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When it comes to an emergency situation, it is so important to ensure that you and your family are ready to go in a matter of minutes. The worst thing you can do is rush around wildly trying to find everything you need. Not only is this counterproductive, but it can also lead you to pack unnecessary items and forget the most important things.
This is why a go bag is so important to have, so that you can grab it and go at any moment. In this article, we will be chatting you through everything you need to know about go bags, from why they are important to what they should include.
Why Are Go Bags Important To Have In An Emergency Situation?
Go bags are certainly something important to have, especially if you are a prepper and are anticipating an emergency situation. They will help you initially as they contain a lot of useful and important items you would need to rely on in an emergency.
They are useful because they are already packed and ready to go. This means that you will not have to worry about remembering to pack everything in a rush. They can often be referred to as bug out bags, especially within the prepper communities.
They can really be lifesaving, and provide you with that extra time you need to escape and run in an emergency situation. As the bug out bag will be already packed, you can leave quickly and efficiently, without having to worry.
How Many Days Should The Go Bag Be Useful For?
This is entirely up to you. However, go bags are not typically meant to be a long-term situation. Their purpose is to help you when traveling to your bug out of your safe space. They are more of a temporary solution, rather than being intended as a permanent resolution.
In general, bug out bags will have around three days worth of supplies. This is enough to keep you alive, and to allow you to travel with ease, without being slowed down.
Three days is how long a person can survive without water, and it can be the length of time it takes for a person to be rescued by emergency services. This is why it is wise to ration the food and drink you take in your bug out bag.
Should A Go Bag Contain Food? How Many Days Of Food Should You Have?
Yes, we would recommend that you always pack some form of food in your go bag so that you have something to keep you nourished when you are first on the go. While you do not want to go crazy with the amount of food you take, there should be enough to last for around three days, five at a push.
The secret to packing food in a go bag is to go for things that will last for a good amount of time. Dried foods and canned food are perfect examples of this. Canned and dried foods will last for a number of years, so they can be packed in the bag ready, without you worrying about them perishing.
As canned foods in particular can be quite heavy, you do not want to pack too many. Instead, you will want to think tactically about the food you pack.
What Type Of Food Should You Pack?
The type of food you pack is ultimately down to personal preference, but tinned foods, canned food and long-lasting foods are the options you will want to consider. The food should be non-perishable, and provide you with a good amount of sustenance.
Things such as protein bars can be a great option to consider, as can things that are not too heavy to carry. If you want to be particularly prepared, we would recommend that you choose to pack Datrex bars, as they were made specifically for rationing and emergency situations.
The longer you can make the food last for, the better, this is why calorie heavy foods are a noteworthy option to consider. Gum can also be useful as it will keep your mouth from drying, and it can help with hunger and provide fresher breath too.
How Much Water Should You Pack, And What Should You Take To Make Water Safe To Drink?
When you are packing a go bag, you need to take into consideration your hydration. After all, water is more important than food, considering that the human body can only live for three days without access to water.
This is why it is so important to carry with you a large water bottle. If you have the space, we would recommend prioritizing your bag space to include more than one bottle where possible.
You can then use the water bottle to fill up your own water if you come across water sources like rivers. However, it is important to ensure that the water you come across is safe to drink.
If you drink unsanitary water, this can lead to water-borne illnesses, which can cause dehydration due to sickness and diarrhea.
As a result of this, you will want to carry with you a water purifier or filter to ensure that all water can be made safe.
There are a number of options to choose from such as purifying tablets, and a water purifying straw. The straw is the better option as it will last longer.
What Other Items Should You Pack In Addition To Food And Water? What Specifics Do You Need?
In addition to food and water, there are a number of other things that you will want to consider packing too.
These items will vary depending on your personal situation, but things such as your passport, car keys, keys to your bug out, money, a pocket knife, hand sanitizer, medical supplies, specific medication, and personal documents are important.
These are all things that will certainly come in useful when you are on the go.
What Are The Best Tips To Prolong The Battery Life Of Electronics Such As Phones?
In this day and age, it is important to ensure that you have as much battery on your electronic devices as possible, especially when it comes to your phone. While there may be situations where they cannot be used, you will want to preserve the battery for as long as possible.
To do this, you will want to turn the power off when it is not needed, and ensure you have packed both a charger, and a portable power bank that has a full battery. This can be a lifesaver when your phone inevitably runs out of battery.
Should You Pack Any Clothes In A Go Bag?
Yes, it can be useful to pack clothes in a go bag. However, where possible you want to free up as much room in the go bag for other important items, and things that are more difficult to carry.
Where possible, we would recommend layering up your clothes and wearing them, instead of packing them. This will not only help to keep you warm in the colder months, but it will keep your bag freer too.
Even if it is the summer months, you will still want to pack things such as walking boots, and a rain jacket to protect you from any adverse weather conditions. This is important in a survival situation, as you will not know how long you will be in the specific situation for.
Summary and Final Thoughts
We hope you have found this article useful. As you can see, there are many different things you will want to consider packing in a go bag. They are certainly something you should have, especially if you are concerned about time when it comes to a survival situation.
They help to keep you prepared if anything does go wrong, and they allow you to move and react quickly. They can be the difference between survival and death. This is why you will want to pack it in advance and ensure you are including everything you could possibly need to survive.
