Bug Out or Stay Home?

Where do you live? Way far out in the country, in a city, or in a suburb in between? I'm willing to bet that most of us live in pretty populated areas, because statistically that would just make sense. So what is your plan in case of an emergency? For many, they have chosen to bug out. To get away from all the people that will be causing all the problems.

Today among preppers and survivalists there is a mentality that getting out and getting as far away from population centers as possible is the best plan. In many cases this may be true, but most people just assume that their prowess and skill in escaping a disaster center will overcome any obstacle. As a result every prepper has a bug out bag and one or two escape routes planned. Although it is a great option to have, I think most people underestimate how crazy it can get and how fast. In many emergency situations, getting up and leaving just isn't an option, especially if you have a family. What if the emergency starts while you are at work? Getting home back to your family would be its own chore.

If your primary plan in an emergency is to bug out, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself to determine if it truly is the best plan. First, ask yourself, where is your bug out location? Is it at least 15-20 miles away from other people, and well off the beaten path? If not, then during a mass exodus it is guaranteed that your location will be found which defeats the purpose of getting away from people in the first place. Secondly, is your location already set up? Is it ready for you to arrive with everything you need to survive on your own? This is really important, because I hear from people all the time that they just plan on going out into the woods as far as they can and then making camp. This is a short term plan, and just won’t work for most of us because we are just not use to living in the wilderness for months on end. Last, what you need to ask yourself is, are your routes of escape truly foolproof? In my case, I would have to go through a lot of populated areas to even get out of civilization. And, every minute you spend in those areas leaves you open to people who want what you have on your back. Also remember that most people will be trying to get out at the same time, using the same routes as you, making it even harder for you.

Now this of course all depends on the situation. There will be cases when bugging out is your only option. So it can be a useful tool to keep in the toolbox. But it is just as important, if not more, to prepare at home. It is at home where you already know the terrain, your neighbors, and where supplies may or may not be, as well as a hundred other little things that could save your life, compared to an area where you are not familiar. Your house can also store a lot more food and water than your back, or even your car.

This brings us to the first thing I pointed out during the beginning of the post. That most of us are not in the middle of nowhere. We are in fact surrounded by a lot of people, and those people most likely have not prepared at all. So what can those of us who live in populated areas do to prepare to stay put and still survive? That is will be the topic that I will be discussing with my next couple posts, and the point of this blog. What can we suburbanites do, when our only option is to stay put and deal with the masses?   

-BE