PACK YOUR
GO BAG.

What to look for

A starting reserve, not a full day’s water.

Unopened bottled water or suitable food-grade containers. Store cool, out of sunlight, and check dates.

A portable starting amount, not a day’s water supply. Plan safe refills and carry more where practical.

Baseline amounts are not personalised. Heat, health needs, and pets may require more water; follow local guidance.

What to look for

Use a bottle you already own. Fill with safe drinking water before leaving and plan where to refill.

Skip the extra bottle if your filled drinking-water bottles already do the job. An empty bottle is not a water supply or a filter.

What to look for

Choose food your household already eats, including dietary needs. A person-day means one person’s usual full day of food, not one meal.

A departure/journey reserve, not a complete day’s food. Adapt to your route and household.

What to look for

A simple manual opener you know how to use. Skip it if all your food is otherwise accessible.

What to look for

Only if relevant: If your chosen food needs utensils.

Use ordinary clean reusable utensils appropriate to your food and household. A small spoon may be enough; no tactical mess kit is required. Keep clean and used items separate and plan safe washing water. Ready-to-eat food still needs no stove.

What to look for

Easy controls, common batteries or a reliable charging option, and enough runtime for the intended use.

A torch is safer than a candle. Never use a combustion appliance indoors for light or heat.

What to look for

Choose a reputable model compatible with your devices. Check its real usable capacity and keep it charged.

A phone power bank is not automatically suitable for medical equipment. Arrange an appropriate backup with your equipment provider.

What to do

Use an existing cable that fits both your phone and backup power source. Test the complete setup.

What to look for

Match battery types to your equipment; check dates and keep contacts protected. Our count is one replacement set per planned light plus one radio.

What to look for

Use an existing charger with the correct regional plug, device connector and charging output. Test it with your phone, cable and power bank.

What to look for

UK: receive local FM news. US: consider a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert as well as broadcast news. Check local reception.

What to do

Comfortable layers, warm socks, and suitable outerwear for each person. Account for children growing.

What to look for

Start with a bag you already own. Pack and lift it, check the weight, and make sure everyone knows where it is.

A grab bag is not a complete multi-day supply. Make a transport, destination, and safe water-refill plan.

What to look for

Use a sleeping bag you already own if it fits the person and expected conditions. Check the maker's comfort guidance, packed size and carried weight. Plan suitable ground insulation and weather protection if sleeping outdoors; a sleeping bag alone is not a complete shelter.

Cold-limit and survival ratings are not comfortable sleeping temperatures. Allow for the individual, clothing, ground insulation, wind and damp. Adult bags are not safe infant sleep equipment; follow age-appropriate safe-sleep advice.

What to do

An existing lightweight waterproof layer that fits. Keep it accessible rather than buried at the bottom of a bag.

What to do

Practical shoes you can comfortably walk in. Keep them near your bag; do not buy untested footwear for an emergency.

What to look for

Choose a robust, appropriately sized emergency wrap and practise using it safely. A suitable existing emergency bivvy may already fill this role: do not buy duplicate covers just to tick two boxes. Keep insulated bedding, ground insulation and weather protection distinct.

A thin reflective blanket is not an insulated sleeping bag, a sleeping mat or guaranteed protection in severe weather. Keep the face clear; never wrap an infant or use it as infant sleep equipment.

What to do

Only if relevant: Match supplies to the season, route and individual needs.

Adapt hats, covering clothing, sunglasses and usual sunscreen to the route and season. Include usual appropriate insect protection where needed and account for children and individual skin needs. Plan shade, rest and safe water; equipment never makes dangerous heat safe. Use what you already own rather than a generic clothing or sunscreen tier.

What to look for

Only if relevant: If your plan may require sleeping outdoors.

If your evacuation plan may involve sleeping outdoors, include a mat matched to the expected ground temperature, person and sleeping bag. Compare tested R-values rather than thickness or an uninsulated airbed alone. Check size, packed bulk and puncture/repair needs; use owned equipment where suitable. Indoor accommodation may make carrying a mat unnecessary.

A low-R-value foam mat is not sufficient by itself for all cold conditions. A mat does not replace weather shelter or a climate-appropriate sleeping bag. Follow safe infant sleep advice separately.

What to look for

Only if relevant: If your route may involve an outdoor delay or overnight stop.

Prefer a safe indoor destination. For an outdoor delay, a suitable bivvy, bothy shelter or tarp may provide short-term cover. For a planned overnight stop, use a tent or shelter designed for the expected conditions. Match capacity to everyone using it, check poles, pegs, terrain and packed weight, and practise setup. Carry one appropriate shelter system rather than duplicate covers. A thin emergency wrap is not insulated bedding or a complete overnight shelter.

Check local access and camping rules. Avoid flood, falling-tree and exposed sites. Keep ventilation and exits clear, and never use fuel-burning equipment inside a tent or vestibule. A tent adds no sleeping-bag or ground-insulation rating.

What to look for

Only if relevant: If particle pollution is a relevant local hazard; fit and approval matter.

Only where relevant: choose genuine region-appropriate particle respirators and learn fit and seal checks. US: NIOSH-approved N95/P100. UK: check suitable EN149 FFP2/FFP3 models and current conformity requirements separately; N95 and FFP are not interchangeable approvals. Plan enough correctly fitting replacements for users and conditions; one plan is not one disposable mask. Cleaner air and official evacuation advice take priority.

Particle filters do not supply oxygen or protect against carbon monoxide, all gases or vapours. Not for entering a fire, unsafe building or contaminated atmosphere. Facial hair can break the seal. Adult fit is not child fit; no masks for under-twos. Seek individual advice for breathing/heart conditions.

What to look for

A clearly organised kit with dressings, plasters, gloves, and basic supplies appropriate to your household. Check expiry dates.

Supplies do not replace first aid training or professional medical care.

What to do

Check prescriptions, storage needs, glasses, and care supplies. Ask your pharmacist or clinician how to plan for disruption.

Do not change doses, share prescriptions, or stockpile medication against professional advice. No medical details are stored here.

What to look for

Include a current regional first aid leaflet, pocket guide or legitimately downloaded offline reference. Check whether your existing first aid kit already includes one. UK: start with St John Ambulance resources; US: use a current recognised local first aid provider. Check the edition, emergency numbers and age-appropriate advice before choosing a book. A free suitable reference is enough.

A guide does not replace training or emergency medical help. Do not attempt procedures beyond your training; follow emergency-service instructions.

What to look for

Soap, hand sanitiser where appropriate, wipes, and your usual bathroom essentials. Plan enough for the people and duration selected.

What to look for

Use suitable existing bags, ties and a small clean supply for the actual kit. Separate rubbish from clean food, water and care supplies. Follow local waste and sanitation instructions; bags do not make sewage, chemicals or contaminated flood waste safe to handle.

Keep bags away from children and faces; never put them over a person. Do not flush wipes or bags, burn plastic or handle hazardous waste without appropriate qualified help.

What to do

Pack small amounts of usual toothbrush/toothpaste, toilet paper, waste bags and any menstrual or continence supplies needed for the journey. Use safe water for toothbrushing. Keep wipes and waste out of toilets and waterways; follow local disposal rules. Home and vehicle bathroom supplies are already a separate row.

What to do

Write down trusted contacts, local assistance numbers, and a household meeting point. Keep the card somewhere private, not on this website.

What to do

Keep a local map and agree on a destination or meeting point. Follow official evacuation routes and current instructions.

What to look for

A simple pealess whistle, kept accessible. Check local rules before attaching anything to workplace or school equipment.

What to do

Choose a modest amount suited to your own essential expenses, including smaller denominations. There is no universal required amount.

What to do

Relevant ID, insurance, emergency plans, and essential instructions in a protective sleeve. Consider privacy and secure storage.

What to look for

Start with a small notebook or paper you own, protected from rain in a suitable bag. A weather-resistant notebook can be useful for repeated outdoor use; check the actual paper specification and packed size. Keep sensitive information private and do not buy a second notebook if an existing one already works.

What to look for

Use a protected pencil or reliable pen you already own. Test it on your actual notebook, especially wet or coated paper: water-resistant paper and every type of ink are not automatically compatible. Carry a sensible spare where useful, without a compulsory specialist-pen purchase.

What to do

Only if relevant: If you use vision, hearing or communication aids.

If used, include suitable spare prescription glasses, contact-lens supplies and hearing-aid batteries or a compatible charged case. Keep instructions and a way to communicate without relying on hearing or speech alone. Check individual needs with the relevant provider; there is no universal product or quantity here.

What to look for

Start with a box, organiser or pouch you own. One per kit is a starting point; add space as needed and keep frequently used supplies accessible.

Keep heavy loads manageable. Secure vehicle cargo using suitable restraints; an organiser is not a crash restraint.