One year around 2007, in summer, and this is Texas so the temp. was over 100 degrees, I had to leave my house fast as power went out for hundreds of miles around here, mostly north/south and my husband was just out of the hospital after a terrible surgery and he couldn’t take that kind of heat in his condition. A neighbor told me there was power 40 miles west.
Now, I was prepared for a hurricane but not leaving my house fast. I had to get items together to leave the house and the house was dark. I couldn’t remember where a flashlight was so wasted time to find one. Went upstairs and got medicines and some personal toiletries, a change of clothes for us, then downstairs to get a jug of water from the water stash, some food items to eat, etc. The car had just been filled up so that was a blessing as gas couldn’t be pumped at stations. We had some cash due to husband always having cash – I seldom had cash in my purse (another mistake).
We had to drive more than 40 miles to find a hotel because others got to that place before we did. Thousands were on the roads getting out of this area.
I said that would never happen to me again. I would fix it so I could grab and go - I can do that now. One major item I got was “Life Gear’s Wings of Life”. This prepared survival backpack is made in California. I read customer comments on there and most of those people were from California. They talked about they had this backpack, one for each family member, and the packs stayed close to the front door in case of an earthquake. I think Californians are likely percentage wise, to be more prepared than the general population in this country. If one grabbed this backpack and stuck their medicines in there, it would be a fast leave from the house. There is also enough room to put a change of clothes and other items one would want. I keep a change of clothes in there. I found this backpack on the Walmart website for $70. That was some years ago and they aren’t on that website now. Years later, I wrote about this backpack so looked it up on the web and they were about $100. I keep one of these backpacks in my car and one in my downstairs bathroom.
Sometimes we have severe weather with tornado warnings and when those are close I get an automated phone call from the city that says take cover. I pick up Prissy, the Yorkie, go in my downstairs bathroom with big cushions and we stay in there until it’s safe to come out. If the house falls down and we are still alive in there, we have three days of existence by having that backpack in there with us.
It’s the best backpack I have found and I wouldn’t be without them. Also, always know exactly where a flashlight with good batteries is in your house so you can find it fast. Mine right now is on the floor by my chair. Here is the list of the contents of the backpack:
Life Gear’s Wings of Life survival backpack provides the ultimate in survival preparedness. It is a complete three day survival kit with food, water and essential survival gear. The food and water have a shelf life of five years, and can withstand a temperature range of -40 to +120 degrees F. Detachable wings of life help keep things organized, accessible and easy to find in stressful situations.
Life Gear Wings of Life Survival Backpack
Features:
Sleeve system for storage of food and water
Waterproof tarp
Cell phone/walkie talkie carrying case
Water reservoir pocket
Multifunction tool sleeve
Cushioned shoulder straps
Lightweight ergonomic design for children and adults
Back ventilation system for cool air flow
See-through pockets for quick access to items
Ring hooks for added attachments
Two side pockets for storage of a personal safety device and bottle
Durable construction for long life
Backpack includes:
Thermal blanket
All weather poncho
Hygiene kit
First aid kit
Multifunction tool
Leather work gloves
Respirator mask
Compass
Signaling whistle
Thermometer
Red emergency flasher
Waterproof document/cash bag
Signaling mirror
Writing pad & pen
6-page disaster preparedness action guide
Emergency food rations:
Made in USA
Meets US Coast Guard standards (160.046/23/0)
Meets Department of Defense regulations (SOLAS 74/83)
5-year shelf life
Non-thirst provoking
Withstand temperatures of -40 to 300 degrees F
Ready to eat: each package contains 9 pre-measured 400 calorie meals
Individual portions eliminate messy breakup
Contains no cholesterol or tropical oils
Enriched with vitamins and minerals, exceeding RDA requirements
Emergency water packets:
Made in USA
US Coast Guard approved
No oxygen transfer (no chance of bacterial contamination)
Pre-measured packets make water easy to dispense
Easy to transport; no cups needed
Withstand temperatures from -40 to 210 degrees F
5-year shelf life
Model No. LGDLBPK01
Shipping Weight (in pounds): 10.2
Product in Inches (L x W x H): 13.0 x 6.0 x 19.0
Looks like a good bug out pack.
I stumbled across http://www.survival-gear.com/ when I first went looking for the “Life Gear’s Wings of Life”. I love their site, and “grab and go” is excellent option for me and the pyscho puppy.
I dont recall why I didn’t get the Life Gear one, it made sense to me at the time, but another great choice. :-)
You mean that backpack comes with all that stuff, for $100?
I did the same thing for The Bride, but we found, at Sam's Club of all places, a Reddy Freddy bag. Has much, if not more, of the same complement of gear and supplies your Life Gear bag does, but it was a little steeper in price. The Bride has one, I'm getting the scratch together for two more. They work great as BOB's, GOOD bags, or whatever mission you need filled.