What should you put in a Go Bag?

Emergency Manager Tiffany Brown talks about how to be ready and what to take with you when sheltering at home is not an option.

Go Bags should have the supplies needed to sustain you for 72 hours: water, medications, warm layers, etc.

Tiffany also covers the 6 Ps – the 6 categories of things you should take with you when you need to evacuate your home: People and pets, prescriptions, Personal computer, Papers, Pictures, Plastic.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Ready.gov
• Evacuation Guide with 6Ps
• Request a Pocket Guide here.

**If you would like to have a question answered on the upcoming Q&A episode, please send your question to publicinformation@lanecountyor.gov or call 541-682-4526 to leave a recorded message for us to use on the podcast.**

Listen online or on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

A transcript is available online.
​

Listen online or on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts or Spotify.

You can find more information, including episodes and show notes, at LaneCountyOR.gov/fan. Sign up to receive emergency alerts at LaneAlerts.org.

The views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Lane County Government.

Transcript

The transcript is AI generated and lightly edited for glaring errors. Please excuse minor errors.

Introduction:

Welcome to When It Hits the Fan, Lane County's favorite podcast for all things emergency preparedness. Whether you're just dipping your toes into the world of emergency preparedness or you've been building bunkers since Y2K, we've got something for you. Hosted by Lane County Emergency Management, this podcast is all about equipping you with the knowledge and resources to be prepared and stay safe, no matter what hits the fan.

Tiffany:

Hey, Devon, we're back again.

Devon:

We are. We just keep turning up like a bad penny.

Tiffany:

I love that.

Devon:

I know that partly because of the season and just partly because of everything your office is responsible for that you've been really busy. So what has been happening over there?

Tiffany:

Well, we do have fire season. We're just staying in touch with all of our cooperators and letting them know what's going on. Related to that, we did deliver some preparedness kits up the McKenzie River to kids that live in the fire-impacted areas from the Holiday Farm Fire, so that felt good. We all know that getting kids involved is a great way to encourage change in communities.

Devon:

Yeah, and that was truly a big community event. The Long-Term Recovery Group organized it all, McKenzie Fire hosted, and so a really cool way to help get kids involved and especially in a community that is so aware of and affected by wildfire.

Tiffany:

We also had some really interesting meetings this month. I met with the Army Corps of Engineers who was in the state to talk about Cascadia and what their role will be and how they'll show up and where they'll show up and what they'll do after a big earthquake. That was a really fascinating meeting.

Devon:

So this episode, can we talk about Go-Kits? Because that's very different than the big two-week supply that we talked about at the beginning of this season.

Tiffany:

Well, it's what you said. Two weeks ready tends to be more about what you have ready at home and that you're ready to stay on your own without assistance for two weeks. A Go-Kit is just that. It's when you need to go from one place to another, and more specifically, when you need to go very quickly. It doesn't tend to be as long of a planning effort. 72 hours, three days is really the classic amount of time that we think of when we think about Go-Kits.

Devon:

I feel like a few years ago there was kind of a cultural phenomenon and I can't remember the name of the show, but people were talking about bug-out bags and that was a term that kept coming up in popular culture. Is that the same thing essentially?

Tiffany:

It is the same thing and in fact, I think a bug out bag is defined as a 72-hour kit. It's probably an old military term, aren't most of these things we talk about? But bug out bag is a faster way to say 72 hour kit.

Devon:

And more fun.

Tiffany:

It is more fun.

Devon:

So what kinds of things should people be putting in their Go Bag?

Tiffany:

The basics. I think before you pack your Go Bag, I say this all the time, it's thinking through your scenario. And what I mean specifically with the Go Kit is are you going to need to create your own shelter? That's kind of the big decision in my mind with a Go Kit. If you aren't, and we can sideline that for later, but if you do not think that you'll have a need for shelter, I think it's the basics that we talk about. A first aid kit, cash, sanitation and toiletries, clothing, and I think this is an important piece, layered clothing. Tools like a multipurpose tool would be great. I don't think Duct Tape ever hurts to have it. And then kind of along the lines of shelter, are you going to need a fire? So if so, fire starter, those sort of outdoor elements.

I think that's a separate piece. I think for a lot of people, having to stay outside probably isn't part of what they need to consider, but absolutely think it through. And then think through the different scenarios. This isn't just for one scenario. Where might you need to go and from where might you be going to that place? Is it from your car? Is it from your bedside? Do you have a kit at work? And so I guess the point I'm trying to make here is you may need more than one Go Kit.

Devon:

It seems like this is also more streamlined when it comes to comfort.

Tiffany:

That's true. That said, water should always be top of mind. Now, the problem with a Go Kit is that water is heavy. And so I think having a small amount of water, maybe 32 ounces in your kit, but then having tablets or something that you could use to purify water. We talk a lot about food and water at the same time. Having food in your kit is important, but I'm going to say for a three-day kit, it's not as important. Have you ever heard the three minutes, three days, three weeks? Three minutes, a human can go without air for three minutes, without water for three days, and without food for three weeks. And so while food and sustenance is important in a disaster, you may be burning more calories than usual. In a three-day kit, it's a consideration, but it's not the most important.

Devon:

That's really interesting. So you talked a little bit about the different places someone might want to have a kit. In the vehicle, at home, at work. Do those locations need different things?

Tiffany:

I think people need to think that through, right? Like where you work, it may be different than where I work, than where our listeners work. You may already have supplies in your car. You may want to think through what a car kit looks like versus what a three-day kit looks like. And you're probably tired of hearing me say this, then you need to walk through it and walk through your day. Walk through a three-day period and understand what you might be missing or need to add. The challenge with the three-day kit is you don't have much space and so you really have to be intentional and thoughtful about what goes in that kit.

Devon:

Absolutely. You said at the beginning, it's different if you think you might need to also shelter yourself with what's in your kit. What does that look like?

Tiffany:

That can look really basic. They make a tent that's made of Mylar that isn't different than those Mylar blankets. And I think when we're talking about 72-hour kits and the lack of space that you have and the weight that you're trying to avoid, I think something like a tarp or a Mylar tent or something that just keeps you out of the elements is something to consider. Also, fire starters. So if you are evacuating in a rural area or somewhere and that doesn't ensure that you have a place to go, you may find yourself outside. So thinking through what you need to start a fire and then try it. Not this time of year please, but...

Devon:

Yeah, wait a while.

Tiffany:

Right. Flint and fire starters and things that we make, if they aren't things that you're used to using, this is true of anything in your Go Kit, practice using it before you actually have to.

Devon:

Yeah, I like the small Mylar tents. They fold up into something that is smaller than my hand. A couple of Mylar blankets. I also am a big fan of the large hand warmers, the ones that are air activated. You can get huge boxes of them at Bi-Mart every fall, but those are nice to have as well.

Tiffany:

That's a great point.

Devon:

When we do evacuations, we also often talk about the six Ps. Some of those things might live in your Go Kit, but most of them likely don't. And so there are things that if you have time and you're being asked to prepare to leave your home that you should gather. And can you help us remember what the six Ps are? And I'm totally not asking because I've momentarily forgotten.

Tiffany:

Yes, I love the six P list because we can give people lists, but it somehow makes us think about it differently and kind of turn the idea inside out. 

So people and pets is the first. It's what we've been talking about here today. All of the things you need in your kit, but then thinking through what your pet needs as well, kind of through that same lens. 

To the point of me talking about walking through your day, the second P is prescriptions. So it's critical to have those prescriptions with you, and so understanding, and that's medicines, but it's also eyeglasses, any medical devices, anything related to medical needs that you need on a daily basis. 

The third P is phones and personal computers, anything related to that. Hard drives, disks, chargers, any equipment that you would need to maintain that. 

And then the fourth is plastic, and that simply refers to debit cards, credit cards, but here's where I want to say cash. In an environment where we don't have power or we've got some big infrastructure losses, using your ATM and credit cards shouldn't be something you'd expect to necessarily do. Another note about cash is having it in small denominations. So if we're in an environment where it's cash only, it may be exact change only. That's an important piece. 

Five is papers, and that's important documents. Having pictures of your documents, copies of your documents, second copies of your documents with another person. This is where I'll remind our listeners that we have the pocket planner here at our office. That is a little book that's like three by four inches and it's designed to capture all of this information that we're talking about so you have it in one place and it's in a little booklet that's easy to fit in your Go Kit. If anybody listening wants one of those, just call or email our office and we'll send you one in the mail.

I don't think we can overemphasize the printed materials and things in writing that folks won't have to rely on a phone or the internet. And the thing that jumps into my mind, and one thing that, I have one of those passport pocket planners in my Go Kit. And I have written, I've taken all the phone numbers, critical phone numbers out of my phone and written them in the back of that book in the event that I don't have a phone, that my phone isn't charged, that I don't have an ability to get a hold of people otherwise.

Devon:

Oh, that's a great reminder. I think memorizing the phone numbers of your loved ones is a lost art.

Tiffany:

And then finally, pictures. This is twofold for me. I think they recommend pictures much in the same way your insurance company would encourage you to take pictures of things, but also memorabilia, things that you wouldn't want to lose.

Devon:

So Tiffany, you talk a lot about the importance of customizing our plans, our kits, our supplies to fit the needs of each individual household. When someone is planning or revamping their Go Kit, hopefully lots of people already have one, what are some circumstances they might want to consider in case it would help them build a better kit for themselves?

Tiffany:

That's a great question. I think you're right. We've talked enough about walking through your day and what might you need and what are your needs and what are your habits, but now let's talk about walking through your life in general and what scenarios you might encounter. I think we're all thinking about, "I need to leave my house fast. There's a fire, there's a flood. I'm getting out of bed, I'm grabbing my Go Kit, I'm leaving the house." But let's think about the car scenario. I got held up in traffic for six hours last year and had to sit in my car. Depending on the weather, if that was really hot or really cold, think through what you might need if you found yourself in your car for an extended period of time. If you are leaving your home, if you're leaving your office, and thinking through the different types of scenarios and reasons that might be behind why you're leaving.

Devon:

No, I appreciate that. So what is in your Go Kit? Give us a peek. Figuratively speaking, I know we can't see you.

Tiffany:

The things we've talked about. I don't have a lot of clothes in my Go Kit. I have socks and underwear and things that I would wear underneath my clothes with the assumption that I'll be wearing what it is I take with me. Sorry, you didn't ask me what was not in my Go Kit. You asked me what was in my Go Kit.

Devon:

I'll allow it.

Tiffany:

But that's just a clarification. And it's something I discovered in running out of room. I don't want 50 pounds on my back. I want something to last for three days. So I have extra contact lenses. I have a small coffee press and a small stove because that would make my day better to have a good cup of coffee.

Devon:

I feel like that's advanced Go Kit building. I'm still at the 101. Where can people, if they're interested in putting together a Go Kit, where can people get other ideas? What are some resources?

Tiffany:

Well, ready.gov is always the go-to, it's the FEMA-sponsored preparedness website. You may find things that are newer, shinier, sexier, but FEMA covers everything on that website. And so it's a really good place to start in terms of basic preparedness, guidance and how to pack a kit. And I think I would start with that and then just search for a couple others and see if you can start finding ideas that resonate with you or that fill gaps and thinking through what your own needs are. But here's the most important thing at the end of the day. You have to use the kit. You have to be familiar with it. You can't just pack it and leave it on the shelf and expect for that to be useful in your time of need.

You need to practice, practice, practice so that you know have the right things and that you have the things you need and kind of walk through those scenarios. But you also need to keep it intact. So that means updating it, that means putting fresh water in if your water has expired, but it also means not dipping into it at any other time of the year. It means making sure that you only use it in emergencies so that everything you need remains in the bag when an emergency finally occurs. I speak from personal experience on this.

Devon:

Do you care to elaborate on that personal experience?

Tiffany:

I had a go bag in the car and it didn't come to a critical point, but I was driving home with my kids from school shopping and I said, "Hey, do you guys want to stop for dinner?" And they said, "Oh no, we found some snacks in the back seat in this bag." And I said, "That's our go bag. You're not supposed to eat the stuff that's in there unless you absolutely need it." So nothing terrible happened, but it was a good lesson in reminding everybody that that bag is packed for the very bad day and we need to make sure that it stays packed. So enough said, but pack the bag, practice so you know that you have everything that you could possibly want and then leave it alone other than to maintain it. And I say walk through scenarios, but the truth is that 90% of events and disasters sort of rely on the same preparedness items. And so by getting those basic items outlined in your kit, you're going to be ready for almost anything for three days.

Devon:

Well, thank you, Tiffany. We are going to be putting together a episode for the season answering questions that listeners have. And so this is just a reminder for people to send those questions to our Public Information Office. The contact information for that will be in the show notes. Next time though, we are hoping if the scheduling works out to have Greenhill Humane Society with us to talk about being prepared with pets, right? They are often beloved, if not favorite members of our families and they're a really important part of our planning.

Tiffany:

They're such an important part of our planning.

Devon:

Greenhill's a great partner, so we'll have a great conversation with them. All right, well, try to stay out of trouble until next time.

Tiffany:

I'll try. I'll see you next time. Thanks, Devon.

Devon:

Bye, Tiffany.

Tiffany:

Bye.

Closing:

When It Hits The Fan is brought to you by Lane County Emergency Management and co-hosted by Lane County Emergency Manager Tiffany Brown and Public Information Officer Devon Ashbridge. Music is by the Love Gems. Many thanks to our listeners and guests. We are so glad you're here to help us create a more prepared community. You can find more information, including episodes and show notes, at LaneCountyOR.gov/fan. 

Sign up to receive emergency alerts at LaneAlerts.org. The views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Lane County government.