Be prepared! When I mention “preparedness” to my friends, they initially ask, “are you planning on the end of the world?” You don’t have to wait for the end of the world to be prepared. There are plenty of reasons to have an emergency bag prepared just in case you need to exit your home quickly. Any time spent gathering important things should be spent getting the hell out of whatever danger you are escaping from. If a house fire breaks out you don’t have a lot of time to root around for your shit. Grab your emergency kit and leave. You should also consider a “bug out bag” if you live in an area that is prone to flooding, wild fires or earthquakes.

I’ve had a personal emergency kit built for about two years now. I have used it several times — but never for an actual “disaster.” Having the emergency cash is great for financial emergencies, too.

“Okay, DrFaulken, I’ll think about this bug out bag idea. What should I put in it?”

Well, here’s what I have in mine. Keep in mind that I am planning for a little bit more than just a short jaunt from the house and have some things you may deem unnecessary.

If you already have a bug out bag built, take time to review it. When I pulled mine apart to write this article, I noticed a lot of holes in my setup and/or outdated items. For example, I didn’t have any vet records for Pearl in my “personal documents” pouch. I also noticed that I have a toothbrush, but no toothpaste. I have soap but no towel or way to dry my hands off other than toilet paper. I also feel like I don’t have enough N95 masks, and probably not enough nitrile gloves. Oh yeah, some first aid stuff might be useful in a disaster situation (rolls eyes). Take your kit apart every now and then, you may be surprised at what you missed.

On to the laundry list of stuff in my bag:

http://gallery.drfaulken.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4387

  • 1 N95 respiration mask
  • 6 nitrile gloves
  • Cash
  • 100′ of 650# paracord
  • Metal camp cup
  • Metal camp bowl
  • Set of camping utensils
  • 2 hand warmers
  • 4oz bottle of contact lens solution
  • Contact lens case
  • Folding knife
  • Emergency bivvy (sleeping) bag
  • 2 cotton t-shirts
  • 1 pair of cargo work pants
  • 2 pair of wool/coolmax socks
  • 4 AA batteries
  • Bic lighter
  • Spark-Lite survival lighter
  • 10 burn-o-balls
  • 55 yards of duct tape
  • Toothbrush
  • 2 pens
  • Sharpie
  • Notepad
  • Compass
  • Fox 40 emergency whistle
  • USB charging kit
  • 6 33 gallon trash bags
  • Hand sanitizer
  • 1/4 bar of soap
  • Lexan water bottle
  • Light stick
  • Water purification tablets
  • Deck of cards
  • Big ass tarp
  • Personal documents such as identification, insurance information, and pet vaccination records in case they need to be boarded

I keep all that stuff in an external frame hiking back pack. Some among the preparedness set use military surplus or tactical bags, but I would rather look unassuming than paramilitary in a disaster situation.

http://gallery.drfaulken.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4390

You don’t have to plan for the end of the world to have a basic emergency kit. Put some cash, copies of personal documents, and base necessities and you’re much better prepared than most other Americans. It only takes a little bit of time, and if you ever need to get out in a hurry, you’ll be glad you spent the effort to get organized and prepare.