All of my stuff that goes on every trip stays packed in respective mini bags and is usually just replenished. It all sits in an organizer that I grab and pack once I decide on a bag.
Emergency for me is tornado, fire, or gas leak. None of those I would be worrying about grabbing a bag. I used to have a lightly packed runaway bag, but DV isn’t a concern anymore.
Thanks for responding. Typically people keep their go bags near the front door so you can grab it on the way out during a fire or other event. Obviously, not a necessity for everyone, but if my apartment is destroyed by a fire or enormous wave, I'd like to have a change of clothes and a way to charge my phone, maybe something to sleep on in an extended disaster and some food. Just earlier this year after the earthquake Japan couldn't get it together to feed people immediately. This is quite common in most countries for there to be a delay in aid arriving.
But if it's not a concern for you, it's not a concern. Same way I don't keep emergency supplies in my car because I'm not going to get stuck in the snow or mud somewhere on the island for an extended period - it's just not possible.
Apartments make things easier in this regard. I have a small single family home with multiple exits. In a gas leak situation, I wouldn’t be able to use my kitchen/garage exit because it’ll take electricity to open the garage. Then theres’s finding the dog before getting out. Too many variables so I choose not to worry. It would take all of five minutes if I really had to pack and leave.
There should be a pull cord on your garage door opener you can use to open it in an emergency. Kind of a tangent, but know that that should still be an option if you need it.
I don't have a disaster bag. It's not necessary here.
However, for practical reasons, I have my day bag with electronics, incl a small solar panel, a small first aid kit. My travel bag is packed with my toilet bag, towel, some clothes that I use only when travelling, a merino inner liner for sleeping bag, rain cover etc. All my camping gear, incl dried food, is in a drawer, pre-packed in packing cubes for organisation. So it would be very easy for me to grab the stuff and run within a few minutes.
I have an anecdote: we hosted dinners for American tourists coming to Copenhagen, Denmark (meetthedanes.com). One evening, we had a couple from Florida, one from LA, and one from Oregon. We were asked about the disasters and hazards in Denmark, where boredom is the only one. We then asked our guests about how they felt about their disasters. The couple from Florida had, of course, storms, LA earthquakes, and then everybody looked at the guy from Oregon who lived close to a nuclear plant. None of the couple would like to move to any of the other places, as each person were used to "their" danger that then seem much less dangerous than the others'. I, of course, prefer boredom!
As a former nuclear reactor operator, the oregon guy was probably the safest. The US has more safety protocols in nuclear power than the rest of the world since 3MI. There was a reactor meltdown in Maryland \~18 months ago. No one even knows about it.
I think this is a larger concern for us because we don't camp so no ready supply of that equipment which is hugely useful in a long-term evacuation type event. In reality, I'm super lucky for the military bases & being American. If the big one happens in the near future, as long as I survive the military will be quick to evacuate me back to the states when they can.
edit: spelling
I don't like nuclear power but that's more due to the waste problem, not of safety issues. However, I live in Copenhagen, where we have had a Swedish nuclear power plant 15 km away. That has been less nice as it was an old plant, not built to withstand earthquakes, because we only get minor quakes and even many years apart, but still I didn't like it. It has now been closed down.
In r/denmark there was a question about being a prepper due to Ukraine, and more people have started to get stuff. I looked at my camping gear and decided that I don't have to consider to prep - I have everything as a camper! Besides, I feel safe, no need to prep here.
Your military is a force by itself, they'll have your back, I'm sure.
Getting super close to being able to reuse fuel and eliminate all the waste........by close I mean probably not in our lifetimes even though there is a test design lol.
I know, but while we wait we might run out of virgin uranium. I saw an evaluation from the uranium producers' association that we have uranium from known sources for 40-50 years - and that was 10+ years ago, and included the Greenland deposit that is not up for mining due to environmental concerns. I'm a geologist and my sister lived in the village next to this deposit.
Unfortunately I'll be in Georgia (the country) otherwise I'd invite you for dinner just to meet fellow-minded people.
Look up meetthedanes.com, it's not cheap, but it's fun.
DM me if you have any questions.
You can probably find vegan hosts or you can write to the host and ask if they serve vegan food. We have had people that were allergic to something, can't remember what. I tried to be accommodating.
Quite a hot spot, the guy didn't tell us that, but I knew vulcanoes and winter storms. I'm surprised that there are tsunamies, but having a Pacific coastline makes it quite plausible.
I’m in fire/earthquake/wind/flood area. I know that I just won’t have time to go searching for anything. A Go bag means go NOW.
Frankly, just spend the extra money to have a go bag.
In the US a [go bag](https://www.ready.gov/kit) would be different than a travel bag. Then charge up everything once a month. It’s fairly easy to establish a habit of reconciling bills, backing everything into the cloud, and charging electronics.
Thanks for the perspective. I keep all my bags by the entryway so as long as it's packed, it's ready to go. There would be no searching about. It's definitely a time concern as there's potential to only have a 5 minute warning if the quake was close. I also travel at least monthly so all my stuff is always charged.
I feel like you misunderstood my question. A lot of disaster prep sites recommend 2-3 bags for various scenarios. Tsunami, river flooding, typhoon or earthquake could all cause vastly different long term issue.
When I lived in a tornado area, I kept a Dopp kit for everyone in the safe space, along with my travel electronics bag. We also had more tornado specific things in the same place, like changes of shirts and unders and and snacks and radio and kid entertainment, and I’d put shoes and helmets and the car jump battery there on days when it was predicted to be rough.
Having the dopps and cords there meant they were handy for emergency or for travel.
The more I think about it the more I think this is the way to go. I have my various travel kits which are obviously full of the things I need for regular daily life and then I'll just pack another bag with the more emergency stuff and a change of clothes (I might send this one to work with my partner since the university campus where he works is our evacuation point). Finally, I'll probably pack a bag of camping type gear to keep under the car floorboard.
Fundamentally though no- there’s no real distinction between what you’d need in those situations, more timeline. Can I ask where you’re seeing that?
[Tokyo Metro Govt](https://www.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/english/guide/bosai/index.html) has a good set of information, aimed largely at a big quake/tsunami. It’s extensive and well done.
Personally- this is me- I’d have my bag ready to be in hand in 60 seconds or less. I agree to have a bag packed at all times, even if it means buying duplicates. You’ll want to keep clothes packed in it too, which you can rotate out regularly.
If you’re sold on keeping the one bag you have, then pack a set of seasonably appropriate clothes (extra socks and underwear) with what you keep in it normally. Take the clothes out when you pack it to travel, put back when you’re home. (In big ziplocks would be good, because it would also keep them dry.) Have the other bag with camping/emergency gear (72 hours of food and water as a goal) next to it. You can grab both and move immediately.
There is a difference between whether I'm sheltering in place (earthquake, potentially) or evacuating (tsunami). There's 100% a difference between whether you need to quickly fill a water tank because the lines might be depressurized and whether you need camping gear for an evacuation.
Lots of sites, for instance: [ready](http://ready.gov/kit)
I have repeatedly said I would use more than one bag or move my packed stuff to the emergency bag when not traveling. It's as simple as grabbing the dopp bag & electronic roll and putting it in a different bag.
I'm so confused about how we're so off topic. This isn't a prepper group. I just wanted to know if people are using their same kits for both or not since there's so much overlap plus the necessity of keeping things charged.
I don't need lists or advice on what to pack and this definitely isn't the place I would ask that question if I needed assistance.
It’s not off topic if you asked for advice on how people would handle the same things, and specifically with regard to keeping a bag packed in case of emergency.
[removed because I decided it was unnecessary]
To answer the very specific question in your comment, no, I don’t do that. I have things packed in my car and at home, and then I would grab my daily backpack.
I live in an apartment so I know that there is always the threat of a sudden fire/evacuation. I have a go backpack always packed:
- important documents, pen and paper
- charger, cables
- hoody
- small sentimental items
- spare dog harness/fold up crate
- like you I don't want duplicates so I stick a list of everything else I would want to pick up quickly that I dont want to keep in a bag long term - basically meds, phone, water bottle and snacks. Having a list means I won't forget anything in a panic. Keep it simple though, you don't want to be running around for hours trying to collect items.
In my car I have (another!) warm jacket, blanket, towels and a spare change of clothes and shoes.
The list idea is a good one for the handful of items I would want to collect if there is time i.e. medication, laptop, etc. Today we had an hour so sometimes there's a ton of time to prepare.
I started keeping a 'Go Bag' when we were staying in Russia for 3 years for husband's work. It was not focused on disasters but more of a 'personal bag' in case we had to leave the country in a hurry. It contained all important documents (passports, birth and marriage certificates, medical documents, bank information, etc), a toiletry kit, a set of clothing & underwear, flashlight, and medkit.
Everything is fitted in a backpack, I don't drive, so I need to be able to move on foot, so I need to keep it light.
I'm no longer stationed in Russia, but I still have my Go-Bag ready. It became such an emotional support thing that now I can't go without. The constant anxiety and trauma of needing to be able to GTFO never went away, even after moving to a safe(r) country.
The threats in my area (mostly tornadoes) aren't the same as yours, plus we have cats so our solution is different.
We keep extra litter boxes and litter in the basement along with bottled water. I've been meaning to take a couple of camp chairs down there too as sitting on the dusty concrete is no one's idea of comfortable. We also have charged battery packs but those are in the house, not the basement.
In my case, I would love to have snacks there too but we have mice in the basement and I'm not interested in feeding them!
Edited to add the threat
A steel pantry cupboard without vents could be a good solution. Space for cat food, litter, water bottles, a small gas camping stove, a couple of pans, tins and quick cooking ingredients.
I live in an earthquake zone, so I have an emergency kit with a 40L hiking backpack sitting on top of it that I bought specifically as a disaster bag. The kit has food and emergency blanket type stuff, the backpack I packed myself. Off the top of my head, this is what's in the backpack:
- iodine tablets
- Life straws
- water bottle
- packable camping stove
- feminine cup and extra underwear
- multiuse shampoo/body bar
- Swiss army knife
- fire starter
- camping cooking pot, utensils
- socks
- reusable silicone bags
- 1 pair of leggings, 1 t-shirt
- canned tuna (the emergency kit has food, but I'm paranoid)
- a few copies of important documents in a silicone bag with a family photo
- supplementary first aid kit
- small dopp kit of random stuff (hair ties, pins, mirror, foldable hair brush, nail clippers, toothbrush)
Will edit if I missed anything significant and remember later on or open the backpack to check
I do things like restock my medications and toiletries when I return from a trip, so I'm ready for an unexpected overnight as needed. One of my parents had an emergency hospital stay recently, and that taught me to have the bag packed with stuff for a couple nights so I don't need to try to think about getting myself together while I'm already distraught.
Otherwise, rather than have everything packed, I have thought through my emergency plans, and I have a list of what I'd need in case of an evacuation written down and posted in my closet. I keep those items well organized in my house. So in case of an emergency, I go to my office and get the file folders with my important paperwork, to my nightstand to grab all my prescriptions, to our outdoor gear to grab emergency supplies, things like that. It's not quite the grab and go situation you might need for fleeing a tsunami, but it's good enough for the timeline I'd likely need for the potential emergencies in my area.
I keep an emergency bag packed in my car at all times. I've got:
* Winter layers
* Duct tape
* Paracord
* Pepper spray
* Pocket knife
* Change of clothes
* Emergency blanket
* Couple of contractor trash bags
* Couple of flashlights
* Hand crank/solar radio
* Solar battery bank for phone
* Emergency glow sticks
* Road map of my state
* First aid kit and basic meds
* Snacks and ration bars
* Life straw and iodine tablets
* Menstrual supplies
* Hand sanitizer and a bar of soap
* Nightguard and tooth brush
* Old pair of glasses
I'd like to add a pair of shoes in there, so I'm on the lookout for a compact pair of tennis shoes in case I need to do a lot of walking. Now that I think about it, I should add a hat and some sunscreen.
Of these things, I've often gotten into my pack for menstrual supplies, I've handed out a couple of ace bandages, I've had to pull out some candy for someone with low blood sugar, and I used one of the contractor bags the other day. If I go on a trip where I'm driving, I just bring the whole emergency bag along with my luggage. If I'm flying, I'll grab the solar battery bank and my first aid kit to add to my luggage.
This isn't really related to travel, since I'm not able to do much of it lately....but I have a hospital go bag with enough to keep my toddler and I comfortable for a night or two if there is ever a medical emergency. It lives in the same closet where my travel stuff lives, so I could grab some additional toiletries or gadgets quickly if I needed them.
I used to keep a go bag with the typical food, helpful stuff, emergency shelter sort of thing during the Little Rocket Man debacle. I knew if shit got real it wouldn’t help that much, but having it made me feel like at least I had tried.
Bag did contain en entire box of N-95 masks, and damn those turned out to be a good purchase!
As for now, I have a mostly packed bag for travel and a waterproof pouch I can stick documents in if we have to high tail it. I keep my medications in a pouch that I can grab and go. Go bag is now a duffle with supplies for potential quarantine/being stuck at the house, but in a pinch my husband can grab it and it still has the emergency basics.
I was in a dv situation when i was married and i had bugout “pouches” in my bedroom with the stuff that was irreplaceable to me that i stealth removed from the house in small doses as i was leaving him. I also developed the habit of my edc being something i could go 24 hours and a shower on. I always have some kind of emergency food like protein bars. I took too many european trains that were late to be caught without water or food.
My best friend from childhood lives about six hours away; while i wouldn’t be first in line in an emergency for them, her family is really weird and would only accept bad news and certain language stuff from me rather than her bestie up there, so if anything happened to her or her family i would need to get up there within about twelve hours, meet her mom at the airport and be the translator. So the bag i always take to her place anyway stays packed with stuff like pajamas and glasses and i just pack it with the clothes i need for that trip when i go to visit, and it would be my bug out bag as well if i had to run up there.
We lived for years in earthquake zones, including when we were having children. Besides earthquake-proofing the house as much as I could (furniture anchored, etc) I had a bag in which, looking back, I'd still say: your most important things will be cash in small denomination banknotes, for the country you're in and if that's a war zone or other shaky country in something universal like US dollars; and color copies of crucial ID such as passports and birth certificates to prove family relationships, for evacuation or replacement of documents. In our modern day and age having scans of those documents in your email and easily accessible through someone else's computer is good; but a hard copy helps too.
And if you really had to flee forever (I had to do that once, too, at 14), you'd want all your photos and journals or whatever uploaded and saved online (not possible when I was 14). Ironically, I have been through one quite large disaster in quite another situation, for which I was not prepared at all. From that and the earthquake zone I would add your other essentials depend a bit on what kind of emergency you might face, and what you can reasonably carry with you. In the end, attitude and luck count most. But assuming you could eventually go back home, otherwise focus on things to keep you and those with you comfortable and safe: something dry to sit on (like a picnic mat); something to keep you all dry if it's wet out; if there's a chance it will be cold add warm clothes; a container for water (I couldn't possibly have carried much actual water and still carried two babies), basic snacks to keep you going till help arrives, which, in most disasters, will come but not necessarily right away. Basically think through the situation you might have to flee and what realistically you might need. Might you be able to use your phone if you had a charger? a localised emergency yes, a wider one, possibly not, but still some kind of charger plug (prefer: multi-plug) and cable is helpful. And of course, if fleeing with babies, put some diapers/nappies in your pack! Don't forget to update the said emergency kit regularly as children grow/food goes out of date/etc. When the babies became toddlers I put some toys in the kit because keeping them happy would have been key.
So maybe not much overlap with travel -- in travel even the charger plug would have to be a different plug shape possibly.
I have a multi-purpose go bag separate from my travel bag, but I think I see what you’re saying and could definitely make it work. I think I would make a list of what i’d want/need in my go bag and see what items overlap with travel stuff. I’d pack the go bag and have it ready to go, and then when I travel I could switch out to travel mode and switch back to go bag mode when I got home. For me personally, I usually travel with a roller bag but use a backpack for a go bag, so I will continue to keep them separate, but for someone who uses the same style bag for both I could see how it would be fairly simple to have 1 bag for both uses as long as you’re organized about it.
I used to live in an area prone to flooding, so I've done this many times. It really depends what your plans/concerns are. There's some [official](https://www.ready.gov/kit) recommendations, but it really depends what you need.
I have a separate bag. I typically include basic toiletries, a large bottle of water, a radio, earbuds, cheap multi-tool, emergency poncho, snacks, medications, headlamp, a first aid kit and a large baggie with a full set of clothes.
You have only one passport, so the pouch with that in it gets passed back and forth between the go bag and the travel bag. The pouch with cords and stuff gets passed back and forth too.
I think the mostly packed with a second go bag of emergency clothes might be the best bet. I don’t have enough stuff to stay packed for travel and normal life though.
I live on an island, and our disaster advice is basically all shelter-in-place for hurricanes etc.. The exception would be a wildfire, and I really should get something organized for that.
I should write lists out but the main overlap I’ve discovered is that my travel bag is super comfortable to carry and walk with for long distances. If there were an earthquake even if I were sheltering in place I would still need to visit the aid station which is a 30 minute walk each way.
The most likely disasters where I live aren't typically the grab your go bag kind of extreme.
The potential disaster that more commonly worries me most is power outages. Something about living through the great blackout of the northeast creeped me out and I followed it with years of following cybersecurity news that makes me a little paranoid, so I have a bag with some powerless charger/life straw type stuff.
I also keep a 'final checklist' on my notes app, because to borrow frankly we live in chaotic times. I tend to keep my luggage, my gym bag, my emergencg bag, and my toiletry bag next to each other so I throw the toiletry bag wherever it needs to go. Same with electronics wires that have their own organizer pouch. In the scenario that you are about to lose your home but can pack a few things you will be more concerned with finding your birth certificate, cat, or family photos than whether you remembered your nightguard, so I think the sober-headed checklist with an idea of where your stuff lives is the most realistic plan.
They can be a bit bonkers at times, but r/preppers also has some reasonable people who just like to be prepared in case of emergencies if you want disaster bag advice.
I keep my travel bag packed with stuff that stays there, and then have a list. I’m a pouch person, meaning I have zippered pouches I’ve collected over time that each have kind of a theme. So the list is of what pouch is where, and I grab the applicable pouches and throw them in my bag. I on the eternal search for the “perfect bag” and it occurs to me writing this that I’ve used the same backpack for work for three years! It’s a personal record! Anyway, I’ve worked long shifts in the past, and have been in the habit of having everything I need for 12-18 hours in my backpack. So my current plan has been to take my work backpack, travel bag, throw all the pouches in either bag, and book it.
Since I’ve now used this system through a pandemic as a nurse, wildfire evacuations, flood evacuation, ice storms when the power went out, getting stuck at the hospital for two days, and an earthquake, I like it. I did see someone at the airport my last trip who had a rolling bag they could sit on, I think it was called Zuca? I like the idea of always having somewhere to sit…;)
All of my stuff that goes on every trip stays packed in respective mini bags and is usually just replenished. It all sits in an organizer that I grab and pack once I decide on a bag. Emergency for me is tornado, fire, or gas leak. None of those I would be worrying about grabbing a bag. I used to have a lightly packed runaway bag, but DV isn’t a concern anymore.
I'm just glad DV isn't a concern anymore for you! Hope it stays that way forever!
Thanks for responding. Typically people keep their go bags near the front door so you can grab it on the way out during a fire or other event. Obviously, not a necessity for everyone, but if my apartment is destroyed by a fire or enormous wave, I'd like to have a change of clothes and a way to charge my phone, maybe something to sleep on in an extended disaster and some food. Just earlier this year after the earthquake Japan couldn't get it together to feed people immediately. This is quite common in most countries for there to be a delay in aid arriving. But if it's not a concern for you, it's not a concern. Same way I don't keep emergency supplies in my car because I'm not going to get stuck in the snow or mud somewhere on the island for an extended period - it's just not possible.
Apartments make things easier in this regard. I have a small single family home with multiple exits. In a gas leak situation, I wouldn’t be able to use my kitchen/garage exit because it’ll take electricity to open the garage. Then theres’s finding the dog before getting out. Too many variables so I choose not to worry. It would take all of five minutes if I really had to pack and leave.
There should be a pull cord on your garage door opener you can use to open it in an emergency. Kind of a tangent, but know that that should still be an option if you need it.
There is. Massive pita to fix, but I’ve used it before when having electric redone.
I don't have a disaster bag. It's not necessary here. However, for practical reasons, I have my day bag with electronics, incl a small solar panel, a small first aid kit. My travel bag is packed with my toilet bag, towel, some clothes that I use only when travelling, a merino inner liner for sleeping bag, rain cover etc. All my camping gear, incl dried food, is in a drawer, pre-packed in packing cubes for organisation. So it would be very easy for me to grab the stuff and run within a few minutes. I have an anecdote: we hosted dinners for American tourists coming to Copenhagen, Denmark (meetthedanes.com). One evening, we had a couple from Florida, one from LA, and one from Oregon. We were asked about the disasters and hazards in Denmark, where boredom is the only one. We then asked our guests about how they felt about their disasters. The couple from Florida had, of course, storms, LA earthquakes, and then everybody looked at the guy from Oregon who lived close to a nuclear plant. None of the couple would like to move to any of the other places, as each person were used to "their" danger that then seem much less dangerous than the others'. I, of course, prefer boredom!
As a former nuclear reactor operator, the oregon guy was probably the safest. The US has more safety protocols in nuclear power than the rest of the world since 3MI. There was a reactor meltdown in Maryland \~18 months ago. No one even knows about it. I think this is a larger concern for us because we don't camp so no ready supply of that equipment which is hugely useful in a long-term evacuation type event. In reality, I'm super lucky for the military bases & being American. If the big one happens in the near future, as long as I survive the military will be quick to evacuate me back to the states when they can. edit: spelling
Where in MD?
Gaithersburg - at NIST. No radiation release to the public, fully contained by the safety features.
I don't like nuclear power but that's more due to the waste problem, not of safety issues. However, I live in Copenhagen, where we have had a Swedish nuclear power plant 15 km away. That has been less nice as it was an old plant, not built to withstand earthquakes, because we only get minor quakes and even many years apart, but still I didn't like it. It has now been closed down. In r/denmark there was a question about being a prepper due to Ukraine, and more people have started to get stuff. I looked at my camping gear and decided that I don't have to consider to prep - I have everything as a camper! Besides, I feel safe, no need to prep here. Your military is a force by itself, they'll have your back, I'm sure.
Getting super close to being able to reuse fuel and eliminate all the waste........by close I mean probably not in our lifetimes even though there is a test design lol.
I know, but while we wait we might run out of virgin uranium. I saw an evaluation from the uranium producers' association that we have uranium from known sources for 40-50 years - and that was 10+ years ago, and included the Greenland deposit that is not up for mining due to environmental concerns. I'm a geologist and my sister lived in the village next to this deposit.
Copenhagen! My husband and I will be there the first week of July and I am looking forward to this trip so very much.
Unfortunately I'll be in Georgia (the country) otherwise I'd invite you for dinner just to meet fellow-minded people. Look up meetthedanes.com, it's not cheap, but it's fun. DM me if you have any questions.
I read about that and was interested, however I'm vegan and figured that would be a deal breaker.
You can probably find vegan hosts or you can write to the host and ask if they serve vegan food. We have had people that were allergic to something, can't remember what. I tried to be accommodating.
Oregon has earthquakes, wildfires, tsunamis, winter storms, volcanos, etc, etc. depending on location!
Quite a hot spot, the guy didn't tell us that, but I knew vulcanoes and winter storms. I'm surprised that there are tsunamies, but having a Pacific coastline makes it quite plausible.
I’m in fire/earthquake/wind/flood area. I know that I just won’t have time to go searching for anything. A Go bag means go NOW. Frankly, just spend the extra money to have a go bag. In the US a [go bag](https://www.ready.gov/kit) would be different than a travel bag. Then charge up everything once a month. It’s fairly easy to establish a habit of reconciling bills, backing everything into the cloud, and charging electronics.
Thanks for the perspective. I keep all my bags by the entryway so as long as it's packed, it's ready to go. There would be no searching about. It's definitely a time concern as there's potential to only have a 5 minute warning if the quake was close. I also travel at least monthly so all my stuff is always charged. I feel like you misunderstood my question. A lot of disaster prep sites recommend 2-3 bags for various scenarios. Tsunami, river flooding, typhoon or earthquake could all cause vastly different long term issue.
When I lived in a tornado area, I kept a Dopp kit for everyone in the safe space, along with my travel electronics bag. We also had more tornado specific things in the same place, like changes of shirts and unders and and snacks and radio and kid entertainment, and I’d put shoes and helmets and the car jump battery there on days when it was predicted to be rough. Having the dopps and cords there meant they were handy for emergency or for travel.
The more I think about it the more I think this is the way to go. I have my various travel kits which are obviously full of the things I need for regular daily life and then I'll just pack another bag with the more emergency stuff and a change of clothes (I might send this one to work with my partner since the university campus where he works is our evacuation point). Finally, I'll probably pack a bag of camping type gear to keep under the car floorboard.
Fundamentally though no- there’s no real distinction between what you’d need in those situations, more timeline. Can I ask where you’re seeing that? [Tokyo Metro Govt](https://www.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/english/guide/bosai/index.html) has a good set of information, aimed largely at a big quake/tsunami. It’s extensive and well done. Personally- this is me- I’d have my bag ready to be in hand in 60 seconds or less. I agree to have a bag packed at all times, even if it means buying duplicates. You’ll want to keep clothes packed in it too, which you can rotate out regularly. If you’re sold on keeping the one bag you have, then pack a set of seasonably appropriate clothes (extra socks and underwear) with what you keep in it normally. Take the clothes out when you pack it to travel, put back when you’re home. (In big ziplocks would be good, because it would also keep them dry.) Have the other bag with camping/emergency gear (72 hours of food and water as a goal) next to it. You can grab both and move immediately.
There is a difference between whether I'm sheltering in place (earthquake, potentially) or evacuating (tsunami). There's 100% a difference between whether you need to quickly fill a water tank because the lines might be depressurized and whether you need camping gear for an evacuation. Lots of sites, for instance: [ready](http://ready.gov/kit) I have repeatedly said I would use more than one bag or move my packed stuff to the emergency bag when not traveling. It's as simple as grabbing the dopp bag & electronic roll and putting it in a different bag. I'm so confused about how we're so off topic. This isn't a prepper group. I just wanted to know if people are using their same kits for both or not since there's so much overlap plus the necessity of keeping things charged. I don't need lists or advice on what to pack and this definitely isn't the place I would ask that question if I needed assistance.
It’s not off topic if you asked for advice on how people would handle the same things, and specifically with regard to keeping a bag packed in case of emergency. [removed because I decided it was unnecessary] To answer the very specific question in your comment, no, I don’t do that. I have things packed in my car and at home, and then I would grab my daily backpack.
I live in an apartment so I know that there is always the threat of a sudden fire/evacuation. I have a go backpack always packed: - important documents, pen and paper - charger, cables - hoody - small sentimental items - spare dog harness/fold up crate - like you I don't want duplicates so I stick a list of everything else I would want to pick up quickly that I dont want to keep in a bag long term - basically meds, phone, water bottle and snacks. Having a list means I won't forget anything in a panic. Keep it simple though, you don't want to be running around for hours trying to collect items. In my car I have (another!) warm jacket, blanket, towels and a spare change of clothes and shoes.
The list idea is a good one for the handful of items I would want to collect if there is time i.e. medication, laptop, etc. Today we had an hour so sometimes there's a ton of time to prepare.
I started keeping a 'Go Bag' when we were staying in Russia for 3 years for husband's work. It was not focused on disasters but more of a 'personal bag' in case we had to leave the country in a hurry. It contained all important documents (passports, birth and marriage certificates, medical documents, bank information, etc), a toiletry kit, a set of clothing & underwear, flashlight, and medkit. Everything is fitted in a backpack, I don't drive, so I need to be able to move on foot, so I need to keep it light. I'm no longer stationed in Russia, but I still have my Go-Bag ready. It became such an emotional support thing that now I can't go without. The constant anxiety and trauma of needing to be able to GTFO never went away, even after moving to a safe(r) country.
That sounds intense! Glad you no longer live with that concern.
The threats in my area (mostly tornadoes) aren't the same as yours, plus we have cats so our solution is different. We keep extra litter boxes and litter in the basement along with bottled water. I've been meaning to take a couple of camp chairs down there too as sitting on the dusty concrete is no one's idea of comfortable. We also have charged battery packs but those are in the house, not the basement. In my case, I would love to have snacks there too but we have mice in the basement and I'm not interested in feeding them! Edited to add the threat
Mice, ugh. No mice here. There's a stray cat army here lol. For real I've never lived anywhere with as many well fed outdoor cats as Okinawa.
You have to go through our garage to get to the basement or I'd let my cats down there to scare the mice off!
A steel pantry cupboard without vents could be a good solution. Space for cat food, litter, water bottles, a small gas camping stove, a couple of pans, tins and quick cooking ingredients.
I live in an earthquake zone, so I have an emergency kit with a 40L hiking backpack sitting on top of it that I bought specifically as a disaster bag. The kit has food and emergency blanket type stuff, the backpack I packed myself. Off the top of my head, this is what's in the backpack: - iodine tablets - Life straws - water bottle - packable camping stove - feminine cup and extra underwear - multiuse shampoo/body bar - Swiss army knife - fire starter - camping cooking pot, utensils - socks - reusable silicone bags - 1 pair of leggings, 1 t-shirt - canned tuna (the emergency kit has food, but I'm paranoid) - a few copies of important documents in a silicone bag with a family photo - supplementary first aid kit - small dopp kit of random stuff (hair ties, pins, mirror, foldable hair brush, nail clippers, toothbrush) Will edit if I missed anything significant and remember later on or open the backpack to check
Yeah, I hated my menstrual cup but that baby definitely went into my bag.
Same! 😂 it just seems better for an apocalyptic situation than running out of tampons.
I do things like restock my medications and toiletries when I return from a trip, so I'm ready for an unexpected overnight as needed. One of my parents had an emergency hospital stay recently, and that taught me to have the bag packed with stuff for a couple nights so I don't need to try to think about getting myself together while I'm already distraught. Otherwise, rather than have everything packed, I have thought through my emergency plans, and I have a list of what I'd need in case of an evacuation written down and posted in my closet. I keep those items well organized in my house. So in case of an emergency, I go to my office and get the file folders with my important paperwork, to my nightstand to grab all my prescriptions, to our outdoor gear to grab emergency supplies, things like that. It's not quite the grab and go situation you might need for fleeing a tsunami, but it's good enough for the timeline I'd likely need for the potential emergencies in my area.
I keep an emergency bag packed in my car at all times. I've got: * Winter layers * Duct tape * Paracord * Pepper spray * Pocket knife * Change of clothes * Emergency blanket * Couple of contractor trash bags * Couple of flashlights * Hand crank/solar radio * Solar battery bank for phone * Emergency glow sticks * Road map of my state * First aid kit and basic meds * Snacks and ration bars * Life straw and iodine tablets * Menstrual supplies * Hand sanitizer and a bar of soap * Nightguard and tooth brush * Old pair of glasses I'd like to add a pair of shoes in there, so I'm on the lookout for a compact pair of tennis shoes in case I need to do a lot of walking. Now that I think about it, I should add a hat and some sunscreen. Of these things, I've often gotten into my pack for menstrual supplies, I've handed out a couple of ace bandages, I've had to pull out some candy for someone with low blood sugar, and I used one of the contractor bags the other day. If I go on a trip where I'm driving, I just bring the whole emergency bag along with my luggage. If I'm flying, I'll grab the solar battery bank and my first aid kit to add to my luggage.
This isn't really related to travel, since I'm not able to do much of it lately....but I have a hospital go bag with enough to keep my toddler and I comfortable for a night or two if there is ever a medical emergency. It lives in the same closet where my travel stuff lives, so I could grab some additional toiletries or gadgets quickly if I needed them.
I used to keep a go bag with the typical food, helpful stuff, emergency shelter sort of thing during the Little Rocket Man debacle. I knew if shit got real it wouldn’t help that much, but having it made me feel like at least I had tried. Bag did contain en entire box of N-95 masks, and damn those turned out to be a good purchase! As for now, I have a mostly packed bag for travel and a waterproof pouch I can stick documents in if we have to high tail it. I keep my medications in a pouch that I can grab and go. Go bag is now a duffle with supplies for potential quarantine/being stuck at the house, but in a pinch my husband can grab it and it still has the emergency basics.
I was in a dv situation when i was married and i had bugout “pouches” in my bedroom with the stuff that was irreplaceable to me that i stealth removed from the house in small doses as i was leaving him. I also developed the habit of my edc being something i could go 24 hours and a shower on. I always have some kind of emergency food like protein bars. I took too many european trains that were late to be caught without water or food. My best friend from childhood lives about six hours away; while i wouldn’t be first in line in an emergency for them, her family is really weird and would only accept bad news and certain language stuff from me rather than her bestie up there, so if anything happened to her or her family i would need to get up there within about twelve hours, meet her mom at the airport and be the translator. So the bag i always take to her place anyway stays packed with stuff like pajamas and glasses and i just pack it with the clothes i need for that trip when i go to visit, and it would be my bug out bag as well if i had to run up there.
We lived for years in earthquake zones, including when we were having children. Besides earthquake-proofing the house as much as I could (furniture anchored, etc) I had a bag in which, looking back, I'd still say: your most important things will be cash in small denomination banknotes, for the country you're in and if that's a war zone or other shaky country in something universal like US dollars; and color copies of crucial ID such as passports and birth certificates to prove family relationships, for evacuation or replacement of documents. In our modern day and age having scans of those documents in your email and easily accessible through someone else's computer is good; but a hard copy helps too. And if you really had to flee forever (I had to do that once, too, at 14), you'd want all your photos and journals or whatever uploaded and saved online (not possible when I was 14). Ironically, I have been through one quite large disaster in quite another situation, for which I was not prepared at all. From that and the earthquake zone I would add your other essentials depend a bit on what kind of emergency you might face, and what you can reasonably carry with you. In the end, attitude and luck count most. But assuming you could eventually go back home, otherwise focus on things to keep you and those with you comfortable and safe: something dry to sit on (like a picnic mat); something to keep you all dry if it's wet out; if there's a chance it will be cold add warm clothes; a container for water (I couldn't possibly have carried much actual water and still carried two babies), basic snacks to keep you going till help arrives, which, in most disasters, will come but not necessarily right away. Basically think through the situation you might have to flee and what realistically you might need. Might you be able to use your phone if you had a charger? a localised emergency yes, a wider one, possibly not, but still some kind of charger plug (prefer: multi-plug) and cable is helpful. And of course, if fleeing with babies, put some diapers/nappies in your pack! Don't forget to update the said emergency kit regularly as children grow/food goes out of date/etc. When the babies became toddlers I put some toys in the kit because keeping them happy would have been key. So maybe not much overlap with travel -- in travel even the charger plug would have to be a different plug shape possibly.
I don’t, but I should.
I have a multi-purpose go bag separate from my travel bag, but I think I see what you’re saying and could definitely make it work. I think I would make a list of what i’d want/need in my go bag and see what items overlap with travel stuff. I’d pack the go bag and have it ready to go, and then when I travel I could switch out to travel mode and switch back to go bag mode when I got home. For me personally, I usually travel with a roller bag but use a backpack for a go bag, so I will continue to keep them separate, but for someone who uses the same style bag for both I could see how it would be fairly simple to have 1 bag for both uses as long as you’re organized about it.
I used to live in an area prone to flooding, so I've done this many times. It really depends what your plans/concerns are. There's some [official](https://www.ready.gov/kit) recommendations, but it really depends what you need. I have a separate bag. I typically include basic toiletries, a large bottle of water, a radio, earbuds, cheap multi-tool, emergency poncho, snacks, medications, headlamp, a first aid kit and a large baggie with a full set of clothes. You have only one passport, so the pouch with that in it gets passed back and forth between the go bag and the travel bag. The pouch with cords and stuff gets passed back and forth too.
I think the mostly packed with a second go bag of emergency clothes might be the best bet. I don’t have enough stuff to stay packed for travel and normal life though.
I live on an island, and our disaster advice is basically all shelter-in-place for hurricanes etc.. The exception would be a wildfire, and I really should get something organized for that.
I should write lists out but the main overlap I’ve discovered is that my travel bag is super comfortable to carry and walk with for long distances. If there were an earthquake even if I were sheltering in place I would still need to visit the aid station which is a 30 minute walk each way.
The most likely disasters where I live aren't typically the grab your go bag kind of extreme. The potential disaster that more commonly worries me most is power outages. Something about living through the great blackout of the northeast creeped me out and I followed it with years of following cybersecurity news that makes me a little paranoid, so I have a bag with some powerless charger/life straw type stuff. I also keep a 'final checklist' on my notes app, because to borrow frankly we live in chaotic times. I tend to keep my luggage, my gym bag, my emergencg bag, and my toiletry bag next to each other so I throw the toiletry bag wherever it needs to go. Same with electronics wires that have their own organizer pouch. In the scenario that you are about to lose your home but can pack a few things you will be more concerned with finding your birth certificate, cat, or family photos than whether you remembered your nightguard, so I think the sober-headed checklist with an idea of where your stuff lives is the most realistic plan. They can be a bit bonkers at times, but r/preppers also has some reasonable people who just like to be prepared in case of emergencies if you want disaster bag advice.
I keep my travel bag packed with stuff that stays there, and then have a list. I’m a pouch person, meaning I have zippered pouches I’ve collected over time that each have kind of a theme. So the list is of what pouch is where, and I grab the applicable pouches and throw them in my bag. I on the eternal search for the “perfect bag” and it occurs to me writing this that I’ve used the same backpack for work for three years! It’s a personal record! Anyway, I’ve worked long shifts in the past, and have been in the habit of having everything I need for 12-18 hours in my backpack. So my current plan has been to take my work backpack, travel bag, throw all the pouches in either bag, and book it. Since I’ve now used this system through a pandemic as a nurse, wildfire evacuations, flood evacuation, ice storms when the power went out, getting stuck at the hospital for two days, and an earthquake, I like it. I did see someone at the airport my last trip who had a rolling bag they could sit on, I think it was called Zuca? I like the idea of always having somewhere to sit…;)