BOB advice please

[Mr B]

hey everyone ater looking througth this forum and finding lots of usefull information im still a little bit confused is a bug out bag intended to get you to a new location were you'll permantly stay or so you can survive a few days before returning home? apologise if its mentioned somewere else or sounds a stupid question

[preppingsu]

Most people will have a bug out bag packed and ready to go should they need to vacate their house in a hurry. That might be down to a fire, chemical spill etc etc. This will enable you to be more comfortable wherever you go. It might contain a change of clothes, small wash kit, snack, drinks.
Some people have bug out bags that are for surviving in the woods and therefore contain the necessary to do that.
Your bag will be designed for whatever scenario you feel might come your way. The section under equipment - EDCs, BOBs, GHBs should contain some example contents lists that members have posted to give you some ideas.
Hope that helps.

[nickdutch]

Everyone preps for their own situations. Some people have more than one type of bug out bag. i heard that on the American series of Doomsday Preppers, that one character created for herself an INCH bag (I'm Not Coming Home) in case things got totally screwed.
I still haven't got a BOB together, but I do have a basic list and the stuff aint too difficult to get. I must get around to sorting it out.

[Mr B]

thank you both for the reply the INCH bag i think is the road for me i would never leave my home unless it was a matter of life and death in which case i would leave and not go back due to the death part on the bright side i get to buy lots of goodies for my soon to been INCH bag

[the-gnole]

thank you both for the reply the INCH bag i think is the road for me i would never leave my home unless it was a matter of life and death in which case i would leave and not go back due to the death part on the bright side i get to buy lots of goodies for my soon to been INCH bag

I suspect that might not be the case as a BoB is usually for such things as Sue pointed out above, it is for those times when the area around you is unsafe, rather than "life or death". People are far more likely to be needing to evacuate their homes short term than long term, the BoB is what is likely to make that short period a bit more comfortable until you can return.

So a quick risk assessment of your probable situations may highlight a reason.

Are you near a main transportation route? Trains, planes and automobiles.

Are you close to other properties? Houses, Hospitals, Factories.

Are you near any vital infrastructure? water mains, gas mains, power lines.

Are you on a flood plain? River, reservoir, stream.

Any one of these, and many others, may cause a situation that makes in unsafe to be at home until it has been rectified.

A 72 hour kit for you to leave with is going to make you far more comfortable in your hotel room/Travel lodge than just what you are wearing.

[maddriver]

Being new to this forum, and still planning a BOB bag I find myself thinking along the same lines as the-gnole outlined.

What could make me leave my house temporarily? Well, a house fire or a gas leak for starters, either of which could cause me to temporarily to my parents house about 10 minutes down the road. In either case I would still have to go to work so at least one set of the shirt/tie/smart trouser outfit I normally wear would be indicated for that kind of scenario.

I could also conceive a scenario where I have to leave the area, in which case my office would also be affected, so my priority would be preparing for the hotel/b&b type temporary accommodation. As tempting as it is to look to a TSHTF/TEOTWAWKI situation there's plenty of lower level situations that could cause a disruption which could be made easier if you're ready in advance.


I think the point is if you don't consider all possible scenarios you risk being very prepared for a situation that doesn't happen, and finding that your preparations don't help you in the situation that does happen. There's also a risk of being too specific. I had an argument at work with one of my directors who wanted separate DR plans for fire and bomb threat. My response was in either case we're evacuating the building to a backup site, why can't we just have one bug out plan to cover all scenarios?

[the-gnole]

I had an argument at work with one of my directors who wanted separate DR plans for fire and bomb threat. My response was in either case we're evacuating the building to a backup site, why can't we just have one bug out plan to cover all scenarios?

In some ways they are the same, in others very different.

In the fire instance it is get out as soon as possible leaving everything that is not immediately to hand, with a bomb scare it is take everything that belongs to you out with you.

So there are two responses resulting in the same end result.

[maddriver]

Fair point, but from a business continuity point of view we'd need a backup site ready to go with everything we need to carry on business otherwise we'd be stuffed in the fire evacuation situation. And we're in a managed office so we'd take advice from the landlords and the emergency services on how long we can spend grabbing stuff or whether we need to remove bags and boxes anyway.

Also given this is a 24/7 callcentre there's times where there's no managers on site. To me it makes more sense to have one plan that whoever is on shift can grab and go rather than grab a folder full of plans and have to decide which fits the current circumstances.

On the other hand maybe I'm just getting more gobby in the office because I've handed in my notice

On the home front, in would be very different depending on how much notice I had to leave, either grab a go bag or start loading the car up with every thing I can think of. Of course I have to go plan the grab bag now.

[PeteM]

thank you both for the reply the INCH bag i think is the road for me i would never leave my home unless it was a matter of life and death in which case i would leave and not go back due to the death part on the bright side i get to buy lots of goodies for my soon to been INCH bag

I think this raises a good point. There's alot of talk about bugging out, but before that comes bugging in.

A BOB is that one you grab when the balloon goes up at home. Mine will keep me going for up to five days in the woods if needs be (as opposed to my EDC which is a 'get home' bag). But I think before the BOB it's more likely we'll need to hunker down at home. Yes, a BOB is a necessary precaution, I have mine, but my perception is that there's a tendency to sometimes neglect bugging out at home first.

[Mr B]

massive thanks to everyone who replyed with some great advice and after a long think ( my head hurts now ) im guna put together a combi B.O.B and a I.N.C.H bag