Basics of Building a Go-Bag Emergency Preparedness in Wahkiakum County

Basics of Building a Go-Bag

Emergency Preparedness in Wahkiakum County

By Shirley Rheault

This is part 2 of a 4-part series

Disasters can happen at any time and when it strikes it can take first responders days or possibly weeks to reach you. That's why you need to have an emergency plan.

An emergency plan needs to cover what to do if you need to leave or stay where you are. Last week I went through the basic supplies to have on hand for sheltering in place. This article will cover the basics for building a grab and "Go Bag" to be used in the event you need to evacuate.

Every member of your family and every pet will need a Go-Bag with survival essentials in it. A Go-Bag is to be stored in a convenient, easy to get to place in your home so you can grab it and go quickly in case you have to evacuate. A backpack works the best. The very basic needs to consider in evacuating are a three-day supply of food, water, and shelter. Most likely you'll be able to shelter in your vehicle, but if things don't go as planned, you may have to go on foot, and you don't want your bag to be too heavy.

As you can imagine, canned food is bulky and heavy, so this isn't an option. The best choice is freeze-dried food. It's lightweight to carry and it has a long shelf life. For additional foods, you'll want to consider higher-calorie packaged foods, such as energy bars, granola bars, jerky, dried fruit, nuts, and trail mix. Just make sure to rotate these foods to keep them fresh.

Carrying in a backpack all the water necessary for three days will not be practical. Pack a couple 16-oz. bottles of water to be refilled after they've been emptied. You'll also want to get either water purifying tablets, a water filter straw, or a water bladder with an in-line water filter to be able to make your own drinking water. And don't forget to grab as much of that water you stored up for sheltering in place and throw them into your vehicle as you're leaving your home. (And grabbing those containers of gas you stored in the garage is a good idea, too.)

You'll need a flashlight and/or a headlamp with extra batteries. Instead of keeping batteries in my flashlights, I store them in a snack-size baggie and rubber band them to my flashlight which allows me to easily see if they are corroded or compromised.

A very basic small first-aid kit is a must, as is a versatile pocket knife. You'll also need strike-anywhere matches in a waterproof case; and a snack size bag of potato chips is a fantastic fire starter, and you don't have to worry if they go rancid - they'll burn just the same.

To protect your body from the elements you'll want to pack an emergency rain poncho with a hood. If nothing else, a 33-gallon plastic bag with holes cut out for your arms and head works reasonably well, with a baseball cap for your head. Fleece outerwear is warm but can be bulky. Try to avoid cotton clothing; if it gets damp it takes forever to dry. Mylar Emergency Blankets are a good addition to your Go Bag. They're compact and affordable, and readily available online. A warm jacket and a good pair of shoes and socks are a must, especially if you have to go on foot. These items can be tied to the outside of your bag so you can put them on as you're heading out.

Here's a short list of personal hygiene items for each bag: a small bottle of hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes, travel size baby wipes, toilet paper or packages of Kleenex, latex gloves, two large microfiber wash cloths for washing and drying, a toothbrush, travel size toothpaste and floss, lip balm, nail clippers, and a comb. For the gals' Go-Bags you may want to pack feminine hygiene products and a female urination device (like "Go Girl" or P-Mate).

Other important items to have in your Go-Bag are plastic bags. Pack a few Ziploc gallon and quart sizes, produce bags with twist ties, and a couple of large trash bags (can be used as a tarp for above, a ground cover, plus more). Duct tape is extremely useful; you can either wrap a couple yards around one of your 16-oz water bottles, or use the last end of the roll so it doesn't take up room and weight. Also, put some cord in your bag for tying up things like tarps. Paracord is strong and flexible as well as lightweight. Carry a pen, pencil and a small waterproof notepad in a Ziplock bag and include a small radio to get emergency updates. To help pass the down time, pack a deck of playing cards, a fun game, or a small book. For the kiddos make sure to pack a favorite toy.

Your pets will have extra needs besides food, water, and a bowl. They will need a leash and a collar or harness with their name and your phone number on it. They'll need a favorite toy and blanket. And if you can, take their crate, especially if your pet is a cat. When it becomes apparent you might have to evacuate, put your pets in their crates right away so you don't have to go looking for them when it's time to leave. If you don't have a crate, confine them to a room.

Another important thing to have in each Go-Bag are photos of each family member and each pet in case any of you get separated. Then you'll have these photos to show people when you're trying to locate your loved one.

You'll need cash. You'll want enough to fill your gas tank several times and to buy food and meals, if you're lucky enough to find a restaurant. Get small denominations and consider stashing it in several places in your bag.

You also you will want to make copies of all ID (driver's license, passport, military ID, Social Security card, Medicare card and insurance card). And make a list, on paper, of all your contacts: friends, family, banks, brokerage, employers, utilities, insurance, etc. Make copies of all your important documents you'll need to get your life back on track after the disaster. Put these in a waterproof plastic bag.

After these essentials, you can add other items you think would be helpful: an extra pair of prescription glasses in a hard case, sunglasses, dust mask, a compass, electrical ties, cara-biners, additional fire starters, wool socks, travel size sewing kit with scissors, tweezers, insect repellent wipes, binoculars, plastic forks, spoons and knives, and so on. Just remember, you might have to walk some distance with this bag, so keep it light.

There will be special considerations for the disabled and the elderly who could face some monumental challenges that might prevent them from evacuating. These folks should also have an evacuation plan which could include trusted friends and neighbors.

The final part of preparing an evacuation plan is your vehicle. Get in the habit of never letting your vehicle's fuel tank get below half full. Your vehicle should already have some basic emergency items in it, like a flashlight, a tool kit, medical kit, flares, and a blanket. But you could easily throw more items in your vehicle that will bring aid and comfort to you if you get stranded in your vehicle for hours and possibly have to spend night in there.

One last tip, whenever we travel more than about 50 miles away from home we throw our Go-Bags in the vehicle, along with an extra gallon of water. You just never know if your Go-Bag will instantly become your Get-Back-Home bag if a disaster happens to occur while you're traveling.

Building a Go-Bag can be overwhelming. But with the recent aftermaths of hurricanes Helene and Milton we've seen how crucial it is to have an emergency plan that includes having a Go-Bag. I hope the tips in this article make it a bit easier to meet your objective of building one.

Next weeks' article will cover how to make a Last-Minute Evacuation List. These are items you cannot pack ahead of time but are crucial to take with you.