Chicago encouraging residents to make bug out bags?

"Prepare Chicago, an initiative of Healthy Chicago, encourages Chicagoans to join-in and help ensure our City’s immediate and coordinated response in a public health emergency."

Uhhhh.... Does that strike anyone as a bit alarming? What with everything going on in Israel, this feels a bit like they are preparing for something. I dunno. To me it feels a bit like when people used to dive under their desks at school with drills back during the cold war (I wasn't alive then so I don't know for sure) but just wondering what anyone else is thinking here?

What has me concerned about this, more than I normally would be, is that I heard an ad for it on Pandora (which is how I found out), so this is something they're really paying a lot of money to push here in Chicago.

The article:
www.cityofchicago.org...

And here is your FEMA-approved bug out bag check list:
www.ready.gov...

I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

a reply to: powerdrone

I can see where you are coming from, and usually my spider senses tingle at announcements like this as well... But I am just not seeing it on this one.

Perhaps it's because of the simple fact that, yes, everyone should have a bugout bag and have a gameplan in the event that something bad does happen.

So if this isn't a shadowy hint on doom to come, I commend the author of this announcement and those who sponsored it!

a reply to: powerdrone
I noticed that a knife is not on the list of recommended items.
Of course there are no need for firearms either, in FEMA's post emergency world.

a reply to: powerdrone

I understand your concern in wondering if Chicago has been singled out. However we here in Canada have seen ongoing ads about preparedness too, urging us to get supplies and a plan relating to floods, fire, power grid failures, storms, etc. Umpteen communities have already been evacuated this year because of weather-related calamities. Let's see what others have to say. I sincerely hope this is routine across the US and not unusual to your area.

If we learned anything from hurricane Katrina, it's that every human should have at least a three day supply of food and water.
Natural disasters seem to be increasing,and the lesson to be learned is the government, FEMA, Red Cross, etc can not get to everybody quick enough.
Don't keep a Bug Out Bag near you at all times? Hopefully, government agents will bring you supplies before it's too late.....but they'll have to locate you first.

originally posted by: butcherguy
a reply to: powerdrone
I noticed that a knife is not on the list of recommended items.
Of course there are no need for firearms either, in FEMA's post emergency world.

Pretty much.



They think we're stupid? Don't answer that.

When we lived in Germany in the cold war era, we had to have bug out bags.
When we lived in Korea in the 70's we had to have bug out bags.

Actually, the others are correct here, it is always a good idea to have bug out bags because one never knows.

Not that I do anymore because I am basically lazy and after being told I had to for so many years the rebel in me doesn't want to make (remake regularly) them anymore.

Just a year ago in my community a train derailed and they evacuated within 30 miles of the track because of what it was carrying.

Let's chalk it up to the fact that the mayor of Chicago spent so long at the federal level that he started thinking at the federal level and is pushing for bug out bags like they do in all the federal agencies. (All federal agencies remind employees regularly to have bug out bags, its a thing with the federal government, has been for as long as I remember.)

Maybe he plans to use the Chicago machine to run for President and this is part of his prep. If that happens, we'll all need bug out bags, R. Emmanuel as President, better run for you life before the NSA catches you.

a reply to: igor_ats
My 10 year old daughter had me watching that 'Does this thing really work?' lady on Youtube.
She's a nut.

Brilliant.. rather than contain any contagion they will spread it further ...

Regardless of whether you think the terror thingy is overhyped, the fact remains that 'good Americans' (the non-tea-party, non-survivalist, government-trusting ones) are hopelessly unprepared. In the event of a really big unprecedented catastrophe, the human suffering and needless death could be shockingly high.

By unprecedented, I mean an event that "hasn't happened to us before. An earthquake in Chicago. A winter hurricane in New York. Solar Storm anywhere.

If your average Joe has even a tiny amount of preparation, you cut the death toll dramatically. And it is the unprecedented events that government bureaucracies are helpless to affect. (Katrina, Pearl Harbor, 1906 San Francisco fire, Chicago fire, etc.).

It is in the bureaucracy's own self-interest to admit their limitations and get the people to a basic level of readiness.

If our human overlords remain in denial, then when a catastrophe occurs, the public has a history of actively turning away from established rulers and choosing their own oppressors. Tyrants generally come to power by "taking charge" (read, "taking over") in the aftermath of an emergency. The NSDAP was elected into the Reichstag, in the wake of the Great Depression.

It only takes one big crisis, to call the government into question. It really is how we judge our human elites, and whether they have the right to rule us.

originally posted by: Expat888
Brilliant.. rather than contain any contagion they will spread it further ...

Maybe they are expecting visitors from Africa at O'Hare.

Opps, not funny huh?

But you have a point.

Bug out bags are for evacuations for dangerous situations that people can not be near or risk harm.

Bug out bags are not for times when quarantine is necessary. But you know if quarantine is slapped down, many will bug out, spreading it further, happened during all the great plagues.

Seriously, I"m really worried about Ebola hopping a plane, could happen soooooo easily.

Awesome replies on this and liking the feedback on here. My wife and I pretty much always have a pair of bug out bags ready all the time since we go backpacking/camping so often.

Not really a doom porn person myself, but I guess I'd never seen anything like this before and typically when I hear about preparedness on television and the internet it's ridiculed and shows some guy living in a cave because he's worried that cell phones will come to life and kill everyone. So while it's awesome to see being prepared in a good light.. it kind of makes me wonder why the sudden change..? Hopefully it's for good reasons and smart reasons.

This message approved by Rahm IDF Emanuel I spose?
Who makes a real bug out bag that has no defense provisions???
Especially in the US of F'ing A?

They need bug out bags in Chicago? Sounds like the bed bugs might be getting bad there.

a reply to: powerdrone

Tornadoes, hurricanes, killer snow storms, earthquakes, sink-holes, swine flu, bird flu, chikungunya, rabies - all real, mostly here and now - what else do you need to motivate you to collect an emergency kit?

a reply to: soficrow

Like I said. I already have one, but just wondering why it's taken so long for the government, Chicago in particular, to encourage this, and why now?

a reply to: powerdrone

They're playing catch-up - and truth be told, things don't look so good anywhere in our world. Hard to tell which particular bomb will fall though. ...But I'm way more concerned about the corporate libertarians positioning for control. Forget your rights and liberties. No more constitution. It'll be corporate rule after Armageddon.

a reply to: powerdrone

Yeah, Im from the area and I'm becoming increasingly convinced our city is in the crosshairs for whatever the next big american event will be.

I don't like it, but a lot of the country would probably cheer, depending on the situation. Chicago is being framed up to make an example.

What is wrong with knowing where all your "important stuff" is and keeping it in a safe place? Passports, cheque books, credit cards, spare towel, toiletries. No different from the sort of stuff you would need if you were going to travel to an interview.

Well, Chicago is, after all, to the east (as the wind blows) from Yellowstone, or better yet, at the northern edges of the New Madrid.