We have to quit meeting this way, people are going to begin to think we all have to much time on our hands… Oh well, Monday again and we can watch the week unfold before our eyes… It’s really the togetherness here at Preppernation that we’re after anyway, right?

 

   First we have the devastation in Haiti and now round 2 comin at ya from Chile. It kinda makes you wonder what’s next? Earthquakes coming in rapid succession? Remind anyone of the end of book many of us have read? Interesting, if nothing else? Let me encourage everyone to stop for a few minutes one day real soon and check your gear, never know when you could need it!

 

   Nothing for us to do but keep on prepping the best we can for whatever’s coming around the bend next. This leads us into the next topic I wanted to spend a little time on. It’s really an age old question in the survivalist circles… Bugging in or bugging out? What to do, what to do? Let’s take a good look at what exactly this question means…

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

 

   I’ve been asked by many readers what my views are for this situation or that? If after reading this I still leave you wondering what my advise would  be than by all means send me another email and I’ll personally go through your specific circumstances with you and report the results back so we can all gain from the exercise! However, I think we have 2 distinct camps that 99% of us preppers will fall into fairly easily.

 

   Just to start this off on the right foot, I want  you to remember that this, like everything else I post about is just my opinion. We are free to disagree and of course each of you is going to do or not do whatever you think is best!

 

   I guess I’ll start at the beginning, I know that we have the full range of experience levels in the ranks of readers each day. I don’t want to lose anyone by assuming that we are all on the same jumping off point… The question that we have all heard or certainly will hear at some point when we talk to another prepper is – “Are you planning to bug in or bug out?” It really isn’t a complicated question, it can be boiled down to – Are you ideally going to stick it out at your home or run for the hills if and or when the turds start flying?

 

   If each of us stop to think this one question through we should be able to easily determine an answer that will work the majority of the time! Let’s look at “bugging in” first and then we’ll spend a little time discussing the aspects of “bugging out”, you should then be able to tell me which choice is going to be the most helpful in your specific situation.

 

   The idea to bug in would seem to be the more logical one for most people. If you are already in a position to provide for your shelter needs, what could happen to prevent that? While staying put is nowhere near as romantic as chasing across the mountain passes in an attempt to get to the BOL just ahead of martial law or quick to form gangs of mutant zombie bikers. The truth is, if it comes down to a survival situation – the simpler the plan the better.

 

   Almost all of us have a home of some sort currently and as long as it’s still standing, we would probably be better off standing our ground in familiar territory. With the exception of a stocked retreat off in the toolies somewhere, most if not all of our gear is with us at the house. Is it realistic to think you can get all that gear along with everything and everyone else safely to a second location? How about when time is of the essence? I don’t know about your family but just to leave for a weekend at the stocked BOL, my girls take over an hour to get themselves out the door… No stress or anything, just pack an overnight bag and get in the car – over an hour…

 

   Yes, if we HAD TO go we could do it a lot quicker but we aren’t even trying to get the gear from the house loaded or contemplating the thought of not getting to come back for things we might have left behind. It would be a lot simpler to have the primary plan to just hunker down at home.

 

  If you decide to stick it out at the house you can take your long term self-sufficiency plans to a whole new level. Fruit trees and garden space, solar back-up power and on the list will go. Try to do that at old Uncle Joes country place… Oh yeah you could do it but it wouldn’t work to good if Uncle Joe passes on or has to move to an old folks home in town. Country place gets sold and your fruit trees and everything else nailed down goes along to the new owner.

 

   I don’t want to sound depressing about a “Bug Out” plan but it will definitely make a difference if you can live at your retreat full time, even if it’s a house in the city. Is it going to be ideal? No, but seldom will any of us have the luxury of an ideal emergency situation…  The home you’re already living in will by nature be your home ground, chances are you know it well.

 

   If you had to find water right now, at someplace other than your kitchen sink, could you do it? I bet you could name 3 or 4 different ponds, lakes, creeks or whatever, right off the top of your head. What about a park nearby to take small game (if you hurry – before the neighbors get there first)… It’s pretty easy to take the kiddo’s there for a – “walk” – most anytime you like, might even happen to notice all those near tame squirrels bouncing happily around while your there… See what I mean?

 

   If you choose to go against the grain, you might just happen to get to know your neighbors. Those same neighbors can be as big an asset as anything you choose to stock up on… Relationships WILL make a big difference if the SHTF, be the like able personality we all know you are now and you could find yourself with a survival group right in our own culdesac. Maybe not but it’s worth a try… (Obviously, OPSEC considerations apply here so please don’t check your brain at the door on this point!)

 

  I have only begun to scrape the surface on what the possibilities are for the prepper who chooses to stay put when the fateful day arrives but it bares consideration, even by those who think they have already made up there mind to head for the hills… I wouldn’t try to change your mind but only to have you be confident you had looked at all your possibilities!

 

 

See ya tomorrow and we’ll dig into the other side of this coin and see what we find…

 

Prepper