When we think of survival scenarios we don’t often think of packing important documents: Drivers License, Handgun Carry Permit, Passport etc. However, I think this is a bad idea, and here’s why you should pack a survival flash drive in your Bug Out Bag.
Consider Your Odds
First, the chances of you finding yourself in a regional survival situation, such as Katrina or Haiti, are much greater than an end of the world scenario.
So let’s assume you were in an area-wide situation, had to bug out, and all of your stuff that’s not on your back got destroyed.
Fear the Bureaucrats
So you made it out, but with all your stuff gone you might not have any of your important documents with you. While that doesn’t really seem important compared to your life, the years worth of red tape and bureaucratic paperwork that we call a government doesn’t care. In fact, at that point you are a non-person.
How do they know you are who you say you are? You have no proof of identification and a terrorist attack just destroyed your city. How do we know you aren’t the terrorist? (After all you had an escape plan prepared)
While this may sound ridiculous, given the nature of our government these days it’s really not that far fetched.
Survival Flash Drive
To prepare for a localized survival scenario in which you will eventually have to re-enter regular society make it much easier on yourself and back-up your most important documents ahead of time.
All you have to do is buy a cheap USB flash drive, (or a waterproof one) scan all of your important documents, and store them on your flash drive in your Bug Out Bag. Bug Out and you’ve brought your all important “life on paper” with you.
*Don’t go buy a scanner if you don’t have one, just take the stuff to Kinkos or Office Max and have them scan it all for you.
**Warning: Modern Copy Machine and Scanners have an internal Hard Drive that keep a digital copy of everything they scan. All it takes is one malicious worker at the store to steal your identity. If at all possible find a private copy machine and scanner. (Thanks Josh)
What to put on your Flash Drive
Driver’s License- Handgun Carry Permit
- Passport
- Bank Account Documents
- Birth Certificate
- Social Security Card
- Insurance Information
- Marriage Certificate
- All of the above for all Children
- Important Family Pictures
Be extremely careful keeping up with your Survival Flash drive, back in the regular world that is your identity.
Amazon has a million different ones. Here is a heavy duty waterproof one. or a simple one by HP
What Else?
I am looking for more ideas, What else would you put on your survival flash drive?
Leave us a Comment Below
My name is Lucas and I run SurvivalCache along with the help of several great contributing authors. You can read more on the
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Great idea. I have paper copies of most of that in waterproof bags but hadn't thought about a simple Flash drive as well.
Melbo, I don’t think many people have thought about it because survivalists usually avoid technology because in a lot of situations it will be useless.
With waterproof flashdrives it just makes sense and is really a lot easier to protect than paper copies.
Plus I like that it gives me the option to take things that aren't necessary for survival like family pictures.
Lucas
I also keep several different survival and field manual on my flash drive. Its probably not a bad idea to keep an updated address book of friends and family for use during an emergency.
Survivor_1997,
That's a great idea!
Some people might argue with the survival field manuals and such because you have got to have something to view them with and when the SHTF that might not be available.
However, the updated address book and contact information is a great idea!
Imagine how many people today do not know the phone numbers of people they would need to get to after a local emergency because they are all in their cell phone, which may not be working.
Just a thought, How about using one of those new "Kindles", those electronic/digital book readers for reading manuals and books during TSHTF. If you hook it up to one of those hand crank cellphone chargers you will never have to use batteries.
I have this very setup right now. I’ve had my kindle since last September and just recently bought the Eton fr160 multipurpose radio thingy. I can confirm that it will charge the kindle and that it gets very boring very quickly. I’d recommend a solar charger as your primary and keep the hand crank as a backup.
P.S. the kindle screens are easier to crack than you might think and may not survive a lot of jostling around. Mine didn’t survive a ride in the back of a van(Amazon’s C.S. is excellent btw; I had a replacement in my hands less than two days after it broke, with just a seven minute call). I don’t want to lose another one. So, I ordered this memo sized aluminum clipboard.
http://www.amazon.com/Saunders-Recycled-Antimicrobial-Protection-10507/dp/B002FTSTL6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=office-products&qid=1272824699&sr=8-3
After removing the inner flaps, my kindle2 in the Belkin neoprene sleeve fits snugly(a bit of foam glued to the sides would work just as well if you don’t have the same sleeve)with just enough room left over for the charging cable. Toss all that in a dry sack and it should survive anything you can throw at it.
P.P.S. I know this is all crazy excessive, but I seriously love my kindle.
Good to know, thanks for sharing. I dont have a Kindle (yet), but it is definitely on the wish list.
I found this the other day. It is something to consider if you have the extra time to do it.
http://www.tcnj.edu/~jones37/usb_armor.html
Now THAT is a heavy duty Flash Drive!
Haha pretty awesome project but I don't know a lot of people that have a machine shop for a project like that. Very cool if you can do it.
When I was research for this post I can across this video on how to create a waterproof FlashDrive using epoxy.
http://revision3.com/systm/waterproof
Obviously it isn't going to be as strong as yours but something you could easily do at home in a few minutes.
Lucas
You should really consider encrypting the flash drive, or the data. One thing you can do is make a TrueCrypt drive with the software on it, and an encrypted volume file containing your documents.
Otherwise, if your flash drive is lost or stolen, you’ve just given someone an identity theft starter kit.
The great things about TrueCrypt are (a) it’s open-source, so it’s not dependent on a particular company (and it’s also more likely to be secure, which may seem counter-intuitive), (b) it can be self-contained by using both the software and an encrypted volume file on the same drive, and (c) it employs military-grade encryption. Plus it’s not too hard to use.
Brock,
Thanks for the comment. I completely agree. I've used TrueCrypt before and it was great. I've heard nothing but good things about it.
Funny you should mention that, the guys over at ITS Tactical just did an entire article on TruCrypt and how to use it:
http://www.itstactical.com/2010/05/10/infosec-and...
one thing to bear in mind is even with these copies on your flash drive you might want to store in a water proof case some where in your BOB a paper copy of them it would be a lot better for proof of identity
Good point, I also think that having paper copies makes it easier as far as not losing your thumbdrive, (a daily occurrence in my case).
It’s not a good idea to bring all your personal information to be scanned at Kinkos and saved on their hard drives. All it takes is one scammer who works there to copy all your personal info and spread it / sell it.
That's a very good point Josh.
That's bad OpSec on my part.
I've edited the article to include your warning.
I down loaded several survival manuals and such to a Simpletech back up hard drive 200 gigs. Also all of My wifes family pictures and back woods country cooking stuff. Checking into IPads as the reader.
The cheapest way to waterproof a USB drive would be to wrap it in Blu-tac (or the Yellow stuff). Even if it claims to be a waterproof drive. Maybe then cram it into an empty kinder surprise 'egg' with some tape around it. You won't need to use the drive while traveling but will be there safe and sound if you need to show any authorities anything.
certificates and college records!!! You can say your a nurse to get in somewhere but if something happens and the world rights itself you may need to prove you can use the skills that you've been practicing ( I know how crazy this sounds)
I have a cruzer titaniun plus flashdrive and this thing is tuff as nails, plan to try truecrypt my info
then I will put it in a water proof match case with some closed cell foam padding then in my bug out bag it will go. I think the match case will work well.
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