How to Pack a Go-Bag

A bag and a stockpile are two different things

Reading the government document, 72 hours and 30 days come up together, which makes it confusing at first which one you're supposed to meet. They're actually talking about two different things.

72 hours is about the moment you have to leave home. It needs to be light enough to carry, and that span is assumed to be enough for rescue to reach you or for you to get clear of danger. We've put 9 items in this bundle.

30 days is about staying home. It goes in a closet or storage room, not a bag, so weight doesn't matter here. That's 3 items.

Doing both at once is a lot, so we'd suggest filling the bag first. An urgent situation usually means leaving, and you can build up the stockpile a little at a time whenever you shop.

What to buy first

Mark what you already have at home first. A blanket, scissors, adhesive bandages, a raincoat, most people already own these. The list looks long, but half of it is usually already in the house, which makes the first screen much lighter.

Next come the things with no substitute if you don't have them. A flashlight and a radio are like that, and both need batteries packed alongside them. In the dark, the only stand-in for a flashlight is your phone, and that's a resource you need to save.

Start with the medication you already take. That comes before the general first-aid items on the list, since going without it is the thing that causes trouble right away.

The CBRN bundle lists substitutes alongside each item: a towel and mask instead of a gas mask, a raincoat instead of a protective suit. It's more realistic to fill the spot with a substitute first and upgrade to proper gear later, rather than trying to get specialized equipment from day one.

Managing things with an expiry date

The government document says to check expiry dates periodically and replace them. But once something's packed away, people tend to forget it, so this checklist marks which items need that attention.

The best approach is choosing things you already eat and use. Emergency food you never touch just expires unused, but filling the stockpile with the instant noodles and canned food you actually eat means it naturally cycles through. Put new stock in the back and pull from the front, and the rotation manages itself.

Batteries left inside a device for a long time can corrode. Storing them separately cuts down on that.

What this guide does not do

• It doesn't try to scare you. The same government document explicitly says not to stock up all at once. Adding one thing at a time when you shop works better than buying everything in one go.
• It doesn't recommend specific products. Items are listed by category only, since which brand of flashlight is best isn't a call we're making.
• It doesn't add anything the government list doesn't have. The items and amounts are the original text; the only thing we add is why each one is on the list.
• It is not legal advice. This organizes a public document. In an actual emergency, follow government guidance and on-site instructions.
• It doesn't send reminders. We can't notify you when an expiry date comes around. Doing that would mean keeping personal data on a server, and we've chosen not to.

Common sticking points

The bag gets too heavy. That usually means a 30-day item ended up in the bag, and rice and drinking water belong in the stockpile at home instead.

Where do I even buy CBRN gear? Start with the substitutes. The government document lists them precisely because they're good enough for now.

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