8 Things You Need to Create a Bug-Out Base Camp
A bug-out bag is an important part of any bug-out plan, but what about your bug-out base camp? A bug-out base camp can be the difference between life and death. The right preparations will keep you healthy and happy while waiting for rescue or until you are able to return home.
The bug-out base camp will need to have a survival kit on hand. This should contain the basics for your family and pets in order to survive with comfort until help arrives or you are able to return home. Some of the supplies that should be included such as water, nonperishable food rations, a first aid kit, a bug-out bag, a portable shelter, and any other necessary supplies.
This blog post focuses on the following topics to help you design your own bug-out plan and recommend what supplies you'll need to survive any disaster. We'll go through 8 things that should be in every bug-out base camp!
Going Home
How can you reassemble your life after a bug-out-worthy disaster? A small percentage of the world's population has had to flee and start over in recent decades. To do this in the real world, you'll need money, proof that you're who you say you are, and a place to go.
If your house was damaged in the disaster, you'll have to scramble to find a new home. You may also require a new source of income if your current funds are rapidly depleting. Aid typically comes in from neighboring locations in isolated crisis circumstances but rebuilding your life after widespread destruction and casualties is an unfamiliar scenario. Make sure you also have navigation tools inside your bug out bag! Let's hope we never have to learn how difficult it is to start afresh.
Keeping the Peace
Strong and exceptional leadership is the greatest approach to keep peace and order in your camp. Leadership is one of those aspects that is rarely acknowledged for its relevance in ensuring existence. When acting as a group, having a leader is also an unavoidable fact.
In any group, there will always be an alpha male or female who will lead (or at the very least influence) the group's path. Maybe they aren't qualified for such a high-ranking post, but chances are they are simply fulfilling their destiny. Good leadership is more crucial than ever in an emergency, and those in charge must strive to perform at their best. There have been many great leaders in history, as well as many terrible ones. Understand that being a leader entails much more than formulating a few ideas, yelling commands, and attempting to keep everyone happy. If you find yourself in a position of leadership in the middle of a crisis, model yourself after the most powerful people you know. Remember that a good leader is always prepared, so make sure you have all your must have items on your bug out bag!
Make Resource Runs
A bug-out base camp should be stocked with anything you would need to live for an extended period of time, if not indefinitely. This means that a bug out bag is a bare minimum, it will get you by at first but eventually your supplies will dwindle and you'll have to make resource runs in order to keep things moving.
Eventually, you'll run out of a supply that needs to be replenished. This supply run could be a welcome diversion for a few group members if it's something locally available, such as firewood or water. However, if it's something you can't find nearby, you might be asking people to risk their lives. Never send a group member out alone, regardless the matter of the assignment.
Keep a Night Watch
In the bush, the night can be the most dangerous moment. And those anxieties may be justified in the aftermath of a calamity. Desperate people have committed awful deeds in times of need from the beginning of time. In the event of a long-term disaster, your group may require someone or several people to keep an eye out for "outsiders." Avoiding drawing attention to your camp in the dark may also be a good idea. This may imply no fires after sundown or no light at all from nightfall to morning.
If you're in a bug-out base camp for an extended period of time, it's possible that the same people will be on guard duty night after night. This can lead to exhaustion and tiredness, which are two things we don't want our sentries succumbing to when they have important tasks ahead of them.
Thankfully, there are different ways to rotate people on and off guard duty. One option is the buddy system in which a group member's partner watches them while they sleep until their watch is up again. Another way would be for camp members to take turns at night shifts every few days or so. An ultralight sleeping bag that provides adequate warmth can also help you forget about your exhaustion and get a good night's sleep while your partner is on watch.
Consider Defense
The bug-out base camp is your home. It's the last bastion, and it needs to be defended at all costs. As you are designing the layout of this camp, consider defense first and foremost; a multi tool can be a great help.
When planning for a survival situation we often think about how to run away from danger as opposed to preparing for an attack. Defense is one of the most important considerations when planning your bug-out base camp.
There are many different ways to go about this, but there are a few basic principles that you should keep in mind:
- Avoid natural choke points and areas where attackers can lay an ambush.
- Have routes for escape or retreat if necessary.
- Have a bug-out self defense tool in case the worst should happen.
Make sure that you've taken all of these considerations into account before you start building your bug-out base camp. Your safety and the safety of those around you depend on it!
Keep Communications Open
To be a successful bug-out ruler, you need to know what's going on out there. This means keeping your ear to the ground and being ready for any emergency situation, whether it is an external attack or another natural disaster that needs managing. If you decide not to stay in one place for an extended period of time, then make sure that you have a bug-out plan in place and can communicate with your group members.
A satellite phone is an essential item for any bug-out situation because it will give you the ability to contact people outside of your area without drawing attention to yourselves or risking detection from those who may be monitoring telephone lines.
If there's no sign of a bug-out situation, it's a good idea to keep the lines of communication open with your group members. Contacting friends and family will provide you some much needed emotional support in difficult times. You can't put too high an emphasis on this because we often underestimate just how important this is for our mental health especially if there's a bug-out situation. Keep in touch with your group members if you can it will be one of the best things for morale and keeping people motivated to keep going. Giving a comforting word to one another will also help.
If you're trying to hide from an attacker, avoid making or taking any calls whatsoever as this could expose your position, and make sure to always have your bug-out bags ready.
Build a Camp Kitchen
In bug-out situations, it is often necessary to cook and eat outside of your home. Building a camp kitchen will provide you the ability to do just that! Camp kitchens can be as simple or elaborate as you want them to be. There are many different types available on the market today, some in trailers and others designed for setting up on the ground.
A fire pit and rigging for suspending pots over the fire should be present in this area. Make a makeshift table for serving and food preparation. A food cache and some cooking equipment might also be placed in the area. You wouldn't want to carry a heavy Dutch oven large enough to serve a crowd on your back, but you could drop it off ahead of time. A dishwashing station should also be included in your camp kitchen. This could include buckets of hot soapy water, bleach water, and a rack for drying dishes in the sun (for UV protection).
Building a camp kitchen is not just about bug-out situations, but it's also necessary for cooking outdoors. Consider the type of supplies that are going to be needed before you start building this area and stock up on them now!
Secure Your Water Supply
One of the most important bug-out considerations is water. If you don't have enough to keep yourself and your group members hydrated, then it's going to be difficult for everyone. There are a lot of different ways that you can go about securing your water supply in bug-out situations, some may make more sense than others depending on the situation. One of the easiest ways to provide your bug-out group members with a consistent water supply is by having an unlimited source nearby such as at a natural spring or in another location that's accessible and plentiful.
If there's no access to clean drinking water, it might be necessary for you to set up some form of filtration device. This could be a gravity-fed water filter, UV light purification system, or a large chemical kit that is designed for bug-out situations. Another way of your water supply in bug-out situations might be to pack up as much bottled water and other drinks as you can find, then store them securely until it's time to bug out.
There are a number of different ways to go about securing your bug-out group's water supply. The most important thing is that you don't overlook it or forget about this crucial bug-out consideration.
Ways To Secure Your Water Supply:
- Building a camp kitchen with plenty of large containers and storage space for food, supplies, and equipment like cooking utensils, pots, and pans.
- Securing a bug-in bug-out location near natural water sources like lakes, rivers, or oceans - in areas that are not prone to tsunamis.
- Storing enough purified bug-out supplies at your bug-in bug-out locations as well so you don't run the risk of running out.
- Pack bug-out food items that are shelf-stable and will require minimal preparation (such as crackers, canned beans, or tuna fish). These foods can be eaten without the need to cook or put water on them.
Building a bug-in bug-out location near natural water sources is one way to make sure you have plenty of clean drinking water in bug-out situations.
Conclusion
There are a number of bug-out considerations that you'll need to account for when it comes time to bug out. Whatever the situation may be, don't forget about your bug-in bug-out locations either! Make sure these areas have plenty of food and water supplies as well - so everyone in the group can stay hydrated and be as well-fed and watered as possible. ApeSurvival.com offers survival kit and supplies for you bug out needs!
