Before you can do anything, you need a staging area, a place to marshal the group or family if you will. Most full-time workers spend as much time at work as they do at home and even more, time is spent at work than at home in some cases. This means the chance of a crisis striking while you are at work is high, and if you cannot get home because of the crisis where do you go.
You at work cannot just head out willy-nilly nor can your family, so a pre-designated area must be identified. It is not recommended that you use a structure for the staging area because it could be destroyed, and you do not want any member in or near a structure if there is a chance it could be destroyed by nature or by humans.
Pick a geographic location that is remote and yet close enough so everyone can get there on foot. A city park while it may work is not ideal. A section of woods just outside of town or any place that is away from the urban sprawl would work better. Consider what may be a target if there is an attack or what could be destroyed by bombings or by the wrath of nature and strike those areas from your list of potential places.
You are bugging out so you are not carrying much in the way of supplies. Therefore, you need the means to resupply. Supply caches can be used and they would have to be at the staging area or somewhere along the route. The biggest problem with caching supplies along a route, however, is that you may not be able to use that avenue of approach because of damage to roads and bridges or for other reasons. Your safe haven or staging area is the most logical place to cache supplies. Once there you can take a few days to gather your thoughts, rest, or push off immediately with extra supplies.
You may not be able to carry firearms in your car and not likely on your person when at work so it is important that your cache has firearms and ammunition.
You need enough supplies to get from your place of work to the staging area. You have to consider the terrain and possible obstacles to include human interaction. This all must be calculated before you plan your route. Do not consider any road or highway that has a bridge, tunnel, or elevated highway. Assume it will take 24 hours or longer to get to the staging area.
When disaster strikes, you will not be standing with pack shouldered ready to go out the door. Even though you have prepared for a crisis, it will come as a shock and as a surprise in most cases. It will take some time to get going, so calculate this into your timeframe, and pack enough food and water because you will be on your own longer than you think. You always have to pack for the worst-case scenario.
Consider These for Your Bag
- Emergency Rations Such as Energy Bars, One or Two MRE’s, Nuts And Dark Chocolate
- Water for 24-48 Hours, Two Quarts Minimum
- Headlamp and Handheld Light
- Multi-Tool
- Map of The City or Area Along With a Compass
- Pen and Paper
- Change of Socks
- Hiking Shoes/Boots
- 50 Feet of Paracord
- Cell Phone and/or Two-Way Radio
- Collapsible Walking Stick
- Self-Defense If You can Pack A Firearm Then Do So, and Carry Pepper Spray, Stun Gun Or Taser
- Small First Aid Kit With Daily Maintenance Medication and Assorted Medicines for Pain, Nausea, and Allergies
- Lighter/Matches And Candles
- Collapsible Rocket Stove and Fuel Tabs
- Metal Canteen and Metal Nesting Cup For Heating Food or Boiling Water
As stated earlier, regardless of your planning you will not be as ready for a crisis as you would like. You have to realize this and factor it in. Your plans may very well fall apart in the first 10 minutes, but if you have the skills, supplies, and the right mindset, you can adapt and overcome. If you fall apart when your plans fall apart, then you are doomed. Assume things will go off the rails, so be prepared to change plans quickly.
One thing is for certain, however, if you do not plan and gain some skills and knowledge you will not survive the first 24 hours of a major calamity in this country.