Survival guides · Family & Communication

Build a Go-Bag

WHEN TO USE THISThree days of what you need, packed and by the door — grab it and go in under 5 minutes.

1. Water and food

   • 1 gallon per person per day. Sealed bottles or pouches.
   • 3 days of food that needs no cooking: bars, jerky, peanut butter, dried fruit, trail mix.
   • Cans? Pop-tops, or pack an opener.
   • Purification tablets as a backup.
   Why

   Three gallons weighs 25 pounds — too much to carry far. If it's too heavy, pack some water and the tablets, and keep the rest in the car.

2. Warmth, shelter, light

   • Mylar blankets — 2 each.
   • Poncho or small tarp.
   • A change of clothes, extra socks and underwear, sturdy shoes.
   • Headlamp or flashlight, spare batteries.
   • Lighter or waterproof matches. A pocketknife or multi-tool.

3. Health

   • First aid kit.
   • 7 days of every prescription.
   • Glasses, hearing aids, inhalers — whatever you need.
   • N95 masks (2 each), hand sanitizer, toothbrush, soap, period products, sunscreen.
   • A whistle clipped outside the bag.

4. Papers and contact

   • In a waterproof bag: copies of IDs, insurance cards, birth certificates, medical records.
   • Cash in small bills — card readers and ATMs go down.
   • Battery or hand-crank radio.
   • Charger and power bank.
   • Contacts on paper. A paper map.

Sources: FEMA / Ready.gov Build a Kit · American Red Cross Emergency Kit Checklist

General information to help in an emergency — not a substitute for training or professional care.