While natural disasters are unpredictable, that doesn’t mean you should discard planning altogether. After all, your fate largely depends on how you react during the first few minutes from the time an unwanted event strikes. Aside from keeping yourself armed with first aid measures and information on how and where to evacuate, it is also essential to keep a “Go Bag” in your household. This ready-to-pick-up kit packs all the basic essentials that will help you survive for several days following a disaster. Also called “Doomsday Kit,” this bag is in place so you do not have to run around looking for immediate supplies amid chaos.
Ideally, the contents of your bag should cover the urgent needs of all members of the family, but you can also prepare individual kits that are within reach in your household.
So, what items should be found in your Go Bag? The Philippine Red Cross recommends the following essentials as part of your doomsday preparation:
Lifeline Kit
- Battery-powered radio
- Flashlights
- First-aid kit
- Potable water
Special Items (For Adults)
- Prescription drugs
- Insulin
- Ready-to-eat food
- Whistle
- Dust/face masks
- Spare batteries
- Utility rope and cord
- Important documents in a waterproof pouch or case
Special items (For Babies)
- Diapers
- Medications
Keep track of the expiration dates of the items in your Go Bag. While we all hope that we would never have to use them ever, you also would not want to be forced to use expired items once a disaster strikes.
