Excellent story. I'm STILL upgrading my bug out process. Just this weekend I finally sat down and drew up the list of what we will/won't bring re: guns & ammo. Foolish to bring everything, not everything lends itself to traveling fast and light, takes up space in the vehicle better served with other needs. For instance shotguns - great by the nightstand, but they take up space in the car and if you're reduced to foot travel, how many rounds can you hump on foot, plus all the other necessaries you'll have to tote? Then, because we're doing a "high alert" drill over the next week (Iran, Aug 22) everything that is going was readied with ammo and put in position where it can be loaded into the vehicle in seconds. I had to ask myself how long would it take to realistically load up and hit the gas pedal? Realized that we'd be upset, maybe slightly paniced, and running around like beheaded chickens to load up. Bad. Currently drawing up a bug out "to-do" script for each of us, so we can quickly and efficiently, without any waste motion or taking precious moments to make decisions, get loaded and gone. Gasoline, we have about 80 gallons in 5 gallon containers. It'll fit in my wife's van better than my truck, but she's sensitive to fumes. Easy answer, I drive her van, she drives my truck. Simple planning like that, things you can anticipate now, which you would probably overlook in the rush to get outta dodge.
In talking this over, my wife refused to leave unless the cats were taken care of. The CATS! Shouldn't surprise me, lot's of people refused to be evacuated after Katrina because the JBT's wouldn't allow their pets to come. Explained to her that catching all the cats, and getting them into travel crates would be impractical when we're trying to run for our lives, they'd be miserable and afraid, constant yowling to be let out grating on our already frazzled nerves, apt to escape when we open the crates for feeding, potty, etc. and then they'd be as bad off as they would've been at home, except they're LOST IN A STRANGE CITY on top of it all. Finally got her to agree to leave them IF we got those extended food & water dispensers for them, leaving them behind to take care of themselves but knowing at least there will be food and water for them. For our high alert drill, these will be filled but not "deployed", so they only take 30 seconds to set out. She seems satisfied with that compromise. There is an emotional aspect to the business of evacuation, you don't want to be racing the clock, trying to make every second count, and your teenage daughter is crying and refusing to pack her bags saying if her cat doesn't go, then she doesn't go. You don't have time to reason with her, or fight with her over such things at such a time, and you jolly well can't club her unconscious unless you want even more problems. Do everything possible ahead of time to make sure you won't have to deal with someone's emotional state getting in the way of you getting yourself and your family safely out of harm's way.
What a great, thought-provoking read!
In talking this over, my wife refused to leave unless the cats were taken care of. The CATS! Shouldn't surprise me, lot's of people refused to be evacuated after Katrina because the JBT's wouldn't allow their pets to come. Explained to her that catching all the cats, and getting them into travel crates would be impractical when we're trying to run for our lives, they'd be miserable and afraid, constant yowling to be let out grating on our already frazzled nerves, apt to escape when we open the crates for feeding, potty, etc. and then they'd be as bad off as they would've been at home, except they're LOST IN A STRANGE CITY on top of it all. Finally got her to agree to leave them IF we got those extended food & water dispensers for them, leaving them behind to take care of themselves but knowing at least there will be food and water for them. For our high alert drill, these will be filled but not "deployed", so they only take 30 seconds to set out. She seems satisfied with that compromise. There is an emotional aspect to the business of evacuation, you don't want to be racing the clock, trying to make every second count, and your teenage daughter is crying and refusing to pack her bags saying if her cat doesn't go, then she doesn't go. You don't have time to reason with her, or fight with her over such things at such a time, and you jolly well can't club her unconscious unless you want even more problems. Do everything possible ahead of time to make sure you won't have to deal with someone's emotional state getting in the way of you getting yourself and your family safely out of harm's way.
What a great, thought-provoking read!