What to Take with You
I did an NPR Talk of the Nation segment today about what people take with them when they evacuate. The wildfires sweeping southern California have made the question urgent for thousands of people. But every year, for people all over America, evacuation has become a semi-annual ritual. Interestingly, people don’t usually pack very well on the first try. By the 2nd or 3rd disaster, though, they are experts in what to take and what to leave behind.
It got me thinking, and I figured it might be fun to make a short list of the less-obvious essentials--all things that people have said they wished they had taken or were most grateful they had remembered.
My own pillow
Play Station
Crossword puzzles
Kids’ immunization records
Battery-powered TVs
Cat litter (for use by humans)
Ear plugs
Ziploc bags!
The wine we were saving for special occasions
Special thanks to the New Orleans Times-Picayune for collecting some of the above must-haves.
Got any of your own to add?
scott zeilenga said on October 16, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Heh. I was about to start a series on “needed supplies” on my blog too. But for less-than-obvious-essentials I would definitely include: nail clippers, deodorant, notebook and pens.
Oh, and reading material (like The Unthinkable)
z.
Eric Holdeman said on October 17, 2008 at 11:33 am
I’d take my Harley motorcycle!
luis duque said on October 17, 2008 at 11:45 am
My 24 hour membership card… therapy.
scott zeilenga said on October 17, 2008 at 1:53 pm
oh, and always a lighter. Fire is useful in any circumstance.
Berta Phillips said on October 19, 2008 at 9:27 pm
In addition to my grab-and-go bag and my small fire safe with important documents, extra keys, etc., and the other usual stuff, I would grab my computer flash drives. Everything is on them, from personal information to school and business stuff.
Patricia Hutchings said on November 10, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I have spent many an hour figuring this one out, as I live in a flood area. This is what I came up with:
Family Photos (on cd if your organised)
Bank, Insurance and passport details
Food (if like me your on a special diet such as Wheat Free)
Bottled water
Pillow
At least one change of clothes
Pet stuff including food and don’t forget the pets
Travel Bear (sorry he comes everywhere with me on trips)
Then it’s the usual holiday bag (ie toiletries, especially toothbrush, towel, medications, presciption etc)
I love using the parrot method, of repeatedly doing lists on the same thing, this way I automatically know what I need without panic.
Sean Kellythorne said on November 17, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Here is a web site where you can spend $20.00 and get the DVD “People Like Us”. It’s a video of the CERT training classes conducted by Fire Captain Steve Lazenby from Santa Paula California. It features ordinary everyday citizens of the Ojai Valley learning the skill to survive a disaster. Not as good as taking the class but much better than nothing. Also it has a comprehensive list of things to take with you.
This video was a project of the Ojai West Rotary club,
Buy a few and send them to your friends and relatives. It may be the best Christmas present you ever gave them.
http://www.rotaryojaiwest.org/NewsNotes/cert_a/cert.htm
Acai said on February 10, 2009 at 2:20 pm
iPod, PC, pictures
RezV said on March 31, 2009 at 11:19 am
You forgot iPod and cell phone. Oh, and it’s PlayStation, not Play Station
RezV said on March 31, 2009 at 11:20 am
Don’t forget about iPhone
Sean Kellythorne said on March 31, 2009 at 1:35 pm
We are talking essentials here for survival, not for going on a vacation. You might have to carry all the stuff you want to take and that could be a problem. It also depends on where you are, the weather and what is likely to happen.
A lot of “important” stuff can be sent to a friend, relative or PO box out of the area where it can be recovered later by someone else or yourself (if you survive).
Here is a quote from some one, “He who rides lightest, rides fastest” and further if necessary. It’s surprising what you don’t need when it gets down to survival.
There are some pictures of WW1 and WW2 refugees dragging along dressers, pianos and other stuff in big carts. I wonder how often they stopped to play on the way to where ever? Or if they ever got there.
Anyway it is your bag so take what you want. Each of our needs are different.
Valerie Bertinelli Diet said on April 14, 2009 at 2:02 am
Love the wine taking idea!
Acai said on May 18, 2009 at 3:34 pm
I would make sure my family and pets are safe and then take anything that can be replaced with money - pictures, pass-me-downs, etc.
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Sean Kellythorne said on February 15, 2010 at 8:07 pm
What to take in your “Go kit” will depend on what you might be faced with. My family has a “Go kit” at home, at work and in their car.
In our area water is a major consideration, since the local supply depends on electrical pumps at the wells. A power outage of more than one day would leave us with no water for drinking or fire suppression. So we have a minimum three day supply in the car and at work. We keep a 55 gallon water drum at our home location and change it approximately every three months. That is approximately a one month supply for drinking only.
Sitting down and doing a threat/risk assessment is a good idea. What are the potential disasters and their likely hood?
What can be done to prepare for them?
What would be a realistic type and amount of material to put in the kit?
Where we are, fires are the most likely threat however there is usually plenty of notice to evacuate.
Earthquakes are the more serious threat as there is no notice and evacuation may be impossible. That is the threat we are prepareing for. We could be stuck in our valley for a week before any help may be available and that will be limited.
The earthquake “Go kit” is set up in modules so that we can evacuate if it is a fire or flood and not have to take everything. If it is a quake then we will be able to stay for up to a month if necessary.
We do have books to read. I have been in a situation where I was quite happy to have something to keep me occupied while I waited for help.
I also recommend that everyone participate in a FEMA Community Emergency Response Team class. In twenty hours you will learn some basic survival skills that will keep you out of the victim mentality in an emergency. They are sponsored by your local fire department.
Our community has an active CERT community supported by our local ham radio group and local Red Cross members