Prepping and bugging out

[ChocoBro]

Hey there

 

I always was one to go over the top, and four years ago when I realised the world was going "to hell in a handbasket" and started studying again, I spent all my money on a massive bug-out-plan.

 

I just started restocking my bag with fresh gear today, since some had expired. I realise now how over the top I went back then.

 

I have three bug-out-bags (one for me weighing a whopping 60 pounds, one for my wife, and a lighter "get home bag") as well as a compact survival kit I carry with me almost always.

 

Well, it's never a bad thing to have, per se, is it. We are recommended to always have a bag carrying three days supplies ready to be grabbed and taken without losing much time, containing food, water, maybe some clothes, some medical supplies and your most important documents, for example. Even organisations like FEMA, or here in Germany the "Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe" recommend having such a bag ready in case anything happens, from a large gas leak to, well, basically the end of the world as we know it.

 

Emergency bag link (german)

http://www.bbk.bund.de/DE/Ratgeber/VorsorgefuerdenKat-fall/Pers-Notfallvorsorge/Notgepaeck/Notgepaeck_einstieg.html

Emergency home supplies link (german)

http://www.bbk.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/BBK/DE/Publikationen/Broschueren_Flyer/Checkliste_Ratgeber.pdf?__blob=publicationFile

 

I know that Americans usually see it as the most normal thing in the world to have months of food at home. But in Germany, nobody ever even considers the remotest idea of a disaster happening here.

 

So what about you, have you got such an emergency bag ready? Do you have two weeks supplies at home in case of any disaster, be it war, failure of the electric grid, or the worst blizzard for a century?

[NSSewer]

Welcome Brother Ruben! I have both an emergency FEMA bag with EVERYTHING and canned meat, fruit, and veggies. And gallons of water. I added extra items when the Ebola past through my state...yes I panicked along with everyone else, and added items...just in case...

[Justasister]

Brother, you were not the only one that went over the top.  At one time I had nothing less than 30 gallons (113.562 liters) in my home for emergency. However I realized that I was running out of storage places so I started drinking up the water. 

Since water is essential I am looking into a more alternative way to store the water and milk for longer period of time.

 

As for the rest of the items, I think that I have more than two weeks, so hopefully I am prepared. If not then I trust in Jehovah to carry me through whatever happens.

 

Here are sites that help me build my supplies:

 

http://www.ready.gov/kit

[Miss Mouse]

Hi Ruben we have a pretty good sized grab and go bag packed. Considering we live in a potential earth quake zone and have been told to prepare for the BIG one. A few years ago here in Canada there was a flood in Alberta NO one expected it . It was in an area of flat prairie ( what could go wrong) well the rains came so fast and furiously the river rose dramatically and flooded ....many were not prepared it was a huge wake up call. Jw.Org at the time put up a video clip about the devastation and clean up efforts.

It's your culture to buy fresh every day ours more weekly ....... So what you have done is practical I think in preparation for an unexpected event. I think my bag is 60# as well ..... Too heavy I'm sure but my saving grace it has wheels. everything but the kitchen sink in there. .......for water we put a water purifier .....it cost around $100 as there is lots of fresh water here we live close to the river.

Officials now say we should be prepared for at least four days even longer.....the FS has said be sure yo be prepared . It just makes good sense. Our elders have an extensive list of contacts and have given the congregation specific instructions where to meet ( safe place) and once a year we are encouraged to be prepared . Elders help everyone appreciate the importance of being prepared.

May never need it but it's there if we do.

[ChocoBro]

. .......for water we put a water purifier .....it cost around $100 as there is lots of fresh water here we live close to the river.

 

 

Yes, I bought one for around 120 EUR (they're more expensive here) as well, a well-known brand. Government institutions often state to carry "one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days", but this is not possible in my opinion, since that's around 12 kilogrammes or 24 pounds just water you're carrying. For that reason I have about 4 liters water with me which is basically sufficient for the first two days just drinking and a water purification system and some chemical tablets.

 

So when it comes to water I packed

 

4 liters of drinking water in my backpack

1 7.5 gallon plastic container to be taken in the car separately

 

1 high quality water purification ceramic filtration system

1 simple water purification "filterpen" system as a back-up

1 pack of paper coffee filters

1 tiny flask of silver water purification

1 pack of water purification tablets

2 cans of energy drinks in case I need a pick-me-up on that fateful day.

 

I also packed the remaining cigarette filters I had left over since I thought these might come in handy in making a water or air filtration system. They don't weigh much

 

Probably sounds like overkill, but when I packed my bag I did so considering my wife might lose hers on the way, plus I figure some brothers won't manage to get theirs in time and some older people may not be able to carry as much. Since I'm still pretty young and strong, I thought I'd take a larger load.

 

The really cool thing I'm glad I got is a military spec-ops grade backpack (olive, not camo though). It has numerous molle attachment systems and removable side-bags that you can re-attach to each other and create a separate field-backpack. Meaning if I for some reason I decide I need to drop weight and travel light, I can re-arrange my bag within a minute or so.

 

Well, better get back to it. My wife doesn't like it if this big clunky thing stands around the living room for too many days.

[ChocoBro]

I somehow can not get how so many brothers shrug their shoulders or shake their heads when I mention three weeks food supply at home. I just rechecked my supplies and they can easily last me and my wife for 6 weeks if we ration. And yet the pantry is half empty!? I think that everybody I talk to about this totally overestimates the money value as well as the size / volume of such a food supply. We have a bunch of canned tuna, vegetables, spagghetti, instant noodles and rice. It's seriously not that much, people. In Asia, they buy rice by the 40 pound-sack. That's instantly a two - three month food supply for one person....

 

But you can just go on thinking the supermarkets will always be stocked in the Great Tribulation or whatever. 70 years ago, nobody anywhere was this comfortable, I swear. My dad was a post-war born child (born October 1945, a few days after, my grandma fled from Karlsbad CZ to Germany) and grew up lacking everything. That generation knew how quickly the luxuries of modern-day life could disappear and not come back for months or even years.

 

Our generation has become so comfortable. Always some money on our bank account, always plenty of food on the shelves in the stores. What do I buy today? Milk with 3.5% fat or 3.8% fat? Skimmed milk? Soy milk? Goat's milk? Oh look, they have camel milk on offer this week, how exotic!? I wonder what it tastes like....

 

People, this entire system is extremely vulnerable. Two to three weeks food supply can fit into one cupboard, it is not a basement full of food. If you budget well, it will cost you roughly $100 per person. That is as much money as some people spend for a single pair of jeans.

[Mykyl]

When the FDS makes it absolutely clear with no room for thinking otherwise then I would agree. However nobody has any clear instruction on stockpiling for the GT. For current emergencies absolutely. A three day supply is recommended.

It has no bearing on not thinking straight or ahead etc. no way could you prepare for something we have zero knowledge on how it will play out. Just not possible.

In the meantime I am not going to get into debt when I can barely pay for things now to get stockpiles of food. That's not to say I don't have anything. We continue to add long term stuff to our bag as and when we can afford it. We certainly don't spend 100 on jeans. I think the emphasis is on SOME people do that.

Those who come into the truth today may not have time to prepair anything... Does that mean they are stuffed. I don't think so.

Saying all that I do not see any issue that if you are in a position to do something and stockpile then by all means do it. Just don't over worry about others abilities to do so.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Mykyl