In case of a disaster, have 'go bag' ready –emergency experts

Emergency response experts recommend that a "go bag" or survival kit be always on ready in every household for whenever disaster strikes.

 

A bug out bag or a go bag functions as a portable kit which is meant to help an individual or a family survive the next 72 hours after they evacuate their homes in case of a storm, an earthquake, and other kinds of disasters. 

 

"There should be items that compensate for the limitations of your senses. Standard carry and not even just for a go bag, example would be light, knife, whistle. You can only cut things as much, can only shout as much, and since nobody is glow in the dark,  I suggest you carry this as basic items," emergency response expert Louie Domingo told GMA News Online.  

 

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) through its Disaster Information for Nationwide Awareness Project or Project DINA in 2013 released a video campaign meant to inform the public about the importance of preparing a go bag or survival kit.


 

 

According to the NDRRMC, the emergency survival kit should contain the following: 

 

 

Ateneo de Manila University, which sits near the West Valley Fault, has also adapted the concept of go bags and even required their grade school and high school students to have their own survival bag.

Each bag contains bottles of water, energy bars, a first-aid kit, a flashlight, and an identification card.

Some tips on preparing your bag

 

If you need to have a more comprehensive go bag, take a cue from Prepper Plus. 

 

Founded by high school classmates Biboy Castanares, Miggy Lazaro, and Martin Veerayah whose families have experienced disasters, the shop offers go bags that contain more than what NDRRMC and the Ateneo schools require. [https://prepperplus.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/prepping-1011.pdf] 

 

"Our mission really is to make disaster preparedness a lifestyle. We believe that once the people get their own go bag, it will enhance their interest on the topic. This will lead to them educating themselves about disaster preparedness," Castanares told GMA News Online in a phone interview. 

 

Its complete emergency survival set contains a waterproof drawstring bag, a hard hat, and six color-coded pouches: first aid kit, hygiene kit, emergency tools, escape kit, documents and money, and food and water kit.

 

Each of the six pouches contain the following: 

 

 

Although it seems like the bag has a lot of items, Castanares said that they made sure that the items are color-coded according to classification for easy organization. 

 

Prepper Plus go bags are also easy to carry. 

 

"We were very particular with the weight. The weight we're looking at, ito iyong weight ng normal office worker or common dweller. The design is grab and go bag so it can't be heavy. The weight is a little less than five pounds," he said. 

 

But users are still going to add clothes, food, water, and medicines as needed. 

 

To minimize the things you need to put inside your go bag, make sure to scan personal documents such as medication lists, passports, birth certificates, and insurance policies and save them in a USB flash drive. 

 

For safety expert Domingo, there is no strict weight in preparing go bags. 

 

"Gauge is as long as you can and would be willing to carry it.  I suggest you carry a small one with you every time [EDC (every day carry)], which [can help you] make you reach your bigger bag/car which carries more survival items," she said. 

 

To arrange your go bag, put your heavy stuff at the bottom and things you may need frequently on top. 

 

Domingo added that the bag should not only be waterproof. It should also be abrasion resistant and can be attached to another bag, bike, or vehicle.  — ELR, GMA News