Go bag checklist — packed for a real evacuation, not a fantasy one.

Every supply decision belongs in ordinary time, not the warning window. If you're shopping for go-bag items after a watch or warning is issued, you've already lost — you'll be shopping in a store that's been stripped of exactly the items you need. Pack this once, check it twice a year, and it's ready before you need to think about it.

Go bag checklist

• Water and purification tabletsA day or two of bottled water per person, plus purification tablets rather than bleach — tablets don't degrade the way an opened bleach bottle does, which is exactly why they belong in a go-bag rather than under the sink.
• Cash, in small billsIn the days after a disaster, cash frequently becomes the only functioning payment method — card networks and ATMs can be down for days.
• Copies of key documentsID, insurance policy numbers, a photo inventory of your home. See our emergency binder for the full document set — a condensed copy belongs in the bag.
• A few days of medicationA buffer beyond your usual refill schedule, since pharmacies and prescriptions are frequently disrupted for days after an event.
• Real shoes and a headlampNot the shoes you sleep in. Debris, broken glass, and downed material make bare feet or slippers dangerous — and a light you have to search for in the dark is a light you don't have.
• A battery-powered or hand-crank radioA NOAA weather radio with battery backup keeps working when cell networks and power don't.
• Phone chargers and a battery bankPhones fail fastest exactly when everyone reaches for them at once — carry your own power.
• A basic first-aid kitEnough for cuts, sprains, and the injuries that happen while clearing debris.
• A change of clothes per person, weather-appropriateLayered for the season — you may be sleeping somewhere without climate control.
• Your written trigger planA copy of your family emergency plan, so the household's agreed decisions travel with you.

The kids' go bag sub-list

Pack a small, separate bag per child, or a labeled section of the household bag, so a child old enough to carry something has their own kit and a stressed adult doesn't have to remember every child's specifics under pressure.

• An info cardName, birthdate, parent/guardian contact numbers, any allergies or medical conditions, written on a card that stays in the bag.
• Any daily medication, with dosage written downInclude the same medication-buffer logic as the adult list — a few days beyond routine.
• A comfort itemA small stuffed animal or familiar object. It costs nothing and matters more than it looks like it should during a stressful evacuation.
• A quiet activityA book, cards, or a small toy that needs no power and no screen.
• A change of clothes and diapers or wipes if neededSized for the child, not scaled down from the adult list.

What a go bag doesn't cover

A go bag is built for seventy-two hours on the move — it is not your household's full supply. Your home's fourteen-day water and food store, your document vault, and your insurance records belong in the emergency binder, not the bag on your shoulder.

Not ready to buy? Get your free state packet instead — your state's specific hazards, agencies, and mitigation rules.

See also: emergency binder, family emergency plan template, and your state's specific hazards in our state guides.