Whether it was watching footage of refugees fleeing Kosovo last spring, or now evacuees of East Timor, I keep catching myself looking closely at what these people are wearing, what they have on their backs, and what they carry in their arms, and the various looks of desparation on their faces.

Given only moments to decide to flee your home, what other than than the infant would you take?

In a huge front page photo today in the Anchorage Daily News it showed a photo from the Chicago Tribune of a family fleeing the violence in E. Timor. The only personal posessions I could make out in the photo was a jug of water, and a rickety cage holding four chickens. I believe those chickens speaks volumes. They alone, with a source of water may be enough to keep that family alive until the danger is past.

One answer is not correct for all of us. Personally, in the high arctic whether flying in military aircraft or just out for a drive in the country in nice weather I have a survival rucksack close by that will keep me alive for quite sometime. At home, its alread packed and by the door to be grabbed in the event of a fire or other event requiring quick action. Items contained within would be common to most mountaineers. Stan has discussed bug-out bags at length, so I won't repeat. Too me this is the "MOST IMPORTANT PREPARATION ITEM!" What is your "most prized possession?" Leave the antique rocker behind!

-- (snowleopard6@webtv.net), September 20, 1999

Answers

B.O.P. 1 and 2, plus an M1A with supplies.

-- Art (artw@lancnews.infi.net), September 20, 1999.

(1) Bug out bag containing 72+ hours of food, medicines, change of clothing, bedroll, tent, etc.

(2) Pets (dog, cat, 16 chickens)

(3) Pet food

(4) Laptop computers (contain backed up files)

(5) Document "safe" (passports, etc.)

(6) Weapons (if situation requires)

(7) Bible

(8) Ham radio

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), September 20, 1999.

A magazine, maybe a People or a Rolling Stone. Otherwise I might die of boredom.

-- (biff@wherever.iam), September 20, 1999.

Our BOB's are packed & ready to go. My kids each have one favorite stuffed animal. Those will be the last things grabbed as we head out the door.

-- Deborah (infowars@yahoo.com), September 20, 1999.

Our Mini-14's and 2000 rds of ammo, along with the night vision equipment. Son will take the shotgun, and 200 shells. (The BOB's are a given....)

-- Dennis (djolson@pressenter.com), September 20, 1999.

Bug out Bag

Beretta

Bunny in cage (has his own bag packed)

-- CA 4x4 (nospam@now.please), September 20, 1999.

I think I would grab a handfull of photos from the album.

-- DaveW (dwood@southwind.net), September 20, 1999.

might as well grab your knees and kiss your butt goodbye. If this thing goes Mad Max to the point you have to bail out of your house and abandon all your preps you're done anyway.

-- Nikoli Krushev (doomsday@y2000.com), September 20, 1999.

Baby photos, gold, passport.In that order.

-- Gia (laureltree7@hotmail.com), September 21, 1999.

1. Green bud and pipe.

2. Fully Equipped BOB.

3. Guns and ammo.

4. Set house on fire.

-- buggin (buggin@bugginn.com), September 21, 1999.

My husband.

-- Leslie (***@***.net), September 21, 1999.

ditto nilolai. ok, you buggers (those who bug out) i am not stupid enough to stay in a burning neighborhood, etc. however, i am also not stupid enough to think i will be any safer on my way to my little hideaway (especially with thousands of other bug-outers on the road at in the gas station restrooms) or at my little hideaway? the whole nation can't run. there aren't enough hideaways.

-- homebody (sickofbuggingout@stayhome.org), September 21, 1999.

Interesting thread. Dh told me last night the IT who is doing some work for him on his systems at the office confided he has been doing remedial work for two years on all sorts of business, large and small in Atlanta. His opinion on y2k - he and his wife bought a Humbie all terrain vehicle. It is already loaded and ready to go to their retreat. This is the sort insider POV that spurs me to make another trip to Sam's. We are planning to ride it out here - but now I have decide to put together a couple of BOBs myself. These will be in the truck - not by the door.

-- April (Alwzapril@home.com), September 21, 1999.

Greybear, an old poster here, now posts on the Prep board, put together perhaps one of the best BOB's there is. He named it a "SUE" bag (Survival Under Extremes). Check the archives for this information or go to the other board and post questions for Greybear's (very very smart man) help if your interested. It's the most thoughtfully put together BOB I've ever seen.

-- Cary Mc from Tx (Caretha@compuserve.com), September 21, 1999.

The doorknob.

-- Dave (aaa@aaa.com), September 21, 1999.

I am assuming that the bug-out pack is already on my back with all the "necessities" of life : (your list here)

The last thing going out the door is my old single shot 12 gauge with a 22 inch chokeless barrel, and sling with integral shell holder with 15 rifled slugs...

If the scenario is that bad, it and my .45 on my hip will be necessary. Mrs. Dog will have her 9mm and the Mini-14. Our daughter will grab the old Marlin 60 .22, and the boys will have the two pump shotguns.

What you are talking about and what I am seeing in my minds eye may be different, but then hey, everyone is different in that respect. (and in all other respects for that matter)

A scenario where I have to leave my domicile, and I think the detention camps theory is so much bunk, will require personal defense, IMHO. I can't think of anything else other than fire in the home that would require me to leave.

I am prepared for a fire. I caught fire extinguishers on sale at Home Depot last year, and I have a fire extinguisher in every room.

All my children, ages 13, 15, 17, and 19, know how to shoot a gun, and have had extensive gun safety training. There are five of us that act as a team in "extraordinary" situations. No, we are not militant, nor do we wear camoflage clothing on a regular basis. We have all discussed the situation and have come up with our game plan. Our plan is to have at least one person awake at all times. The 13 year old is exempt from this task for the moment. So, if we have to be away from our domicile, you will not catch my family unaware.

Do you talk to your children about this?

sniffin' at the gun...

The Dog

-- Dog (Desert Dog@-sand.com), September 21, 1999.

Since we are having a "Mad Max Moment", I would like to say, "You can run, but you cannot hide!" Think where will we go, it is more important than what will we take.

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), September 21, 1999.

B.O.B., 1911A, and the last thing:

My paperback copy of THE FEDERALIST PAPERS, in a ziplock baggie.

Liberty

-- Liberty (liberty@theready.now), September 21, 1999.

My car... well packed.

Diane

Need suggestions? See thread...

PERSONAL Y2K, EMERGENCY OR DISASTER RESPONSE MOBILE PREPARATIONS:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000dz6

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 21, 1999.

Supprised at all you GO GETTERS ! Not one of you mentioned the correct answer. In the early eighties, when the " evil empire " was alive and well, I taught my eighth grade classes how to survive a nuclear war. But before I started the two week course, I gave a preliminary quiz to show them they REALLY didn't have the answers. Questiobn number 19 was; You have five minutes to get to the shelter. With baby brother under one arm and only one hand free as you exit the kitchen, which do you grab ... a) Medical kit b) gun c) bag of food d) bottle of Chlorox . Correct answer is "d" , the one thing you must have is clean drinking water, as you can do without food for over a week, BUT, if you get sick from contaminated water, your chances of survival are slim to none with over 90% of doctors living in/near major target cities. Would love to give all of you the test. Best classes ( A students ) scored no higher than 28% , even though by guessing, you have to average 25% . Eagle

-- Hal Walker (e999eagle@freewwweb.com), September 21, 1999.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr near Monterey, California

Hal, hey, no fair, you didn't give me a fair chance to get to this post! (It's the first chance I had to get here, today!)

I did know this answer, really, I did... I was just taking my time in writing a different kind of answer. :)

Whether we are able to bring our pers onal bugout bags or not, each of us will have our own three pound survival kits. By the way, neither of these contains food, although the bigger bag does contain highly concentrated survival tabs. The reason for not carrying food is that one can go a long time without food, and one cannot carry more than a few days worth in any case. It is far better to carry tools with which one can obtain food. Water, also, is optional, depending upon time of year. These bags will be in the trunks of our cars, as soon as I stop using the trunks to haul home other survival gear (real soon now, since I've run out of money).

If leaving by car, I'll toss in our optional bag and fill the rest of the car with 5-gal and smaller jugs of water (whether we need them or not -- HA!)

If leaving by foot, I might recruit a neighbor to help in carrying our optional bag, with the understanding that we would all share equally (by calorie expenditure) in the food for as long as it lasts (which won't be long), and they could share in the bounty from our tools for as long as they carry our bag. And to remember that it's ours, so we can take it and leave any time we like.

As for the chlorine answer, we're using purification straws in our small survival bags and so-called pocket filters in our bigger bugout bags. These last longer than an equivalent volume of granulated hypochlorinator though we're taking that too, to dole out to fellow travelers in small quantities. Best not to let those around us get sick, even if they're only strangers!

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), September 21, 1999.

I would grab the keys to our well stocked moter home. If we have to leave home, I'm taking a home with me. Water tank is full, holding tanks are empty. If we concerve water (no showers) we can go 3-4 weeks. I don't know how long propane will last. Our 3 grandaughters will be comfortable, we have TV, CB, walkie-talkies, tape player and radio. I am trying to talk hubby into getting 12v Vidio tape player. Have guns and amo for protection. Can be in wilderness in 1 hr.

-- Homeschooling Grandma (mlaymon@glenn-co.k12.ca.us), September 22, 1999.

BTW The S.U.E. that you will find on http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000em8 is NOT a bug out bag per se, but what you need to start living with within easy reach AT ALL TIMES, in about 6 weeks. It fits into a 1 gallon ziplock, costs about (depending on the tarp price) 12 bucks because you already have most of the stuff around the house. It is designed to give you about 1-2 days of pure survival, no comforts, no relaxation stuff, no nuttin'. It is BARE BONES survival. there is one in my briefcase, and one in Mrs. Driver's briefcase. In about 6 weeks, there will be 2 next to the bed and they will live on us (in small fanny packs) whenever we are NOT near our briefcases.

linx for the lazy

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 22, 1999.

Hal,

No offense guy, but there is no perfectly right answer for every person. See, you didn't know about my water storage tank on my truck... it is already ready to go... Each person needs to have their plan together BEFORE an incident requiring it's use.

So, yes, the last thing I grab, besides the doorknob, LOL, is my slugger....

rollin' on the floor...

The Dog

-- Dog (Desert Dog@-sand.com), September 22, 1999.

Last thing to grab on the way out the door?

Well hopefully I'm rural enough and prepared well enough to stick it out here but....

If I have to leave my pack is loaded with supplies for my son and I (clothes, food, water, water purification equipment, shelter, etc.). I'd also grab the radios (dual band ham transciever, handheld scanner and AM/FM/Shortwave) and the assault case which has the 9mm auto (+200 rounds) and the AK (+200 rounds). My son (10) would take his own pack and the Ruger 10/22 with 1000 rounds (it's light). We could do quite well with this even assuming we were on foot. I don't plan on going anywhere near any offical shelter (unless I happen to be running it which I've done before).

Doubt it will come down to bugging out though....probably much safer at home.

DCK

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), September 22, 1999.