Do you have a 'bug out bag' or emergency bag? What's inside?

[stinkyfeet]

Curious.  I always have water and flashlights and canned food in the basement but thats it.  I never worried about it, don't live in an earthquake, hurricane, flooding or tornado zone and have never gone long without power or anything.  We are moving and I was wondering what I should pull together.  What are your must haves and how do you store them?

[Deleted]

Nothing. I mean, I've got Prime Now, UberEats, Favor and Postmates. So yeah, we're doomed.

[katfco]

Nope. In the winter we always have blankets in the car, but that's about it. We always have flashlights, a first aid kid and extra food in the house, but nothing in case of an emergency where we have to leave.

[Deleted]

We live in an earthquake and wild fire zone. We have several backpacks: pets (food, bowls, leashes, etc), first aid, basic supplies (duct tape, soap, etc), food/water. We also have a grab and go binder: a red binder with copies of financial and other important docs like passports (this also exists for guardians of our kids if we die). The originals are in a safe that is fireproof and not portable.

I used a combination of the CA earthquake authority, Red Cross, and other lists to pull together what made sense for our family. We've been evacuated or close to it for fires several times, so this is helpful.

Oh, we also have a shared note on our phones that lists critical things to grab in an evacuation, like irreplacable pictures and computer hard drives.

[cajunmom]

Yes, we have one that's pretty well stocked with emergency items. Water filters, fire making materials, emergency blankets, compass, etc etc etc. I usually find one or two interesting useful items that I'll buy and put in H's stocking every year to add to the bag.

[stinkyfeet]

OK. So I'm NOT weird! I was talking with a group of people and they were shocked that I didn't have a bag at the ready! Even where we live currently!

[stinkyfeet]

Aug 10, 2017 16:59:37 GMT -5 @akswartz85 said:

We live in an earthquake and wild fire zone. We have several backpacks: pets (food, bowls, leashes, etc), first aid, basic supplies (duct tape, soap, etc), food/water. We also have a grab and go binder: a red binder with copies of financial and other important docs like passports (this also exists for guardians of our kids if we die). The originals are in a safe that is fireproof and not portable.

I used a combination of the CA earthquake authority, Red Cross, and other lists to pull together what made sense for our family. We've been evacuated or close to it for fires several times, so this is helpful.

Oh, we also have a shared note on our phones that lists critical things to grab in an evacuation, like irreplacable pictures and computer hard drives.

I never would have thought of important documents! That makes a lot of sense.  Thank you for the ideas!

[stinkyfeet]

Aug 10, 2017 16:59:37 GMT -5 @akswartz85 said:

We live in an earthquake and wild fire zone. We have several backpacks: pets (food, bowls, leashes, etc), first aid, basic supplies (duct tape, soap, etc), food/water. We also have a grab and go binder: a red binder with copies of financial and other important docs like passports (this also exists for guardians of our kids if we die). The originals are in a safe that is fireproof and not portable.

I used a combination of the CA earthquake authority, Red Cross, and other lists to pull together what made sense for our family. We've been evacuated or close to it for fires several times, so this is helpful.

Oh, we also have a shared note on our phones that lists critical things to grab in an evacuation, like irreplacable pictures and computer hard drives.

I never would have thought of important documents! That makes a lot of sense.  Thank you for the ideas!

[hopecounts]

We live in a tornado area that was hot very badly when DD was a baby.
Since then we have emergency bags.
In them:
-meds
- season appropriate clothes rotated as needed
- spare set of car keys
- cash
- flash light
- phone charger and chord
- first aid kit
- Tylenol
- bottled water (rotated)
- shelf stable snacks (rotated)
- us and Canada map
- copies of documents

[stinkyfeet]

Aug 10, 2017 17:06:26 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

We live in a tornado area that was hot very badly when DD was a baby.
Since then we have emergency bags.
In them:
-meds
- season appropriate clothes rotated as needed
- spare set of car keys
- cash
- flash light
- phone charger and chord
- first aid kit
- Tylenol
- bottled water (rotated)
- shelf stable snacks (rotated)
- us and Canada map
- copies of documents

Maps are a great idea!

[Deleted]

I don't, but DH has some of those MRE things in the basement.

[Deleted]

Aug 10, 2017 17:06:06 GMT -5 stinkyfeet said:

Aug 10, 2017 16:59:37 GMT -5 @akswartz85 said:

We live in an earthquake and wild fire zone. We have several backpacks: pets (food, bowls, leashes, etc), first aid, basic supplies (duct tape, soap, etc), food/water. We also have a grab and go binder: a red binder with copies of financial and other important docs like passports (this also exists for guardians of our kids if we die). The originals are in a safe that is fireproof and not portable.

I used a combination of the CA earthquake authority, Red Cross, and other lists to pull together what made sense for our family. We've been evacuated or close to it for fires several times, so this is helpful.

Oh, we also have a shared note on our phones that lists critical things to grab in an evacuation, like irreplacable pictures and computer hard drives.

I never would have thought of important documents! That makes a lot of sense.  Thank you for the ideas!

Sure! I think I used this list to build it: pin.it/XdVxT95

I got a zipper binder off Amazon, a box of page protectors, and some dividers to keep it organized.


Family and a couple who are close friends know where it is, what is in there, and what to do with it if DH and I die. I really wanted to put it together andter DH's dad passed away. Everything was a mess and it took months to piece his legal and financial life together.

[lilafowler]

Aug 10, 2017 17:04:35 GMT -5 stinkyfeet said:

OK. So I'm NOT weird! I was talking with a group of people and they were shocked that I didn't have a bag at the ready! Even where we live currently!

[blondemoment123]

No, but I should probably get one together for hurricane season.

[bugandbibs]

Yes, we do. We have backpacks hanging in the garage for each of us including our dog. They are each stocked with the usual things including food, water filtration bottles/tabs, flashlights, etc. MH and I each have a few extra things like a handcrank emergency radio, utility knives, medicine, copies of important documents. The kids all have a stuffie in theirs.

Each back pack has a luggage tag on it with their name, dob and blood type/medical alerts. On the flip side of the paper (inside the tag) lists our cell numbers, address and emergency contacts.

[ssmjlm]

No, but really hurricanes are the biggest issue and we have ample warning for those.

We do have $100 in the safe in cash bc after Isabel cash was the only way to buy anything. We probably should make it $200.

[Ohhmm(bligo)]

I have about 2 weeks of food and water (including for the dogs) in the basement. I don't have bug-out bags per say, but I'm a freak about our hiking bags - everyone, including the girls', has a first aid kit and survival kit, so we'd use those.

[Jalapeñomel]

No

[BaliHai]

No, but since we're probably going to be nuked by North Korea I should probably get something going.

[AlpineSlide]

I have a tornado kit (big Rubbermaid tub) in the basement that includes:
change of clothes for the whole family, a pair of shoes for me, candles, matches, food and water, tp, diapers and wipes for ds2, first aid kit, basic toiletries, flashlights, blankets, towels, a couple toys for the kids, whistle and reflective vest.
list of phone numbers taped to the lid of tub for family and important contacts because i don't know anyone's # by heart in case I lose my phone.

[kadams767]

Not exactly, but I do now have an emergency box that I keep in my car during winter. Water, flashlight, road flares, non perishable snacks, warm blankets, radio, two blankets, a small first aid kit, and a full change of clothes. I don't know if it's just that I'm old and paranoid now or if it's real, but I feel like every winter, there are more and more instances of people being stuck in their cars during storms

[dottyblue]

I'm in the northeast, and we are at bigger risk of being stuck at home without power (blizzards and hurricanes but we are way inland so flooding isn't a concern). We have everything we need to hunker down at home and stay warm, fed and hydrated. Bugging out isn't really an every day concern for us.

We have 3, 5-gallon containers of drinking water that DH refreshes every 6-9 months. Canned food to last a month, a camping stove and lantern, wool blankets, sleeping bags rated to -20 degrees and two gas fireplaces in our house that will operate even if the power is out and the generator goes.

[dale]

At home we keep plenty of non-perishable foods and bottled water, flashlights, candles, matches, lighters, and I keep a couple of those cell phone portable chargers ready to go. In the backpacks I have changes of clothing and shoes, feminine products, cell phone chargers, extra glasses and contacts. The binder with the important documents is in the kitchen disguised as a cookbook and the prescriptions are all in a tupperware in the kitchen so they are easy to grab.

I live in an area that was hit hard by Sandy. My home was spared because I live in a brick factory building that was turned into condos. But so many homes near me were ruined. We make sure to have plenty of blankets and pillows for anyone who needs a place to crash for a while.

[verycontrary247]

Yes. I made a 72-hour kit for my house. Has shelf stable food/water, medicine, flashlight, batteries, first aid stuff, TP, hygiene items, clothes, pet food- enough for 72 hours. Anything past that and I'd probably just go to my parents house. They're Mormons, and therefore very into emergency preparedness.

[W.T.Faulkner]

We're pretty fucked, tbh. We've got a basement, but it's really only got wine in it.

[Waffles]

Nope. We don't live in a hurricane/earthquake/prone to disaster zone so it never occurred to me.

We always have candles, bottled water and some long lasting foods like tinned tuna, and halloumi (zombie apocalypse cheese!), but it's not in case of a disaster.

[nicbreeful]

I do not but there's a really well stocked and not that expensive pack on Amazon that's been on my list forever.

[halfpint]

Aug 10, 2017 21:45:56 GMT -5 verycontrary247 said:

Yes. I made a 72-hour kit for my house. Has shelf stable food/water, medicine, flashlight, batteries, first aid stuff, TP, hygiene items, clothes, pet food- enough for 72 hours. Anything past that and I'd probably just go to my parents house. They're Mormons, and therefore very into emergency preparedness.

Why is that a thing? I've always meant to look that up or ask, I just find it curious. I had a really close friend who is RLDS, and she and her family always had bug out bags, and HUGE stockpiles of canned goods and supplies. Like you could go shopping in her mom's basement, shelves and shelves of non-perishables.  

[halfpint]

We don't have anything - I usually keep a few supplies in the car during the winter - blankets, gloves, flare sticks, granola bars, water.

The only natural disaster we're prone to is tornadoes, and for that, we're more likely to be trapped in the basement rather than needing to "bug out" - but it's been on my mind that we could be more prepared for a worst case scenario.

[wambam]

Aug 11, 2017 11:37:10 GMT -5 halfpint said:

Aug 10, 2017 21:45:56 GMT -5 verycontrary247 said:

Yes. I made a 72-hour kit for my house. Has shelf stable food/water, medicine, flashlight, batteries, first aid stuff, TP, hygiene items, clothes, pet food- enough for 72 hours. Anything past that and I'd probably just go to my parents house. They're Mormons, and therefore very into emergency preparedness.

Why is that a thing? I've always meant to look that up or ask, I just find it curious. I had a really close friend who is RLDS, and she and her family always had bug out bags, and HUGE stockpiles of canned goods and supplies. Like you could go shopping in her mom's basement, shelves and shelves of non-perishables.  

I don't know why, but the previous owners of my house were Mormon. The garage was FILLED with 5-gallon buckets of rice and beans, as well as other canned goods. And there was a 55 gallon drum of rain water.