Being Prepared for the Unexpected

If you have been following me for a while you know that I have “go” bag or what some people call a bug out bag. For me it is a bag that I can grab easily and has everything that my family would need if we were caught in the midst of a disaster. The reasons behind the bag for me simply come from growing up in a military family. We were taught to always be prepared for the unexpected.  Now we don’t have a fallout shelter or like six years worth of food (although I’m not criticizing those who do) we just don’t have that kind of space. 

That fact was brought home a few years ago when a tornado came barreling near my home. I’m not new to tornadoes, they happen. However this was that big one that crossed a couple of states. My aunt (who passed away last year) lived not even a mile from me and everything between our homes was destroyed. We were so lucky and honestly I wasn’t prepared then.

Now we have a water supply for each of use for three days. Along with a three-day food supply both of which are stored in the closet. The food of course is nonperishable. What does that have to do with my bag? Not much. The bag is in the event we have to leave our home or are in the position to have to survive on our own. So just what do I have in my bag to insure I am prepared? There are a lot of things but here are just a few:

Water Tablets: Yes we have water but there could be a chance that we have to drink water that isn’t ready to be drank. These tablets allow me to make the water drinkable. They are in a pack and fit well into the bag.

Tactical Knife and Flashlight: I have tactical ones because they are built better and 

Wet Bag: In this bag is a cell phone charger, a phone card (in the event cell service is out), copies of health insurance cards, copies of car keys, key to safe deposit box, an extra pair of eyeglasses, a prepaid credit card with a little money on it, and anything else that I need to protect from water. I would also toss my cell phone in here if needed.

Tactical First Aid Kit: This again is just more rugged and better built. My mother put it together and has everything we would need for almost anything. I could even stitch someone up in a pinch. The stitches won’t look pretty because I am horrible at sewing but I could manage. Don’t worry that I don’t know how to use all of this. I actually do. Surprisingly, in my youth I was certified and have kept up all of certifications. I had planned to go into medicine but couldn’t emotionally handle not becoming attached. It was far too heartbreaking when they died and my career path took another course before taking an even different one.

I keep a copy of all important documents in a safe deposit box in a bank in another state. I have those documents in the house as well but if the house is gone I need them. There is also a video (I update it yearly) with everything inside our home for insurance purposes. I made sure I wasn’t the only person who had access to the safe deposit box as well. My siblings and I have a meeting place where we are to go in the event of a disaster and wait for word of one another. It is our “home base” as well call it and all of our children now that in the event something happens and we are separated that is the place we will go and the place to look for us.

Being prepared when you aren’t sure what you are preparing for isn’t easy. Anything could happen and one thing our father always told use was to expect the unexpected. The only thing I know is that I want my family to be as prepared as they can be for what may happen. I want that without scaring them to death too. We went into a survival store so my nephew could show me something recently and the guy in there scared me to death. I’m not sure if he was the best salesman or the worst. I did have the urge to buy one of everything after talking with him. Oh and FYI that picture at the top, yeah that would probably be me if a meteorite hit. I’d want to run out and look at it or something or worse I didn’t watch the news and here about it coming.