As the days grow shorter we know the Summer season is winding down and Autumn is quickly arriving behind it. September is usually the month that we begin to think of the eventual arrival of Winter and begin the transition that comes with it. Especially where I’m at up in Alaska. We pack away our Summer toys and clothes, such as short sleeve shirts, shorts, backpacking gear, jet skis, kayaks, and the majority of our camping gear. We slowly replace them with warmer coats, shoes, hats and gloves, and all the accessories associated with cooler fall and winter weather.
This time of transition should also be our time of reassessment for our emergency preparedness clothing and gear. It’s the perfect time to dig into our Bug Out Bags, emergency rations and medical supplies to make sure everything still works, fits, and is safe to use. It’s essential to any well thought out sustainability plan to have periodic reevaluations. These evaluations allow you to replace any expired medication and food products, along with any clothing you may have outgrown. One area that we ought to not overlook and inspect is our Vehicle Preparedness Bag, which should be in our vehicles whenever we drive them.
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As the days grow shorter we know the Summer season is winding down and Autumn is quickly arriving behind it. September is usually the month that we begin to think of the eventual arrival of Winter and begin the transition that comes with it. Especially where I’m at up in Alaska. We pack away our Summer toys and clothes, such as short sleeve shirts, shorts, backpacking gear, jet skis, kayaks, and the majority of our camping gear. We slowly replace them with warmer coats, shoes, hats and gloves, and all the accessories associated with cooler fall and winter weather.
This time of transition should also be our time of reassessment for our emergency preparedness clothing and gear. It’s the perfect time to dig into our Bug Out Bags, emergency rations and medical supplies to make sure everything still works, fits, and is safe to use. It’s essential to any well thought out sustainability plan to have periodic reevaluations. These evaluations allow you to replace any expired medication and food products, along with any clothing you may have outgrown. One area that we ought to not overlook and inspect is our Vehicle Preparedness Bag, which should be in our vehicles whenever we drive them.
What is a Vehicle Preparedness Bag and Why Do I NEED one ?
Simply explained a Vehicle Preparedness Bag is a bag or backpack that is kept in your vehicle in order to sustain you while you are away from your home during an emergency situation. This bag has been referred to by many names: 72 Hour Bag and Get Home Bag are some of the most popular names associated with a vehicle preparedness bag. The idea behind these types of bags is to allow you to have an easy to carry stash of food, supplies, and clothing to assist you in getting home or to your prearranged meeting place in the event of an emergency event.
You don’t NEED a Vehicle Preparedness Bag, but I can promise you a well thought out and assembled bag will increase your chances of getting back safely into the arms of your friends and family. If this doesn’t sound appealing to you then disregard the rest of this article.
When making a Vehicle Preparedness Bag, there are several variables to consider. Weather conditions, potential threats, caloric intake and medical needs should be taken into account. In our scenario, we will be building a Get Home Bag to be used during the Winter months in an area where sub freezing temperatures and snow might be present. This template can be applied to more than 50% of the continental United States during the months of October thru April.
Where to Start ?
First thing you are going to need is a backpack or bag. We have covered several types of bags from top manufacturers such as 5.11Tactical, Osprey, and REI, Inc. We actually have an entire section of the web page dedicated to packs and bags. Browse our Bag Section under the Adventure Tab and get started. If you don’t find anything to your liking there send us an email via the Comms Linkand I’m confident we can recommend a bag to fit your needs.
Your bag doesn’t have to be the biggest or most expensive, so choose a pack in your price range with features that are important to you. It’s important to remind yourself that this isn’t a pack for a fourteen day safari across the Serengeti Desert or Invasion of Iraq, it’s a basic get home bag.
What goes Inside the pack ?
One you have selected your pack, start the task of trying to decide what is a need and what is a want. Determining what to bring and how much that item weighs is the hardest part of the equation. Trying to pack correctly but not overpack is a balancing act we all have gone through. We have some ideas on what should be in your bag
The snow ice and freezing temperatures that come along with winter in most areas is not a respecter of person or gender. It doesn’t care if you are a trained Navy SEAL with hours upon hours of winter survival training , or a house wife on the way to the gym to get in a workout. Winter weather can and does kill. It’s just that simple. Luckily like everything else in life, if you make a plan, and practice that plan, you stand a much better job of coming out with the desired result.
I know that it may sound boring or redundant to some that I repeatedly talk about checking your preps and gear to make sure you maximize your chances of survival and sustainability. I do this because I know there are people out there that will read this or talk to me about their plans or have questions and they have never moved past the planning phase. They have been in the planning stages for months, even years. That is dangerous, it will eventually get those people and their families in a situation that will be detrimental to their health and sustainability.
Be intentional about your preps. If you don’t know how to do something, ask questions. If you don’t want to ask a question below, feel free to use the Comms Check and we will put our collective brains together. We want to hear about your growth as outdoorsmen and preppers. Telling your growth and story may save someones life. Be sure to check back to see what is coming up in winter recreation and travel – see what Leo, Scott, Isaiah, and all of us are up to.
Thanks
Rick D
Quote of the Week:
“Always desire to learn something useful” — Sophocles , Greek Playwright 496 BC-405BC
This article is courtesy of Rick Dembroski from The Loadout Room.
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