What is in a Go-Bag?
Everything you need to get through 2 or 3 days when you cannot get into your home, plus some things you might need to get your life back on track in case your home is damaged or destroyed.
We start with a simple kit (from Amazon.com), and add some things to it. You will want to add a copy of your important financial documents, passports, account numbers and so forth, a few days of any medications you take, a copy of your family’s emergency communications plan, and some extra equipment like good batteries and a knife. And keep a photo of each family member and pet, to make it easier to find each other. Keep a physical copy in your Go Bag, and an electronic copy on a USB drive or "in the cloud." We will help you with every step.
A typical 1-Person Go-Bag you can buy online has the following contents.
- - LED Headlamp
- - LED Glow Sticks
- - Wristband with LED Light and Whistle
- - Mini Lantern
- - 3 Full Day Food Bars and 9 Water Pouches
- - Waste Disposal Bags and 2 Tissue Packs
- - 1 Mylar Blanket
- - 3 8-Hour Hand Warmers
- - 1 Poncho
- - 1 Tubular Bandana (warm up / cool down)
- - 46-Piece First Aid Kit
- - 1 Pair of Utility Gloves
- - Duct Tape
- - Extra Batteries
- - Keep-It-Safe Pouch
Add to that a few personal items, like a few sets of underwear and a roll of toilet paper. Think about the things you won't have if they aren't in your go-bag. Then put a few days of those things in your go-bag.
It is VERY easy to get started. Just buy a starter kit, and start thinking about it. Have fun with it. Ask yourself, “what do I want with me if I can’t get home?” Then put those things in your Go-Bag.
Next, think about having a Go-Bag in your car, in case you can't get home to even grab the Go-Bag there.
And imagine you have to evacuate.
- If you have 10 minutes or less, grab the Go-Bag and go.
- If you have 2 hours, what else will you grab?
- If you have more time, what else will you grab?
Make a list of each of these things, so you are not trying to figure out what to take at the last minute, with a wildfire burning near, your pets and children frightened. You will probably grab the wrong things if you don't have a list.