Bug-In Checklist: If Disaster Strikes…Are You Prepared?

Odds are that you have been in a situation where you were stuck indoors without power or water due to some sort of natural caused event. If you haven’t, I’d wager a bet that you will at some point. We take for granted the convenience of turning on a faucet, firing up the stove and cranking up the A/C or furnace. When the power goes out or the water stops flowing, we seldom worry that it won’t be restored in a matter of minutes or hours. Natural disasters seem to be happening all too often these days, but with a little forethought and preparation, you won’t be left dependant on others to stay safe and comfortable until things are restored.

Hurricanes, tornadoes, snow storms, flooding and fires are a part of nature and they don’t usually give you much warning and time to prepare. My wife and I recently went through 3 days and nights without public power and water supply and were unable to leave our home due to a large wildfire. Although I had prepared for a natural disaster of this nature, it still was a great learning experience and I’d like to share our story. Continue reading

The 10 Essential Groups of Supplies for Your Survival Kit

There’s many schools of though on what should go into a “bug out bag”.  It all comes down to personal preferences and also factors like location, family-status, short vs long-term, etc.  We compiled this list to serve as a starting point for a general 72-96 hour pack for one person.  If you have pets, check out this post on recommended list of items to pack for your cat or dog.  Please continue to do your own research and feel free to leave tips in the comments below.

The 10 Essential Supply groups for Bug Out Bags:

Military Advanced Expeditionary Assault Pack Backpack

  1. The Bag
  2. Water
  3. Fire & Cooking
  4. Food
  5. Shelter
  6. First Aid
  7. Tools
  8. Electronics
  9. Clothing
  10. Comfort Items

The Bag
Choose a decent sized assult or tactical camouflage backpack matching your local terrain.  If you can spend the extra money, look at the FDE brand, specifically the 5.11 Rush 72 Back Pack. Or if you’re on a budget try Riot Gear’s Military Advanced Expeditionary Assault Pack Backpack (pictured right).  Some must-have features to look for in a good bug-out bag: Bladder pocket, molle straps, weather proof.

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