Go Bag - Mom Edition

Here is my personal Go Bag.  Inside are things not listed on the 72 hour kit post as this is for longer term needs.  I have the bag set up for 7+ days.

Now this picture doesn't show everything in my bag but a small sampling of the items I have in there.  From the picture you can see I have food (long term food bars as well as homemade MREs), water (both a canteen, purifying tablets and a life straw), hygiene items (female urinary device, toothbrush/paste, first aid kit etc) and some weather gear (poncho, fire starters and thermal blanket).

I have tools in my bag that would be needed should I have to hike to safety.  Items like a compass, knives, extra socks, gloves, etc.

Also I carry extras for Roo should something happen and her bag gets lost.  (Remember she is only 2 years old so she can't carry her own supplies.)  These extras are things like training pants (Vacuum sealed to compress them so they don't take up a lot of room in my bag.), toddler snacks, small toys, weather gear for her etc.  Since she has short little legs and can't walk as fast or as far as I can I have been debating tucking my Ergo carrier in my bag.  The only down side to this is with my Go-Bag I'd have to carry her on my chest. 

For a list of items to have in your own bag please refer to my 72-hour kit post.

Go Bag - Dog Edition
Go Bag - Toddler Edition

Emergency Plan Task Two: 72 Hour Kits

72 hour kits are basically the Go Bags I have been putting together.  They are also known as BOBs (Bug Out Bag) and GOOD Bag (Get Out Of Dodge bag).

Here is where I need to go through our existing bags and make sure each has the following items:

• copies of important family documents and identification
• 72 hours of food
• 72 hours of water
• personal first aid kits (just basic first aid items a child could use)
• change of clothing
• hygiene items
• boredom busters 
• emergency cash (small bills and coins)
• extra medications
• weather appropriate gear
• bedroll, bivy, thermal emergency blanket or lightweight sleeping bag
• fire starter/tinder box
• flashlight 

The actual bag is not a big deal.  It needs to be able to house everything you'd need away from home for at least 72 hours.  I have an old (but very clean and rarely used) backpack from high school that I am using.  I have a second backpack of the same type for Roo that has the same items as my bag.  This is aside from her Toddler Go-Bag that she can carry.  The point of the bigger bag is if we can leave by car I have extra supplies for her and we are not forced to share one set of supplies.

Don't forget your pets need a bag too!

Flash Floods

Last week we had a late summer storm roll through.  It lasted a few days but caused a lot of damage.  The dam broke at the top of the ravine a few miles up the mountain and a wall of mud and boulders came barreling down next to the cabin in the creek bed.  Not fun!  I was afraid the cabin was next!

The roads were buried under 4-8 feet of mud and rocks.  They have the roads clear now but they are still moving the rocks and mud away.