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THE 24 C' s and the 4 B's of Packing Emergency Bags (Bug Out/SHTF)

Many years ago, I was a young mother with 5 children and wife to a Deputy/Crime Scene Analyst. I knew that if there was an emergency like a hurricane, he would be called in for the duration of the storm and I would be on my own with children ages 11, 9, 5, 4, and newborn. That's how paramilitary jobs work.

So I went to the store and bought a bunch of totes (one for each person) and I had the children put in a pair of pants, 2 shirts/socks/underpants, a pair of shoes, a stuffed animal, a small blanket and pillow, and any healthcare stuff like a brush, toothpaste and toothbrush. My tote held my clothes and shoes, a medical bag, a healthcare bag, a pop-up stove, a small pot, 6 small cups, a variety of dry goods, matches and firestarters, and a gallon of water. At the time, I didn't think past that because we had a Suburban and I could fit 5 kids and 10 totes if needed.

We had these totes at the ready for many years. They came in handy when Hurricane Charlie, a Cat 4, brought rain, wind, and no power for nearly a week back in 2003. We ended up staying in place, but having batteries, flashlights, battery-operated fans, and water/non-perishable foods literally saved us! My youngest was just three months old then so diapers and wipes were so great to have when water was limited. But I honestly was not prepped enough back then. Its not just about batteries and flashlights and creature comforts. It's literally about SURVIVAL.

Now that two kids are grown and out of the house, there are 5 of us left to fend for (plus an elderly mother-in-law). We don't have the huge Suburban anymore as our family vehicle (it's only used as a farm vehicle now). We have a double cab truck with an open bed which is not great for escaping with your stuff. The cab would be full of people, no room for totes or bags! So I am hoping to get a bed cover soon that would be rain proof.

That being said, I am asked quite often about what is in our go-bags. It seems to me that you would pack what you use the most at your house in terms of clothing, medicine & first aid, health & beauty, paperwork, and electronics including batteries. But I've now been asked to basically empty the contents of my bags so that a family member can duplicate what I've done, so I decided to make another post upcoming this week to show everything. Due to the fact that I live in the woods with limited internet, I will have to take all the pictures and or video, then go into town and upload over strong Wi-Fi or a friend's cable connection. Give me some time to get this together, but until then I highly recommend watching the video below from Really Big Monkey. He goes through his system for what to pack, how much to pack, and the reasons according to your ETC (environment, terrain, and climate). Everyone's SHTF bags will be different, as this is a custom job fitting the needs of each family and each individual in that family. You will also need to consider pets and possibly extended family members as well.

Our Local Terrain

Start 2018 right. Start planning and implementing those plans TODAY for anything that may come your way, including financial or environmental disasters. This is one thing I can promise you won't regret doing!

Here's the link, enjoy the "24 C' s and the 4 B's of Packing Emergency Bags"! (You'll probably want to have pencil and paper ready while watching so you can write down the list)...