If You Had To Evacuate Your Home Immediately, What Would You Take With You?

[lord1234]

Actually, the most common SHTF situations are home fires and Katrina type weather evacuations.
Neither of which will be well served by guns, ammo, and all the fun stuff that people on this board like to think about.

I'm not saying that all the kit doesn't have its value. But you are far more likely to be thanking god for a copy of your homeowner's insurance (which will typically pay for hotels if you are displaced) than you will for that AR in the back.

If you have everything on-line, then you don't need a computer. But if you don't its simply foolish to not bring important documents. And a computer is the best way to achieve that.

Don

You make a great point, and +1. Most of my stuff is securely online, so it's less of a concern to have it backed up in hardform.

 

[Admin]

Actually, the most common SHTF situations are home fires and Katrina type weather evacuations.
Neither of which will be well served by guns, ammo, and all the fun stuff that people on this board like to think about.

I'm not saying that all the kit doesn't have its value. But you are far more likely to be thanking god for a copy of your homeowner's insurance (which will typically pay for hotels if you are displaced) than you will for that AR in the back.

If you have everything on-line, then you don't need a computer. But if you don't its simply foolish to not bring important documents. And a computer is the best way to achieve that.

Don

Wrong, the Tornado in Monson, MA lead to robberies and gun fire, as did Katrina.

http://www.lslproducts.com/NOLA_Katrina.pdf

Only a fool would attempt evacuation unarmed.

 

[Jose]

The flash drive with docs is a good idea, but that's all I would take in terms of computer equipment. We don't have a laptop, I don't work from home, and all my wife's work (who does work from home) is in an offsite server.

Clothing, food, water, cash, a handgun with five or six loaded mags, an AR with five or six loaded mags, and a couple extra boxes of ammo for each is all I would need.

If there's time to grab the cats they come, if not, oh well.

 

[dcmdon]

Wrong, the Tornado in Monson, MA lead to robberies and gun fire, as did Katrina.

http://www.lslproducts.com/NOLA_Katrina.pdf

Only a fool would attempt evacuation unarmed.

People in this thread go well beyond the definition of "armed". I didn't mean to convey that you should be unarmed. Just that you will have more need for copies of your insurance docs than that second thousand rounds of 5.56x45 for that third AR. Not to mention all the end of the world stuff that is nearly useless in the most likely evacuation scenario you are likely to face.

If there is one thing Katrina taught us about firearms is that you NEED handguns. The "authorities" went around confiscating every gun they could find. The ability to hide or conceal a firearm is invaluable. Yes a rifle/shotgun is preferable, but don't forget the Glock/1911/etc.

Also, those that actually EVACUATED during Katrina generally didn't need firearms. Sure they were comforting, but the evacuation was pretty orderly on the slow moving interstates out of NO. They were out before the place imploded. My ex-fatherinlaw a lifelong resident of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast was out of the city the day before Katrina hit and holed up with the family at the little biloxi wildlife refuge for about 2 months. The only thing he needed his guns for was poaching. It was all he could do to pass the day. He worked as a salesman in the construction industry in the NO area and had nothing to do for a couple of weeks. His waterfront home was wiped from its pad.

In the end, the only people who stayed behind in NO were idiots who thought the government would take care of them and well prepared die-hards who were planning to ride it out. These die-hards had guns, ammo, food, generators, fuel, etc. There are stories of them using firearms to defend their property. But they are a small minority compared to most people.

Also, significantly, they did NOT evacuate. So what they had/did does not address the OPs question. I'm going to generalize and say that firearms were MUCH more necessary for those who stayed behind in NO than those who left.

 

[Coyote33]

Wrong, the Tornado in Monson, MA lead to robberies and gun fire, as did Katrina.

I never heard any news of either, though I guess I'm not surprised that there were robberies. I was thinking Monson might be a good place to go for some firewood for winter.

 

[dwarven1]

I came up with a 10-Minute emergency evacuation checklist that I thought I'd share with the NES community. This would all go in the trusty family vehicle for a quick evacuation.

Also, for those who've read TimJ's Cold Camp (see link in checklist), attached is his BOB inventory sans weaponry. Hope these are useful.

I just HAVE to ask... Bob, why do you have ONE condom listed in your Accessory Pouch but none listed under Medical or Personal Hygiene Kit? Have you discussed this with your wife?

 

[Speedway]

I just HAVE to ask... Bob, why do you have ONE condom listed in your Accessory Pouch but none listed under Medical or Personal Hygiene Kit? Have you discussed this with your wife?

Rinse, roll, repeat???

 

[fencer]

It all depends on why I have to leave. If it is likely the house will be destroyed, I could darn near empty the house in ten minutes with everyone working together.

If we will be back, I am taking guns, doritos, Dr.Pepper, my entire Star Wars and Jenna Jameson collections and my AMEX card, and heading to the Marriott

 

[Coyote33]

I just HAVE to ask... Bob, why do you have ONE condom listed in your Accessory Pouch but none listed under Medical or Personal Hygiene Kit? Have you discussed this with your wife?

"Oh, you mean she's also evacuating?"

 

[P-14]

I just HAVE to ask... Bob, why do you have ONE condom listed in your Accessory Pouch but none listed under Medical or Personal Hygiene Kit? Have you discussed this with your wife?

Keep your mind out of the gutter, Ross! (But, it's an excellent question)

It's for collecting water if there's no other way to get it easily, a la Cody Lundin in his book 98.6 and his show on the Discovery Channel:



NOW, you can start joking about it.

ETA: Just to give credit where it is due, the list came from reading TimJ's Cold Camp. In it, the hero describes in detail what he has in his 6500CI full-sized backpack as he roams the NE countryside.

 

[dwarven1]

It's for collecting water if there's no other way to get it easily.

Um... better specify that it's an unlubricated one, then... or your water is gonna taste funny. (and I'm not trying to be gross here, just accurate.)

 

[P-14]

Um... better specify that it's an unlubricated one, then... or your water is gonna taste funny. (and I'm not trying to be gross here, just accurate.)

In the Cody Lundin clip, they mention that it should be unlubed and I would only buy unlubed ones for this purpose. Leave the spermicidal ones home. If you need to be told, you deserve to drink funky water!

 

[dwarven1]

In the Cody Lundin clip, they mention that it should be unlubed and I would only buy unlubed ones for this purpose. Leave the spermicidal ones home. If you need to be told, you deserve to drink funky water!

I don't need to be told... but I'm sure there's going to be some obliviot who won't be thinking.

 

[mrjones]

In lieu of a filing cabinet, I keep my important paperwork (insurance, passport, etc.) in one of these in the closet next to my guns. Since they're all in labeled hanging files, they slide around and there's enough space to grab as many hard drives as I can on my way out the door and throw them in.

If it's just a small fire and I'm not there to grab it, it will at least keep everything safe from the smoke and the water damage that are inevitable.

Everything else important is already in my truck anyway.