Bug The Hell Out vs Stay At Home - Which Increases Your Likelihood of Survival?
From natural disasters to man made chaos to a global pandemic, which should you go for?
Author: Steve Hanafi (Silat Sharaf Practitioner, Malaysia)
You’ve seen the news, read the papers, heard about it, and you’ve looked outside the window, to notice how things have progressively gone from bad to worse. And at this point, you’re thinking that it would’ve been better if you’re moving out into a safe house, or into a small hut, facility, or shed deep in the woods, far from civilization. In other terms, bug out.
Which should you choose?
Should you bug out or not be bugged at all and just stay in?
Before we move on further, a few things to note:
Both bugging out and in requires you to make thorough preparation – from foods, medication, tools and weapons.
And also, the knowledge and skill required to be able to survive.
Next, whether you bug out or not, people who survive have 2 things in common:
First a very, very strong will to survive and the right attitude.
Second, the ability to assess the situation and making the right decision.
The tools and gears are only as valuable as the knowledge and skill that has been acquired
Which one should you go for?
Before weighing, take a look at the similarities and differences
Similarities:
Both are supposed to protect you and your family from incoming harm
Basic survival needs and skills are required in both situations
Planning and preparing can help you out, although you don’t get to choose if you want to bug in or out – you’ll have to decide
Differences:
The quantity of supply you’ll have access to
Movement and distance
The safety offered by your shelter
Things to look into
1. Awareness
Bugging in means you’re well aware of the place, layouts, entrance and exit routes. Bugging out, you won’t be as sure as you don’t live there. You’re unfamiliar with the place, with little knowledge of possible dangers.
2. Fortification
Does looks even matter when it comes to practicality? (and yes, we get it, some people take it to the extremes)
Staying in means you can very well fortify your shelter with whatever tools or resources you have at your disposal. Bugging out? You’ll bring your shelter along with you or find one along the way.
3. Elderlies, disabled persons, pregnant women, and babies.
Elderlies with health issues must be taken into consideration
They’ll surely be at higher risk if you’re planning on bugging out as society breaks down.
4. Comfort.
Electricity, tap water, bed, and rooms, are all the comfort that you’ll have to leave once you move out to your secondary location.
5. Weather
If you and your family are the types who aren’t used to the weather, well be prepared- because it can turn from a sunny day to a heavy downpour in a matter of minutes. Weathers can vary between scorching hot or cold and in which can cause dehydration or hypothermia.
6. Physical fitness
Yes, you’ll be required to walk, run, climb and do all sorts of those things that you left as soon as you end high school
In case if you didn’t notice, a lot of people are obese, fat and unhealthy. Eating junk, little to no physical exercise and can barely run 1 mile without dying halfway. And we’re talking about bugging out, where you’ll most probably be required to walk and run distances that you don’t even know before you can get to safety.
Having read all of these, most would think that it’ll be a better idea to bug in. Yes and no. It is better because it is simply, well, easier. Bugging out requires real skill and practice. Navigation, making shelter, awareness and fending off predators. But there are times when you’ll be forced to bug out such as during natural disasters – tornadoes, flash flood, volcano eruption, and more.
So, while calm should take precedence and it may all turn out just fine, there’s a reason that grand-scale precautions should be taken. The last thing you’d want to do living today’s world is to live inside a giant bubble thinking that you do not need to prepare for danger or when shit strikes hard. Do take precautions and start preparing. Because when all is said and done, all we want is to be safe with our loved ones and live through to see another day.