How To Make a Bug Out Bag For Others – Emergency Preparedness

I want everyone to be prepared and I don’t want anyone to have to rely on anyone else. Nor do I want a prepared person to have to be responsible for unprepared people.

In a perfect world, we’d be all be prepared and we wouldn’t have to rely on anyone else for our basic needs.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with taking advantage of our modern conveniences. I take great advantage of technology, grocery stores, etc. But I also make sure that I’m well prepared for the instances in which those modern conveniences aren’t there anymore.

Normally, I advise that people get involved in the making of their own bug out bags, get home bags, go bags, emergency bags, BONCH bags, whatever you want to call it. However, if you are the only one who is prepared among your group of friends, in your household, etc., it’s up to you to be prepared for everyone.

You care for your friends and family, so even though they may not want to spend the time and effort to get prepared, that’s ok! You can be there to support them in anyway that you’re able to. Of course, never stop nagging them about getting prepared ;) ….but also, we can be prepared for the unprepared.

Sometimes the unprepared may be small children, in this case, we’d be carrying most of their gear anyway and as they grow, we’d be teaching them how to put together their own bug out bag.

The unprepared could even be pets and this case, we’d either be carrying their supplies or making pet bug out bags that they would end up carrying.

If the unprepared is an elderly or disabled person, then we might carry additional gear that they might need, or create a new system to carry their gear that would make it easier for everyone. Such as making a bug out bag out of a travel bag that has wheels. The ‘bag’ itself doesn’t always need to be an actual backpack or even a bag. It can be anything, as long as it’s comfortable and/or easy to use.

It’s a heavy burden, I understand. We don’t have to be prepared for the entire world, but there may be situations in which we’ll be with unprepared people and as you are the only prepared person, you’ll need some additional supplies to get everyone through.

Here’s how you can make a bug out bag for someone who’s unprepared:

1. Think in terms of a newbie – When making a bag for someone else, don’t think about what YOU want. Think about what THEY will need to make them both prepared and comfortable. When it comes to an unprepared person, they don’t have as much skills or training as we do in the world of preparedness. We have to understand that they may feel more comfortable eating a candy bar, rather than an MRE. Don’t force someone to adapt to you and your standards, especially in times of crisis. Add items that will help them feel safe, secure and are easy to use. Keep it simple. Keeping it simple will also help them feel wanted and needed, which is important for morale and to keep them focused on something else.
2. Keep it handy – Keep the bag handy along with your bag. Do you often travel with an unprepared person in your vehicle? Do you work with a lot of unprepared people? How many people in your household are unprepared? Keep their bags with your bag so that it’s always handy and never gets lost. In the event that they need to use it, it’ll be available.
3. Have a plan – When you’re with someone who’s unprepared, we need to have a plan to keep them safe. You may do something when you’re completely alone, or even with another prepared individual, but you may not be able to keep those same plans and strategies with someone who’s unprepared. Think of their potential abilities, how they might handle the situation, how to keep both of you safe, etc.
4. Be ready to lead – In the event that you’re dealing with an unprepared person, be ready to step up as the leader. Be ready to tell them what to do, how to calm their nerves, walk them through your plans slowly and deliberately, teach them how to use the basic supplies in the bag you made for them. And so on.
5. Minimalism is your friend – When it comes to a bag for someone else, like I said above, keep it simple. Keep it to the very basics of what will keep them alive; food, fire, water, shelter. Your bag should cover anything and everything else that may be needed or wanted. The bag itself should be simple, lightweight and comfortable.

Here are some gear ideas:

• Flashlight
• Ready to eat foods
• Some water bottles
• Lightweight sleep system
• Lighter
• Emergency blanket
• Journal and pen
• Extra clothes (if it’s someone you know like a family member)
• Comfort items like makeup, a favorite toy, some crafts, treats (that won’t melt), extra pair of socks, book, chapstick, lotion, nail cutters, etc.
• Hygiene items
• External battery charger for their phone (with cable)
• iPod with preloaded music, along with headphones
• First aid kit
• Toilet paper
• Special medications or medical needs

That’s essentially it. Again, keep it simple, think of their needs and wants. Anything you can do to make them feel comfortable and secure will help them process and deal with the situation a lot better.

Making a bag for others can also make great gifts. You don’t need to put together entire bags, either, you could put together a small first aid kit. Or a small hygiene kit. You could also just do a starter bug out bag with a few items inside to get them started, then print out a list of additional suggested items to go inside that they can add at their own leisure.

It’s also ok if you can’t make or keep around extra bags for the unprepared people in your life. While I believe that every family member needs a bug out bag of their own, even if they don’t make it themselves, that could be the extent of it. And that’s ok! Like I said above, it’s not our responsibility to be prepared for the entire world. But there’s also nothing wrong with being able to help those around us when we can or are able to, especially friends or family.

Let’s do our best to be positive influences to those around us and spread the good word of preparedness.