Thread: "Prepping": What's the idea?

Up here in the rural PNW right now many of us are ready to bug out because of the fires..

Of course 2 years ago we were ready to bug out because of the flooding..

Being ready is being ready, doesn't much matter the reason same stuff is in the "Valuables Box" still using the same tractor as I used to cut ditches for drainage as I am using now to move deadfall and brush

Prepping / Survival is a skillset...

My 2 cents;
The vehicle B.O.B. that you talk about, I prefer to call it a "Get Home Bag". A B.O.B. varies in its contents, based upon your individual needs.
Meaning,, its put together based upon your environment, daily routine (very important), physical needs & the vehicle your using(carrying this bag in). The "vehicle bag" is intended to get you home. It is different than a B.O.B. used for evacuation .

A Joe Teti bag may very well have a lot of good tools included in it, but may be lacking for your daily routine. When I plan on driving/renting a vehicle in another state, for example when I travel from Dallas to El Paso, I place a bag in my checked luggage that reflects my needs or concerns for that environment. Water, food can be obtained, when I get the car.

B.O.B. is always ready to go. Now I have my medicine included. We as a society are racing towards a crash. We talked about this a year ago. Now I keep a list of what is actually in my bag so I dont have to keep taking it apart because I cant remember if I packed a certain item.

Good idea, I took mine apart the other day just to see what I had in it. Why didn't I think of that?

A detailed list makes it easy,,, also can tell you what may have expired & need replacing.


In our family, we have a 15 minute, 1 hour & 24 hour evacuation lists. For example if an emergency is broadcast while we are home & we are given a time limit, a detailed list is already prepared & ready to distribute. Each item on the list is colored coded, each individual is responsible for their assigned color(each item is assigned based on the ability of the family member to gather it),,, for example firearms & medicines would not be left to a 10 year old to gather. Color coding & assigning , speeds up the evacuation process.

The hardest part about preparing, is making the list & staying disciplined enough to only take whats on the list. These decisions must be made before the problem happens or you will rationalize taking everything.

Every family member should have what is referred to as a "neck safe". These are kept up to date & readily accessible,,, they are the first thing you will grab & place around your neck. If you have to be evac'd on site by a transport such as a helicopter, remember, they are there for the body(you) not all your baggage. The neck safe will contain all the information that gets you through a processing center; among other vital items.

Just my thoughts.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

One Second After: William R. Forstchen, William D. Sanders, Newt Gingrich: 9780765356864: Amazon.com: Books

This is a really good read, and an eyeopener to anyone that doesn't understand survival,, It is fiction, but well written and full of many facts, much better entertainment then reading dry boring Survival Manuals / Guides...

@ChrisL, it also gives some pretty factual descriptions of what will happen within 90 days of having no power, and the issues that people with medical complications will face. Of course it is based on the US but would pertain to pretty much any modern industrialized country...

One of the best books I have read this yr,loved it.

I agree with all of the above, i mentioned the Joe Teti one more to highlight the amount of people making these videos, even this one is tailored, more to a mindset than a set of needs and the build in it gives you some idea into the mindset of the builder, the one in the mentioned video is designed for a LOT more stealth/taking out the enemy ect, most people dont even think this way when thinking what do i need in a (this bag or that bag) but i have seen some that are a mix of the two you mentioned, an ex S.A.S. guy says he carries one in the back of his vehicle the majority of the time that can be classed as either a get home bag or a B O B and was designed with the intention of running to the hills incase of a dirty bomb in what ever city you may be in at the time.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

One of the best books I have read this yr,loved it.

Thanks for the book suggestion guys, gonna look in to grabbing hold of that.

Edit: Total fail use of the "Quote" function on my behalf

Originally Posted by Hirlau

A detailed list makes it easy,,, also can tell you what may have expired & need replacing.


In our family, we have a 15 minute, 1 hour & 24 hour evacuation lists. For example if an emergency is broadcast while we are home & we are given a time limit, a detailed list is already prepared & ready to distribute. Each item on the list is colored coded, each individual is responsible for their assigned color(each item is assigned based on the ability of the family member to gather it),,, for example firearms & medicines would not be left to a 10 year old to gather. Color coding & assigning , speeds up the evacuation process.

The hardest part about preparing, is making the list & staying disciplined enough to only take whats on the list. These decisions must be made before the problem happens or you will rationalize taking everything.

Every family member should have what is referred to as a "neck safe". These are kept up to date & readily accessible,,, they are the first thing you will grab & place around your neck. If you have to be evac'd on site by a transport such as a helicopter, remember, they are there for the body(you) not all your baggage. The neck safe will contain all the information that gets you through a processing center; among other vital items.

Just my thoughts.

Looks like you have a big storm headed your way John,stay safe.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

A detailed list makes it easy,,, also can tell you what may have expired & need replacing.


In our family, we have a 15 minute, 1 hour & 24 hour evacuation lists. For example if an emergency is broadcast while we are home & we are given a time limit, a detailed list is already prepared & ready to distribute. Each item on the list is colored coded, each individual is responsible for their assigned color(each item is assigned based on the ability of the family member to gather it),,, for example firearms & medicines would not be left to a 10 year old to gather. Color coding & assigning , speeds up the evacuation process.

The hardest part about preparing, is making the list & staying disciplined enough to only take whats on the list. These decisions must be made before the problem happens or you will rationalize taking everything.

Every family member should have what is referred to as a "neck safe". These are kept up to date & readily accessible,,, they are the first thing you will grab & place around your neck. If you have to be evac'd on site by a transport such as a helicopter, remember, they are there for the body(you) not all your baggage. The neck safe will contain all the information that gets you through a processing center; among other vital items.

Just my thoughts.

Very sensible stuff