Why Develop a Bug Out Plan?

 

Are you are a prepper? Do you have a bug out plan, or very strong bug-in plan? If not, you could be wasting your time prepping if an “end of the world as we know it” event happens.

This is a pretty strong statement, especially from a website that specializes in prepping. A statement in which I’m sure some people may not agree.

I used to be  one of those preppers; the ones who simply had a few weapons and a semblance of an idea of how I’d bug out if I had to. However, in the blink of an eye, my mind was changed forever about prepping and bugging out.

The very fact that you’re reading this means that you are at least thinking about developing a bug out plan. If you haven’t already come this to this conclusion, I urge you to spend a few minutes reading through this short tutorial found at the bottom of this article.

At its conclusion you will at least have an idea of what to do if the worst happens, at best you will take our advice and spend some time developing a full blown bug out plan.

It all started when I was at my mom’s house for Thanksgiving a few years ago.  It’s the one time of year that we are able to pull all branches of the family together for a few hours. At sometime during these family events the subject almost always turns to what I do for a living (I own this website and a few others that concentrate on prepping and bugging out).

It almost always begins with someone asking me for a website address to go to, or for me to give them a discount on prepping supplies. And it always ends up with someone telling me “if the SHTF they are most definitely coming to my house.”  (I haven’t the heart to tell them that we won’t be there)

However, while having this conversation a few years ago, my neighbor said something to me that totally changed my attitude about prepping forever. First let me tell ya, my neighbor is not the sharpest tool in the shed. In fact, bless his heart, he’s lacks the common sense God gave a dog, and that’s putting it mildly.

Anyway, he looked at me and in a sarcastic voice said “I don’t worry about all that prepping and stuff.” This of course left me obligated to tell him that he should at least put a 72 hour bug out plan together for him and his family, and he cut me off in mid-sentence, and what he said next changed my perspective about prepping forever.

He said “Why should I spend money on all that prepping crap? If the SHTF I’ll just shoot someone and take their shit.” When he said this I was taken back for a second because he was deadly serious and had actually given it forethought. He continued “why should I spend thousands on prepping stuff when I can spend a few bucks on ammo and hunt down a prepper?”

I was speechless. First because, he said “shit” in front of his mother who basically lives at our Church, and keeps a bible on her key ring. Secondly, because I could not argue with his logic. It is actually a semi-viable bug out plan, that is if you have a complete lack of morals and conscious.

Then I thought to myself “If my dim-witted neighbor came up with this idea, how many other people have come to the same conclusion?” Or, how many WILL come to this conclusion should the SHTF?”

Think of the people that live near you; how many of those people do you think have prepared for a disaster? Not many at all. If the food supply chain was broken, and food was scarce, how long would it be before they come to your house asking for your help? How many would bother asking?

Regardless of your ability, or willingness, to help those around you, it’s highly likely that someone like my neighbor with his brutal bug out plan is going to eventually try to take your food storage and supplies, perhaps killing you and your family in the process.

Now think outside of your neighborhood to the closest large city. For example, we live in the North Georgia Mountains about 100 miles north of Atlanta. How long do you think it will take for the MILLIONS of people in these metropolitan areas to run out of food and start searching for new food sources?

The overwhelming majority of people in huge metropolitan areas have less than three days of food stored with no way to feed themselves, other than the local McDonalds or supermarket.

Now, do the math. Figure 72 hours for the grocery stores to run out of food, and then maybe a week of looting restaurants and other food sources. Once these other sources are bare they will turn on each other, and then they are going to leave the city in search of food. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of displaced people that are roaming and seeking new food sources.

You may be thinking, “I have guns and ammo, and I’m prepared to defend my house,” I don’t need a bug out plan. However, most people fail to grasp the enormity this situation. It’s proven that displaced people move in larger groups when they are traveling. Are you prepared to defend it against 30, or 50 people who have weapons?

If a group of 30 people descended on your house, whether they are armed or not, could you take out thirty people before they reached you and your family? Even a well armed family would have a problem taking down a mob of hungry people. These are people with nothing to lose, whose children may not have eaten in days.

What if the shoe was on the other foot? Imagine yourself and your family as part of these displaced people who live in the city. What would you do? First you would get your family out of harm’s way by getting them out of the city that will be lawless, looted and dangerous.

How would you travel? Where would you go? You’d probably try to stay off the main highways and travel to small towns and farms in the surrounding area. What would you do once you got there? You would look for food to feed your family, right? If you found someone or another family that had food, what wouldn’t you do to feed your child who hasn’t eaten in days?

This is why you need a bug out plan if you’re a prepper.