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Go Bag Checklist

Your go bags are kept packed and ready at hand for a quick 3-day evacuation out of the region. Each member of your household, including pets, should have a go bag, but no one bag needs to have all of these supplies. Balance loads for weight and content across all bags (i.e., don’t place all of the food in a single go bag).


  • Amount of water that you can carry PLUS water purification method (purification tablets, small hand pumps)

  • Food: 3-day supply of non-perishable, nutrient-dense food for evacuation (include energy bars)

  • Manual can opener

  • Battery-powered, solar, or hand-crank NOAA weather radio

  • Two flashlights (one handheld, one headlamp) with extra batteries stored outside of the flashlight

  • Small first aid kit, supplemented with Celox, trauma pads, athletic tape, Betadine, and disposable gloves

  • Signal whistle

  • Lighter or waterproof matches

  • P100 mask (wildfire) and KN95 mask (medical).

  • Medications (minimum 7-day supply)

  • Glasses, contact lenses with solution, hearing aids with backup batteries

  • Personal hygiene and comfort items: menstrual products, lip balm, pain relievers

  • Sanitation: toilet paper, hand sanitizer, moist towelettes, 2 trash bags, 5 large zippered bags, and plastic zip ties

  • Pocket multi-tool knife

  • Work gloves

  • Compass

  • Cell phone with chargers, battery backup, and/or solar charger

  • Sturdy shoes

  • Complete change of sturdy clothing including a long-sleeved shirt and long pants

  • Two pairs of socks

  • Eye protection: sunglasses, safety goggles, and baseball cap

  • Weather protection: rain poncho, shell jacket, or cold-weather jacket as needed

  • Sunscreen and bug spray as needed

  • Regional map with possible evacuation routes marked

  • Notebook and pencil

  • Important documents on a USB thumb drive

  • Pet gear: sturdy leash, harness, collar with ID tags; collapsible water bowl; 7-day supply of normal food and medications, crate for smaller animals not on voice control, cat litter and box as needed

  • Sleeping bag or two Mylar blankets and duct tape to make your own emergency bag

  • Tarp with 100’ paracord to secure it overhead or a one-person tent. Add a second ground tarp to stay dry.

  • Sillcock (4-way) key for turning valves.

  • Backpacking stove and cookset and utensils with fuel canisters

  • Two-way radio (store batteries outside of the units)

  • Folding shovel

  • Saw

  • Reminder to grab extra keys to your house/vehicle and copies of important personal documents and cash (small bills)

  • Reminder to retrieve items stored elsewhere

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