The Importance of Mock Bug Out Scenarios
Practice makes perfect applies to preppers more than anyone else, and this is especially true when considering bug out situations. Nothing can help you more than putting some of your escape plans to the test and learning from your experiences. Let’s look at a few benefits that conducting mock bug out scenarios can provide, and you can get to work on setting up some drills or rehearsals.
Turn Theory into Reality
No amount of reading, research, studying maps or creating checklists will prepare you for what you will encounter in the real world. A bug out exercise will put you face-to-face with a vast array of opportunities and obstacles that will come your way that you would never be able to anticipate in your various stages of planing. You will be able to follow routes and discover unexpected barriers and challenges, discover alternatives and become aware of hidden opportunities. This may include learning about back roads, knowing where hospitals are or discovering a number of hiding places along the way.
Getting the Lay of the Land
One of the biggest advantages to conducting a mock exercise is that you will get a good sense of a lot of little things that you will encounter. You will learn where gas stations are, discover potential hazards, know what areas to avoid due to bottle necks or obstructions and get a good sense of what you will expect if you follow the same route in the future. You will also learn things like how much time and gas it will take to get you from point A to point B. You will discover whether or not your planned shelter options along the way are sufficient for your needs. All of these things will help you to make adjustments and refine your overall plan that will reduce problems in the future.
Test Your Checklist
Exercises will also help you to see whether or not you are bringing appropriate supplies and what items should be added or removed. You will also be able to evaluate the consequences of leaving things behind and how you will make necessary accommodations. You can also experience what it is like to access and use items in a real-world situation so that you can get a better sense of the practicality of some of your methods or ideas.
It is almost a foregone conclusion that you will be making modifications to your checklists. You will also make modifications to the supplies that you bring and use along the way. There are very few plans that unfold exactly as intended, and it is always better to work out some of the kinks ahead of time so you don’t get caught off-guard.
The idea of doing mock bug out exercises is not to simulate the effects of a disaster and the panic and confusion that it can generate. It is intended to test your capabilities, resources and overall plan so that you can make necessary adjustments and create alternatives that work better. None of these will be possible unless you put yourself in that situation and walk through the process.
Schedule a time when you can load up, head out and test your plans. The things that you learn along the way can put you at a distinct advantage if a real-world crisis strikes and you need to act without hesitation.
