What's in your Oh Fuck Bag?

[GoneWishing]

And are you thinking of any particular scenarios, or just trying to cover all bases?

I've just washed out two spare backbags, and am thinking of this. (We always go around with backbags anyway, so have loads in the house.) I've had an emergency hospital bag for ages, because of various health issues, and unpleasent experiences of ending up in hospital with nothing with me. That really only has some toiletries, a change of clothing, list of medications, a power bank and charger and a snack in it. I'd like to cover more bases - partly insipired by recent events in Whaley Bridge (I live nearby).

So far I'm thinking basically the same as the hospital bag, but add in copies of some important documents (insurance details come to mind!), a small amount of our daily medications, some first aid stuff. I'm more concerned with hasty evacuations, fire or flood, than I am with less likely scenarios that would have us bugging out to the Peaks!

[bellinisurge]

It's a tough one. Apart what you have said, it's shelter, warmth, water , food.
As far as "shelter" is concerned, while we do have camping gear that I can attach to the outside of a bag, a good coat that keeps the rain out or even a poncho thing is probably a better bet.
I have family within a couple of miles and would head there on foot. If both they and I were forced to leave, that would be a very bad situation and I would probably find a church to shelter in before I would force my family to camp. I have emergency blankets and a couple of emergency bivi things.
Good shoes. Something to wipe your bum - those pound coin size wipes that expand with water.
I've finally got dh on board with an ohfucksack and I need to audit what we have.

[Dontgiveamonkeys1350]

My house is made up of scout leaders and scouts. I’m all good for tents, sleeping bags and camping equipment. We have the biggest first aid kit ever in the cupboard. We also have smaller rucksacks full of stuff ready for camping.... ie sample size bathroom stuff already for a scout camp. So for candles , rope etc. I’m all good.

[GoneWishing]

I think a lightweight rain poncho sounds like a good thing. Definitely won't try to add any camping gear into mine. We don't have family we could trek towards (well, it would be an very long trek!), although a few friends closer by - but good shoes would definitely be needed, and a whole day to walk there! But if I'm not thinking of a SHTF situation, but more ordinary Oh Fuck scenarios, there would be other ways to find shelter, including the TravelLogde 10 minutes away.

[bellinisurge]

Here's a picture of what Police Scotland have said would be good in an Ohfucksack. Obviously, they didn't call it that.
Obviously, people who haven't thought about it before are getting their underwear in a twist. Obviously they are assuming everything prepper-y is Brexit related.

[Dockray]

We have a different bags for different things.

There's medicine bag which comes with us everywhere because it has DD's anti-allergy kit in. It also has a spare steroid inhaler (used by 2 of the children) and a first aid kit. The first aid kit is only small but manages to fit in plasters, bandages, germolene, antiseptic wipes, bite/sting cream, tweezers, 8 paracetamol, couple of codeine tablets and a spare pair of contact lenses. Oh and tissues.

Then we have hospital bag as family members are frequent flyers at a&e for various conditions. That has crisps, chocolate, cereal bars and water, plus a book, charger, battery pack and money for a taxi home/parking. Spare clothes/pjs are grabbed and stuck in as required.

There's also the winter travel bag in the boot of the car containing walking boots, rug, hand warmers, water, torch and cereal bars. Theres also a portable charger in the car.

Handbag has charger and battery pack in, plus painkillers, tampons, tissues and change.

If needed all important docs are in a fireproof box that could be grabbed quickly. We keep a small amount of money in the house at all times.

Clothes are the main things we don't leave in a bag. Most circumstances we would have 2 mins to grab something. There's usually a basket of clean laundry waiting to be sorted so could grab that, otherwise it'll be 2 mins up the road to borrow something from a family member.

[Dyrne]

I do feel sorry for Police Scotland. Loads of agencies are doing it and it’s part of a well established campaign and yet they’re the ones getting all the flack.

It’s a shame the campaign isn’t more centralised really, as I think a lot of good message has been lost and written off as ‘hysteria’.

Good plan having multiple bags for different scenarios, Dockray. I do have clothing in mine - mainly because i’m still traumatised from the time the oil rig I was on had a fire alarm in the middle of the night, and in my sleepy state on my way out the door I grabbed my hoodie over my pyjamas but nothing else. I then had to sit in a room squished up against 50 MEN for 2 hours until they established the cause; becoming more and more uncomfortably aware that I didn’t have a bra on Luckily the life jacket I put on covered my shame, but I am way too large chested to risk being bra-less in an emergency ever again!

[TipseyTorvey]

OmG @dyrne that's my idea of hell. I usually sleep in low slung sleep hammock bras but the idea of swinging from side to side with my double ffs is not fun. Adding 'full scaffolding bra' to my list 😂

[LorelaiRoryEmily]

Can I ask a(possibly stupid) question? Why do you need to prepare an ohfuckbag? Is it to do with Brexit or just life in general?

[GrimalkinsCrone]

I have several along the same lines as Dockray.
I have kit in my car, decent first-aid and a bag for if I get stuck in the car for hours. Food, water, nightlights and matches, sleeping bag, torch, woolly hat and gloves, waterproof overwear.
I have a hospital bag because I have elderly parents and have spent hours at inhospitable times in A&E and on wards. That includes wash kit, clean knickers, book of poetry, snacks and a drink, notepad and pen.
We have cash in the house, notes and a bag with £1 coins for parking.
Camping gear is up to date and ready to grab and go, friends who might not be able to put up 5 of us have gardens,
Whenever I’ve had to use one of my OFRS, I always check it and refurbish.

[Dyrne]

LorelaiRoryEmily a lot of people on the Preppers board have been doing this sort of thing long before Brexit. I personally have a bag in case I need to leave the house suddenly for any reason - fire, flood, chemical spill, sudden hospital trip etc. I don’t fancy running around the house like a loon so I like having a bag that ensures I have the basics if I don’t have the chance to grab anything else. I’ve also trained myself to leave my keys and handbag in the same place every time so I can grab that as well.

Some people have started thinking more about preparing in general since Brexit came on the horizon; and obviously it’s different for each person but i’d say a grab bag is probably more likely to be put together by someone thinking more about general preparedness, rather than specifically about Brexit.

[BlackeyedGruesome]

a few years back we had two fire engines two police cars, an ambulance and paramedic car turn up at our flats due to some plonker drinking too much and leaving a pan on the stove. given a block of flats burned down last night, this is something to keep in mind. we sat in the garden watching. not going back in the building until i had worked out what was going on.

[Neome]

this thread has given me a warm glow (yes I'm a little weird) also reminded me of my brilliant tarp poncho purchased for a walking pilgrimage years ago. Big enough to go right over backpack when walking but also had eyelet rings so easy to make shelter eg with walking poles in front.

I'm sure the instinct for practical self reliance is as ancient and adaptive as the balancing instinct for social cooperation and mutual support. Reading Little House on the Prairie to DC at the moment, even more admiration for that family's practical skills. They had an OFwagon.

[LorelaiRoryEmily]

@Dyrne thank you. I might do that myself. It's a great idea.

[Gingerkittykat]

Putting a bag together is a great idea, my biggest essential is medication though which is dispensed weekly so I can't put that in a grab and go bag.

My car has a winter kit which includes blankets, water, torch, snow shovel, snacks, emergency shelter since getting stuck is a real possibility where I am.

Another thing could be san pro and some kind of emergency urine collecting device or shewee.

[Greatnorthwoods]

My bug out bag is fairly comprehensive, and should covens for most situations.

On my person every day I carry:
Knife
Pistol
Wallet
Keys
Compass
Torch

Bug out bag I keep nearby

Maps of the local area
Stocked First aid kit and battle dressings,
48hrs of long life food and water
Water purification tablets
Camping cooker
Torch
Knife
Ammunition, and gun cleaning kit
Hat, and gloves
Poncho and hammock for shelter.

[bellinisurge]

Guessing you aren't in the UK if you have firearms.

[Greatnorthwoods]

@bellinisurge

Nope, I am a Brit in the US