Evacuation Reference Binder - What To Include?
Posted by ryan112ryan@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 31 comments
So not talking about a general reference or important documents, but a binder that is focused on guiding your leaving your home and moving out of the range of a localized danger or bugging out to your bug out location. I have a important docs binder, prepper reference library, disaster scenario guides for family already, but not part of this.
These are mainly designed to have information for the journey, checklist to not forget things and guides for critical items that might be forgotten when under stress.
Right now I have this:
- Loading The Car Checklist
- Last minute shopping list (if safe)
- Go Bag inventory list
- Contact info of important people
- 5 Routes To But Out Location with hotels and hospital locations
- List of hotels in each cardinal direction 100 miles
- Local Maps and State Maps
- Emergency Frequency List
- DRYAD Sheets
- Phonetic Alphabet cheat sheet
- Basic first aid guide: CPR, Choking, Tourniquet, Shock, etc
- How to jump a car with jumper cables
What Else Would You Have in this binder?
Abject-Impress-7818@reddit
If you're including this then you should include things like how to change a tire and how to change a headlight bulb.
This should be in the go bag itself. It's redundant here.
any particular reason these don't already live in the car?
I think the "Loading The Car Checklist" is really the only thing you need from this list in the house. No idea what "DRYAD Sheets" are.
MySafeWordIsPinapple@reddit
My guess is that OP is using DRYAD Sheets, polyalphabetic ciphers, for "authentication" and sending short messages. As long as you keep messages short, the cipher behaves like a One Time Pad and is VERY difficult to break.
Abject-Impress-7818@reddit
How does the other person get their sheet to decode the message?
MySafeWordIsPinapple@reddit
The sheets are passed out before beforehand.
Each sheet has a unique identifier so the parties using them are “on the same page”. Use it once & discard (destroy). Pick a new sheet, repeat.
You cannot know beforehand when an EVACUATION will occur or how long it will last (number of sheets you will use up!). So, you need to create and distribute a fair amount of the sheets before you need them.
There are a few websites that create the sheets with the pseudo-random mixed alphabets. You can then print out the individual sheets.
Treat the sheets exactly like One Time Pads.
Abject-Impress-7818@reddit
Yeah, you can just use any normal book for that if you are handing them out before hand.
Meanness_52@reddit
Maps of the area from and to. Also be actively searching ways out of the area.
whatIfindinterestng@reddit
Here are some things I have or am building currently:
Reference what car models share the same parts. My VW shares alot of parts with Audi and Seat for example.
How to operate a gas station without electricity. Our fire-fighters shared this for training.
Map of Railways
Map of military places that could be targets during war
List of medication names and what they do
Overview of common military vehilces and what they do. To understand what might be going on.
Repair guides
askepticus@reddit
Would you share your list of medication names? I’m sure I could put together a similar list, given time, but if you already have something going that would be very helpful.
whatIfindinterestng@reddit
Here is a similar list from the WHO:
https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/371090/WHO-MHP-HPS-EML-2023.02-eng.pdf?sequence=1
Here is a german version thats pretty good:
https://www.priscus2-0.de/fileadmin/media/PRISCUS_2/PRISCUS%202_Liste_Anhang_in_DE_nicht_verfuegbare.pdf
SurvivalSharkLLC@reddit
The only things I would add is plans for pets (I have 3 dogs and 3 cats), and a vehicle maintenance checklist - belts, spark plugs, etc.
I've also contemplated keeping minor comfort items like blankets, pillows, and maybe stuffed toys for kids if you have them.
I would also add feminine hygiene items if you haven't already (I don't know your gender/sex or even marital/relationship status to go off of). Even before I had a girlfriend or my now wife - I kept those things in my vehicle because you never know who might need them.
Averiella@reddit
There should be a comfort item for each person. I’m a social worker now, but prior to this I worked in search and rescue and was a WEMT. The psychological impact of disaster is just as important as the physical. You can’t separate them, because your mental wellness is inherently part of your physiological wellness (anyone here have high blood pressure or get migraines when stressed?)
It doesn’t have to be massive, but one small item per person can make a substantial difference. I have chocolate of some kind - candy, horlicks, something. The dopamine is invaluable as someone with ADHD and PMDD. It can literally help me reduce my suicidal ideation because my period happened to exist (I am fine and my health is well cared for, do not send me a reddit cares).
silasmoeckel@reddit
Topo maps been in flooding before and needed to find a safe path out. Soccer moms were flooding their 100k SUV's trying to go under a train line in 6f of water was hysterical to watch.
Jumper cables? Get a jump box far easier and doubles as a power bank. More useful as 12v is exposed and native battery voltage. One way USB charging and your guaranteed to have a charged up unit. With PD and wireless output it can charge most things. Not a list thing but if you need instruction on how to jump a car you need a better way.
ryan112ryan@reddit (OP)
Yes, I have both jumper cables and a Noco jumper, I just can never remember how to do it with jumper cables. I’ve only had to do it like twice win my life. The power brick I got is a big one and has a few usb ports on it, big upgrade. Also have a tire inflator.
silasmoeckel@reddit
Laminate and zip tie to the cables themselves.
TheYellowClaw@reddit
Now this is smart.
WhereDidAllTheSnowGo@reddit
Forgot the most important one
Ridiculouslyrampant@reddit
If it isn’t already, I’d consider laminating most of them (any checklist or contacts etc, or like someone pointed out the jumper instructions) and keeping with a marker so they’re durable and reusable.
I assume you’ve considered this as well, but a really clear table of contents and flow through instructions/tabs. For example, if you can’t do any extra shopping, big friendly letters and an arrow to skip the page. Simple and concise everything so your brain can consume and execute it even while possibly half-panicked.
SunLillyFairy@reddit
I have a checklist of things to do when evacuating... which I've done several times and likely will again (wildfire area). Your brain is just not online and sometimes you're given very little notice. More often than not you'll return to your home without damage. Things like check all windows and doors are locked. Turn on house alarms, turn off any running water (we do manual sprinklers and left them on once), grab extra keys, set thermostat to save energy, turn off lights, grab pet evac totes, grab extra first aid kits (I don't want to forget my extra medications).. it's a longer list but you get the idea. I keep it taped on our evac tote, which is full of the basic supplies and things we want to take at evac.
If it was truly a "get out now" we'd just grab the one tote and our family and pets and flee, but you're usually given a few hours notice (at least) and that list only takes us about 15-20 minutes.
ryan112ryan@reddit (OP)
Couldn’t agree more. I don’t want to have to think when I’m stressed and rushed. For my GF I want to be able to hand her a list and say do this now and she can focus on the list in her hand, not the chaos going on outside.
HalloweenBen@reddit
Great post. Smart thing to put on paper.
mckenner1122@reddit
Do you have a vehicle specific emergency kit? (Tire patch, fire extinguisher, road flares, etc) and if so, should your binder include those info sheets?
ryan112ryan@reddit (OP)
Yes that kind of stuff is always in the car.
IlliniWarrior6@reddit
you need a bugging in chek list first - no mention of one >>> because - a bugging in list intertwines with a POSSIBLE bug out - very rarely will there be an immediate call for a bug out - likely a run up period - possibly WEEKS in the making .....
and - a bugging in chek list is needed for each of the possible SHTFs - priorities change with SHTFs >>> IE; grid down might be priority initially for a natural disaster - not sooo much for manmade involved SHTF ...
if you are solely bug out minded >> the Covid Con should have taught you something about a home lockdown scenario .....
SecretInvader@reddit
prolly something with liquids man, how to purify water, how to produce drinkable piss (I believe it is possible no matter how absurd it is)
you never know the situations you’ll get into, you can go days without eating but I truly believe drinking something could just give you that thing to keep living
though I know people that go on days without water, they can trick their minds into thinking they have
taipan821@reddit
A list of roads to avoid, and the reasons why (Flooding, traffic, etc)
Even better if you can highlight them on the maps and add a footnote why
ryan112ryan@reddit (OP)
Kinda related, maps marked with bridges and tunnels. Basically choke points.
iamadumbo123@reddit
Phone numbers of loved ones
Plicata_@reddit
Map of Fallout Shelters.
Figuringitoutlive@reddit
Water purification guides, and guides on long term food storage.
I'm starting to accumulate chemistry SOPs for various chemicals or organic solutions that might come in handy if you can't go to the store/pharmacy.
A guide to butchering animals might be useful if that's not part of your skill set.
Frankly, I'd remove the inventory lists; I don't see the point and can see lots of situations where that would be a liability.
ryan112ryan@reddit (OP)
No this is stuff that would go in my reference library. I’m focused on how do I get out of the house, town and to a safe location
needanewnameonreddit@reddit
Departure countdown checklist (final 30, 15, 5-minute actions)
Household member roles and task assignments
Bug-out location arrival protocol (first actions on site)
Visual turn-by-turn directions for all bug-out routes (no reliance on GPS)
Alternate refuel locations with reliability notes
Family rally points and fallback timelines if separated
Pre-written emergency text/message templates
Local foraging/fuel/water sources map near bug-out location
Inventory recovery sheet for setting up life at destination
Cash and barter inventory list