RV Bugout 
Survival Shelter on Wheels

by Walt Jackson                                                                       

What describes the perfect disaster survival shelter? It would need to be  away from the disaster or able to get away, provide protection from the elements, be secure  and defendable, have a supply of water and food and a means to prepare it, and have adequate room. It would be ideal if it had refrigeration, heat,  power, toilet facilities, comfort, and could be moved in case its location became dangerous.

Many of you have the ideal solution right there in your yard – your RV;  camper, pop-up, motor-home, fifth wheel trailer… Besides serving as a week-end  and vacation retreat vehicle, your RV can be equipped to stand ready as a  safe haven in a time of disaster.

First thing to consider is the size of your RV.  The bigger it is the more  people it can accommodate, (safety in numbers), and more supplies can  be stored. However, larger RV’s are much more difficult to maneuver,  particularly in traffic and especially in the traffic situations that a disaster  or evacuation would create.  Their need for fuel is greater and fuel may be  difficult or impossible to find in the midst of a disaster.  Keeping the fuel tanks full is an essential need. Finding a place  to park and be inconspicuous will be more difficult, and there are some places a larger RV simply can’t go. This is not to say a large RV cannot be used. You have to understand what their limitations are and plan accordingly. Also, in an emergency situation, being worried about scratches and minor cosmetic issues should be of less concern because survival is now your focus. 

Use the three P’s: Planning, Preparation, and Practice when setting  up your RV survival shelter.  You can think of it like a ship at sea. It will  require a captain, a leader who brings all the crew together and working  for a common cause, safety, and direction.  The captain will need  a competent helmsmen to keep the ship on course and avoid dangers:  a navigator, a watchman, a cook, and many deckhands keeping eyes  open and aware of their surroundings.

RV’s are designed to be fully self-contained, for at least a short period  of time, and can easily get you through the first 72 hours of a disaster.  Extending the time “off the hook” is not difficult if you learn how to conserve and make a few modifications.

Shelter is inherently taken care of by the mere fact of an RV being what it is. The next thing to consider is an adequate water supply.  Check the fresh  water carrying capacity of your RV.  Then at least double it with other  containers providing you can safely carry the weight.  Consider how many people you can accommodate and  add enough more water storage to meet everybody’s needs.  Remember  to include enough water for your pets’ needs too. On the other hand, weight is a concern. Water is heavy. So, a balance of weight and carrying capacity needs to be thought through carefully. Water is plentiful if you have the means to be sure it is safe to use. You can acquire water along the way if your travel takes you that far where you would run out before you get to your planned destination.

Most RV’s do not come with a water filtration or purification system. A simple sediment filter that attaches to the hose used to fill the fresh  water tank is a good start.  But, for drinking purposes a true high quality filtration system is essential. Equipping your RV with a passive filtration  system such as a Berkey Light and with Berkey Black filters will solve all  of your potable water problems.  With a Berkey you can run any  available water through the system and have good drinkable water. This will also eliminate the need for storing extra water, the space it  would take up and the weight it would add.

Next thing to consider is a well stocked pantry.  In addition to cupboards  and drawers, every RV has numerous nooks and crannies where food  can be stored.  Search your RV for them.  See if there are spaces under  and behind drawers, voids around appliances, open areas in furniture,  removable panels that access wall interiors.

Every time you do your grocery shopping pick up a few extra nonperishable  items to stock in your RV.  The more dried stock stored the better as it  significantly decreases weight. The Freeze Dry Guy is one example of places to obtain high  quality long term dry storage foods.  

Another thing to remember is that even with an RV you cannot carry  enough foot to last a long time.  Obviously pets or people with special  needs must be planned for well in advance. Having a place to store food  in advance at a remote destination that you can get to later is a real asset.

Cooking in a RV is usually done with propane fuel.  So is heating and  refrigeration. Keep your LP tanks full and ready.  Availability of this  resource will be limited or nonexistent in a mass emergency situation so conservation will be key.  While in travel mode, using your onboard  propane stove is the most practical.  Once you arrive at a safe place  where you can set up camp and collect fire wood, you can switch to  cooking over an open fire outside.  Having a few cast iron pots, pans,  a griddle, and pot hangers would be very handy.  If you don’t know how  to cook over an open fire, now is the time to learn, before the need to do it arises.

Electrical power isn’t an absolute necessity but is certainly nice to have  for lights at night and to power radios and small TV’s so that you can keep  abreast of what’s happening in the world. Many folks that are medically dependant on electrical power must make plans for making their own power long term electrical power. Electrical power in most RV’s  manufactured in the United States are 12 volt and designed to run on battery power.  The battery  is charged by a converter when plugged into a 110 volt outlet.  Fully charged  battery/batteries conservatively used can last for 72 hours until you get to  a safe place.  To continue having electrical power will require that the  battery/batteries be charged.  You can do this with a generator which  will also supply power to run 110 volt items. But a generator requires fuel  which you will have to carry with you in the likelihood it will not be  available otherwise. Recharging the batteries and doing other electrically intensive things makes the best use of the gasoline.

Charging can also be done with a small trickle charging solar panel, an  inexpensive option.  The ultimate would be to install a full solar power system and have unlimited electrical power but it can be an expensive option. For true long term survivability, solar panels and other alternative power regenerative sources can make a key difference in comfort and livability. There are other less expensive methods of generating your own power than solar panels but they all have their respective limitations.

Your RV needs to have adequate sleeping space for everyone in your group. That doesn’t necessarily mean a full bed for everybody but enough space  for each person to lay down and get rest when needed.  All of your crew needs to be well  rested, especially in a stressful emergency situation, in order to function at  their best. A well rested crew is a good crew, one that can be  depended upon when in need. The recreational vehicle.  A practical safe and secure way to evacuate  with all the basic essentials needed for survival through an emergency.  Shelter, water, food, safety, and comfort.  A place that has power when  the lights go out.  Warm and dry from the storm and able to get out of  harms way.  Your RV.  A survival shelter on wheels.

More to come .....