By NMA Member Dan Hyatt

No one likes to think of prepping before a disaster but it’s always best to be ready just in case. The recent Hurricane Ian that hit Florida in September reminded me that we all need to be ready just in case.

Disaster prepping is a mindset and should be done way before any weather event or earthquake occurs. Everyone needs to think through questions such as:

• What will I need to take with me if my family needs to evacuate?
• Where will we go?
• Who is the family contact person that I can count on that lives far from the impacted area?

The goal is that when the storm is coming (or an earthquake has occurred), you are prepared instead of becoming a victim.

How to Prepare for Evacuation

So, when should you evacuate with your family?

• When you feel unsafe or officials have said it is not safe to shelter in place. Make sure you can safely evacuate.
• Officials have issued a mandatory or voluntary evacuation order, especially if they state that police and other emergency personnel will not be available to assist you during the weather event.

A couple of things to consider:

• You might be stuck for hours behind an auto accident, a rush hour snowstorm, or you might have a breakdown. How will you handle these types of stressful hours-long scenarios?
• If you need to evacuate, what do you need to take with you for the next day? Next three days? Next week?

You Need a Vehicle to Evacuate:

Pick one of your vehicles to be your primary evacuation transport. Keep this vehicle three-quarters full of gas whenever possible and keep all your vehicles at least half full at all times.

Why?

Because if you need to evacuate, the last thing you want to do is stop for gas. You don’t want to be in a four-hour line hoping to get fuel before you even leave town.

What to Keep Always in your Glove Box

• Vehicle registration
• Current Insurance card
• A spreadsheet list of fluids your vehicle uses, tire size, and VIN number in large type.
• AAA paper maps or similar of your area and outlying areas.

Other Items to Always Keep in Your Vehicle

A list of hotels/motels of various distances (10, 25, 50, 100 miles in every direction) from your home or work with contact information and directions. If you have pets, make sure they will accommodate your house pets. Call for reservations when you are leaving or know you are leaving.

In a milk crate, or bag that you keep in your garage or each vehicle itself:

• Two quarts of oil
• One pint of brake fluid (unopened)
• One gallon of coolant (at least water)
• Two quarts of transmission fluid for your car
• Dish gloves, Nalgene gloves, and a rag
• A wide mouth and wide tip funnel to pour gas or oil. (Check beforehand that you can pour gas from your gas can into your gas tank without it leaking all over.
• Two extension cords at 10 to 20 feet and a splitter with at least three plugs for chargers
• Some blankets and pillows (in winter)
• First Aid kit
• Several days of your medications and the pharmacy sheets showing meds and dosage
• Self-defense items if you prefer

What is a Go-Bag and What Should Go in it?

Every go-bag is different because each family’s needs are different.

First of all, each member of the family should have their own go-bag within reach (including house pets’ food and two bowls—one for water and the other for food). It should be close enough to grab and go at a moment’s notice. It needs to be big enough to hold enough items for a day and up to three days minimum. A kid’s backpack or book bag might suffice.

You could also add a larger duffle or gym bag ready to go if a major storm is on its way to store extra winter clothes or rain gear for the family.

Here is what should go in a go-bag:

Medications

Keep three to seven days of medications minimum. If your meds need to be refrigerated, make sure you have a small cooler with it, and keep frozen water bottles (such as soft-drink bottles) in the freezer. Ideally, keep a copy of all your prescription sheets from the pharmacy. In case you need refills, you know your prescriptions and can prove you need it.

Money

Keep small bills such as ones, fives and $10 for buying things. Change for vending machines. Adults and responsible teens should each have a different credit card (so if one is stolen or lost, there is another card).

Identification and other Important Documents (in a Ziploc Sandwich Bag)

• Copies of each family member’s ID.
• Names, phone numbers, and email addresses of immediate family and important people.
• An out-of-state name and contact. Ask one person ahead of time to be the family’s designated out-of-state contact, whom everyone can contact for your latest update, and this person on top of your Red Cross list of allowed resources.
• Copies of auto insurance and homeowners insurance.

Clothes

Here is a list of needed clothing for an evacuation scenario:

• Weather-appropriate clothing on the baggy side. Need functionality and loose-fitting rather than fashion.
• Several pairs of socks and underwear (old throwaway underwear is best).
• An extra pair of comfortable closed-toe walking shoes (should wear a pair too). Stuff a pair of socks inside each walking shoe, so you can find them when you need them
• Layered clothing such as a T-shirt, sweatshirt, and coat for colder weather.
• Sleep pants and T-shirt to sleep in, in case you go to a shelter.
• A disposable-poncho (or several plastic trash bags for rain events).
• Weather-appropriate wear, like winter gloves, wool socks, and thermal underwear.

A Spare Diaper Bag

Bring both your daily diaper bag and an extra bag with more diapers, wipes, food/formula and baby clothes as needed.

Electronics

Need electronic chargers for both car and wall socket for phones and other electronics. Bring extra cables just in case. Also, bring an outlet splitter that turns one plug into three, and a USB splitter that turns one outlet into two or more.

Toiletries

In a no-leak container, bring:

• A toothbrush (new)
• The last quarter of your tube of toothpaste (or travel size)
• Razor and shaving gel
• A washcloth, a small hand towel, and a smallish bath towel
• Hotel-sized soaps, shampoos, and lotions
• Feminine hygiene products as needed
• Last one-third roll of toilet paper or less pressed flat and in a Ziploc bag

Other Items for the Each Family Member’s Go-Bag

• A metal fork, spoon, and butter knife along with a metal or heavy plastic plate, bowl, and cup
• Small bottle of dish soap
• A couple of bottles of water
• Long-lasting high-carb snacks such as peanut butter crackers and trail mix. Comfort food.
• Small flashlight with extra batteries
• Two pens and a small notepad
• Stuffed animals, small toys, and books for kids
• Cards and dominoes for adults
• A couple of large black trash bags rolled up into 3” wide with a rubber band
• A whistle for each family member to be given at the point of leaving. Make sure each person in the vehicle blows the whistle so everyone knows how they sound in case separated later on in the process.

Items for the Family Go-Bag (Large duffle or suitcase)

• Extra medication (for headaches, stomach aches, and diarrhea), and a first aid kit
• Extra clothing and jackets
• Cleaning supplies such as soap, bleach, and hand sanitizer
• Toilet paper (partial rolls in ziplocks)
• Extra food including ramen noodles and canned food
• Anything else that did not fit into the individual bags

If Room in the Vehicle and Have Time to Pack

• Sleeping bags
• Pillows
• Tent(s)
• Lawn chairs
• A cooler for cold food and drinks (Keep frozen bottles of water of all sizes for coolers of all sizes). You can refill water bottles and 2 liter bottles with tap water for this purpose.

Why You Should Take Filled Gas Cans:

• Gas stations might be closed and 2 gallons or 5 gallons of gas may be all you need to continue to a destination.
• If it is very hot or very cold, you will want to run the car’s climate control. Without worrying about running your tank dry.
• If you run out of gas, you have something to carry gas back when gas stations reopen or the person with some extra gas will share.
• If you need electricity, the person with the generator is likely to be generous if you have gas to power the generator.

The best gas can for an evacuation is the one-gallon rectangular metal can for paint thinners. These seal best and handle better if tipped over. Red gas cans are good but can leak fumes. Not fun in a car, fine in a pickup.

If you are not comfortable driving with gas, have two empty gallon cans in a sealed trash bag.

Information about the Red Cross and the Red Cross Shelter

• Red Cross is your best friend in a disaster in many ways!
• Even if you get a hotel, you should check into the Red Cross Shelter. It’s important that the Red Cross registers you, can reach you and will provide you with a wealth of needed help and aid in any kind of evacuation emergency.
• Red Cross only releases information on you if you voluntarily agree.
• If Red Cross says you are affected, all the relief agencies believe Red Cross. And Red Cross will connect you with the correct agencies.
• Red Cross shelters will provide your family with a cot and/or meals.
• Red Cross shelters do not allow any weapons in the facility. You can leave them in your car, but hide valuables well (such as putting them all in the trunk, or hatch covered up before you pull into the parking lot).
• You can sleep in your car in the shelter parking lot. And go inside for food, showers, internet, or whatever. Pets are not allowed in shelters.
• The Red Cross and government officials do not confine people to the shelter once they check in. You are free to come and go. Make sure you check in and check out so they know who is there and who is eating.

When it comes to evacuation situations–be like a boy scout—always be prepared!

Dan Hyatt is an engineer who has studied traffic engineering extensively in his spare time. He lives in St Louis where he has encountered many extreme and sometimes sudden weather events such as tornados, thunderstorms, snowstorms, and ice-storms.                          

He spent most of his life in earthquake prone California, which advises everyone to be self-sufficient for 30 days after “the big one”. He volunteered with Disaster Communications for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department over 10 years. He was a back country volunteer Ranger for the US Forest Service for 15 years, where wildfires were common. He received “hero of the year” award in 2018 from the American Red Cross for his actions protecting two women during an active shooter event.