My biggest problem with all of the prepackaged disaster preparedness bags aka bug out bags is that there aren’t tailored to the specific circumstances the end user intends to use them in. It isn’t a big stretch to see that a bag intended to help you deal with forest fires will not be the most suitable for a blizzard or a flood. In reality most of these generic survival bags, are survival bags originally designed for the 3 day lost in the woods scenario with a few additional disaster related items thrown in. Some of the items may be useful but usually these bags are mostly unnecessary junk. For any bag to be useful it needs to be tailored to the specific situation it is intended to be used for.
In this treatment we will use the lessons we learned from hurricane Dorian to design a bag specifically designed for an emergency evacuation during, or immediately after a hurricane in an area with a potential for flooding. Before moving into the specific items we should discuss some universal ideas common to all kits. Whatever bag you ultimately decide to use should be the smallest, and least cumbersome bag you can manage. An easy way to select the right bag size is to first amass your supplies, and then get the bag. If you get the bag first you may choose a great bag, but ultimately one that’s bigger than what you need. Whenever the bag is bigger than what we need we tend to fill the extra space with items we really don’t need but think we may want to have with us. Don’t forget the old hiking maxim “ounces equal pounds, and pound equal pain”.
Another important universal is to leave a little space in case you need a little extra room for things you pick up along the way. I do this by keeping a cloth bag folded inside my pack in case I need it later. Using things with multiple uses is another great way to save space. For example a compass that has a mirror and a magnifying glass in it now offers signaling, fire making, reading aid, and first aid. You can reflect light to signal or see your injured face or backside with the mirror. The magnifying glass can focus the sun’s rays in such a way you can use them for solar ignition in fire making, it can also help you read or even find a difficult to see splinter. The last universal I’m going to mention is water, your ability to find it, carry it and disinfect it is paramount to your survival so plan accordingly. You’ll only go about three days without it! In the following paragraphs we’ll explore some items a survivor of hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas may find useful in the aftermath of the storm. The kit items described will be specifically picked for that environment and those circumstances.
Hurricane Dorian is the largest hurricane in recorded history according to several media sources. It brought an apocalyptic amount of water to the Bahamas submerging much of what was once land on those islands. Anyone in a coastal area or an island facing such potential disaster must be ready to deal with water. At the very least a change of clothes in a dry bag would be very helpful. Water proofing all critical gear with dry bags should be a priority. Accounts of people being washed out with the floods abound, as do accounts of people having to swim in order to self-rescue. Having some dry clothes and some basic gear once you found a dry area in which you may survive for the moment might not just be a great moral booster, but a real life saver as well. Don’t forget your clothing is your first line of shelter.
The ability to navigate rushing water, or even bodies of water is critical during floods. Understanding basic fording techniques, and having tools that help facilitate fording might be a smart addition to your bug out bag. Things such as rope, trekking poles, and flotation devices might make the difference between getting to safety and drowning, so think deeply on this. If nothing else, know that adding some air to your dry bag may help turn your bug out bag into a flotation device.
Many people found themselves stranded in hard to find areas. In many cases land locked in areas previously inaccessible without the rising waters. For those people communications gear and signaling devices became critical items. A decent get found, stay found kit should at a minimum have an auditory signaling method such as a whistle, and a visual method such as a signal mirror. I would add to that a flashlight and some chemical glow sticks for signaling at night. If separated from your gear think of contrast and movement. These are the two quickest ways of getting someone’s attention.
I keep an orange bandana in my pocket while hiking to use as a back-up signaling device in addition to all of its other uses. I simply open it up and wave it like a flag. For communications realize that in a disaster of that scale cells phones will in all likelihood be useless. HAM radio would be your best bet, but understand even having a small AM/FM radio might be helpful if it allows you to receive helpful information. Make sure that what, ever your choice is you’ll need to power it and protect it. Have an adequate dry bag and spare batteries.
Our disaster plan will also be tremendously influential on the design of our bug out bag kit items. We often recommend having at least two rally points in our survival plans. One inside the area, and one outside the area. So maps and orienteering devices might find their way into your kit for that reason. Know that while maps and compasses are great if you have useful landmarks with which to orient with they will be a lot less useful if there aren’t any. Note that in an area like the Bahamas after it was devastated by the storm many of the usual street signs, and even buildings were destroyed. A compass or a map at this point may only be useful for general direction finding or orienting on very large land marks that may be quite far away. A GPS device is worth its weight in gold in these situations since it uses satellites to orient rather than just cardinal directions. Program it ahead of time and you won’t regret it. Quick tip: standardize all of your devices to run on the same batteries, and you’ll be able to cannibalize when power is at a premium. AA batteries seem to be the most common and easily available in most places here in Florida. Remote controls, children’s toys, smoke alarms, computer mouses (mice), and a plethora of other devices use them.
Good shoes and first aid kits should also be included as part of your survival gear. My preferred adventure shoes are trail runners, and having used them in various hikes including many on the Florida trail where wading through water is the norm rather than the exception I can recommend them with great confidence. You’ll need shoes while fording through flood waters since the floor beneath you make contain sharp and dangerous debris. An injury in these conditions could very quickly go from bad to worst if the wound were to get infected. A very real possibility considering flood waters are often extremely polluted with raw sewage, runoff, and all manner of assorted nastiness. Having a versatile first aid kit that can help you deal with wounds, and prevent infections should definitely be a part of your kit! If the event lasts longer than a day or two, know that the three biggest killers in a post disaster setting are topical infections, respiratory infections, and diarrhea diseases.
The final thing I’d like to discuss is security. Crime is a very real threat during times where the normal rule of law is not functioning as it normally does. Many criminals will find this chaotic atmosphere a welcomed opportunity to ply their trades. Realize, however than in these extreme circumstances even people that are normally nice and well behaved may resort to crime out of desperation. It will be up to you to take care of yourself and those in your care. Keeping a low profile to avoid unwanted attention is a good practice.
Your bag choice should reflect this attitude. A tactical bag or a very large bag may signal to others that you have things worth stealing. Self-defense devices such as pepper gas certainly have their place in your kit. Legalities and availability will certainly effect your choice but something I think many will be able add to their kit is a large knife. The one I keep in my kit is the cold steel trail master. With a large 9” blade that is heavy enough for chopping and prying tasks it is a highly versatile tool that can also do double duty as a self-defense implement.
I hope that this treatment helped clarify why it is so important to tailor our bags to their specific scenario. If I somehow failed to do this, please try to visualize using the kit I’ve just described while evacuating from an area in order to escape a forest fire in the Southwest and I think you’ll get my point.
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