It always happens when you least expect it. A sudden shake. A crack of thunder. Moans from lifeless zombie hoards. Whatever the disaster, one must always be prepared to bug out at a moment’s notice.
Sure, your bug-out bag has all the necessities such as clothes, first aid kit, water, food for days, and duct tape. (A bug-out bag must never be without duct tape!) However, in this day and age, that’s not enough. You’ll need a few gadgets ready to properly survive any kind of apocalypse.
Flashlight – There are different kinds of flashlights being sold on the market today. You’ve got battery-powered LED flashlights. You’ve got rechargeable flashlights. You’ve got hand-cranked flashlights. The type of flashlight you use will depend on your preference. But be sure that when the sun goes down, you still have a light source handy.
Power banks and batteries – Gadgets, whether it’s a smartphone, tablet, or laptop will need to be recharged sooner rather than later. You can’t always rely on the power grid to plug and recharge. This is pretty obvious by now especially when typhoon season hits and flood water begins to rise. With power banks and batteries on hand, you can at least be assured that you’ll have those extra hours of power when it’s time to use any of your gadgets.
Transistor radio – The ever reliable transistor radio is a must in your bug-out bag. When the Internet and TV go down, you know you’ll be able to pick up some signal on your transistor radio. Through it, you can get enough information on what to avoid as well as places to go to be safe.
Mobile phone – Notice I didn’t say smartphone? In an emergency, your priority isn’t the apps on your smartphone but to have some kind of communication with other people. Also, unlike today’s smartphones, mobile phones or dumb phones tend to last for more than a day on standby, which is necessary when there’s no power.
Wristwatch – Smartwatches? Nah, what you really need is a good old wristwatch. You don’t need to worry about what to Instagram or post your status on Facebook. There are more pressing issues at hand, like surviving, for instance. Whether it’s quartz or an automatic, you know that your wristwatch will still last longer than a one-charge-a-day smartwatch.
GPS and map and compass – It’s good to have these to get yourself around especially when you’re in unfamiliar territory. You might ask, “Why would I need antiquated items such as a map and compass when I’ve got GPS?” Ask yourself this? “What happens when your GPS unit breaks or loses power?” When you’re struggling to survive, sometimes the simplest equipment is the best equipment.
Swiss Army knife – You’ve seen MacGyver use one. You’ve also seen Bear Grylls use one on his TV shows. You know that Swiss solider has one during and after his or her tour of duty. In an emergency situation, you know you’ll have to use one eventually.
Fire starter kit – Unlike what you seen in movies or on TV, starting a fire is not as simple as it sounds. It’s back-breaking work. And when you need to conserve as much energy as you can to survive an emergency, you’ll thank yourself for investing in a fire starter kit.
Now that you’ve planned and packed your bug-out bag will all the necessities, you’ll still need to check on it once in a while. Check for food that have expired or batteries that have run dry. Your bug-out bag isn’t worth much if you can’t eat or use any of the items inside, is it?
