When You Need a Go Bag

Instructions

The bug out bag list below is broken down into various
essential survival categories. Go through each category,
one by one, and select the items that you would like to
pack in your bug out bag.
A well-designed bug out bag should weigh no more than
25% of your body weight, assuming you are in average
physical condition and are not overweight. Any heavier
than that can make carrying the bag highly strenuous and
limit your ability to remain mobile and travel long
distances on foot during an evacuation. Limit your
packing list to the essentials that will help you survive.
Our bug out bag list tool will automatically estimate
your bug out bag’s weight based on your selections, with
the option of entering your body weight to see if your kit
is below the recommended 25% weight threshold.
Once you are finished selecting your items,
your personalized bug out bag checklist will be sent to
you by email, to help you pack.

The Ultimate Bug out Bag List

SELECT THE ITEMS YOU WANT TO PACK IN YOUR BUG OUT BAG.

 Shelter and Environmental Protection

 Communication and Navigation
o Fire Starting Kit
o Emergency Radio
o Emergency Blanket
o Flashlight
o Poncho
o Headlamp
o Sleeping Bag
o Survival Whistle
o Tarp
o Compass
o Tent
o Laminated State Map
o Spare Clothes
o Chemical Light Sticks
 Food and Water
o Signal Mirror
o Water
o Cell Phone Cable and Adapter
o Rations
 First Aid and Staying Healthy
o Water Filtering Item
o First Aid Kit
o Water Purification Tablets
o Tourniquet
o Canteen
o Israeli Bandage
o Hydration Bladder
o Sam Splint
o Can Opener
o QuickClot
o Eating Utensils
o Bug Repellent

o Hygiene Kit
 o Wet Naps o Breaching Tool

o Potassium Iodide Tablets o Sillcock Water Valve Key

o Ammonia Inhalants  Wilderness Survival Gear

o Camping Hammock
 Miscellaneous
o Multitool o Pocket Chainsaw

o Folding Knife o Fishing Kit

o Fixed Blade Knife o Hatchet

o Paracord o Tomahawk

o Duct Tape o Camp Shovel

o Batteries o Fillet Knife

o Solar Charger o Skinning Knife

o Zip Ties  Self-Defense

o Pepper Spray
o Bandana
o Handgun & Ammo
o Dry Bag
o Rifle & Ammo
o Pocket Survival Guide
o Slingshot & Ammo
 Urban / Suburban Survival Gear
o Work Gloves  Personal Items
o Cash
o Dust Mask
o Pen
o Eye Protection
o Identification (photocopies)
o Urban Axe
o Prescription Medication
o Pry Bar

The Best Bug out Bag Gear

After you’ve decided on what to pack in your bug out bag, the next step is to assemble your kit. In case you’re missing
any of the items, we’ve put together the following list of our favorite survival gear.

REMEMBER: Don’t just pack everything on this list. Instead, limit your bag’s contents based on your specific needs,
environment, and potential threats. Also, make sure your bag, once packed, weighs less than 25% of your body weight,
assuming you are in average shape and not overweight. Finally, don’t forget to include your personal items such as cash,
copies of your identification, and medications.

The Backpack
We love the 5.11 Tactical Rush 72 for a 3-day bug out bag. It is designed by professional survivalists and is built to last.
If you prefer a budget-friendly option, take a look at the 3V Gear Paratus 3-Day Backpack or the Reebow Tactical 3-Day
Backpack.

For more backpack information, read our article on how to choose a bug out bag backpack.

Shelter and Environmental Protection

 Firestarting Kit: UCO Stormproof Matches in Waterproof Container
 Firestarting Kit (2): UCO Stormproof Torch Windproof Lighter
 Emergency Blanket: SOL Emergency Blanket
 Poncho: Rothco Ripstop
 Sleeping Bag: Coleman North Rim Sleeping Bag
 Tarp: OUTAD Waterproof Tarp
 Tent: Survival Shack Emergency Shelter Tent

Food and Water

 Water: Datrex Emergency Water Packets 72 Hour Supply
 Rations: S.O.S. Rations Emergency Food Bars 72 Hour Package
 Water Filtering Item: LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
 Water Purification Tablets: Potable Aqua PA+Plus Water Purification Tablets
 Canteen: Klean Kanteen Water Bottle
 Hydration Bladder: Camelbak 2.0 Liter Antidote
 Can Opener: P-51 Military Can Opener
 Eating Utensils: Hikenture 4-1 Eating Utensils

Communication and Navigation

 Emergency Radio: Eton FRX2
 Flashlight: J5 Hyper-V Tactical LED
 Headlamp: Petzl TIKKA Headlamp
 Survival Whistle: Storm Safety Whistle
 Compass: Suunto Field Compass
 Laminated State Map: Easyfinder Laminated Maps
 Chemical Light Sticks: Cyalume SnapLight Light Sticks
 Signal Mirror: Coghlan’s Signal Mirror
 Cell Phone Cable and Adapter: AmazonBasics Lightning Cable

First Aid and Staying Healthy

 First Aid Kit: 205-Piece First Aid Kit from First Aid Only
 Tourniquet: Recon Medical Tourniquet
 Israeli Bandage: Ever Ready Israeli Bandage
 Sam Splint: SAM Rolled Splint 36″
 QuickClot: QuickClot Advanced Clotting Sponge
  Bug Repellent: Repel 100 Pump Spray
 Hygiene Kit: Premium 10-Piece Travel Kit
 Wet Naps: Wet Ones Antibacterial Wipes
 Potassium Iodide Tablets: ThyroSafe Potassium Iodine Tablets
 Ammonia Inhalants: Dynarex Ammonia Inhalants

Miscellaneous
 Multitool: Leatherman Wingman
 Folding Knife: Kershaw Clash Serrated Folding Knife
 Fixed Blade Knife: Smith & Wesson H.R.T.
 Paracord: Rothco Type III Paracord – 50 feet
 Duct Tape: SOL Duct Tape – 50 feet
 Batteries: AmazonBasics High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries
 Solar Charger: Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus Solar Recharging Kit
 Zip Ties: Cable Matters Nylon Zip Ties
 Bandana: Triple9 Bandana
 Dry Bag: Earth Pak Dry Bag
 Pocket Survival Guide: SAS Survival Guide

Urban / Suburban Survival Gear

 Work Gloves: Mechanix M-Pact Gloves
 Dust Mask: 3M N95 Particulate Respirator Masks
 Eye Protection: UVEX Stealth OTG Safety Goggles
 Urban Axe: Ontario SP-16 SPAX Tool
 Pry Bar: Stanley 7-1/2 inch Wonder Bar
 Breaching Tool: Stanley FatMax Xtreme Fubar
 Sillcock Water Valve Key: Cobra 4-Way Sillcock Key

Wilderness Survival Gear

 Camping Hammock: Trek Light Gear Double Hammock
 Pocket Chainsaw: Sportsman Pocket Chainsaw
 Fishing Kit: Best Glide Survival Fishing Kit
 Hatchet: Estwing 14-inch Hatchet
 Tomahawk: CRKT T-Hawk
 Camp Shovel: Gerber Gorge Folding Shovel
 Fillet Knife: Rapala Fish’n Fillet Knife
 Skinning Knife: Mossberg Fixed Skinning Knife

Self-Defense
 Pepper Spray: SABRE Police Strength Pepper Spray
  Handgun & Ammo: Glock 19 Gen 4
 Rifle & Ammo: Ruger 10/22 Takedown Rifle
 Slingshot & Ammo: The Scout Hunting Slingshot
Factors to Consider When Making Your Bug out Plan
1. What disasters are likely to occur in YOUR area?
An important part of survival preparedness knows what
has happened historically. Is your area known for having
massive floods? Are you in an earthquake zone? Has
your town or city been a target of terrorist attacks?
Consider these factors when making your plan, they may
immediately eliminate some options or make others
more favorable. Consider these factors when making
your plan, they may immediately eliminate some options
or make others more favorable.
2. What are your personal strengths and weaknesses?
Considering these can help tailor your Bug out Plan to
complement your strengths, mitigate your weaknesses,
and give you a much higher probability of survival. Are
you very fit? Great, you will be able to carry more
survival supplies and plan a longer route. Do you know
how to perform survival first aid? That could be vital if a
member of your party gets injured. Identifying
weaknesses can be as easy as understanding what
survival skills you need to train in. Can you make a fire
reliably? Are you able to navigate at night with your
map and compass? Do you have a working knowledge
of plants and animals in your area? Learning these things
and other survival skills will make your Bug out Plan far
stronger. Remember, the more skills you have, the less
you need to carry. Are you very fit? Great, you will be
able to carry more survival supplies and plan a longer
route. Do you know how to perform survival first aid?
That could be vital if a member of your party gets
injured. Identifying weaknesses can be as easy as
understanding what survival skills you need to train in.
Can you make a fire reliably? Are you able to navigate at
night with your map and compass? Do you have a
working knowledge of plants and animals in your area?
Learning these things and other survival skills will make
your Bug out Plan far stronger. Remember, the more
skills you have, the less you need to carry.
3. Plan on more than one possible destination
Best practice for survival planning is to have at least 4
destinations as a part of your Bug out Plan, one for each
cardinal direction on the map (North, South, East, and
West). This can be narrowed down due to both
geography and the likeliness of particular events
occurring. For example, if you lived on the western bank
of the Mississippi River and were preparing for a flood,
you would not need to consider bugging out to the East.
Having multiple destinations in your plan, as well as
multiple routes to each adds a level of flexibility that
simply must be planned out ahead of time. Going
through this planning effort will make you prepared no
matter what disaster fate throws at you. This can be
narrowed down due to both geography and the likeliness
of particular events occurring. For example, if you lived
on the western bank of the Mississippi River and were
preparing for a flood, you would not need to consider
bugging out to the East. Having multiple destinations in
your plan, as well as multiple routes to each adds a level
of flexibility that simply must be planned out ahead of
time. Going through this planning effort will make you
prepared no matter what disaster fate throws at you.
Going through this planning effort will make you
prepared no matter what disaster fate throws at you.
4. Have specific destinations in mind
Having a destination in your bug out plan gives you a
goal to work towards as you travel. This will have an
enormous positive psychological impact on your
survival scenario. Surviving is extremely difficult in
even favorable conditions and having a positive state of
mind makes a huge difference towards success. Certain
types of destinations, such as a second home, relative’s
house, or designated camp also allow for caching
survival supplies both at the location and on the routes to
them. Besides giving you an even greater psychological
boost, this will massively increase your odds of survival
as well as lessen the amount you have to carry. If none
of these options are available, look for large public
facilities or designated shelters, no matter what it is,
having a destination is a key element to your Bug out
Plan. Certain types of destinations, such as a second
home, relative’s house, or designated camp also allow
for caching survival supplies both at the location and on
the routes to them. Besides giving you an even greater
psychological boost, this will massively increase your
odds of survival as well as lessen the amount you have
to carry. If none of these options are available, look for
large public facilities or designated shelters, no matter
what it is, having a destination is a key element to your
Bug out Plan. If none of these options are available, look
for large public facilities or designated shelters, no
matter what it is, having a destination is a key element to
your bug out plan.
5. Calculate how fast you will be able to travel
This is essential for planning your routes. If you can
calculate your average travel speed you will know how
many hours or days it will take you to reach your
destination. This then informs you as to how much
survival gear and supplies you need to either carry,
forage, or cache along the way. Your average travel
speed will be most heavily impacted by the following
factors:
Weight of your Bug out Bag
An average person should carry no more than 25 percent
of their body weight in a backpack. More than this is
possible but highly strenuous, plan your bug out bag
accordingly. To aid you in determining what you will
bring and how it will affect the overall weight of your
bug out bag, we have created this free tool. It is even
better if you can perform a test carry of your bag over a
significant distance to ensure you can handle it. You
need to be able to carry your pack for hours, if not days.
Bringing too much weight will hobble your progress.
Terrain you will be crossing
The average walking speed with a pack is 2.5-4 miles
per hour on flat ground. When planning your route you
need to account for what type of terrain you will be
crossing. People often make the mistake in thinking that
hiking downhill is faster than uphill. This is often not
true as hiking with a pack downhill will mean that you
need to take extra care to have proper footing and to
brace your steps. Will you be picking your way through
rubble or having to cross a body of water? Plan a
realistic pace as a part of your survival planning to have
a better outcome.
Overall fitness
A very fit person will obviously be able to cover more
ground than an unfit person. Assess yourself realistically
for this trait; there are no egos in survival. If it has been
a while since you went for a run, plan accordingly. The
great part of making a Bug out Plan is that it brings to
light your weaknesses. This allows you to address them
BEFORE they become a liability. If your plan would
benefit from additional fitness, start off slow going for
walks or runs and then build up to conditioning your
body to hike with the additional weight of a pack.
Makeup of your party
If you are creating Bug out Plan for additional people
you will have to consider this as a factor. If you are
moving with elderly people or children, you should
incorporate into your survival preparedness the
additional resources and time needed to assist them. Do
this by planning the progress of your routes based on
how far you expect to travel at the pace of the least
fit/mobile of your party.
Additional Factors to Include in Your Bug out Plan
 Plan on packing an extra waterproof or
laminated map with your routes and destinations
clearly marked. It is additionally helpful to mark
landmarks along each route to aid navigation.
 If you are bugging out with others establish a
rally point for you all to meet at. Doing this
beforehand avoids a messy situation where you
are all wasting valuable time desperately
attempting to contact each other when you
should be on the move.
 Also bring along a list of emergency numbers
for friends, family, and government agencies.
This will help you stay in touch and keep
updated on the disaster situation as it evolves.
 This may seem obvious but actually USE your
Bug out Bag to make your journey easier. This
may mean using your hatchet to fashion a shelter
or pry tool to open a door to access a
shortcut. There is no point in planning, packing,
and carrying awesome survival supplies if you
are not going to use them. Have you ever gone
camping with a friend who brings a carload of
gadgets that they never even take out? Battery
powered tent fan, anyone? Do Not Be That Guy.
 Plan on looking for a place to spend the night 2-
3 hours before sunset each night. You may not
like the idea of trading that much travel time in
but this will give you enough time to find a safe,
dry place to camp, prepare food and water, and
establish your shelter.
 Know that a 160-pound person will burn more
than 400 calories in an hour while hiking and
more than 500 if carrying a full backpack. This
is a level of exertion comparable to that of
aerobics or running. Incorporate into your
survival planning rest breaks and methods of
keeping yourself hydrated and fueled up.
 Once you have made a bug out plan it is
important to review it periodically to make sure
it still fits your personal survival scenario. Learn
how to do this and get our free Bug out Kit
Update Checklist here.
 More information about general disaster
preparedness planning can be found
at Ready.gov (external link).
Urban Survival Kit Planning Factors
Bug out situations that occur in urban centers has several
unique factors to consider when building your Bug out
Bag packing list. These urban survival factors include:
 Having to deal with building debris and glass in
the wake of the disaster event.
 Increased likelihood of opportunities to
scavenge water and food from abandoned
buildings.
 The possibility of finding supply caches in
abandoned buildings – looting is not endorsed
Urban Survival Gear Essentials
by this site but if abandoned supplies mean the
difference between life and death, go for it.
 Increased likelihood of encountering humans –
This can be both good and bad based on the
disposition of the people faced and how you
handle the situation. Other survivors can be
bartered with and be valuable sources for
information as well as dangerous criminals.
Approach them with caution in mind.
 Less need for emergency shelter as there should
be many buildings around and debris available
to cobble a shelter together if need be.

 Crow Bar / Pry Bar – For scavenging and removing barriers and debris as well as hammering out glass. The Ka-
Bar Becker is an excellent choice for this as it is compact and can smash, pry, as well as cut as the situation
requires. The Stanley Fubar is also a very good choice for those with more space in their urban survival kit, and it
comes in small and large varieties.
 Urban Axe – A multipurpose urban axe, such as the Ontario SP-16 SPAX can be an incredibly versatile and
powerful tool in your arsenal. The SPAX is a knife, a hatchet, or a pick axe, whatever the situation dictates. It
even has the required slots to open and close water hydrants and gas mains. This is useful if you find yourself in a
house with gas leaking or if you want to access a fire hydrant for some clean water. As a bonus, it can also serve
as an intimidating self-defense weapon.
 Multitool – Investing in a multitool such as the Leatherman Wingman will give you the versatility to perform all
sorts of unexpected jobs, solve minor problems, or get you out of a tight jam with minimal hassle.
 Work Gloves – If you have to break glass or move debris, a pair of work gloves such as the Mechanix M-Pact
Gloves, will save your hands and keep you working and moving much longer. These can be picked up at any
hardware store.
 Dust Mask – If there are collapsed buildings in your area this will protect your lungs from airborne debris
particles. Have a look at 3M N95 Particulate Respirator Masks to a quality choice.
 Permanent Marker – The nature of the urban environment will give you opportunities to leave markings or
notes for yourselves or others in your party.
 Can opener – In an urban survival situation there will be many more opportunities to scavenge food than in a
rural locality. A can opener will enable you to easily access preserved food that you come across.
 Sillcock Water Valve Key – Ever notice secured water valves on the side of commercial buildings such as malls
or rest stops? All it takes is an inexpensive little tool, the Cobra 4-Way Sillcock Key, to access this water.
 Metal Spork – Scavenged food will need a way to get to your mouth. There are many options for this. I like the
varieties that come with an attachment option such as this one.

Weapons for an Urban Survival Kit

Encountering unfriendly people can be an unpleasant scenario and must be considered in an urban survival scenario.
Ideally, we can either talk our way out of a dangerous encounter or avoid them altogether. However, that’s not always
possible. If a situation does devolve into a fight where you need to defend yourself or your family, consider carrying
weapons that can protect you, such as:

 Repurposed Tools – If you choose to carry a weapon with you, you can either repurpose a piece of urban
survival gear such as the above mentioned Ka-Bar Becker or Stanley Fubar.
  Knife – A knife is also a potential self-defense weapon. The Kershaw Tanto has smooth one-handed opening
making it ideal for quick self-defense.
 Pepper Spray – A popular choice for an effective survival kit weapon that does a great job deterring attackers.
The SABRE Advanced Police Strength Pepper Spray is the most recommended choice.
 Firearm – A gun is also an option if it is legal in your area and you are familiar with using one. Here is a good
rundown of some firearm options for an urban survival kit.
Wilderness Survival Gear Essentials
 Survival Fishing Kit – If you live near a body of water that has fish, you can carry less food with you and instead
count on catching your own food. This can mean you can either move faster or carry more survival supplies.
The Best Glide Emergency Fishing Kit is small enough to fit in your pocket but has all the fishing essentials you
would need.
 Compass – Landmarks will be harder to find and use as navigation points in a wilderness survival situation so a
compass (and local map) are wilderness survival kit essentials. You can go with a basic model compass, but
a Tritium compass will glow in the dark and make nighttime orienteering far easier.
 Slingshot – Light, easy to carry and able to hunt small game. This can double as a weapon against unfriendly
humans as well if need be. There are many options but we really like The Scout Hunting Slingshot as a well-
rounded choice. You can either pack some 3/8″ steel slingshot ammo or use scavenged ammo such as pebbles.
 Travel Hammock – Having a good travel hammock can save you from spending time and energy building a
shelter each night. We really like the Scout Zip by Hennessy Hammock which is great on its own but for colder
weather you’ll want to add a sleeping bag.
 Bug Repellent – This is not required for survival but avoiding annoying inspects does raise morale and is
therefore recommended. Most people are familiar with DEET based bug sprays, which can be effective but for a
survival situation we suggest a Permethrin based repellent. Permethrin can be sprayed on clothes and gear and
will last up to 6 washes which means you don’t need to reapply if you get caught in the rain or have to swim
across a river. A Permethrin based bug repellent such as Sawyer Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent will
protect you from ticks, mosquitoes, mites, and chiggers.
 Pocket Guide to Local Plants – You want this for both edible and poisonous plants so that you know what to eat
as well as what to avoid. You are best getting one that is focused on your locality but if you’re located in the US
or Canada, check out the Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide as a comprehensive reference.
 Camping Shovel – this can be used to bury waste and garbage in order to keep dangerous animals away. It can
also be used in shelter building and as an improvised weapon if need be. A tri-fold shovel is preferred as it will
take up less space in your wilderness survival kit.
 Filleting knife / Skinning knife – You will want to choose one based on what type of animals can be caught or
hunted in your local area. These tools will enable you to maximize the yield of protein from your capture. For a
filleting knife, have a look at the Kershaw Filet Knife that I have used for years. It keeps a nice edge and is
perfectly flexible. As for a hunting knife, you cannot go wrong with the CRKT Ken Onion Skinner as comes razor
sharp to skin easily and is heavy enough to sever bone.
 Hatchet – This is a tool to be used to shape your environment around you. A good hatchet is essential to making a
shelter on the move in addition to chopping fire wood. The CRKT Shakaulu mentioned above can be repurposed
for light chopping duties but if you are interested in a compact, high quality tool, the Gerber Bear Grylls Survival
Hatchet is an excellent choice.
 Paracord – This goes hand in hand with the hatchet as far as something to shape your environment with.
Paracord is lightweight and compact as well as extremely strong for its size. Add 100 ft or so of 550 Paracord to
your wilderness survival kit and you will be able to lash a shelter together, make a rope ladder, or lash a splint on
to an injured survival teammate.
 Bear Spray – If you may be bugging out in bear country, you’ll want to get yourself some Bear Spray to protect
yourself from a potential attack. Frontiersman Bear Spray is a trusted product with maximum stopping power that
is effective from 30 feet away.

The Crucial Preliminaries: Have a Plan, Pack a Kit, and Follow
Official Instructions
Preparing for an emergency starts long before one is
even predicted. Every household should have an
emergency plan detailing the initial steps to follow when
a disaster occurs. This doesn’t have to be a written plan,
but all adults and older children should be familiar with
it. A basic initial emergency plan should include
gathering all family members and pets inside, getting all
cell phones and charging devices fully charged as
promptly as possible, being aware of the various
communication channels by which you can get official
information on the unfolding situation, and monitoring
the situation on TV, non-battery radio, and the internet
as long as the power stays on. All families should also
have a very basic emergency kit, including a flashlight, a
battery or crank operated radio, and extra batteries for
both; candles and matches or lighter; a multipurpose
tool or a knife, a screwdriver, and pliers; some cash; and
a three-day supply of all medicines taken by all family
members. Store these items together in a bag or box and
keep it next to a basic first-aid kit in an easy-to-access
area that is reserved specifically for emergency supplies.
As soon as you become aware that a disaster is likely or
imminent, the emergency plan goes into action. Get all
family members and pets indoors immediately, locate
your emergency kit, start charging all cell phones and
charging devices, and check your TV, radio, weather
radio, social media, and any other communication
channels for official information and to determine
whether people in your area are being advised to
evacuate. If you are in an evacuation area, comply with
the order if at all possible; it would not be issued unless
authorities had reason to believe that staying in place
would put you in danger. If you don’t get an evacuation
order, or if you don’t become aware of the evacuation
order until the disaster is already underway and it’s
impossible to leave, get ready to bug in. If you’ve taken
the advance steps below, you’ll be prepared to weather
the storm.
Step 1: Select a Designated Shelter Hub
Obviously, the number one concern for bugging in is
shelter; being able to stay at least relatively warm, dry,
and protected from the elements is critical to survival.
Once you’ve identified an emergency plan and packed a
basic emergency kit, you can start your bugging-in
preparations in earnest, by designating a room or area of
your house as your family’s shelter hub. Since keeping a
whole house running in an emergency is impractical,
particularly if utilities and basic services have been
temporarily cut off, it makes sense to specify one room
or area that will serve as your bug in “headquarters.”
This is your designated shelter hub, and it’s the area in
which most activities will take place for the duration of
your bug in. If the power goes off, the shelter hub is the
area that you’ll be heating and lighting, and it’s likely
the room in which you’ll be preparing food, eating, and
sleeping as well. In some areas, basements or purpose-
built below-ground shelters are commonly used for
protection during tornadoes, but experts say an above-
ground interior room, windowless if possible, is best for
most emergencies. Choosing an above-ground area as
your designated shelter hub can be particularly important
if flooding is common or even a strong possibility in
your area, or if chemical, biological or radiological
contaminants are released into the environment. It’s
important to select a room that’s large enough to
accommodate all family members and pets, along with a
non-electrical heat source and sleeping bags and
blankets. The designated shelter space should also
provide easy access to essential daily supplies of food
and water. A family room or den with a wood burning
fireplace might be a good choice because it could
potentially simplify heating, though that’s not always the
case; a fireplace can’t be used if officials say the room
must be sealed to keep contaminated air out, and some
wood burners can’t be used when the power is off
because they require electric blowers for safe operation.
If possible, clear out a closet or other storage space in
the designated shelter room and dedicate it to storing
emergency supplies like water, food, fuel canisters, etc.
If no space is available in the room itself, choose a
storage area in an adjoining room or at least nearby, and
make sure the whole family understands that it is to
contain only emergency supplies which must not be used
under any other circumstances.
Step 2: Decide How You Will Create Heat and Light
If you have a wood stove or wood burning fireplace in
your designated shelter hub and have not been instructed
by officials to seal the room, you might be able to use
the fireplace or stove as a heat source as long as you
have wood on hand. However, it’s important to be aware
that some wood burners and fireplace inserts cannot be
safely operated without having electrically-powered
blowers operating, so be sure to read up on your device
and determine whether it can be safely operated without
electricity. If a wood burner or fireplace isn’t a possible
heat source, non-electric heaters that use either kerosene
or propane are safe, reliable, and affordable. Either can
keep an enclosed space tolerably warm with a relatively
small amount of fuel, and both kerosene and propane
heaters are readily available in shops and online. Both
types of fuel are sold everywhere, and both can be safely
stored for several years. Whatever heating device you
choose, be sure to get one that doesn’t require any
electricity and can heat a space the size of your
designated shelter hub. When you purchase the heater, or you can opt for a portable generator, such as the WEN
also buy the recommended amount of fuel to keep it 56200i, that is less powerful but can still come in handy
working at least ten hours a day for three days. Though for charging cell phones or running a small space heater.
you’ll be storing your heater and fuel with your other
emergency supplies, set it up and give it a thorough test Step 3: Secure Your Water Supplies
run well before it’s needed in order to make sure it’s
powerful enough to keep your space warm and see if
Next to having a secure shelter, access to sufficient
you’ll need additional fuel on hand for a minimum three-
drinkable water tops the list of bug in necessities. Water
day bug in. Getting a good non-electric heating device is
is absolutely crucial to survival, and going without it can
important, but it’s just one step toward staying warm
be fatal in as little as three days. While water can be
while sheltering at home in a cold weather no-power
easily and affordably stockpiled and securely stored for
situation. Close off the shelter hub room by closing all
emergency use, there are decisions to make about how
doors or covering doorways with heavy blankets. Make
you want to proceed. Though not all emergencies have a
sure all windows are completely covered, and add heavy
negative impact on the availability of drinkable water,
blankets over existing draperies to increase insulation. A
it’s by far safest to assume that you’ll need to have
prolonged power outage during the winter will quickly
stored water on hand during a bug in. There are basically
make you aware of every draft and cold-air ingress
three approaches to stockpiling water supplies: you can
point; plastic sheeting or even heavy fabric tacked or
buy bottled water, you can bottle tap water from your
stapled over windows and towels wedged under doors
own well or municipal water service, or you can collect
can go a long way toward limiting heat loss. Keep as
rain water in a large barrel, then purify and bottle it.
much activity in the shelter hub as possible during the
Buying commercial bottled water is the simplest and
bug in; not only will it decrease the area to be heated,
most convenient method of stockpiling water, but it’s
having people and pets in the room will automatically
also the most expensive. Collecting rain water in a barrel
raise the temperature. Combat cold by wearing multiple
is probably the cheapest method, but it’s time-
layers of clothing, along with hats, gloves, and at least
consuming and labor intensive. The most feasible and
two pairs of socks whenever practical during the day and
affordable method for most people is simply filling
definitely when sleeping. Make sure there are blankets,
sanitized plastic soda bottles with tap water. It’s
quilts, comforters, and sleeping bags for everyone, and
important to note that not all plastic bottles or containers
be certain that you know exactly where everything is
are safe for long-term water storage; for example, milk
before disaster strikes. There’s nothing more frustrating
containers aren’t a good choice because they’re
than shivering through a long night under a blanket,
biodegradable and will eventually start to break down,
knowing your down-filled sleeping bag is probably
plus it’s difficult to be certain that every trace of the
crammed into an unmarked box with the tent and
original contents have been completely removed. Soda
badminton net somewhere in the basement. If the power
bottles meet the safe-storage criteria of being made of
goes out you’re going to need a light source in your
UV-resistant food-grade plastic so start the stockpiling
shelter hub, along with portable lighting for moving
process by saving your empties (or ask friends and
around the house. If you live in an area where even brief
relatives to save empties for you, if you don’t drink
blackouts are common, having a couple of these on hand
soda). For maximum efficiency, larger is better, and two
could go a long way toward making everyday life easier,
liter bottles are ideal. When you’ve accumulated a few
and they’re a great addition to your bug in preparations.
empties, wash each bottle and cap well with hot water
Flashlights are invaluable during an emergency, so make
and dish detergent, then sanitize both bottles and caps
sure you have several on hand and plenty of spare
inside and out with a bleach and water solution (one
batteries. Candles are also cheap, portable, readily
teaspoon unscented household bleach to one quart of
available, and can actually contribute to warmth during a
water). Rinse the sanitized bottles well, then
power outage, but could potentially pose a fire hazard,
immediately fill them with tap water. If your water
so take care to keep them well out of reach of children
comes from a municipal service and is chlorinated, you
and pets when in use. Camping lanterns, both battery
don’t need to add anything, but if your water comes
and propane operated, are affordable, reliable, and
from a well and is unchlorinated, add one or two drops
portable. Optional, but recommended: In the event of
of unscented household bleach. Cap tightly, write the
widespread power failure, one of the first items that
date on the outside of the container, and store in a cool,
people rush out to buy is gas-powered generators. They
dark place. If you have the space and budget for special
sell out quick in the event of an emergency and having
water storage containers, many shapes and sizes are
one in advance as a precautionary measure can go a long
available. Commercial water containers run the gamut
way in helping you stay comfortable. They are options
from drums and tanks capable of holding 55 to 100
that are stationary and need to be installed by a
gallons to small, super-portable rectangular containers,
professional that are capable of powering an entire house
such as the WaterBrick, are designed for maximum
stackability. How much water will you need to store?
The US Federal Emergency Management Agency says
you should have at least one gallon of drinkable water
per person per day, so a family of four would need an
absolute minimum of 12 gallons of water for a three-day
bug in. Nursing mothers or people with medical
conditions may require more daily water, and if you
have pets, you’ll need to add stored water for them, too.
How long can you store water? Technically, water in
sanitized, sealed containers can be stored indefinitely.
Water doesn’t expire or go bad, and though it can
develop a stale taste after long storage, it’s still safe to
drink. However, FEMA recommends that all non-
commercially bottled water should be emptied and
replaced every six months. Even if you have ample
water stored for an emergency, it’s a good idea to fill
your bathtubs with water as soon as it appears that a
disaster scenario is imminent. This water could come in
very handy as a supplemental supply if your water
service is interrupted for a long period of time, if sewage
service is unavailable, or if your well becomes
contaminated.
Step 4: Stock Your Emergency Food Pantry
Stockpiling storable, low-prep food is not only a must
for emergency scenarios, it’s also a smart move for
anyone who lives in an area prone to ice storms, heavy
snowfall, torrential rains and flooding, or any other
weather-related situations that can interrupt electric
service and curtail travel even temporarily. Making
home-cooked meals from scratch using only fresh
ingredients is a great idea most of the time, but an
alternative dinner source will come in very handy on
those nights when the family is famished, the power is
off, and the roads are impassable. The trick to
successfully stockpiling food is making the right
choices. You need items that have a very long shelf life,
don’t require special storage conditions like freezing or
refrigeration, and can be eaten as-is or with an absolute
minimum of preparation. That eliminates a lot of the
standard dietary staples like bread, meat, dairy products,
and fresh produce, all of which spoil relatively quickly.
But just because something has a long shelf life, that
doesn’t mean it’s a good candidate for short-term
emergency food; both rice and dried beans are all but
eternal, but they require a lot of preparation. There are
several options for emergency food supplies, including
special dehydrated food packets typically used by
backpackers and campers, and even military-style
MREs, or Meals Ready to Eat, which come with water-
activated heating packets. Both are designed to supply
plenty of calories and nutrition. They’re also
compacting, portable, and very easy to store. However,
all that convenience doesn’t come cheap and dehydrated
food isn’t always available locally, though it can
certainly be ordered online from many reputable
vendors. The simplest and most affordable option for
most people is to stock the emergency rations right from
the shelves of the local grocery store. Canned or
vacuum-sealed goods can be an excellent choice; canned
or vacuum sealed tuna and chicken are long lasting and
pack a lot of protein, and canned mini-franks, chili,
stews, soups, pasta, fruits and vegetables all have a
relatively long shelf-life and can all be eaten with
minimal preparation (or even no preparation
whatsoever). Buy an extra manual can opener and keep
it in your emergency storage area. You may also want to
stock a few cans of fruit and vegetable juices, which
have a long shelf life. Having them on hand can keep the
kids happy and help make your water supplies last
longer. And speaking of canned liquids, store a few cans
of evaporated milk; you can add it to other foods to
improve flavor and texture, and it makes a good creamer
for coffee or tea. Dried foods like oatmeal, macaroni
specialties, Ramen noodles, soup packets, quinoa, and
grits can be prepared by just adding hot water. Nuts and
nut products, including peanut butter, have a shelf life of
about a year and can provide a lot of flavor along with
some necessary protein. Be sure to stockpile standard
peanut butter rather than the new “natural” types, which
have a much shorter shelf life. Don’t forget to store
instant coffee and teabags, both of which can provide a
welcome lift during an emergency situation. If you have
a baby, be sure to store several days’ worth of canned or
powdered formula, and lay in plenty of both canned and
dry food for your pets. Important: start your bug in by
using up whatever “everyday” food you have on hand
that can be eaten with little or no preparation, and use up
the most perishable items like milk, bread, lunchmeat,
cheese, yogurt, and fruit first. You don’t want to break
into your emergency supplies until you have to; if you’re
lucky your power will be restored before you’ve emptied
the fridge, and if you’re not, at least your food hasn’t
spoiled and gone to waste.
Emergency Kitchen Supplies: If your bug in lasts for
more than a day, you’ll need some means of heating
water and perhaps warming canned foods like soups and
stews. Propane camp stoves are a great choice; they’re
affordable, reliable, efficient, and come in several sizes.
But even if you have a great camp stove, don’t count on
doing a lot of cooking during a bug in – remember the
idea is to store foods that require little or no preparation.
You don’t want to use any more fuel than absolutely
necessary, and remember that cooking requires clean up
that will drain your water supplies. And speaking of
cleanup… since you’re sheltering at home, you
definitely have access to plenty of plates, cups,
silverware, etc. But even if your water supply is
uninterrupted, do you want to cope with heating water to
do the washing up in a no-power situation? If you’re
using your regular kitchenware, it’s either that or dealing
with a growing mountain of dirty dishes where your sink
used to be. The solution is simple: buy a few packs of
heavy-duty disposable plates, cups, and bowls, and a
package of disposable spoons to store along with your
emergency food supplies. Add a couple of multi-packs
of paper towels and use them to clean utensils, wipe out
pans and bowls, etc.
Miscellaneous extras: These items aren’t necessarily
kitchen-related, but they’re all important, and it’s a good
idea to store them with your emergency food supplies, so
you know exactly where to find them when you need
them. Stockpile several multipacks of toilet paper and
boxes of tissues; several boxes or rolls of large heavy-
duty garbage bags; an extra bottle of whatever non-
prescription headache and pain relievers your family
uses; some additional dental care supplies (toothpaste,
dental floss, denture adhesive, etc.); a couple bottles of
hand sanitizer; a can of dry shampoo; extra deodorant;
and at least a week’s worth of disposable diapers if
there’s a baby in the family.
Step 5: Prepare To Set Up Sanitation
In an absolutely worst-case scenario, it’s possible that
sewage systems could fail. A prolonged power outage
could shut down the electrically-powered pumps that
keep water flowing to tanks and toilets, and when that
happens the results can be devastating. If you think
that’s some kind of alarmist nightmare scenario that
couldn’t really happen in first-world modern life, think
again: in 1998 the city of Aukland, New Zealand
suffered a five-week power outage that cut off water and
sewage facilities to tens of thousands of apartments and
offices. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina left New Orleans’
sewer disposal system, pumps, and water treatment
center submerged under 20 feet of water and parts of the
system were inoperable for weeks. If a disaster causes
the grid to go down, the immediate concern is how to
dispose of human waste. A non-electric self-composting
toilet could be the answer if you have the budget and
space for it, but in most cases, you’ll need to find other
ways to deal with the situation. If you have an individual
septic system with your own septic tank, you can flush
even when the pumps are down by removing the lid
from the back of the tank, filling the tank with water till
it reaches the level of the float, and then pressing the
flush lever. Remember the tip to fill your bathtub when
you know that a disaster is imminent? This is a very
good use for that water. Alternatively, if you live in a
rural area, going outdoors is an option (albeit one that
few people will consider as a first recourse, particularly
during a severe weather emergency). If you do decide to
try this option, dig a roughly 6″ by 6″ hole at least 200
feet from any water source and well away from any rain
water runoff. When you’re done, use the dirt you
removed to refill the hole and cover the waste. If you
don’t have your own septic system and going outside
isn’t feasible, it’s important to determine whether the
municipal sewage main is working. If you’re sure the
sewage main is operable, you can flush by adding water
to the tank, the same way you would if you had an
individual septic system. However, if you know (or even
strongly suspect) that the sewer main is down, don’t
flush your toilet. Doing so could potentially make it
possible for sewage to back up into your plumbing.
When the sewer main is down, you’ll have to collect and
dispose of the waste you and your family generate. Start
by removing as much water as possible from the toilet,
then put one heavy plastic garbage bag inside another
and open them, creating a single double-layer bag. Raise
the toilet seat and position the open doubled bag so that
it fills most of the cavity of the toilet bowl, then tape the
top securely to the underside of the toilet seat. Keep a
large bag of cat litter in easy reach of the toilet. After
use, cover the waste in the bag with a liberal amount of
litter to reduce the smell. After a few uses, or when the
bag-covered bowl is about 2/3 full, add more litter and a
bit of disinfectant (like a mild chlorine solution) if
available. Tie the bag securely and move it to a sealable
temporary container like a garbage can, placed well
away from the shelter hub. If these sounds like more
than you can handle, you may want to look into online
outlets and specialty stores that cater to campers, which
offer small self-contained portable waterless toilets
along with odor-controlling bags and deodorants. But
even with these amenities, disposal is going to be a must
and failing to do so could result in unbearable living
conditions at best and potentially deadly illness at worse.
Dealing with human waste in a no-water-no-power
situation is a serious business that can’t be taken lightly.
Step 6: Know the Steps to Establish Security
This article deals primarily with sheltering at home
during a natural disaster or weather emergency, so
arming oneself, determining vantage points for defense,
and other extreme security measures really aren’t
applicable. However, it always pays to be reasonable
about security, and there are some steps you should take
to make sure you and your family is safe during your
bug in. Get an extra set of car keys made and keep them
with your emergency supplies. If you have an electric
garage door, be sure you know how to open it if the
power is off. Lock your doors and windows as soon as
you’re sure an emergency is imminent. If possible,
contact friends or relatives who are in a location that
won’t be affected by the emergency and let them know
what’s happening in your area and what your plans are.
Get your cell phones and charging devices plugged in
and charging as soon as possible. This is actually a very
important security measure; a phone can be your lifeline
in a desperate situation. If your area is under an
evacuation order but leaving is impossible, do
everything in your power to get in contact with
authorities and let them know that you’ll be sheltering in
pace. If someone comes to your door claiming to be a
city or municipal representative, ask for identification
before you grant entry. Once you’re sure you’re heading
for emergency conditions, do as much as possible to get
your shelter hub prepared (covering doors and windows,
locating sleeping bags, setting up your heat and lighting
devices, etc.) while you still have power – don’t wait for
a blackout to get started. Everything is twice as difficult
and takes much longer to accomplish when it’s cold and
dark. If the power does go off, you’ll be ready. If it
doesn’t, you can consider it an excellent practice session
and have a good laugh about it. Stay calm. This is
important in any case, but it’s absolutely vital if you
have children in your household. Youngsters pick up
adults’ vibes with amazing speed, and if you’re tense
and terrified, they will be too, and the whole experience
will be worse than it has to be. Staying calm also makes
you far more resourceful and responsible, improves your
memory and dexterity, and generally helps you take care
of everything that has to be managed during a bug in.
Keeping Spirits up – An Achievable Challenge
If you’ve ever spent more than a day or so living through
an emergency that trapped you and your family in a cold,
dark, powerless house listening to the elements rage
outside, you know that it’s an extremely challenging
emotional situation. Having a way to stay warm and a
good stock of emergency supplies on hand can make it a
lot easier, but every day that goes by without a return to
normalcy will erode your courage and your spirits unless
you really make a sincere and sustained effort to stay
positive and hopeful. The bad news is that there’s no
way to predict how long an emergency situation will
last. Depending on the nature of the emergency, power
outages can range from a few minutes to a few weeks;
getting a municipal sewage system back into operation
after a major flood can take well over a month. The good
news is that you can be certain that the authorities are
doing their utmost to solve problems, often starting even
before the disaster actually strikes, and situations that
require a full bug in of more than three days are
relatively rare. The trick to getting through a bug in is to
tread the line between a fun indoor camping vacation
and life as usual; you’re going to need elements of both
to survive with your sanity intact. Do whatever you can
to keep some kind of routine in your life. Try to eat
meals at the same time as you normally eat, put children
to bed at the usual hour, and resist the temptation to
either utterly relax discipline or become exceptionally
strict and demanding. Sticking to the usual schedule and
tenor of life as much as possible will help everyone stay
calm and cooperative. At the same time, you have to be
realistic about the constraints of the situation. Adults
won’t be able to go off to their jobs, so the whole family
will be together 24-7. Going outside to play will
probably be out of the question for both children and
pets, so you might have to find ways to deal with excess
energy. Ordinary daily hygiene routines will have to be
abridged to accommodate the inability to shower or
shampoo, which might be fine as far as the kids are
concerned, but can make adults exceedingly cranky. One
of the major challenges for modern people in a bug in
situation is dealing with the absence of the entertainment
sources we take so much for granted, like TV and the
internet. The alternatives – books, games, puzzles, etc. –
may initially be greeted with strong protest, but try to
stay patient and positive about the options. Even if you
have battery-operated games, DVD players, etc., it’s
probably a good idea to put them out of reach or at least
limit their use; while they will help pass the time, they’ll
gobble up your emergency battery supply and as long as
you’re in a bug in situation, there’s no way to get
replacements. Don’t be surprised if everyone (including
you) has periods of moodiness, irritability, restlessness,
or depression; bugging-in during an emergency is a
strange and uncomfortable situation involving chores
and challenges that no one is emotionally ready for. Be
prepared to spend some extra time reassuring children
that the situation is temporary and everything will
eventually return to normal. If you happen to have
chronically ill or elderly people in your bug in family
group, be prepared to be reassuring with them as well.
Emergency situations create feelings of helplessness and
fear in everyone, and people who are very old or who
have physical problems can feel particularly vulnerable.
Perhaps most importantly, don’t forget to take care of
you while bugging-in. Sheltering at home has many
benefits, but it’s also an extremely demanding way to
ride out an emergency, particularly if the power goes off
and your regular water service is unavailable. In many
ways, bugging-in is a kind of return to pioneer living,
but it can be pretty hard to feel exhilarated by
overcoming the challenges when the kids are fussy, the
dogs are whining to get out, a can of cold chili is the
only thing on the dinner menu, and you haven’t had a
shower for days. But you’re at home and you’re
together; focus on that when the going gets rough. Rest
whenever you can. Stay as warm as possible, and eat
enough to stay healthy. Take a multivitamin every day.
Hunt up a book of crossword puzzles or a couple of
those novels you’ve been meaning to read, and treat
yourself to your own personal flashlight for at least a
few minutes of quiet distraction each night. And above
all else, keep reminding yourself that everything is
eventually going to be fine, and rest assured that you’re
doing everything you can.