Are you ready to brave the wild if a disaster situation happens and you need to get out of your home and leave the area in a hurry?  What survival capabilities do you want at the ready if such a scenario were to unfold?  These are some questions that every survival minded person should ask themselves on a regular basis.  To gain the survival advantage, your preparations will be put to the test.

Enter the survival bug out bag.  This item can be referred to as a ‘go bag’ or survival kit, 72 hour kit, or SHTF bag.  If you haven’t heard SHTF, it is an acronym for a time when it ‘hits the fan.’  A bug out bag is designed to support your survival away from your home for however long you deem necessary.  72 hour kits are designed and supplied to keep you kicking for, you guessed it, three days.  If you feel like you need a week of survival capabilities, then supply it accordingly.  However you look at it, this bag should be ready at all times.  If a disaster strikes, you probably won’t have time to gather gear and supplies.  You will need to act fast; the survival of you and your family and loved ones depends on this.

Typical bug out bag contents will have items that can be broken down into these categories:

• food and water
• personal protection
• camping and shelter
• signal and communication
• first aid

Food and Water

Food and water is the most important part of your bug out bag contents.  You won’t last long in a disaster situation without these two items.  I like MREs and Mountain House freeze dried entrees the best.  They have a long shelf life and provide a lot of valuable calories.  Granola, energy, and candy bars are good supplementary items as well.  I like to carry at least one liter of water, and supplement this with a water filter.  Katadyn filters are a great option.  MSR also makes some great filters, although they tend to be a little bit more expensive.  The SteriPEN is a fantastic item; it is small, light and effective.  It is battery operated and doesn’t actually ‘filter’ the water, but the SteriPEN is what I include in my personal bug out bag.

Protection

During a disaster, safety will be a major concern.  The rule of law will most likely disintegrate.  High amounts of stress can cause peaceful people to act violently.  The ability to protect yourself and loved ones becomes a high priority.  I supply my bug out bag with a Springfield XD 9mm.  Since I carry an H&K P2000 sub compact 9mm concealed daily, I want to have another full size option in the same caliber.  100 rounds of 9mm hollow points will add significant firepower.  I also include a Cold Steel Scout Recon fixed blade tactical knife.  Don’t overlook this category!  You could have enough gear to last you a year, but if someone takes it by force, your preparations were in vain.

Camping and Survival

The ideal situation would be to remain in your home.  If circumstances forced you to leave, however, you would need shelter.  Tents are great options, but they are bulky.  Even backpacking tents are heavy and cumbersome.  More than likely, you will need to find or create some kind of temporary shelter.  Emergency tents and sleeping bags work well and are lightweight and portable.  Along with shelter, you will need items to increase your survival chances.  Fishing and trapping gear allow added food gathering options.  Fire starting materials and portable stoves are also essential bug out gear.  A good flashlight is a must as well.

Communication

In a disaster situation, communication with your party will be essential for security as well as logistics.  Cell phones will most likely be offline.  Two way radios work great.  A survival radio is also a good item to have.  When the emergency is over, it would be nice to know when it is safe to return home.  Signal mirrors, whistles and flares could augment your signaling capabilities.

First Aid

More than likely, first aid skills and supplies will be necessary from the get go.  A good bug out bag is always going to have as many first aid options as can be packed.  Don’t overlook this category!  Even just some antibacterial pads, band-aides, and tylenol can go a long way to improve a survival situation.

Bug Out Bag Options

The bag or pack that you use and what you pack it with is completely customizable and ultimately up to the user.  A larger pack will allow you to carry more gear, but this in turn will reduce your mobility and speed.  If you plan on staying in a group, you will have expanded options.  If you are able to employ a vehicle, many more capabilities will be possible.  I have a duffle bag in my truck at all times.  This constitutes my ‘vehicle bug out bag,’ and is a supplement to my bug out bag in the event that I will have my truck with me.

Options.  It’s all about having options.  I find that having a bug out bag checklist to track bug out bag essentials is a good way to get organized.  Survival may or may not depend on your bringing a survival knife, but the options this gives you are endless.  Plan your bug out bag based on capabilities you want during a disaster.  And for heavens sakes, set it up and have it ready for when disaster strikes.

Here are a few articles that offer more insight into the important items to include in your survival bug out bag.

• Salisbury News: Peppers View – The Bug Out Bag – When the SHTF, the response plan for many will be to leave the area. For some that may be the only option for a variety of reasons. For example you may live in an apartment building that would be difficult if not impossible to …
• Bug Out Bag (aka: Ultimate Survival Kit) | Gear Patrol – Recently, when the sky turned black in the middle of the afternoon over my Orange County home, I started thinking about survival. The fires were burning in.
• Building The Right Bug Out Bag for You : American Preppers Network – In previous articles I have presented some suggestions for how you can build your own Bug Out Bag (BOB) and what kind of items that you can use for bag. I have presented a maximalist approach in the article Bug Out Guide …