Be Aware of Regional Threats When Bugging Out
You hope it never happens, but if it does and you have to bug out, you need to be aware of the regional threats that could get you injured or killed.
Even if you plan everything correctly and you execute your plan flawlessly during a bug out, you can’t foresee every single situation that you’re going to encounter.
It’s true that you should make sure that you have all your basic bases covered. You should have food, water, shelter and clothing. You should be prepared to survive for at least 72 hours with your bug out bag.
But you can’t afford to be satisfied with just preparing. You have to be aware of your surroundings. In your area, a threat could come out of nowhere. It could be one that’s huge and easily spotted or it could be one that’s tiny but can wreak a lot of havoc.
Some regions are packed with bears. While you might think that you know what to do if a bear attacks, the real key to survival is not getting attacked in the first place. You can do this by being aware of where you are and what’s going on as you bug out.
This is why you need gear like binoculars. If you know that a bear is sniffing around in the woods just up ahead, then you can take a wide berth around the animal so that you stay off his radar.
A bear doesn’t always attack just because a cub is near. He’ll attack if he sees you because he wants to protect what’s his and that’s his area. Plus, if you stumble upon him, the bear will lash out in startled defense.
You also need to be aware of where you’re putting your feet. Some regional threats could have things like poisonous snakes. Just like a bear, if you startle one, he’s going to strike. Pay attention to things in your region like ticks or mice that can carry disease. Watch out for spiders that are common in your area that could be lurking along your bug out path.
You also have to be aware of the weather. When your adrenaline is high and you’re booking it out of your house to get to safety, it can be easy to overlook the humidity and the heat index along with the high temperature. Loaded down with your gear, you can easily overheat. Heat exhaustion can be a problem as well as sunstroke if you’re trying to get from point A to B in a hurry in certain regions.
Just as you have to watch out for the heat, you also have to watch out for the cold. Cooler weather brings with it the potential for hypothermia – especially in the elderly, ill or young children.
If you’re constantly aware of your surroundings, you can prevent disaster from the threats that could cost you your life. Learn all you can about your region as well as any other region you might travel to.