7 Emergency Must-Have Items in Your Go-Bag
Having a go-bag is something we should all have on hand, even if we have not yet had to evacuate our homes or shelter-in-place. A go-bag contains all the necessities that you need for life on the road and once it’s packed, tweaking it is a breeze. To start creating one for yourself, here are the items that you definitely want to include:
Food & Water
These items are the first things to go from the store’s shelves, so make sure that you have plenty of food to keep you going. Canned food, crackers, hard candies, and energy/protein bars are all good additions to a go-bag. Depending on your situation, water bottles or jugs are good options to keep on hand. We drink tap water, but keep a case of water bottles in the basement for any eventualities. Sports drinks (or powders) are also great to include if you can.
Hygiene Products
Being in a double crisis reduces the amount of medical help that one can get, especially if it’s a widespread emergency. Staying clean reduces your risk of acquiring disease and infection.
Have enough hygiene products on hand such as soap, oils, wet wipes, tooth paste, toilet paper, and feminine care products. Aside from food, toiletries are the next to disappear from the shelves (as we all know now by the limits on how much toilet paper you can buy at the store).
First Aid & Medicine
Having your own set of medicine and first aid tools is crucial. With hospitals and clinics filled to the brim, it’s good to be able to handle smaller injuries at home. Apart from a solid first aid kit, you’ll want to have any OTC and prescription medication you may need. Don’t forget face masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer in these times.
Survival Gear
Keep versatile tools like scissors, a multi-tool, matches and fire starter, whistle, duct tape, flashlight (or candles), inside your go-bag. Some people might consider disinfectant wipes or spray survival gear these days, if you do, throw it in.
Shelter & Sleeping Gear
Where and how you sleep has a huge impact on everyone. Sleeping bags and a tent are a must. We also recommend having a couple heavy duty tarps and carabiners.
Chargers, Batteries, Cash
Power interruptions are quite common during natural disasters. To ensure that you remain connected with the world, make sure that your phone and other devices have enough juice. Also, have spare batteries for your flashlights and other portable gadgets. We always like to have a solar charger.
Also, stash some cash. You never know when you’ll need to replenish your supplies and credit card machines may be down.
Clothing
We know that it's troublesome to pack a week’s worth of clothes, simply because of their added weight. We suggest that you pack more underwear and socks- crucial items for basic hygiene. Focus on lightweight, layerable clothes that wash easily. Also, it’s a good idea to bring your rain gear.
Consider in what season you may need the go-bag and pack appropriately for that season - this is an easy tweak you can make to the kit every six months.
Food & Water
These items are the first things to go from the store’s shelves, so make sure that you have plenty of food to keep you going. Canned food, crackers, hard candies, and energy/protein bars are all good additions to a go-bag. Depending on your situation, water bottles or jugs are good options to keep on hand. We drink tap water, but keep a case of water bottles in the basement for any eventualities. Sports drinks (or powders) are also great to include if you can.
Hygiene Products
Being in a double crisis reduces the amount of medical help that one can get, especially if it’s a widespread emergency. Staying clean reduces your risk of acquiring disease and infection.
Have enough hygiene products on hand such as soap, oils, wet wipes, tooth paste, toilet paper, and feminine care products. Aside from food, toiletries are the next to disappear from the shelves (as we all know now by the limits on how much toilet paper you can buy at the store).
First Aid & Medicine
Having your own set of medicine and first aid tools is crucial. With hospitals and clinics filled to the brim, it’s good to be able to handle smaller injuries at home. Apart from a solid first aid kit, you’ll want to have any OTC and prescription medication you may need. Don’t forget face masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer in these times.
Survival Gear
Keep versatile tools like scissors, a multi-tool, matches and fire starter, whistle, duct tape, flashlight (or candles), inside your go-bag. Some people might consider disinfectant wipes or spray survival gear these days, if you do, throw it in.
Shelter & Sleeping Gear
Where and how you sleep has a huge impact on everyone. Sleeping bags and a tent are a must. We also recommend having a couple heavy duty tarps and carabiners.
Chargers, Batteries, Cash
Power interruptions are quite common during natural disasters. To ensure that you remain connected with the world, make sure that your phone and other devices have enough juice. Also, have spare batteries for your flashlights and other portable gadgets. We always like to have a solar charger.
Also, stash some cash. You never know when you’ll need to replenish your supplies and credit card machines may be down.
Clothing
We know that it's troublesome to pack a week’s worth of clothes, simply because of their added weight. We suggest that you pack more underwear and socks- crucial items for basic hygiene. Focus on lightweight, layerable clothes that wash easily. Also, it’s a good idea to bring your rain gear.
Consider in what season you may need the go-bag and pack appropriately for that season - this is an easy tweak you can make to the kit every six months.
