So, you’ve decided to prepare for an emergency or the apocalypse. Good for you! We’re going to walk through a few questions that will help you decide how far away from home you should make your bug-out location.
What kind of disaster are you preparing for? Are we talking about a flood that might last for days? Or are we talking about an earthquake where you’ll need to get out of town fast? Either way, it’s important to know how long it’ll take to walk and drive to your bug-out location.
Different Factors Affect How Far Away Your Bug-Out Location Should Be!
How long do you expect to bug out? If this is just a temporary thing like if there’s an ice storm coming, you probably don’t need anything too fancy. But if this is a long-term situation, like if there’s been a nuclear power plant meltdown or some other kind of environmental disaster. Then, you’ll want more than just supplies: You’ll need somewhere safe and comfortable where you can stay while things are being fixed.
How much gas do you think you’ll need? You should pick a bug-out location that matches your unique situation (and remember: all these numbers are just estimates).
What kind of disaster are you preparing for?
So, you’re ready to build your bug-out location. Awesome! But what kind of disaster are you preparing for?
The answer to that question will help you determine the distance from your home that is safe enough. For example, let’s say you are expecting a tsunami. It would not be a good idea to build or have a bug-out location 100 miles away. You won’t live to see your bug-out location.
So first figure out what exactly are you prepping for and then act accordingly.
Are you trying to be self-sufficient or just get away from it all?
Are you trying to be self-sufficient or just get away from it all? This will be another key factor when determining how far away your bug-out location should be.
If you live in the city for example and want to be self-sufficient you may have a further location. Then if you were in a small town or suburb to your bug-out location. If you are just wanting to get away from all civilization then your best best is farther which will take more time.
This will be unique for each person’s situation. A hundred miles away is a good rule of thumb. That being said, if a hundred miles still leaves you too close to civilization for comfort then increase the distance.
How long do you think the disaster will last?
So, you’ve decided to bug out. Great! But before you go, there are a few things that you need to consider.
One of the first questions you’ll ask yourself is: How long will the disaster last? This will be another important question to ask yourself when determining how far away your bug-out location should be. If it is a tsunami-like we mentioned above were to hit where you lived, it would benefit to be closer to your bug-out location. There will not be alot of time.
It will be ideally on higher ground, I might add. If it was a nuclear meltdown or nuclear attack then hundreds of miles away would be a better option.
How will you travel to your bug-out location?
Traveling to your bug-out location is a lot easier than you might think.
How will you travel to your bug-out location? The most common way and fastest will be by car. If that is not possible, how long would it take to go by foot? You should know how you plan to get to your location ahead of time.
If you have a vehicle, then it is best to take it and drive there. This is the fastest way and will save you time overall. If that is not possible, how long would it take to go by foot? You should know how you plan to get to your location ahead of time.
Calculate Time To Your Destination
It’s important to calculate the time it will take to reach your destination. If you are not able to get there by car you should know the time it will take to get there either by foot or bike.
Time could be the decisive factor in staying alive in an emergency situation.
If you need to get somewhere fast, it’s important that you can estimate how long it will take by car, train, or whatever mode of transportation you’ll be using.
Knowing how to get to your destination on time is important for a lot of reasons. It’s especially important when you’re in an emergency situation. You need to know how long it will take you to get from point A to point B so that you can make sure you leave plenty of time for any possible delays.
Estimate
I would estimate any unexpected things that could arise that can make your journey longer. Such as roads being blocked or jam-packed with traffic. You get the jest!
How much gas do you think you’ll need to have?
Do you know what’s the worst thing that could happen?
You’re trying to get out of town with your bug-out bag, and you’ve got all your food, water, and supplies with you. You have a plan to reach your bug-out location. But then it occurs to you: I did not fill up my tank!
You know you do not have enough gas to make it to your destination.
It’s enough to make anyone go insane.
So don’t leave anything up to chance. Make sure that you’ve got enough gas in your tank. I would store gas in jerry cans, having a little extra never hurt. It may take you longer than expected to get to your bug-out location.
When it comes to how far away you should be from your bug-out location? There isn’t a right answer. It will depend on what type of emergency you’re preparing for, and how long you expect it to last. You should pick a bug-out location that matches your unique situation.
The best way to find the ideal distance from your bug-out location is by asking yourself these questions:
-What kind of emergency do I need to prepare for?
-How long is it going to last?
-How will I get there?
-How long will it take?
