| Your bug out bag will be your most important item | | | | With that being said, these are the first things you'll |
| during an emergency. It will have everything you | | | | need in your bug out bag. |
| need to sustain life for 72 hours. When making your | | | | Bug Out Bag Contents |
| bug out bag contents you need to remember the | | | | Shelter to Maintaining Body Temperature |
| survival hierarchy. The survival hierarchy starts with | | | | - Industrial Trash Bag - These can be used as a fast |
| shelter, next is water, and lastly is food. During times | | | | shelter and many other uses. |
| of crisis securing these simple items can be | | | | - Poncho - A good poncho can be turned into a tent |
| extremely difficult. Local stores and grocery chains | | | | and is very effective at keeping you dry while you |
| only have three days worth of food if demand is | | | | move. |
| normal. During times of crisis all the food in a store | | | | - Sleeping Bag - Find a bag that is rated for the |
| will be gone in hours. If you are forced to leave your | | | | season. Remember that a wet bag is useless so add |
| home (because of weather, natural disaster, or | | | | a Gortex bivy to your bag for added protection. |
| violence) your bug out bag needs to get you to your | | | | - Bic Lighter/Waterproof Matches - Some people |
| bug out location (BOL) or to a friend's place. | | | | want to go all crazy with magnesium strikers and |
| Shelter is the most important item in a survival | | | | other fire gadgets but the truth is a bic lighter is hard |
| setting. What this means is keeping yourself dry if it's | | | | to beat. Get one or two. |
| raining, cool if it's hot, and warm if it's cold. You can | | | | Water |
| survive for around three hours without shelter in an | | | | - Stainless steel canteen (for holding and boiling |
| extreme weather condition. Many times the clothes | | | | water) |
| you wear on your back or the vehicle you drive will | | | | - Filter straw for fast drinking when water comes |
| keep you alive if you're prepared. If your forced | | | | available. |
| from your vehicle your BOB will be there to keep | | | | - Water purification tablets - These generally take |
| you dry when you need it. | | | | four hours to work. The straw will work in the short |
| Safe drinking water is something we take for | | | | run but you'll want these for larger batches of water. |
| granted. When culinary water doesn't come from the | | | | Food |
| tap anymore securing a safe water supply will be | | | | - Emergency Rations are high calorie, dense food |
| your priority. Many experts recommend drinking at | | | | source. Rations have an extended shelf life (up to |
| least four liters of water a day. If you are in a hot | | | | five years) and don't taste all that bad (they taste |
| environment you will need up to eight liters a day. If | | | | like a modified sugar cookie). |
| you plan on carrying all you water be prepared to | | | | - Nuts have the highest calorie to weight ratio as |
| carry 8.35 lbs per gallon. Two gallons of water is 16.7 | | | | compared to just about any other food item. Pack a |
| pounds of water. With everything else in your bag | | | | couple pounds of trail mix to keep your energy high. |
| this will be your heaviest item by far. | | | | - Freeze Dried foods are good but very expensive. |
| Food will be a precious commodity when it becomes | | | | Usually soup mixes, rice, and pasta have close to the |
| scarce. One day, we will go to war for rice. If your | | | | same calorie to weight ratio and are much cheaper. |
| bug out location is a distance away (more than 10 | | | | There are two other major areas of your bug out |
| miles) you will need a lot of calories to get there. Plan | | | | bag, protection and building camp. While you can |
| on eating 4,000-5,000 calories a day if you're hiking | | | | survive with the items above there are many more |
| with a heavy pack. You will be burning huge amounts | | | | things that will help you live longer. |
| of energy just by moving around. | | | | |