RandomHero
Custom
Lot's of people have go bags / bugout bags, but where would you really go? If chaos reares it's ugly head, would you leave your home where you have established shelter, food and water supply, medical supplies, and ammunition?
Go bags! Where would you go?
- Thread starter RandomHero
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RandomHero
Custom
Totally on board with a get home bag.
RandomHero
Custom
Hopefully some open minded responses to what some may post. Imagine trying to bug out with 250,000 people on the same road panicking?
Grifter
Custom
First rally point is always the house. If the situation warrants more drastic action, my closest family has a piece of property that becomes the next rally point and a stronghold. This should put us out of harm's way until the situation de-escalates. This is a very good question and is something that my wife and I have many discussions about.
BET7
Ronin
I have two bags. One can be used as a ‘get home bag’, the other for a ‘bug out bag’. My first choice is to remain home, and I’m never really far from it being retired & such. It’s where I have most everything including a full house generator with spare back up portable if required. If the SHTF, I live near the Appalachian Trail (AT) & State Reserve & could always head out there. Great topic RandomHero.
Exactly......where ya gonna go? If all communications are down, how do you know what's going on at other locations?
Ice storm of '09. No power, no heat for 7 days, but the water still worked, and had a propane camp stove, and instant food stuffs, and coffee and tea. Oh, and due to still having water service, the toilets flushed. Not a fun time, but we had plenty of blankets to stay warm. Oh, if you have those nifty little solar lights along your sidewalk/driveway, etc., you can bring them in at night to supplement and save on candle use. We were only w/o power for 7 days, but some areas it lasted much longer. Not fun, and nowhere to bug out to. I bought a portable generator shortly afterwards.
Ice storm of '09. No power, no heat for 7 days, but the water still worked, and had a propane camp stove, and instant food stuffs, and coffee and tea. Oh, and due to still having water service, the toilets flushed. Not a fun time, but we had plenty of blankets to stay warm. Oh, if you have those nifty little solar lights along your sidewalk/driveway, etc., you can bring them in at night to supplement and save on candle use. We were only w/o power for 7 days, but some areas it lasted much longer. Not fun, and nowhere to bug out to. I bought a portable generator shortly afterwards.
SMSgtRod
Professional
Ice storm here had generator to keep the house running. Gas furnace so we were warm. Also had an invertor to handle the house from the Ram. But here is something to think about.
Wife heard that the grocery store was open so I took her up there. As we started in woman came out an announced that the power was down so no credit cards cash only. Wife started to turn around and I said no problem. Gave her one of the two Bens that were tucked in my wallet. Been there for years and she never knew. We have a location to go to if need be towards the mountains. Along with the usual stuff in a bag I have a wad of money in smaller than Ben bills.
May not mean much but in several areas I have 64gb thumb drives stashed. We have scanned all our family pictures and saved them there. Along with all the later years digital pics and some videos. That way not all will be lost.
Classified
Professional
I think it might be better served to be called a shelter in place (SIP) bag. As many have mentioned its not so much about going somewhere as it is about surviving until you can get somewhere more ideal.
Good choice of an acronym
Bloodknight
Master Class
Question:I'm retired & recently moved to the southwest.I call this area "The Alamo"I really don't know my way around the mountains & decided it's home or nothing.I know the basics of survival.having spent time in the Marines.Other then food,water,arms,lots of ammo,2 way radio,first aid, what can you suggest ? I'm here for the duration.Having lived in Chicago a long time & time in country in 67.Ive got situational awareness down pat 
Peglegjoe
Professional
My only "go bag" is a standard, civilian flight bag for an emergency trip to Florida if my elderly mother has any problems.
It's covered in dust - she plays tennis every day, sings in Community Chorus, sings in the Cathedral choir...that 82 year old woman is in better shape than I am!
As far as SHTF situations...I have 4 acres, good sightlines, and 19" thick stone walls on my home, as well as an older Cummins truck that can run off the heating oil in my underground tank if needed. The only thing I'm missing (for now) is a whole-house generator...but it's on The List.
As far as keeping things safe, there's the fire-rated gun safe (with my EDC, my backup, and my Leupold-scoped .308 bolt-action rifle, along with a few thousand rounds for each); there's the 1860s fire-rated retired bank safe (weighs more than a VW, and is in the garage because the house flooring isn't rated to hold that much weight); and there's the multiple external hard drives rated for 6TB and up - any important docs are a) scanned to one of the drives, and b) physically placed in a fire envelope (cool bag) inside the fire safe, along with said external drive.
I'm all for S.I.P., and have more than a feeling that my neighbors will join me inside my stone walls since they all live in stick-built houses. I'm also a half mile from a decommissioned military base - all hand-laid stone buildings there, too, from the late 1800's/early 1900's (Fort Ritchie, MD). We could always just "appropriate" one, if the need arose.
It's covered in dust - she plays tennis every day, sings in Community Chorus, sings in the Cathedral choir...that 82 year old woman is in better shape than I am!
As far as SHTF situations...I have 4 acres, good sightlines, and 19" thick stone walls on my home, as well as an older Cummins truck that can run off the heating oil in my underground tank if needed. The only thing I'm missing (for now) is a whole-house generator...but it's on The List.
As far as keeping things safe, there's the fire-rated gun safe (with my EDC, my backup, and my Leupold-scoped .308 bolt-action rifle, along with a few thousand rounds for each); there's the 1860s fire-rated retired bank safe (weighs more than a VW, and is in the garage because the house flooring isn't rated to hold that much weight); and there's the multiple external hard drives rated for 6TB and up - any important docs are a) scanned to one of the drives, and b) physically placed in a fire envelope (cool bag) inside the fire safe, along with said external drive.
I'm all for S.I.P., and have more than a feeling that my neighbors will join me inside my stone walls since they all live in stick-built houses. I'm also a half mile from a decommissioned military base - all hand-laid stone buildings there, too, from the late 1800's/early 1900's (Fort Ritchie, MD). We could always just "appropriate" one, if the need arose.
Classified
Professional
Space blankets, decent first aide kit, heavy duty trash bags (can be used as ponchos or shade ect.), knife, 2x thick dental floss, survival mirror, sunglasses, hat, and paracord. To start with anyways...Question:I'm retired & recently moved to the southwest.I call this area "The Alamo"I really don't know my way around the mountains & decided it's home or nothing.I know the basics of survival.having spent time in the Marines.Other then food,water,arms,lots of ammo,2 way radio,first aid, what can you suggest ? I'm here for the duration.Having lived in Chicago a long time & time in country in 67.Ive got situational awareness down pat
RandomHero
Custom
I think we have had some really good responses so far. I think topics like this should be brought to mind once in a while. Just as well as this theory.... " If you are failing to prepare, your preparing to fail."
Shamrocker
Elite
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Hey gang, we ran an article on this very subject by Kit Perez on The Armory Life. Thought you all might enjoy seeing it in case you missed it.
www.thearmorylife.com
When You Can’t Bug Out - The Armory Life
Disasters can come in all manner of ways; you may not have the time or means to get out, even if you have somewhere to go. Be prepared for that situation.
www.thearmorylife.com
RandomHero
Custom
I often have heard of people telling others that their coming over to someone's location in the SHTF scenario. I always tell them to take resources to where they decide to go. And do not show up empty handed, as that will get them rejected. Everyone has to contribute, or else they are a strain on the stronghold of the group that is trying to survive.A few years back, after watching storm coverage on the news (don't recall which storm) and hearing how everyone: had lost this and lost that and stores are empty and we weren't prepared, I put together 5-Day Go Bags for everyone in the family as Christmas presents. Even though I live in Michigan and don't have to deal with tropical storms, I do live 60 miles downwind of two nuclear power plants, live less than a mile from an intersate hwy with lots of tanker trucks hauling "who knows what" and less than a mile from train tracks used to tranport "who knows what". I suppose we could get that "Time to go!" knock on the door. Odds are low but definately a possibility. Otherwise, at my age, we're staying and defending our home.
Got an awesome deal on Wise Food Survival bags to start. Very basic bag with some MREs, water and "camping supplies". Added about $100 of additional supplies to each bag and included a Suggestion/Reminder list with each bag so they can customize further if they want.
Keep in mind, these are, let's say "basic evacuation bags" not "SHTF Go Bags". When talking to my adult Millenial children, they all say they are coming to my house if the SHTF. Told them, "Only if you bring your own food!". Guess I am now the family hotel and armory. At least they all know how to shoot.
SMSgtRod
Professional
A few years back, after watching storm coverage on the news (don't recall which storm) and hearing how everyone: had lost this and lost that and stores are empty and we weren't prepared, I put together 5-Day Go Bags for everyone in the family as Christmas presents. Even though I live in Michigan and don't have to deal with tropical storms, I do live 60 miles downwind of two nuclear power plants, live less than a mile from an intersate hwy with lots of tanker trucks hauling "who knows what" and less than a mile from train tracks used to tranport "who knows what". I suppose we could get that "Time to go!" knock on the door. Odds are low but definately a possibility. Otherwise, at my age, we're staying and defending our home.
Got an awesome deal on Wise Food Survival bags to start. Very basic bag with some MREs, water and "camping supplies". Added about $100 of additional supplies to each bag and included a Suggestion/Reminder list with each bag so they can customize further if they want.
Keep in mind, these are, let's say "basic evacuation bags" not "SHTF Go Bags". When talking to my adult Millenial children, they all say they are coming to my house if the SHTF. Told them, "Only if you bring your own food!". Guess I am now the family hotel and armory. At least they all know how to shoot.
Oh, Man! Residing in the vicinity of all that I'd have me a Chopper with full tanks.
Tenbones
Master Class
I had the exact same thing happen to me last April. I live in the country and had nowhere to go and couldn't get there if I wanted to.
I often wondered about this concept of a bug out bag, bug out to where? I read these forums about guys bragging about their BOB's and almost in the same sentence they talk about the thousands of rounds of ammo and all the guns they have and I think to myst in placeelf, maybe they should be talking about a bug out truck.
Short of getting burned out I think the best is to stay put.