Quick answer: Pack the items needed to leave and function at the planned destination: personal care essentials, communication, selected records, food, water, lighting and suitable clothing. Test whether the intended carrier can move the bag. A portable bag and a deep home reserve solve different problems.
Begin with transport and destination
Write down who may leave, who carries which bag, how they will travel and where they plan to go. Confirm arrangements for pets, children and anyone needing assistance. A vehicle-based departure can carry supplies that are unrealistic for someone travelling on foot or with a mobility aid.
Follow official evacuation directions. A packing plan should be prepared in advance so gathering possessions does not delay an instruction to leave.
Use an access order
| Layer | Purpose | Examples to select |
|---|---|---|
| Reach immediately | Contact and departure | Contact card, phone cable, flashlight, keys |
| Keep personally available | Individual continuity | Necessary personal items and current care information |
| Use at the destination | Basic daily needs | Appropriate food, water, hygiene and clothing |
The Red Cross supply checklist provides category examples, including personal documents and household-specific supplies. Use it to check gaps; do not copy every category into every person’s bag without considering who uses it.
Calculate water before deciding how to carry it
The Red Cross planning benchmark is one gallon per person per day, with three days for evacuation. Three gallons of water weigh about 25 pounds before containers. That arithmetic explains why a water plan cannot be reduced to “put a large bottle in each backpack.”
Work out what can be transported and what safe supply is available at the intended destination. A small carryable amount does not meet the full benchmark by itself. If transport or access cannot cover essential needs, seek planning help from local emergency management in advance.
Write a separate last-minute list
List daily-use items that cannot remain packed, with their location and assigned person. Keep that list beside the bag. Arrange medication and powered-device continuity with the appropriate care provider; this packing guide does not prescribe storage conditions or individual medical backup requirements.
Test the bag in the real departure arrangement
- Have the intended person carry or move the packed bag.
- Check access to the first-use items.
- Try the planned vehicle loading or assisted transport arrangement.
- Identify items that duplicate someone else’s shared supplies.
- Review the last-minute list.
This is a packing rehearsal, not a test of travel during hazardous conditions. Adjust the load to the people who will actually carry it.
Use the document packet checklist and communication card. Keep the vehicle kit as a separate layer rather than assuming the bag covers every breakdown need.