So you have decided to put together a preparedness survival bag or a bug out bag. Now you are trying to decide what your best options are for your bag. Have you decided exactly what you will be carrying or better yet how much stuff. Do you intend to carry it on foot for a long distance of just a short hike. What your intentions are will help you choose the bag best for you. But keep in mind you must be flexible because what you are planning now could change on you at the worst moment.

You could opt for a duffel bag or a large soft carry bag with a shoulder strap. If you just want to keep your stuff together and be able to move it around this may be all you need. A duffel bag can hold a lot of items so you could put more stuff away but it can be awkward to carry if full of many odd shaped and hard objects.

A back pack may be the best choice because you could more easily carry your stuff on your back leaving your hands free. A pack is smaller so you would have to make the smartest choices for what to put in it. If you plan to keep it in your car for a get back home bag then stock it such for what may lay ahead for you if hiking on the road or cross country.

You should have a bag set up for each family member. If you have kids theirs will be much lighter of course but they can carry needed items. Whatever goes into your bags stays there. You should only go into your bags to check any food you may have put in them to make sure it has not gone bad. Plan ahead and have your gear set up and ready for whatever emergency may come.

Do you prepare for what may happen unexpectedly? You can never know when some unforeseen incident will catch you off guard. For more information on choosing survival bags go to Survival Preparedness in the City. You will find some of the best book resources available. Learn all you can about being prepared for the future.

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By Courtney Shipe

With countries hostile to the US arming themselves with nuclear weapons and massive earthquakes being reported on a more frequent basis, it is a good idea to be prepared in the event of a major disaster. Most experts in disaster preparedness suggest having enough supplies for each person in your family for three days. But what exactly do you really need? Here is a list of a basic three day survival backpack:

Six to Ten Meals Ready to Eat or MREs are suggested for their long shelf life, extreme portability, and nutritional value. Developed for NASA in 1970 MREs are thermostabilized, laminated food pouches. With twenty-four different meal options, including four vegetarian ones an MRE can be found for every taste. Each meal provides about 1200 calories. Also available are 3600 calorie emergency ration food bars which are approved by both the US and Canadian governments. "A 3-day emergency ration food bar has a 5-year shelf-life and utilizes a unique non-thirst provoking formula that is engineered to provide a disaster victim with the perfect blend of required calories and nutrients to survive for 3 days. They are specially packaged to store safely for 5 years even in extreme temperatures and conditions."

Lightweight, versatile, and user friendly, a tube tent "is one of the most common forms of emergency shelter found in survival kits. It comes with the ridge cord that lifts the center up and forms the tent. Tie off the cord to two trees." Although tube tents come in varying sizes, the two person basic tent is the most common.

They are shiny and silver and look like "huge sheets of aluminum foil", but survival blankets have so much more potential. Made from a metalized plastic film: Mylar, and used for various purposes by NASA, this two-sided material either reflects or conserves heat. A space blanket takes up as much room as a deck of cards and should definitely be including in every emergency kit. In emergency situations, survival blankets can be used as impromptu tents. The reflective side of the blanket can also be used as a signal similar to a mirror. Mylar is thin enough it can be cut easily, making it ideal for turning into bandanas, hats, or other emergency clothing needs.

1 50 hour candle and box of waterproof matches. "These are long-burning candles with a self-supporting wick that provides extra light and heat, and last up to 50-hours." Oftentimes a waterproof lid and waterproof matches will be included with a purchased candle making it easy to add to your survival kit. Sometimes emergencies call for instant warmth. In a matter of seconds, heat packets can generate enough warmth to last over 20 hours. Made of safe, biodegradable materials, thermal heat packets should be included in your kit. Sometimes candles can't be used during an emergency situation due to the danger of gas, chemicals, or other flammable material. This is one reason why a Cyalume light stick should be included in your survival kit. Light sticks are a bright and dependable source of emergency lighting and are clean, non-toxic and safe in all environments whether near gas or oil, or any combustable materials.

A first aid kit is common sense but you would be surprised how easy it is to forget and how useful it is to have. Other common sense, basic items include camping spoons, a canteen, a Sierra cup which can be used for cooking, cleaning, or drinking, and a multi-functional pocket knife. A backpack or other container to store each person's kit is also necessary. Water is the last but probably most important item. Retort water pouches are probably the most convenient, safe, and easily stored option.

By Bill Montgomery

As the snow continues to fall in Dallas, and we surpass the previous records for snowfall, I realize this could be a disaster. I never thought about snow being a potential survival situation here, until today. Do you have a survival bag for the unexpected?

If I was to have a power loss, I would quickly find that the house was quickly getting cold. Since my stove is electric and the stack of firewood outside only has a few pieces left, things are going to get cold. Even if you have gas heating, you wouldn't have the electric fan to circulate the warm air. This inconvenience is now becoming a real problem.

It's cold outside and my house provides the shelter I need. Having the items I need to survive the next few days could make the difference between an inconvenience and a real disaster. Having a survival kit for emergencies like this allows me to concentrate on the basics without having to search for the tools and supplies I need. Some of the basic items I keep in my kit are listed below.

Water
Two liters per person per day is the recommended minimum amount to have available. Assuming that the running water has stopped because of the power outage, your choices could become limited. Having bottled water is a good option if you remember to rotate it occasionally and have enough stored. There are also other types of packaged water that are designed for years of storage with an expiration date printed on them. You might consider melting the snow, but contamination could be a problem.

Food
This is needed to keep our energy up, help us stay warm and remain emotional sound. Canned food is great as long as you don't have to rely on an electric can opener. Do you have foods that don't require cooking? I have two teen age boys and it seems like we are always out of food. Consider some foods that are packaged with a long shelf life. I keep some MRE and freeze-dried foods in my survival kit. With the optional heater kits, these can be ready to provide a warm meal in just a few minutes.

Shelter
My house is my shelter, but the temperature is falling. I need to make sure I have enough blankets or sleeping bags for everyone in the house. Although I don't keep these in my survival bag, they are in a closet and can be easily found. Make sure you can find your stuff before you need it.

Tools
You might have a garage full of tools, but do they work if the power is out? I suggest keeping the following in your kit. A multi-tool can be a great asset for opening food and other tasks. Include a couple flashlights that use batteries or a crank for power. Candles or glowsticks are also helpful at night, especially if you have children who are afraid of the dark. A portable radio or walkie-talkies with a built-in weather channel are great for news and weather alerts. Matches, lighters or other firestarters can be used for cooking, lighting and building a fire. Lastly, keep some paper and a pen available for taking notes or leaving a message.

The suggestions above are just that. You should use them as a guideline when creating your own disaster kit. No matter which items you choose, make sure you place them in a good container. This container can be a backpack or something similar. Just make sure it can be found, even in the dark.

What will you miss most if a disaster happens and you have nothing when you run out of the house or down into the basement. Anyone who has had to take cover in a tornado or run out into the night in an earthquake knows how it feels when you have nothing. It is a necessity to provide you and your family with a survival bag and place it where you can get to it on the way to safety. If your area has tornadoes just put the bag in the shelter area you have set aside. If your area has earthquakes make sure to put the bag in an area you will have to go past in order to get out of the building.

You can use a duffel bag but the best bag to use is a book bag or back pack. You can put the straps over your shoulders and you will never loose the bag. You can have a large one for one person in the family to carry or smaller ones for each member of the family. Make certain that everyone is aware of the location of the bags. Make sure everyone knows the procedure on how to grab the bags and get to safety. If you do drills, especially when you have small children, they will automatically grab the bag and go to the safe area without panicking and without question.

Contents of a survival bag vary but high on the list is a flashlight that runs by battery and include extra batteries. You can also get what is called a crank flashlight and these work better if you are going to be in the dark for more than a few hours. The handle must be cranked for a few minutes and the flashlight will work for a couple of hours. Once the light goes out you just start cranking again and you do not need batteries. Another good thing to have is a battery operated radio or a crank radio that works on the same system as the flashlight.

You will also need a first aid kit that will include some antiseptic, gauze and bandages. Any medication taken on a regular basis should be included but always remove it every so often and replace it with new medication so it will not expire when you need to use it. If you take medication that has to be refrigerated you can try to get to the refrigerator on your way to safety. If it is too dangerous do not try it. If you cannot get to your medications find a Red Cross volunteer as soon as the emergency is over.

Contact wearers might want to think about putting a contact case and extra solution in the bag so you can take them out if needed. Keep an old pair of glasses and put them in the bag just in case. Women need to add feminine products just in case the emergency happens when they might need them.

Make copies of important documents and put them in the bag. Good things to copy are state ID cards, driver's licenses, social security cards, health insurance cards, the papers for your house or renters insurance and anything else you might need. Do not put originals in the bag. Put in as much paper money as you can afford. You might not be able to go to the ATM machine for quite some time when there is an emergency.

You need some water and food in your survival bag so put in some bottled water and rotate it every once in awhile. Try to add non perishable foods to your survival kit if possible. You might want to put in a pocket knife as well. Include a book of matches or two. If you can fit a change of clothing or several including socks and underwear you should put them in there. You can also get blankets that have a silver side and will either retain heat if it is cold or help to shield you from heat if it is hot. Consider including family photos just in case you get separated. This will help in searching for the lost family member.

A survival bag is a necessity to keep you and your family safe during a large power outage or natural disaster. This bag can be a link to your safety and survival in a hard situation. Be sure to keep it where you can get to it fast and take it with you to a safe place. Families that do not have much money to create a bag can still create one little by little with just a few necessities. You will appreciate it if you ever have to use it.