Essential Items for an Emergency Bag During the Coronavirus Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.
The New Go Bag What You Need in Your Emergency Escape Kit
As COVID-19 lingers add masks and hand sanitizer along with food batteries and medications
LifestyleVisuals/Getty Images Some reasons you might need to leave home in a hurry? Hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, mudslides, floods. These events are becoming more common, so people across the country are preparing by keeping a bag — or several — packed with what they’ll need to grab if they must leave home in an emergency. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. JoAnn Rash first realized the need for a “go bag" after a California friend was forced to evacuate quickly during an earthquake. Rash, 56, consulted the American Red Cross for recommendations on a disaster preparedness kit in case she and her family ever have to flee their home in Vancouver, Washington. She then found an oversize backpack with lots of pockets and filled it with essentials, from flashlights and batteries to bottled water. “I felt like we needed to be ready for whatever comes our way,” Rash explains. In 2022, wildfires in states including Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico put thousands of people under evacuation orders. More than 300,000 people on the west coast of Flor ida were under mandatory evacuation orders as Hurricane Ian approached. They included Dick Cooper, 75, who prepared for the arrival of Hurricane Ian from his Sarasota home reassured that he had a generator and was stocked with supplies. His area was not under an evacuation order. While he did not have a bag packed, the retired journalist said if he did need to leave unexpectedly he could be ready within an hour. All of his 300,000 photos and other important information are backed up on a few external hard drives the size of novels, he noted, so he’d just need to grab those, his computer, medication , clothes and a few other items and he’d be ready to go “It’s like packing three library books and I’m out the door with all my writing and my photography,” Cooper says. Packing a go bag is essential for disaster preparedness. Here are important items to include. 1 The bag
Your carryall must be large and sturdy enough to hold the essentials and small enough to grab on the run. A backpack is a great option. If you’re not able to carry a heavy bag, Sury recommends a duffel bag on wheels. too. Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers > 3 Personal essentials
Purchase travel-size toiletries and a . Pack a change of clothing, including a warm, waterproof layer, as well as an extra pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses (and solution). Other items that should be in your go bag are an emergency blanket, scissors, duct tape, work gloves, towels and matches, according to the American Red Cross. 4 COVID-19 needs
The lingering pandemic means that are an essential go-bag item, and they can also be used to filter out ash from fires. However, Sury cautions that only N95 masks will filter out fire particulates that could trigger asthma or allergic responses. that contains at least 60 percent alcohol, soap, antibacterial wipes and a thermometer are important too, Sury advises. 5 Medications
If there is a warning that you may be evacuated, call your pharmacy and request an extra medication refill. Pack a list of your medications and the phone numbers for your pharmacy and physicians. You’ll also need portable versions of specialized medical equipment like syringes, CPAP machines and oxygen tanks. If you have to evacuate without notice, the , in partnership with the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs, maps the pharmacies that are open in disaster-stricken areas. If you have to evacuate without notice, the RX Open website, in partnership with the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs, maps the list of pharmacies that are open in disaster-stricken areas. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Entertainment 30% off a 1-year subscription See more Entertainment offers > 7 Paperwork
Make photocopies of essential documents, including passports; birth certificates; driver’s licenses; ; marriage, adoption and naturalization certificates; title or lease documents; insurance paperwork; and credit and debit card information. Make sure to store these in a waterproof, zip-top bag. 8 Cash
If natural disasters cause power outages, you may not be able to use your debit or credit cards to make purchases, so add cash to your go bag. Sury suggests “a couple hundred dollars” for a two-member household, to cover gas, food and other last-minute essentials. A combination of small bills and rolls of quarters is ideal if you need to buy food or water from vending machines. Keep your go bag in an accessible location, such as a front hall closet or garage, where it’s easy to grab on your way out the door. “[Packing a go bag] does take an investment of time, energy and a little bit of money,” Sury says, “but the payoff is worth it to have that peace of mind.” AARP Home & Family Editor Michelle R. Davis contributed to this story.
Jodi Helmer is a contributing writer who covers gardening, health and the environment. She has also written for Scientific American, National Geographic Traveler and NPR. Michelle Davis covers home, family and multicultural stories and is a features editor for AARP. Previously, she was the senior writer and social media strategist for EdWeek Market Brief and a senior correspondent at Education Week. More from AARP AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Restaurants offers > See more Travel Planning offers > See more Entertainment offers > See more Groceries offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS