Bugging Out With Children
M.D. – I have been asked this question and I wonder if we could get your feed back?
A family with children, say 6 to 10 years old, male and female parent. If they have to leave for 2 days or a little more before they can come back, what should they have in each bag to get through?
Thought I would ask, I have my thoughts but input would be good.
Thank you, OLD SCHOOL
That depends on the bug-out location, weather, overall health of the group and other factors. Realistically a group of healthy individuals could make it just fine with nothing but the clothes on their back (2-3 days) weather permitting.
However it wouldn’t be much fun, at least not for you, when the spouse and kids are screaming at you, because of their discomfort and your lack of preparation.
The first consideration should be climate. If cold pack your bug-out bag accordingly – thermal underwear, coats, gloves, headgear, insulated boots, sleeping bags etc. Warm weather – sunscreen, shorts, tee-shirts, extra water, snake bite kit etc.
Your second consideration should be the health of your group. If everyone is healthy great, if not you will need to figure out how to provide for their needs.
For some, this could be as simple as packing enough blood pressure medication to make it through. Others may require full time medical assistance and, or medications and related equipment.
Under stressful situations it is important for you to appear relaxed, confident and in control of the situation – even if you are a shaking bag of nerves on the inside. The last thing children need is extra stress brought about by a tense and out of control parent.
Another consideration is familiarity. During a bug-out situation you will be away from home this can be extremely stressful especially for children. It is important to eliminate as much of the stress of unfamiliarity as possible.
If they have a favorite blanket, pillow, stuffed toy or whatever gives them comfort and protection be sure to pack it before heading out the door. This is very important.
Children tend to bore easily, so adding things to extinguish their boredom is a good idea. You may want to put together a pack just for them, consisting of toys, books and games. Don’t forget extra batteries.
You will of course want to pack the basics – food, water, first-aid, extra socks and underwear, toothpaste and brush, toilet paper, baby wipes, hand sanitizer etc…
If you have other bug-out advice for Old School please share with us in the comments below.
Related Post:
The Grab And Go Survival Pack
Selecting Guns For the Bug-Out Bag
Beyond The Bug Out Bag – The Ultimate Grab And Go Survival Kit
Two-Way Radio Communications For The Bug-Out Bag
January 28th, 2010 at 4:11 pm
I'm a mom of five, ages 1 month thru 9, so this is my BIG prepping area. Looking forward to what others have to say!
I have 2 strollers in the back of my car – one umbrella and one 2-passenger with under-storage. I have two tubs, one with MRE's and one with bottles of water. Because we live in Michigan, there's also a suitcase full of wool blankets, mittens/hats/pullovers for each person, and hiking boots for me. I have a back-of-the-seat organizer with flashlights, matches, first aid, snacks, and other stuff. There's also a pop-out backpack to load it into come bug-out time.
I used to have a 4-drawer rolly cart in there for it all, but it was cumbersome, so we went to tubs with handles and the hanging caddy. Although I'm debating getting a craft case on wheels to just keep it all together and more easily accessible – save me packing time.
Come SHTF (say, EMP?) I can't be caught on the road with 3-4 little ones that can't walk far. Should 'bug out' happen, we might already be away from home, so this is what I do. Not much room (Uplander with four carseats!), so it's kind of got to be compact as possible.
Re: your 2-day scenario, I'd hook up to our camping trailer and just go. We keep a separate set of everything in there – all the sleeping bags and pillows are in tubs, there's a pack-n-crib and blankets, there's even canned goods. The propane tanks are full, and it has a bathroom. It's also got games and space for the kids – 3 fold-outs and a slide-out. It's the only thing I ever bought brand new (and yes, there's a loan on it), but it's worth it to me. And we do a TON of camping.
Of course the Uplander couldn't tow the trailer far, but the hub and I have meet-up places set up, and he'd hook it to the truck from there.
However, you don't need a fancy trailer – in case we can't make payments on the new one, we've kept our old (paid-off) trailer, too. It'd be fine for the same thing – a 1970-something with quad bunks we got off Craigslist years ago. It's a nice fall-back in case some family needs it (if we don't).
We have 'can't-sleep-without-Snowbear' issues, but they would live if there wasn't time. And they know the Happy Meal toys we've acquired over the past decade are in a tub in the camper. (There's a lunchbox of toys in the car, too, for Dr. visits.) They each have a backpack in their room and can pack quickly – lots of practice from childbirth midnight sojourns!
In other news, we have a place in the house where they all know to drop everything and run to immediately if I call out 'Drill!' This came about after a school official showed up once and all the kids ran to the door to see, and he started logging their ages and sexes. (We homeschool. I was NOT appreciative.) Having a hiding place is a good idea – you never know who might show up at your house, and having them together is a boon. We also do fire drills, and if something happened, I could push the test button and know everyone would be in the same place ASAP. Very handy for bugging out – no chasing down children.
You have spurred some ideas, though. Putting the cloth diapers I'm storing for SHTF in the camper, and keeping my flint in the basement isn't as good an idea as in the car, either. I breastfeed, which is the best bug-out alternative – if you don't, keep a jar of formula under a car seat. And another box of rounds in the camper might be smart, too…
January 28th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
Not having any young'uns around these days, I'll draw from a little camping experience and suggest getting the kids in on the experience, kind of like it's a game. At 6 and 10, they're plenty old and big enough to enjoy it.
One thing you can do is ask their opinion on what they want to pack for "an emergency escape" or whatever you want to call a Bug Out situation. ("Escape to Mars?" "Going to Never-Never Land"? etc.)
Of course they're going to want to bring every toy they have, so it'll be your job to insure they don't by making suggestions, giving them hints, telling them they have to carry what they eat, drink, wear, read and play with. Insure each has their own pack- even the dog can carry its feed in a saddle pack. You put in the basics: sleeping bag, three or four meals, some water, and let them add their "gotta have".
After that, Mom and Pop can add their two cents and pick up the slack.
One thing you definitely want to do with the kids is have some dry runs- get them out and practicing your escape and evasion (E&E) so they know what to expect, how to do it and have fun at the same time.
Not to mention: the family that Preps together, survives together. (My two cents and food for thot.)
God bless.
Shy III
January 28th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
If you can get your hands on Rescue Hero videotapes (they come free with the toys, so they end up at Goodwill and garage sales often) – they teach kids about emergency situations and how to be smart, not panic, and what to do during flood, fire, electrical storms, etc. It's kind of a 'prep mindset' tool that makes them feel like they could be work as a team and overcome the obstacles, too. It would make bugging out with kids that much easier if they saw themselves in that light.
January 28th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
I agree with Shy – getting the kids in on it is the easiest way to go about things. I've found with doing this that I have 2 kids who are REALLY into it and 2 kids who could care less (they are teenagers tho).
January 28th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
Plus one on the games to keep them occupied. A charged DS or PSP can keep a kid quiet for quite a spell. Solar recharger and extra rechargeables for this are worth the extra bulk.
I think the difficult part will be is when the kids hit 'The Wall', and body refuses to go any further. They will raise quite a racket, and that is where the above really shines.
January 28th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
My son is 3 and we have 1 on the way.
I could wander out into the woods with a knife and live quite well, but my wife is not so inclined nor trained.
Our prep is focused around natural disaster scenarios, and she is starting to understand the potential man-made scenarios, their impact (the electricity might not come back on… ever!), and likelihood.
Building up resilience is the best tool – you can never pack everything you need, and likely, will come to a point where you can't transport everything you have (blocked roadways, disabled vehicle, victims of looting/robbery, etc.).
My son and I play "camping" a lot now, and he helps with chores like "gathering firewood" and mimics using a striker to start the fire, etc. I'll incorporate other bushcraft elements into the play so he's familiar with them.
That said, my BOBs are in 2 categories:
1) Standard 72-hour kit: first aid, radio, flashlight, emergency rations and water, blah blah… tuned towards expecting things to get back to normal eventually – this is in a soft-pack and is basically a kit I got online and augmented a bit myself.
2) EOTWAWKI: Mostly raw survival gear – hunting/fishing/trapping, shelter making, firecraft and contingency gear. This is almost entirely focused on self-reliance. Packed in an old Army ALICE pack.
I try to keep my packs 50# or less, expecting to go on foot at least for some portion. I have nothing for my son to carry, and fully expect to have to carry him sometimes (hence the 50# limit). If I had to, I could carry both bags (I was in the infantry) while my wife managed the kids.
In a major event, I could always pare down the load and cross-load the necessities or customize the carry into 1 solid bag. Frankly, I'm more concerned with looters and gangs than starving, so I don't pack a lot of food into my BOB.
The hardest part is to get enough education and motivation transferred to the rest of the family in the event that I'm not available. My wife doesn't like to entertain that scenario, so it makes it very difficult for her to take everything as seriously as I do.
January 28th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
How about animals?
Any ideas?
January 29th, 2010 at 12:23 am
Supper post M.D. and some great advice. Even the comments here are loaded with info. Thank you for what you do.
January 29th, 2010 at 3:44 am
anon 11:11 am
"Of course the Uplander couldn't tow the trailer far, but the hub and I have meet-up places set up, and he'd hook it to the truck from there."
Why won't the Uplander tow the trailer far? if it will handle the tongue weight it should tow till you run out of gas. I used to tow a 30' trailer with a 3/4 ton pu with an automatic trans. Many times I was warned my truck was too light for that or a C6 [trans]won't stand the strain. If you simply drive carefully, slow starts and trailer brakes should handle most driving needs. note; pu was retired at 500,000 for one with more cab room, and advise on towing from those who assume only biggest need apply for any job is suspect.
January 29th, 2010 at 4:47 am
Anon6.29 is asking a really good question, IMO- since I'm not only a pet lover, but have several. And I have given a bit of thought to what happens with them when TSHTF… and have come to no optimal conclusion other than they can carry their own 'gear' (food) in saddle packs made just for them. Cats can pretty much feed themselves from the local wildlife, but dogs… well, they're kind of 'here and there' since so many have been trained to 'point out' the game rather than attack and eat it. (Not to mention they're trained to drop it at our feet on command. I'm not absolutely certain a starving Dobe will do that! LOL)
)
Also in the animal's favor is their natural abilities- such as going without food and water without complaint. Animals, being animals, don't look at things the way we people do, and hunger, even to a house dog, is just something it has to contend with, not complain about. They may salivate all over our C-rats, but probably won't take them out of your hand.
'Scuse me, I digress from topic. (Must be thinkin' this' my blog- sorry, MD
Indians used dogs to pull travois and sleds- in this cold north country, many still do dog sledding- and those are practical ways for a dog to 'earn' its keep. Or a team of them.
Being wonderful as a first alarm system, there is tremendous value in having a dog or two, as well as being another excellent defender of family.
Yet so many dogs are going to find themselves without homes, being killed for food, joining wild packs and becoming hunters of the very people who 'loved' them. (I have read recent articles about people already turning their pets out because they can't afford to feed them- which causes me to woder how well their children are eating as well. If you're not responsible enough to csare for a pet…)
In short, if you have a pet- dog especially- look at it closely: decide what it is capable of doing to help itself, to help you. (Rather than being a foot warmer.)
Larger animals, such as mules, horses, llamas, even cows and goats, sheep- all can be reliably used to carry loads and can fend for themselves with grasses. The question then arises: how long will it be before you have to defend that very animal against a hungry horde?
Questions… questions… questions…is there no end to the questions?
Shy III
January 29th, 2010 at 7:44 am
I'm afraid I don't have much to add. I have thought of my situation in a SHTF scenario. I have a wife, six children, and I live in Alaska. No way we're bugging out in the winter, -50 temperatures kill quick. While we are getting set up to bug out if we are forced to, the lack of population density, the cold, and the logistics involved in getting 8 people OOD in a SHTF scenario (kids are 2-11) is daunting, to say the least. We are prepping to stay put for now, and building a bug out plan as we go.
We have several isolated "fishing spots" we can get to without too much trouble, places that are familiar to the kids. This would help, IMO.
All in all though, unless situation dictates otherwise, we stay put. A good strategy is to build a community with other families, along with a plan to band together in bad times.
January 29th, 2010 at 4:45 pm
We've put together emergency packs for our kids (ages 5-10). Did a post on it here. They know what is in them and what they are for. I hope to never have to use them. I also believe in taking the kids camping, shooting, hiking, etc. and taking every opportunity to teach them outdoor/survival skills. Then bugging out can be like a special camping trip instead of something very unfamiliar to them.
January 29th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
lots of great stuff here folksyou all gave me things to consider
January 29th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Living in a hurricane zone, we've had to bug out with our now thirteen year old daughter five times, and bug "in" – live in our house with all the windows covered with plywood, with no electricity except for a 5hp generator, for a week. Believe me, bugging in was worse than bugging out. It's like living in a cave, all your biorythms go out of whack, and it's quite depressing.
Only things I can add are kids like things to STAY THE SAME – our daughter's favorite teddy bear and "blankie" were as important as any other items on our bug-out list, and kids LIKE TO HELP – they really need to feel useful when an emergency happens. Make jobs for them – it makes them feel like they are helping things get better. Even at age 3 or 4 my daughter was a great help cleaning up the debris on our property after a near-miss by a hurricane – and VERY proud she was helping Daddy.
January 29th, 2010 at 10:37 pm
My children are 3 and 5, kinda young to be carrying heavy packs, so we built our BOB in a rolling suitcase. There's changes of clothing for 4, medical necessities, food, wool blankets etc. Plus 2 favorite blankets, a lovey and their favorite bedtime CD. I figure keeping them happy and quiet is worth the little bit of room that comfort items require.
January 31st, 2010 at 1:21 pm
re CCI 22 CB Longs
Survival Guns by Mel Tappan
page 177 quote " In a barrel of 22" or longer the CB cap is almost totally silent. At a distance of 8 feet from the muzzle of my 24" Anschutz, the sound level from firing was only 9 db, and at 15 feet was totally inaudible. Not only does this lack of noise make the CCI long CB caps desireable for indoor or backyard target practice, it makes them virtually a necessity for survival use should you ever need to do some shooting without attracting attention or alarming game in the neighborhood." unquote
Remington CB 33 gr @ 740 fps = 40 ft lb
Remington subsonic 22LR 38 gr @ 1050 = 93 ft lb, is very little louder than the CB. From Marlin model 25 22LR rifle I put 3 Remington subsonics in 3/4 inch group at 50 yards.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/66774-5.html
Tossing Rocks – shooting subsonic 22
http://www.jesseshunting.com/articles/guns/category16/66.html
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:04 am
Thank you All, Thanks M.D., I have gotten very good ideas to past on. Again, I wish to Thank all of you…
PREPARE FOR THE WORST AND PRAY FOR THE BEST
February 5th, 2010 at 6:43 am
I've organized my gear into tubs for longer term bug out that can be thrown in the bed of my truck, and the kids wife and short term bags go in her minivan. In a GOOD scenario my blue heeler/rotwieller mix will ride in back of the truck to help protect the gear and ward off bandits. Comms are two hand held GMRS/FRS radios and CB radios installed in each vehicle. In the event that a vehicular escape is not possible, I, my wife and son have mountain bikes, with two pull behind bike trailers, one for our daughters that are too small to ride a bike, and a second that can haul gear. I have trained my compact but strong dog to pull a mountain bike. He can pull not just me, but the trailer with my two girls several miles. He's capable of a top speed of 15 mph for a mile or better under load in the summer before he gets too hot. I say too hot because when i take him out for a ride, once he rolls in a ditch full of water he's good until he drys out. I'm getting him a pack that I plan on filling with water bottled to help keep him cool. In cold weather he has unlimited stamina.