They’re coming. You know they are coming, because they have told you so. Yet, you have told them over and over through the years what lies ahead. They have listened politely with a small smile, then proclaimed, “I’m just coming to your place!” ‘Nuff said?
Personal Message To Our People
Our personal message is that when you get the call to come, then come. You must come, now. Leave within the next two hours so you can get out of the city before the roads become impassable. Some say if you miss the 24 hour window for evacuation, you will be walking when the traffic snarl halts due to congestion, car breakdowns, running out of gas, fender benders, or lack of food and water. This means any time of day or night. In fact, a night exit may be your safest bet. Your city possibly could be like Houston before Hurricane Rita. You’ve seen the footage. Travel became impossible. Everything shut down, and some people even died.
Always keep your car gas tanks so they are no less than 1/2 empty. Even better is 3/4 full, at all times.
Priority Lists
Pack as if you will never return. Bring two cars, totally filled with family, pets, and goods. Here’s your Priority List, in this order:
Personal Papers
Gather your personal papers, such as passports, birth certificates, marriage certificate, bank and credit card account numbers, deeds, insurance policies, et cetera. Do not spend a lot of time on this! You should already have all this information in one place; a thumb drive is preferable. Get this information ready and assembled right now, today.
Food
Grab all of your food, everything. I mean everything… every box (opened or new), can, jar, bag, cases of water and soda. Include all drinks, powders, mixes, baking goods, such as sugar, flour, and baking soda/baking powder, salt, herbs, spices, extracts, candy, paper products, pet food, fresh food and frozen food packed in coolers, Ziplock baggies, Saran Wrap, aluminum foil, bleach. Leave nothing. You are only a two or five hour drive from here. We will preserve or eat the fresh food when you arrive.
Meds and Toiletries
Bring all of your meds and toiletries, everything, outdated or open, new, prescription and OTC. This includes all band aids, ointment, cream, old splints, walking boots, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, thermometers, fingernail clippers, razor, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, tooth brushes, floss, mouthwash, shaving equipment, soaps, hair products, toilet paper, pads, tampons, ALL matches, candles, and lighters.
Guns and Ammo
Guns and ammo need to come with you, all of it. Also bring knives, baseball bat, flashlights, camping tent, and good backpacks.
Jewelry and Precious Metals
Pack only your sterling, gold, and platinum jewelry. Bring all the precious metals you own and cash and coins, too, all of it.
Clothing
Pack only practical clothing for outdoor living. Leave your Sunday clothes at home. Don’t bother with fancy dresses, shoes, suits. Bring clothes for farm life, such as jeans, pants, shorts, tees, long sleeve shirts, all your socks, tennis shoes, boots, hats and caps, all winter outerwear, PJ’s, undergarments.
Linens
Bring all of your linens, particularly sheets and pillowcases. Also include pillows, bedspreads, comforters, afghans, mattress protectors, sleeping bags, towels especially beach towels, and yarn.
Tools
All manual hand tools and manual kitchen tools, scissors, good knives, multitools, all work gloves, flashlights, water purification tablets, and water purification systems need to come with you.
Miscellaneous
A few more miscellaneous items should come, if you can fit them. These include alcohol and a couple of small, private, personal souvenirs, momentos, pictures, or family items dear to you. Bikes and helmets may be strapped to the roof or put behind your car. We have plenty of fiction and non-fiction, how-to books on gardening and homesteading, Bibles, classics, cookbooks, children’s library, and magazines to read. It’s enough for many years in our bug-out location. We are also well-stocked on paper, pencils, and office supplies.
Preposition Items
Now that you have read through this list and mulled it over, please know that you can preposition many of your items at our place. As you know, we have several bunkhouses and out buildings. By prepositioning tubs filled with family clothing, tucked away in the attic, you will have more room in the car when you evacuate.
If you have any questions, now is the time to ask.
What About In-Laws?
Over the last few years, I’ve sent to you, our dearest family, many pictures and descriptions of our place. It’s truly in the country and rural. That means snakes, insects for every season, rodents, dangerous feral animals, wild animals, and our farm animals. It’s a gritty life full sounds and smells.
Do Not Invite…
Please do not invite others with you to our safe place– no friends of yours, no friends of yours at all. They will not be welcomed and will be sent on their ways. That being said, you may invite your family in-laws if you wish, but think this over carefully. Consider the situation and the personality of whom you are thinking of inviting. They will be your responsibility. The extant buildings are for our own immediate family, and there are over a dozen of us. But remember: Baby Jesus was born in a stable. Are those you want to bring along prepared to sleep in the barn or a tent?
You May Invite…
This being said, you may also invite any MD’s; DO’s; Dentists; EMT’s; licensed, actively practicing in hospital only RN’s or LVN’s; midwives; hunters; or better yet, former Army who served in Iraq or Afghanistan while carrying full gear everyday and who are stable, along with their guns plus ammo; or friends that grew up in the country and have actual skills, not just memories of their dads working with the herd or working the fields. We are full up on CPA’s and attorneys. Of course, these special guests will bring their families and we welcome them. I personally would welcome a church pianist or someone with an acknowledged beautiful voice. You know who those people are. Music feeds the soul and speaks to the heart. Consider the situation and the personalities of those whom you are thinking of inviting.
Anyone You Are Thinking of Bringing Along
Concerning anyone you are thinking of bringing along: Do your family members camp? Do they spend time and enjoy the out-of-doors? Have they ever? Were they involved in a solid scouting program when growing up? Do they garden? Can they horseback ride? Are they complainers or can they adapt to a new lifestyle? Have they ever gone to the bathroom in a pit latrine? Have they taken an outdoor shower at night or used a solar shower? Are they afraid of the dark or open spaces or tangled forest? What kind of physical shape are they in? Medically fragile and morbidly obese folks may do better remaining in the city. Are they teachable? Will they know that a move to our place will be like Jamestown in 1607, life fraught with danger and everyone works to eat? Everyone you invite must pass an honest test in your mind as to what they can contribute. Can they be happy in a setting where input and opinions are considered helpful and are listened to, but only considered just that: thoughts and opinions?
Our Place Is Not a Democracy
In the end, our place is not a democracy. It’s our farm, and everyone who is not family is a guest, so we will have the final say in matters. Supplies that others bring become part of communal supplies.
Now, in light of these caveats, do you still want to bring along extra family? If so, you must advise them of how to priority pack and to arrive in two fully loaded cars, hopeful for a new life.
Note To SurvivalBlog Readers From the Landowners
We personally have well-loved families for whom our preps are directed. All families live in great, giant sprawling cities of our country. They don’t prep because life will always be golden and going their way. What bad could really happen? Ah, the optimism of youth.
We, on the other hand, were born into the June and Ward Cleaver golden age of America in the fifties. We’ve seen disturbing changes take place over the last few years. You know the ones of which I speak. While there have been wonderful improvements, such as protection for children and women, some social justice trends have been disappointing.
Be Specific
Email or letters that you give to your family should be specific as to what you already know about them. For example, I don’t need to say, “Bring your seeds or sewing supplies.” That would be the same as saying, “Bring your unicorn.” However, it’s no issue to say to my group, “Bring all the food in your house.” I have seen their pantries and refrigerators. As many, many young professional people today, they keep a just minimum amount of food items. Trips to the grocery store are frequent, and they eat many, many meals out each week. There is not a week’s worth of food for their families in their fridges and pantries. It should probably fit in a cooler and two colorful square school crates that sell for $5 each.
Big Issues- Sanitation and Food
As far as people brought along with and by family, the two biggest issues will be sanitation and food. We have a pond, a well, and a 12-month creek on property. There are five toilets and three showers hooked to a septic system along with a pit latrine. Read up on sanitation as practiced by the Romans or colonial Brits who knew this was a make or break situation.
Our acreage includes good bottomlands for crops, but it may all have to be worked by hand. At present, agriculture is hired out to a specialized company. We don’t farm ourselves, only garden and preserve. There are two fireplaces, a brick oven, a couple of chimineas, and a large campfire ring with appropriate grilling equipment.
We have some solar ability. There is a wood lot on the property to last generations. Hunting is good, but I repeat, feeding people and sanitation will be priorities.
Items They Have
You might be surprised by some items I’m asking the non-prepped to bring, such as knives, multitools, flashlights, steripens, life straws, and water purification tabs. They have them, I know, because those items have filled their Christmas stockings over the years.
Nothing Gets Wasted
Food brought to our place has several options for use: preserve and put up, feed people, feed dogs or chickens or other livestock or compost. Nothing gets wasted.
Your Letter To Family Specific To Your People and What You Know
Remember, this list is for my own family whom I know well. Your list will look different. If you feel an item is omitted, perhaps that’s because there is no chance that my people own it or we already have plenty at our place. Your letter to family will be specific to your people and what you know about them.
The future may be full of great tribulation. Life might be harsh. But the great happiness to hold onto is that God wins in the end.
Get ready. Be ready. Be hopeful. Revelation 1-22
SurvivalBlog Writing Contest
This has been another entry for Round 77 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include:
First Prize:
- A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
- A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,095 value),
- A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
- DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
- Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
- A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
- Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value), and
- American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
Second Prize:
- A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
- A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
- A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
- A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
- A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
- A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
- RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.
Third Prize:
- A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
- A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
- Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
- Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
- Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and
- Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
Round 77 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
Great post. You have already written the message that I am soon to send to family members out of state. I would like to copy this. Thank you very much and God be with us all that have heeded His warnings.
Great article! I include a somewhat similar letter with all my families Christmas presents every year.
God Speed,
Jim
Alas Babylon.
A code word or phrase that is the signal to execute the evacuation is a good idea for those in position to have some foreknowledge of a disaster. Impending war, incoming Solar Flare CME, tsunami, etc.
It can also work as a notification that you are heading to the redoubt in slower moving disasters like rioting, civil war, wildfires, etc.
If the description is accurate, “S.A.” is obviously blessed with a location that is unachievable by most survivalists/preppers. This place sounds like Survivalist Nirvana. If these policies are workable, then more powe to “S.A.” I am envious.
One issue to be addressed, however, is that if in-laws are being welcomed, these in-laws will have in-laws, so on, and so on. A domino effect will follow.
Even if “S.A.s” place has the capabilities and resources described, the resources are finite, and tough decisions would need to be made. “S.A” can only accept so many people who show up at the door with a knife, a fork, and an empty stomach.
Where does “S.A” draw the line?
Great post. Articulates a lot of thoughts that most of us have when considering who gets to bug out at our place and who doesn’t. Thanks for the excellent post.
Tom
S.A. sounds like a VERY Generous person and probably has major patience and conflict resolution skills that most of us could only dream of having…My self preservation meter spiked reading it tho….. My tribe knows the drill and they have their marching orders and contingency plans in case they are caught outside the redoubt area when the balloon goes up.
My goodness, what an excellent and refreshing post. Basic, common-sense and not just “by the book”, it is the book.
A blueprint for those of us who have been blessed with or have earned, through work and sacrifice, a place to gather our people in an effort to not only survive, but to flourish.
Be well and God bless
“We are full up on CPA’s and attorneys”
Hey… I’m a CPA. But then again we finally just moved in to our own 20 acres. We are in the process of putting in our fruit and nut trees. And will then move on to berry bushes and gardens. Plus of course do have a decent amount of stored food (but not as much as I would like, lol)
It’s hard to be a “grey man” when you’re a prepper. Your lifestyle is noticeable. “Why do you grow your own vegetables?” “Why do you have so much stuff in your work backpack?” “Why do you always park your car “head-out?” I don’t know how many times I’ve heard “If anything happens, I’m comin’ to your place.” I’ve found this to be a “teaching opportunity.” I tell these people that I prepare for myself and my family; not for my family and everyone who shows up at my door, post-SHTF. Then I ask them; “What’s keeping YOU from putting up some extra food, water, and the like? What’s keeping YOU from learning how to grow this or do that? What’s keeping YOU from planning for the unexpected?” I leave it at that. At that point, I’ve told them, in a Christian way, “I’m not responsible for your family; YOU ARE!”
SA, your plan is flawed. If you allow your group to bring people along, word of mouth will spread, and you’ll have every unprepared man, woman, and child in the county at your doorstep! It’s been said that three men can keep a secret, as long as two of them are dead. Don’t be among the dead…
Just a little added comment on sanitation….a very important subject. I suggest a composting toilet you can make for little of nothing and take it with you where ever you go. It’s featured in the Humanure handbook. If you just want the information and not the author’s views on environmental issues start on page 45. You can get a free pdf copy off the web @ https://Humanurehandbook.com/downloads/H2.pdf
The only problem I have with composting toilets is that when people are on prescription drugs I believe it will show up in the compost too. Don’t use that compost as fertilizer in that case. There are already traces of pharmaceuticals in our water supply.
I’ve been trying to come up with a time-based packing list priority. ie:
you’ve got to go now = grab the go bag.
15 minutes = go bag + this
30 minutes = the above + this
1 hr = the above + this
2 hrs =
3 hrs =
etc.
This list gives me some new things to think about. Thanks!
An old office acquaintance some how got my unlisted address and decided to spend a day driving in the country side. We were not at home when he came but the gates, electric fences, video cameras and a pack of 7 huge dogs greeted him. He left a note saying “I take it you don’t like visitors.”
I would agree that ONLY people specifically invited should be welcomed. Are you prepared to turn away people at the door? It kind of reminds me of the current situation along our southern border.
Matthew 25 tells the parable of the ten virgins awaiting the bride groom. Five had prepared and had extra oil for their lamps. The other five were not prepared and ran out. The unprepared then wanted the five that had ‘prepped’ to share their oil. What implications can we draw from our Lord’s conclusion?
Did I misunderstand the part that all of my food and tools and weapons when I show up will be confiscated for the benefit of the whole?
That has been tried many times over the centuries and it never works.
I have lots of everything on the list. Ive been moving to another location the last TWO MONTHS in free time after work and weekends. Still have a ways to go.. Id be hosed if all I had is two hours. I have three pickups and two 20 foot trailers, and cars. I still couldn’t move it all in one trip.
Our bug out phrase is “Come quickly — so-and-so is in hospice.” This can be sent by text in the open, and should someone see it, they will not think twice if you leave in a hurry.
We have lists of what to grab depending on how much time there is to evacuate — 10 minutes (think forest fire or chemical spill), 20 minutes, or an hour. I even have a list of what to take if I am at work when the call to evacuate comes in. The lists make sure you don’t forget something important, like that case of water you meant to bring.
The first thing on the list is: Don’t Panic! Use toilet, catch breath, drink plenty of water, and dress in comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing.
I’ve been collecting kid’s clothes and boots in various sizes, because kids GROW. You can get great deals on stuff from the thrift store. My local thrift store had regular sales on holidays, so that was always a big event. Come away with a gigantic trash bag size bag of jeans, parkas, boots, gloves, hats, flannel shirts, for $20.
I don’t have any small kids, but wouldn’t be surprised if some come under my care in a collapse situation.
Another hundred bucks worth of red beans and white rice packed for long term storage is a good idea for extra bodies showing up. But after reading Lucifer’s Hammer, I see really bad people all competing to take everything, using deadly force. The Black Friday shopping syndrome.
Great, well thought through list/letter. By the way, when necessary, you can drain your showers, sinks & laundry to a low lying outside area. That way your septic system will last longer – a big issue due to the increase in population to your homestead.
This is a well written article, but I have one question. I am an operating room nurse that has spent my entire 43 year career in the trenches of the OR, trying to save people with gunshot wounds, knife stabbings, or just bleeding out. I grew up on a farm, preserve a lot of my own food. My weakest point in prepping is self defense. It is personally hard to think about shooting someone when you have spent so much time trying to save people. However I am getting there. I just retired in the last year and if I read this correctly I would not be welcome in your group because I am not currently working. That means you would take a nurse that does insurance, works in an office, has 2 years of OR experience that uses new technologies, instead of suturing people, over me or someone like me ? WOW!!!!
Concur! 10 years Army medic (combat medic in Vietnam), 10 years LPN in med-surg, ortho, psych and ICU. 25 years RN (3 in ICU, 22 in ER) 45 years in the medical field and I know so much stuff but I wouldn’t be acceptable because I retired. Granted I can no longer carry an 80 pound rucksack or throw a 220 pound guy over my shoulder and carry him to the dust off bird. but I guess I’ve aged out and no longer have worth in the writers opinion.
Fortunately I don’t need to be going to this guy’s place.
You are exactly the nurse I would wholeheartedly welcome. You have a lifetime of practical, hands on hospital experience.
I’m thinking that the guest list should be decided upon before the invitations are sent. If you have a pal that you’d like to bring, now is the time to ask SA, don’t wait until the alarm is sounded.
From another retired nurse, 15 years ER/trauma experience…
Am bugging in ,might need to get back home if out of town, have a get home bag ,
Two truckloads of supplies are nice, but supplies are perishable. They will be gone in a week, a month, a year. The value of knowledge and real-world skills endures.