Water Purification methods for your Bug-Out-Bag

Water Purification methods for Bug –Out –Bag
The most basic need of humans during a crisis or emergency survival situation is the need for clean water for consumption and hygiene. Therefore your Bug-Out-Bag must contain a method or methods for fulfilling your hydration needs.
Water has a natural tendency to dissolve numerous amounts of substances. Occurring extremely seldom in nature is pure water. When push comes to shove however and you have to break out the Bug-Out-Bag you will need reliable methods for making water safe to drink. Basically for the purposes of a nomadic hunter gatherer(Bug-Out-Bag user) in an urban situation of survival you could rely on a handful of water purification methods or a combination of one or more.

One that’s extremely common and used where fairly clean sources of water are available is the use of iodine tablets. Iodine tablets will kill most parasites but will not remove impurities such as chemicals or solid pollutants. Even household bleach has been used to free water from parasites. Boiling water for at least a minute will also accomplish the same. For bug-out-bag purposes this presents a couple of advantages.
For one thing iodine tablets are lightweight and compact. You could easily store several gallons worth of water purifying tablets in a small container. A couple of week’s worth or even a month’s supply would not take up much room at all. The drawbacks with iodine are the taste and again it not removing all contaminants from the water. Water that’s been treated with iodine can be made more palatable by adding vitamin c to it and some water purification tablets come with a neutralizer that eliminates the bad taste. That being said iodine tablets are a great addition to a bug-out-bag.

If however you come across less than clean water that is suspect to chemical or contamination by solid particles this is where filtration must be used. Common filtration units readily available may not be a solve all but they are now available in light-weight compact designs and function extremely well. The main thing is to do your research when purchasing one of these filters. I personally would recommend a combination of chemical treatment and filtration methods.

Recently I came across a extremely awesome looking technology that filters water using solar power. This company has units ranging from small briefcase sized to large units for pumping and filtration of deep wells. They are called First Water Inc and I really enjoyed reading about this promising and awesome technology. This type of system could be used in your fall back location that every person should have planned out in advance. More information regarding planning a suitable fallback location will be covered in the future.

IS YOUR BOB READY??

Do you have your BOB ready? No I'm not referring to bring your own beer. I'm referring to whats called a bug-out bag! Its meant to be something you can grab quickly on your way out the door! Basically a bug-out bag is a survival bag that can be quickly taken with you in the event of a disaster. Bug-out bags can literally save your life and your family. They are extremely important to have and maintain in our day and age. The basic bug-out bag should have supplies for at least 72 hours. In addition to helping you survive a major disaster, putting together a bug-out bag has the added benefit of helping you during more common emergencies such as house-fires,blackouts and personal injuries.
What should a well put together bug-out bag contain? You will need enough water and food for a minimum of 72 hours. Water listed first because humans can live without food for quite sometime however we cannot live without water beyond 3 day or so. A water purification system would also be extremely valuable in your bug-out bag. I prefer iodine tablets because they are quick and easy to use however they have their limits. Some of the new water purification filters on the market today come in surprisingly small packages and would also be well suited. As for food you want easy to prepare high caloric food. Mre's are excellent and extremely easy to pack. Any type of dry food that requires little or no preparation is what you want to go with. Also needed would be a mess kit with some sort of fire starter. I happen to like magnesium fire starters and Fresnel lenses. Both are excellent for getting a fire going.
Next on the list would be some basic items of clothing including some cold weather gear(fleece and windbreaker) and rain gear(poncho). Definetely a change of under garments and socks. A small tube tent or large piece of tyvex and parachute cord for getting out of the elements and some form of bedding. Enough medicine to last an extended period of time. A good knife, multi-tool and a small shovel cannot be understated as to value as well. For myself these items rank right up with water and fire making utensils.
Some sort of light and maybe a portable radio. With advent of L.E.D. Lights you can get a fairly descent headlamp that will run for days on batteries rather inexpensively. Personal hygiene products in a zip lock bag ( soap,toothpaste,toothbrush,toilette papper). A basic first aid kit, Map and a compass.
This is just a basic idea for what you should have in your bug-out bag its not all inclusive. Whats important is to be prepared. A bug-out bag can literally mean life and death to you and yours. With a little planning and research you can put something together that can truly make a difference when push comes to shove. Be prepared don't leave something as important as your safety during an emergency to chance!