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Every year there are thousands of earthquakes in the United States, most of them cause minor damage but some can be catastrophic. When preparing in case off a natural disaster one of the biggest things on your list is to have a go bag ready. Go bags, sometimes called bug out bags, are bags or containers packed with essential items you will need if disaster hits.
Before you even start packing your go bag, you should first map out reliable evacuation routes. When planning for emergency evacuation, it's not enough to just have a plan from your home. Ideally, you want to have a couple of routes planned out from each of the places that you frequent. Maybe it's a family member's home, maybe it's your office, school, anywhere you and your family spend a significant amount of time. Remember, it's better to over plan than under plan. Your evacuation routes should also include meeting places in case everyone in your household is not together at the time of evacuation. Once you have all your routes planned it's time to practice practice practice. Evacuation routes and meeting spots will be second nature and very easy to navigate if you practice regularly. You can check out this post if you'd like some more resources on emergency evacuation planning.
Now that your routes are planned, it's time to add a copy of any maps, plans, meeting places to your go bag in case you need a refresher on the way ( which you shouldn't if you practiced but high stress situations might mean you need a refresher, we always operate under better safe than sorry around here). Now for the rest of your go bag essentials. There are some items that will be staples for every go bag regardless of the natural disaster your area is prone to. For instance, the first thing to pack is 3-days worth of food and water (suggested water is one gallon per person per day that will serve both for drinking and cleansing purposes). The water can be in bottles but we also suggest having some potable water tablets or other purifying devices, like a Life Straw. These can come in handy should you need to purify some water on the fly. In terms of food, you need to choose items that have a long shelf life and can be prepared and eaten with limited resources. Think of freeze-dried foods and MREs or Meals Ready To Eat. If you need some help choosing the best foods, we covered that in an earlier guide. If you have pets, don't forget to pack food for them as well.
Once you have the food and water supply figured out it's time to gather your other tools and equipment. Start with a first aid kit. I know it can be tempting to take the one that's been under the bathroom sink for ages but don't do that 1) because you might actually need it someday and 2) because things could be missing. Just get a new one and make sure that it has everything you need. Add some ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and allergy medication because it's always a good idea to have those items on hand. Also be sure to add any medications and vitamins you and your family need. While you are at it, pack up toiletry and personal care items you might need like feminine hygiene products, soaps, toothpaste and brushes, etc. Also, once again don't forget about your pets either. There are special first aid kits just for pets that should be included.
Next, get your lighting sources packed: flashlights, lanterns, and reflective strips for leashes and clothing to help out when visibility is low. If you are packing items with batteries, which you like will be, pack extra batteries. You will also want a weather radio to help keep informed you informed about how conditions are progressing. Choose one that has more than one way to be powered for instance a good emergency radio will likely be able to be powered by batteries, solar, and hand crank.
Chargers both solar, and electric are also becoming a key item to carry in your bag. Make sure that you have extra chargers for the items that you need (these chargers need to be left in your bag even when you accidentally step on your phone charger in the middle of the night so buy extra for your extras). Make sure to look for a solar option in case the power goes out. Chargers need to be taken out and tested/replaced once a year or when you upgrade a device.
Because you are packing specifically for an earthquake it's important to also include some helmets and emergency whistles. The helmets can protect your head from falling debris and if you get stuck or trapped the whistle will help people find you. These are definitely things to make sure are packed and ready to go. If you live in a high-risk area they actually make necklaces and rings that are fashionable enough to wear and double as rescue whistles so if you want to feel more secure you can wear them every day.
It can be stressful to live in an are with panic that an earthquake is going to hit, but the great news is that now you have some ways to prepare and hopefully that eases some of the stress and anxiety.
