It's Time to Make a Go-Bag

Your kick in the pants to be ready for evacuation

After reading Max Brooks’ Devolution, I went into a frenzy of starting to get moving on putting together our Go-Bags. For those new to emergency prep, a Go-Bag (or a Bug-Out Bag according to those in the survivalist world–although these might be a bit more hard-core than the typical “go bag”) is an emergency evacuation bag that has the basics of what you need to get to somewhere safe. A wildfire is getting close to your home and your neighborhood has been ordered to evacuate? Grab your go-bag and hit the road. An earthquake has made your home unsafe to stay in until it’s been evaluated by the professionals? Your go-bag has what you need to get to another safer location. 

By way of this post, I’m confessing to the fact that we do not yet have our go-bags. There is no good reason for that other than we’re human and we humans are wont to kick the can down the road when it’s an uncomfortable thing to think about that won’t benefit you at that very moment. So for anyone that’s new to emergency preparedness, you can rest assured that even those of us who think about this stuff all the time can be avoidant of such tasks and we’re not that far ahead of you (some of us at least).

But reading Devolution really got me and my husband moving on taking the steps. So I pulled out the go-bag list Brekke Wagoner and I made for our 10 Weeks to Preparedness series and workbook. To get started, I pulled several old backpacks we had lingering in the basement for this very purpose. Then, I went to the closet where I had a pile of clothes set to be donated and grabbed some appropriate clothes in case of evacuation (i.e., not necessarily that business casual blouse I wasn’t wearing anymore, but definitely that old sweatshirt I thought I didn’t need). We still have a few things to acquire/assemble such as the NOAA weather radio, rain ponchos, and packable entertainment. But we’re getting there.

While I went down the go-bag assembling frenzy, my friend Kathleen posted on her Instagram Stories that she always has an emergency sock-knitting kit with her at all times. When I responded that she needs to put that in her go-bag, she responded with something like: for real, all these earthquakes are making me feel I need a go-bag (she lives in LA!).

So in…honor(?)...of me going into a go-bag panic, you, my dear readers, get to benefit. I have removed the paywall for the “Plan for An Evacuation” post of our “10 Weeks to Preparedness” series so you, too, can get your go-bag in order. 

So, click the link above and go forth and make a go-bag and report back in the comments.