If you were forced to evacuate your home and you only had three minutes, what would you grab?
Make it easier on yourself by creating a Grab-and-Go Kit! This is a kit packed with all the most important possessions and vital items for you and your family.
Create Your Kit
NOTE: Many of these items are similar to those found in our Home Disaster Preparedness Kit.
- Read through the items listed below and identify the current location of all the documents.
- Gather the items and store in a container with a secure lid that is easy to transport, sturdy and waterproof in case of flooding or other water damage (i.e. water from fire hoses).
WHN TIP – More Than One Container? Depending on the number of people in your household or items to be protected, you might need more than one container. Just don’t over-pack. In an emergency, you’ll need to Grab-and-Go!
What to Pack
- Cash (at least $100 – ATMs might not work in an emergency), credit cards, checks, IDs
- Cell phone or other mobile devices, cable and charger or power block
- Clothing for each family member for a week (grab extra items for winter)
- Extra set of house and car keys
- Family heirlooms, jewelry, art, anything else that has sentimental value and is “irreplaceable”
- Home videos and photos, digital camera memory cards
- Important papers (i.e. birth certificates, insurance policies, marriage certificates, house deeds, passports, address book. Click here for a list of documents that you’d have to replace.)
- Medications and other special needs (enough for a week or two) along with the medical history and vaccinations data sheet for each family member and healthcare power of attorney and living will.
Store this kit in an accessible place (like the closet by your front door, under your bed, in the pantry). Tell your family members about the location and importance of this kit, and when to grab it!
Remember to update your kit and check on its location at least once a month. You don’t want to look for the kit when you’re in a hurry!
Photo Credit: Roger Brown Photography