Bug out bag list: go bag essentials
A bug out bag, or go bag, is one sturdy bag per person that you grab when you have to leave home fast. Ready.gov and New York City Emergency Management put in it water and snacks, a flashlight, a radio, a first aid kit, your medicines and a list of them, copies of documents, cash in small bills, spare keys, a phone charger, rain gear and a Mylar blanket. In an emergency, call 911.
What a go bag is for
Ready.gov asks you to "prepare a go-bag you can carry when you evacuate on foot or public transportation." New York City Emergency Management calls it "a collection of things you would want if you have to leave in a hurry": a wildfire coming close, rising water, a gas leak, an order to evacuate.
The bag is sized for carrying. The bigger supply that keeps you going at home stays home, and is covered in the 72-hour kit list.
The go bag list, per person
Pack one of these for everyone in the house.
| Item | Source |
|---|---|
| Bottled water and nonperishable food, such as energy or granola bars | NYC Emergency Management |
| Flashlight and extra batteries. NYC notes LED flashlights last up to 10 times longer than traditional bulbs | NYC, Ready.gov |
| Battery-powered or hand-crank radio | NYC, Ready.gov |
| Phone charger and a backup battery | Ready.gov |
| First aid kit | NYC, Ready.gov |
| Your prescription medicines, plus a written list of each person's medicines, why they take them and the doses | NYC, Ready.gov |
| Copies of important documents in a waterproof, portable container: insurance cards, birth certificates, deeds, photo IDs, proof of address | NYC, Ready.gov |
| Cash in small bills, and copies of your credit and ATM cards | NYC |
| A spare set of car and house keys | NYC |
| Contact and meeting place details for your household, and a small regional map | NYC |
| Lightweight rain gear and a Mylar blanket | NYC |
| Whistle, to signal for help | Ready.gov |
| Dust mask, or an N95 mask against wildfire smoke | Ready.gov |
| Toiletries, hand sanitizer and feminine supplies | NYC, Ready.gov |
| A change of clothes for your climate and sturdy shoes | Ready.gov |
| Notepad and pen | NYC |
Your meeting place and contacts come from your family emergency plan. Tick the bag off in the 72-hour checklist.
Pack it to carry
A bag you can't lift stays behind.
- A backpack keeps both hands free. That is why Germany's civil protection office (BBK) prefers one to a suitcase. NYC also accepts a small suitcase on wheels.
- Each person carries their own. Pack no more than fits in one backpack, the BBK says. Children get a smaller bag with their own snacks and a toy.
- Put it on and walk a block. If it pulls you backwards, take out duplicates before you take out water or medicine.
- Keep it where everyone knows. Ready.gov asks that everyone in the household knows where the bag is stored. By the front door or in the hall closet works.
- Check it once a year. Ready.gov says to reassess your needs every year. NYC adds: refill stored medicine before it expires.
How big, by country
Five agencies, five ways to size the same bag.
| Agency | The bag | Food and water in it |
|---|---|---|
| Ready.gov (US) | One you can carry on foot or on public transportation | Not set for the bag. The home kit holds 1 gallon (about 3.8 L) per person per day for several days |
| NYC Emergency Management | One per household member, sturdy and easy to carry | Bottled water and nonperishable food such as energy bars |
| BBK (Germany) | One backpack per family member, for the first days away from home | Food for 2 days in dustproof packaging, plus a water bottle |
| DSU (Romania) | A minimum list per person | At least 3 litres of water per person, canned or dried food, protein bars |
| CENAPRED (Mexico) | Enough for the first 72 hours after a disaster | Bottled water and light, single-serving food that opens easily |
From each agency's own page or guide, checked 11 Nov 2026.
When you have to leave
Ready.gov's steps for the moment you go. The full drill is in evacuate in 10 minutes.
01Grab the bag and dress for the road
- Wear sturdy shoes and clothes that protect you: long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and a hat.
- Take your emergency kit and your pets.
Source: Ready.gov
02Close up the house
- Close and lock doors and windows.
- Unplug radios, televisions and small appliances. Leave the fridge and freezer plugged in unless there is a risk of flooding.
- Shut off water, gas and electricity only if the home is damaged and you are told to.
Source: Ready.gov
03Leave a note and go early
- Leave a note saying when you left and where you are going.
- Take one car per family, to cut congestion on the roads.
- Leave early enough that bad weather can't trap you.
Source: Ready.gov
Add these for who you live with
The core list fits an adult. These go in the bags of the others.
| Who | Add to their bag | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Babies | Formula, bottles, diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream | Ready.gov |
| Children | Child care supplies, games and small toys | NYC |
| Older adults and people with medical needs | Instructions and spare batteries for devices, back-up medical equipment, a tire repair kit or inflator for a wheelchair or scooter | NYC |
| Glasses or contact lens wearers | Prescription glasses and lens solution | Ready.gov |
| Pets | Food and water for at least three days, bowls, a carrier, a sturdy leash, vaccination records and a photo of you together | NYC, Ready.gov |
Ready.gov: "If local officials ask you to evacuate, that means your pet should evacuate too."
Questions people ask
What is a bug out bag?
Another name for a go bag: a bag per person, packed ahead, that you pick up on the way out when a fire, a flood or an evacuation order makes you leave home.
What should be in a go bag?
Water and snacks, a flashlight, a radio, a phone charger, a first aid kit, medicines with a list of doses, document copies, small cash, spare keys, a map with your meeting place, rain gear and a Mylar blanket.
How much water goes in a go bag?
NYC lists bottled water without a quantity. Romania's DSU sets at least 3 litres per person in the bag. Ready.gov's gallon per person per day is for the kit you keep at home.
Is a go bag the same as a 72-hour kit?
They overlap. The go bag goes out the door on your back; the 72-hour kit stays home for sheltering in place. NYC's home supply kit covers up to seven days.
Backpack or suitcase?
A backpack leaves both hands free, which is why Germany's BBK picks it. NYC also allows a small suitcase on wheels.
Read next
Sources
- Ready.gov: Evacuation Go-bag you can carry, what to wear, closing up the house, gas tank.
- Ready.gov: Build a Kit Kit items, water per person per day, yearly check.
- Ready.gov: Wildfires N95 mask, evacuate when told.
- Ready.gov: Hurricanes Floodwater depths.
- Ready.gov: Pets
- NYC Emergency Management: Gather Supplies The Go Bag list, additions for children, older adults and pets.
- BBK: Notgepäck (in German)
- DSU and Bucharest Community Foundation: 72 de ore după cutremur (PDF, in Romanian)
- CENAPRED: Ten lista tu mochila de emergencia (in Spanish)