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Choose a bag each person can carry
Use a backpack, so both hands stay free. Let each adult and older child lift and walk with their own bag before you call it done.
Hour zero
Build a 72-hour go-bag
One bag per person by the door, light enough to carry for an hour, holding three days of what you need to leave in five minutes.
Time90 min
LevelEasy
Steps6
Official sources2
When you have to leave, there is no time to search the house. A packed bag by the door turns a scramble into a five-minute exit.
What you need
Gather these before you start.
- Backpack: 1 per person
- Drinking water: about 3 L (3 qt) per person, more in the car
- Ready-to-eat food: 3 days per person
- Copies of documents in a waterproof pouch: 1 set per household
- Cash in small notes: a small amount
- Prescription medicines: at least a week
- Zip bags for wet and dry items
- Marker for labels
Step by step
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Water and food
Pack water bottles and food that needs no cooking, like nut butter, crackers, dried fruit and tinned fish with ring-pull lids. Add a few water purification tablets for longer stays.
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Light, sound and power
Each bag gets a headlamp, spare batteries, a whistle and a phone cable. Put one charged power bank and a small radio in an adult's bag.
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Health and hygiene
Add medicines, spare glasses, a small first-aid kit, a dust mask, hand sanitizer, toilet paper and sanitary items. Babies need formula, diapers and wipes; pets need food, a leash and their papers.
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Papers and cash
Seal copies of IDs, insurance policies, prescriptions and a contact list in a waterproof pouch. Add cash in small notes, because card machines fail in outages.
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Clothes for the weather
Pack a change of clothes, a warm layer, a rain poncho and sturdy shoes or socks for them. Keep the bag by the door or in the car, never at the back of a cupboard.
The numbers
| What | Amount |
|---|---|
| Water in the bag | about 3 L (3 qt) per person |
| Ready-to-eat food | 3 days per person |
| Prescription medicines | at least 1 week |
| Water at home (Ready.gov) | 1 gal (about 4 L) per person per day |
| Time to pack | 90 minutes |
| Check the bags | every 6 months |
Ready.gov, Build a kit
Stay safe
- Keep medicines in their labelled packs and check expiry dates.
- Store lighters and matches in a sealed bag away from children.
When you're done
| Result | One ready bag per person, light enough to carry, holding three days of water, food, light, papers and medicine. |
|---|---|
| Keep it ready | Check the bags every six months: swap the food and water, update medicines, refit clothes for children and the season. |
Questions people ask
What should you put in a go bag?
Water, food that needs no cooking, a headlamp with spare batteries, a whistle, a phone cable, medicines, copies of your papers, small cash and a change of clothes. One adult's bag also carries a charged power bank and a small radio.
How much water do you need in a 72-hour kit?
Ready.gov counts 1 gallon (about 4 L) per person per day, for drinking and sanitation. A bag you carry holds about 3 L per person, so keep the rest in the car or at home.
How often should you check a go bag?
Every six months. Swap the food and water, update the medicines and refit the children's clothes for their size and the season.
Sources
Related guides
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