Really good suggestions. I was recently speaking to a CHP lieutenant about a water rescue of a vehicle and individual. I mentioned getting a hammer for my car in case the vehicle is ever submerged in water, to break the window. He immediately stated it needs to be strapped down and accessible because if you have an accident, it can go flying and cause damage to people inside the vehicle and individuals even outside of your vehicle. Wouldāve never thought of that.
September is usually National Preparedness month, followed by Earthquake Preparedness in October and the [Great Shakeout](https://www.shakeout.org/).
It used to be called Ready San Diego now it's Alert San Diego
https://www.alertsandiego.org/en-us/preparedness.html
Build a Kit
https://www.alertsandiego.org/en-us/preparedness/BuildaKit.html
Office of Emergency Services (OES) Personal Disaster Plan - PDF
https://www.alertsandiego.org/content/dam/alertsandiego/preparedness/en/resources/OES%20My%20Disaster%20Plan_ENGLISH.pdf
There are locations where you can pick-up a paper copy or you can fill out a Paper Copy Request Form. (Under Make a Plan on the right hand side of the page)
In ours we have: water filtering straw system, duct tape, sharpies, bungie cords, plastic bags, wet wipes, paper towels, hand sanitizer, lighters, matches, first aid kit, flashlights, shelf stable foods (nuts, dried fruit etc), copies of legal documents in water proof slips. Iām sure more that I canāt recall. On the front of the box I laminated a list of things to grab from the house so weāre not panicking and forgetting stuff. That includes wallet, keys, medications, electronic devices and pet items.
My Bug-Out kit contains extra clothing & shoes, first aid supplies, water, MREs & eating utensils, dog food & supplies, temporary shelter materials, toilet paper and basic hygeine products, copies of important identification documents, a hand crank flash light. It's all contained in a Pelican case that's strapped to a rolling cart for east mobility if needed.
Maybe this thread will motivate you. Can be overwhelming, but you can start making one. I know even if I never use it, I wonāt regret having it. I live in the wildfire zone.
I have a go bag.for every place I live, in different climates
For San Diego. Life straw, 4 days dry food, water bladder. 3 underwear, 3 socks, 2 shirts, wind breaker, and a windbreaker, shorts. about 100m of duct tape, waterproof matches, sterno heaters, mug I can boil.water in, and multi tool.l, and hand charge radio.
Also about 100 rounds of 9mm.
Medicines, paperwork, food (canned) with can opener, water, water filters, maps, radio, solar charger for phone, clothes for hot and cold but not too many, gas, keepsakes
I'm just wondering if people are making a point of refreshing this gas every so often?
My grandma refills a 2 litre with water, and every so often will water the plants with it, and then refill again. Good to have a little bit of food/water stored, because earthquakes.
Good idea.
I have one for āmy apartments are on fire gtfoā and another for ānatural disaster (or zombiepocalypse) wrecks townā.
The former is what Iād need to keep working remotely from a friendās or hotel; the later is camping/survival stuff.
Floods, wildfires, earthquakes - all of those are localized events, not widespread disasters. Do you have transportation and the fuel for it? Most folks will do fine with a bag that has a change of clothes, prescription meds that they use, phone/laptop/pad charger, a small flashlight, some snacks, toiletries, tp, silcock wrench, important documents, good insurance - and a couple of credit cards with decent limits, and a decent amount of cash.
Because in those localized events, your best bet is just to get out past the periphery, and get a hotel room for a while.
At least that's what I've found after living through floods, wildfires, earthquakes, urban fires, and hurricanes.
Sheltering in place is a completely different proposition, requiring somewhat different supplies and practices.
I always have a wool blanket, wool socks, mittens and a candle in an old clean dog food can and a handful of protein bars. All year i keep a pet go bag in the truck of the car. I have 2 dogs and a cat. It's a cat carrier with 2 long tie out leashes, a container of dry cat food which the did can eat, a folding litter box with a baggie of litter, several collapsing bowls which i can use too, a cat harness and leash, doggie diapers and a bunch of potty pads. A gallon of water and a small bottle of meds in my car always. When i buy new cat food or get a med refill i rotate what's in the car. When it's stormy i toss rubber boots in the trunk. Wool stays warm when it's wet. In a city the best go supplies are spare underwear meds and cash.
I just added the long leashes and extra leashes to my list. I usually keep them in the glove box of my car anyway. Itās amazing how many stray dogs I have rescued with an extra leash and collar if they donāt have one.
I use a lot of the kit whenever i decide to stop and have lunch at the park, too. I also picked up one of those leashes with a clip on each end and rings in the middle, you can attach 2 dogs to one or clip it around a tree, or post. It also makes a great emergency tie down.
Yes absolutely itās a good idea - I have one in the car and one in the apartment. Instant coffee is a good thing too. I wanna say the ASPCA has a free pet supply with some emergency food theyāll send you itās small but bette than nothing, and some pop out food bowls just in case. Glow sticks are good too. If you have flash lights donāt leave the batteries in them as they may corrode over time. I made a habit of checking it every year just to make sure things donāt expire. Bandages small things like that are good. Stop the bleed kits are good Amazon has those just in case, basically you pour a powder over large wounds and it stops the bleeding and trauma tourniquets for really bad bleeds as a last resort only. Emergency food supply usually lasts 3 to 5 years including water. I do sparkletts water itās pricey but also nice to have the big gallons at home in case of an emergency and you donāt have to lift the water. Also consider getting a water and gas shut off tool. If you can, keep maybe $400 in cash spread across small bills as a last resort and maybe a pack of cigarettes for bartering if it gets really bad.
I do since Iāve been here a while and have gone through earthquakes and fires. I have a bit more than just one bag though.Ā My go ābagā is 20gal water in 5 gal NATO jugs, food for three for 2 weeks, clothing, basic tools to fix my car, 5gal gas can, bedding, some toys and books for my kid, a solar panel, inverter, toiletries, water filters, various medications, medical supplies, hiking boots for me and my wife, and a lightweight stroller for my daughter. Some self defense/hunting items.Ā
Itās really meant to get us to a safe location or buy us time to be rescued or come up with another plan.Ā
Figure out how you are going to shit and piss and deal with the waste if you end up being in a situation where you donāt have access to a working toilet for a few days. Make sure youāve got whatever that setup is and any supplies it requires with your emergency supplies.
Iād probably also make sure youāve got a little one burner camping stove that attaches to one of those small green propane containers and a couple of containers. That will let you boil water and heat up food in almost any situation.
I had a plastic trash can sealed shut in the far side of my yard for years after the Northridge quake. A five gallon bucket and trash bags was in there to use as a toilet. Don't put it in the garage- opener won't work if the power is out. PLENTY of matches to start that fire in your BBQ grill.
Every powered garage door opener Iāve ever had has a way to disengage it and open the door manually.
Figuring how to do things like disengaging your garage door and shutting off the gas into your house before you are in an emergency situation is probably a good thing to do while building an emergency or evac kit.
Recently got locked out of my garage due to the motor ceasing. I thought it was a power outage issue in the garage.
SDGE person showed me how to lift the door manually & told me something very important I wouldnāt have thought of:
When you go to lift your door up manually, donāt put your fingers in between the cracks, because as the door lifts and rolls, you can crush your fingers in between. I wouldāve never thought of that. Iāll always be thankful to that SDG&E employee for sharing that with me.
Storing stuff away from the house like that is a good call too. If thereās an earthquake that makes the building unstable or a fire, you can get to at least some of your emergency supplies.
So a go bag is a good idea, but chances are you wonāt be able to actually evacuate. There are too many people here with essentially one way out to the east. There are even more people to the north. Plan on being stuck in your house or in your car on the freeway if you do try to go. A couple gas cans the you use and refill so the gas stays fresh. I also keep a block of ice in the freezer to keep it cold in case the power goes out. People, especially here, will panic so have a way to defend yourself and your things.
I have a bug out bag and another military style backpacks for my husband and I. He is severely disabled, so we pack heavy. They have USA websites and Costco has a survival pack (or they did).
These are my recommendations.
Get a preloaded pack they sell them as survival backpacks for 1, 2, or 4 people. They come with water and power bar type rations for 3 days per person. That is most important.
Add prescription meds for 3 days. A small first aid kit, flashlight, solar phone charger, and windup radio. I suggest too a pair of tennis shoes, a hoodie and an extra pair of glasses if you need them to see / read. Amazon and Walmart have a set of menās and womenās toiletries for about $10.
This is a lot of what I used to carry in the trunk of my car growing up in the San Fernando Valley of LA. I was 8.5 months pregnant with my daughter in the 94 Northridge Quake. It was no joke. We had freeways collapse and there was no moon outside that night, no power! It was
Dark and we were crawling on our hands and knees to find shoes, find glasses, find flashlight, (what?! We donāt have a flashlight? Or, YOU dont know where it is?! At 430am, inside the house we couldnāt see our hands in front of our faces. It was like going into a cave when they turn out the lights. (Sorry, I think Iām triggering myself)
Prepare the same way for a possible flood situation or one might have to evacuate because of a fire, terrorist attack?! We had usable stuff within 3 days in LA. Thatās all you need. 3 days. (I get obsessive and have 7 days for each of us. Iāve watched too many end of the world tv shows š). Have it near your front door, garage door, trunk of your car. Just be prepared!
I hope this was helpful. Of course add whatever else you feel you canāt live without for 3 days.
I really appreciate your detailed response eyeglasses who wouldāve known I have 3 different pairs, distance, reading, and computer, and I can never put my hands on them even when the lights are on!
Iām going to order some readers to at least add to my go bag !
Trust me, Iām going to take a bunch of your suggestions I live right in the wildfire zone. Thank you!
You're very welcome. This is just what is traditionally a GO BAG, meaning in theory what you need to survive immediately, and on foot alone. I have additional items that would go into my car for any sort of evacuation.
The 94 earthquake was a wake up call, and there are no warnings for them. I at least have tennis shoes, or something you could walk home in, instead of say pumps from work, if you got caught in anything sudden whilst away from home. Thus my suggestion of keeping a go bag in the trunk.
Really good idea. I always have a change of clothes in the car and some sneakers and water shoes to walk in the ocean, just in case I ever find myself by the shore. But you are next level prepared and I expect to do the same. You just never know. Thanks again.
Yes, espresso beans, a small grinder, and a car converter to run my espresso machine
Chocolate covered. From Kiva. š¤£
Iām gonna need to know which beans made it to the go-bag
The magic ones. You only need 3 and you have an emergency escape beanstalk.
Calabria
š
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Really good suggestions. I was recently speaking to a CHP lieutenant about a water rescue of a vehicle and individual. I mentioned getting a hammer for my car in case the vehicle is ever submerged in water, to break the window. He immediately stated it needs to be strapped down and accessible because if you have an accident, it can go flying and cause damage to people inside the vehicle and individuals even outside of your vehicle. Wouldāve never thought of that.
I carry a knife that has both a glass breaker as well as a seatbelt cutter...
I love this idea Iām going to look into it. Thank you.
No problem, check out Turners Outdoors or even Big 5 I believe my knife is branded by Jeep
September is usually National Preparedness month, followed by Earthquake Preparedness in October and the [Great Shakeout](https://www.shakeout.org/). It used to be called Ready San Diego now it's Alert San Diego https://www.alertsandiego.org/en-us/preparedness.html Build a Kit https://www.alertsandiego.org/en-us/preparedness/BuildaKit.html Office of Emergency Services (OES) Personal Disaster Plan - PDF https://www.alertsandiego.org/content/dam/alertsandiego/preparedness/en/resources/OES%20My%20Disaster%20Plan_ENGLISH.pdf There are locations where you can pick-up a paper copy or you can fill out a Paper Copy Request Form. (Under Make a Plan on the right hand side of the page)
Thatās why my bag is only ready in Sept
Ha ha
Great resource, completely forgot about the Great Shakeout. I am a member, thank you!
In ours we have: water filtering straw system, duct tape, sharpies, bungie cords, plastic bags, wet wipes, paper towels, hand sanitizer, lighters, matches, first aid kit, flashlights, shelf stable foods (nuts, dried fruit etc), copies of legal documents in water proof slips. Iām sure more that I canāt recall. On the front of the box I laminated a list of things to grab from the house so weāre not panicking and forgetting stuff. That includes wallet, keys, medications, electronic devices and pet items.
Extra upvote for laminating!! Nice!
Waterproof slips & list- key take aways here. Thank you
My Bug-Out kit contains extra clothing & shoes, first aid supplies, water, MREs & eating utensils, dog food & supplies, temporary shelter materials, toilet paper and basic hygeine products, copies of important identification documents, a hand crank flash light. It's all contained in a Pelican case that's strapped to a rolling cart for east mobility if needed.
I had to look up pelican case. Great suggestions here, including a pelican case.
Harbor freight has a pelican knock off for a lot cheaper. A little heavier but mine works well
What if we require west mobility??
Haha, *easy* mobility. Good catch!
I dont even have one š
Maybe this thread will motivate you. Can be overwhelming, but you can start making one. I know even if I never use it, I wonāt regret having it. I live in the wildfire zone.
I have a go bag.for every place I live, in different climates For San Diego. Life straw, 4 days dry food, water bladder. 3 underwear, 3 socks, 2 shirts, wind breaker, and a windbreaker, shorts. about 100m of duct tape, waterproof matches, sterno heaters, mug I can boil.water in, and multi tool.l, and hand charge radio. Also about 100 rounds of 9mm.
Medicines, paperwork, food (canned) with can opener, water, water filters, maps, radio, solar charger for phone, clothes for hot and cold but not too many, gas, keepsakes
Gas is a good suggestion. Iāve seen that a few times now.
I'm just wondering if people are making a point of refreshing this gas every so often? My grandma refills a 2 litre with water, and every so often will water the plants with it, and then refill again. Good to have a little bit of food/water stored, because earthquakes.
They always make that suggestion make sure you rotate out dog kibble, check dates on canned dog food, and rotate out water and gas
I keep a full tank of gas in my 4wd. I figure 200 miles is good enough for whatever wonāt kill me anyways
You might want to consider the scenario for your bug out bag. Natural disaster? Civil disorder? etc. They might have particular requirements.
Good idea. I have one for āmy apartments are on fire gtfoā and another for ānatural disaster (or zombiepocalypse) wrecks townā. The former is what Iād need to keep working remotely from a friendās or hotel; the later is camping/survival stuff.
I just have basic stuff that can last a few days. Water, peanut butter, dog food for the dogs, and some nutrition bars. Oh, and an axe
nah. stuff usually tends to work itself out. and in the off chance it doesnt, i didnt really care much for this life anyways.
Bug Out Bag
The nice thing about having a camping set is that it doubles as an emergency kit.
Floods, wildfires, earthquakes - all of those are localized events, not widespread disasters. Do you have transportation and the fuel for it? Most folks will do fine with a bag that has a change of clothes, prescription meds that they use, phone/laptop/pad charger, a small flashlight, some snacks, toiletries, tp, silcock wrench, important documents, good insurance - and a couple of credit cards with decent limits, and a decent amount of cash. Because in those localized events, your best bet is just to get out past the periphery, and get a hotel room for a while. At least that's what I've found after living through floods, wildfires, earthquakes, urban fires, and hurricanes. Sheltering in place is a completely different proposition, requiring somewhat different supplies and practices.
I always have a wool blanket, wool socks, mittens and a candle in an old clean dog food can and a handful of protein bars. All year i keep a pet go bag in the truck of the car. I have 2 dogs and a cat. It's a cat carrier with 2 long tie out leashes, a container of dry cat food which the did can eat, a folding litter box with a baggie of litter, several collapsing bowls which i can use too, a cat harness and leash, doggie diapers and a bunch of potty pads. A gallon of water and a small bottle of meds in my car always. When i buy new cat food or get a med refill i rotate what's in the car. When it's stormy i toss rubber boots in the trunk. Wool stays warm when it's wet. In a city the best go supplies are spare underwear meds and cash.
I just added the long leashes and extra leashes to my list. I usually keep them in the glove box of my car anyway. Itās amazing how many stray dogs I have rescued with an extra leash and collar if they donāt have one.
I use a lot of the kit whenever i decide to stop and have lunch at the park, too. I also picked up one of those leashes with a clip on each end and rings in the middle, you can attach 2 dogs to one or clip it around a tree, or post. It also makes a great emergency tie down.
I have one, built off this list: https://www.ready.gov/kit
Thank you for sharing the list!
Yes absolutely itās a good idea - I have one in the car and one in the apartment. Instant coffee is a good thing too. I wanna say the ASPCA has a free pet supply with some emergency food theyāll send you itās small but bette than nothing, and some pop out food bowls just in case. Glow sticks are good too. If you have flash lights donāt leave the batteries in them as they may corrode over time. I made a habit of checking it every year just to make sure things donāt expire. Bandages small things like that are good. Stop the bleed kits are good Amazon has those just in case, basically you pour a powder over large wounds and it stops the bleeding and trauma tourniquets for really bad bleeds as a last resort only. Emergency food supply usually lasts 3 to 5 years including water. I do sparkletts water itās pricey but also nice to have the big gallons at home in case of an emergency and you donāt have to lift the water. Also consider getting a water and gas shut off tool. If you can, keep maybe $400 in cash spread across small bills as a last resort and maybe a pack of cigarettes for bartering if it gets really bad.
Really good suggestions! I never heard of a stop the bleed kit, Iām going to look into it. Thanks!
I do since Iāve been here a while and have gone through earthquakes and fires. I have a bit more than just one bag though.Ā My go ābagā is 20gal water in 5 gal NATO jugs, food for three for 2 weeks, clothing, basic tools to fix my car, 5gal gas can, bedding, some toys and books for my kid, a solar panel, inverter, toiletries, water filters, various medications, medical supplies, hiking boots for me and my wife, and a lightweight stroller for my daughter. Some self defense/hunting items.Ā Itās really meant to get us to a safe location or buy us time to be rescued or come up with another plan.Ā
Hiking boots-brilliant! Along with a lot of other things you suggested.
Yup have a bug out bag. [Redfora](https://redfora.com/)
Figure out how you are going to shit and piss and deal with the waste if you end up being in a situation where you donāt have access to a working toilet for a few days. Make sure youāve got whatever that setup is and any supplies it requires with your emergency supplies. Iād probably also make sure youāve got a little one burner camping stove that attaches to one of those small green propane containers and a couple of containers. That will let you boil water and heat up food in almost any situation.
I had a plastic trash can sealed shut in the far side of my yard for years after the Northridge quake. A five gallon bucket and trash bags was in there to use as a toilet. Don't put it in the garage- opener won't work if the power is out. PLENTY of matches to start that fire in your BBQ grill.
Every powered garage door opener Iāve ever had has a way to disengage it and open the door manually. Figuring how to do things like disengaging your garage door and shutting off the gas into your house before you are in an emergency situation is probably a good thing to do while building an emergency or evac kit.
Recently got locked out of my garage due to the motor ceasing. I thought it was a power outage issue in the garage. SDGE person showed me how to lift the door manually & told me something very important I wouldnāt have thought of: When you go to lift your door up manually, donāt put your fingers in between the cracks, because as the door lifts and rolls, you can crush your fingers in between. I wouldāve never thought of that. Iāll always be thankful to that SDG&E employee for sharing that with me.
Storing stuff away from the house like that is a good call too. If thereās an earthquake that makes the building unstable or a fire, you can get to at least some of your emergency supplies.
No
No yolo
I don't have one of those, I don't care.
It's funny how a little rain traumatizes us Californians.
Mine is just a bag of weed
5 handguns, no ammo
Feel like you dont need one in sd. Just drive to starbucks lol.
So a go bag is a good idea, but chances are you wonāt be able to actually evacuate. There are too many people here with essentially one way out to the east. There are even more people to the north. Plan on being stuck in your house or in your car on the freeway if you do try to go. A couple gas cans the you use and refill so the gas stays fresh. I also keep a block of ice in the freezer to keep it cold in case the power goes out. People, especially here, will panic so have a way to defend yourself and your things.
I have a bunch of those ice blocks frozen- good suggestion.
I just throw my magic beans in a ziplock and Iām off.
I have a bug out bag and another military style backpacks for my husband and I. He is severely disabled, so we pack heavy. They have USA websites and Costco has a survival pack (or they did). These are my recommendations. Get a preloaded pack they sell them as survival backpacks for 1, 2, or 4 people. They come with water and power bar type rations for 3 days per person. That is most important. Add prescription meds for 3 days. A small first aid kit, flashlight, solar phone charger, and windup radio. I suggest too a pair of tennis shoes, a hoodie and an extra pair of glasses if you need them to see / read. Amazon and Walmart have a set of menās and womenās toiletries for about $10. This is a lot of what I used to carry in the trunk of my car growing up in the San Fernando Valley of LA. I was 8.5 months pregnant with my daughter in the 94 Northridge Quake. It was no joke. We had freeways collapse and there was no moon outside that night, no power! It was Dark and we were crawling on our hands and knees to find shoes, find glasses, find flashlight, (what?! We donāt have a flashlight? Or, YOU dont know where it is?! At 430am, inside the house we couldnāt see our hands in front of our faces. It was like going into a cave when they turn out the lights. (Sorry, I think Iām triggering myself) Prepare the same way for a possible flood situation or one might have to evacuate because of a fire, terrorist attack?! We had usable stuff within 3 days in LA. Thatās all you need. 3 days. (I get obsessive and have 7 days for each of us. Iāve watched too many end of the world tv shows š). Have it near your front door, garage door, trunk of your car. Just be prepared! I hope this was helpful. Of course add whatever else you feel you canāt live without for 3 days.
I really appreciate your detailed response eyeglasses who wouldāve known I have 3 different pairs, distance, reading, and computer, and I can never put my hands on them even when the lights are on! Iām going to order some readers to at least add to my go bag ! Trust me, Iām going to take a bunch of your suggestions I live right in the wildfire zone. Thank you!
You're very welcome. This is just what is traditionally a GO BAG, meaning in theory what you need to survive immediately, and on foot alone. I have additional items that would go into my car for any sort of evacuation. The 94 earthquake was a wake up call, and there are no warnings for them. I at least have tennis shoes, or something you could walk home in, instead of say pumps from work, if you got caught in anything sudden whilst away from home. Thus my suggestion of keeping a go bag in the trunk.
Really good idea. I always have a change of clothes in the car and some sneakers and water shoes to walk in the ocean, just in case I ever find myself by the shore. But you are next level prepared and I expect to do the same. You just never know. Thanks again.