I know I skipped the June Skill of the Month! I’m going to give you two July skills to work on. Watch for the second one to be posted this week!
I’ve been thinking a lot about evacuations and evacuation routes. After all, it’s one of the most enduring topics found on survival blogs, forums, and websites. The Bug Out Bag, Bug Out Vehicle, Bug Out Routes, and Bug Out Retreat have occupied thousands of hours of discussion and debate among preppers and survivalists alike.
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Everyone thinks they’ve got it all figured out.
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Oftentimes, the plan comes with a little caveat, as in, “I hope we don’t have to evacuate during the winter.” Or, “I hope the river isn’t flooding if we ever have to bug out.” Hoping isn’t much of a plan! Your ideal evacuation route, first of all, should include more than one route. If the river is flooded, go to Plan B. If your main exit road is snowed in, you’d better have another route in mind unless you’ll be okay staying put until spring.
My own dilemma is that I live on an island of 4 million people, surrounded by desert, and there are only three main roads leading out of town. All of them lead into the desert, a desert that kills hundreds of illegal immigrants every year. Even the most savvy desert survivalist knows better than to begin a trek into the desert in the summer heat. It’s impossible to carry as much water as you’ll need, and gas stations are few and far between. Now imagine just a quarter of the city’s population trying to get out of town in the face of some massive catastrophe, a dirty bomb, say. How many casualties will there be? How many will make it to a safe destination? Very few.
image by Mike_fleming
This summer, while the kids are out of school and you may be planning some family travel, why not make some time to check out evacuation routes in your area? Get a detailed road map and a GPS, if you can. Small, obscure roads may show up on a GPS but not on a printed map. As you travel over these roads, be aware of bridges, canals, and washes that might be overcome with water in a flood. Are there mountain passes that could become impassable in winter weather? Stop and talk with locals who might be able to give you suggestions or clue you in on the downfalls of traveling over a certain route.
If you’re thinking you’ll 4-wheel it, you’d better be darn certain that both you and your vehicle can handle the rough terrain, especially if you’ll be loaded down with food, water, fuel, and supplies. Those of you with young kids, think hard before planning a difficult route through wilderness in which you’ll be cut off from towns, other drivers, and possibly cell phone service, if cell phones are even operational.
Take into consideration why you might be bugging out. Your plans in case of a hurricane may be different than if your city experiences a terrorist attack, a wildfire, or widespread power outage.
image by taberandrew
Also, if you plan on using more than one vehicle to bug out or you plan on pulling a trailer, boat, fifth wheel, or something else, the route(s) you choose need to be able to handle those extra loads.
So much depends on the type of crisis and its longevity, there are worse things than hunkering down in a well-supplied and fortified home. Dying of dehydration in a 120 degree desert comes to mind.
Your assignment this month is to:
- Check out routes on a road map and mark them.
- Travel over one of the routes and critique it for its viability in a disaster or TSHF scenario. Use a GPS to locate possible other paths.
- Talk with locals and/or law enforcement along your route to learn about alternative routes and possible dangers to be aware of.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 for other routes.
More on evacuations here:
Lessons for Hurricane Evacuations
Bugging out to the wilderness: Is it a smart option?
Organize your Emergency Evacuation in 5 Easy Steps
Self-Rescue: When staying put isn’t an option
While you're here, check out...
INSTANT SURVIVAL TIP: The Always-Ready Toiletry Bag
When is it time to get out of Dodge? The experts weigh in, Part 2
Practical advice for helping those who suddenly have nothing
Evacuating the big guys — horses and other large livestock
How to Prep Your Kids For Emergencies: Practice
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Love the advice. One thing I like to do is plan things in stages. Ideally, I like to be able to put my Bug Out Bag on my Bug Out Bike (regular bike I use often) then put the bike on my Bug Out Vehicle. That way when I leave in my car I'll be able to grab my bike with my BOB already attached and then try and grab whatever else. When I need to ditch my bike I grab my BOB plus what I can grab and leave the bike. I could continue this down to my skivvies but I think Ive made my point :).
Anyways my evacuation routes from Denver are planned in detail 3 times over 🙂 , I would rather head west to the mountains but my best bet is east, south, or south east all depending on the situation… (too much red dawn makes me want to head to the mountains, cant wait for the remake!!! )
Topographic maps can be hardish to find (amazon.com does sell them), but worthwhile, especially for an exercise like this. The topo map book shows elevations but it also includes markings for state parks, campgrounds and a TON of other useful information. In looking for an evacuation route, a regular map shows the roads BUT using the topographical map, you can better compare otherwise similar routes. For example, one may be flatter but run through several towns. The other may have hills but cut through valleys that aren't really difficult terrain (although admitted potential choke points) and go near several campgrounds with large fishing areas.
They also show power lines. In some situations, you might want to go near them because the area under the lines is clear cut and may be driveable by an off road vehicle, although the grades are NOT designed for vehicle traffic nor is the area actually intended for it, but in other situations you might want to avoid them. For instance, after a hurricane when there might be downed live wires. We have one potential escape road that has power lines very near the road and they could conceivably come down very close to it if a tornado came through.
Never hurts to have a Plan A and also a Plan B both with modifiers for situations (expected or not).
I'm in a similar boat. I literally do live on an island – Long Island. The only way out by car is through NYC. Not necessarily through Manhattan (even in good times that's crazy). But through one of the 5 boroughs of the city. All the bridges and tunnels that connect LI to the "main land" run through the city.
Even in "normal" periods it can be a nightmare getting out through the city. For example, I can take me 40 minutes to reach Brooklyn then another hour on the Belt Parkway to get to Staten Island! There's always, traffic, always construction.
My only hopes are to either get out before everyone else realizes evactuation is necessary or to leave in the middle of the night.
I lived on eastern Long Island for 16 1/2 years and know exactly what you mean in terms of traffic. Have you considered the ferries as a potential alternate choice of getting off the island?
Yea. But if there was a disaster they'd be packed too! (If they are running at all)
Here's an odd idea, but what about owning a small sciff type boat that you could store in the attic, basement or garage. We have thought about this idea where we live, because there is no way we could get out by highway.
I'd find topo maps and study them hard. Used to be able to get them directly from the US Geological Survey, and have a hard copy in your hands..
GPS may have its uses. But GPS is "owned & operated" by the US Government.
Just wouldn't want to depend on it.
From someone living near Houston, I have two words…HURRICANE RITA!
Phoenix Arizona gets an average of 8" of rain annually. In the event of a financial collapse, you had better have a way to catch every drop of water to survive a few months as the government and infrastructure will be gone.
Unless you prepared like the McLungs. You will need to bug out after the mass exodus/die off. Getting caught in the main rush on the freeways will be a death wish.
I advise people to Google their area and find the annual rain fall. Some places aren't viable.
IMHO, Phoenix is barely doable WITH a major investment or time and effort like the McLung set-up. Presuming a mostly deserted city, you'd have to set up rain barrels at every house around you that's been abandoned. Or hopefully have a ditch to pump as much run-off as possible into your pool/water barrels.
Plan well, plan ahead.
Yes, the McClung\’s system is ingenious but also dependent on electricity. The best bet for Phoenix area preppers, and similar southwestern cities, is to get out well before the mad rush and panic set in, or move. Water is the critical issue and without electricity, clean water will be in short supply. Sitting around and waiting for those 8\” of rain, and that\’s the \”average\” amount, will be a deathtrap. We have several 55 gallon water barrels and more water stored in smaller containers, but even that would just keep us going for 4-5 months. Most Phoenicians have NO water stored, other than what\’s in their hot water tank and maybe a couple cases of water bottles.
When I began reading this, the first thing I noticed was the picture. I assume everybody is trying to get out, and one side of the highway is empty. Our local/state officials must be trained to understand that in an evacuation situation almost every road should be away from the problem. As usual, government bungling creates problems which citizens have to prepare for. We have to ask ourselves: Do I have water? Food? Blankets? What stupid thing is the government doing that will hinder us?
Ginger
Thanks for making two very important points!
#1 in an emergency, we cannot relay on the government for help. Some of the people in government are well meaning, but the primary purpose of government is to sustain it’s self, not to “serve” the people.
#2 The government will become more oppressive in any emergency. Some examples:
During Katrina there were government-hired Backwater guards protecting the “nice” neighborhoods while local cops shot people trying to escape from the “bad” neighborhoods.
FEMA stopped trailer trucks from Walmart loaded with emergency supplies from entering New Orleans because the bureaucrats did not authorize the deliveries.
I agree with you: best to be as self sufficient as possible and avoid contact with government agents.
I honestly believe people put too much stock in evacuating. With the exception of disasters that give plenty of warning (i.e., hurricanes) I must ask where do you intend to go? I would venture to say that most people are probably best off where they currently live. After all, you probably have everything you own in your home (food, clothes, gear, etc), now you're willfully leaving most of that behind for some "better" place with limited supplies and little assurance that you're going to get there. Granted, many items you currently own won't be worth much post-disaster (e.g., the big screen tv), but I would think you are still better off staying put unless you have ample warning and a welcome place to go with plenty of provisions for you and family.
I live near a large city and having an evacuation plan is important. Looking around and finding the choke points
now will be invaluable. Having gear together and developing signs as to when to go, will aid in getting out before the crowd.
Google Earth and Google Maps are your friends when it comes to route recon and planning. You can literally fly over your route and with Google street view you can actually zoom in and see it at street level. Nothing beats an actual on-the-ground recon, but while planning your routes you can save a lot of time by starting with a Google recon.
Rather than trying to evacuate along with hundreds/thousands of others, be in your safe place BEFORE tshtf. placeofrefuge2012.com
Check out http://www.Depictionprep.com, this software will allow you to plot multiple routes and also will automatically reroute if you indicated a bridge is our or there is another obstruction. Also will simulate floods and plumes so you can see where likely routes may be unusable.