Dear Preppers and Survivalists,
 |
| A homeless man, in Paris, France (ca 2005) photograph by Eric Pouhier |
Other Opinions
Needless to say, ... Other people will disagree with last weeks suggestions. They think you and your family need to carry different or more 'stuff.'
Take FerFAL, from Modern Survivalist, he suggest carrying eight items, for your everyday carry.
In another article at The Prepper Journal, they have an article with 11 preppers showing off their every day carry.
Lastly, Happy Prepper, from Happy Prepper.com, suggests carrying a bag worth of stuff in you pockets which leads to my next point.
Amazon
It is rare, very rare, that a prepper or survivalist writer makes enough money, from their writing, to solely focus on writing about the tough times ahead. Like you and your partner, they have day jobs that they work to earn the money to shelter, feed, protect, cloth, and have fun with their families.
So, ...
Some writes will publish articles with the newest, hottest, and ... most expensive 'stuff' for you to buy, so the writer can earn a small commission. An item that might not be appropriate for you and your family.
In other words, ...
People will try to make money off you and your family's efforts to get prepared for uncertain times.
So, ...
You need to think critically when you and your partner read any article or watch any video because they may not have your best interest in mind when they suggest an item for you and your family to purchase
With that said, ....
Women
It use to be, many decades ago, that women seemed to be ambivalent about prepping. If you were lucky, your partner tolerated your efforts. If you were very unlucky, your partner tried to sabotaged your preps.
Now a days, women are contributing articles, videos, and even advocating for other women to get prepared for the tough times ahead, like ...
Jaime, from Guildbrook Farm, in this video about her Prepper EDC. Christy, from CampSmarts.com, giving some suggestions about a women's every day carry, and Jennifer, from City Girl Prepper, talking about her products.
Needless to say, there are many more articles and videos for you and your family to read and watch explaining every day carry.
But, ...
There are limitations to every day carry, so you and your family may want to consider packing an ...
Emergency Evacuation Kit
What ever you call them; INCH bag, GOOD bag, Bug Out bag, 72-Hour Kit, Ready to Go bag, Survival Kit, or ..., the emergency evacuation kit is a prepacked bag that you keep handy, so you can quickly leave an area, during an event.
 |
| Contents of an American Red Cross 'Ready to Go' Bag (ca 2006) source FEMA Photo Library |
The Bag
Before I begin, I have to remind you.
You and your family probably have 80% of the equipment and supplies that you need to survive a short-term event, so ...
 |
| Homeless Man in the Park, with his worldly possessions in a plastic bag San Francisco, California (ca 2007) photograph by PRA |
Plastic Bags
Every day, the state's child protection services swoops in and removes a child from their home. Sometimes these government employees will arrive with an armed escort to insure everyone's safety, but sometimes they don't. Either way, they always arrive with several black plastic bags to quickly scoop up some of the child's belongings, so the children will have clothes, a favorite toy, and their school books.
So, ...
You and your family can carry your emergency evacuation kit in a black plastic bag or a plastic shopping bag.
But, ...
These plastic bags are fragile, short-lived, and you have to carry them in your hands. Plus, they are not as durable as a ...
 |
| A Young Lady Carrying a Cloth Bag, with long straps (ca 2007) photograph by Paul Pajo |
Cloth Bag with Straps
An inexpensive alternative for your emergency evacuation kit's bag could be one, two, three or more of those cloth shopping bags with long straps that allow you to carry them over your shoulder, so your hands are free to carry a young child or baby, a defensive weapon like a rifle or quarterstaff, or allow you to use your hands to climb over an obstacle.
But, ...
Cloth shopping bags aren't a durable as a ...
 |
| South Korean Tourist's Suitcase, in Paris, France (ca 2014) photograph by 최광모 |
Suitcases
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, in October 1962, my grandmother bundled up her children and fled Norfolk, Virginia, to her family in small town Ohio, as my grandfather deployed to stop the second round of soviet missiles from landing in Cuba.
As they entered the airport, in their hands were three suitcases, an adult-sized case and two child-size cases. These suitcases contained some clothes, all the currency the family had, a favorite toy and their woobies.
After checking in at the airline counter, with the attendant taking their suitcases, they boarded a aeroplane to fly to safety, away from the nuclear tipped missiles' target of Naval Station Norfolk
Just think, ...
If they had to have carried those suitcases a long distance, everything but the children, the currency, and the woobies would have been left on the side of the road.
In other words, ...
A suitcase will make a passable emergency evacuation kit's bag, if it is going to be transported in a vehicle or carried a short distance, especially if the suitcase has wheels.
Improvisation
Like most preppers, I don't have a lot of money for my preps, so I try to save money, where I can. One method of saving money is making an item, for me and my family.
 |
| Drawstring Backpack, from a pattern (ca 2018) photograph by Spoonflower.com |
Drawstring Backpack
These are probably the simplest backpack for you and your family to carry the items of your emergency evacuation kit.
But, ...
The strings, that go over your shoulders, are too thin. They will cut off the circulation to your arms, if the items in the bag are very heavy.
So, ...
 |
| A Reproduction WW2 Soviet M35 Duffel Bag (ca 1942ish) photograph by Epic Militaria |
Soviet WW II Backpack
During the Great Patriotic War, the soviets needed to equip a large number of soldiers, so they used rudimentary equipment. One of these pieces of simple equipment was a canvas backpack.
As you can see, ...
The pack is basically a wide strap, attached at the two bottom corners, with the strap wrapped around the top of the bag to keep it closed.
A pack that could be fabricated by anyone handy with a sewing machine or a needle and thread.
 |
| Zanna Rayner and Luke Cowart help a child choose a back pack during a book bag drive, in Killeen, Texas (ca 2015) photograph by Staff Sgt. Ange Desinor |
Repurposing
Of course, every family with children will have one or two book bags/backpacks that could be pressed into service as bags for an emergency evacuation kit.
Or, ...
They could be purchased from the local charity store.
Purchasing
Needless to say, the sky is the limit when you start looking at buying a bag for an emergency evacuation kit. You have multiple choices, like color, size, number of pockets, thickness of material, new, used, military surplus,or ...
Either way, ...
You are going to need to fill that bag with useful equipment and supplies.
Link:
GSiEP - Friday's Thoughts and Other Stuff (Every Day Carry)
https://gsiep.blogspot.com/2019/03/fridays-thoughts-and-other-stuff-every.html
The Modern Survivalist - EDC: Top 8 Must have Items
http://www.themodernsurvivalist.com/archives/3571
The Prepper Jounal - Every Day Carry: Show Us Your EDC!
https://www.theprepperjournal.com/every-day-carry/
Happy Prepper.com -Prepper's Eeryday Carry (EDC)
http://www.happypreppers.com/everyday-carry.html
Guildbrook Farm - Prepper EDC: A Practical Woman's Every Day Carry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg7ruznc6XY
CampSmarts.com - EDC: A Woman's Every Day Carry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9YFhkTnSKs
City Girl Prepper - Introduction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0mfUepClO4
The Peaceful Prepper - An Urban EDC for the Single Gal, Update 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md9R3PtOc6s
The Spruce Crafts - How to Sew a Durable, Reusable Grocery Bag
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/durable-reusable-grocery-bag-2977439
Spoonflower - This DIY Drawstring Bag Is a Cinch!
https://blog.spoonflower.com/2018/03/diy-drawstring-backpack/
Global Antiques - WWII Original Soviet Infantry Canvas Rucksack
https://www.ebay.com/itm/WWII-ORIGINAL-SOVIET-RUSSIAN-INFANTRY-CANVAS-RUCKSACK/292165758696?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3D867fd621a38142ac93cb4b6c3a7dc06b%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D7%26sd%3D292165907059%26itm%3D292165758696&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
No comments:
Post a Comment