Why You Need A Civil Unrest Bug-Out-Bag
As we have seen several times in the past, events of all types can lead to sudden bursts of civil unrest. These take place, not just in major cities, but even the suburbs. Normally, a savvy survival prepper will have a bug out bag that is reserved for emergencies where they may have to leave the home and go to another location.
However, you may need a special bug out bag, also known as a BOB, that you can carry with you if and when you need to leave your home in the midst of a chaotic situation in your local area.
There are certain times of the year when civil unrest situations are more expected than others. For example, we are currently in an election year, and regardless of who wins or loses, many are predicting hot spots of chaos.
You want to be prepared for these types of disruptions, and have a bug out bag that is properly packed to help you navigate a dangerous environment that is unpredictable. It’s easy to learn about wilderness survival and what you should pack in a bag because it is typically consistent, whereas civil unrest can arise from anything and result in any type of threat.
A civil unrest BOB is going to make sure that you and your family stay safe in case you have to be on the go and be in self-defense mode. It’s important that you stay under the radar as much as possible, but be prepared to act if tensions escalate and you are in the middle of it.
Pack Your Situational Awareness Tools
Situational awareness is often what serves as a determining factor in keeping you safe from harm in any event, but especially with civil unrest. You have to be able to monitor what is happening around you and get news about what is developing on all fronts.
In this type of event, it’s important to have real time access to information, not just what is being reported on the news after the fact. That means you need to be able to access police scanners and have a survival radio that gives critical updates about any type of alert or threat that is unfolding.
You might find out about roads being blocked off or another protest that is sprouting up in a location that you were heading to, allowing you to avoid that area and head in a different direction.
Assuming your cellular towers are still working, you can find apps to put on your phone that will give you information about conflict in your area so that you can maintain avoidance measures.
But you can’t always rely on technology, so in that case you will need non digital tools to pack in your bug out bag that will help you stay safe from a distance. Pack some compact binoculars that allows you to view what you are heading into and see any approaching harm that you need to avoid.
Putting a great deal of distance between yourself and the chaos is going to be important. Often times, people don’t stop and discuss things in these situations, but they attack you without even knowing where you stand.
Gear That Helps You Evade Trouble or Defend Yourself
There are times when you are going to find yourself surrounded by protesters or rioters, and you won’t be able to escape without having to defend yourself. There are many non-lethal self-defense items that can give you a chance to get away.
You want to make sure that you know how to use these and when it is appropriate to use these rather than having a knee jerk reaction and causing even more chaos than is necessary.
This might include something like pepper spray, a stun gun, or even a tactical pen. You have to know the laws in your area to see what is allowed and what is prohibited so that you don’t encounter any legal trouble after the fact.
Make sure you are dressed for protection if you do have to get out and about during civil unrest. Sometimes, you have to bug out in the middle of a situation because the chaos has come to your home area.
Other times, you might have to leave the home just to go access supplies or even go to work or elsewhere during times when you’re unsure of what could happen. If you are dressed in protective clothing, you will be able to shield your body from harm in case someone else attacks you.
There are gloves and jackets that are resistant to knives. You can also wear something with extra padding that shields your organs from harm. In some instances, you may even want to pack a tear gas mask in your bug out bag in case someone releases some sort of airborne irritant that could cause harm.
The key is to get out of the area as soon as possible the minute you discover you are in the middle of what could end up to be a tragic situation. You never want to stick around and engage with others when avoidance is a smarter choice.
Stay Unseen with Stealth and Camouflage Gear
Most survival preppers have heard of adopting a gray man habit. This is when you blend in so well with everything happening that nobody notices you or can remember anything about you.
In this case, you don’t want to become part of the problem, but you can still pack some clothing and gear in your BOB that will help you blend in and avoid attention. You definitely want to have some sort of neck gaiter or mask that protects your identity.
These are often worn in the middle of civil unrest events anyway, so you will blend in with everyone around you. Make sure it doesn’t have any type of wording or logo on it because that becomes recognizable and memorable.
Do the same with your clothing, from your head to your toes. Make sure there are no logos or abstract designs on them. You should be wearing a hat or cap so that your hair is not noticeable, avoid wearing jewelry, and have footwear that isn’t noisy.
This is all stuff you can pack in your bug out bag in case you need to put it on in a moments’ notice. If you’re shopping for certain types of camouflage gear, you wouldn’t purchase your typical camo clothing that is beneficial in the wilderness to help you blend in with the trees and the ground.
Instead, you want clothing that camouflages you in a different way, helping you blend in with citizens in the city or the suburbs. You just don’t want to look out of place because if anything happens in a crowd begins to chase you, you don’t want to have on a bright orange T-shirt with a specific logo that everyone can share and spot easily.
On-the-Go Shelter and Safety Gear
In a civil unrest situation, you’re not going to be packing a large tent for the entire family and carrying it around on your bug out bag. But you may need to create some sort of shelter to keep you safe from any type of chaos that is taking place.
You might need a small tarp or even a bivy sack that can give you cover until you can make it back home or get to a safe location. This is helpful if you find yourself trapped during a highly toxic situation, such as in an alleyway or some out of the way location and you need something to cover you in the outdoor elements.
You might want to pack a local map that you have purchased or that you create that shows you where you can seek shelter in the city, whether it’s a building or parking area.
There are gadgets that can help you pick locks and give you access to places if you are in an unsafe situation and you need temporary safety. You might be able to hole up in a certain building or room, but need materials and gear that can help you secure the doors and windows.
There are various locks and lightweight gadgets that can prevent others from breaking down a door or getting in a window. This ranges from getting a small wedge that can easily fit in your bug out bag to a door jammer or even some sort of heavy duty tape or special lock that help secure a window.
Medical and First Aid Supplies for a Civil Unrest BOB
Whether you need it for yourself or to help others, it’s always good to have some sort of first aid supplies packed away in your civil unrest bug out bag. These are situations where you might encounter someone else with pepper spray, and you need an eye wash solution.
You might suffer from some sort of knife wound, burn, or exposure to toxic chemicals. You need a survival first aid kit that include bandages and dressings for burns, tourniquets, and other trauma related products such as blood clotting agents.
There are also portable stretchers and emergency blankets that you can pack in your bug out bag in case you need to help someone else or even protect yourself in some instances.
In a civil unrest situation, some medical issues will be minor scratches, while others could be life threatening injuries that require hospitalization. You want your first aid kit to buy you time until you can get to a hospital or take someone else if need be.
Escape Planning and Travel Gear
Depending on how large this type of survival event is, and how long it goes on for, you may end up trapped away from your home or unable to return immediately, so you have to take what’s in your bug out bag and use it to escape the area.
It’s important that you have physical maps that show all of the different routes available to you. Pack these in your bug out bag along with some sort of survival cutting tool that will help you in case you have to get through any type of barrier.
This can be something as simple as a multi tool that has wire cutters. You also want to make sure you have a small, portable travel method packed in your bug out bag. This could include a skateboard, foldable bike or scooter that attaches to your bag using MOLLE.
You will often see areas during civil unrest where traffic has been ground to a halt and roads are being blocked off by protesters. Having this type of portable travel option allows you to use sidewalks and escape this type of hindrance with ease.
Communication and Coordination Tools
We talked about having access to police scanners and emergency radios, but it’s important that you’re able to communicate with your own family if you are not able to use your cell phone.
This can help you coordinate where you should meet up if you are separated during the rising of this civil unrest event. Depending on how far apart you are, you may use the walkie talkies or some sort of other messaging device that keeps everyone informed of what’s happening and what each person should do next.
If you’re using smart phones, make sure you pack a solar powered charger in your BOB. You don’t want the battery to run out. While many riots occur at night, that’s not always the case – and you need to be able to stay in touch without having to find a phone charger elsewhere.
You also want to have signaling gear in case you need help – whether it’s to alert authorities that you’re in danger or help someone find you in a crowd. An emergency whistle or some sort of signaling device can be the communication tool you need in the middle of chaos, but only use it when necessary because it will draw attention to you.
Water and Food for Civil Unrest Bug Out Bags
In the best case scenario, the civil unrest situation will be squashed relatively soon and you’ll be able to return home. But sometimes, these things can last days or even weeks. You want to have food and water on hand in your bug out bag just in case.
Choose a compact water filtration option, like water filtering straws or tablets. You might have a water bladder inside your bug out bag but don’t make it too heavy because you want to be able to move rapidly through threatening situations.
Your food needs to be quick, non-perishable items you can eat without cooking. This would be things like dried fruit, nuts, jerky, protein bars, and other items that give you the calories needed to sustain your energy levels.
Stress-Relieving Gear for You or Your Loved Ones
Getting caught in the middle of civil unrest, where people are fighting, burning down buildings and destroying property can be frightening. If you have a loved one (or even yourself) who is highly panicked and stressed, it will help to have something on hand to calm them.
Keeping a cool head under pressure is important in getting you home safe. You might want to give noise-cancelling earbuds to someone in your group so they’re not hearing things like yelling and gunshots while hunkered down in a safe place.
This could even be helpful for you if you need to have a quiet moment to think and strategize and you want to drown out sirens and chaos so you can make plans. Another thing that you might want is a small paperback book or puzzle book to prevent mental fatigue and stress.
Make it a family friendly one if you have others with you, so that they can enjoy the story while you’re waiting for the threat to be cleared. Any type of comforting item can be beneficial in civil unrest, as long as it fits in your bug out bag and doesn’t weigh it down.
We can’t always predict when or where civil unrest will occur. Sometimes, we have a good idea or get advanced notice. But other times, it springs up out of nowhere. If you can grab a BOB designed for this type of event, you’ll be better prepared to protect yourself and your family with a tailored approach that has everything you need.
