[[O:07.28.25]] # 5 Minutes to 24 Hours What's your Evac Plan look like? Today I heard [Grunt Proof](https://www.youtube.com/@GruntProof/featured) had to EVAC his homestead because of wildfires. This got me thinking about the same scenario happening to me as I too live near forests that often catch fire during the dry Summers here. Doesn't matter what the reason you are being forced off your property is (wildfires is my most likely reason) you need to have a plan in place verses running around in a panic when it's GO TIME! Below is my current plan that builds on top of itself as the time window widens out. Having the truck pre-loaded with certain essentials is the key, the less you need to grab in a emergency, the better. >Consider what your situation is and plan accordingly, but most of all plan! Make a plan today, start with a simple outline like you see here and make it happen. --- ## The EVAC Vehicle My 2001 Ford 7.3L diesel is my escape pod. It's a "farm truck" by all means, not as purty as she once was, but well maintained and solid mechanically. It will get me where I need to go. ### Fuel Supply With only five minutes to get out of dodge, you must have stuff pre-staged in the vehicle and it needs to be fueled up and ready to go. I always keep my truck topped off and have a 100gal diesel tank with a hand fuel pump in the bed of the truck 99% of the time, removing it only when going for supplies like 2x4s and sheets of OSB for a weekend project. >130 gal * 16 mpg = ==2080 miles== of travel before needing a refill. Plenty of fuel to get where I need get to, be it the next town over or two states over. Being able to fill up is not always an option, don't plan on it, ALWAYS keep your rigs above 1/2 tank level at a minimum and have some fuel on board (if it's a truck), even if it's only (2) 5gal Jerry Can's, that extra 10 gallons is another 160-200 miles you can get away from the event without stopping for fuel. ### Pre-Staged in Truck - [[Ammo Can of Tools]] - Cargo net / tie-down straps / 2 ton come-a-long - Wildfire Fire Fighter shelter - Solar Generator ([Echoflow River 2](https://us.ecoflow.com/products/river-2-portable-power-station?variant=40589642039369) and [Foldable 160W Panel](https://us.ecoflow.com/products/nextgen-160w-portable-solar-panel?variant=41682906218569)) - Handi-Talkies ([[Yaesu FT-70D]])  - STIHL MS290 Farm Boss Chainsaw and support gear - (2) 1 gal can of 2 stroke gas - (6) Oil additives containers - Hard hat w/ face shield - Cut stop chaps - File / Screw Driver / Plug wrench --- ## 5 Minute Plan Additions ### Water & Food I keep two small totes in the pantry for such an occasion. I know I can grab them and be set for a few days / weeks without having to think about what else I need. It's been a few years since I packed them and today I decided to inventory them to see where I can improve on the contents.   First tote is canned food. Everything is marked as 2023 so they all are getting rotated out, but would still be edible in pinch. I will be having soup for lunch for a few weeks it looks like. When my co-worker heard I was eating soup 2 years past it's "best by date" I could see genuine concern on his face, like I was going to get food poisoning. Those dates are mandated by the feds, and it's a "best by" not "deadly after" date. If the can is in good shape and no building and looks good, it is good. Worst case it has a little less nutritional value.  The second tote is long term food that needs no rotation. The mylar is Quick Oats and the pasta will be put in a mylar bag also. The Mountain House are for a quick / easy meal using the stoves in our GHBs. I will be adding a few more. ### Go Bags Moved In five minutes I can move my GHBs (see:[[A Go Bag in every vehicle]]) from each vehicle into the truck and know that I have the basics covered. ### Truck Gun Moved An AR15 and (4) mags are always with the GHB in the car, and easily moved to the truck. Plenty of fire power to get through any possible sketchiness to be found on the road if the event is something bigger than a wildfire. I keep a S&W 442 in the vehicle also, you never know if you will have your EDC on you at that particular moment even if you carry religiously, something less conspicuous than an AR15 is a good option to have. Hopefully, I have my EDC on me and the BUG can be handed off to the wife. A second handgun when bugging out is never a bad idea, unless your wife carries religiously also. ### Dogs The two dogs can be rounded up and put in the truck easily, the cats are on their own along with the sheep and chickens. Sadly they will burn alive should a wildfire be the event and we have but 5 minutes to get out. --- ## 1 Hour Plan Additions Adding to the 5 minute list would be: ### More Water - (5) pre-filled 5gal "Jerry Cans" of water are also kept in the pantry ready to go, having the ability to filer water in my GHBs does not make this a priority in the 5 minute plan, but with time it's worth bringing more water. I also have a [Lifesaver Jerry Can](https://amzn.to/4kYSqSC) in Mylar that can be thrown in if I suspect we will not be coming back. Five gallons of filtered water from any source in a pressurized container is a nice item to have. ### HF Field Radio Kit - [[_My Micro HF Kit]] With this setup I can use email from anywhere with Winlink and gather news even without internet as well as talk to my comms group across the USA to see what's going on, should I be unavailable to have cellular or internet in the event. ### Pets - (2) cats in carriers if possible - Dog / Cat food ### Sheep - Best I can do is open the gates so they can run from the fire, but knowing sheep they will run into a corner of the field fence and burn to death. I wish I had options here but it is what it is. --- ## 24 Hour Plan Additions ### Pets - Cats staged in house ### Notification - Send SMS to family on intentions of EVAC and destination. - Send Winlink email as optional comms to family members. - I can retrieve [email protected] from my HF rig in the field by radio only. - Be sure you have a list of the families emails in your radio kit. ### Records / Valuables - Guns / Ammo - Documents / Electronic Picture Frame - Computers - More food - [EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max Portable Power Station](https://us.ecoflow.com/products/delta-2-max-portable-power-station?variant=40569176490057) - 100 gal Propane Tank - Outdoor table top Oven / Grill - [Smartele 16" rechargeable fan](https://amzn.to/40Ifqhz) ### Kitchen Sink With 24 hours to pack, the limit will be space in the truck, there will be a lot of decisions to be made but time to make them. --- # Conclusion I'm sure there is a lot I'm missing here and no plan survives first contact, but thinking through your responses to "what if" scenarios never creates chaos, only provides a path to take. Don't let paralysis by analysis overtake you in the moment, have a pre-made plan and execute it.