Emergencies

Bug in or bug out: when to stay home and when it is time to leave

How to decide between staying home (bugging in) and evacuating (bugging out): the advantages of each, 10 clear signs that you need to leave, and why leaving early matters.

Updated , 2 min read

Part of:What Is a CrisisBug InBug Out

In short

  • In most emergencies the safest choice is to stay home: you have your supplies, your bed and your neighbours.
  • Leave at once when authorities tell you to, when your home is no longer safe, or when the danger is coming towards you (water, fire, a toxic cloud).
  • Once you decide to leave, leave early: roads jam quickly.
  • Decide in advance where you will go: family, friends or lodging outside the risk area.

One of the oldest debates among preppers is whether it is better to stay home or to leave. The honest answer: it depends on the situation. Anyone who plans to stay no matter what, or to leave no matter what, is not truly prepared.

Why staying is usually better

  • Everything is there: water, food, medicine, clothes, a bed.
  • You know the area and the people; neighbours help each other.
  • On the road you are exposed: traffic jams, bad weather, no fuel, no shelter.

That is why for power cuts, winter storms, heatwaves, epidemics or shelter-in-place alerts the advice is almost always to stay put. How to manage it: the home emergency kit.

10 signs it is time to leave

  1. Authorities order an evacuation. The clearest sign. Even if you do not want to, leave straight away, before the roads fill up.
  2. Water is coming. The river is rising, levees are threatened, or you are in a flood zone with extreme rain forecast.
  3. Fire is approaching. A wildfire is moving towards your area or the smoke is getting thick.
  4. A toxic or radioactive cloud is heading your way and authorities are not advising you to shelter in place.
  5. Your home is damaged. After an earthquake there are large structural cracks, you smell gas, or the building has been declared unsafe.
  6. Utilities are out for a long time in winter. Days without power, gas and heat, with small children or older relatives, mean it is safer to go somewhere warm.
  7. Your supplies have run out and there is no way to restock locally.
  8. Conflict or violence nearby. Riots, fighting or repeated attacks in your area.
  9. A serious epidemic in your town, someone in the family has a weak immune system, and you have somewhere else to isolate.
  10. You no longer feel safe at home for a concrete reason, such as repeated break-in attempts.

Leave early, not late

People who leave at the first sign find clear roads, open petrol stations and somewhere to stay. Those who wait until the last moment get stuck in traffic, sometimes right in the path of the danger. Follow official alerts and check the forecast daily when extreme weather is announced.

Prepare for both

To bug in:

  • Water and food for at least 2 weeks
  • Light, heat and power without the grid
  • A safe room to shelter in

To bug out:

  • A 72-hour go bag by the door
  • The car’s tank always at least half full
  • Copies of documents and some cash, see important documents
  • Two destinations and two routes, agreed with the family
  • A meeting point in case you get separated

How to leave home in 15 minutes, with a checklist: evacuation. What to agree on now as a family: the family emergency plan.

Frequently asked questions

What do bug in and bug out mean?

They are prepper terms: bugging in means staying home and getting by on your own supplies; bugging out means leaving home quickly with a packed bag for somewhere safer.

Where do I go if I evacuate?

Ideally to family or friends in an area without the same risk, agreed in advance. If you have nowhere to go, authorities open emergency shelters; you will hear where through official alerts, local government or the radio.

What about pets?

Take them with you. Prepare a carrier, food and water for a few days and their vaccination records ahead of time. See our guide to pets in emergencies.

Sources and further reading

Preper is for general education and does not replace instructions from your local authorities or advice from a doctor. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

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