Knowing whether to bug-out or bug-in is a matter or situational awareness, timing and making sure you have an “iron-clad” plan in place.

Understanding the type of threat you face as well as the likelihood of whether it will escalate has to dictate your actions.

Here are some critical things to consider before you find yourself with little or no options.

Natural Disasters

If you are living along the coast and up to five hundred to a thousand miles from the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean you could be vulnerable to hurricanes. Southern and Midwestern states get tornadoes. Flooding from severe storms and snow melts can happen all over North America. All of these can be cause for emergency measures to be implemented and evacuation orders mandated. With evacuation orders come congested highways.

Man Made Disasters

Second disaster scenario is the Man Made Disaster which can be war, martial law, riots, fire, economic loss on a grand scale such as a depression and total devaluation of the dollar, etc. Each of us would have to be an army of one until such time as the city, state, or federal government comes to our rescue. Without power of numbers and firepower, fortress’s, and supplies survival chances of the individual are limited and without cunning and wits almost impossible.

To Bug In Or Bug Out? That is the Question

I may have convinced some of you by now that bugging out is the way to go. But, you must remember, do not do it too late. You must know exactly when to do it and it must be early. When the word comes that the natural disaster is a probable, not when it is happening. If you live in a big city, before it is a probable would be the best choice.

For those who cannot or who do not have a bug out location, if you live in a big city, I recommend you put together a bug out bag anyway. Prepare to bug out as if you did have somewhere to go. In the meantime look at places you would want to go to in the country side that would be near, but yet far enough to be clear of the danger, and make week end drives to that area if you can. Look around those areas, and see if there are vacation rentals, abandon homes, country lanes, old roads, public lands, etc.

If you are unable to bug out, I would suggest you make plans with relatives to check on you and you on them. Do all you can to make you habitation more secure if possible. Window and door alarms, bolts on the doors, even removable bars over the doors from the inside to prevent them from being busted in. Boards and plywood (3/4”) to place over windows (with peep holes) painted black on the outside, placed and secured from the inside. Make one room or part of one room storage space for your Emergency Preparations. When things happen fill your bathtub with water and all containers you can.

Bugging In or Out, it’s the same, you have to have supplies, a plan, remain calm and you have to remain alert to the conditions at hand and be able to react at an instants notice. The only difference are the distance traveled and the time it’s started.

Whether to bug-in or bug-out is a question of vital importance.

Wait too long and you can put yourself in a real bind; move too late and you can find yourself with no place to go, short on supplies and potentially in a life threatening situation.

To learn more about how to anticipate disasters so you make the right decision the first time, please visit Survival Life.