Just in case you're wondering, I am not ignoring the Supreme Court decision on The Affordable Health Care Act. I have been traveling the last few days, and letting the dust settle and my thoughts formulate on this critical ruling. Rest assured, you will hear from me in the next couple of days. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this post.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but it has dawned on me that with all the talk of having a bug-out bag to leave an unsafe environment, I wonder how many people think about including some items to get you home?
As I have told you before, I never leave home without a bag that carries essential items should I find myself stranded. But one day, as I was leaving the house for a trip to the grocery store (which is 16+ miles away), I found myself imagining how I would fare if I suddenly had no means of transportation. If my car became incapacitated due to a busted radiator, or there was a true SHTF event, was I prepared to make it back home?
Yes, I had a weapon to defend myself, fire-starter, flashlight, a couple bottles of water in my BOB, a knife, etc. But is that all I would need? The first thing that became crystal clear was that my cute little summer sandals and comfortable sundress would not be ideal. Our summers are brutally hot (hence the cool and casual clothing). But if I suddenly found myself having to walk home in the heat of the afternoon, I was woefully unprepared!
So now I make sure that I carry an inexpensive "beach bag", that can hold a pair of tennis shoes (or hiking shoes), a couple of pairs of socks, an extra pair of underwear, a T-shirt and lightweight pair of jeans, a bandana, and a ball-cap. I make sure there is sunscreen in my BOB, to go along with my ever-present sunglasses, and I will now have at least a six-pack of water in the car at all times, so I can add a couple extra wherever I can carry them. High-energy food bars should already be a part of your BOB.
And should I find myself unable to get home before nightfall, I would need bug spray and a long-burning flashlight. These should be added to your "get home" bag, as well.
Keep in mind that this will not be an extra bag to carry on my walk home, since I will be changing into these clothes and leaving the summer outfit behind. It is just an additional, small and flexible bag to keep in the car at all times. Of course, in the winter, I will add a lightweight jacket and a pair of gloves to this "garment bag", and make sure I have some nice, warm wool socks.
Maybe some of you had already thought of this. I thought I was pretty prepared if I got caught away from home; my BOB would allow me to defend myself, light a fire and feed myself, erect a portable shelter, and generally take care of myself in an unfriendly environment. But I didn't take it far enough. My ultimate goal will be to get home, if it is at all possible. Chances are, I may not be able to reach my husband or other family members to come rescue me. I will need to make my way home by myself. And to accomplish that I need to be suitably attired. The image of all those unfortunate people streaming out of lower Manhattan on 9/11 should be burned into your brain. Those women who were wearing heels and dresses that day were at an extreme disadvantage.
And it taught me something else, too. I now quiz myself in all manner of situations, to see if there is any area that I fall short. Whether I'm at church, visiting relatives hours away, or driving across the state to attend a meeting with a business client ..... do I have everything I need to try to get back home? Have I made arrangements for my animals to be fed? Is everything as secure as I can make it? I know it's hard to believe that we have arrived at this state of affairs, but living in denial will not get you the results you want. So live in that moment .... what if I had to get home from this spot, at this moment..... could I do it? Your answer will show you where you need to focus your attention. And that answer is the difference between success and failure.
Psalm 23:4 "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
good post and some extra planning will make all the difference!
ReplyDeleteIt's never a mistake to be thinking how to optimize your safety in any given situation, right?
DeleteI agree good post. I'm always concerned for my husband because he travels far more than I do. I keep at him to carry food, water, blankets etc in his truck at all times. Last winter he did get stranded because of road closures due to snow. He had to sleep in the truck all night till they finally opened the road.
ReplyDeleteThe nearest grocery store is 50 miles away. I haven't thought about how I'm going to get home if something happens. I know I could call a couple of neighbors to help me if I have car trouble. I think I better start working on a plan.
Piute Patriot
The one thing I would caution you to think about is this: if there is an EMP event, your neighbor's cars or trucks will not run. I always try to think through a scenario where I will have to walk, and possibly for long distances. So you must have a bag that carries as many essentials as possible, but light enough that you can carry it. Lots to think about!
DeleteAnother tool 'to get you thinking' is to read the book The Survivor's Club. It presents different emergency scenarios and gives you good, common sense ideas of how to respond. Included in the book is also a quiz you take online to give you and idea of the type of survivor you are!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog!!!!
I loved that book! I took the test over two years ago, before I was truly "aware" and discovered that I was a Realist and a Believer. And those personality traits have served me well. It's good to know how you think through different emergency scenarios and how to build on your assets.
DeleteMy family has been "bugged out" for over a year. We live away from populated areas and have taken up gardening, raising farm animals, and have an off the grid water source. We all have bags and understand their importance during travel. But there is another potential use as well: What if we have to bug out from our bug out location? What if our homestead gets burned or washed/blown away? What if thugs run us off? We may be left with only with what we can carry (if we are lucky). So, with that in mind, the contents of such bag may change somewhat since we would have to essentially live without the food, shelter, and water that we have worked so hard to secure at home. Just a thought.. Thanks so much for your posts..
ReplyDeleteThe contents of my bag change quite often, as I think through different scenarios. I'm always adapting it to new situations and ideas as they present themselves. But I am greatly encouraged by the number of people who have adopted this mindset. We will be the ones who do not succumb to hysteria and poor planning.
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