This is an excerpt from my PDF ‘The Preparedness Encyclopedia (TPE)’.
Download the PDF Version Here
Zero Hour signifies an unknown date and time that a disaster worthy of preparedness action occurs. You could be anywhere when ‘zero hour’ occurs and your primary objective from then on is to reach your preps and then decide how you should proceed. An example of zero hour is the second you hear about a nuclear exchange in your country.
● Bug In or Out
When an incident occurs weigh the benefits of bugging in and out and whether it will get harder to travel as time progresses or not.
● Be Ready
When the situation arises to bug out, you should be ready to grab the bags and go with enough food you will need to survive the disaster.
● Be Aware
You want to be one of the first people to realize the gravity of the disaster and leave long before anyone else considers it or the roads will be parking lots.
Contact
When you first hear about a disaster that is or will affect you, the immediate action taken would be to contact your family and others whom you will meet up with. Whoever hears about the disaster first and contacts the others in the party, will give the others more time to prepare to leave work or meet up at the rendezvous point earlier. Confirm the plans you have with everyone on the phone and where they are currently as they may need assistance getting to the rendezvous point. If your family is at home already get them to start packing the car and be ready when the last person shows up. If no communications is available such as during an EMP you should follow through with the plan you set up prior to the event.
Returning Home
If you’re away from your preps the first thing you’ll want to do is return to a rendezvous point where your companions or family will meet up. You may not have an available mode of transport for returning home therefore you may have to walk home.
Step 1 Communicate
Communicate with your family or bug out partners if possible and tell them what’s happening and to set in motion one of the plans based on the scenario. Try to use code such as: Location X or Location Delta as there’s always the chance that people are listening in or some who will ambush you there. Include what to do if communications are down such as returning home and packing the car ready.
Possibilities
● Communication Works
● Communications Down
● Everyone Together
Communication Points
● Communication Works
● Communications Down
● Everyone Together
Step 2 Rendezvous Point
The location you will meet if a disaster occurs. It should include an estimated timeframe of when you should expect to meet after a disaster occurs if communications are down.
Step 3 Gear Grab
Your gear is basically essential to grab before you bug out. The only reason you wouldn’t is if it’s already packed, you can’t safely reach it or you are more likely to die trying to retrieve it. You should have your gear pre-packed in a secure, easily accessible location so you can grab it as quickly as possible.
Step 4 Depart
Set out on your selected bug-out route with your party members. If you forget anything after you leave you shouldn’t return for it unless it’s essential to your survival.
