The 15-Minute Evacuation Sequence

The decision is made — now move

You've decided to leave. That's only the right call if you act now: the window narrows every hour, and risk rises sharply as it closes. This drill gets a household moving fast, without debate at the worst possible moment.

The sequence

• Assemble the group (15–30 min). State it plainly: "We are leaving. Now. Take only the bug-out bag. We walk out the door in 30 minutes." Don't argue, don't discuss.
• Pack only the critical (20–40 min): documents and all cash in a waterproof folder; 3–5 days of dense food; 2–3 days of water (at least 3 litres per person); the full supply of any chronic medication; warm, waterproof clothing and sturdy footwear; torch, power bank, knife, rope, tape.
• Leave behind the TV, laptop, jewellery, books and spare clothing. The 5-kilometre test: if you can't carry the pack 5 km at a brisk pace, strip it back until you can.
• Fill the car — full tank even at a queue or a high price, plus a 5–10 litre jerry can.
• Choose a route: shortest as primary, a secondary-road alternative if it's blocked; avoid main motorways (gridlock). Download offline maps now.
• Depart at night or early morning (4–6 a.m.) for the fewest people; avoid the 8–10 and 17–19 peaks.

While moving

Don't stop without reason — every stop is risk: conflict, robbery, lost time. The whole reason to pre-pack a bug-out bag is that this sequence then takes minutes, not hours, when minutes are all you have.