I came across an article describing how to stock a go bag. I used to think that was something for survivalists, but, after living in the USA’s Southeast for a while, I realized go bags are for everyone.

We live in an region susceptible to natural disasters like floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes, so we could be called to leave our house at any time.

In fact, we leave our house in a sense by heading to our tornado room. We quickly learned to put our important papers and other item in a couple of boxes to quickly carry them to the tornado room. That includes grabbing external hard drives that store data.

Main point of the article:

• “I need to be prepared to evacuate my home with virtually no notice, at any time of day or night, and at any time of year.”
• “I’m a mom, so a lot of the commercial go-bag options give me pause. They might provide enough security for a single able-bodied adult to hack it without the conveniences of modern life, but the littles are a lot more fragile than that.”

More about it:

• Backpack: “What I need is a container that can handle almost any scenario, from rain to snow to sleet. It also needs to be exceptionally durable.”
• Shelter: “While experienced survivalists might be able to set up a survival tarp in the dead of night, after experiencing a stressful and potentially traumatic disaster, that will keep the whole family dry during a snowstorm, most of us probably aren’t up for it. Err on the side of caution when sussing out your abilities and needs.”
• Sleep: “Your sleep system is the last of the Big Three items in your go bag, which will take up the bulk of the space. I’m referring to it as a system here, because you need more than just a sleeping bag. You also need a sleeping pad, which protects yourself and your family from the cold ground.”
• Water: “Securing a safe water source is one of the most important aspects to survival, up there with shelter. Your approach to water will look different depending on your environment…I would also recommend packing several soft-sided water bottles, which pack down small, in addition to a hard-sided water bottle.”
• Food: “…plan to have about three days’ worth of food in your go bag—ideally about 6,000 calories per person.”
• Clothing: “When packing your clothing, focus on layers for maximum versatility.”
• Don’t forget toiletries and first aid.
• Make sure to include light, power, and tools. Among those items should be a whistle. Multitools can be useful.
• Communication: “Cell service can be spotting during emergencies due to so many calls going through. That’s when a satellite messenger can keep you in touch with people. It can also alert search and rescue to your location for rescue.”

The article has other valuable advice. It’s worth your time to read through it and start making a list of things to do and buy.

The writer linked to various products, so conaider supporting her when you get to a point of buying and purchase through her links.

In addition to those products, here are links to some budget-friendly starter packs:

• https://amzn.to/3JPn5oL
• https://amzn.to/4n0oveA
• https://amzn.to/4p78HIu
• https://amzn.to/3HTJsc5
• https://amzn.to/46n41H4
• https://amzn.to/47q0lWb
• https://amzn.to/4m3VLka 

See below for a book