The Emergency Bags You'll Be Glad You Packed!

We call them "emergencies" for a reason--they loom suddenly and often without warning. Having a ready-to-go emergency bag can make all the difference in how we fare during these crises.

It’s actually good to have two emergency bags—one to take with us when we leave home, the other for when we’re stuck at home during a power outage

, severe weather, or other emergencies.

What to keep in each bag, you ask?

Well, start by asking yourself these questions:

• What would I be frustrated, uncomfortable, or unsafe without?

• What would be difficult to replace quickly?

• What would I probably forget if I had only ten minutes to evacuate?

Think “Go” and “Stay”

GO-BAG

What you grab when you need to leave home, this bag should be easy to find, easy to carry, and contain items that you can’t be without.

In addition to the typical things, like a change of clothes (relevant to season and climate), cash, non-perishable snacks (like granola bars and crackers), water, a flashlight (make sure it works!), and batteries. Your go-bag should also include things that you can’t be without for any length of time.  If they’ll fit in your go-bag, throw them in:

• Essential medications & up-to-date medication list along with dose & prescription info

• Spare pair of prescription and/or reading glasses!

• Hearing-aid batteries or chargers

• Back-up medical and mobility equipment and supplies, if possible

• Copies of important medical and emergency contact information—on paper, not just on your phone

• Phone charging cable and/or backup charging option

Do you use a walker, wheelchair, or cane?  Do you rely on oxygen equipment or some other medical device?  If so, you want to think through logistics before an emergency occurs--can I get the equipment out of the house quickly? What if the elevator doesn't work?  Do I have the accessories I need, like batteries, chargers, tubing?

Last but not necessarily least in my humble opinion, every good go-bag should include something comforting—in my case a big bag of peanut M&Ms. To soothe the savage beast, as my mother used to say.  

We can't forget our pets, either. They should have their own go-bags, with food, medications, identification, leash, and waste disposal supplies.  

STAY-KIT

A stay-kit helps you manage better when you’re stuck at home during an emergency—power outage, extreme weather, shelter-in-place order. If you depend on medical equipment that requires electricity, make a plan for backup power.

Stay-kits usually include a food stash that requires little to no prep, a radio, either battery-powered or hand-crank, warm blankets, and pet supplies among other items.

Keep it simple—and keep your bags where you can find them

Don’t bury them at the back of a closet where they'll be forgotten. Keep them accessible and make sure that everyone in your life who should know where they are does (family members, caregivers, and perhaps even a trusted neighbor). And put date labels on those items that expire--those dates come up awfully quickly.

Don’t forget to check your emergency bags periodically to look at expiration dates and replace old batteries.  Make sure the mice haven't found their way in to swipe your favorite peanut butter crackers, as they did mine!