Essential Items You Need in Your Emergency Kit - Go Bag
Bug Out Bag is another common name, but regardless to what you want to call this bag, you should definitely have a backpack that is always packed and always ready to go for any emergency situation.
This bag is strictly prepared to keep you alive in a myriad of situations... earthquakes, fires, disasters of any kind, zombie attacks, aliens, etc.
Your bag can only be helpful to you if you have it on you.
I do not mean to literally take this with you all day, but ideally you keep one in your vehicle at all times and one at your house at all times.
You can be prepared all you want, but if you do not have access to your go bag, your sh*t out of luck in an emergency situation.
Setting Up Your Bag
It is important to get good equipment to fill your emergency bags. Each person in your family should have their own personal go bag as well (we'll dive into this later on in the article).
You need 2 emergency kits for yourself. One to be kept in your car at all times and the other in a secure known location to your family at your home.
The following are the essential items you need in your emergency kits:
Durable back pack with chest and waist strap (you can also re-purpose an old backpack, but make sure it has proper support)
Hatchet and / or large full tang knife (this one happens to include fire starters)
Several ways to make fire such as:
Lighter
Matches
Water - Water tablets and / or LifeStraw (ideally both)
I like the gravity LifeStraw system as you can filter a lot more water in one go
Preferably have a 3 liter water jug with a handle (so you can strap it on) in your car at all times
Including a bottle of water or two is helpful as you can reuse this in the future.
Instead of cheap emergency blankets which rip / tear easily (this blanket can also be used to collect water and to signal for help with its reflective side)
Video from REI, learn how to use a compass
Per the fire starter above, it came with a compass… but it is usually a good idea to have a reliable compass
Food - you can add in some freeze dried meals as well as some protein bars
Buying in bulk will save $ for freeze dried meals
Simple sewing kit you can get from a hotel (you really just want the needles and some thread)
Any medications and toiletry basics (toothbrush / paste, extra contacts, etc.)
Floss is extremely strong and is better than basic thread as it can fix many things
$1,000 Cash (smaller bills)
Copy of personal information on USB / printed version in waterproof (bank statements, medical insurance, ...)
Head torch flashlight (including a back up is always a good idea)
Extra pair of clothes that are moisture wicking (example)
Rain jacket, fleece, long sleeve shirt, (2) underwear, and (2) socks
In colder climates, double your layers and include gloves and a hat.
Small bible (or essential important memorabilia to you that is small such as your grandparent's rings, etc.)
Your clothing choice should depend on your climate to an extent, but if you have ever spent the night outside without much protection (which you likely have not and if you have, you will know…), it gets really cold... even in Southern California.
The above items really are the bare minimum to include in your bag and you should add the other items listed below for a fully setup kit.
Things can get expensive, I get it.
But the point is to have this bag as a safety crutch if you ever happen to find yourself in an emergency. And you will likely be trusting your life on your gear, so you can not buy cheap products.
Do not skimp!
Additional Gear
You will be buying this stuff once in your lifetime (well twice since you should have two bags for yourself).
These are excellent items to further equip your emergency kit beyond the essentials:
MSR Fuel Stove that can burn more propellants (eg. you can use gasoline, kerosene, white gas, etc.)
Don’t forget to bring a fuel bottle
Trap making essentials (Extra rope / ripcord / wire)
or you can buy pre-made snares for small game
A pocket saw is lightweight and can be more efficient than a hatchet
Foldable recurve bow as it is much easier to make arrows than bullets
Practicing with your new bow is a great idea
Duct tape (if it’s good enough for astronauts…)
Battery pack and cellphone charger
Keep your phone on airplane mode and only use it for emergencies!
Sunglasses (we prefer cheap ones that float and are polarized)
Precious metals (Gold for larger trades and silver for smaller trading requirements)
Pack of playing cards or something small and fun
A rugged hard drive (think if your house is burning down and you have no time to grab your desktop computer with all your documents and videos, picture albums, files, etc.)
This may urge you to digitize your life more. Ideally, you are using a password manager and not storing your passwords in plain text on this drive.
Make sure to back things up on the cloud too…
Printed out scenario based plans (we’ll discuss this at length in another article)
Go bag in the back of a car, ready to go!
Family Planning
Each person in your family should have their own personal go bag with their relative personal effects.
For example, if you have 2 young kids, make sure to add their general clothing items, preferably warmer clothes as well as long lasting snacks and a few bottles of water. They can carry some weight, so let them help you.
Similarly, if you have a dog... get a dog vest with saddlebags and collapsible bowls. You can store bags of food in Ziploc containers in their bag. Your dog is a dog, they can definitely carry their own weight and stomach less palatable water.
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!
Mad Eye Moody, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
We will cover scenario based plans in the future, but the gist is that you establish a plan of action with your family for a variety of situations (eg. where to go, how long to wait, etc.). But at a minimum, setup an emergency kit and put it in your car with the essentials.
Ideally, you will also have a go bag at home you can easily grab and go if any life threatening situation arises.
Try to familiarize yourself with all the new equipment you are putting in your bags. Use them and understand how they function.
You will be prepared.
Being ready to survive is another story and the will to live will surmount any gear you may have. A great book to read and add to your collection is the SAS Survival Guide as it goes over some excellent techniques to learn.
It is time to get started!
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