This site stays free thanks to small commissions from links like the ones below — it never costs you anything extra, and it never changes what we recommend. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more.
“Bug out” — leave — and “bug in” — shelter in place — are the two basic responses to a disaster. New preppers often obsess over the dramatic one (loading the truck and driving off) when the boring one (staying home with supplies) is what almost every real emergency calls for. This guide breaks down bug out vs. bug in vs. get home, when each applies, and how to be ready for all three.
Quick answer
Bug in (stay home) is the default and the right call for the large majority of emergencies — storms, outages, pandemics, unrest, supply disruptions. Bug out (evacuate) is for when home itself is the danger: fire, flood, storm surge, gas leak, a chemical spill, or an official evacuation order. Get home is the separate problem of reaching your house when something happens while you’re away. Prepare for all three; expect to use “bug in” the most.
The three scenarios
| Plan | Situation | Goal | Core kit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bug in | Home is safe; the outside world isn’t | Live off your supplies at home for 2+ weeks | Water, food, power, heat/cool, sanitation, first aid, comms |
| Bug out | Home is unsafe or you’re ordered to leave | Get to a safer location quickly | Bug-out bag per person, vehicle kit, a destination |
| Get home | Emergency hits while you’re at work / away | Travel on foot or by car back to your house | Get-home bag at work or in the car |
When to bug in (most of the time)
Your home is a stocked, insulated, defensible box. Staying put means you keep your supplies, your bed, your medications, your neighbors, and control of your situation. Bug in when:
- The hazard is regional and passing: winter storm, heat wave, grid outage, water main break.
- Roads are dangerous or gridlocked.
- The threat is disease, civil unrest, or supply-chain disruption — where being out among people is the risk.
- You have no specific, safer place to go.
Bug-in essentials: two weeks of stored water (one gallon per person per day) and shelf-stable food; light and backup power; a safe heat source and a carbon monoxide detector; a sanitation plan for when plumbing fails; a first aid kit and prescriptions; and a weather radio plus charged power banks.
When to bug out
Leave when staying is the greater risk:
- Fire — wildfire approaching or a house fire.
- Water — flooding, dam failure, or storm surge; you’re in the zone.
- Air — chemical spill, gas leak, or hazardous smoke.
- Structural — earthquake damage, a compromised building.
- An official evacuation order. Don’t overthink it — go.
The mistake people make is leaving too late, into gridlock, or leaving with no plan for where they’re going. Decide your trigger in advance (“if the fire crosses that ridge, we leave”), and leave early.
Bug-out bag basics
One pack per person, aiming for 72 hours of self-sufficiency: water and a filter, high-calorie no-cook food, a change of clothes and rain gear, an emergency shelter and warm layer, first aid, hygiene, a headlamp and batteries, a power bank, cash, copies of documents, a map, a multitool, and fire. Keep it by the door and check it twice a year.
Where do you actually go?
A bug-out bag without a destination is a camping trip. Line up options in order: a friend or relative outside the hazard area, a hotel a few hours inland, then public shelters. Have two routes out, since the obvious one may be closed.
The “get home” problem
If a disaster hits during the workday, your first job is reuniting with your household. Keep a get-home bag at your desk or in your vehicle — walking shoes, water and a filter, snacks, a rain shell, a headlamp, a power bank, cash, a paper map with your route marked, and a small first aid kit — sized to how far you’d realistically have to walk. Agree in advance on an out-of-area contact everyone checks in with and a family meeting point.
Prepare for all three at once
- Home supplies for two weeks of bugging in (this does most of the work).
- Bug-out bags by the door, one per person, kept current.
- Get-home bags in vehicles and at work.
- A written plan: triggers for leaving, two evacuation routes, a destination, an out-of-area contact, a meeting point, and who grabs the kids, pets, and documents.
- Practice once a year — a real drive of your evacuation route, a weekend using only your stored supplies.
Common mistakes
- Planning to bug out by default. For most emergencies, leaving a stocked home to become a refugee is the worse option.
- A bug-out bag with no destination or route.
- Leaving during an evacuation too late, into standstill traffic.
- Ignoring “get home” — the scenario you’re statistically most likely to face on a normal weekday.
- No written plan, so the household improvises under stress.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to bug out or bug in during a disaster?
Bug in — stay home — for the large majority of emergencies, including storms, power outages, pandemics, and unrest. Bug out only when home itself is the danger, such as fire, flood, a hazardous release, or when officials order an evacuation.
What is the difference between a bug-out bag and a get-home bag?
A bug-out bag is built to leave home and be self-sufficient for about 72 hours while you evacuate. A get-home bag is smaller and lives at work or in your car, built to help you travel on foot back to your house when transportation fails.
How long should I be able to bug in for?
Aim for two weeks of water, food, power, sanitation, and medical supplies. Seventy-two hours is the minimum; major events routinely disrupt services for a week or more.
When should I decide to evacuate?
Set your trigger in advance — a specific condition like a fire crossing a landmark, water reaching a certain point, or an official order — and leave as soon as it’s met. Early evacuation avoids gridlock and gives you options; late evacuation is dangerous.
Where should I go if I bug out?
In order of preference: a friend or relative outside the affected area, a hotel well away from the hazard, then a public emergency shelter. Arrange it ahead of time and plan two routes, since the main road may be closed.
Do I need all three — bug in, bug out, and get home?
Yes. They cover different situations. Home supplies for bugging in do most of the work; bug-out bags handle evacuation; get-home bags handle being caught away from home. A written family plan ties them together.
Bottom line
Default to bugging in and build two weeks of home supplies first. Keep bug-out bags ready for the day home becomes the hazard, keep get-home bags where you spend your days, and write down the plan so nobody has to think it through during the emergency.
Related guides:
- Get-Home Bag Checklist for Commuters
- How to Prepare for a Long-Term Power Outage
- Emergency Food Supply on a Budget
- Hurricane Preparedness Checklist
This article is for general informational purposes only. Follow the instructions of your local emergency management officials. Sources: Ready.gov “Make a Plan” and “Evacuation”; FEMA; American Red Cross.