It’s a foregone conclusion that everyone who wants to be remotely prepared for a disaster needs to have a bug-out bag.
When a worst-case scenario strikes, like a wildfire, hurricane or the aftermath of a tornado, you need to be able to get out of Dodge fast.
In a scenario such as this, a bug-out bag with at least 3 days’ worth of survival supplies can save you the precious moments you need to keep from being trapped in the herd.
Yet there are some scenarios where it’s better to bug in, hunker down, and wait out the proverbial storm. Understanding these scenarios and focusing your mental lens to identify them will help you know when your bug-out bag might be useless!
Someone in Your Family Can’t Be Moved
If someone in your family is injured or medically unable to be moved, your bug-out bag could become unnecessary. Choosing to stay with them to help them weather the disaster might be the moral and wiser choice.
In a scenario like this, your bug-out bag’s only value might be in repurposing the medical and/or survival supplies for bugging in.
In a situation where you need to stay put and provide care for a family member, having the right medical supplies on hand becomes even more critical.
Don’t wait until disaster strikes—add these 10 medical supplies to your stockpile now, as they will be the first to vanish when an emergency hits.
You Don’t Have a Predetermined Destination
Bugging out without a safe destination and a reasonable plan on how to get there is often more dangerous than staying put and riding out the disaster. Especially if there are family members who aren’t present, and you don’t have any sort of predetermined meet-up spot.
You shouldn’t assume that you can just wander out into the countryside to find an ideal location. Even if you do find a perfect little farm with dairy goats, chickens, and a windmill, you can bet the original owner has designs on keeping it for themselves. You can also bet that there will be thousands of other people emerging from urban areas that will also take a shine to it.
The wise move right now is to come up with a plan that includes a safe destination or safe house. Perhaps it’s a family friend’s remote cabin or your grandparents’ farm.
Related: Worst States to Live in if You Have to Defend Your Property
The plan should also include various meet-up spots that everyone in the family knows about. If you do get separated, or you have to bug out at different times, being able to reconnect at a spot everyone in the family knows well will save you time. It could even save lives!
The Weather Makes Travel Too Dangerous
Some types of weather like hurricanes and wildfires can force you to bug out. Yet it might be wiser with a blizzard, or ice storm for you and your bug-out bag to stay home.
There are multiple layers to the decision-making process in a weather-related bug-in scenario like this.
You have to account for what the weather will be like in your current location.
You also need to factor in the available resources you have to support you.
If you’re reasonably warm and safe, even if the municipal mains are down, it might make more sense to bug in. In a pinch, you can use your bug-out bag supplies to help you survive until the situation improves.
You also need to account for what conditions are at your intended destination, and what the travel conditions are on the way to get there. If you can check the extended forecast, be sure to also factor in how the weather will change at key points over the coming three to five days.
There’s Mass Chaos in the Streets
If you live in an urban setting and a massive riot breaks out, the wise move might be to shelter in place, rather than bug out. The last thing you want is to try to escape the city and get caught up in mob rule violence or being mistakenly detained by authorities.
However, your bug-out bag might not be completely useless. Depending on the reason for the civil unrest, you might be able to use your bug-out bag later to escape the city. You might just have to wait a few days for things to calm down. Then you can reassess the situation to determine if you do indeed need to bug out.
If, however, you find yourself with no other choice but to bug out and seek refuge in the wilderness, remember that survival in the wild isn’t just about knowing a few tricks—it’s about understanding how to thrive off the land for the long haul.
That’s why I turn to this essential guide. Unlike typical survival manuals, this resource brings to life the forgotten knowledge of our ancestors who not only survived but thrived in the wild. So, when you need to head for the hills, make sure this handbook is in your backpack; it might just be your key to making it through tough times.
Your Vehicle Is Broke Down or Roads Are Blocked
If you’re in an urban or suburban area without a vehicle, or the roads are badly blocked, bugging out might be a bad idea. If you can’t immediately get away from the massive crowds, you’re just putting yourself at more risk than if you sheltered in place.
Riots and mass civil unrest can easily swallow you up as you attempt to bug out.
There’s also a very real chance that you become a victim of violent crime, or your bug-out bag gets stolen. Not to mention the chances of authorities mistaking you for a looter and detaining you.
If you can’t immediately get to a remote area, or some type of safe travel corridor, you’re better off not using your bug-out bag. In time, things might settle down enough where it is possible to bug out, but you’ll have to assess that on a day-by-day basis.
Martial Law Has Been Declared
When martial law is declared it usually comes with very strict curfew orders, which means you and your bug-out bag need to stay put. This is not the time to imagine yourself as the plucky Hollywood hero who slips out despite curfew orders to find freedom and grace.
Martial law means the military is not in charge of maintaining the rule of law. This is a broadsword approach to maintaining civil obedience, without the arguably gentle protections you might be used to from local law enforcement.
Certain states are likely to be among the first to experience the harsh realities of martial law. If you live in one of these red zones, prepare for the reality of restricted movements and limited access to supplies. Make sure your home is stocked with food, water, and medical supplies. Staying calm and collected is essential.
The wise move in a time like this is to keep your bug-out bag under wraps. You should consider it useless and avoid touching the supplies in it until there’s a significant shift in the disaster management landscape.
You’re Waiting for Rescue
If a natural disaster like a hurricane, wildfire or earthquake cuts off all the safe travel corridors, you and your bug-out bag might not be able to reach a safe destination.
In many of these cases, civil authorities might have an evacuation plan, but they need time for conditions to improve enough for them to get people out.
If you attempt to bug out before the evacuation plan can be implemented, you might not be able to escape the area of devastation. You might also miss your opportunity to be evacuated or miss your chance to receive relief supplies.
The wise move is to stay put and make sure any markings declaring you need evacuation are clearly marked. You might also want to divide your bug-out bag into two smaller containers.
In some evacuations, authorities limit just how much you can take with you. You don’t want to be suddenly dumping stuff out at random. It might even be possible to divide your larger bug-out bag amongst other family members during the evacuation effort.
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My bug out bag is in my car if I am stuck away from home. Otherwise hunker down with my kitchen and warm bed.
Bugging in is a better option for most of us, we have familiar surroundings, some neighbors you know will fight for their homes.
If Socialist Harris and Tienanmen Square TIM Walz get into office there will be more illegals who we will be fighting for our own survival.
The Venezuela armed are not only in Aurora Colorado, they have expanded in Texas too, where they started home base.
How many no show California picture ID illegal voters and mail in ballot voters are going to sway the election?
Better stock up on guns, ammo and butter, if God forbid Harris & Walz get voted in by our American replacement voters the Biden-Harris open border agenda let in.
I don’t worry about Kommifornia much. The number of the Left vastly over numbers the Right so that state as far as I’m concerned is Enemy Territory. The bad though is that the Left emigrates from their to neighboring an not-so-neighborning states, bringing the Left’s ideas to the new state/ You would think these new would know better, having lived there but they often don’t.
The BO is last ditch option in case you have to leave your pile of supplies gained. It is for relocating temporarily. if an INCH bag, that is another subject entirely.
To anonymous,
There are fixed income seniors that can’t move out of California and vote conservative.
It is the San Fransicko clan of Harris, Newscum and Pelosi that have taken over the socialist major cities like San Fran, LA and Sacramento liberals and illegal voters.
The rest of the state is hardworking conservatives, it is the high density housing in those cities that gravitate those loony leftist to vote Demoncrat.
And being a sanctuary state is unfortunate too.
I would say have a bag packed in case you need it but realize that most of the time staying put is going to be the better option. Being versatile and adaptable to the situation at hand is better than thinking you can have a pack with everything you will ever need. The things most people keep in a go bag I keep in my pickup. I have acknowledged that I cant make it very far on foot and therefore my tools and supplies stay in the pickup ready to get out of Dodge if I absolutely have to. But, being burnt out or flooded out are about the only things that would cause me to leave home.
I should have said a few of my tools and supplies are always in the pickup, most are at home where I intend to be.
If your in the vehicle during a SHTF;
When the vehicle breaks down which tool will you carry that is the most important?
On foot you have so much physical carrying capacity besides the heavy bug out bag on our backs.
When the vehicle breaks down do we decide to leave it in tack or burn it?
The prepper fantasy is typical of these articles as we get tired of the same, same repeated articles.
Now this article tends to dismiss all our prepper bug out dreams of the BOB, or bug out bag mystery of the prepper world. Survivalist cottage industry was build mostly on the BOB. This article puts a new twist on the prepper world or maybe we should rethink what are we really prepping?
What else are we going to do if we bug out and carry our limited items that will sustain us to the next prepper oasis of the final or temporary location of safety.
The basic question is what is our true basic foundations of prepping?
To be temporary self sufficient bugging in the home or bugging out to an unknown location. Whether we have built up food stores at home or an apartment that is all temporary. Bugging outside of our comfort zones are in danger from the fantasied bug out locations. Now occupied by illegals, terrorist, criminal armed gangs, thieves, road bandits.
What age group we fall into, if your over age 20-30 physically can you fight your way out and how much ammo can you carry for several fights to the bug out location?
Your Insurance Might Actually Be Useless
You may never get into an accident,
you may never have to face the wrath of Mother Nature,
you might not have anyone left the benefit from you life insurance when you pass away…
yeah…
but just like a bug out bag,
better to have it an not need it then need it and not have it
Well said WJBN – BOB is insurance for disaster.
Good stuff. Thank you.
The primary reason I see for a bug-out bag where I live would be if my house was flooded or a forest fire threatened my home and I needed supplies in that event. I live an area where civil unrest is unlikely, but if it were, I do know my bug out destination.
The inability to bug out does not make the contents of one’s bug-out bag any less valuable. It is not a question of those things being useful; it is merely a question of where one might be when one uses them. If one has chosen well, the bag has a collection of wonderful survival tools and supplies for all sorts of situations.
Due to my wifes MS and my old age there is no way we could bug out to anywhere. Unless the house is in danger of burning down, we intend to bug in.
Bugging is has lots of advantages. Like no carrying heavy packs, minimal exposure to weather and/or bad people, and having more than just three days of supplies.
Bugging out to me means becoming a refugee. I will not surrender my freedom for food. So, Me and mine will be bugging in.
Well now, I am very disappointed after reading this article. It is has absolutely no basis! The entire reason to have a bug out bag is 1) of you are forced to leave your home in a hurry or 2) you are away from home trying to get back when shit hits the fan.
Never in all my years have I ever heard someone anyone claim it is needed for any other reason.
And if you have one and are staying home you can still use your supplies so it is never useless!
For those saying they will bug in and won’t need a BOB, have you been paying attention for the past 3 weeks? I am pretty sure must of the folks in Western NC and East Tennessee never thought they would need to bug out in a hurry, either, but look where they are. For all those who lost their homes, it didn’t matter how many reeps they had stored at home when their house went floating down the river, washed right off its foundation. And their trusty vehicles didn’t help very much when the roads and bridges were washed out. Just a few months before that, folks in Riudoso, NM, were scrambling for their lives when a wildfire (actually 2 fires) came through town and wiped out homes and a week later, rains washed out what was left of part of downtown. And let’s not forget Lahaina, Hawaii, last year. And Paradise, California a few years before that. At this point, natural disasters are more likely to occur than social chaos, presenting a need to get out of Dodge in a hurry. And THAT is the best reason to have a BOB ready to go at a moment’s notice these days. There is no telling what might happen and when ….. tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, floods, mud slides. Hurricanes and blizzards can be predicted, warnings announced, last minute preparations performed. Those, by and large, can be handled by bugging in. It is the unpredictable emergencies we should all be prepping for these days. Social unrest and chaos might happen eventually but, personally, I think those are less likely to sneak up on us than Mother Nature.
And yes, I have my own preps in place and, of course, I would prefer to bug in, but I also keep a Get Home Bag ready and I throw it in my vehicle whenever I go on trips longer than a few dozen miles. I want to be able to get home AND I want to have a few emergency supplies with me in case something happens to my home while I am away.
I Tell NOONE about all/any of my “Preps”.
Food, Water(100gal)(2ea 50gal Drums), Ammo, Meds, Batteries, Gas(30gal), T paper, etc.
I keep 5ea – 5gal cans full of gas out back. And my Van Tank, Always Full as possible.
Never Below 1/2 Full.
Several BOB’S. Bug Out Bags.
Emergency “Coms” Radios.
An Old – “Survival Van” – Stocked Full – My daily Vehicle.
I could survive a month – just From It.
Food, Water, Guns, Ammo, Gear, +.
E.Tenn. – Hills & Woods.
Security – I am 10yr,+ weekly Combat Competition Shooter/Instr.
KIDS – WARNING – If you have neighbors who have Kids, especially – Remember :
“Asking turns to Begging, Begging turns to Taking.”
Security:
For Roving Gangs :
I have/keep “Thousands” of 9mm & 5.56 Rifle ammo stored.
Full Class IV Body Armor.
DHS Certified Pistol/Rifle Instructor.
Combat Competition Shooter. Weekly now for 10yr.
Wife was Nurse in Vietnam so I have Medical covered.
She also runs our “Intelligence Unit” – 🙂
Daughter – Medic and Hospital Helicopter Pilot.
Anything I am missing ?
Wife – I got lucky.
I Told Her – “I” will do the shooting”.
“Your Job” is – to Patch me UP 🙂
SHE is No Wimp, Smart and “Tough as Nails”.
Another Hint – If you have other family near-by – Talk to them about a plan.
Potential Meeting Place, etc. Pool Resources, etc.
Remember Survival “Rule of 3’s” :
3 Minutes w/o Air
3 Days w/o Water
3 Wks w/o Food.
And “For Me” I say – “3 Seconds without Ammo” 🙂
“MY” biggest concern ? Being “Burned Out” by a Gang.
I carry a bug home bag, I’m on the road all the time so I carry the equipment I will need to hike home if my truck is out of commission. Numerous fly in drop off hunts in Alaska during the 16 years I lived there, gave me the experience to but together a good back pack kit for this sort of task.