Disaster/Emergency Vehicle Kit (DEVKit) / Bug Out Bag (BOB)

[sw1834]

Great Idea, but backwards.

You made this for your sons? I was under the impression the younger generation knew what was in store for them. They should be taking care of you.
I made a similar bag, but it was for my parents to survive being stranded in a blizzard or other emergency 24-48 hour situation away from home. We all imagine that our parents can survive and take care of us, but at some point we need to switch roles and help them.
I'm one of those in the middle. I want to protect my college age son from the evil people in the world. While at the same time helping my parents stay safe from what used to be routine travel hazards.

 

[trakskip]

peanut butter & machete

 

[chazc]

a few thoughts

Go through your kit every now and then. You"ll likely find stuff you no longer want or is replaced by something better. Also when shopping look for stuff to add to your kit. Lastly remember your life changes. Do you now need eyeglasses? How about meds? The way I deal with prescription drugs is to keep them all in one place in The house. I keep a small sack nearby. (I use a Crown Royal bag). It we should have to leave, all the drugs get thrown in the bag and off we go. Come to think of it a bottle of Crown is a good addition to the BOB.

 

[breakingbad]

Why light sticks?

Signalling
marking your path if a friend needs to find you or catch up with you
going potty in the night
when a flashlight is overkill or might attract too much unwanted attention

... and my favorite which is maybe you want a small light on - sleeping in your car or whatever - and you don't want to burn your flashlight out and can't have a fire or candle. The lightstick will bring some comfort - esp if you have someone with you who is scared in the dark. And, I was amazed at the 30 min one - on all night.

Flashlight is such a key survival tool I want to save it for only when I NEED it -which is also why I have two in case it breaks/gets lost - there may be another person with you also so that is important - and spare batteries.

 

[breakingbad]

Well, I'll be jiggered.

I just went and dug one out of the stash. A Red 12-hour from Cyalume. Expiration date on it is 2/03. That makes it ten years out of date.

I popped it and shook it. It's glowing red. It is not putting out mass quantities of light.
I held it two inches away from a piece of paper, and could read it easily.

Well. Maybe the expiration date is like the expiration date on bottled water - it don't go bad, they just want you to buy new ones.

THANKYOU! I was hoping for this result ... excellent info. The red is not really that bright - it sounds like it might be as good as new - and 10 years after the expiration. Red has uses but for trail, reading, lighting up a room (light as in glowing, not bright), then green followed by yellow are the best.

As you prolly know, Spec Ops use RED to mark a room that has been cleared.

Cyalume is the best -

 

[C.S.63]

I usually start with a portable light, pocket knife, multi tool a good pair of boots and at least a coat or sweatshirt/sweater and a hat, pair of work gloves and always bottled water! Time of year and pending weather
dictates other items.

 

[trakskip]

I have enjoyed reading all of the ideas and suggestions.
So bugout kit is loaded and its time to leave trouble/gangs behind. What are you driving, will 1 tank of gas get you there and more importantly where are you going?

 

[Alpo]

Update: Midnight. 25 hours. Still putting out light.

I think of a truck kit as a Get Home Bag, not as a Bug Out Bag.

If I'm sitting at home, with, let's say, long range and short range fighting rifles, big and small game hunting rifles, hunting shotgun and defense shotgun, and holster and pocket pistols, that's eight guns. Let's further say I have 1500 rounds of ammo. Each. Now that 1500 rounds of 22 don't take up a lot of room, but that 3000 rounds of 12 gauge is fairly bulky. Then I've got food, water, medical supplies, some way to make heat and to make light and to cook my food. I've got bulk storage of fuel, for my vehicles and my heater and/or stove. I've got warm clothes for winter and cooler clothes for summer. I've got spare clothes for when stuff wears out, and I've got the equipment to repair stuff that gets worn.

That makes me a SURVIVOR.

OR, I am going down the road with whatever I can carry on my back. One gun, maybe, with a hundred or so rounds. Food for 2 or 3 days. Minimal first aid kit. Maybe one set of spare clothing.

That makes me a REFUGEE.

Tell you true, I'd rather be a survivor than a refugee.

 

[breakingbad]

So bugout kit is loaded and its time to leave trouble/gangs behind. What are you driving, will 1 tank of gas get you there and more importantly where are you going?

This scenario is about trying to get back home, not leave it.

That I am in my vehicle and run into some serious ****. I stay with my vehicle if I can and wait it out - I would like to drive back home. I don't want to leave my vehicle. But, if I have to abandon my vehicle to get home I will be able to do so.

Bugging out from home is a whole different scenario. Frankly, I don't understand most of the discussion about bugging out from your home. Like you said - where to go? How will it be better? Most of us don't have a "better" place to go to - if we did we would be living there already. Natural disasters I understand - of course if a fire or tsunami is headed towards you, you're leaving and a BOB should be ready. But invariably, your home is where most of your resources, strengths, defenses, advantages are in place. For these doomsday scenarios, of gangs or civil anarchy - most people should be looking at how to survive in their homes - not flee them. You and your neighbors should be thinking about defending your area, if you're worried about something like that.

 

[walnutred]

A while back some friends were talking about what rifle to buy for home defense in a SHTF scenario and were generally talking about AR variants. After listening for a while I jokingly said "For what you're going to spend on an AR I can buy 10 Mosin 91/30s and a case of ammo." That's enough rifles to make sure every house within a 3/4 mile radius of mine has one military caliber rifle and ammo. I'll use my neighbors for perimeter defense.

 

[breakingbad]

A while back some friends were talking about what rifle to buy for home defense in a SHTF scenario and were generally talking about AR variants. After listening for a while I jokingly said "For what you're going to spend on an AR I can buy 10 Mosin 91/30s and a case of ammo." That's enough rifles to make sure every house within a 3/4 mile radius of mine has one military caliber rifle and ammo. I'll use my neighbors for perimeter defense.

Won't that be a sight when you and all your neighbors decide to do a little neighborhood watch drill for trainng purposes.

 

[C.S.63]

I posted yesterday with the beginning of a minimalistic basis for getting by. Either as a survivor or refugee. I had not posted a firearm as one is not needed as of YET? Basis for one would be commonality of ammunition and iron sights, being able to scavenge ammunition would be nice
(but that could prove to be difficult!! 12 gauge? 22lr?)
You need to be able to stay warm,dry and have water.
Anyone hear of Hypothermia and hydration? fire steel/9volt battery and steel wool/cotton balls and petroleum jelly etc?
How about a clear and calm mind?
Good boots for? The best mode of transportation ever your own two legs
if you are not in good shape you will be!!
"Shelter" para-cord & Tarp=tent? A mid size tarp is very handy
"Where not our Forefathers refugees"

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

"Were not our forefathers refugees?" Some of my forefathers were german mersanaries, they didn't get paid so we're still here. King George III was a jerk to friend and subject alike! My ansestors couldn't walk home after their side lost, so they had to live out of their packs and by their witts.

 

[breakingbad]

Update: Midnight. 25 hours. Still putting out light.

EXCELLENT ... thx for the info. This is good to know.

rest of your post was good too, Alpo.

 

[Alpo]

latest update. As of 6:30 this evening, which would be 42 1/2 hours, it was deader'n ary doornail. No sign of any glow. But, at ten years out of date it still put out light for more than 24 hours.

Not bad for a 12-hour stick.

 

[breakingbad]

latest update. As of 6:30 this evening, which would be 42 1/2 hours, it was deader'n ary doornail. No sign of any glow. But, at ten years out of date it still put out light for more than 24 hours.

Not bad for a 12-hour stick.

Yes - my 30 minute stick lasted 12 hours easy at nearly max lumens. Seeing the 12 hour last double that at nearly max lumens after 10 years demonstrates excellent quality, manufacturing and etchnology from Cyalume technology sticks.

awesome

 

[breakingbad]

Thanks everyone for posting lots of good ideas