Friday, January 8, 2016

Get Home Bag

You’ve heard of a bug out bag but I’d like to talk about the bug out bags (BOB) cousin, the get home bag (GHB).
I work on a federal installation. Security is higher than the average place. Military security forces take care of this relatively small area. So we really have our own police/combat department who’s only task is to secure the governments property. I am no longer government property. I work for a contractor like most civilians on federal installations in this country. But because of this small, encapsulated area we have security equipment, security measures, and security policies that we adhere to every day. I say this only because if something serious happened, a nuclear attack or similar catastrophic event, I might have to decide whether I would stay at work (shelter in place) or try to get out of here. This may be a challenge but I don’t want to have to worry about getting off that installation and how I would get home safely. So I carry a get home bag. This is similar to my bug out bag but a lot smaller. My BOB weighs about 25 pounds dry (with no water). My GHB only weighs 10 pounds so it has a lot less equipment in it. But like your BOB, you must decide what to keep in your GHB.
I keep the following in every vehicle I have. A small tool kit. A first aid kit. Water (at least 3 gallons). I keep a lighter and a knife in every glove compartment. I also have every day carry (EDC) items that are always with me including a knife, a gun and spare magazine, fire starting tool, and flashlight. So these items supplement my GHB.
This is what I carry:
Shelter/Warmth
Emergency poncho, Emergency blanket, Tube tent, Hat, Hand warmers, Fire starting kit (at least 3 deep redundancy)
Tools/Light
Folding Knife, Paracord, Trash bags, Recharger (lawn solar light), Leather gloves, N95 Dust mask, Shower cap, Light stick, Generator Flashlight
Sanitary kit
Toilet paper, Feminine supplies, Toothbrush, toothpaste, Liquid soap, Baby wipes, Washcloth, Sun block, Chapstik
Security
Whistle, Pepper spray
Food/Water
Nylon spork, Can opener, Filter straw, Water bladder
Food: Tuna pouch, MRE crackers, Jerky, 2 Spam packets, 2 sausage (canned), 2 rice meals (in mylar packaging), 2 gatorade pacs, 2 MRE entrees, Can of tuna
Tuna can for cooking
Condom for water
Map
Compass
Level 1 first aid kit
Most of these items are pretty self-explanatory. The first aid kit has potassium iodine tablets for nuclear fallout protection so the shower cap is also for that.
The condom is only for emergency water transport I have a water bladder.
Your kit should also reflect your training. If you do not know how to use a flint and steel to start a fire, then it probably would not make sense to have that in your kit.
Some basic skills I think everyone should learn is fire building, first aid with some advanced medical training such as suturing, map reading and the use of a compass. These are things that I make sure I practice and even teach to my family.
Getting home is probably going to be my goal with most emergency preparedness situations that may occur. My home is where I feel the most prepared and it is also where my most important items are, my family.
Prepare well and ahead of time.

Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn

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