Bug-out bag checklist — what to actually pack

A bug-out bag — also called a go bag or a 72-hour kit — is a small, pre-packed set of the essentials you would grab on your way out the door. It is not a survivalist's rig or a sign of panic. It is ordinary household preparedness, in the same category as a smoke alarm or a fire extinguisher. The point is simple: when you have to leave quickly, you do not waste time hunting for documents, medication, and a flashlight. They are already in one bag.

A go bag earns its place in many situations — a house fire, a flood, a chemical release nearby, a long power outage, or an official order to evacuate. You do not have to expect the worst to keep one. Pack it once and it waits, ready, for years.

Emergency agencies recommend one bag per person, sized to what each family member can carry. This checklist follows the guidance from Ready.gov and the American Red Cross. Treat it as a starting point and adapt it to your household.

Ready.gov puts it plainly: after an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. The European Commission's 2025 preparedness strategy sets the same idea as a number — households able to be self-sufficient for a minimum of 72 hours.

Water and food

Water comes first. Ready.gov and the Red Cross both recommend one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation, with at least a three-day supply for evacuation. Because you cannot carry days of water on your back, also pack a way to make more of it safe to drink — a portable filter or purification tablets — so you can top up along the way.

Food should be non-perishable and easy to prepare with no cooking: energy bars, dried fruit, trail mix, canned goods with a manual can opener. Aim for at least a three-day supply. Choose things your family will actually eat; unfamiliar survival rations tend to come home untouched.

Documents and cash

Pack copies of your important documents. Ready.gov lists identification, insurance policies, and bank account records; the Red Cross adds proof of address, passports, birth certificates, and a medication list with key medical information. Keep the copies saved electronically or in a waterproof container — better still, in both. If you carry them on a USB drive, encrypt it, since this is your personal data.

Add some extra cash in small denominations. In a power outage, card terminals and ATMs often stop working, and small bills make it easier to pay for what you need.

First-aid kit and personal medications

Pack a ready-made first-aid kit and the medications your family takes regularly. The Red Cross recommends about a seven-day supply of medications along with medical items; Ready.gov adds prescription and basic over-the-counter medicines, spare eyeglasses, and contact-lens supplies.

The key rule for the kit is expiry. Medications and dressings carry use-by dates, so check the kit from time to time and replace anything that has expired. This checklist covers what to pack, not how to treat anyone — first aid itself is best learned in a hands-on course.

Clothing and warmth

Include a complete change of clothing suited to your climate and sturdy, broken-in shoes — evacuation often means walking. Both agencies recommend a sleeping bag or a warm emergency blanket for each person; these pack small and guard against the cold if you spend a night away from home. A hat, gloves, and rain gear are small items that make a real difference to comfort and morale, especially for children.

Light, power, and communication

Pack a flashlight with extra batteries and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio — a NOAA Weather Radio if you can. A radio matters because it keeps you receiving official alerts even after your phone dies and the mobile network is down. Add a cell phone with its chargers and a backup battery.

Round it out with a multi-purpose tool (or a wrench and pliers to turn off utilities), a manual can opener, a whistle to signal for help, and local paper maps in case your phone is not an option.

Hygiene

Sanitation supplies are on every official list for a reason — infections spread more easily in a crisis. Pack moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for personal sanitation, plus soap, hand sanitizer, and personal hygiene items, including feminine supplies. They take little space and keep everyone healthier and more comfortable.

Children, seniors, and pets

Build a bag for every member of the household. For a child, keep it light and add a familiar toy or game to help them stay calm, and tuck in contact details for a caregiver. For infants, pack formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, and diaper-rash cream.

For older adults and anyone with specific needs, include spare eyeglasses, hearing aids with extra batteries, and a written list of medications. For pets, both agencies recommend packing pet food and extra water, plus a collar, leash, ID, carrier, and bowl.

Weight and carrying

The best bag is one each person can carry alone. Do not pack everything in the house just in case — an overloaded bag slows you down instead of helping. Choose a pack with wide, comfortable straps, load it, put it on, and walk a little. If it feels too heavy after a few minutes, take something out. Keep heavier items close to your back.

Rotation schedule

A packed bag is not set-and-forget. Ready.gov advises replacing expired items and rethinking your needs every year. The easiest way is to tie a check to a fixed rhythm — for many people, the twice-a-year clock change. During each check:

• Check the use-by dates on water, food, and medications, and replace anything close to expiring.
• Recharge the power bank and test the batteries in your flashlight and radio.
• Swap children's clothing for the next size up and match clothing to the season.
• Update your document copies if anything has changed.

Keep the bag where you can reach it fast — by the door, in a hall closet, or in the car — and make sure everyone knows where it is.

The checklist at a glance

A packed bag is not about fear — it is about calm. Put it together once and it asks little of you afterward: a short check now and then, in exchange for time and the certainty that, if you ever have to move fast, the essentials are already on your shoulder.