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| Photo taken by Jeff Provencher |
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Monday, February 4, 2013
The "B.O.T" (or Bug Out Team)
You've got your Bug Out Bag, possibly even a Bug Out Vehicle, but what about your Bug Out Team?
This has been a topic of discussion I've heard a lot more often as of late. With new bans looming over the horizon, the division between Liberals and Conservatives greater than ever before and with certain supplies growing more rare a need for a backup plan feels pretty pertinent.
Not only is this a topic of discussion for others, it's been one for me as well. The need for contingency plans is more important than ever and I'd rather be ready and in a group I trust than climb this mountain of sorts alone.
A "Bug Out Team" should be a small group, no larger than five or six. In this group a level of compatibility must be kept between all members whether it be similar medical kits, radios or similar weapon platforms and calibers.
Have a plan!
You may have good, trusted friends that you'd like to be in this group, but they may not all live in the same area. Just because they decided to live in a different city or state shouldn't disallow them from joining your bug-out operation. Because if they weren't allowed to join because of that would make you a jerk.
Create waypoints and different routes depending on differing scenarios (i.e. disaster type, population panic level, etc.) for a group to meet up. If, for example you are trying to escape farther north in the Midwest you may have friends or group members from all over a specific state or region that need to link up. Find areas ahead of time that would be best for finding each other as well as mark areas that would be better to avoid - (i.e. city-centers, transportation hubs, major highways, etc.).
Practice!
Run tests with your team and time yourselves under different scenarios and be critical of mistakes. Like your group's medic realizing that he forgot to pack his med-kit when arriving at an important rendezvous point. He won't be making that mistake again in the future...
Kits - In Depth:
Unanimously the most important quality of kits in a team is to have multiple similarities and redundancies throughout, but don't forget that some form of variety is helpful too. Everyone should have a good medical kit in case of some nasty cuts, sprains or breaks. Besides the glorified boo-boo kits you'll probably want at least one "Oh crap I got shot or gored" kit and of course one or more competent group members to utilize it.
Kits and packs should also be somewhat unique based on the skill-set of the individual such as tools for a mechanic, a medkit for the medic (of course) and maybe a radio pack or repeater for a communications or electronics expert. It may seem obvious, but a lot of bug-out bags are VERY similar down to the food they carry. If you plan it out more like a squad of infantry it becomes more clear who has what role as well as defining what one person should carry over another.
It isn't always possible to have everyone carry everything because you then run into the problem of everyone's pack's weighing 200 lbs. and then you'll have a whole new set of issues to overcome.
One of the few times I'd highly recommend compatibility is between weapons and ammo - yeah, it's the obvious one. The ability to hand each other magazines with the same ammunition can be essential in a survival situation. Primary weapons needs to be alike, whereas secondary weapons such as pistols and maybe even hunting rifles is slightly less important. It depends on where you are and where you're planning on bugging out to.
Please plan ahead!
This has been a topic of discussion I've heard a lot more often as of late. With new bans looming over the horizon, the division between Liberals and Conservatives greater than ever before and with certain supplies growing more rare a need for a backup plan feels pretty pertinent.
Not only is this a topic of discussion for others, it's been one for me as well. The need for contingency plans is more important than ever and I'd rather be ready and in a group I trust than climb this mountain of sorts alone.
A "Bug Out Team" should be a small group, no larger than five or six. In this group a level of compatibility must be kept between all members whether it be similar medical kits, radios or similar weapon platforms and calibers.
Have a plan!
You may have good, trusted friends that you'd like to be in this group, but they may not all live in the same area. Just because they decided to live in a different city or state shouldn't disallow them from joining your bug-out operation. Because if they weren't allowed to join because of that would make you a jerk.
Create waypoints and different routes depending on differing scenarios (i.e. disaster type, population panic level, etc.) for a group to meet up. If, for example you are trying to escape farther north in the Midwest you may have friends or group members from all over a specific state or region that need to link up. Find areas ahead of time that would be best for finding each other as well as mark areas that would be better to avoid - (i.e. city-centers, transportation hubs, major highways, etc.).
Practice!
Run tests with your team and time yourselves under different scenarios and be critical of mistakes. Like your group's medic realizing that he forgot to pack his med-kit when arriving at an important rendezvous point. He won't be making that mistake again in the future...
Kits - In Depth:
Unanimously the most important quality of kits in a team is to have multiple similarities and redundancies throughout, but don't forget that some form of variety is helpful too. Everyone should have a good medical kit in case of some nasty cuts, sprains or breaks. Besides the glorified boo-boo kits you'll probably want at least one "Oh crap I got shot or gored" kit and of course one or more competent group members to utilize it.
Kits and packs should also be somewhat unique based on the skill-set of the individual such as tools for a mechanic, a medkit for the medic (of course) and maybe a radio pack or repeater for a communications or electronics expert. It may seem obvious, but a lot of bug-out bags are VERY similar down to the food they carry. If you plan it out more like a squad of infantry it becomes more clear who has what role as well as defining what one person should carry over another.
It isn't always possible to have everyone carry everything because you then run into the problem of everyone's pack's weighing 200 lbs. and then you'll have a whole new set of issues to overcome.
One of the few times I'd highly recommend compatibility is between weapons and ammo - yeah, it's the obvious one. The ability to hand each other magazines with the same ammunition can be essential in a survival situation. Primary weapons needs to be alike, whereas secondary weapons such as pistols and maybe even hunting rifles is slightly less important. It depends on where you are and where you're planning on bugging out to.
Please plan ahead!
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