothing
Clothing is variable depending on the season and your type of weather. Generally speaking, pack two changes of clothing, a hat, 2 pair of gloves (one for cold, the other for work), a rain poncho, a shemagh, and a medium weight fleece sweatshirt or jacket.
- Shelter
If you need to make a shelter, having one ready to go makes things much easier than searching for places. Pack a plastic tarp, a small, pop-up style tent (one with a rain cover is best), a wool blanket or ground pad, and a good quality sleeping bag. Don’t trust your children’s lives to their Harry Potter sleeping bag.
- First Aid and Hygiene
Pack a ready-made first aid kit, along with basic hygiene products and vital (prescription) medications. Be sure to exchange the medication every 3-6 months so you don’t carry expired prescriptions. Other hygiene items include:
- Hand sanitizer
- General bar of soap (nothing with perfumes, just plain soap)
- Travel size toothbrush and toothpaste
- A travel towel
- 2 travel-sized toilet paper rolls
- A package of wet-naps
You can add other items that you feel you can’t live without (such as chapstick) but remember that you will be carrying these items, so be brutal and take only what you need.
This is not an all-inclusive list and covers only the basics.
If you haven’t made your bug out bag yet- it’s never too late to get started!