When disaster strikes, being in a city can be highly unfavorable. The reasons for this are not limited to the risk of harm from objects like fallen power lines and debris, but also the presence of distressed individuals who may not have adequately prepared themselves for the situation. These people might loot your reserved supplies if you haven’t made arrangements for hiding and transporting them in the event of a disaster.
Urban environments are home to approximately 80.7% of the American population. To enhance your safety and access to essential items, it is recommended that you equip yourself with an urban bug out bag. This guide aims to provide you with all the necessary information regarding urban bug out bags.
What Is an Urban Bug Out Bag?
A bug out bag (BOB) designed for urban areas is a survival kit packed with essential supplies to sustain oneself for at least three days following a calamity that hits a city. While it may feature similar items as other BOBs, it may also include additional unique items tailored to the specific positive and negative disaster conditions of the city.
Urban Bug Out Bags Advantages
Some of the things comprised are:
- Unlike in the wild, where you need many items to increase your survival odds during a disaster, scavenging for survival supplies from abandoned residential buildings and businesses can enhance your survival chances in the city. You can get water, food, clothing, and sleeping gear from these spots. However, don’t loot.
- It is easier to find shelter in a city’s “safe” place or corner. Therefore, you might not need to create a cover. Having sleeping gear might be all you need to rest and recharge.
Urban Bug Out Bag Disadvantages
Some of the things that are encompassed are:
- Urban disasters may involve crumbling buildings, breaking glass, and debris buildup. These threats can add extra items to your urban bug out bag list.
- Disasters can trigger uncontrollable movements by people. This scenario complicates escaping to safety.
- Panic can make people act irrationally as they try to stay alive. This situation can cause everyone to put their interests first, even at the expense of others. However, people may also support one another during emergencies and shouldn’t be only regarded as a threat.
The contents of your bug out bag specifically designed for an urban environment may vary due to the distinctive characteristics of the city.
Why Do You Need To Have an Urban Bug Out Bag Ready?
There could be instances where you find yourself stranded in the city amidst a calamity, even if you believe that an urban BOB is unnecessary. These situations involve:
- Authorities put the city on lockdown, and you can’t leave
- Your home becomes unsafe
- You have an illness or disability that prevents you from leaving the city
- There are no rural areas or wilderness around you
- It takes several days of walking in the city to reach the nearest safe location
Being prepared for such occurrences by having an urban BOB can provide you with essential supplies and increase your odds of survival.
Experts suggest that there is a 50% possibility of a Chernobyl-level disaster occurring by 2050, so it’s wise to prepare ahead of time instead of being caught off guard if you don’t believe such an event would occur.
Considerations When Planning Your Urban BOB
It is crucial to consider the urban bugging out conditions when preparing your urban BOB. You must make sure to incorporate the essential items and strategize on the means of accessing them.
Special Urban Considerations
An urban environment usually has denser population, which may necessitate a different approach to packing your BOB as compared to preparing for a rural setting.
If you plan to evacuate an urban area, you need to take your security into consideration during a disaster. This entails carrying weapons and having a backpack that blends in with the urban environment to avoid security risks.
If the population of the city is large, it can also be difficult to move in and out. The traffic may become congested due to the limited infrastructure or possibly damaged. To enter certain places, such as hallways and locks, it may be helpful to bring equipment such as halligan bars and bolt cutters. Remember to abide by laws and regulations.
During certain disasters, the air quality may be subpar in urban regions. In order to handle the dust, smoke, and chemicals that may be present, it may be necessary to use either portable air supply equipment or air filtration equipment.
It’s possible for urban areas to experience falling debris in times of disaster. It’s advisable to include protective equipment in your BOB preparations.
Considerations for All Bug Out Bags
Choosing the right BOB is essential to prepare you for any disaster. Here are critical considerations to help you with this goal:
- Appearance : Choose a BOB that helps you blend in or remain unnoticed. There are two ways to do this: mimicry and camouflage. Mimicry colorways resemble popular items carried by people on ordinary days. They aren’t too flashy or noticeable. Camouflage colorways actually draw attention in a city setting. For example, tans and gray greens can be ideal for a city. Black, dark grays and camel can also work.
- Proper fit : The right BOB distributes your load’s weight evenly between your hips and shoulders. You should be able to adjust the straps to enable the bag to sit up against your back without too much movement. Padded straps can also protect your shoulders. A properly fitting BOB won’t topple you or drain your strength quickly.
- Weight & strength : Watch the BOB’s weight to avoid issues. Carrying many heavy items can slow you down and drain your energy quickly. It is best to take about 15% of your body weight. A BOB should be judged by three criteria: Is it strong? Is it affordable? Is it lightweight? Consider the essential requirements to choose the suitable pack.
- Size & layout : Choose a BOB that is big enough to carry your essentials. It may also have a pocket on the outside for items you need to access quickly. Your things shouldn’t be hanging from the pack’s exterior because they can be lost, damaged, or someone can steal them. Having the right size BOB will help you stay mobile, balance the load you are carrying, allow you to move through tight spaces easily, and not slow you down.
- Waterproofing : A water-resistant bag can improve your supplies’ durability. Its zippers, straps, and seams shouldn’t break easily. A coating process or applying a waterproofing treatment yourself can keep your items from being damaged by water. Covering your BOB with a dry bag will also help protect against moisture and rain.
Creating a Modular Pack/System
To endure an SHTF situation, it is vital to have good organization skills. A modular pack system consists of multiple small packs arranged within the primary one. This can be achieved by grouping items in smaller packs according to their intended use, such as provisions, medical supplies, and illumination.
By creating a modular BOB, you can customize the arrangement of your belongings to cater to your BOB and accessibility preferences. This allows you to conveniently access frequently used or urgently needed items by placing them in easily accessible locations.
Supplies and Equipment Overview
Urban bug-outs will vary in appearance, but by adhering to survival principles, we can begin with a foundational set of items and supplement it as we identify our necessities.
After a brief introduction, we will delve into all the options and how to make selections in the subsequent sections.
- Pack
- Large and strong enough to carry everything we need.
- Chosen based on plan and ability to blend in if necessary.
- Water
- Water bottle and/or hydration bladder
- Water filter
- Iodine tablets
- Food
- Ready to eat
- Easy to prepare
- Calorie dense
- Snacks for on-the-move or quick rests
- Shelter
- Waterproof lightweight tarp
- Paracord or accessory cord for securing
- Useful for blocking wind and rain
- Emergency blankets
- Noisy, but excellent way to keep in heat
- Waterproof lightweight tarp
- Clothing
- Suitable for weather
- Appropriate for exertion and rapid movement by foot
- Sturdy footwear
- Hat
- Gloves, heavy protective and thin technical pairs
- Sunglasses
- Extra socks/underwear
- Mask/Air Filtration
- At the minimum N95 or better rated disposable dust masks
- Preferably half-face N95 better cartridge respirator
- Full head portable hood optional
- Gas mask with appropriate canisters not out of the question
- Weapons
- Pistol
- Knife
- Pepper spray
- Long gun, if applicable
- Map and Compass
- Basic small compass or button compass is adequate.
- Detailed map of city and surrounding area
- Road atlas or map of region
- Communications
- Hand-crank radio
- Extra cell phone + charger + extra battery
- Walkie-talkie for short-range communications
- Lighting
- Powerful LED pocket flashlight
- Bring good supply of extra batteries
- Used for signaling, navigation and defense
- Headlamp
- Invaluable for nighttime hands-free navigation or task lighting
- Chemlights
- Safe, heatless, foolproof
- Various colors can be used for marking and signaling
- Powerful LED pocket flashlight
- Tools
- Basic Tools
- Multitool
- Roll of duct tape
- Lighter and/or matches
- Vise grips
- Utility Keys –Gas, water, etc.
- Super glue (CA)
- Permanent marker and pencils
- Notepad
- Knife, folding or fixed blade
- Entry tools
- Lock picks and shims
- Pry bar
- Compact bolt cutters
- Sledgehammer, small
- Basic Tools
- Medical
- Trauma Kit
- Everything you need for treating serious wounds and injuries.
- Contains gauze, gauze pads, tourniquets, etc.
- Must have training to use it!
- Boo-boo Kit
- For lesser issues like illness and blisters.
- Contains things like OTC meds, band-aids, alcohol swabs, etc.
- Trauma Kit
- Electronics Kit
- Phone Chargers x2
- Extra long compatible cables for all devices
- Power bank, rated for at least 2 full recharges, preferably more
- Compact solar charging array
Water and Food
To assume that living in the city exempts you from water concerns would be an error, despite the countless cases of bottled water available for purchase. It is essential that you have the ability to transport and cleanse water on your own. Neglecting to have a container for drinking water would be unwise. Additionally, it is imperative to possess a water filtration system and various cleansing agents to remove any chemical or biological impurities from any water you come across.
Choose easy and nutritious options for sustenance to maintain mental clarity and positive attitude. Opt for reliable items packaged in sealed pouches or bags, and avoid heavier cans. Although MREs can be utilized, it is best to divide them into smaller portions.
Dried foods help reduce weight and space, however, they rely on the water supply to prepare. Freeze-dried foods, on the other hand, are quite costly but significantly lighter and require water for rehydration.
Shelter
In an urban setting, although there are numerous attractive buildings available, you must be ready to seek refuge elsewhere and protect yourself from the elements if you cannot enter or locate a suitable shelter.
Clothing
When a catastrophe strikes and a city is in turmoil, the garments you are wearing may not necessarily be appropriate for ensuring survival.
To make sure that you have the necessary supplies readily available, it is advisable to have a few sets of survival-appropriate clothing in your BOB, in case you are not already wearing them.
Mask/Air Filtration
Air quality is a concern in most cities in kinder, normal, everyday times. It is going to be even worse with fires raging, buildings toppling, and probably every single engine in the county idling and revving all at once trying to get free.
In order to avoid the negative effects of contaminated air, such as slowing you down or making you unable to function, it is crucial that you have a means of purifying it. The most fundamental approach is to wear a mask with a N95 rating or higher.
Weapons
It is crucial to possess a diverse range of weapons for personal protection, particularly in urban environments. However, this can prove to be challenging since numerous cities, including those located in conservative areas that advocate for firearm possession, impose strict limitations on citizens’ right to bear arms.
Map and Compass
It’s true that a map and compass can be useful beyond just navigating vast forests or desolate lands, since in a city that’s plagued with chaos, destruction, and a constant influx of frightened and distressed individuals, losing one’s bearings can happen quite easily.
Lighting
A reliable flashlight is invaluable and can be a lifesaver. Even during daytime in urban areas, one can still find themselves in complete darkness with a simple power outage in a building or when going underground through a subway. This can be unsettling and dangerous.
Medical
Assuming you are evacuating, the level of peril will be elevated; therefore, it is advisable to proceed with caution. It is probable that you won’t have quick or dependable access to medical assistance, so you must take care of your own health.
Your medical case will consist of two parts, namely your trauma section and the boo-boo section. The trauma component would encompass all the necessary supplies to handle injuries such as lacerations, punctures, burns, and fractures.
