Survival essentials: Sourcing, transporting and storing water after SHTF – NaturalNews.com

(Natural News)
Water is essential for survival. People know that truism well enough to keep their storage tanks full. Yet when SHTF, most of these tanks won’t be big enough to last a year’s worth of drinking water. As this prized commodity slowly runs out, the need for a new water source, such as a nearby well or rainwater, will become increasingly clear. Here are some tips on sourcing, transporting and storing water. (h/t to ModernSurvivalBlog.com)

Sourcing and transporting water

You don’t have to worry about sourcing water if you have a well at home. You only need to focus on generating the power to pump water out of it. One way to do that is through solar generators, which you can either buy or make yourself.

Power requirements will depend on how deep your well is and how much electricity the pump needs to operate. If you’re able to keep your pump running, you can have a steady source of water at your disposal.

But if you don’t have a well, your only alternative will be a nearby source of freshwater, such as a community well or a lake. You have to consider the distance between the source of water and your location as you will need to haul the water home. You might need a wagon and a motorized vehicle, so you also need to think about the fuel and potential security concerns.

Rainwater collection is also an option but is subject to prevailing climate conditions. That said, on really good days, you could chance upon a heavy downpour that could tide you over the next several days. You simply have to place barrels beneath roof runoff and let rainwater fill them to the brim. Take note that you will need a massive tank to store all that water.

You could also tap your municipal water system especially if it’s gravity-fed rather than pumped and you live “down” from the source. However, this is an unlikely scenario so you might have to look for other options.

Storage and filtration

You can store water in bulk or in smaller water containers. For the former, a 55-gallon drum or tank is ideal as it can store a lot of water while occupying a relatively small area. The downside is that it weighs over 450 pounds, which means it’s difficult to transport if you need to evacuate.

In contrast, storing water in a large number of smaller water containers is convenient when you’re suddenly forced to leave home. These containers are also inexpensive and easy to rotate, which means you could clean them more often than a tank.

Alternatively, you can store water in a variety of containers to ensure that you have a readily available supply of water in any type of disaster. Keep in mind that each container should be food-grade and has not been used previously to store food. (Related: Survival basics: What is the shelf life of bottled water?)

Before drinking the water, you first need to purify it to get rid of harmful pathogens and substances that may be present in the source. Water purification methods include:

Distillation is the gold standard for water purification but filtration is the best way to go in an emergency situation. The latter forces water into very small filters that are intended to remove parasites and other contaminants. Types of water filters include pumps, straws and ceramic filters.

When SHTF, resources will be scarce as society is on the brink of collapse. While some creature comforts can be readily sacrificed, drinking water will always be non-negotiable. Keep these tips in mind for a steady source of water.

Sources include:

This content was originally published here.

/by

Prepping safety tips: How to survive in a post-SHTF world if you have diabetes – NaturalNews.com

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 34 million Americans have diabetes while another 88 million people are at risk of the disease. These numbers can spell trouble in a collapsed society where medical supplies have gone dry.

One of the worst-case scenarios is when a patient has to be amputated due to gangrene, which happens when body tissues die due to a loss of blood supply. High blood sugar can limit blood flow or damage nerves, leading to a loss of sensation in the affected area.

It’s important to avoid diabetes complications as these minimize a patient’s chance of survival. Before SHTF, preparing for a medical emergency is a must. Consider the following safety tips. (h/t to PreppersWill.com)

Wear a medical ID tag

A medical I.D. tag is a small emblem that’s typically attached to or worn as a bracelet to let other people know that you have an existing medical condition. This can be useful in outdoor emergency situations.

In diabetes, for instance, your blood sugar could plummet dramatically in a condition called hypoglycemia. This can happen if you have not eaten enough carbohydrates or have taken too much insulin, a hormone that helps cells absorb and use sugar for energy. You could pass out on the street, feel shaky and dizzy or have a seizure.

There are “medical alert bracelets” being sold in the market. You can procure one, especially if it’s advised by a physician.

Feel out your surroundings

However, take note that an I.D. tag will only work depending on the disaster scenario. In more desperate situations, other people are more likely to ignore you or exploit your condition. Wearing a tag should be worn with caution as it can be perceived as a weakness. Feel out your surroundings so you could evaluate whether a tag is an advantage or not.

Prepare a first-aid plan

If you’re bugging out with a diabetic or you yourself have the condition, preparing a first-aid plan will be important for emergency situations. Keep a blood sugar testing kit and stockpile on medications and emergency foods, such as sugar packets and carb-rich snacks.

When prepping with diabetes, one of the most important things you have to worry about is a hypoglycemic attack. If a person is conscious, give him a glass of fruit juice or something similar. Otherwise, open his mouth and put a teaspoon of sugar under his tongue. Your bug-out companion/s should also be aware of these emergency steps. (Related: 6 Useful medical devices to have when SHTF.)

Plan your diet

A good prepper communicates with his healthcare provider to work out a weekly dietary schedule before SHTF.

Diabetes management and treatment are based on making changes to one’s diet. So you’ll likely be advised to eat less sugar and incorporate more healthful foods, such as leafy greens and beans. Having a diet plan is good not only for your health. It will also help you choose which foods to stockpile.

Shed some pounds

Obesity and being overweight are common risk factors for diabetes. That said, you should monitor your pounds especially if you’re a diabetic or have been identified to be at risk of the disease. On top of a solid diet, regular exercise can help in maintaining a healthy weight.

Pay attention to wound care

Over time, diabetes can slow down wound healing and increase the risk of infection. In worse cases, it can lead to gangrene. Therefore, it’s important to pay attention to wounds no matter their size. Your survival kit should include wound dressings, antiseptics and other medical supplies. Natural wound remedies like sugar can also help, so you can consider stockpiling on those.

Though diabetes might seem like a hindrance in a survival situation, you can manage it by prepping and keeping these safety tips in mind.

This content was originally published here.

/by

Survival Fishing: How to Catch Fish When SHTF

Note: This is an abridged version of the original which first appeared on . 

Humans have been fishing since before the dawn of civilization. And it’s no wonder. Fish are nutritious and, dare I say, delicious. Plus, they’re plentiful, almost all are edible, and you can find them in just about everybody of water coast to coast. 

While you could spend thousands of dollars on top-of-the-line fishing gear, you don’t need any of those bells and whistles. Heck, in dire straights, you can find everything you need right on the forest floor. Or even a city street. 

Plus, fishing is one of the best ways to get protein in a survival situation. And it’s easy and fast if you know what you’re doing. Lucky for you, the basics of survival fishing are simple to learn and you’ve got me here to explain them to you.

Survival Fishing Techniques

When catching fish in survival mode, you need to think a little differently about fishing. Sure, you can fish with a rod and reel, but for the long-term, you’ll want something that doesn’t require so much of your time. Called passive fishing, it involves you setting the stage and coming back to reap the harvest. We’ll discuss these different methods in a moment.

In long-term survival, you also want more than a reliable fishing spot. You want a place where you can collect fish and keep them alive until you want them. Lastly, when you’re in a survival situation, you need to maximize your chance of catching fish. That means implementing more than one strategy and continually monitoring them for success.

Keep those things in mind as we discuss the different ways to catch fish.

SETTING MULTIPLE FISHING LINES

Assuming you don’t have a survival fishing pole, you’ll want to create your own make-shift fishing pole. But don’t make one of them. Make several. Start with a strong stick or willow reed and tie a fishing line to it. Fit the line with a few sinkers and a hook. Bait the hook then drop a line in the water.

If you’d like to go more in-depth with this, take a look at our article on “how to make a fishing rod.”

If you want to increase your chances, don’t drop one line, drop as many as you can. You can push the stick into the ground of the side of the riverbank to hold it in place. If there are low hanging branches over the water, forget the sticks and tie your fishing line to the tree branch. Place as many of these as you can on different branches to improve your odds of catching dinner.

TROTLINE

A trotline is a passive way to catch fish that doesn’t require your undivided attention. You want to find a narrow point in a river or creek that’s shallow, but not too shallow. If there’s cover nearby, even better.

Take a length of paracord and tie it from a tree branch on one side of the water to a tree branch on the opposite bank. This is your control line. Take sections of the fishing line and tie them to the control line.

Make them long enough that they hang a few inches or more into the water. Attach a hook to each of these leader lines and bait it. Tie the lines every foot or so across the control.

Survival fishing trap

GORGE HOOKS

Using a gorge hook isn’t like fishing with a traditional bent hook. Instead, these hooks are straight and about one inch in length. You can make them from just about anything hard, including bones, twigs, and pieces of hard plastic. Sharpen it on both ends and have a notch in the middle where the fishing line secures to the gorge hook.

With a gorge hook, you want to entice the fish to swallow the hook and bait. Instead of jerking the line to set the hook, slowly pull the line so that the gorge hook turns sideways and lodges in the fish’s throat. You then pull the fish toward you and capture it in a net.

CATCHING FISH WITH A NET

Another way to catch fish in a survival situation is with a fishing net. You can make a survival fishing net with green wood found inside sapling trees. You can even improvise with a piece of cloth tied to two sticks.

Wade through the water, slowly and calmly, toward the shore. When you get to shallow water, lift the net to reveal your catch. This also can be an effective way to catch small fish like minnows for bait for large fish.

HAND FISHING

You can even fish when you have absolutely no equipment. Hand fishing, which is also called noodling, graveling, or hogging, is a primitive, backcountry fishing technique.

It involves grabbing the fish directly from its hiding spot with your hand. It’s most often seen when fishing for catfish and suckers, who like to hide in dark places like hollow logs, undercut banks, and holes under rocks.

You start by blocking the hole, then slowly reach inside. Once you touch the fish, slide your hand along its side until you can grab the mouth or gills. Grip tight and pull the fish out. Beware of the catfish’s barbels, which fan out around its mouth. These barbs can sting, causing pain and irritated skin.

PRACTICE SURVIVAL FISHING

The final survival fishing technique is to practice. Then practice some more. You can read blog posts (like this one) and watch YouTube videos, but it doesn’t give you the actual survival skills you need. Only experience does that. So get out there and start looking for good fishing areas. Get a line in the water and catch a few fish.

Because it’s easier to do things when you’re not in a survival scenario. When you’ve eaten more than a few nuts and berries and your seven-year-old isn’t crying because he’s so hungry.

Learn what you can NOW so that if an emergency happens, you can handle it with less stress and worry. Remember, once you know how to fish, you can almost always find food.

Where to fish in a emergency scenario

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPOT FOR CATCHING FISH

The biggest angler secret to finding fish is to think like a fish. And the first thing to know about how fish think is that they like cover. Cover consists of things that cover the water, providing hiding spots.

These can include structures in or out of the water like rocks, trees, brush, logs, and weeds. It also includes manmade structures like docks, drain pipes, and seawalls. Even trash that’s gathered in the water provides cover for fish.

Don’t forget to look for natural underwater covers like undercut river banks, caves carved from rocks, or underwater ledges. Just be careful. You can’t help anyone survive if you break a leg when a shoreline collapses.

Other places to look for fish include:

  • Areas of change. Look for changes in the water, a rise of a lake bottom, or even a drop in water depth.
  • Places where water pools or becomes still. Look behind fallen trees and large rocks.
  • Where waterways meet. Look where small streams flow into rivers or lakes, which often have more oxygen and cooler water.
  • Deep holes. Look for deeper holes in lakes and rivers where fish hide in the darker, deeper water.

Survival Fishing Gear

In a perfect survival situation, you have everything you need in top-quality survival gear. The right pole, the right reel, some comfy shoes, and a tackle box stocked with exactly the right equipment and supplies. While survival situations rarely work out that way, let us pretend for a moment that they do and take the opportunity to discuss what is the best-case scenario in fishing gear for the post SHTF fisherman.

SURVIVAL FISHING POLE

There are a lot of variables in finding the best survival fishing pole, including where you’re located, the types of water available, and even the time of year. But a good survival fishing pole could accommodate almost any fisherman’s needs.

That’s why you should opt for a survival fishing pole that’s compact enough it doesn’t take up too much space, but large enough to handle a good sized fish. Versatility, as well as durability, are also qualities to look for.

SURVIVAL FISHING REEL

When it comes to survival fishing reels, there is just as much variance as with fishing poles. The most important aspects of your survival fishing reel are that it’s compact enough to carry with ease, yet dependable enough that you can rely on it when you need dinner.

Speaking of dependability, you want a reel that works well in YOUR hands. This means you need to fish with it and get the feel of it. Don’t just go out and buy one to stick it in a bag and never use it. Becoming familiar with your survival fishing equipment, and especially your reel, can mean the difference between a full belly and an empty one.

SURVIVAL FISHING HOOKS

Perhaps the most important thing when it comes to survival fishing hooks is that they need to reliably set in a fish’s mouth. If you need dinner and you can’t set the hooks that you haphazardly threw in your survival fishing kit, guess who’s going to bed hungry.

You also want a strong hook that can withstand the tests of repeated fishing. After all, these hooks won’t be easy to replace so you need to make sure they’re as durable as possible. And regardless of what style of survival fishing hook you decide on, purchase several sizes. If it’s a true TEOTWAWKI scenario, you may end up fishing in all sorts of different locations and a variety of species of fish.

To read the full article, go read over at

The Man’s Guide to Winning a Fight With No Experience
Survivorman, Les Stroud On Being a Man
101 Life Lessons for Men to Live By
The Urban Man’s Guide to Surviving the Great Outdoors
Football Season Survival Guide for the Non-Sports Guy

By Coty Perry

For Coty, he didn’t love bass fishing at first cast. It took a few (thousand) throws for him to become obsessed with mastering every possible fishing style, technique, and lure. As a third-generation angler, he has a plethora of knowledge and experience on the water and loves sharing what he knows.

The post Survival Fishing: How to Catch Fish When SHTF appeared first on Urbasm.

This content was originally published here.

/by

How To Test Your Bug Out Bag For SHTF – American Preppers Network

How To Test Your Bug Out Bag For SHTF

Being an avid prepper, it looks so easy to add tons of survival items in your bug out bag! But, have you ever physically practiced bugging out with that much weight? A very important piece of equipment for any survival situation is having your bug out bag with you. Your bug out bag and the survival items in it are the most important part of your evacuation plan. However, your escape plan would not entirely be complete if it is not tested properly. There is a lot of literature, websites and YouTube videos that will guide and get you prepared to your very best, however nothing compares to actually getting out and testing your bug out gear to ensure yours and its’ capabilities can cope with reality.

The fact is there is no substitute for reality! However, you can test your physical endurance and practice bugging out by doing anything. It could be a hiking trail with a 20-30-pound back pack or canoeing into the park river. Through this, you would be able to plan your trip considering any emergency situation and even ready to handle a difficult situation. So, you should first test your bug out bag on your own.

Testing Your Bug Out Bag Plan

Here are our suggestions that would turn your survival experience into a piece of cake.

Weigh Your Bug Out Gear

A heavy bug out bag is a challenge to carry. You cannot blindly put plenty of survival items in your survival pack, without knowing that is it possible to even carry it for few blocks or few miles.  And, it’s quite possible that you’ll end up discarding some of the stuff or even the whole pack in a survival situation.

So, you need to plan things. It’ll make any difficult or easy situation that much simpler if you are familiar with using your bug out gear and moving around with it. List down necessary essentials and arrange a bug out bag list for your trip. Ensure whether the suitability and reliability of your equipment is appropriate for the wilderness or not. Also, share your trip plans with your team mates and family in order to avoid any mishap and any situation in which they need to find you. Here’s a great to get you started. 

Check the weight of your bug out bag as to whether it will be too heavy or bulky in weight to carry on your back. Avoid duplicating things in your backpack. You can alter the items according to your needs. You can replace the non-essentials with essentials such as if it is summer then you need to add more bottles of water or ways to purify water on the go.

Method Of Navigation

Being prepared for a disaster is a necessity. Every phone has GPS and some kind of built in map tool. Being a prepper, you have to be ready for a worst-case scenario, where your phone might run out of battery and your cell service will no longer be available. Or, in case the weather turns bad and your GPS goes on the fritz. Thus, you should consider making a back-up plan for this purpose.

There are some basic navigation tools, which you can put together to help you to find your way in the wilderness. So, apart from GPS, you need to have a to find your way in the woods. This includes an accurate and durable baseplate compass, topographical map for the area you are traversing, SE navigation cards, and a fine point pen (to make notes). You should use a lanyard to keep your kit around your neck for quick access. You also need to store and protect your map by placing it in a zip-lock bag until you need it. For better protection, use a water-proof document holder.

Escape And Evasion Routes

Next thing that comes after navigation is to plan your escape and evasion routes. Have your routes down and plan your way out already. You should know the alternative bug out routes. If you are in city, and highways are clogged due to some nuclear strike or snowstorm, then you’ll have to walk out of the urban areas.  You need to know the alternative routes if you want to stay off the highways. So, avoid the refugee routes as these are the main highways. Take your route to smaller roads as these will more than likely provide more options. Since people are creatures of habit, they are going to use these main roads that they are used to travelling on a daily basis. Therefore, you must know some of the different roads and routes that you can take and practice them.

Weather

Plan your trip to test your endurance and your bug out bag by increasing the difficulty level. It is better to be prepared for the worst weather condition. A sensible prepper will know what items to pack according to the weather of that particular bug out location. They say that there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. In winter, the main goal is to stay warm, so locate an area where you’re surrounded by dry, seasoned wood or a natural outcropping of coal.

In case of rain, you still need your bug out bag gear dry. For this purpose, you should have appropriate water-repellent clothing and durable raingear to go in your pack that will keep you warm and dry. Wool is one of the natural materials you’ll want to have for this occasion and definitely on your bug out bag list. You can expect to remain warm even if you get wet due to its insulation property. More so, there are many waterproof technologies that not only keep the water away, but also allow your body to breathe and avoid the water buildup. These Special Ops Soft Shell Jackets from Rothco are perfect and come in a range of styles to suite, so be sure to have a look. 

Survival Camp Security

Make sure that your location is well-hidden and off any of the main paths. You should hike into the woods a descent distance to somewhere that is secure and secluded. You should also make sure to limit the number of infiltration points into your camp. You can also try to create a natural security barrier around your survival camp, such as rock facing to the north and using some densely vegetative areas to remain invisible. Therefore, you want to try to create that natural barrier to reduce the likeliness to be easily approached upon.

You should have a clear exfil plan. Let’s say, if you are compromised by somebody with a weapon. You need to get your loved ones out of that area quickly and safely. Make sure that you have a well-defined and practiced plan to handle such panic situation.

Water is one of your primary resources for obvious reasons. While bugging out, make sure that your camp is going to be near water but not too close to it. You want to be at reasonable distance because of having to transport that water back to your survival camp. So, don’t make it too far, otherwise it will become a pain for you, since it’s something that you are probably going to do everyday. For every ten miles of walking, you should have at least two quarts of water to keep yourself going. Keep yourself hydrated regardless of which season you are bugging out in. Alternatively for on the go hydration, you can’t go wrong with the Lifestraw. Small, compact, cheap and super easy to use. Just add water. 

Bodily Effects

One of the important factors to sustain in a crisis is your physical fitness. You’ll more than likely be carrying your bug out bag every day and will therefore need the stamina to do so. The stamina to sustain the bug out bag and walking the long miles will vary from person to person. If your destination takes more than few miles with a heavy bug out bag, people with less stamina are probably going to get fatigued really quick. Therefore, ask yourself a few questions about your personal decisions before such a disruptive event occurs, such as how far do you reckon you would be able to travel and then how far do I need to travel to get to my secure place.

Don’t risk your life though over testing your bug out bag. Start with a low pace and short miles and then follow an average stride. Pre-decide your mile coverage and never assess distance by the time you took for a walk. By doing this, your legs will not feel much pain. And, you would be able to cover your distance without getting fatigued.

Testing Your Bug Out Bag Conclusion

It is thoroughly recommended to test your bug out bag in the wilderness for at least three days. This way, you would be able to determine which supplies you might need in case of a SHTF situation, or any other disaster. You’ll also get a chance to upgrade and further build up your endurance ability, so you can go miles ahead in the future. You’ll get to know which items you need to ditch from your bug out bag list and which ones you need to have more of. In any case it will surely be great workout and spiritually rejuvenating experience for you. You should try it at least once in a year.

Author Bio:

Kel Warner is the owner and writer of EverydayCarryGear.com. A site designed to inform, direct and introduce like-minded readers about Survival Topics, Bugging Out Preparation and EDC Tools. Kel is a current serving military member of the Australian Defence Force, which has influenced her love for gadgets and tools that any GI-Joe or Jane would have in their kits or carry on their person.

This content was originally published here.

/by

How to Plan Your Escape Route before SHTF | Survivopedia

This year we saw a lot of people being forced to evacuate their homes when various natural disasters hit our country.

Without having an escape route planned, some of these people didn’t think they would make it on the road, and even worse, they did not take the whole situation seriously. They decided to hunker down and see how it plays.

As a serious prepper, you shouldn’t count on luck since it plays only a minor role when it comes to surviving a disaster. In these uncertain days, having your bug out bag ready at all times is mandatory, and planning an escape route is critical to your survival.

As a quick example, during the California wildfires in 2017, more than 900,000 people had to evacuate Southern California to escape the deadly fires. Some lost everything, while others were smart enough to think things through before the evacuation order came in.

Regardless if an evacuation order comes or not when a disaster hits close to home, you have to decide if it’s safe for your family to distance yourselves from the affected area. Since certain natural disasters can grow and develop unexpectedly, it’s smart not to gamble with your safety and always be ready to evacuate.

Your vehicle of choice

Your bug-out vehicle of choice should be prepared and ready to take you to safety at any time. Such a vehicle should be kept in good condition and be gassed up every time you have the occasion to do so. You have to consider that not only most gas stations will be closed, but those that will still be open will have limited service, and there will be a lot of competition for the remaining fuel.

As a precaution, most preppers keep a host of minimum needed gear in their car at all times, while some have a corner of their garage designated to store all the items that are needed for bugging out safely.

If you opt for this strategy, you will save yourself a lot of time when the evacuation order comes. You won’t run around your house looking for things to gather and take along. Not to mention that you will assure a certain comfort to your family when you are all away from home, and this alone will boost morale considerably.

Gearing up

Preparing for a certain scenario needs to cover certain basic preparation. The first thing you need to do is consider the environment you’re living in, the time of the year, the type of crisis, and the intended destination.

If you are familiar with my work, you’ve probably learned by now how much I stress to the readers about the need to keep their gear updated. At a minimum, you should have your gear updated for the time of the year and weather.

While it’s important to pack well for an evacuation scenario, you should never overpack. Not everyone out there is a seasoned survivalist, and most folks will pick food and water as their main priority. However, you should also pack clothing and sheltering items that fit your needs based on where you are heading. It makes no sense to use up storage space with extra warm clothes if you are going to a zone with a warm climate.

Always keep your bug out bags in the vicinity of your car. Every family member should have one and if you are unable to use your car for the escape route you’ve planned, consider that the total weight of a survival bag should be distributed according to each body type and physical strength.

Additionally, you should also consider the following necessary items when mapping your escape route and organizing your gear:

Your exit plan

Every city is different, and they have different layouts. While certain cities will have multiple directions to evacuate, others will be limited. When you plan your escape route, it’s mandatory to base it on based on your location, population density, and intended destination. In a few words, this means that you should be familiar with all the main routes and secondary routes of your town.

You should avoid going towards the city center even if that’s the fastest route out of town. Have detailed paper maps of your city and mark both primary and secondary routes of escape on those maps.

I also recommend getting some forest service maps and topographical ones since you need to have a clear picture of all the available roads and paths when planning your escape route.

Since it is advised to follow the guidance and directions of government officials when an evacuation order is given, things may not always be so straightforward. While the officials may be better informed than you, always be prepared to go your own way if you are forced to do so. Be smart and listen to the radio and plan your next move based on the information you gather.

Alternative planning

Every plan you make for an escape route must also include a failure scenario. For example, the plan for the main city highway to be jammed. Plan for secondary roads to be blocked by fallen trees or be washed out by flash floods. Plan for alternate routes that might not be as crowded but would eventually require a long detour; therefore, more gas will be needed.

When you plan for failure, you should also consider the items that will help you overcome certain and perhaps unexpected scenarios. There are a lot of people that hate firearms and see such items as nothing more than death tools. However, in a scenario that requires you to defend yourself and your loved ones, such tools may be exactly what you need.

It is mandatory to think about what you will need when your main plan falls apart due to reasons that are out of your control. This is why, as preppers, we often need a plan B and perhaps a plan C.

You may have the safest BOV money can buy, but what if it breaks down?

Do you have the tools and parts to fix it?

Even more, do you know how to fix it?

If you come to a halt and your bug out vehicle becomes useless, you still have to figure out ways to continue your journey. Maybe you packed a bicycle or two, or perhaps your loved ones are used to carrying their backpacks for long distances since you all love to go camping often.

Regardless of how things will turn out, only you can plan for the proper outcome since you know the alternatives you and yours have. 

Everything we learn during the course of our lives must and should be put to the test. The same goes for emergency preparedness, and there should be no major surprises waiting for you.

Testing your escape route may be as simple as organizing a trip out with the family during a busy time of the year. It can be as simple as driving your intended routes and be observant of what happens along the way. Even better, do it during the rush hours to get a proper feel of the kind of traffic you can expect.

Observe and write down on your maps “sensitive” areas to avoid (busy landmarks, bad neighborhoods) and areas you may have to target in case of unexpected emergencies (hospitals, relatives, friends, etc.). It’s also worth labeling areas that can provide resources in case needed (fuel, food, water, etc.).

The main thing you have to keep in mind is that the same objectives you’ve circled on your map could also be targeted by others, so you need to be prepared to deal with the most unpredictable element of all, human nature.

Other important things you should be noticed on your map when testing the escape routes are the choke points and natural obstacles that you may have to get through (rivers, rough terrain, etc.). These points on your map have the highest “unexpected factor,” and you may have to abandon your vehicle or make a long detour to overcome such obstacles.

Evacuation day

Regardless of how much you planned and prepared for the day when you are forced to evacuate, there’s always that doubt mixed with a multitude of interchanging feelings that will prevent you from taking on the road.

When the evacuation order comes, that feeling that keeps telling you that you may never see your home again is heartbreaking. Leaving everything behind is not easy, and many people just don’t manage to do it. They fail to see that their lives are in danger and that they cannot stop a natural disaster.

You should stay strong and convince your loved ones to get in the car without making a big fuss about it. Keeping everyone calm and constantly reassuring them that things will be alright helps more than you would think.

First, they will be able to follow your direction with a clear head, and second, your neighbors and everyone staying behind won’t know that you are abandoning everything.

As I said earlier, avoid overpacking and making your car look like a survival vehicle from the Mad Max movies since this will only invite looters in after you vacate the premises.

Remember to cut the power and shut down the gas line to avoid further damage in case flooding or landslides occur. Locking all windows and doors should go without saying that it’s basically common sense at this point. All your defense layers should be in place, and you need to double-check them before you go.

When you are on the road, stick to your evacuation route and don’t make unnecessary stops, or take detour routes unless you have to. Stay vigilant for unforeseen dangers since your main goal is to escape the city as quickly as possible.

Planning for an extended stay?

After an evacuation order was issued, people go on the road, and they hope everything will soon turn to normal. However, many people planning for a bug out scenario have a hard time answering the old age question, “how long to stay away?”

In fact, in most cases, this remains a question without an answer, and if you do find an answer for it, it’s always dependent on the main, major factor, safety.

Is it safe to go home?

The event that triggered the evacuation order has come to an end?

If that’s not the case, do you have any good reason to return to, perhaps, a pile of rubble?

You must be prepared for the duration of your absence and fight the impulse to go home early. You took an escape route for good reasons, and there’s no point in going back early and possibly, face additional dangers.

Planning for an escape route becomes mandatory if you know your area is exposed to the dangers of a natural disaster. Every bug-out plan being built is a task of personal nature, and it requires ample knowledge of your whereabouts.

Plan for both the expected and unexpected when building an escape route since only by doing so you will be able to reach safety.

This content was originally published here.

/by