Does anyone carry a distress flag in their B.O.B.? If so what do you carry? Any links on where to purchase?
In the US any American flag flown upside down is a distress signal. Also a white flag in usually a sign of distress in an emergency. And no I don't carry or want a distress flag. Like lonewolf I carry a whistle and a signal mirror. I guess if I wanted to attract attention I would spread out one of those Mylar space blankets.
in most of the British countryside you'd have to be in a plane and right on top of a flag to see it. a flashing light from a mirror or burning green wood(lots of smoke) would attract more attention.
Here, when Harvey flooded thousands in Houston, they told people to hang a white sheet or cloth outside on their doors. Even without that, a loud noise maker is really nice for getting attention. Most of my LED lamps have a flashing mode that makes a good night time signal and some of them even do it in red. I'm not talking about a big expense here and it is always nice to have a good light for power outages.
No I don't carry a flag or a signal mirror. If I get lost I will just hang out until I find my way back again. I have been a little confused as to my whereabouts in the past, but with a little thought, looking & listening & finally found my way out again. Keith.
Many fight at night and use night vision equipment. This is why preppers need flares. When you see flares at gun shows, buy them up. If your compound is attacked at night, make one of your cohort responsible for the sending up of flares. Any perimeter breach, send up the flares. Aim the flares to light up over the enemy, not yourself -- DUH! Light up the enemy and cut them in half. If you have a big ammo can of flares, when opening it, hold your breath. Fumes build up in there, so let the fumes dissipate. Keep these away from your house when storing. They are a fire hazard.
My personal opinion, in a bug out situation, is that I wouldn't want to be found. You never know who's hostile that might find you. I'd rather slip by unnoticed. Things could turn pretty nasty in a survival situation when those who didn't prepare try to raid those that did prepare, even if they're in the wilderness too.
distress flag, whistle, mirror all useful in a normal emergency situation. but like you say Crys B. all that goes out the window post SHTF I don't want to be found..ever!
Half the time idiots fly the union flag upside down and no one notices it... I wouldn't like to depend on that one. Other internationally recognised distress signals are three equidistant fires, six blasts of a whistle, six flashes of a mirror or torch, the letter I (upper case i) set out on the ground or red flare/ smoke.
It's the easiest and most remembered bit of Morse there is but six flashes, blasts of a whistle or roger-bleeps are internationally recognised .
