A cool knife for my bug out bag

If you are building an emergency bug out bag or kit you need a knife. This one is pretty cool. It folds right up and will fit inside your pocket or bag. Easy to conceal, easy to use.

This is not a toy. As with any weapon you should practice with it until you are comfortable with it.

Everyday Carry Kit, what is it, and should you have one?

We spend a lot of time thinking about preparing our kits, bug out bags, emergency supplies you name it. What if for some reason you couldn’t get to any of those things. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a few supplies with you at all times.

You could use a altoid can that fits into your pocket or something similar. You will need to think about where you live and what kind of gear would be useful. Since this is so small you will have to decide what the absolute most important things to have would be. Here are a few things I would put in my every day carry kit.

  • A tiny flashlight
  • A lighter or firestarter
  • Maybe a fishing hook with some string
  • A few first aid supplies, like bandaids, neosporin
  • Moist towelettes, Alcohol wipes, extra medication
  • Whistles are great if you get trapped and need to signal for help.
  • tweezers or a small pair of fold up scissors or knife.
  • I would also keep some money in it. Small bills
  • You will need to think about your own situation, what kind of disaster or emergency is likely to happen in your area.

Every persons needs will be different, so it would be very helpful if every person made their own kits, putting what they feel would work best for them in an emergency situation.

 

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What skills do you have for an emergency?

If a disaster or some kind of emergency came to your doorstep, what skills do you have that would be able to help. Do you have medical knowledge, or self defense knowledge?  Can you take care of yourself in the event of a serious emergency. These are hard questions we all need to think about.

We all like to think when the time comes, we will all become like some kind of ninja rambo person. The reality is we aren’t. Not unless you practice and train. If you go out and purchase a weapon of any kind, practice with it, so you know it inside and out. If you are planning on growing your own food but you never have before, grow a garden and practice with it. Don’t wait until the time comes to learn. That is a pretty hard learning curve.

Take some classes, maybe a first aid class, or a self defense class. These things can help you in every day life also, but in an emergency these skills will be invaluable. Every person is going to have something they are really good at. In your own group figure out what each person is good at. Each person could take turns training everyone else until everyone is good at the skills.

A little planning before the emergency will go a long ways in helping you after an emergency.

Written by Barbara Conover

Have you thought about a get home bag?

We are all concerned with having the equipment we need when we need it. We spend a lot of time working and preparing our bug out bags. But what if you are at work and you need to get back home. What kind of plan do you have for that. I have a get home bag.  What if you are several miles from home and the power is shut down, or your car won’t start or a million other scenarios. Think about building a Get home bag.

Your get home bag doesn’t have to be elaborate but it does need to have some basic survival things in it. You will want to have some water, either bottled or the packages you can get. You need 1 gallon of water per day per person. You will want to have some kind of food in your bag, maybe some protection like a knife or whatever your choice is. In my bag i like to keep a good pair of shoes made for walking. You will also need to consider if your area has snow or is sunny all the time. That will dictate what kind of shoe you will need for your situation. You wouldn’t want to wear sandals for walking twenty miles in snow.

A few other things you might want in your bag, a small first aid kit with moleskin for blisters if you will be walking. A map of the local area, even if you know the area everything looks different outside of your car. Keep a list of emergency contact numbers in case you lose your phone. If you have to leave your car leave a note telling potential rescuers where you went.

I like to keep a lighter and a fire starter in my bag just in case. I also have an emergency blanket, a poncho and some paracord. If you have to stay in one spot you can use it to build shelter with.

The number one thing is don’t panic. Panic will get you hurt or worse. Keep a cool head and things should turn out fine. There is a lot more to this but you get the idea. If you have children in school you should have a plan in place for them also. Are they going to stay put, are you going to come to them or is someone else going to pick them up.

Think about all the what ifs before an emergency. We never know when or where something will happen so be prepared it could save your life or the life of someone you know.

Written by Barbara Conover

Growing your own garden

Have you ever thought, I will just grow a garden if times are rough. I know I have. There are a few things to consider, first have you ever grown a garden and do you know how to do it. Have you ever plowed the land, planted the seeds, harvested the fruits of your labor. If the answer is no to any of these questions, you might want to grow a garden for practice. The benefits are great, you will learn how and get some good nutritious food to eat while you are at it.

Growing a garden sounds simple enough and it its, if you know how. I would recommend taking a master gardener class in your area. They know the local soil conditions, the local pests and all kinds of great information. They are an awesome resource for you.

Get your family involved in the garden project, more than one person in your group needs to know how to garden. What if something happens and you are not around can your family take care of themselves? The time to learn is right now, not when you really must have it. Take this time to practice and develop your gardening skills. Think about it, if times are really bad, fresh vegetables are the perfect bartering item.

Written By Barbara Conover

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What do you put in a bug out bag

First of all what is a bug out bag, this is a bag that you keep extra supplies in, in the event of a disaster or some kind of emergency. To determine what to put in the bag think about what kind of natural disaster is likely to happen in your area. Tornado,earthquake, flood, fire, hurricane, nuclear plant, you get the idea.  After you decide what you are going to prepare for then you can decide what to put in the bag.

I feel you should have a bug out bag for each person in your family or group. That way if you get separated each person still has some basic things to see them through the emergency. I also think you should keep a bag wherever you are going to be, like at work, in your car, at home, wherever you think you might spend a lot of time.

You will want enough food and water in your bag for at least 72 hours. Remember you need at least 1 gallon of water per person per day. Don’t forget your pets, they will need food and water also.  Inside your bag also put a list of phone numbers and emergency contacts. Have a person outside of your area that everyone can call and check in with in the event you do get separated.

Make sure the bag you choose is durable but not too noticable, a flashy bag might make someone want to take it from you. For water you can get the water in the small packages, make sure you have at least three or four a day per person and your pet.  For food get some MRE’s or something you can eat right out of the package without having to heat it up. For myself i would stash a candy bar or two also in case my sugar gets low.  Make sure you have a small first aid kit, nothing huge but something that you can still get some use out of. You will want a light, get a good one. LED is best but whatever you can do is ok too. You also might want to put some kind of protection in your bag, maybe a good knife or something like that. If you think your emergency might include some kind of hazard to breath or dust, put some masks in your bag.  You can also throw an emergency blanket, poncho, tarp, and other things inside the bag. Keep the weight in mind when you are putting your bag together. If you have to walk 20 miles a 20lb bag is pretty heavy.

This is just a starting point for you to build your own bug out bag. In the times we are living I highly encourage people to be able to take care of themselves. Those are the ones that will survive the emergency or disaster.

Written by Barbara Conover

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