Disaster Survival - When Bugging Out Goes Bad

May 3
08:55

2012

Justin Mountford

Justin Mountford

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There is this fantastic romantic notion that at the first sign of a disaster you can run for the hills, the perfect escape. However what does running for the hills mean? Do you know where to go? Do you think people will be happy to see you? If you do guess again.There is this fantastic romantic notion that at the first sign of a disaster you can run for the hills, the perfect escape. However what does running for the hills mean? Do you know where to go? Do you think people will be happy to see you? If you do guess again.

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Well Equipped

You have practised using your survival gear,Disaster Survival - When Bugging Out Goes Bad Articles you have what you believe is the best survival backpack going around, you're ready to "bug out". However when the time comes to escape from your house where do you actually intend to go?

Romantic Escape

There is this romantic notion that you can simply leave your house with your family and your survival backpack and run for the hills. However running for the hills may not be as good an idea as you think. What do you think you'll achieve by running for the hills? You will in fact make things worse.

Why aren't you happy to see me?

Let's play out the scenario. You manage to make it home in time to organise your family and your survival equipment. You grab your kit and you run for the hills.

Are you hoping to come across a friendly farmer who will take you in? Do you think nobody else will have the same idea?

Countryfolk tend to be cautious people at the best of times. What makes you think that you will simply walk into a nice country Homestead and set up shop? You'll be lucky if you even get through the front gate.

Paradise lost

Ok, so you're not going to go to a country homestead but instead plan on going to neutral ground such as a park or nature reserve. After you have eaten all of your survival food and slept a few nights in your makeshift tent with your family what do you propose you'll do next?

- Do you have the skills to trap and hunt animals?

- Do you expect your family to hunt and gather with you?

- What happens if 10,000 other people decide to descend upon the same nature reserves?

Staying put

While it's good to think that you can make a clean escape from your suburban environment thought must be given to the prospect of staying put. A structure is easier to defend than open ground. You have all your comforts of life like your own bed and the ability to store a large surplus of equipment.

Unless there is a very real reason to leave like a fire or flood staying put will give you more options and could reduce some of the survival stress living of the land introduces.

Yes an angry mob or something far worse could come through your neighbourhood however if you can defend and or hide in your house you have a larger surplus of equipment you can make use.

Your survival plan should cover anything, why not consider the option of staying put.