By now, you're probably sick of the constant refrain on this website of, "don't be there" when something dangerous is going on. While it isn't as exciting as planning a revolution or turning your home into a supermax, it's a boring yet essential foundational point that Toby and Selco taught us at the women's survival course in Croatia and it holds true in just about every survival situation. And second to that is, "If you are there, then leave and don't be there."

Now, this goes back to a discussion we had here on the website about how the essence of survival is just – surviving. Some people have absolutely no intention of bugging out and have many valid reasons for feeling that way. This article is for people who find themselves in a dangerous situation in which leaving is the only safe option.

Why might you need to leave?

There are as many reasons you might need to leave as there are possible disasters – so – an infinite number. Here are just a few possibilities.

Wildfire

Chemical spill

Industrial accident

Volcano

Nuclear accident

Hurricane

Civil Unrest

The reason you're leaving has some bearing on what you'll need in your vehicle, but keeping it in a state of general preparedness for the things most likely in your area should cover you. This article is about the vehicle itself, not the process of bugging out. For more information on planning an evacuation, go here.

What kind of vehicle do you need?

There are about a billion different articles and videos on the internet about the "essential" bug-out vehicle. But to me, it's a lot like the never-ending gun debate – the best gun (or vehicle) is the one that you have and can use immediately. There are a lot of amazing vehicles out there like the one in this video and the one in this article, but not everyone has the funds to allocate specifically for a BOV.