Bayou Bug-Out Bag: An Emergency Package for Louisiana Wetlands

Invariably, once I learn articles on bug-out luggage and overlanding, the luggage and situations revolve round a setting within the Western states and/or an arid, mountainous atmosphere. Actually, I really feel overlooked. I reside within the Deep South simply exterior New Orleans, and we face a totally completely different downside — slightly than a scarcity of water, it’s an excessive amount of water. I’ve ridden out a half-dozen landfalls in my time right here, together with Hurricane Katrina. My expertise after Katrina prompted me to place collectively a go-bag designed round my must shelter in place, self-rescue, and/or extricate from the realm. This bayou bug-out bag doesn’t cowl meals, water, or private hygiene objects — it covers the “heavy gear” finish of issues, which is what I lacked on my first go-around.

Concerning the Bag

I have to admit I get pleasure from a little bit of unfair privilege concerning bag choice — my employment because the director of medical applications for Blue Power Gear permits me entry to a few of the finest load carriage gear out there. Our product improvement store lately started engaged on a bag for a navy entity to hold heavy breaching and rescue gear. I used to be fortunate sufficient to get my palms on one of many prototypes. It has stowable backpack straps, a shoulder strap, and bolstered carry handles, in addition to a totally opening high cowl and aspect slit pockets for smaller objects. I additionally recognize the standard of development, a attribute we’ve put a variety of effort into. It’s gentle for its dimension but robust sufficient to hold the wanted gear. When you gained’t discover this bag on the Blue Power Gear web site, it’s out there for particular orders by mil/LE models (e-mail navy@blueforcegear.com for more information).

Instruments & Restoration Gear

I’ve change into extremely reliant on rechargeable battery tech, and on the coronary heart of my system is a 1,000-amp battery pack. It has USB ports to recharge my cellphone, can leap begin a automobile, and has a built-in air compressor. A small zipper bag of cords permits me to cost virtually any gadget. As soon as my truck is operating, the built-in energy inverter can cost my bigger instruments.

The following largest merchandise within the equipment is a battery-powered Reciprocating Noticed (what many individuals name a Sawzall). This instrument has changed a series noticed as my go-to instrument, primarily as a result of capacity to shortly swap out blade sorts. I carry wooden, carbon metal, carbide, and bimetal reducing blades. Within the days after Katrina, I used to be climbing onto the second-story roofs of homes from a flat boat (the water was excessive sufficient I may simply step onto the roof) with a view to minimize folks out of their attics. Whether or not it’s downed limbs, fences, locks, cables, or different obstructions blocking my egress, I’ve but to run throughout a reducing chore I used to be unable to carry out. This similar instrument, paired with a aspect angle grinder and diamond blade, is utilized by the U.S. Air Power PJs for many of their rescue breaching duties. I as soon as noticed them take away a hatch from a Bradley in beneath 2 minutes by reducing the hinges.

Regardless of my love for rechargeable instruments, I’d be remiss if I didn’t account for the very actual chance of dropping that functionality. For that state of affairs, I’ve a Gerber Downrange Tomahawk Breaching Instrument that features as an ax, hammer, and prybar. Paired with the Gerber Doubledown folding machete, I’m prepared for reducing if issues go handbook. In case my automobile will get caught in mud — a standard incidence in Louisiana — my equipment comprises a folded Glock Entrenching Instrument. That and a ten,000-pound-capacity snatch strap have but to fail me in eradicating a litany of autos from our Gumbo Mud.

Mom Nature doesn’t maintain banker’s hours, and we people are creatures of the sunshine, so my equipment contains each a flashlight and headlamp from the Streamlight ProTac 2.0 line. Every places out a staggering 2,000 lumens in Excessive mode and might run as much as 25 hours on Low. Each lights recharge from a USB-C wire that I can plug proper into my energy station.

To maintain every little thing operating, together with my rifle and handgun, I maintain a smattering of hand instruments and a Repair It Sticks “The Works” instrument equipment. I can’t say sufficient good issues about this compact equipment. It was primarily designed for firearms-related duties, however with 24 completely different bits and a wide range of different instruments, it’s a multipurpose merchandise. I additionally carry a roll of 100mph tape for these occasions that I can’t flip it with a instrument or beat it with my breaching ax.

Did I point out that we’ve an abundance of water down right here? Indisputably, the costliest merchandise in my equipment (and presumably an important) is my Mustang Survival RATIS inflatable PFD (Private Flotation Machine). Previous to having this gadget, I struggled with having a water security part in my equipment. A regular flotation vest was too cumbersome to hold round, but I usually discovered myself working in or round water with out discover. I grew up within the water and know that familiarity breeds contempt, and contempt can get you killed. The RATIS weighs a whopping one (sure, one) pound and is so small in its saved form you can work with it on all day lengthy. When deployed, both routinely when submerged or manually by pulling the inflation deal with, it presents 40 kilos of buoyancy. The RATIS will be connected to a plate provider or, as in my case, can perform as a stand-alone PFD by way of the included “BRO” harness system. It is a must-have merchandise for me.

Medical Tools

Talking of security, let’s discuss medical — a topic near my coronary heart. One should perceive the distinction between a primary help equipment and a trauma equipment. They need to be two separate issues; I plan to deal with that topic intimately in a future article. This bag was designed across the heavy gear instruments idea and, correspondingly, I solely carry a trauma equipment in it, particularly the BFG Medium Trauma Package NOW! It presents me sufficient gear to deal with one to 2 essential casualties within the instant aftermath of a traumatic incident. It’s not an working room in a bag, nevertheless it’ll save a life within the brief time period. Discover the tourniquet connected to the lid of the TKN! and keep in mind that your tourniquet (higher but, tourniquets plural) all the time belongs exterior of your trauma equipment. You shouldn’t be digging by means of a medical equipment to entry that gadget.

Rounding out my go-bag are a couple of different objects. There’s a Seldon WaterStick for emergency water purification. In a nod to “snivel gear,” I additionally carry a light-weight packable rain jacket, a Kifaru floor material/shelter half, and a SOL two-person Emergency Bivvy (you by no means know whenever you would possibly must snuggle up). Lastly, there’s a hand-crank radio for Nationwide Climate Service experiences and emergency USB charging.

Closing Ideas

As I mentioned to start with, this go-bag isn’t common, and your wants could range. Nonetheless, this one has served me nicely for some time. In case you dwell in a coastal space or wherever topic to a pure catastrophe, I hope this helps information your pondering towards what you would possibly must have readily available ought to the worst occur.

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Written by Brad Gilpin