Beginning to Prep II

By Jalapeno Gal77 -via APN

When I first started writing for APN, I did an article on Beginning to Prep: Things to consider, after reading it, I realized just how much information I could have added.  So now comes part two.  This article focuses on 72 hour bug out bags.  The idea behind a 72 hour BOB is to make sure that in a short-term disaster/event, you have the basic supplies you need to make it to your pre-planned destination close by.

A few things you should ask yourself are:

•  What sort of disaster am I preparing for? Tornado’s, fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, personal safety (Stalkers, etc…), job loss, economic collapse, etc.
•  How many people/animals should I be prepping for? (Husband, wife, kids, sisters, parents, dogs, cats, goats, fish (just kidding)
•  What time frame would I like my BOB to have? 24 hours, 72 hours, an indefinite way to survival?

An important thing to consider is the bag you will use for your items.  You want to make sure you have one for each family member and that it will distribute the weight in the bag evenly across you back.  You also want to make sure and choose a bag that has wide padded straps.  Thin ones will dig into your shoulder and become painful quickly.

Things I carry in my 72 hour BOB:

• Extra copies in a zip lock of each persons, Drivers license/State ID, Birth certificate, Social security cards, passports, shot records, and any other important documents.  (I would not advise keeping these in your car kit)
• Concealed weapons permits
• Extra cash in small bills only for gas, motel, taxi, bus, plane tickets or whatever else might come up.  We also keep a pre-paid visa card with about $50.00 on it. (not our bank card)
• 3-4 days of required prescription medications. Other medications for allergies, fever, motion sickness etc.  Travel size packets for our bags work best.
• Extra changes of clothes and bandana’s.  We keep clothes packed according to season.  (no cotton)
• Your basic hygiene items.  (Toothbrush, travel size soaps, toothpaste, deodorant, tampons/pads, toilet paper, etc)
• Wet wipes/Bath in a bag
• A small mesh bag for dirty clothes
• Water: You can pack bottled water or you can also buy prepackaged water made for hiking.  Water purification drops/tablets.
• Water Filter such as a Katadyn Hiker pro.
• Food: We pack things like to go packs of tuna, Ramon noodles, powder soups, energy bars, instant oatmeal packs, jerky, Gatorade/Crystal light packs, all of those are good for kids to, but in our kids packs we also pack things like Vienna sausage, or Chef Boyardee microwave dinners.  It is important to pack things you will all eat and remember to rotate them out so they stay fresh.
• Dog/cat food in a Zip lock bags.  Copy of current shot record including Rabies shots.  We vacuum seal the dog food so it stays fresh longer. This is one item you don’t want to have to spend money on in an emergency.
• Compass, emergency whistle/mirror, street/highway maps of your area and your destination.
• Small LED flashlight/extra set of batteries. (The link is the kind we have, it is a rechargeable kind, not a regular battery flashlight.)
• Multipurpose tool, survival knife, fold up handsaw, well fit work gloves, duct tape.
• Pocket stove, fuel tabs/can of fuel, wet fire tinder, mess kit, Ferro Rod/striker.
• Pre made snares in a tin.
• Poncho, tarp, para-cord.
• Sleep pad and 0 degree sleeping bag. Emergency space blanket. (no cotton)
• Lightweight pop up tent
• Home made first aid kit
• Hand gun/ammo, stun gun.
• Fully charged disposable pre-paid cell phone/charger. (Charge the phone and keep it turned off)
• Eye glass repair kit
• Entertainment: Cards, note pad and pencil, dice.

If you’re looking for a more detailed list of items for a long-term BOB, this is a great article to read as well. Click here.

Practice Drills can save your life:

This list may seem drastic to the beginner, but I assure you this is a very good start for a 72 hour BOB and a great start to a long-term bug out bag.

One important thing your family can do is practice drills.  Plan a place for you to all meet up to evacuate, so everything is organized.  We keep our packs in our garage so we can grab and go.
Knowledge is power and being prepared for these things can save your family.  Having children that are scared can be one of the worst things that can happen when you need them to deal with the situation at hand.  You don’t want to be searching for them because they are scared in an emergency.  Make sure they know to stay calm and to go immediately to your meeting spot.

These are just a few things to consider keeping in a 3 day survival bag for each family member of your house hold.  Being prepared for this will ease your mind in the long run.  You don’t want to have a damaged home due to tornado, hurricane, earthquake, or fire and not have a few basic essential’s to make it easier to deal with for your family.

Remember my friends, you don’t have to rush out and buy all these items at once.  When you see toothpaste on sale at the store for a dollar, buy one for each pack instead of a big bag of chips.  If you buy twin packs of deodorant, put one in your bag.  Build as you go so this doesn’t hit your pocket hard.   Please feel free to comment with your ideas, thoughts or questions!!

Keep it Spicy,
Jalapeño Gal