Assembling A Get Home Bag
I guess it is easy for most people to dismiss the need for a Get Home Bag, but sitting in my hotel room, and looking west into Manhattan, I can’t help remembering that terrible day so many people had to walk out of the city when the Towers fell. A get home bag doesn’t have to look like a SEAL’s assault pack or a Ninja’s overnight bag. A few thought out items in an easy to carry bag can add ease and comfort to your daily grind, and God forbid, help you get out of a jam someday. I can only base my recommendations on what to include on my experiences. In the past decade I had to get home during the Blackout of ’04, faced blizzards, and watched the smoke rise out of Lower Manhattan on 9/11. With that in mind I plan for a night spent in my Jeep or a 10-12 mile walk home, a little bit of preparedness can’t hurt. With that in mind this is what I keep in my bag.
Get Home Bag Contents
- A quart of water in a sports bottle. I fill it up every morning and drink it when I get home every night. It is nice to have, cheap, and at the very least I’m getting proper hydration.
- A few energy bars. I prefer PowerBars for some reason they seem to hold up to the wear and tear of being thrown in a bag for weeks on end. They might not taste the greatest but if you ever really need them they will be like Filet Mignon.
- A bandana. You could easily fill a novel with all the uses for a bandana but a few are a tourniquet, sling, keep the sun off of your head, or to cover your face to keep smoke or dust out.
- A first aid kit. I don’t carry a trauma center around with me but band aids, Advil, Tylenol, and tweezers come in handy sometimes.
- A flashlight. I’ll admit to carrying a high end SureFire in my bag but I’m a bit of a gear geek. One of those LED’s they sell at Lowes or Home Depot will do fine, the battery life is just getting silly.
- A mutli-tool or Swiss Army Knife. I really like a Leatherman for this. I’ve used mine to fix the a/c in my hotel room and to make repairs out in the field. One of the basic Leathermans will do a lot and take up little space or weight.
- Some cash and coins. The Blackout of ’04 taught me the need to have a few bucks stashed in the GHB. When the power went off so did the ATM’s and Debit Card stopped working. I was able to walk in a buy some coldwater at the deli as I waited for traffic to clear because as my partner like to say “Adults carry cash”.
- A Turtleneck. I’ve got an old merino wool turtleneck sweater tucked into my bag. I work outside and having an extra layer has come in handy more times than I can count.
- An extra pair of warm socks. Wet socks can ruin your day, period! In the winter I keep a pair in my bag. They are worth their weight in gold if your feet are wet. Nothing is worse than cold and wet feet.
- Pen + Paper. You never know when the mood to write a quick blog will strike, you’ll need to jot something down, or leave a note.
- Magazine or paperback. I like to keep a little reading material in my bag. If I need to wait something out being able to kill some time without boredom will be nice.
Well there you have it, the contents of my little Get Home Bag. I try to keep it simple and grounded in my real life experiences and anticipated needs. I don’t want to come off as to Tacti-cool so I stick to the basics. I’m always open to new ideas or suggestions.
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I also have a little string, a cigarette lighter, a hat, a space blanket instead of a jacket/sweater and a pair of walking shoes. I keep a couple of MREs in my truck.
All good ideas, thanks for sharing!
I also have sunscreen & bug spray.
More good idea!
Something unique I carry: I have a lumber crayon (in a plastic lumber crayon holder wrapped with some Gorilla tape)… to leave written messages on rough surfaces like sheetrock, brick, wood, etc. [like “gas leak – DO NOT ENTER”].
Thanks, Lori. That is also a good idea.
I’d go a little extra on medications. Most kits only have a dose or two. I would have a day or 2 of full dosage of Ibuprofen, Asprin, Theraflu, Pepto tabs and a small saline bottle in a ziplock bag. Not bulky and someone aside yourself might need some in a pinch.
Another good idea. I can spare the room for some more meds.
Yes, ditto on the walking shoes, especially for women. I read that after 9/11 all these women were hobbled by only having their work shoes, i.e. high heels.
I have 2 bags at the ready. One with no food items is going into the car permanently very soon. The other, with the food, will always be ready for me to pick up and cary every time I go anywhere. My biggest deal is 99% of the time that I am out my 84 year old mother is with me so I have to keep her needs in mind too. We are usually 10 to 30 miles from home Therefore it would be at least a 2 day walk for us if not more and that would be if we didn’t need to stay off main roads.
I hope to have my BOB’s done soon. Sounds like you’re way ahead of me, keep up the good work!
This is a great post on the necessity of basics. Since you mentioned 9/11, I’d also like to add putting a surgical mask or some other covering in your first-aid kit. I’ve mentioned it before, but I know these were at a premium when Manhattan was evacuated. They can also come in very handy during wildfires, chemical leaks (gas, etc.), and more. Being an asthmatic, I consider them vital to my 72-hour bag and I got cheap, functional ones at Dollar Tree.
I also like carrying gardening/work gloves, duct tape, antibiotic ointment, and a list of names/phone numbers/addresses for emergency help.
These are all good ideas. I struggle financially, however I am going to try to start a bag. Been thinking about it for some time. The way the world is , not a bad idea at all. Thanks for the good ideas.
I also struggle financially. What I did was to make a list of everything I wanted in my bag. Then I prioritized that list. Out of every pay check I either bought something in it that was inexpensive, or I put back 5/10 dollars for the next item. You’ll have a bag before you know it. And even if you need it before you complete it, having some of those items is better than not having anything.
One thing I keep in mine, water purification tablets. They are small, light weight, and you can’t always be sure you’re going to find CLEAN water.
I carry extra bullets…
In a city GHB I suggest that you need to plan evac from a tall building, a smoke filled rail/car tunnel, a fire, a debris field, do first aid & walk to a destination. So , in addition to the other good suggestions you’ve recv’d., think about adding a coin cell headlamp, a trauma kit( make it ur self=cheaper+better), leather work gloves, swim googles,N-95 flat mask or two, whistle ( signal if trapped), tiny am-fm radio ( good info is precious), SeychellesAdvanced water purifier bottle or equiv., collapsible water bags/ bottles(2,1qt), & a bit expensive but what’s ur life worth..an Xcaper brand smoke mask. Delete the clothes. Add a siltarp poncho. Dress for the weather. Wear good walking shoes.
All good advice for a City GHB!
There are so many items to be found @ local dollar stores,Big Lots,thrift stores & army surplus to save $
Craigslist has many supplies from those who move,bought too much of a good thing or thought they’d cash in like many others selling a yrs. Supply of carbs(2000 day calories) for predatory prices.Save for some of the high quality items that are a must while putting together necessary inexpensive items available to you locally.Just an idea for your consideration 🙂