ICS’ thoughts are with our friends and family who lost their homes in the Los Angeles fires. As we begin a new year, one of our reflections at ICS is how we can best prepare for an emergency, both as an agency and with the people we serve. One of the ongoing goals we discuss in our living skills programs is emergency preparedness, and having a go bag that is thoughtfully stocked and regularly refreshed is a great place to start.
As we enter into a new year, we thought we’d share a sample go bag list (collected from resources curated from social justice activist, adrienne maree brown’s podcast) that itemizes go bag essentials. We encourage everyone to check their go bag regularly and have emergency planning meetings with family/roommates. Wishing you all a safe and happy 2025!
Go Bag List:
Copies of your ID that are laminated
3 day supply of non perishable food (MREs are meals ready to eat that are dehydrated and can be bought online)
Cash
3 gallons of water
3 day supply of medication
Medical devices and batteries
Change of clothing
First aid kit
Solar radio
Small Sentimental bag: keepsake checklist in bag of what you want to grab quickly from your home in the event of needing to evacuate quickly. If you can make copies of laminated photos you can include them in the bag in advance. Please be mindful of the weight and the size of these items.
Flashlights
Portable chargers
Print out of the OODA Loop (observe, orient, decide, act), which is a guide on how to make quick and safe decisions in emergency situations.