To Bug Out or Not to Bug Out – That is the Question….

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This is a question that many people must consider in any man-made or natural disaster. The answer is…….it depends, and it is largely dependent upon the situation.

For the places that deal with hurricanes or floods, for example, there are various evacuation zones. In these instances, you need to know what zone you are in and essentially follow the evacuation orders. In these instances, you need to know the options available to you for where you will go in those situations and be ready to leave as soon as possible so that you can avoid as much traffic as possible and be sure that you and your people are in the best location as possible for the situation being faced.

In all the hurricanes I have been through, I only evacuated for one and the reason I did was because I needed internet for work and I couldn’t be without internet for multiple days, should that be the case. All the rest, I decided to bug in.

My personal situation at the time of this post, is that I don’t have an off-grid location that I have stocked up with supplies that I can bug-out to. Some have this option, I am not one of them. Best I can do is go to another location and stay at a hotel or sleep on the couch of friends.

Given the choice, however, I prefer to bug-in because (based off my hurricane experience):

• I don’t have to deal with the mass exodus of people on the various interstate and back roads evacuating the various areas – or trying to get back to the areas after the storm
• I can spend the time that I have getting preparations in order for the during and after storm situation
• I will be generally comfortable at home since it is my home. I know the location and what options I have in my general area for potential situations (water sources, emergency services, hunting, etc)
• I know where all my preparations are and can access them quickly if needed

As noted earlier, there are situations that you will either want to, or be forced to, evacuate. In that case you will need to know where you are going, how to get there (by multiple routes), who is bringing what supplies (if multiple people/families will be staying at the location), and what supplies are there and how often those supplies are checked for replenishment and rotation.

Given that my preference is to bug-in, it requires me to know in what situations I will bug-out (that are my choice or required by evacuation orders), and depending on the potential situation – have at least 2 or 3 different options for such a situation. My recommendation is to have at least 2 or 3 options, as plans and/or situations may change. Having those 2 or 3 options will save you time while others are scrambling to determine alternative options.

Remember, that if you do bug-out, you will need to also know how long you intend to be away from your home, what everyone will need, enough gas to get there, the supplies necessary to operate in that location for the duration of time you expect, the space in your vehicle (or some other method) of getting those supplies to the location (if not already stocked). Depending on your bug-out situations, be sure to check on the location and/or practice your bug-out plans every now and then so they stay fresh in your mind.

What is your preference? Bug in? Bug out?

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