If a serious catastrophe happens, tens of millions of individuals will likely be pressured to depart their properties and discover another secure place to dwell.
Let me be clear about one thing: in the event you don’t safe your secure place earlier than SHTF, then you’ll be a REFUGEE.
You may be left roaming with the lots and combating for any sources yow will discover.
Let’s hope {that a} catastrophe by no means strikes, however let’s even be ready for it by selecting a Bug Out Location earlier than one does!
Saying “Bug Out Location” Will Make You Sound Loopy
Earlier than I get into all the necessities of an excellent Bug Out Location (BOL), I wish to warn you that you ought to be cautious about the way you discuss Bugging Out. Lots of “regular” individuals assume preppers are loopy – partly due to the language we use.
Whereas it is likely to be actually frequent and utterly okay to make use of the phrase Bug Out location in survival circles, keep away from it when speaking to your neighbors, actual property agent, bankers when making use of for a mortgage…
You Want Greater than One Bug Out Location
It isn’t sufficient to have 1 Bug Out location deliberate. That you must have a backup.
Why?
As a result of we will’t predict what disasters will happen. We are able to solely predict the most likely disasters, and what their impression areas will likely be. It’s attainable that your major Bug Out location will likely be in Floor Zero, or will likely be taken over by thieves, or will likely be inaccessible for causes like street closures.
It’s vital that you’ve a backup Bug Out location that’s positioned far-off out of your major location, and likewise makes use of completely different entry routes.
The 8 Necessities for Selecting a Bug Out Location
1. Accessibility
You may have the perfect Bug Out location on this planet, however it’s ineffective in the event you can’t entry it in instances of catastrophe. A very good frequent piece of recommendation is to select a Bug Out location which is 1 tank of gasoline away from you.
Different frequent recommendation is to ensure there are not less than 3 completely different routes you’ll be able to take to get to your BOL.
2. Isolation
When SHTF, you aren’t going to be the one one fleeing! Even locations which might be usually very distant will seemingly be overrun by individuals in search of security. So that you’ve actually bought to look to seek out an remoted spot on your Bug Out location.
3. Familiarity
I feel it will be nice to Bug Out within the Appalachians, however I’ve by no means actually hiked there. I don’t know the native natural world. I don’t know what to anticipate from the climate circumstances all year long.
Familiarity is likely one of the greatest benefits you’ll have in a catastrophe state of affairs.
For instance, there aren’t any shortages of conflict tales the place outnumbered and under-armed teams have been in a position to beat attackers as a result of they’d the benefit of realizing the native terrain. There was the Albanian hero Bajram Curri who hid within the mountains whereas main insurgent forces. After which there was the entire Vietnam Struggle instance…
For those who aren’t conversant in the realm, it isn’t secure. Both decide a Bug Out location you might be conversant in or spend a while attending to comprehend it!
4. Water
You may solely go about 3 days with out water earlier than dying. Water can also be important for hygiene, cooking, gardening, and plenty of different issues which is able to take us from fundamental survival to homesteading. Have a viable supply of water!
5. Shelter
When speaking about Bug Out areas, there are two issues that individuals seek advice from:
- A survival property, which they purchase and inventory with provides
- A location within the wilderness, the place you might go and Bug Out till the catastrophe dies down
A survival property is used for long-term disasters, whereas the wilderness location is supposed for short-term disasters (therefore why you must have a 3-Day Survival Backpack).
Nonetheless, with the precise outdoor survival skills, one may simply survive within the wilderness indefinitely. On this case, you might make your own survival shelter with a tarp or gadgets like branches.
Let’s be real looking right here: not everyone seems to be suited to wilderness survival.
For those who’ve bought an toddler, for instance, you will wish to have a greater shelter than a bunch of branches overhead or a snow burrow. See prepping with infants.
Your shelter doesn’t should be luxurious, nevertheless it ought to have the ability to give you safety from the weather and hold you heat.
6. Meals/Self-Sustainability
The mountains make for an ideal Bug Out location as a result of they provide isolation, however the land won’t be very appropriate for farming.
You’ll have to be taught to hunt recreation and wild edible plants.
Against this, an space within the plains could be extra appropriate for farming however could be extra accessible to invaders.
You’ll have to stability out the provision of meals and the potential for self-sustainability with all the opposite elements.
Some main self-sustainability elements embrace:
- Daylight for photo voltaic panels
- Land for livestock
- Soil arability
- Wooden for heating
7. Local weather
Are you able to survive a mountain winter with out electrical energy?
Would you even have the ability to entry your Bug Out location throughout sure seasons, akin to when mountains are lined with snow?
Please go to your BOL in all seasons so that you could be conversant in what to anticipate from the local weather!
8. Safety/Protection
Even in the event you select a very remoted location on your Bug Out location, persons are nonetheless going to return throughout it. Particularly in a SHTF scenario the place many individuals are fleeing.
This largely applies to long-term BOLs, akin to in case you are shopping for a survival property.
With a short-term BOL (the nomadic method), you’ll be able to simply flee or disguise in the event you encounter anybody. However, with survival properties, your location goes to be much more of a goal as a result of it can have sources like a backyard and photo voltaic panels.
When selecting your Bug Out location, think about how secure it will likely be and the way you’d have the ability to defend it. Some good factors to search for are:
- Situated on high of a hill with an excellent vantage level
- Is camouflaged
- Has pure limitations, akin to it’s surrounded by a river or mountain cliff
- Are you able to arrange barb wire fences or defend the property your self with ammunition?
Is your Bug Out Bag packed? Use this Bug Out Bag list to be sure to have every part you must survive!