I am confused about the concept of bugging out. In my opinion, the decision to leave your home and go to the country or someplace else is the most critical decision to be made. I cannot envision leaving my house for a few weeks or a few months and expect to come back and have it still standing or unoccupied. If I leave with my family, I would assume I need to have all the gear necessary to survive for a long time. How do you transport 55 gal.drums of kerosene or water? What about the untold number of 50lb. bags? I hope someone understands what I'm concerned about.

-- Mary (broome@gateway.net), January 20, 1999

Answers

I understand completely. I'm glad somebody finally said what I've been thinking for so long. I am not leaving my home. I will defend it, but not be run out of it. I think some people feel the bug out bag might be necessary if we were to get in such a disaster mode that we had to be under martial law, or apartment dwellers might have to leave their belongings in the city and make a quick escape. Just a thought. Proving who you are at a time like that would be important.

-- gilda jessie (jess@listbot.com), January 20, 1999.

Mary;

typically, one has another place to go and only needs to carry 3-7 days of necessities in th ebag. If you do NOT have a place to go that is prepared at this time, you would need to SERIOUSLY consider preplacing a trailer or camper someplace. Alternatively, you would need to consider 2 vehicles, using one as (or to pull) a camper, and teh other to pull a utility trailer with the selected materials for your survival.

Understand, bugging out may NOT be an option as things come apart. You may need to leave EARLY, before things start to come apart. Clearly, timing is of the essence, and is an art not a science.

the reason that departure needs to be timed is that, should things start to come unravelled the normal and apropriate response from the authorities might be to close down major transportation arteries in an effort to "quarantine" the unrest in one area, to avoid "contaigion" and spread of unrest. Regardless of how wrong headed this aproach might be.

Chuck

PS Clearly, there are a LOT of considerations I didn't get into. If you want, we can e-mail base a further discussion.

-- Chuck, night driver (rienzoo@en.com), January 20, 1999.

"There are only two possible times to 'bug out'--too early and too late'"

- Unknown (I read it somewhere on the 'net)

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), January 20, 1999.

(1) You are living outside of "Dodge"

(2)You plan to move very soon to the "sticks".

(3)You plan to move at the last minute to the "sticks". (4) You plan to stay put and stick it out in "Dodge".

So I have a few questions like (1) How many can afford to pick up stakes an move to the boonies? (2) What the hell are they going to do when they get there? It seems that those in the log cabins are screaming at us city folk that we are "dead meat" if we don't move NOW. The very respected Cassandra site says we should stay in our neighborhoods and work with each other in the community. I would like to see more info on survival in the city as opposed to run for the hills.

-- PeeWee Rambo (...@...), January 20, 1999.

Pee Wee Cassandra is already in the hills. So why is she telling you to stay put. Do you have any way to store water. If you're in a large city or suburbs, there is no way for any government agency to supply you with water. It is logistically impossible.

-- dave (wootendave@hotmail.com), January 20, 1999.

Bug out bag has other applications. Fire for instance. Lots of candles, fire places/stove, other jerryrigged survival devices. If you or neighbor goofs, at least you have something when you run.

Or how about that nice propane tank, keeps you nice and warm, maybe runs that propane fridge you bought, and if you were really connected provides some electricity through your fuel cell setup. Life is still good. Neighbors are jealous but haven't bothered you since you made it clear it was their problem when you wasted the puns who came demanding food. But they are getting colder and hungrier. Suddenly it dawns on them, if you won't share it then no one will have it. But they can't get near because your perimeter alarm tips you off. But that tank, such a nice target. Crack, Ping, hiss, Crack ping, hisssss.

You just might want to try bugging out - toasted in a flash or maybe shot - better odds on the maybe.

Ain't Y2K grand?

-- Other Reasons (saveyour@butt.com), January 20, 1999.

This thread may answer a few questions -- and may raise even more -- Routine readiness in a severe winter region.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), January 21, 1999.