If the past few months of “once-in-a-lifetime” hurricanes have taught our country anything, it’s that you have to be prepared for the worst, even when you least expect it. But when you know a big storm or weather event is coming, it’s easy to feel a little panicked and overwhelmed. What Do Do you need to pack to evacuate? What do you need to leave behind? At this point, it pays to pack an escape kit for your family (possibly more than one, depending on how many people you have).
Wondering how to build a family’s disaster supply kit without spending every last penny? You can definitely do this slowly and steadily. When you order items from Amazon or enter the grocery store, add an item or two from your getaway bag list. That way you won’t feel like you’re investing hundreds of dollars all at once, only to tuck your new investment into a closet for a few months.
If you live in an area subject to severe weather like hurricanes, tornadoes, or flash floods, packing a bug-out kit is actually a great way to give yourself peace of mind. Knowing you can pick up your bags and leave with everything you need for a few days is so much better than scrambling to put everything together in the days leading up to a storm. It’s important to start with the essentials: food and water.
01Non-perishable food within 72 hours
Emergency preparedness experts generally say 72 hours of food is enough to sustain you until your power is restored or you can safely leave the disaster area and go elsewhere. Ready.gov, the U.S. government’s emergency preparedness resource, recommends that you stock up on the following foods:
- Shelf life stable (or no need for refrigeration), low in salt, no cooking required (e.g. canned and dried fruits, granola, energy bars, peanut butter, jams, jelly, honey)
- Canned and dried vegetables and fruits
- Low-salt crackers, Ritz crackers, graham crackers, or animal crackers
- Cereals, packaged oatmeal
- breakfast bar
- peanut butter, jelly or honey
- nut
- Canned and dry soups, such as Lipton and Knorr pasta packages
- Canned meats such as tuna, chicken, salmon or sardines
- Milk powder, cocoa powder, instant coffee or other dry beverage mixes
- Krusteaz Instant Pancake Mix, Jiffy Waffle Mix or Bisquick
- Sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chicken and beef bouillon cubes
IMPORTANT TIP: If you’re packing canned goods, don’t forget a small can opener! Camping cookware can also be helpful. If you want to continue packing food into travel bags, store edible items in airtight, insect-proof containers and store them all in a cool, dark place.
02Cleans more with the same amount of water and supplies
If your water source is cut off or contaminated, you will need to have enough clean drinking water on hand to last three days. FEMA and the Red Cross recommend that you drink one gallon of water per person per day in your home. If you can’t carry that much on your back (and who can), Ready.gov recommends packing a portable water filter or straw in your bag. This LifeStraw has over 117,000 reviews on Amazon and has a rating of 4.8 stars.
03cash
If the power goes out, credit and debit cards may not get you anywhere. Keep cash in your bag in various denominations so you can still buy essentials if you need to.
04first aid kit
It doesn’t have to be fancy; it just has to have the essentials. The kit contains everything you need to treat minor cuts and scrapes, and is tucked nicely into a hard case so nothing gets squished or contaminated.
05power bank
You’ll most likely want to charge your phone or other devices, and having a power bank that charges using solar energy is crucial. It doubles as a flashlight and comes with built-in cords so you don’t have to fumble around in the dark to connect any cords.
06Flashlight and batteries
If you carry a battery-operated flashlight, don’t forget to pack a few extra AAs in your bag. Alternatively, you can buy a small but powerful rechargeable flashlight to avoid carrying heavy batteries. There are tons of products available on Amazon. Just make sure the flashlight you buy matches the port of your power bank so you don’t find out they’re incompatible in a crisis.
07Important documents are best placed in a dry bag
Home insurance policy, Social Security card, birth certificate—you may need them, but getting copies can be a pain. Let’s be honest, we all have some photos, letters, or other paper items that just can’t be replaced. Collect them before a storm, place them safely in a weatherproof bag, and place the bag in your bag.
08hand crank radio
Bring a lightweight hand-crank radio—with a little effort, you can receive the latest weather updates no matter how long the power outage lasts. This product is endorsed by the American Red Cross, so it won’t let you down when you need it most.
09basic hygiene products
Don’t overwhelm yourself with a million chopsticks here. Think of everyone’s toilet paper, wipes, travel-sized toothpaste and toothbrushes. It’s easy to forget about tampons or pads, but if disaster strikes and you happen to be on your period, you’ll be so grateful that your past self packed some.
10Pet food, medications, and extra collars with leashes
when you just want to try goyou don’t want to be looking around for your dog’s leash or your cat’s cage. Store the items needed to transport your pet in the bag, and bring a spare leash and collar in case the first set of items gets damaged.
Of course, don’t forget to pack food, water, and any necessary medications for your furbaby.
11Sleeping bag or emergency blanket
If you already have sleeping bags for everyone in your family, that’s great! If you don’t, or you’re looking for something smaller to pack into your already overstuffed travel bag, emergency mylar blankets are thinner. Super affordable bonus points.
12Prescription and over-the-counter essentials
You will need some medications after a natural disaster. Painkillers are good, plus some painkillers and antidiarrheals to help you drink soup powder, you know? A travel pill box like this one keeps things organized without having to carry around an entire bottle of medication.
Getting prescription medication ahead of time can be difficult, so when you hear a storm is coming, throw your prescription medication into a small bag and keep it near your escape bag. Maybe you can’t hide them like ibuprofen, but you can make them easily accessible in an emergency.
13One change of clothes per person
We’re thinking 72 hours here, so chances are you’ll all want a fresh pair of underwear (and everything else) at some point. A spare set of clothes will be enough to get you through without weighing you down too much.
14A backpack that can hold everything
Escape bag experts on Reddit — not sure how you learned so much, but they seem to know their stuff — say you should wait until you have all your other gear before buying a real bag. This will help you purchase products that suit your needs and supplies. Until then, you can use any old suitcase or duffel bag, heavy-duty storage container, or even a cooler with wheels.
Keep an eye on your local thrift stores, especially outdoor thrift stores and consignment stores, for hiking backpacks. Packs designed for long distance hiking are very roomy and as comfortable as possible. This way, you might be able to buy a great bug-out bag for less money. This bag is a fairly affordable option with rave reviews, and it includes a useful rain cover to keep your bag and its contents dry.
15Practical Dandy Items to Solve Problems
What good is your tarp if you don’t have anything to hang or secure it with? What should you do if your bag breaks and your carefully packed supplies fall out? Keep a small bag full of things that will make other things work better, such as:
- zip tie
- Plumbing tape
- fishing line
- a needle and a thread
- Matches or lighter
- Scissors
- safety pin
- super glue
- elastic cord
- parachute cord
16What should I put in my child’s bug out bag?
If your child is old enough to carry a bag, you can pack it with your own headlamp, water bottle, blanket, food, and more. Make sure they have a whistle and glow stick so they are always easy to find, and it never hurts to post a card for them with an emergency contact number. If you have the space, a few cozy items are also a good idea.
As you gather all the items you need for your family’s outing bag, hopefully this will bring you a little peace knowing that no matter what happens, your loved one will have everything they need.
