Got a Basic Bug-Out Bag Ready and Waiting? You Should!

Being prepared means having a bug-out bag or survival kit packed and ready to go.

Following a disaster, government agencies need a minimum of three days to take care of people negatively affected by it. 

You can lessen the impact of those 72 hours by having a survival kit assembled and waiting for you near your front door. 

Here are some items you’ll want to include, understanding that the larger ones will need to be kept in a vehicle trunk:

Bug-Out Bag Must-Have's You Need

Water and a portable water purifier should be your first consideration.

You won’t last long without clean drinking water. Learn multiple ways to decontaminate water. You absolutely must avoid dehydration to survive. Others include:

• Non-perishable food that can be prepared quickly
• Power banks
• Fire-starters
• Flashlights and batteries
• Battery-operated, solar, or hand-crank radio
• Survival knife, pocket knife, multi-tool and compass
• Sturdy shoes, change of clothes suitable for weather conditions, warm hats and gloves, and rain gear
• First-aid kit and instructions
• Space blanket, wool blankets and sleeping bags
• Plastic sheeting and rope or paracord
• Small stove or solar cooker
• Manual can opener and other cooking supplies
• Plates, utensils and other feeding supplies
• Unscented liquid household bleach and an eyedropper for water purification
• Personal hygiene items including toilet paper
• Plastic bucket for waste and sanitation
• Medications for you, your family and your pets

Bug-Out Bag Pro-Tips

Expanded Bug-Out Bag List

• Loud whistle
• Emergency cash in small denominations
• Tools, including a crowbar
• Zip-top bags
• Fishing kit
• Local topographic map
• Permanent marker, paper and tape
• Photos of family members and pets for re-identification purposes 
• Contact lists with phone numbers
• Disposable camera
• Dust masks
• Special needs items for children, seniors and those with disabilities

Essential documents

Not everything you stockpile can be eaten, drunk or worn. You also need to have essential, up-to-date documents on hand. If you can keep the following information on paper and/or on your smart phone, in a computer document, and on the web, you will be well prepared for an emergency. 

• Doctor and veterinarian information. This should include a list of current medications and allergies. As well as up-to-date medical insurance information.
• Updated will and power of attorney information
• Life insurance information
• Homeowners and car insurance information
• Bank account numbers and passwords
• Basic list of current bills

Multiple purpose items

There are many items you could include that would serve multiple purposes. They’ll come in handy regardless of what you end up using them for.

Duct tape is one. We could fill an entire book with uses for duct tape. But to name a few… fixing leaks in buckets and boats, wrapping a wrist or ankle after a fall on uneven terrain, a wound water-proofer, boot insulation, and sleeping bag patch. Others are:

• Super Glue
• Aluminum foil
• Steel wool
• Garbage bags
• Tarp
• Lip balm
• Bandanas
• Rubber bands and rubber gloves
• Coffee filters
• Vaseline
• Sewing kit 

3 ways to build a bug-out bag

Now that we know what should be included in a bug-out bag, let’s take a look at how to assemble one so you’ll have it ready to go in an emergency. There are three basic ways to do this.

One is to build your own. The upside here is that you can customize the bag to the needs of you and your family. The downside is that it can be very time-consuming and sometimes rather expensive.

A second way is to purchase a ready-made bug-out bag. That will certainly cut down on your time expenditure. But it might not have everything you want or need, and it could become pretty expensive.

The third way is the one I recommend. It involves building your own bug-out bag with items you know you and your family will need, but then augmenting it with essential items that cover the three basics: power, light and food.