The Prepper’s Dilemma: Bug In or Bug Out?

In the event of a crisis, what is your plan A? Will you stay and bunker down at home or will you bug out?

Whether to take flight or sit tight when an emergency hits is a prepper’s dilemma.

The best approach to planning for a crisis is to consider all possible and specific crisis scenarios as well as your own limitations.  Thinking about it beforehand will get you better prepared before the projected emergency scenario happens.

As part of your prepping, assess the following:

Your options. For most, there are but two options: bug in or bug out. Either bug in at home where you have your supplies and tools (if you are lucky, you also have a strong community support network) or bug out to a relatively safer place.

Any limitations. Constraints and limitations may include disability or health factors, physical condition, age, financial restraints, family relationships and obligations, security of property or house, stability of the community, climate, weather conditions, road conditions and geography. These as well as other variables you can think of must be considered when deciding if you will bug out or bug in in case of emergency.

What are the risks? Will you be safer staying put? If hunkering down mitigates your risks, then start planning about things like how to fortify your home, what security devices or means do you need, how much food and water you must and can store, etc. Even if your best option is bugging in, it is still a very good idea to have some form of reliable transportation and extra fuel in storage. You should also know the best route out of there or the designated evacuation points in your area. If your best survival option is to bug out, then plan accordingly to ensure that you can get out of dodge as safely as possible with your family. Your planned destination must be well-supplied, if you are going to a relative’s place, make sure you are welcomed. Plan the best way to get out of there without attracting too much attention. Choose the best escape route and avoid being stuck in any traffic jam.

What are your best odds for surviving? To determine your best odds, look at the strength and position of your home vs. the circumstances of the emergency. If you have a well-built, tenable home, and maybe even a storm shelter, safe room or panic room, an alternative electrical or power source (generator or solar power), enough food and water supply for more than 2 weeks, means to purify sourced water and self-defense means, and your projected emergency or crisis situation is a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, EMP, economic collapse or even a pandemic, then your best odd for surviving would be to stay put.

If your projected crisis scenario would include flood or wildfire, then you better have a bug out place.

For many preppers, fortifying their home and hunkering down when SHTF is an easier option – more survival supplies can be stocked, every member of the family are in one place (when hitting the road to a bug out place, a family or group or unit might need to split up – increasing vulnerability), the property can be defended from looters, and if a member is physically limited, he/she won’t have to endure travelling to another place during a difficult time.

Whether to bug in or bug out is your decision. But you must be wise about it and assess everything thoroughly because your survival – or end – will depend on your decision.

Will you bug out or bug in when SHTF? You can post your comments below.