Get home bag....

Mmmm. You did say 2 miles from your parents house? Definately a stash there - even if it's just a couple of (packed) 5 gal buckets and water.

Are you married? Have children? If not, why not stay at the parents 'till things are under (at least some) control?
 
Yorkshire Boy said:
A good pair of shoes and the ability to actually walk the distance home.
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Third this. You're going to be doing A LOT of walking on a hard unyielding surfaces (concrete, asphalt, cement).

For a mobility based kit you're going to need the following:

Pack to hold everything. You stated that the Versipack was going to be your bag. I would suggest going with a "civilian" rather then a "tactical" color to avoid unwanted attention.

Walking kit: Broken in shoes, socks, insoles, moleskin for blisters, and ace bandages for sprains. Runners lube for the inside of your thighs. Business casual shoes tend to get painfull after the first mile or two.

List of cab companies/bus routes for when it's not a full on catastrophe. Small bills and change for bus fare, phones, and vending machines.

Water + purification tablets

Sunhat and glasses + windbreaker + rain protection. You will generate a lot of heat on the move, and in the SOCAL climate freezing isn't going to be a problem.

Compass, flashlight and extra batteries, and street maps for between work and home.

Basic FAK focused on treating stuff that can't wait and walking induced injuries.

Incidentals: Pocket knife, duct tape, whistle, hiking stick, lighter.
 
ROCK6 said:
a simple, inexpensive AM/FM/Emergency radio will help to get information updates after the crisis hits and possibly avoid congested areas or other hazardous areas.
ROCK6
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Couldn't agree more. I keep an Eton FR150 in my trunk for this very reason. I work 33 miles from home. If I have to get home on foot, I want info on what areas to avoid and what might be on the horizon.
 
hey rock6, what bag did you base your kit on? Is it an sds molle patrol pack? I can't seem to tell....
 
I think I can only add to what has already been said.
A good pair of goggles or a gas mask whit a large visor. Being able to breath and see are two of the most important things when being on the move in a disaster situation.
A change of clothes (in darker tons if hiding is going to be a factor or bright vest if rescue is needed). A map of safe spots or places were supplies can be gathered if the need arises
I also stash essential items in a few areas around town if I’m new to the place. (lighter, multy tool, knife, handcuff key, mini first aid kits etc.)







And you can combine a crow bar, knife, ice pick, hammer, axe and weapon all in one whit this. :D

IMG_5094.jpg
 
In "Lucifer's Hammer" they escaped from LA with, if I recall correctly, dirtbikes to go up into the hills and then out of the city. The freeways were jammed. Did anyone suggest a portable scanner for listening to police band? How about a CB also?
 
Depending on the socio-economic makeup of the neighborhoods you will be going through to get home, you may want to avoid looking like a well stocked Big-5 sporting goods store on two legs.

Opportunists don't disappear when disasters strike and most realize that when electricity, cell towers, etc. are no longer providing service, the usual responders (police/fire/and such) are nowhere to be seen.

In the handful of disasters I've had to endure (two major earthquakes overseas and three CAT-3 or better hurricanes in S. Florida), looking as low-key/possession-free as possible was paramount.
 
Id seek out a collapsible brolly that's tough as nails, almost like those telescopic police batons...hey I said almost. Aside from that, know your routes like the back of your hand and take energy and fluids.

My gear consists of the usual crap, kevlar lined gloves, dust mask, red baron flying goggles, multi tool, knife/prybar, medical kit w/blister treatment!, FM radio/ UHF TX radio.
 
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Kermit said:
LOL Edwood, you carry Jew Gold?
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I keep some silver and gold pieces in my BOB. I have no idea what that Star of David thing that is has stamped on it is all about.:confused:

I found them and a lot of old silver coins in an apartment I rented.:D
 
Edwood7 said:
I keep some silver and gold pieces in my BOB. I have no idea what that Star of David thing that is has stamped on it is all about.:confused:

I found them and a lot of old silver coins in an apartment I rented.:D
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It looks like you have a couple of commemorative or token medals. 1973 was both the 25th anniversary of Israel and the Yom Kippur War. I'm not sure about the other rectangular one, but I think it's a tolken from a mint. No idea what the coins are. They may be legal tender kept as souveniers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur_War
 
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Kermit said:
buried treasure, love it :D
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The guy that lived there, died 1 year before I got in to that apartment (a fact that they did not tell me till after I signed the renter’s contract) it probably was his.

I am very paranoid, so I did a complete sweep of the apartment and found a smal box under the water cooler.

It’s a mix of some silver pieces and gold, that round thin I think has silver in the scrolling; I haven’t had the chance to have it checked.

DSCN0089.jpg
 
Edwood7 said:
The guy that lived there, died 1 year before I got in to that apartment (a fact that they did not tell me till after I signed the renter’s contract) it probably was his.

I am very paranoid, so I did a complete sweep of the apartment and found a smal box under the water cooler.

It’s a mix of some silver pieces and gold, that round thin I think has silver in the scrolling; I haven’t had the chance to have it checked.

DSCN0089.jpg
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huh interesting story thanks
 
That's a Winkler Combat axe, made by Daniel Winkler. Its part of his Winkler Knives II line.
 
Screwdriver said:
My current plan is walk to my parents house, which is two miles from my office and make sure they are ok. Then walk the rest of the way home.
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I would make the walk from work to your parent's house sometime and see what you would need to get there. You could scope out back ways and alternative routes in case there is a chance of the main route being obstructed.

If you parent's house is not at much risk, I'd keep the majority of the items needed to make it home at their house. You could even keep a mountain bike in their garage.

Chad
 
this is a repost of one similar I did on ETS forum...I've been thinking quite a bit lately about the physical requirements if my trek home is greater than 20 miles. I think that if I lived in an earthquake prone area, a yard sale $150 mountain type bike, with heavy duty thornproof tubes, small hand air pump, rim tools, and a patch kit, attached to a yard sale bike rack or stashed at work would be a good investment.... a luggage rack or panniers and a couple of water bottle holders would make transporting your equipment a whole lot easier....even if you had to push it (ala Ho Chi Minh trail)... my planned route home was to follow existing highways anyway.... you could make use of the off road gearing if required
 
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