Bugging Out/In for Emergency/Crises Responders?

[Grayling14]

I have been reading with interest many of the discussions here, and on other forums, about the pros and cons of tactics and strategies for bugging-out or bugging-in during a crises, be it a natural disaster, terrorist attack, civil unrest, etc. What I have not seen, but find just as interesting, and just as important, is a discussion of what criteria regarding the magnitude of events would precipitate our/your determination of WHEN to BO/BI, or not?
In a major crises many businesses would be closed, giving the employees time to provide security for themselves and their families; unfortunately, not all careers provide such opportunities. Therefore, I ask this not as a generalized hypothetical question of the general public at large, but specifically to those of us whose jobs require that we report for duty in a time of crises. This would include: military, LE, fire, EMS, EHS, some line workers for utility/water districts, and probably many more I am not aware of. So the question for us is: At what point do you forswear your duties, and your employment, (assuming it is not an obvious EOTWAWKI scenario), to protect you and yours?

[HES]

When I got off of active duty and in the guard if it was anything short of an ITEOTWAWKI situation I went. No ifs, ands, or buts. Now I'm out and my wife is an RN. When she worked in the hospital and a hurricane was coming she had to report to the hospital and be prepared to stay for several days if not longer*. Now she is a home health nurse. She stays on the road until the last possible moment caring for her patients before coming home and hunkering down. Then immediately after the storm passes she heads back out. It sucks being the one staying home.

* = Possibly longer because Tampa General hospital is built on a freaking island in the bay and while the approach bridge is high enough, the departing bridge will flood out in even a cat 3 storm. Brilliant planning guys.

[PA PATRIOT]

Removed by Phila PD

[Paraclete comes]

situation will dictate.

[joeman3519]

Yes the situation will dictate. I'm a cop and she is a nurse and we have been in several situation that required us to either sleep at the station/hospital due to blizzards and ice storms. If situation is natural disaster (F5 tornado hits Tulsa) then we'll be at work. If lawlessness is the order of the day and there are hoards of zombies with a complete breakdown of society I'm out.

[500grains]

Concerning this question, a former Salt Lake County Sheriff said, "Our deputies are law enforcement officers FIRST!" Some deputies called bullshit and said that they were fathers, husbands, etc. first, and if they felt they needed to return home to ensure the safety of their families, then home they would go, PERIOD. I sympathize with that point of view.

[indawire]

How many times have emergency evacuation plans called for lines of buses to transport folks from place of danger to place of supposed safety? So we are going to plan on a mom (many of our local drivers are) with school age kids staying around to drive the bus for hours when the SHTF? So who's the backup drivers? Think they got that planned? Just look at New Orleans.:suicide:

[Wolf Spyder]

I am a Volunteer EMS / Firefighter.

I haven't seen anything yet that would keep me at home. If I can get to the Fire station, then I get on the truck and ride to someone's rescue.

Now if it was a true break-down of government or a huge natural disaster... then my family would come first. I am sure everyone's family would come first. Granted, I live about a 1/2 mile from the Fire station, so if I had to get home fast, I could. As for the full time guys... they would have to make a tough choice.

[Smedley]

Prison Guard here. I'd have to report to work. My State ID badge says "Essential Employee." I can't say, "the snow's too deep, the waters too deep," etc. I'm expected to report regardless. We're expected to hunker down in the facility if necessary. If you see Law Enforcement types bugging out, it's probably reached critical mass, and bugging out might still be best delayed until the panic stricken have cleared the streets. I'll say this about a "bug out" or "bug in" hypothetical. I've got water and food ( putting water first was intentional) for about two months if I bug in. I've got a broad network of LE, Veteran types, and just good decent fellow citizens/neighbors who are inclined to bug in also. I would pity the fool (Zombie, Mongol, add your demon here__________ ) who chose to loot, pillage, etc. in our AO. So, I'm inclined to bug in. Isn't that why a lot of us got our Black Guns to begin with?
I live in Pennsylvania, and in 50 yrs. I've never seen any man made or natural disaster that would force me to make this kind of decision, Thank God!
Great post, and I look forward to seeing others points of view...

[tc556guy]

Between the National Guard and being in LE, I have to be there in one uniform or the other. Thats what I am paid for, thats what was expected when I joined up/ was hired, etc.

I bought my car knowing it had to be able to get me to and from work hauling a certain amount of gear. Once we had to report to the armory for a blizzard and my Jeep at the time was in the shop. I wound up driving my wifes Subaru until the snow got so deep the car bogged down and I had to hoof the last 2 miles to the armory in the blizzard. Never again. Every vehicle I've owned since then has had enough clearance to get through most snow we get.

Our support system has always been here...both sets of grandparents are still alive, and my wife has always been a resourceful person. She was stuck at home in a blizzard with a newborn for three days when I was trapped at work 20 years ago by another blizzard.

Short of a complete breakdown I don't see many of my LE guys abandoning their posts. Even after a major breakdown there needs to be local stability sooner or later, and I can see our guys working with their local neighborhoods to retain or return that stability.

[afd524]

Being a Firefighter it would have to be pretty bad, doesn't mean that i wont be armed tho, it its bad enough I would say screw city policy and carry a firearm.

[usmcvet]

Being a Firefighter it would have to be pretty bad, doesn't mean that i wont be armed tho, it its bad enough I would say screw city policy and carry a firearm.

This is before my time in LE but some of the local fire department used to have shotguns in their trucks in VT.

I remember seeing a photo of a fire fighter in full turn out gear with an M14 I do nto remembe if it was the LA Riots or something else.

Just looked for the photo could not find it.

[afd524]

well thankfully I work for whats called a “public safety department” so the city cross trains police to be firefighters so 90% of the time we go on a call then there is the police there and my sgt told me back in the 60’s there were always a FF with a axe and he would cut the hose so they could leave in a hurry if need be