This is being posted in conjunction with the sticky posting regarding Physical Movement in survival situations. There may come a time when you're forced to leave your residence or BOL. The time is now to plan for that possibility. And I have a good example of that possibility which occurred recently to a friend of mine.
Middle Tennessee has been experiencing a severe drought over the past four months, and we're currently nine inches below normal precipitation levels for the year. I rototilled the garden in an attempt to prepare it for the winter, and I was simply just tossing dust. The area has never experienced such dry conditions. Needless to say, there have been burn bans and red flag warnings regarding forest fires.
A good friend lives at the summit of a mountain, which use to be ski resort. There's one road up and down the mountain. She called me mid-morning to say that all the residents were being ordered to evacuate by the Sheriff Department due to a wildfire. She grabbed her dog, but was unable to corral the cat. She reluctantly left the cat, while the scent of smoke was in the air, as she began the descent off the mountain. She literally left with the clothes on her back and not much else. Folks were advised to meet at the local townhall. She went there and then started thinking about her next steps.
She called me, and we started a plan. Interestingly, I live over 13 miles from that mountain, and smoke from the fire was thick enough to be like a fog at my house. Her dog was joining my pack for the duration. I have extra bedrooms, so she had a place to stay for the night. Meanwhile, I was monitoring the situation using multiple scanners. At that point, two buildings, housing 16 condos had already burnt, and more were in danger to the flames. The Forest Service had dispatched bulldozers in an effort to contain the blaze.
We decided to make an effort to return to her house and try to catch her cat, gather up some needed prescriptions and some extra clothes. I dressed in some nomex clothing, and packed a filter mask, as well as some vhf/uhf radios, and off we went. The access road was blocked by a sheriff deputy, but when we explained the situation, we were allowed to pass. It was smoky, but not that bad. We arrived at my friend's house without any issues. We could see where most of the fire was located, about a half mile away. There were a couple of brush trucks and bulldozers stationed between us and the fire. I snagged the cat quickly, and my friend gathered up her necessities. We then made a rapid trip down the mountain. We then went to where the "refugees" were gathering,a local church, as the townhall proved to be too small for the number of displaced persons. Of course, the news crew vultures were in abundance.
Some folks were going to sleep overnight at the church, and others at local motels. There was one lady with 5 cats who was in a pickle, as the church wasn't allowing pets, nor did the motels. She planned on sleeping in her car. I offered her the use of a cabin on my property, which she gratefully accepted. So, in the end, two of the refugees and their animals were fed and sheltered at my homestead.
The Forest Service was able to contain the fire overnight, and since then we've gotten over an inch of needed rain. The fire burned 250-300 acres, destroyed two condo buildings, housing 8 condos in each one, and numerous utility buildings.
My friend and I have done an after action review of the event. One of the things discussed was having all important papers gathered together and ready to go. In my case, I have a small Sentry fire resistant case that holds important papers, photos, and precious souvenirs. Another idea was having a cache of clothing at another location. I've done that to a certain extent, as I have clothing and other items scattered throughout my property. However, the size of the fire has made me rethink that concept, as there needs to be caches further away. I've always worried about household fires, but wildfires are a whole new ballgame because they cover such a large geographical area. There needs to be a plan to handle pets. In my case, I'd load the canines, on leashes into the vehicle. My plan is to haul my camping trailer, so I would have shelter. The poultry would be left to fend for themselves.
Some scenarios occur so quickly, that it doesn't leave you much time to prepare. In my friend's case, there was no warning, as it was a wildfire. She actually left her firearms and radios in the house because she was in such a hurry to depart. Needless to say, we gathered them up when we returned for her cat.
I experienced a similar situation a few years ago when my cellphone activated with a text message advising of the need to evacuate. This occurred at about 11pm, with no details of the emergency. I activated scanners and a two meter radio. On two meters there was already a discussion of the warning, as apparently it was sent to all county residents. It was quickly revealed that a 911 dispatcher had accidentally sent out the message. And sure enough, a follow-up text message was soon received advising folks to ignore the evacuation message. This scenario brings up another point, how reliable is the information that is being used to cause the evacuation? In my friend's case, there was a deputy at the door, the scent of smoke, and visible smoke. In my case, there was simply a text message. It was night time, but I went outside to obtain more information. No weather event was in progress, no sirens were heard, and the power was still on. So, I began gathering electronic information.
I continue to refine my bugout plans. Essentially, there will be two different plans, which are contingent upon warning time. Zero warning time means I grab preloaded bags and leave with the dogs in tow. A longer warning time allows me more flexibility.
What are the triggers for bugging out? My homestead is my bugout location so it would have to be significant threat to make me leave. Wildfire is one trigger. A toxic gas spill would be another. I'm sure there are others... The important thing is to be flexible, and have preparedness plan that entails being a "refugee". Be smart, don't panic, and have a plan.
