With all the buzz on prepping for "IT", most if not all the prepping/survival blogs that deal with Bug out Bags I have read only talk about the main bag or bags that will support the whole family for the 72 hour duration. My question is, what about the kids? Yes they will be covered under your main BOB when they are with you but in a worse case situation and they are at school, then what?
We all think if something terrible happens tomorrow we will be able to jump in the car and go get our children and take them to safety. Being they are at school, friends house, church function or where ever they may be, jumping in the car and racing to save them may not be that easy. It may take several hours or depending on where you work, days to get home and secure your loved ones and your belongings.
The best thing I have found to ease my mind on this matter is have each child, no matter the age, have their own personal survival bag. I do not know of any school policy that prohibits a small bag with certain items being hung in your child's locker. Of course you would have to use your head when filling the bag and not put weapons, knives or medications in them, but simple survival items to help them cope with the time of disaster and to be safe upon your arrival.
Here is a small list of such items that I think would be useful for any child stuck in that situation.
Basic Survival Items: Do not overload you child's bag and keep in mind their age and carrying capacity.
- Small flash light. (LED)
- Emergency whistle so they can be found in a crowd or get your attention when you drive up.
- Emergency contact list with names of relatives, home address, and telephone numbers.
- Area map
- Emergency Poncho.
- Inflatable pillow. (Used in case of a overnight stay or a flotation device)
- A full change of clothes. (socks and underwear for sure)
- Small box of Band aids & wipes. (Remember no medications)
- Small bottle of hand sanitizer.
- Hard candy.
- Bubble gum.
- Energy / Breakfast bars.
- A couple of Water bottles.
Make sure you go over each item in the bag with your child and explain to them what they are used for. Having the items at hand is only half the battle and are useless if they do not know how to use them.
It is also good to have an evacuation plan. Being my kids are older and working outside of the home, we have devised a plan to where if a disaster hits and there is no way to get home, they will know where to meet. If they have their small survival bag with them at least I know they will be ok until I can get to them.
Excellent Ideas, something to think about.
ReplyDeleteDuke.
Although mine are up and grown, I still help them with planning a bug out back to this place. I make sure they have the equipment and do the planning beforehand. You're absolutely right, the family has to be covered.
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments.
ReplyDeleteDuke, ATH - Mine are all almost grown now. The one in college had me go with her to make hers up before she left. We added pepper spray and some other items as well.
Granny - Welcome and thank you for commenting and the complement.
One thing I might add to any bug out bag is one of the survival blankets.
ReplyDeleteThis was a huge issue for me when my children started school..thankfully, we're a small community where most everybody knows most everybody else.
ReplyDeleteThe advice I gave my kids, probably to the dismay of their teachers, was if it is a huge, huge emergency (and they know what I mean by huge, huge emergency), they are to keep an eye out for their Papaw who works at the auction house next door. If Papaw can find them, Papaw can get them home, on a front loader if need be. Thank God for big equipment and devoted grandfathers!
Great suggestion on the mini-BOB...that may be something I implement in the very near future.
Great suggestion MDR. My kids are grown and gone, but I'm sure you made lots of folks really think about their situation and kids... - Izzy
ReplyDeleteGranny - Excellent Idea. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAndrea - Thank you for the comment. It is good you have family close by if need be. If that day comes, then it will be those close families like yours that will make it through.
Thanks for the comment Izzy. Even though your kids are grown, maybe you can suggest the Mini BOB for the grand kids.
ReplyDeleteHey MDR how's it goin? Out here in earthquake country some schools require a BOB for each kid be kept at school in case of the big one. They don't call em BOB's but same idea. I have one that's grown and gone and he always had one at school. Now I have two that just started the first grade yesterday. Kind of a timely post for me. Guess I need to get busy and equip my little ones. Very good advise. Don
ReplyDeleteMDR, great post, well written, and something I sure need to give some thought. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteDon - Welcome and thanks for leaving a comment. It is going good thanks for asking.
ReplyDeleteThat is great that the school actually requires them. Good luck with it.
Stephen - Thanks for the complement.
That is a great idea! All my life I have always thought of what if scenarios. We always had a safeword for our children when someone other than us picked them up however I never thought of a BOB for them in case we couldn't reach them. I just always assumed we could. Silly silly thought.
ReplyDeleteNow our children are grown. I have several times thought about it now that they are grown and we have moved 2 hours away. We always hoped that if something happened they would find their way from the big city to our place here in the country. That is if they would come out our way and not just stay put. Fortunately however they all have a good head on their shoulders, love of family, and are very creative.
Thank you for putting the spark back into my thinking. It is time to do a little more work on mine and my family's survival needs.
- Genevieve
HH - I bet they do. Nothing says safety like parents and being on the farm.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind words.