What’s your Escape Plan?

Hello, my friend and welcome back!  Most Preppers I talk to have decided to either hunker in place or bug out usually based on where they live and their surroundings.  Some have fortified their homes into a virtual fortress while others have done the same thing with their bug out locations away from where they live.  But, what about the escape plan?  Grab a cup of coffee my friend and have a seat while we visit.

When it comes to riding out SHTF, most preppers are strongly divided into two camps.  Either stay or go.  Each one has it’s unique advantages and disadvantages, and there is nothing wrong with either choice as long as it’s not written in stone.

If you live on a few acres of land with a water well and solar panels, then you are probably planning to bug in.  Some Preppers simply can’t afford to buy a piece of land to use for a bug out location and are forced to simply try to fortify their current location as best they can.  There is nothing wrong with that.   We are all doing the best we can with what we have to work with. 

The advantages of bugging in are many, and safety is just one of them.  Because you’re always at your bug out location, it’s much easier to keep an eye on your preps and run drills so when the time comes, your ready to deal with whatever happens. You also won’t need to deal with trying to carry supplies with you or traveling on dangerous roads.  As long as your prepared to endure whatever SHTF throws at you and have the supplies you need as well as enough people to handle the work, then you are in good shape…Almost.

The trouble is, as any military strategist will tell you, any location can be over-run, given superior firepower and forces.  No matter how safe you may think your location is, it can fall to a well armed and trained group of people.  They could be military, gangs or just a group of prisoners who have escaped the county jail.

  You see the thing about SHTF, is that you never know just what you may face as time goes on.  Withstanding an attack from a force of 5 or 10 people is a lot different than trying to defend yourself from a group of thirty or more.  You could quickly lose the advantage and be overrun. 

The same is true if you are going to a bug out location somewhere else.  No matter how remote it may be, you could always be overrun. So what do you do in a case like this?  Well as Kenny Rodgers one said, ”You got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them and know when to walk away!”

 You need to make a plan for what to do if you are overrun.  In the event you are, you need to have a way to exit your location without being seen by using a tunnel or ditch or some other means.  You need to have a predetermined route and destination in your plans.  This is not something you can decide on the fly, you need to decide now.   Whether you plan to bug in or out, you must have an escape plan. 

Planning your escape.

You don’t need to have a piece of land that you own, it just needs to be a safe place that you and all of your group know about.  It could be a favorite fishing spot or a place you just like to visit that is away from others.  The first step is to make your way to this spot.  Be sure everyone knows how to get there, and there is a safe path to take.  Any isolated spot a mile or two from your current location should work.  Once there, you need to regroup and move toward your next destination as a team.

 Avoid popular lakes and parks, as they will most likely already be occupied.   Try not to draw any more attention to yourself than you must.  In many cases, moving at night is often best, unless you’re dealing with the military who have night vision and would have the upper hand.  Your final destination doesn’t need to be a fancy place, just someplace that’s safe and dry, where you have supplies stashed and can survive with some degree of security. 

Perhaps you could return to your original place after those who attacked you have moved on.  There may not be much left, but at least you will know the area.  If your smart and cache some supplies and weapons as well as a few tools, then you could start to rebuild what you had.  In any case, you will still be alive and can start a new future together. 

Well, that’s it for now and I hope you have enjoyed today’s post.  Until next time, please stay safe, stay strong and stay prepared.  God Bless America!

-Sarge-