Bug-Out-Bag, Auto Preparedness Kit in a box, EDC preparedness kit: One, all, or more?

[SCinPNW]

I was not sure if I should put this in the "General Discussion" forum or the "Gear Locker" forum, so if it needs to be moved, please feel free to do so. :)

I have been thinking about my BOB for awhile and the fact that it is not packed with the right things. I have also printed out and reread Protus' thread on Bug out Bags (very thorough, thanks Protus!), as well as, the others I could find on the forums and I have a few questions for you all.

First, if you maintain more than just one bug out bag, how do you manage them all, and are they for specific purposes? If you have one bag, do you move it around from car to bedroom, etc. and how do you maintain the discipline to always keep moving it? If you have more than one bag, do you keep a firearm(s) in each of them or move them around? Also, for the BOB's that I have seen where folks keep a rifle and/or handgun in them do you keep this in your vehicle? If so, are you not worried about someone breaking into your vehicle and taking them? I always feel that if I am going around town then my gun needs to be on me at all times, not in a backpack in the car.

I have a bug out bag next to my side of the bed, and one next to dh's side of the bed and our daughter has a small backpack in her room ready to go. However, in each of our cars I have a medium size plastic bin with emergency items, military wool blankets, i.e., food, toilet paper, rope, water, fire starter supplies, 2 gallon water bag (unfilled), leather gloves, etc. Plus for each car I have an emergency back pack that has everything for 4 people for 3 days and separate auto emergency kit. Plus, I have a every day carry bag that has preparedness items in it, however, I am trying to figure out what is the best and most efficient way to manage all of these things.

Thank you in advance for any input you might have.

SC

[protus]

untill my injury i used my BOB for backpacking. This way it stays rotated and i learn/use my gear. I dont really keep a BOB per say, just my backpacking set up, with a bag of goodies to shove in it if it needs to be used. i see it as if i have to walk out of here on foot, i will be doing it slow and low........which means i may have to lay low a few days or so before moving out or i will be gone before it gets nasty. there's a reason i keep a GHB and a a well stocked truck as well. worse case even if i just grab the normal set up i still have extras and gear i need.

[EX121]

I keep general stuff in the vehicles a change of clothing, coats, food & etc. Then I take a GHB with me on trips out of town/over the pass. I also have my SAR 48hr pack ready to go. If I need to add guns they are accessable. The only thing I rotate is water.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

First, if you maintain more than just one bug out bag, how do you manage them all, and are they for specific purposes? I have a GMHB that fits into my BOB and i have a "tourist" bag that I posted a thread on somewhere If you have more than one bag, do you keep a firearm(s) in each of them or move them around? My primary firearm stays on my side beyond that it depends on things such as world status, hunting seasons etcAlso, for the BOB's that I have seen where folks keep a rifle and/or handgun in them do you keep this in your vehicle? If so, are you not worried about someone breaking into your vehicle and taking them? Thats always a concern but I have always had a "truck" gun or hutnign firearms with the mindset that yes it might be stolen I always feel that if I am going around town then my gun needs to be on me at all times, not in a backpack in the car.

Thats a choice you have to make and there is no right or wrong. Same with the bags, it's what fits your needs. i dotn throw my bag say in the wifes car if we are going to town for a walliworld run but her small bag is there and I know i can at least make a start with that on the trip home if needed

[WiseOwl]

I keep my sidearm on my side, below my arm at all times (except in the office), i have a really big book to throw at you from there, it is really BIG and will hurt you....lol

In the car, I keep tools, a floor jack and my "survival fanny pack" ( posted a thread in here somewhere). It is light and I can run like Barry Sanders with it on.

If I go past the normal everyday runnings around, I have a 3100cu inch pack that has some light items and like protus, my 3900 cu in backpacking pack is my GTHODP. If we had to move on foot, we are screwed because of two small children. If we could bust loose in the truck, I have everything accessible in rubbermaid containers and buckets. In a giddyup scenario, gear will replace car seats and wife will hold the youngins with her.


I am a bugger inner to the last breath. unless we are firebombed then I will use all of the extinguishers I have (good get working at an RV place last year) if possible.

One thing I do keep in the truck always is water. Its the most important item other than fire, to me.

[SCinPNW]

Thank you for the feedback guys, I really appreciate it. I have my blue rubbermaid type container from the car sitting here along with all of the contents of my bedside BOB and have been looking at it all day as well as thinking about Protus' BOB thread, videos and your replies. First of all I had to review what I think our plan would be should we need to bug out. Like WiseOwl, bugging out will be because it is our last resort since it just is not feasible to bug out very far with a medically fragile special needs kid. And should we need to bug out, we are not going very far if we have to go on foot. So our bug out bags that are next to our beds are for getting out of the house due to fire, earthquake, or something that makes the house unsafe. My emergency kits for the car will be if we get stuck due to inclement weather, accident, car problems, or some other emergency.

I do see that I need to make some changes to my BOB with the addition of a few items, as well as, some fine tuning of the current contents. Something I am thinking about is how we might be able to store some items outside on the back porch so if we had to vacate the house we could grab our BOB bags, and also have the much larger items already outside such as our large tent and bottled water, etc. I am also trying to figure out the best/most efficient way to grab the BOB bag and my EDC carry items and still have two hands to run and grab kids. If dh is here then obviously things will be easier, but if it is just me, then I need to have everything attached to me so that I have two hands available to carry our son outside along with his emergency bag.

Matt, you are right, I need to determine what our needs are and then figure out what the evac plan is and then from there figure out what we need in our bags verses what I might be able to store outside on the back porch so that it is accessible should we need it. And then pack add-on bags with items that are not necessarily kept in the BOB's.

Protus, your P.A.W. videos are excellent and really helped alot. Also the general layout of your's and Ex121's bags makes sense and is good food for thought.

WiseOwl, I need to go back and review your fanny pack. I remember that thread and really liked your idea.

Well it is getting late and I need to get some sleep. But you all have given me lots to think about. Once I get it all together I will update with contents and such and then hopefully you can tell me what I have forgotten.

Thanks again, I really appreciate your help on this.

SC

[Matt In Oklahoma]

You know the one thing you dont have to worry about moving around is skills. There are alot of people out there who carry very little but never seem to be without because of there skills. I know that I can get us where we need to be even with a small minmal bag of stuff or even my EDC combined with physical strength and my mind.

[MustangGal]

If your car doesn't have a trunk, or even if it does, you could always label the tote "Recycling - NEWSPAPERS." Then, if your car was broken into, it might be ignored as something of no interest - plus it would be heavy.... like a tote of newspapers. You could even cammo the contents with a layer of newspapers over the gear - just in case they decided to look.

[EX121]

A couple of thoughts, for the natural diaster scenarios. Is there a friend or family member you could keep a small tote of clothing & copies of important documents at? Also if you are do you have a BOL or evacuation route planned? If so drive it at various times so you know it well. Make it a route on your gps, if applicable.
You could also keep stuff in outbuildings.
To echo Matt's though remeber that it's all just stuff in the end. If for some reason you are unable to take your kits with you, by the process of building them you be better able to replicate them later. Like he says you can't loose your knowledge & skills.

[Hidden Agenda]

I am also trying to figure out the best/most efficient way to grab the BOB bag and my EDC carry items and still have two hands to run and grab kids. If dh is here then obviously things will be easier, but if it is just me, then I need to have everything attached to me so that I have two hands available to carry our son outside along with his emergency bag.

SC

I keep my EDC kit in a "Tactical Organizer Bag" like this.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.net/BAG227-1.html

My BOB and GHBs are in backpacks. This keeps my hands free for whatever else I may need to use them for.

[Grinnan Barrett]

I like for each one of the family to have a nice sized backpack in a TAN fabric plus a large (not the huge one) Rubbermaid Tote (black and grey with red locking latches). In these I keep essentials to put in vehicles for each person to along with their packs. They are quick and easy to deploy when it is time to move. The totes fit nicely in the bed of the truck under the Undercover lid. More food etc.