How will you escape if a wildfire, hurricane, earthquake or terrorist attack threatens your community? Will you drive, walk, take a ride with someone else or will you have to flee to the hills in the middle of the night with nothing more than the clothes on your back? For many of us, there is no easy way to plan for such unforeseen emergencies, because we don’t know what we will face until that moment arrives. It is good to have a main as well as a back-up plan and then prepare for those options in order to have resources and choices.
Things like storms usually give us enough warning time to prepare. Even if it is just a few hours, there is time to put gas in the car, pack clothes and other essentials and get out of harm’s way. Other things like earthquakes, explosions or other calamities will require quick thinking and immediate action. You should always have some form of equipment and supplies that you can grab quickly and head out the door. The most popular option is to have a bug-out-bag at the ready with in arm’s reach that includes necessary items that will tide you over until you can get to safety and access to help.
When you have to leave quickly, it is important not to go searching through the house for items that you think you will need. It is better to already have a bag or a suitcase that is already packed. You should also consider making space in your vehicle and storing essential survival and comfort items there as well. The more thought that you give to preparing for sudden emergencies will help you to develop a game plan that will work best for you if and when the time comes.
Aside from material items and basic essentials, it is also important to have a carefully planned escape route in mind as well as a couple of alternates. Before hurricanes, roads and gas stations often become packed with motorists, and you should consider alternate routes in addition to leaving at a time before the masses start to flee. Earthquakes, tornadoes and other natural disasters may render roads impassible as well as destroying your vehicle and making it inoperative. You may have to either flee on foot or find another way to get out of your immediate area in order to get to safety.
Consider what you will do, how much you will take and how you will get from point A to point B if you are unable to use your first choice. The key to survival and getting to safety is to have options. The more you have, the better your chances, and this comes from planning and preparation. This sounds basic and overly simplistic, but the reality is that survival planning does not need to be complex and elaborate. Have a plan, multiple escape routes and make sure that you have quick access to supplies and resources that you can take with you in a moment’s notice.
