Maps of Your Local Area and State
When you find yourself in a situation where you have to put your bug out plan into action, that’s the time that you’re going to need to have some good maps on hand.
Because people tend to rely on technology, the default thinking is often that they’ll just rely on their GPS. But in times of upheaval, your GPS may not be working at all. So unless you have every single twist and turn in your local roads committed to memory, you’re going to be in trouble – especially if you have to travel for some distance within your state.
To avoid ending up in that scenario, you need to make sure that your bug out bag contains maps. You’ll need one of your local area as well as your entire state. Look for detailed, inclusive maps like Rand McNally Road Atlas (Rand McNally Road Atlas: United States, Canada, Mexico).
Your local map should be as detailed as it can be. You need to be able to see all the roads – not just the ones that you’re familiar with. In a time of upheaval, places around your town or city can quickly become unrecognizable and a map can help guide you around the chaos.
Plus, if the roads become impassable from flooding or any other disaster related incident, then you need to know which alternative road to take to be able to remain on your bug out course.
Most people plan well when it comes to bugging out with maps, but sometimes they fail to take into consideration that there could be trouble on the main highways. You might end up having to go across rarely traveled roads that will take you around mountains.
Topographic maps will show you how you can get around nature’s roadblocks. You need to have a road atlas map because bugging out sometimes means you have to go further into your state or even out of it to be able to get to safety.
By having the right maps like state specific ones that are around your state or something like the Rand McNally EasyFinder® Midsize Road Atlas, you’ll be able to find and follow the roads you need to get where you’re going.
Having maps will help you understand the terrain on your journey. You’ll be able to locate all the landmarks, which can also help keep you oriented on the route. Plus, maps can show you where the natural water supplies are. That way, if you need to camp, you can set up by a water supply or you can refill your water containers on your journey.