The End of Civilization – The Panic Bag

In any disaster or apocalyptic scenario, regardless of how defensible your home fortress is, it may be necessary to leave at a moments notice and take your chances in the open. In cases where the location of your home or place of employment is not defensible or prone to natural disasters then a panic bag should be a prudent insurance for most foreseeable cases of disasters.

I have seen guides, forums, and lists of other peoples “panic bag” that contains the most complete set of survivalist equipment that anyone can dream of. However in ALMOST all those cases, The incredible hulk will probably have problems carrying it.

A true panic bag should be carried on foot. A lot of evacuations and disasters have rendered most roadways jammed or vehicles useless. A true panic bag should also be light enough for the person carrying it to sprint short distances. If I have to explain why people need to run in an apocalyptic scenario I suggest you use your imagination.

The first requirement of a panic bag is the bag itself. It should be sturdy, not flashy (or shiny), and can be firmly attached to your body while having full use of both your arms. It should have at least 3 outer pockets and water proof. Depending on your size and strength, There are lots of camping and military gear available that will fit ALL the criteria mentioned above. The color of the bag should match your general surroundings. Black however works for most environments except in the desert were tan is more advisable. Black is also not recommended in places where snow falls most of the year. A lot of people are suggesting safety colors such as red or bright orange, however it is necessary in some cases to hide from people. If you want to be found certain simple methods can be done to attract attention to yourself.

The First pocket is the easy access materials, This contain a separate military first aid kit, insect repellent, and a two liters (or a gallon) of drinking water. In places where mineral (bottled water) is not normally sold, You can buy camping or biking canteens and fill them up. Remember to rotate the contents of the water at least once a month. Ensure that the first aid kit contain bandages, scissors, military gauze, cotton, swabs, two N95 Masks, tissue paper, suture and thread, and at least 25 tablets of antibiotics, aspirin, salt tablets, and painkillers. You may have to add from commercial boxes to complete these.

The second pocket contains your passport, currency, a back up cellular phone, SAS Survival kit (You may research the contents of these online), and a bandana/shemagh. If your a frequent traveler, You will still need a place to store your passport at home, the panic bag which should be in an accessible location is as good a place as any. The amount of currency stored is relative depending on the cost of living on your location and the hyperinflation that will definitely occur during a disaster scenario; the recommended amount of currency cannot be determined but a good guide is the cost of leaving your country today multiplied by five. Hide the currency in another container not usually used for currency such as a small non transparent box. A back up cellular phone is also there. Keep the battery charged, most models discharge on their own in 3-5 days. Frequently update the contact list of your back up cell phone. There are cheap cellphones with 2 way radios. it is good for very short distances however it will keep give you an alternative mode of communication even when the cellular networks are down. The Bandana or Shemagh is also located here as cover for your other important items and can be useful for wounds, fractures, and covering your head as a disguise or cover from nature.

The third pocket is your weapons pocket. It should carry a survival knife of at least 6 inches. (8 inches is recommended) If your allowed to have a firearm in your country this should also contain at least 3 boxes of appropriate ammunition for your pistol. If your not allowed to have firearms in your country then carry a bigger knife. the third pocket should contain minor tools such as a map of your general area, a compass, a Swiss army knife / Multi-purpose tool, and lighter. These items except for the lighter is self explanatory, if your a smoker an extra lighter is obvious however for non smokers a lighter is also necessary, you never know when you need to start a fire and it’s easier to use a lighter than rub 2 sticks together. Make sure your Swiss army knife has AT LEAST a can opener, a bottle opener and the 2 general kinds of screw drivers. The map should be the civilian book type, they are much easier to use without spreading the entire map across which requires a table and also contains landmarks, restaurants, motels, etc and other places that you may need when you evacuate.

The Main compartment of your panic bag should contain these, Combat or hiking boots, A firearm (if allowed), 3 loaded magazines for your firearm, If you do not have access to fire arms in your country a stun gun, cattle prod, expandable baton, or pepper spray should be viable alternatives, Ballistic Glasses, a full set of modern Battle Dress Uniform (BDU), shorts with the same camo as your BDU, 2 sets of underwear (additional sports bra for women), 2 extra shirts, 4 pairs of socks, pair of gloves, a rim of cigarettes, a bottle of vodka, a survival book, Military flashlight, 10 MRE’s, a box of water purification tablet, a box of chocolates, a blank notebook and pen, crank radio, duct tape, and a hygiene kit containing a full bar of germicidal soap, 1 travel toothpaste, a tooth brush, compact mirror, a classic folding razor, a spoon, fork, and a large face towel.

In the event that the panic bag is necessary, change your footwear in the first opportune moment. This will reduce the bulk of the bag and will give you a sturdy and battle tested footwear for the long grueling ordeal to come. If you are in the habit of wearing high cut sports shoes all the time you may skip bringing combat shoes; it is also possible to use that as an alternative to combat boots. A battle Dress uniform should be useful if for some reason your clothes have been damaged during the initial disaster, Modern ones are also designed for camouflage and it will be challenging to choose which pattern is best on your current location. Do not wear the complete set during a disaster scenario. The last thing you need is to look like an authority figure and have everyone coming to you for help. That is a very volatile and potentially deadly situation. A crank radio is a one way emergency AM/FM radios that are rechargeable, newer models sometimes come with a cellular phone charger and a flash light, If your model comes with a flash light, you may remove the flash light from the list of items in your main compartment, these radios can be recharged by solar power and cranking. These are very useful for staying in touch with authorities, the general media and others.The next item that requires mentioning is the box of cigarettes, if your not a smoker these items are perfect for trade. it is a cheap tradable item for other supplies or for goodwill. The bottle of vodka has many uses, alcohol can be used to temporary warm the body, anesthetize a person, sterilize wounds and surgical equipment, it is also tradable and can also be used as a fire accelerant and a weapon. (See Molotov Cocktail). Military flashlights should also be a necessity, they are small, with high illumination rating and good battery conservation. Chocolates are another good will and/or tradable material, they are also emergency rations if you are left out in the open longer than expected. A notebook and pen is also necessary, you never know when you have to write something you need to remember or start a journal. The contents of the Hygiene kit are self explanatory, However use a classic folding razor which can double as a weapon or a small knife. Females should also add a month supply of feminine products and a douche.

The weight and bulk of the items above including a pistol fire arms should be light enough for most adults to carry. These items are necessary and are not negotiable for any panic bag. Additional items are necessary however for places where climate temperature swings are hostile and may require a sleeping bag or another set of clothing to survive. Depending on your location judge the amount of additional clothing/sleeping necessities you require to sleep out in the open.

If you are in an area where it snows it might also be prudent to bring a winter smock, German and Russian military gear are recommended for this, they can be worn on top of your clothes or BDU and provide significant warmth using an acceptable amount of bulk in your bag. If you live in an area where rains and sandstorms are a bigger problem than snow similar military ponchos are also recommended to be included in your basic gear.

These items are optional if you are able to carry them. They are listed in order of priority. Remember make sure you can carry them comfortably. The first item is a sleeping bag. Military and camping bags are available commercially. If you are able to carry sleeping bags that are good for two adults do that to help carry the load from weaker persons.

The second optional item is a crowbar, This can be used as a primary weapon especially in places where firearms are not allowed, the crowbar is also useful for opening a lot of obstacles, such as boxes, boarded up windows, doors and manholes. This can also be replaced with an axe which has an additional use of breaking firewood and large game.

The third optional item to your list is a portable water purifier, though you already carry water purification tablets, portable pump water purifiers are able to process more water before they are broken or the carbon filter expires. It might be necessary to clean any sort of water source before drinking especially if the apocalypse placed a lot of contaminants in water sources such as dead bodies.

The fourth optional items are additional ammunition, food, energy drink/bar, medical supplies, food supplements, coffee, tea, and water. Before any additional items are added it would be prudent to add consumables to your panic bag in case you have to travel longer distances and could not find appropriate shelter in a reasonable amount of time.

The fifth optional item is a tactical vest, This is very bulky to place in your bag however like footwear and headgear once you are on the move you can find the first opportune moment to wear it to save space on your bag, some come with embedded camel back hydration units or are capable of accepting them, This will enable you to carry more potable water and the vest itself will also give you a lot of small pockets to move a lot of the smaller items that you have on your bag. American Military tactical vests are equipped with something called the MOLLE system. it allows tactical vest to be modified in different number of pouches in different places in the vest it will give you more versatility on your ability to carry items.

These optional items would be considered a luxury for a panic bag however if you are able to carry them and still be able to run comfortably then you may want to consider them. head gear, tarp, gas mask, CBRN/MOPP/NBC suit, thermal blankets, Hammer and Nails, flares, chemical flares, Poncho, tent, towel, climbing/rappelling rope, food condiment, portable stove, sunblock, lip balm, two-way radio, throat mikes for the radio, water proof matches, energy drink, energy bar, trowel, aluminum plates, cooking pot, extra batteries, permanent marker, dental floss, coffee candy, mints, mouthwash, deodorant, baby powder, foot powder, fishing line, fishing hook, fishing rod, fishing net, lock-pick set, adjustable wrench, long nose pliers, alligator wires, trench knife, kukri or machete, multi-vitamins, infant formula, and a whole lot of others. Generally these items have their uses, but since its a matter of priority and the encumbrance of the average adult to carry these items over extended periods of time these items are considered optional. Families or groups can also separate carrying a few of these optional items enabling each person in the entire party to carry something unique empowering the entire group with more equipment.

What you place in your survival kit is dependent on your needs and lifestyle, do not carry additional items that are too bulky for very little comfort such as pillows, porn magazines, boom radios, and such. Your laptop may or may not be important consider if the additional bulk and weight to your ability to carry it. Do not sacrifice any of the above items for it. The last thing you need is dying of dehydration hugging your unpowered laptop. The same with GPS locators, they are normally very fragile and run on batteries, they are also very very dependent on signals from geosynchronous satellites that are being bounced off a commercial network. None of these can be depended upon to remain functional during a global disaster.

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