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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