I'd like to mention that being prepared with a "bug out" bag isn't just for a SHTF situation. It would come in handy if you have a house fire, or similar situation. That's more of a being prepared bag than a bug out, but you get the point.
Exactly. Katrina !!! Nuff Said???
Living in OK and going thru the May 3rd, 99 Tornado. I learned my lesson then. Luckily wasn't so bad. Even an ice storm here can leave some people without power for up to 2 weeks, so it does pay to be prepared for a Natural Disaster, and just a few more items it doubles for a SHTF purpose too.
I think I've finally got my daughter on board with a prepping too. As I told her, when it comes to Feast or Famine, even your own neighbors will be trying to steal your shit cuz they did not prepare and you better be ready to protect what you did right so don't be afraid to pass the word onto your neighbors too, and if they think you're being a freak, just tell them it's for Natural Disasters and use the May 3rd tornado and Katrina as examples. And remind them in Katrina, evacuations were forced you didn't have an option, so you didn't have a choice to hunker down, you had to bug out.
The way I see it, the more people you can get to prepare, that's less people you have to worry about taking your shit. Not to mention, if you run low on something and they're low on something, then have stuff you can barter with.
I think it was another thread I put it in, I've also added Bleach to my Bug out kit. You can sanitize mega amounts of water with just a quart of bleach, and have safe drinking water in 30 minutes out of a pond, creek, river or lake. Also sanitize eating utensils or a food prep area if you are butchering an animal to eat. Bleaxh also doubles as treatment for Poison Oak and Poison Ivy.