Evacuation (Bugging Out)
Some people who are preparing for a severe pandemic would prefer to shelter-in-place at a different location than their primary residence. Others may find that an emergency during the pandemic (fires, hurricane, etc.) may force them to leave their homes. The following information is designed to help people decide what they should bring with them when they are evacuating.
Bugging out | Backpacks | Rule of 3 | Clothing and shelter | Water | Food | Orientation | References
Rapid evacuation is sometimes referred to as "bugging out". The supplies one evacuates with are sometimes collectively referred to as the "bug-out bag" or BOB. Ideally, one's bug-out bag should be packed and ready to go at all times.
Most people expect to be able to use their cars to reach their safe haven (a cabin, family member's house, etc.). If so, then one can bring a fair amount of supplies and can expect to reach one's destination relatively quickly. However, in a pandemic, travel by car may become difficult very quickly. If many people decide to flee a large city, roads may quickly become parking lots, as happened during Hurricane Rita. If the electrical grid goes down, gas pumps won't work. Thus, people may find that they need to walk at least part of the way to their final destination. To prepare for this eventuality, a bug-out "bag" should actually be a backpack that can carry all necessary survival supplies.
Backpacks are distinguished from "daypacks" by their capacity and how they fit. Backpacks can typically hold between 35 - 85 pounds. They usually have a belt that is attached in the waist area that helps distribute the load. For people who don't do much backpacking, it would be probably be a good idea to go to a sporting goods store with knowledgeable staff and pick one out that fits your frame. Make sure you walk around with it loaded with stuff before you buy it. You should be realistic about how many pounds you can actually carry for 10 miles or more per day and buy accordingly.
This rule states that we can live 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without warmth, 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food. In a stressful situation, it is easy to forget the very different time scales for essential supplies. For example, it is not uncommon for people stranded in the snow during a blizzard to leave their car after missing one meal because they are concerned about starving. Sadly, many of these individuals freeze to death while looking for help. Had they remained in their cars, their odds of survival would have been much greater as the car provides a shelter from the blizzard. It is highy unlikely that they would have died of starvation.
The rule of 3 suggests the following priority for supplies for the backpack:
1. clothing and shelter
2.
water
3.
food
There is a temptation to include everything one might find useful. This temptation should be resisted as your ability to hike quickly will depend critically on how much weight you are carrying. You will not be camping for fun, you will be trying to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. Focus on the the items you absolutely must have for survival. In addtion to to the three categories above, this may include prescription medications. An additional container can be filled with other goods you might like to have with you. However, this should be abandoned if it is necessary to leave your car and hike.
Most people who die while hiking, die of hypothermia. Exposure can kill quickly. Unless you live in an area with very mild winters, you will need to consider the possibility of a winter hike as a pandemic is most likely to occur in the winter. There are three protections from exposure: clothing, sleeping bag and the tent. Layers of clothing work best. Cotton should be avoided because it takes a long time to dry if it gets wet. Wool and synthetic fibers are usually preferred. Sleeping bags are rated by the lowest temperature that they will keep you warm at. Note, since you will be carrying this on your back, you will need a special sleeping bag that is very light weight and can be compressed to fit into a small space. Most tents are considered "3 - season". Obviously, these will not do for winter. You will need an all season tent that is lightweight and can stowed in a backpack.
The next priority is water. The average person needs between one half to two gallons of water per day. One way to determine if you are not drinking enough water is to note the color of your urine. If it is dark, you need to drink more water. There are water filtration systems and tablets that can purify water from a lake or stream, but one should not count on access to water. Although it's heavy, one should bring as much water as they can possibly carry. Water weighs 2.2 pounds per liter and 8.3 pounds per gallon. People living in desert regions might want to go lighter on the sleeping back and tent and heavier on the water than people in other regions. If hiking in snow, additional water can be obtained by melting snow in a stainless steel water bottle. Matches and fire starting aids are thus useful. If hiking in the desert, additional water can be obtained from a solar still.
The last priority is food. Altough most people will be able to reach their safe haven within 3 weeks, having some food will likely be necessary as winter hiking will require additional calories. Emergency food bars with up to 3600 calories can be purchased. Energy bars, trail mix and dry noodles are also good choices.
A lot of people who die hiking, die because they get lost. This is much easier to do in the woods than most people realise. A GPS device is potentially a useful thing to have, but don't count on it working. Get a compass, some topographical maps and practice your hike, if at all possible. A small, powerful flashlight might be useful for reading the maps. Anyone who thinks they may need to "bug-out" should practice hiking and improving their physical condition.
The contents of a BOB for a rapid evacuation have been much discussed in Flublogia. See these references:
Bug Out Bag, is yours 'refreshed' and in tow?
From PFI_Forum
Bug Out Bags and experiences
From PFI_Forum
Contents of Bug-Out Bag
Old Fluwiki thread started by Ricewiki including lists from:
EmilyH | Poppy | EOD | I’m-workin’-on-it | Sahara | Cygnet
Other references:
"Deep Survival. Who lives, Who Dies, and Why" by Laurence Gonzales.
The Complete Walker IV by Colin Fletcher and Chip Rawlins
Wikipedia
Emergency Rations Aren't as Gross as You Thought: Taste Test
The Desert and Desert Survival 3
Collect Water in a Solar Still
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