Bug-out bag

Off-the-shelf Red Cross preparedness kit .

A bug-out bag is a portable kit that contains the items one would require to survive for seventy-two hours when evacuating from a disaster. It is also known as a 72-hour kit, a grab bag, a battle box, and other popular names include "Personal Emergency Relocation Kits" (PERKs) GO Bag and GOOD (Get Out Of Dodge) bag. The focus is on evacuation, rather than long-term survival, distinguishing the bug-out bag from a survival kit, a boating or aviation emergency kit, or a fixed-site disaster supplies kit. The kits are also popular in the survivalism subculture.

The term "bug-out bag" is related to, and possibly derived from, the "bail-out bag" emergency kit many military aviators carry. The concept passed into wide usage among other military and law enforcement personnel, though the "bail-out bag" is as likely to include emergency gear for going into an emergency situation as for escaping an emergency.

Rationale

The primary purpose of a bug-out bag is to allow one to evacuate quickly if a disaster should strike. It is therefore prudent to gather all of the materials and supplies that might be required to do this into a single place, such as a bag or a few storage containers. The recommendation that a bug-out bag should contain enough supplies for seventy two hours arises from advice from organizations responsible for disaster relief and management that it may take them up to seventy two hours to reach people affected by a disaster and offer help. The bag's contents may vary according to the region of the user, where as someone evacuating from the path of a hurricane may have different supplies than someone one that lives in an area prone to tornadoes or wildfires.

In addition to allowing one to survive a disaster evacuation, a bug-out bag may also be utilized when sheltering in place as a response to emergencies such as house fires, blackouts, tornadoes, and other severe natural disasters.

Criticism

While many preppers or survivalists feel that having a BoB (Bug-out-Bag) on hand is a requirement, others in the survival community feel that having such a bag does little more than provide a false sense of security . Arguments against spending significant resources on creating and maintaining a BoB typically focus on the impractical nature of actually using a BoB for its intended purpose (i.e. to "get out of Dodge") and the fact that the vast majority of preppers have little to no field time with their BoBs. There are prevailing arguments that many bags contain large amounts of heavy gear that would do little more than slow down the survivalist and that most BoBs have never even seen as much as two miles of trail time, let alone days of survival. Unfortunately, water is a key component of survival kits that contributes to their weight. Water weighs 1 kg (2.2 lb) per liter. Many experts recommend you carry up to 4 liters, or about 1 gallon, per person, per day.

Off-the-shelf Bug-out-Bags can be cost effective and well designed to reduce weight. As with any product whether purchased or self-made, one should use it to ensure that it will hold up in conditions for which it is intended as well as to familiarize one's self with the equipment.

Typical contents

The suggested contents of a bug-out bag vary, but most of the following are usually included:

• Enough food and water to last for 72 hours. This includes:
  • Water for washing, drinking and cooking. Canada recommends 2 litres per person per day for drinking plus an additional 2 litres per person per day for cleaning and hygiene. New Zealand recommends 3 litres per person per day for drinking US recommends 1 gallon (3.78 litres) per person per day.
  • Non-perishable food
  • Water purification supplies
  • Cooking supplies
• A first aid kit
• Fire starting tool (e.g., matches, ferrocerium rod, lighter, etc.)
• A disaster plan including location of emergency centers, rallying points, possible evacuation routes, etc.
• Professional emergency literature explaining what to do in various types of disaster, studied and understood before the actual disaster but kept for reference
• Maps and travel information
• Standard camping equipment, including sanitation supplies
• Weather appropriate clothing (e.g., poncho, headwear, gloves, etc.)
• Bedding items such as sleeping bags and blankets
• Enough medicine to last an extended evacuation period
• Medical records
• Pet, child, and elderly care needs
• Battery or crank operated radio
• Lighting (battery or crank operated flashlight, glow sticks)
• Firearms and appropriate ammunition
• Cash and change, as electronic banking transactions may not be available during the initial period following an emergency or evacuation
• Positive Identification, such as drivers license, state I.D. card, or social security card
• Fixed-blade and folding knife
• Duct Tape and rope/paracord
• Plastic tarps for shelter and water collection
• Slingshot, pellet gun, blowgun or other small game hunting equipment
• Wire for binding and animal traps

See also

• Retreat (survivalism)
• Survival kit
• Survivalism
• Ten Essentials

External links

• International Red Cross Preparedness Plan
• Canadian Red Cross 72 Hour Kit Recommendations
• FEMA 72 Hour Kit Recommendations
• Ready.gov Emergency Kit Overview
• Comprehensive Bug Out Bag Resource List From the Best Sources Online