On Emergency Gear

Mar 2011 - Updated Apr 2019

You are doing it wrong.

Four knives, two flashlights, 20 pounds of MREs, two shovels, a collection of mini EDC tools, camouflage clothing, heavy binos, three pistols, and 100 pounds of ammo will not get you out of trouble.

The target dictates the weapon, and the weapon dictates the movement. I learned this a long time ago, and it has saved me countless hours of planning and a lot of pain on my back. You need the right emergency gear for the mission. Period. No more, no less.

Start

Start with the mission. What is it? Is it to go off the grid and live there for years? Or is it to bug out of your house, with your family if you have one, get to safety, and remain there until the emergency has passed? If it’s the former, then by all means carry that monstrosity you call a bug-out bag. If it’s the latter, you need to rethink the problem, what you prepare, and how you carry it.

This is not an article about what to carry, so I am not going to give you endless lists of gear and brands. There are plenty of those already out there. What I want to focus on is the thought process, the mindset, and whether it is in the right place.

What problem are you trying to solve? Get to safety. Start there. Then ask yourself what safety actually means. After that, make a plan. You are bugging out, then what? Are you wandering around aimlessly, or are you going to a specific place? Are you driving? Are you walking? Is it just you, or are you moving with other people? Do you have food and warmth at the destination? Think first about what, where, and how. Then think about the gear.

Remain Light

Getting to safety is the key. For that to happen, especially in urban and semi-urban areas, you need to remain light and fluid. Speed equals safety. That should be your main thought. You can procure a lot of things on the road if you need to. Hell, I would argue that if you have only a few key things, you can acquire everything else you need. Still, I understand that sometimes you need a bit more, especially with kids around.

Think about the key things you might need if you must leave your house. The list is simple:

That’s all.

Protection

You need a weapon. Whether it’s a firearm or something else, I’ll leave that up to you. That weapon helps you stay safe, but it can also help you procure things if you cannot get to a safe place. You have your plan, and if you are smart, you have supplies waiting at your destination. Still, you may need to acquire things before you get there. Have a weapon. Even a flashlight can be used as one.

A Way To Get Into Things

As you move toward your destination, maybe you run out of food, need medical care, need gas, or need shelter. Most likely, those things will be locked behind doors, padlocks, gates, or fences. Having the tools to open things, and knowing how to use them, is a must. Simple tools usually work best.

Navigation

Getting from A to B, to safety, is your mission. Do you know how to get there? Do you have an alternate route if the main one is closed or blocked? What happens if your phone battery dies, or the GPS network goes down? Do you know what to do then?

When it comes to navigation, have a couple of options, from a phone or GPS to a compass and map with predetermined routes. PACE: primary, alternate, contingency, and emergency.

Communication

As you move toward safety, maybe you need to coordinate with family members who left before you, or maintain comms with the people waiting at the safe location. Either way, you need a way to communicate. Again, have a PACE plan. Phones are obvious, but think about alternatives too.

Trauma Kit

You need to know how to stop bleeding. Period. You also need the right tools to do it. Sure, you can carry bandages and basic first-aid supplies, but you need a simple and effective trauma kit. Tourniquets and quick clot at a minimum. Learn how to use them.

Initial Ration Of Water And Food

Sometimes you know you will be on the road for 24 or 48 hours. That’s normal. Carry some water and lightweight food. If you have kids, bring some sweets too. Morale matters.

I am not saying to bring 10 gallons of water. Carry a Nalgene or another water bottle per person, along with some form of water purification. You can find water in many places. Same with food. Protein bars are light, compact, and work well.

Think

Remember: the target dictates the weapon, and the weapon dictates the movement. Once you know where you need to go, you can plan what to bring and how to move.

You do not need a 100-pound backpack to survive. You need a small, capable kit and a lot of training.

Do not neglect training. Know your tools.

Remain light. Speed is safety.