Lets discuss mobile preparedness

[The Annoyed Man]

Wow, I gotta git with the program.

The things in my truck: 2 Chinese food take out menus, a pen that doesn't work, a few maps, battery jumper cables, a jack, a 4 way tire tool, some old sun glasses I never use, my truck manual, a few odd tools and some scattered dirt in my floor mats.

Iconoclast! Get with the program! LOL

[FastCarry]

Tier 2 is our bug-out bags, which are essentially 3 day assault packs. I won't bother listing everything that's in them, but suffice it to say that it includes shelter, warmth, spare socks/underwear, expanded medical ability, expanded cooking ability, extra food, extra ammunition for both pistols and ARs, power, additional tools like an entrenching shovel, etc. All of this weighs a fair amount, and if we are reduced to traveling on foot, it will be slow going, in no small part because we are not youngsters any longer. So it is my sincerest hope that we'll still have use of our vehicles. In the event that we don't, we'll still be able to carry additional stuff by slinging it over bike frames and pushing the bikes, but the core survival stuff will be in those backpacks.

Tier 3 is anything to do with the long term - beans bullets and bandages stockpiles, retreat and shelter, transportation, etc. While all of this stuff is still evolving, this tier is the one that still has the longest way to go toward completion. The EDC bags are an accomplished fact. The bug-out bags are just about complete. But this third tier involves the acquisition of as-yet un-purchased property, the acquisition of stored food (already in process), etc., and it is the part that involves the largest financial investment.

The thing is, having moved here from California, I was used to this mentality long before I "caught the prepping bug". We lived in earthquake county, and only a fool who doesn't love his family enough would live his life as if there was no possibility of being instantly homeless. We always had an "earthquake kit" stored out in the garage (a separate structure), with stuff like batteries, candles, a large tent, sleeping bags, stored food & water, etc., packed in plastic barrels. Even if the garage collapsed, it would have been a simple matter of pulling apart the rubble until we found the supplies. It wasn't about paranoia, it was about recognition of having lived through several major earthquakes in my life, where there was extensive property damage and some people were forced from their homes. So while my current setup is "prepping", it is also tornado preparedness, earthquake preparedness, etc., etc. The zombie apocalypse doesn't have to happen for you to find yourself in the position of wishing you had done more to safeguard your life, and the lives of your loved ones.

I don't think it is crazy. I think it is a responsibility.

I've always viewed such thorough preparation with all that stuff with skepticism, not because it isn't thoughtful or thorough, but because it seems completely impractical, at least in an urban/suburban environment, and especially for bugging out.

I lived in San Diego and Coronado, and until old age and decrepitude set in, was very active, hiking, swimming, biking, boating, flying, and more besides. I dreamed up a number of lists, gear, "stuff" to have, carry, etc. I acquired a Win 94 in .357 and Ruger GP100 for this role.

If an event occurred, there were only two ways to go, north and east. Realistically, after doing some hiking in the "mountains" around there, I concluded that we weren't going anywhere, no matter how badly we wanted to.

For one thing, if an event made it a real good idea to leave, it would be a real good idea for the other 3.2 million people to leave, meaning roads would be impossible. Think Houston when Katrina approached. IIRC, I20 was a parking lot of angry, scared, frustrated people running out of gas, going nowhere. Walking is going to get you a few miles, depending on weather, terrain and the load you think you will carry. My wife and I hiked Grand Canyon every year for some years with a group of friends/marathoners/triathletes, ~17 miles at altitude, either uphill or downhill, down to the river and back, carrying only water, basic first aid and a lunch, and we didn't go out dancing that night when we got back to the rim. From Coronado, it was ~30 miles to the other side of the urban area. For you Houstonians, it might take you a week to get to the edge of town!

I had several pals who were SEALS. They could load up, 60-80 lbs and cover 50-60 miles in almost any terrain in a few days. This was when they were relatively young, in terrific shape and used to suffering. Not many can.

It would be worth your while to load up your 3 day pack, weapons, ammo, water and set out on foot, to see how far you get before you think it's a really dumb idea.

I wouldn't laugh at anyone who kept gear in his truck, truck filled with gas, etc, but for most of us, staying where we are is probably the only practical plan.

This thread wasn't necessarily meant to be a bug out thread, but to discuss what you all keep in your cars. Think Paris.. You are on Main street in a metropolitan area, 4-5 attackers arrive and you find yourself in the middle of casualties and panic. You have 5-16 rounds on your person. Some people get the hell out of there, some people may tend to the casualties who need medical aid. What do you would keep in your car that you can grab if you are the type to fight instead of take flight?

[Pariah3j]

The part of town that I live in, has horrible traffic during normal times of the year, is painfully overflowing during the holidays, and was near impossible to get back to after Ike hit. I didn't live in the area when the mass Katrina evac happened so I don't for sure know how bad it will be,but I did live on the eastern edge of Houston then. We evacuated and made 'good' time and were able to get up to Tyler in about 18 hrs.

Considering all of this, I'm prepared to walk out if stuff ever truly hits the fan, because I know driving out won't be an option. I wouldn't mind having an ATV to try and get out on, but living in an apartment, I have no place to store it. The Wife and me recently starting doing some backpacking, so that gear will double as our bug out bags.

I also keep a range/go bag in the car. It has extra boxes of ammo, hearing protection, lock pick set, protein bars, spare magazines, water filter, fire starters, some basic tools/leatherman. I would like to carry my AR in the car more, but just like someone earlier said - Houston being what it is, always fear loosing it due to car being broke into.

[Pariah3j]

This thread wasn't necessarily meant to be a bug out thread, but to discuss what you all keep in your cars. Think Paris.. You are on Main street in a metropolitan area, 4-5 attackers arrive and you find yourself in the middle of casualties and panic. You have 5-16 rounds on your person. Some people get the heck out of there, some people may tend to the casualties who need medical aid. What do you would keep in your car that you can grab if you are the type to fight instead of take flight?

Didn't see your post till after I posted...

[The Annoyed Man]

This thread wasn't necessarily meant to be a bug out thread, but to discuss what you all keep in your cars. Think Paris.. You are on Main street in a metropolitan area, 4-5 attackers arrive and you find yourself in the middle of casualties and panic. You have 5-16 rounds on your person. Some people get the heck out of there, some people may tend to the casualties who need medical aid. What do you would keep in your car that you can grab if you are the type to fight instead of take flight?

Forgive me then for having gone off-topic. The short answer is that I mostly carry a G17 with 39 rounds available (2x 19-round mags +1). That's just for going to the corner store. For short-distance trips where I'll be gone for a while (church, etc.), I also carry a 3rd 19-round mag for a total of 58. If I'm not going too far and will be gone most of the day, I add 3 extra 33-round mags in my EDC bag which gives a total of 157 rounds of 9mm. if I'm going to be gone all day or overnight, I will bring along a cased AR with 6 30-round mags - depending on where I'm heading and for how long, and where I'll be in relationship to my parked vehicle. So my response to the question is very much scaled to where I think I will be, and for how long I'll be gone. My wife goes about armed as well, but she doesn't carry as much resource as I do. She has a G43 which is her EDC, and she owns a G19 which she carries on rare occasion. She owns an AR which she shoots maybe once a year and is consequently not very familiar with it. But that said, given recent events, I have convinced her that she needs to GET more familiar with it, and she has agreed to regular rifle-range trips with me to that end. I think she relies on my own preparedness if we're out together....maybe not the best idea, but at least she's armed.

Lastly, like I mentioned previously, I've almost always had a minor first aid kit with me, but I hadn't gotten around to buying IFAK kits for the both of us, but I think that is my next purchase. It couldn't hurt to throw a few extra dressings in the EDC bag. We are going to enroll in Lone Star Medics' "Medic 1" course coming up in April. Both my wife and I have had healthcare experience, and I had a lot of experience at one time in my life in an ER setting. I am 63 years old, and my wife is {[mumble]} years old, so while I think it is important to be prepared to fight and I am comfortable with the idea, realistically, I'm not going to be leading the charge towards the gunfire unless circumstances leave me no alternatives. BUT.... there is no reason I can't stand my ground and fight, and there is no reason I can't also be a medical first responder if there are others there to do the fighting as well..... speaking strictly in terms of combat efficiency. Combat is a young man's game, and my skills might be better used to give aid unless I have no choice but to fight.

I tend to speak in terms of "us" and "we" when talking about my wife and myself, because we are at an age where we are most often found together - whether it is at home or away from home. We shop together. We do almost everything together........ although this very moment is an exception as I am typing this at home while she's out working for a pro-life charity at the moment.

[Jago668]

...We are going to enroll in Lone Star Medics' "Medic 1" course coming up in April...

I'll see you there. I'm planning on going as well. Is my Christmas present, even if it is coming a few months later. Trying to get my girlfriend to commit to it as well.

[tomneal]

Sounds like a worthwhile class.
I may see you guys there

[JALLEN]

This thread wasn't necessarily meant to be a bug out thread, but to discuss what you all keep in your cars. Think Paris.. You are on Main street in a metropolitan area, 4-5 attackers arrive and you find yourself in the middle of casualties and panic. You have 5-16 rounds on your person. Some people get the heck out of there, some people may tend to the casualties who need medical aid. What do you would keep in your car that you can grab if you are the type to fight instead of take flight?

Sure, but this is a topic that almost uniquely lends itself to "mission creep", putting more and more stuff in for longer and more varied "missions" until pretty soon you have an entire battle group going intercontinental.

I always have the VP-9 with 15+1+15, a Flash II and now a Surelight on my person. I have a hard time keeping a flashlight in the car(s), or backpacks with stuff, since we have 3 cars and each one does a different mission. I'm working on it though. Medical stuff, a few baggies of trail mix and water seem prudent and no trouble. After 45 years in San Diego, I need to start thinking of weather considerations here, which we did not there. I have no medical training whatsoever, except as a recipient, and at this point it may be an "old dog, new tricks" problem.

[The Annoyed Man]

...We are going to enroll in Lone Star Medics' "Medic 1" course coming up in April...

I'll see you there. I'm planning on going as well. Is my Christmas present, even if it is coming a few months later. Trying to get my girlfriend to commit to it as well.

Cool, maybe we'll get to meet. We're actually expecting our new grandson to be born on 4/2, so there is a possibility that we'll have to raincheck the class. OTH, his older sister was 3 weeks premature, so maybe he'll come early too. I sent Caleb an email asking him if we can raincheck our registration fees if we get called away because of our grandson's birth.

[Kkpsiknl]

My wife is an EMT and packed the cars with enough supplies to stock an mid sized ER. When we go out as a family we carry 2 glock 19's and a 26 with about 150 rounds. For prolonged trips and over nights we take an ar15 with 10 mags and 3 extra 33 round glock mags. We make a pretty good team, I taught her to shoot and she taught me basic medical skills. It helps that we have 2 suburbans to pack all that gear into plus the kiddos.