Outdoor Survival Info

By Caleb Rogers

When disaster strikes, where will you be and how will you get to your family? Will you have supplies with you if you’re out and around town? The purpose of this article is to discuss what is known as the “get home bag,” and differentiate it from a bug out bag.

A get home bag, though it goes by many names, is a basic emergency kit one usually keeps in their car. The purpose of this kit is to keep you, and whoever is typically with you, safe and fed until you can get to a more secure location or more long-term gear. A bug out bag, on the other hand, should be designed to hold enough gear to completely sustain you – and any family with you – for 72 hours or more. Depending on the size of your family, you might need a few bug out bags.

While bug out bags should typically be large enough to carry a lot of gear, a get home bag only needs to carry enough to get you home or to a similarly safe location. The bag you use for a get home bag should have two basic characteristics. First, it should be small enough that you can carry it around comfortably. A common backpack or shoulder bag designed for school books should be sufficient. What you don’t want to do is use a large military-style rucksack. They are bulky and won’t help you out if you need to get out in a hurry.

The other characteristic is inconspicuousness. Drawing attention to yourself in a disaster isn’t a good thing. If the situation is bad enough, people will beat you and possibly kill you for your food and water. If you are trying to get to a secure location, your journey should be as smooth as possible. Keep a low profile by using a small, common backpack or shoulder bag. You’ll look like everyone else, so chances are you won’t be singled out by unsavory characters as a target.

I like to think of a get home bag as a mini bug out bag. Like a bug out bag, the get home bag should be filled with gear that you personally will need. Customize it to suit your individual needs. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Food: I like to use MREs for this. MREs are military rations designed to keep you going and do so from a small package. You can fit two or three in a backpack and still have room for plenty of other gear.
• Water: This one is tricky because water is heavy. Two or three water bottles will probably be what you need, but that will add a lot of weight. You will just have to judge your own personal circumstances and needs to determine the right amount of water to carry. It might be a good idea to carry a little water, and then some type of water purification system.
• Foul Weather Gear: Depending on your area, you might need something to protect you from rain, snow, or hard desert heat. Ponchos, anoraks, wool sweaters, gloves, headwear, and such will fit the bill, but you have to pack according to your needs.
• Knife: Carry a pocket knife or multi-tool in your pack. It’s the most versatile tool around and it’s a staple of any survival pack.
• Rope: Carry a length of rope or paracord in your pack. You can use it string together a quick shelter made of branches or a tarp, lash on a splint, or make a tourniquet.
• Flashlight: It gets dark every day, so be sure to have a way to see in the dark, along with batteries to keep that flashlight going.

When packing your get home bag, there are two things you need to keep in mind: Your individual gear needs and your local laws. Aside from dying, the last thing you want to do is get arrested in a disaster. Whatever type of personal security equipment you put in your bag (including your pocket knife), you need to make sure you follow local and state ordinances. Even though you may be in the midst of a disaster, police officers will still be around and they still have a job to do. Take care of yourself, but don’t run afoul of the law.

Keeping a get home bag in your car is a simple way to keep gear close to you when you might need it. Getting home in an emergency is important, and it’s a lot easier to do if you already have equipment on-hand to aid and support you.

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