One of my biggest fears as a prepper is that things start going haywire when I am away from home, and the way I prepare for that is with a vehicle bug out bag for my car. My work is about 11 miles from my home. Yours may be closer or farther away, but you still have to take into consideration that you might be away from home even if you aren’t at work. Being put in a position where it takes anywhere from a few hours to 2 days to walk home is a situation you should definitely be prepared for.
I think back to my experience with the “great blackout” during the dog days of summer in 2003 where we were without power for 3 long and grueling days. This blackout spanned several states and parts of Canada. On the 3rd day, when I heard in my car radio that the city 1 hour north of me had just gotten power back, I turned the engine on and headed that way to get a hotel room with air conditioning and television. As I drove up the expressway, there were many cars left abandoned on the shoulder of the road. I would venture to guess that back in 2003, none of these people who had to abandon their vehicles on foot had a bug out bag. I hope they all made it to where they had to go safely.
Things To Keep In Your Trunk, But Not Necessarily In Your Bag
If you wear men’s dress shoes or women’s high heels to work, you should definitely have a comfortable pair of walking shoes in the trunk of your car. I went ahead and bought a cheap pair of $20 tennis shoes that are not what most people would consider fashionable. They are new in the box waiting for me in the trunk if I ever need them with a clean pair of white socks. If we find ourselves in this position, this is the very beginning of the ordeal we are going to go through, that could last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to maybe even a few months. You don’t want to start this difficult journey with bruises and blisters all over your feet. I would also have a T shirt and a warm hooded sweatshirt or jacket and potentially a few other clothing items so you can survey the weather conditions and dress appropriately before leaving your vehicle behind and traveling on foot.
Food Items To Keep In Your Bug Out Bag
When it comes to food, I would rely on compact foods that are calorie dense with a long shelf life. In my bug out bag, I have several bags of peanuts that you can buy at the gas station for 2 for $1. I also have several energy bars. What I would really like to add to my bug out bag is pemmican, which is a fabulous survival food that is incredibly calorie dense and lasts for 20-30 years. At some point in time, if I learn to make pemmican before I need to use my bug out bag, I will replace my bags of peanuts and energy bars with pemmican exclusively. You can purchase pemmican, but it is what I’d consider “imitation pemmican” with a much shorter shelf life and additional ingredients often on the label. I intend to learn to make the real thing both for at home and for my bug out bags. It’s a truly amazing survival food when prepared in the traditional old ways.
Water In Your Get Home Bag
This one is a little more tricky. You definitely need some water. How much can you reasonably bring with you though? Most bug out bags are designed with 2 interior pouches at the top of the bag that will fit 2 water bottles perfectly. So at a minimum, you’ll want to have 2 water bottles, but if space permits in your bag you might want to add a 3rd or even a 4th. If you only have 2 water bottles and it could take you up to 2 days to walk home, be sure to conserve the water you have and sip it slowly. You might want to keep extra water in the trunk of your car or bed of your truck. Drink 1-2 bottles before you leave your vehicle to set off on foot to fully hydrate yourself, and maybe carry one by hand as you start your journey.
There is also a water bottle with a built in filter that you might want to consider if you anticipate a long walk back home. If you walk past a pond or creek or other body of water you could fill the bottle with it and let it filter out any dirt or sediment so that it is drinkable.
First Aid Considerations
You should also have some type of small first aid kit in your bug out bag. Something to disinfect, like hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol, and several types of bandages to protect any potential wounds you might suffer. Your vehicle bug out bag is intended to contain items to get you home safely while on foot, and while this is an essential item, the space it takes should be minimized as much as possible. Try to find the most compact first aid kit possible, or better yet, just put the items you need in a strong plastic ziplock bag.
Additional Items That Are Necessary
One thing you will need that most people don’t consider is some toilet paper. Since space is limited in your bag, you probably don’t want to use a whole new roll. A good option would be to either use a half used roll from your home that is smaller in size, or perhaps get a small package of tissues that won’t take up much space.
You will definitely want to include a flashlight. You might want to include 2 flashlights. Definitely make sure the batteries are good obviously. In a hidden and discreet pocket you will want to have some emergency cash. How much is up to you, but I think at least $20 in several bills would probably be enough.
If you take any medications, it will be very important to have a pill bottle containing 1-2 days worth of your medication in them. You might want to rotate these every 30-60 days depending on how long the shelf life is for what you’re talking. Be sure to ask your pharmacist when you refill.
It would be wise to have a lighter, a book of matches and something to start a fire with.
Additional Items You Might Want To Consider
Cigarettes — if you smoke cigarettes, you definitely want to have a spare pack in your get home bag. Maybe 2 packs.
Toothbrush and toothpaste — I would get the smallest travel size versions of these, unless you have room to spare. I’d hate to go 24-36 hours without brushing my teeth, but if that’s not a thing for you, maybe don’t include it.
Hand Sanitizer — I don’t use hand sanitizer and I don’t have it in my bug out bag, but you might want to have some. I’d suggest using the smallest bottle of it you can find. Travel size works best.
A weapon — This is up to your discretion. In my opinion, you probably won’t need one. This will be the very beginning of the SHTF scenario, and most people won’t be desperate yet. I definitely believe in having weapons at home, but for your long walk to get there I don’t see it as necessary. A knife could come in handy for other uses though. I currently don’t have one in my bag, but it probably couldn’t hurt. If you feel it totally necessary though, pack whatever type of weapon you see fit.
Lastly, it is important to familiarize yourself with all areas you pass on your drive to and from work. Really learn the lay of the land. There might be a wooded area or forest you could cut through for half of your walk. There might be other shortcuts you could make use of that will be lightly traveled as well. Knowing the right way to go and the fastest way to go is invaluable when you need to get home as fast as possible.
I hope I never have to use my bug out get home bag. I hope that if you know what does hit the fan, that I am at home when the melee starts. We never know what might happen though. For that reason preparedness is not an option for me, and hopefully its not for you either.
