A lot of emergency prep articles concentrate on the “SHTF” (Stuff hits the fan) scenario, where society breaks down, gangs of marauders are roaming the streets, and the only avenue of safety for you and yours is to find a mountain hideaway complete with camouflaged lean-to shelter made from twigs and pine needles, from which you can sally into the forest in search of game to kill, butcher, and cook over a crackling fire. Makes for a good movie, and I certainly am a proponent of knowing how to get out of town and live primitively if and when the situation calls for it.
But frankly, that’s the least likely scenario in emergency preparation, despite what you see on “Doomsday Preppers”. So take a deep breath, put down the AR-15 with its high capacity magazine, and let’s get real.
In many cases, you will be staying at home. Even in an earthquake, flood, or civil unrest, unless your home is heavily damaged or in immediate danger, staying put often makes the most sense. You have food, and if you have solar, wind, or generator power, the ability to keep it preserved. Plus, the walls of your home make a much better shelter than any tent ever made. Loved ones who come looking to help will look for you at home first, and once services are restored, life can get back to normal. So if at all possible, shelter in place at home. It’s the easy answer.
Sometimes, your home will be damaged beyond your ability to live in it, such as in an earthquake or tornado; but if you have a decent sized yard, staying put but living on the back lawn for a few days until the insurance adjuster comes around and repairs can be affected or alternate living arrangements can be made is the best option. You will need decent shelter, such as a good sized tent, and a pile of wood even if you don’t have a fireplace is a good idea as well. Unless the destruction is complete, you should be able to enter your home to retrieve supplies and gear as you need it as well.
Finally, you may really need to evacuate. Either from common sense or because the fire department is banging on your door, that’s why you have your 72 hour kit. Even then, most situations won’t require a full scale drive for hours to the high mountains. In many cases, public shelters will be set up a few miles away. Don’t discount the value of a solid roof over your head, and a public shelter will also be where assistance and services will be set up first. If things really are dire, that’s where dispersing and all the primitive living skills you have seen on TV can come in handy. But for all but the destruction of society as we know it, running and hiding in the wilderness is overkill, even if it’s more fun to think about than firing up the generator and holding a neighborhood BBQ to grill all your meat before it thaws. Which isn’t all bad, a block party to pass the time could be a pleasant alternative to mass panic.
So be careful, be smart, keep your cool, and you WILL make it through whatever comes your way just fine.