We do keep all the items we'd want to take during any sort of evacuation in our front door closet: cat carrier (with bag of food, gallon of water, and 2 small stainless steel bowls plus small cat pan and bag of litter), food and water, and a box containing photo negs/discs/hard drive. Our full camping kit is stored in a bin in the garage, so easily thrown in to the car (tents, stoves etc.) Both cars have emergency kits suitable for any season plus we have misc snacks in the glovebox and a case of water bottles in the trunk. We feel pretty prepared for most things that could happen to us hereThe 72-hour kit at school is something that perhaps others don't do (and may not be feasible for younger kids) but in case they get stuck at school due to blizzard or similar, our 2 teenagers each have 3 neoprene dollar store pencil cases in a drawstring gym strip bag in their lockers at their schools containing:
72-Hour Emergency Kit: Flashlight/batteries, Hand-warmers, Gloves, Toque, Socks, Matches, Candle, First Aid kit, Tylenol, Emergency blanket, Sewing kit, Duct Tape, Notebook/pen, Deck of cards, City map, $20 in coins, Emergency contact list
6 Water bottles and a 72-Hour Emergency Food Kit: 6 Granola Bars, 3 Trail Mix, 6 Fruit Leather, 3 cans Pork & Beans, 3 Fruit Cups, small Stainless Steel Bowl, Spoon, Emergency contact list
72-Hour Personal Hygiene Kit: Toothbrush, Bar of Soap, Washcloth Tablets, Sanitary Pads, individually wrapped Wet Wipes, Hand Sanitizer, Q-tips, Tissues, Emergency contact list
Each kid has an Emergency Contact list in each of the 3 kits as well as in their wallets with phone numbers for all family members including our out of town contact so they can check in either by cell phone or school land line. The bag 'o stuff fits easily into their school backpacks should they need to take it anywhere, and they also always have a change of clothing (gym strip) in their gym lockers plus whatever coat/jacket/outdoor layers they wore to school that day so we feel they are pretty prepared to go it alone for a while.
Hubs has a Workplace 72-hour kit in a zippered nylon bag containing similar items (slightly different food choices plus a hand-crank radio, work gloves and basic tools) in his desk drawer at work.
I should perhaps note that the reason the kids have $20 in coins, is because we don't have bills in Canada for $1 or $2 amounts anymore, so they each have a change purse of "loonies" ($1 coins) and "toonies" ($2 coins). Oh, and a "toque" (say "tuke") is a knitted hat in Canuck
Always have one in the truck. Especailly have one when I leave the island. Scarey world out there. I guess I was looking at the bag as more of prepareness bag instead a run and hide tactic. Did you any any weapons in the bag for meal gathering.sunsaver said:When i lived in a an apartment in the city (during in the 1990s), i always had a bugout bag. Basically it was a backpack, all set for extended camping: dry goods, a pot, a pan, tarp, twine, knife, fire starter kit, water purification tablets, machete, space blanket, dry socks in a ziplock bag (better to have, than to need and not have). I never did pack a radio or other electronics. The idea was to get into the woods and survive, not play a radio and possibly attract attention or scare away my next meal.
Now that i have solar panels, permaculture beds, a well, fruit and nut trees, and plenty of squirrel and possum on my property, i have more of a fight mentality than a flight plan.
