The Go Bag

Also known as a Bug-Out bag, or Get Home Bag, or 72 hr bag, depending on its intended use

Why Bother?

If we are talking about a “Go Bag,” or a “Get Home Bag,” or a “Bug-Out Bag” for that matter, it means we admit to the possibility that something could go seriously wrong. The Red Cross is primarily concerned with natural disasters, and the second- and third-order effects of those disasters. In other words, evacuation is top of mind for the Red Cross. The point of the Go Bag then, is to get you and yours to someplace safe; it is “assumed” that the infrastructure you need to get out will still be in place; your vehicle will be in working order, gas and diesel fuel will be available, roads will be passable, and you will have time to make it out. If the disaster has already occurred before you decide to leave, depending on the extent of those second- and third-order effects, you may or may not find yourself in deeper trouble.

Planning

Decide ahead of time, what will trigger evacuation for you and your family. In Michigan, thankfully, earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes are unlikely or unheard of. In winter we are exposed to extreme weather, including cold, high winds, and snow in particular, in spring perhaps localized flooding; for those winter weather extremes though, your best choice may be to “bug in,” as they say. In other words, hunker down and ride it out.

Of course unnatural events may occur, a terrorist attack for example, or a nuclear plant meltdown, or the natural disaster no one wants to think about much less talk about, a Carrington Event, or solar storm. Regardless of the reason to “Go,” let’s talk about what to do to protect ourselves and our families.

• Decide where you will go, and have at least one, if not two, backup plans.

• Decide how you will get there, and have at least one, if not two, backup plans.

• Do not allow the level in your vehicle’s fuel tank to get below half; routinely driving around with the low fuel indicator light on is irresponsible. Maintain the vehicle well.

• Have on-hand physical maps, go “old school,” just in case the phone/GPS goes down.

It’s all about about being prepared, and though I am asked to present to a group of women, that doesn’t changes things much if at all, from what I do for myself. I take a layered approach to being prepared, so let’s get into that in a bit more detail.

Layers of Preparedness

This post addresses Layer 3.

1. Mind and Body, and

2. Everyday Carry (EDC)

3. Go-Bag, Get Home Bag, Bug Out Bag, or 24/72 hr Bag (that’s just a few of the names)

4. Vehicle

5. House

6. Homestead

Layer 3: Go Bag

I call this my Get Home Bag (GHB), since we are living in what most preppers would call their “bug out location.” If we were still living out of state, this would have been the bag to get me to the homestead, in which case some folks would call this their “Bug Out Bag” or “Go Bag”. I’ve setup my GHB for 72 hours, I’ve set my wife’s up for 24 hrs. My GHB is always in the truck; if I’m on the homestead the truck is, too. If I’m not on the homestead, the truck and/or this bag are with me. If the sh*t hits the fan (SHTF) and my truck is inoperable, every thing I need to get home safely, including the GHB, is in the truck. Where you keep your Go Bag will depend on your lifestyle.

What’s the point of the “Go Bag?” Well, it is to safely get where you need to go. And in my way of thinking, I have to be able to get there on foot, if necessary. The most important considerations, in my opinion, for a 72 hour journey on foot, are:

• Water: The Red Cross recommends a gallon of water per day, per person. Water is heavy, which is fine if you have the service of vehicle, but I carry little water, and add methods for collecting and purifying more.

• Maintaining Core Body Temperature: Cold kills more people than Hot, and cold weather deaths (1,500 per year in the U.S.) can occur at higher temperatures than you would expect. You must be able to stay dry, warm, and hydrated.

• Security: As I wrote in the opening paragraph, if we are using our Go Bags something has gone seriously wrong. When something has gone seriously wrong, the behavior of some, the unprepared for example, or opportunistic ne’er-do-wells, will go seriously wrong, too. You must be prepared to defend yourself, your loved ones, and your survival gear; this was a key point of my Every Day Carry (EDC) post.

• Food: I count this as less important, over a 72 hr time span, but it certainly helps to maintain both energy levels, and core body temperature.

As you go through my bag’s contents, please note that I have redundancy built in to both my provisions for water, maintaining my core body temperature, and security. The old saying “two is one, and one is none” is frequently mouthed in the prepper community. If there is some thing that you cannot live without, like water or maintaining your core body temperature, you need to have multiple means of ensuring that you do not have to live without that thing!

Your “Go Bag” does not not need to be a backpack, as is mine; it can be boxes, reusable grocery bags, luggage, or whatever. But, if for some reason you have to leave your vehicle, backpacks are the ticket. Here’s what’s in mine.