Disasters don’t wait for you to be ready.
Whether it’s a wildfire barreling toward your home, riots breaking out in your city, or an incoming hurricane, sometimes you have less than a day to get out.
You must know how to build a rapid evacuation plan—what to grab, where to go, and how to move fast when every second counts.
Because in a crisis, hesitation is deadly.
It Can Happen at Any Time
In October 1871, the Great Chicago Fire took hold of the city.
The wall of flames, which reached 100 feet high, caused those living in Chicago to run from the city. According to Thought Co.:
Fire companies tried their best to contain the fire, but when the city’s waterworks were destroyed the battle was over. The only response to the fire was to try to flee, and tens of thousands of Chicago's citizens did. It has been estimated that a quarter of the city’s approximately 330,000 residents took to the streets, carrying what they could in a mad panic.
Ultimately, the fire resulted in the destruction of 17,450 buildings, 300 fatalities, and $200 million in damages.
It also left 31% of Chicago’s population homeless.
Don’t be quick to dismiss this story as something from American history.
Just weeks ago, we watched in horror as many California citizens were suddenly forced from their homes. Mandy Moore used her celebrity platform to share the following account of her family’s sudden evacuation:
We never got an evacuation notice. Sometimes in the quieter moments of processing the last month, I play the game of what would have happened if I didn’t have my phone next to me, playing my typical ‘piano for deep sleep’ mix as I nursed Lou before bed, so I could answer the call from my brother-in-law? It was 6:45 p.m. and he told me he, his wife, and our niece were evacuating, grabbing my in-laws (his parents) and getting the heck out of Dodge and we should do the same. I calmly walked downstairs and relayed this to my husband and without skipping a beat, we promptly packed up the kids (in their pjs), our dog, and scrambled to find our 3 cats as the power went out. I’ll never forget Taylor trying to figure out how to manually open our two little garage doors in the harrowing 60 mph winds, as the sky glowed a dark red and ash started to fall all around us. We raced across town amidst fallen trees on the freeway to the safety of our dear friend’s place, got the kids down, and then I raced to Target to grab a litter box and some water, impulsively refreshing the watch duty app over and over. As we did all night. Over and over. Watching the evacuation zone narrow in on our little 8-block radius. It took until 4 a.m. for it to turn red.
And it’s not just fires.
Flash floods, hurricanes, and civil unrest have forced people out of their homes with little notice.
Just last month, hundreds of Manchester, England citizens were forced to leave their homes and vehicles behind after flooding took hold of their city.
Folks, we’ve heard these stories again and again.
But, even so, would you be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice?
Must-Have Bug-Out Gear for Different Emergencies
Whether it’s flooding or fires forcing you out of your home, people often can only take what they can fit in a backpack.
If you aren’t prepared ahead of time, you spend precious time getting things together.
In an emergency situation, seconds count.
A bug-out bag is essential for emergency evacuations. And you need one you can actually carry for long distances, if the need arises.
If you do anything after reading today’s Survival Scout, it should be to pack a bug-out bag for every member of your family.
You could spend hours putting together all the essentials needed for a go-bag, or check out My Patriot Supply’s Go-Bag with Ballistic Panel & 60 Bug-Out Essentials.
This one-of-a-kind bug-out bag contains:
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(1) Black Tactical Backpack: This durable backpack is resistant to tears and abrasions. It features a variety of mesh slots, pockets, and zipper compartments to store your survival supplies.
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(1) Ballistic Panel: Insert this 8" x 10.5" ballistic panel into your backpack for extra protection from whatever may come your way. This panel fits perfectly into the pack pocket against your back and has a five-year shelf life.
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(1) Emergency Sleeping Bag by Ready Hour: When you’re caught in dangerous weather, use this reflective bag to keep your body temperature comfortable and stable. Waterproof and wind-resistant, it can also be used as ground cover or gear protection.
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(1) Army Green Nylon Emergency Tent with Survival Whistle by Ready Hour: Keep yourself (and your gear) warm, dry, and protected from harsh conditions with this thick, tear-resistant tent. At pocket size, it can shelter two people.
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(1) Aquamira G2O Water Filtration Bottle: Not sure about your water supply in an emergency? Fill up the Aquamira G2O Bottle to reduce chlorine, VOCs, microplastics, and harmful chemicals, as well as remove parasites, bacteria, and viruses.
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(1) Rechargeable Sensor Headlamp by Ready Hour: Fully-rechargeable, motion-activated headlamp provides 20 hours of light.
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(2) 2,400 Calorie Emergency Ration Bars by Ready Hour: Get quick calories with 12 tasty bars. At 200 calories each, you’ll have 2,400 calories in one box
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(8) Emergency Drinking Water Pouches by Ready Hour: Packed in sturdy, puncture-resistant pouches with four protective layers, you can count on this emergency drinking water in your backpack—and hydrate when water is nowhere to be found.
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(1) Survival Kit with Guide (46 Pieces): This kit was made for a crisis. From first aid essentials to fishing supplies, it’s a survival kit with a little bit of everything—plus a helpful guidebook.
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(1) Waterproof Matches (4-Pack) by InstaFire: Start a fire with a single strike. These waterproof matches can be lit to provide light, keep you warm, and cook your food in nearly any condition.
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(2) InstaFire Fire Starter Pouch: This simple fire-starting product can produce a fire in five to ten minutes in wind, rain, and snow.
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(1) Ready Hour Patch by Ready Hour: Add this patch to your pack to make it stand out from the rest.
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(1) Emergency Poncho (2-Pack) by Ready Hour: Whether it’s a small shower or even a downpour, this two-pack of one-size-fits-all ponchos will keep you warm and dry.
This is a great starter version, with extra space for you to add supplies for your unique needs.
For those of you planning to put together your own bug-out bag, here are some things to keep in mind. While different emergencies will require different tools, there are some emergency essentials you should always have ready for a grab-and-go type of evacuation:
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Water
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Food
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Contact information
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Paper maps and a compass
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Emergency blankets
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Tarp
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Flashlight
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Extra charger
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Clothing
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Fire starters
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First aid
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Multitool
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Duct tape (check out 25 Ways to Use Duct Tape in an Emergency)
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Paracord
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Hygiene supplies
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Personal documents
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Cash
Take advantage of a weekend where you have nothing going on and shop for and pack essentials.
Don’t forget to put together an emergency bag for your cars to keep in the trunk!
If you have more space, pack long-term emergency food and cooking supplies (such as a VESTA stove and stainless steel pots).
Use the extra time and space to locate all your solar-powered devices and add them to your supplies. Emergencies, such as floods and wildfires, often result in extended power outages.
With solar-powered gear, you can be assured you’ll have power no matter where you are forced to sleep.
The Importance of Having Pre-Planned Routes
Ideally, you will have a bug-out location in mind before disaster strikes.
If you don’t have a secure location to go to, you should at least have a place in mind where you can go if you need to evacuate suddenly.
In addition to having a bug-out location in mind, you need to have pre-planned routes to get out of town. In the event of a forced evacuation, there will be traffic on all the main roads in and out of your town.
Plan to leave before a mandatory evacuation is declared, and plan to take alternate routes to avoid traffic.
We’ve all heard the true horror stories of people having to abandon their vehicles as they were deadlocked on the interstate during emergencies.
Don’t let it happen to you.
How to Make Sure You Are Never Caught Unprepared
While we can’t prevent natural disasters or acts of civil unrest, we can be prepared when the time comes.
Here are a few ways you can avoid being caught unprepared:
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Sign up for NWS, state, and local emergency alerts.
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Stay alert and listen to trustworthy news sources.
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Keep a bug-out bag in an easy-to-find location in your home, office, and vehicle.
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Make a point to regularly check your smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.
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Learn basic survival skills.
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Take first aid courses.
Don’t hesitate to escape, friends.
In liberty,
Elizabeth Anderson
Preparedness Advisor, My Patriot Supply
