Go-Bag Contents

[JudyJB]

I have been putting together a go-bag using a fold-up small backpack I own. I am assuming that this go-bag would be used when I had to evacuate my motorhome quickly, and it would contain the essentials I might need for a couple of days. I cannot include a lot of things like food and water as Sue can, so I am putting in things I would need or valuables I would not like to lose. I would like feedback on what else I should include in this small space. Most of the stuff will be in zip lock bags in case stuff would get wet.

So far, here are my contents:

- Change of clothing, extra socks, and a light jacket. No room for sweatshirt.
- Prescription meds for a week, plus pain killers, and some other over-the-counter stuff
- A couple of very small flashlights, including one for my head.
- toothbrush, toothpaste, tiny hair brush, small packet of Chlorox wipes, hand wipes, eye drops, glasses cleaner, etc.
- small purse with old cell phone, some cash, passport, some family jewelry like my mothers ring, etc.
- one small bottle of water.
- extra keys for RV and bike. Checkbook. Computer backup in case I cannot grab computer.

I am thinking a small jackknife would be handy, and I ought to include a credit card, but I don't have extras of those. Maybe a couple of long-lasting protein bars?? I also have my laptop and cords in another small backpack I would grab, and would also grab my regular purse, hopefully.

So what else am I missing?? Has to be small.

[MandysMom]

Judy, it should also contain copies of insurance and title on RV, money in small bills to get you by in case cash registers and credit card machines are down.
Velda

[Colliemom]

aJudy, you are on the right track. We all have different needs and situations. Velda made good points about cash and important papers. I am also going to add what I have done to my basement so I don’t have to start a separate thread on how to get yourself situated if you are no longer RVing, since we are on the subject of emergency preparedness.

These are my go bags, mine and my dogs. I bought a little bigger one than my original one cause of what I wanted to put in it.


It contains a complete change of clothing (long pants, shorts, shirt, T-shirt, jammy bottoms) enough sock/undies for 4 days and a hooded sweatshirt. Towel, washcloth, bar soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, hair brush, small first aid kit, q-tips, waterproof matches, flashlight, 4 days of pills, spare hearing aid batteries, couple of travel packs laundry detergent, small bottle of shampoo, hand sanitizer, Wet Ones, couple travel packs of Kleenex and a whistle. There’s also spare charging cords for my electronic devices and a fully charged battery pack for charging them. A rain poncho and emergency blanket. Yet to be added is cash and copies of important documents and spare batteries for flashlight and a hat. My pack has a big pocket inside to carry my IPads. You can get a lot of things as you probably know, in the travel accessories of grocery and drug stores. I bought my emergency blanket from LL Bean. Nicely folds into a small compact package. Amazon has a lot of emergency stuff too. Be sure to keep a sturdy pair of shoes close by.

My doggie go bag has bowls, leashes, enough food for 4 days, treats and a towel.

Because I am not in an RV, I am set up more for emergency preparedness in a home. The go bags are in my bedroom closet where I can grab them in case of fire or some other reason I have to leave the house. . If severe weather is threatening, I will temporarily move them to my basement shelter.

For those in S&B’s, you can set up a space in a crawl space if it’s useable or a basement if you have one. As I mentioned earlier, I have a room in mine that will make a good shelter. There is a closet to get into if things really go south. It has metal over top of the ceilng and is under the bathroom which is considered a safe place in a storm. This is the set up.





I put a rolled up sheet of plastic above the closet opening in case the ceiling (suspended) should come down if things really go south, so nothing will ricochet into it. The blue plastic tote contains a blanket, sleeping bad, small pillow, and a blanket for the dogs. The shelving has my small campfire stove, a couple of cooking pots, camp lantern, tarps, food supplies for about 4 days, plates, cups, eating utensils, paper towels, toilet paper, dish soap, dish towel and dishcloth, hot pads etc., a first aid kit and weather radio, the rest of the roll of plastic, a hard hat, a tool box with basic tools, nails, rope, scissors, knife, hatchet, cable ties etc. Outside the closet is a tote with 4 days worth of water for the dogs and will also have a case of bottled water for me. I picked up some meals ready to eat that have like tuna fish and crackers and stuff like that, canned pasta, beef stew, soup, all with with pop top lids. There are some Atkins meal bars. I’m still kind of adding to this a little bit. Once we are past our severe weather season, I will use up this stuff upstairs and replenish for the fllowng spring.

I know some of this probably sounds a bit extreme, but it is basic survival stuff. As I mentioned above, it depends on the individual situation. I live in a rural area, so I need to prepare for any emergency where perhaps help cannot get here right away. In the event of a house fire, heaven forbid, that is a little different situation because help is here and neighbors. But if it’s a weather related situation that affects the neighborhood, then it’s a whole different scenerio. I am prepared to camp out for a bit if necessary. I have a garage separated from my house as well as my shed, and I can use them for shelters if they are not damaged by weather.

Having personally witnessed the aftermath of a tornado, being affected myself with loss of power from it, as well as the aftermath of a derecho in SD on my way home from Yellowstone while camping overnight when it hit it is essential to be prepared. We have all seen the damages and death tolls from the various weather related scenerios this year so far. The experts are saying it will only get worse and weather related power outages more common. Get yourself prepared, don’t put it off till tomorrow. You may not have that tomorrow. It is better to be prepared for the extreme and not have it happen, then to not be prepared and have it happen. There is going to be an emergency prepaidness expo here in a couple of weeks for these situations. I’ll let you know if I find anything interesting.

Judy, the other go bag that I was using before, that got a little too small for what I wanted to do, I was going to give to Goodwill. But if you think you can use that, I would be more than happy to hold onto it for you for when you come to Michigan.

[BarbaraRose]

People out here are NOT the least bit prepared for a major earthquake. We have practice drills here in the park and very few people ever show up for them. I used to have all my camping gear in my car in case something happened while I was on the road. I have some extra nonperishable food stashed in the house for emergencies. I should do more to be prepared tho. God forbid we should get a big quake in the middle of the summer! With no electricity and 115* would be a real disaster out here. Each kind of disaster situation requires different kinds of emergency supplies and plans. Tornadoes, fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes...all require different things. You just do what you can and hope for the best!

I saw recently that they have emergency sleeping bags that are the same material as the blankets and just about as small, packed up. I thought of getting one to take on hikes when I am in mountain areas. A lot of people who get lost or injured in the mountains die from hypothermia, even in the summer.

Yes, taking photos of your credit cards or the info from them, and having a copy of that, is a good idea, as well as insurance info. Cash, shoes, blanket, etc. are good too. They say that for earthquakes and tornadoes, you should keep a pair of shoes near your bed to put on to protect your feet from broken glass if something happens during the night.