Yesterday I dumped out my Get Home Bag (GHB) just to re-inventory all of the contents. I ended up replacing a few food items and adding an additional layer of clothing but beyond that everything was good to go. As you know, a GHB would be used in the event some sort of catastrophe took place and I needed to sustain myself for a few days while making my way back to the house. Or a much more likely scenario this time of year: I am caught in a snowstorm or some other sort of weather related event and end up “trapped” in my car for a period of hours or even days.
Here’s the thing, right now it is COLD outside. Maybe not that cold for those of you who live in Alaska but for the rest of us high teens and low 20’s is not exactly sunbathing weather. If I had to spend the night outside without any shelter or supplies I would probably die, it’s just that simple. The bad news is that it’s only going to get worse as we progress deeper into the winter season. With that in mind I wonder how many of us are sorely lacking when it comes to being prepared enough to spend the night outside, or even in one’s car if stuck in a major traffic snarl in an area where first responders cannot easily access.
If you travel for work like I do the message should be even more critical, how anyone could get in their car to drive 2, 3, 6 hours away with nothing more than a coffee cup and day planner is beyond me. Forget the GHB, most people don’t even have a wool cap or gloves with them! Talk about unprepared, those are the individuals who (if caught outside) wouldn’t make it through the night.
The message is clear: Make sure whatever you have in your GHB is robust enough to sustain you through a very cold night. It’s one thing to have a couple MREs, first aid kit and extra Glock mags in a little assault pack but those items aren’t going to keep you warm at night when the wind is howling and the temps are in the teens. Mother nature can be a far more dangerous enemy than many people realize, prepare accordingly!
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Agreed. One thing I do is to take out my various bags when the time changes and make sure everything is updated/working/fresh and seasonally appropriate. Just makes it easy to remember to do it twice a year and everything is right for when/if I should need it. It would suck to find a t-shirt and light weight pants in your bag in January when the temps are in the teens and you are stranded somewhere. Same goes for the heat of summer and all you have is wool gloves/hat in your bag. Just get into the habit of doing this when you change out the batteries in your smoke detectors and re-set your clocks at home.
Author
Packing a bag according to the seasons is a necessity.
This is the part I dread. I’m not the outdoorsy type and I really need to start camping out to acclimate myself. That Girl Scout camping trip in the fancy cabin back in 1980 doesn’t count. O_O
Author
I think more than camping outside to prepare, having the right equipment or know-how to make it through the night is imperative. That said, I’d rather be in my nice warm bed than on the cold wet ground!
I have my preps broken and stored in the following categories.
1) Water Supply
2) Water Filtration System(s)
3) First Aid/Surgical Kit
4) Food/Cooking Supplies
5) Ammunition/Weapons
6) Lighting/Batteries/Power Source
I also have a EDC with a little of each, Vehicle with a little of each, and of course the home edition with all of the above.
Author
Sounds like you have a great plan and everything diversified. Well done!