Zombies, Apocalypse, & Bugout Bags… Oh My!

Let’s save the zombies and apocalypse for last, but a bugout bag for preparedness and that just-in-case moment…You had me at prepare. My wife was a girl scout and went all the way and I can assure you there is nothing in this house that we live in that doesn’t meet the standards of a mother and a girl scout. We need it just in case, saving us time and effort to get it when we need it. “An ounce of preparedness is a pound of cure.” she would say. So that attitude goes from the house to our cars, to her purse, and to my pack and yes we have safety gear, preparedness gear, and gadgets packed away. Now you may be wondering that I’m making it sound like I got some cool outrageous rocket launcher, flying inflatable pontoon tank with zombie radar… Not at all, our home is like our bunker and we have our necessities and backup and in our vehicles, we have the basics as anyone else would, which says “I will not struggle and I’m making it home.” From the basic jumper cables to a blanket, extra oil, antifreeze, and small toolbox… oh yea! our bugout bags! For that just-in-case moment, we need to leave the car and we are on foot. Now understand this bug-out-pack has the making of I live in the suburbs outside a little big city, so nothing hardcore here, I will not survive the Mojave desert or the warmest part of Antarctica.

So one of the most important items in the pack is the first aid kit, all cars should have them, and I carry a boo-boo pouch in my pack at all times. Try walking around with a cut finger looking for something to stop the little bleeding that is now dripping everywhere and now becoming a big nuisance. The kit comes with all the basics plus extra gauze, scissors, ointments, tape, and such that I add, and a tourniquet which I hope I never have to use.

I do not carry a fire starter I would use a lighter, we have plenty of flashlights and I don’t carry a compass… I know this doesn’t sound like a bug-out bag and your right I would say it’s more of a get-home bag. I have blankets in the car and an extra jacket if I need to bring one. I live in the northeast so you can bet when winter comes around you need to think of cold and snow and yes I have a shovel in the trunk. Now don’t get me wrong if I was camping or hiking I would carry all those gadgets and necessities to keep me alive, but for now, I don’t see myself in that environment as much as I see my suburbs and sidewalks.

So where does the preparedness begin and end? I guess we have to look at each scenario that we may come to day to day. During my over-the-road trucking days, it was like camping in a big rolling tent, and I had to think of what was necessary if I had to stop for my break in remote places. Truck stops were the vacation destinations for drivers, a great place to re-supply, but many times the day and night just can’t get you there for your break, let alone the room for you to stay, clean yourself up, and rest. I can remember many times my breaks, breakdowns, and sleep were on the side of the road, or maybe on an off-ramp. I remember freezing to death in Syracuse, NY, and at the border of Nebraska and Wyoming at a rest stop, my truck turned off overnight when I was asleep and I woke up blue! my hands were so numb I had to try to turn the truck key back on with pliers and it was painful. I was lucky but I knew a co-worker who wasn’t as lucky and got frostbite when he was stranded in a blizzard in Buffalo NY. I know trying to sleep hot and no AC is more uncomfortable than trying to sleep cold… that’s just my opinion, and all the time out there I just wanted to get the job done and get home time to see my family, it’s a hard living when you miss loved ones.

So let’s get to the Zombies and the Apocalypse, I would want to be home with my family hunkering down. Let’s get this straight, I’m not going out hunting zombies, I’m hiding from them. I get that the just-in-case moment is critical here if I were found, so in that scenario, my get-home pack would most definitely change to a military arsenal pack even though my knowledge is limited here and I know that I can’t buy grenades at Walmart.

I would want to be able to fish and hunt if I was out in the wilderness for food, I would need fire for many things. I would also want to be comfortable with the elements during the day and as well thru the night. So just food, water, and shelter here would take a lot of thought as well as room in the pack. So I would want that compass now and the fire starter, It’s all about survival now and finding safety in between chaos and I’m sure this scenario comes with struggle, and that to me is scary enough with all the hiccups the day can throw at you even without the zombies and Apocalypse. I remember many years ago I met a hiker that trekked the Appalachian Trail. He told me that what he started out with in his pack became cumbersome and heavy and little by little, he started to just downsize and throw away gear from time to time throughout his journey. Trekking Trails overnight for weeks on end is about as close to just living off the grid and the planning and preparation are just at another level and out of my league here. I like camping and for me let’s say that is my practice for D-day even though I pray that never comes. Let’s hope we can all get along.

Need to PACK HOLD CARRY more on your pack for the zombies and the Apocalypse?

So whether you are on the go for the day or for weeks planning goes a long way, and being prepared will get you thru the long haul safely. I get the bug-out-bag, I get the get-home-bag, I get it! We shall survive. If I could put straps on my house and carry it I would, it has everything I need, but most importantly what lives inside it is what I need the most, and I will provide and protect it… and OH MY! get home to it when I’m away. Happy New Year! to y’all and be safe and adventurous wherever the day takes you and be prepared.