Every "Important" Item You Need to Take With You in an Evacuation
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As we see news coverage of the devastating Palisades fire in Los Angeles County, those of us who don't live in the area have two immediate thoughts. First, how can I help? (Donating to The American Red Cross and The California Fire Foundation are good places to start.) And, second, what can I do to be prepared if I'm ever affected by a wildfire, tornado, or other natural disaster?
No one wants to think about having to flee their home, but it's a smart idea—and might give you a little bit more peace of mind—if you have a go bag prepared in case you ever receive an evacuation order. To help make that task easier, we've compiled a list of items to pack in an easy-to-access bag or crate. (A good place to keep it might be the garage or hall closet—someplace you'll pass by on your way out.)
It's a smart idea to pack a bag for every member of the family and store larger items, like camping supplies, in the trunk of your car. Gathering all of these materials might seem daunting at first, so we've broken it down into key categories. Read over the list below first, then make sure you have all the items on hand. Stock up on extra batteries, make copies of important documents, and take photos of each room for insurance purposes. Then you can pack your bag—and we hope you'll never have to use it.
(And if you're wondering just how likely your region is to be caught in a national disaster, check out FEMA's interactive National Risk Index map, which will assess your county's risk of everything from avalanches to wildfires.)
Emergency Supplies
Battery-powered flashlight: This is key so that you're not running down your cell phone battery in the dark if the electricity goes out.
Battery-powered radio: A vital news and communication tool if power goes out and cell phones die.
Camping supplies: If your evacuation plan doesn't involve going to someone else's home, you might need sleeping bags, blankets, even a tent.
Cash: Depending on the extent of the disaster in the area, ATMs may not be working.
Changes of clothes: Again, every member of the family will need something to change into, plus extra underwear and socks. Include something waterproof like a rain poncho.
Extra batteries: To power all your devices.
Food and water: You'll need enough for each member of your household; how much depends on where you're going and for how long. Most insurance companies recommend a three-day supply when evacuating. But at the very least, have some bottled or boxed water and granola bars stored in your go bag.
Whistle: This is a must-have if you need to signal for help.
Medical Care and Hygiene
Any prescription medication.
Backup pairs of glasses and extra contacts.
A first aid kit: This should have gauze, bandaids, and other supplies. Add in mini travel vials of painkillers or other over-the-counter medication you like to have handy.
Masks: If the air is full of smoke or other contaminants, you'll be glad to have these on hand.
Miscellaneous toiletries: Feminine hygiene supplies, contact lens solution, deodorant, whatever would bum you out if you forgot to pack it on an overnight trip and couldn't run to a drugstore.
Wipes, hand sanitizer, soap: Anything to help you stay clean. To avoid heavy liquids, consider stocking up on hand soap, shampoo, and body wash sheets or tablets.
Important Documents
Checks: Throw a checkbook in your bag in case credit card machines are down.
Copies of anything important: Make copies of all driver's licenses, passports, social security cards, passports, health insurance cards, birth certificates, or anything else that you wouldn't want gone forever. Then store those copies in your go bag so that you can have the originals replaced if you don't have them on you or with you when you evacuate. (It's smart to have originals stored in a safe or safety deposit box, but it may take you a while to access that, making copies very helpful.) As you're prepping your go bag, scan deeds, car titles, lease agreements, and other documents you might need down the road and store them in the cloud or on a thumb drive.
Electronics
Cell phones and chargers, along with back-up chargers.
Laptops and chargers: You hope to have time to throw these in at the last minute, but in case you won't, always make sure to upload important documents to a cloud server or download them regularly onto thumb drives you toss into your stored go bag.
Baby or Pet Supplies
Diapers, formula, and bottles for your kids.
Litter, food, medication, travel crates for four-legged family members.
Nice-to-Have Items
Photos of your home. When you have time (i.e., not when you're fleeing a natural disaster), take photos of each room in your home. These may come in handy for insurance purposes should you ever have to claim losses.
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