Do you have an emergency grab-and-go bag/box?

13 years ago

There have been some postings on other forums I've visited, with some suggestions.

With Hurricane Alex in Mexico, this is again a timely topic!

Do you have an emergency box? (And are you in a hurricane/terrible weather state, and has that made a difference for you--or are you procrastinating?)

Do you have one for your pet?

If you've had one for awhile, have you needed to use it?

I have a Rubbermaid "trunk" in the front hall closet. The only things I've need from it was a flashlight when I couldn't find another one on the first floor and a plug-in telephone when the power went out during our severe winter storms.

Comments (15)

minnie_tx
13 years ago
I have several
you might want to read this thread that was going for a while on Garden Web

Here is a link that might be useful: Emergency Preparedness PAGE 2 - Organizing the Home Forum - GardenWeb
terilyn
13 years ago
Abosuletly, living here we are always prepared. Don't forget to put copies of your insurance policies in your box. If you have a land line phone keep a corded phone handy, if you lose electricity it will work when your cordless won't. Comes in handy to report outages.
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I'm going to tee off on sushipup's suggestion. From almost two decades caring for mom and dad until their passing, I have very strong opinions about papers and directives. If/when an "event" occurs, you won't know what it will be, how it's going to go, or if you, yourself, will be thinking straight or not at that moment. Carry (on your person!) THREE copies (separate packets!) of POA, living will, DNR, Medical POA, current medication list with dosage and schedule, Medic-Alert sheet describing known existing conditions. One set for you, one for EMT's, and one for the hospital. Takes little space and can save time, confusion, and aggravation at what may well be a critical time. In my personal experience with (many) instances of necessity, having these documents ready to hand over to EMT's and hospital staff saved MUCH time and confusion for everyone....and allowed ME to worry about other stuff. On every single occasion, I received feedback from EMT's and/or hospital staff along the lines of "This is great. I wish everyone did this."
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Adella Bedella
13 years ago
I have various stashes of emergency supplies, but not a real grab and go box. Honestly, the only thing we couldn't replace are the people, pets, and photos.

We got evacuated a few years back because of the threat of poisonous gases. Dh was at work. I grabbed my keys and diaper bag and had a cat in one arm and 4 month old in the other. I herded the 2 and 4 year old the door and into the car. Some other things like clothes for me and dh, food and a litter box for the cat would have been nice, but it probably would have slowed me down.
petaloid
13 years ago
Yes, we have an emergency box in case of earthquakes, power outages and the like.

Thanks for reminding me -- I should check it and make sure nothing needs to be replaced.
nicole__
13 years ago
No. We don't have earthquakes,floods or tornados. Lightning could strike. I have insurance.
dotmom
13 years ago
Here in No. MN, we are threatened with tornados often. Hubs, Buster the cat and I live in an APT bldg, so we would have to go to the main hallway on the first floor. So we keep the cat carrier, handy, and if we had to leave in a hurry, I would put Buster in his carrier and Hubs would grab his oxygen. Thats about all we would be able to manage, as we live on the second floor. Dottie
pattico_gw
13 years ago
No...not an emergency one...but I have a gift box in case I've forgotten a birthday or need a hostess gift...does that count...lol
jel48
13 years ago
No, we don't. We don't have hurricaines or tornados here either but could suffer a power outage. We have a small generator at the camp (15 miles from home) and keep a very well stocked pantry with enough dry and canned goods to see us through at least a couple weeks. Water would be a problem. We could hand pump it at the camp but we've not had it tested to see if it's safe to drink, so that would be an issue.
phyllis__mn
13 years ago
I keep a flashlight handy, and in the basement I have a large jar with candles and matches. Down there, I also have a large pry-bar in case of tornado and need to dislodge stuff that has fallen in.
deemarie5500
13 years ago
No, I don't but I suppose I need one, since we live so close to NYC. Unfortunately, not for weather. There is no doubt in my mind that we will be 'hit' again by the bad guys. :(
firemanswife
13 years ago
We don't have one either. Thankfully we don't have natural disaster in Nevada like those of you back east.
I should have one though...I guess really everyone should.
This last winter we lost power for a little over a week and living in the country proved to have more disadvantages than I thought. I do have a propane stove so I was still able to cook but our water comes from a well and with the power out we can't use the well because it's on a pump.
Once we found flash lights and got things under control it was manageable but until then it was a little frightening.
lydia1959
13 years ago
We don't have one, but we do have flashlights, canned food and water in the basement in the event we'd be trapped after a tornado or some other disaster.
3katz4me
13 years ago
No - the only thing I make sure I have is a working flashlight and my iphone. We have blizzards, tornados and severe thunderstorms and the only real problem I've experienced is power outage. If there's a tornado you don't grab and go other than you grab the cats and go to the basement. A tornado's over in a hurry - you then get out and go. You don't hole up down there for days with food and water.
oldgardener_2009
13 years ago
Not really. We don't get many disasters around here. If there is to be flooding, we know ahead of time and have time to get things together and can move to higher ground quickly.

Other than that, we have loss-of-power supplies handy all the time, and the pantry is usually stocked so we could eat for a while without having to go to the store. We do have stored water to last for a while.
cynic
13 years ago
I don't really see a need for a "grab & go" for me. I'm usually fairly well prepared in a number of ways so it depends on the situation. The only way a G&G would apply is a hazmat leak I suppose and in that case I'd toss the cat in the carrier (which has her leash & harness in it) into the vehicle and off I go into the traffic jam. I have flashlights, jackets and water in the vehicle anyway, usually carry cash, have the cell in its holster and a car charger.

In case of fire, I would get out and take the cat, probably my computer and BU drive if time permits and try to get the vehicle out.

In the event of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and the like, you *should* be aware of it far enough ahead of time to plan as needed. If my furnace goes out in the winter and it'll be a long time, there's other things to consider and not a rush requiring a G&G. Even a flash flood doesn't happen without some warning.

I don't live in a land where I have to "bug out" because of invasions, except perhaps for mosquitoes.

Now an emergency box/emergency prep is different. I have candles, battery lights, flashlights around. I always keep a bunch of extra batterys around. (Can't understand people not having a dozen batteries in stock!) I can disconnect the garage door opener to get the vehicle out. Much depends on the situation. Worst is usually long-term power outages from severe storms. Then it's get cash and I have a pantry for food staples, a propane camp stove and propane grill if I want to cook. I've considered buying a generator but so far it's a low priority (until the times I've needed one!).

I'm more into preparing for the situations. Winter has different needs. Prepare for it. Inlaws coming over... prepare for it. etc.

I look at it this way, if a tornado strikes without notice, as it did in Rogers, MN a couple years back, I couldn't leave anyway and if the house flys away, the bugout bag might well go with it.

I got an email from my cousin in Houston and she mentioned she needed to get a few things ready for the hurricane. Even with Katrina, a G&G wasn't needed. They had warnings for a week or more to get out of there. Plenty of time to pack and leave. But many people didn't. When Rita went through Texas, my cousin admitted she underestimated it and wasn't properly prepared. But there too, a G&G wouldn't be any real advantage.

If someone has medicinal needs, it seems to me you should have it handy at all times anyway so that replaces it too.

IDK, I just don't understand the G&G concept in this country.

Do you have an emergency grab-and-go bag/box?

Comments (15)

minnie_tx

terilyn

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