Emergency management agencies across the Pacific Northwest recommend that every household have a 72-hour emergency kit. Seventy-two hours — three days — is how long it can realistically take for organized help to reach your area after a major event. It is not a pessimistic estimate. It is a planning benchmark that emergency managers use everywhere from FEMA to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management.
The go-bag is the portable version of that kit: a bag (or bags) you can grab in under two minutes and walk out the door with. This post covers what should be in it, how to organize it, and the common mistakes that make otherwise good kits useless under pressure.
Why 72 Hours?
After a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, the Oregon Office of Emergency Management estimates that first responders will be overwhelmed managing casualties, fires, infrastructure failure, and mass evacuation simultaneously. Roads will be damaged or blocked. Cell networks will be saturated or down. The concept of a 72-hour kit isn’t about distrust in emergency services — it’s about buying the time those services need to get organized.
Plan to take care of yourself and your household for at least three days without any outside assistance. If help arrives sooner, great. If it doesn’t, you’re covered.
The Core Categories
Water
One liter per person per day at minimum; more if you’re in summer heat or have physically demanding work to do. For a family of four for three days, that’s 12 liters. A full liter per day per person is survivable — double it if space allows. Commercial water pouches (72 hour kits often use 4oz emergency pouches) are convenient but expensive for large families; consider collapsible bottles and water purification tablets as a lighter supplement.
Food
Three days of food that requires little or no cooking and no refrigeration. Prioritize calorie density and shelf stability: peanut butter, crackers, jerky, trail mix, protein bars, canned goods with a pull-tab, instant oatmeal packets. Avoid anything that requires a can opener unless you pack one. Account for children’s preferences — a stressed child who won’t eat what’s available is a real problem.
First Aid Kit
A commercial kit is a fine starting point; augment it for your household’s specific needs. Add: any over-the-counter medications you use regularly (pain reliever, antacid, antihistamine), moleskin for blisters if you’re walking long distances, a triangular bandage and SAM splint, and a basic first aid reference card. Keep a duplicate of any prescription medications in the kit and rotate them with your pharmacy schedule.
Documents and Cash
Keep copies — not originals — of your key documents in a waterproof envelope inside the bag: photo ID, insurance cards, medication list, emergency contacts, vehicle registration, passport copy. Add enough cash to cover two nights of lodging, gas, and food. ATMs will be offline and card readers won’t function without power. Small bills are more useful than large ones.
Clothing and Shelter
One change of clothing per person, appropriate for the season. A wool or synthetic-blend layer — not cotton — for warmth. Rain gear, because this is the Pacific Northwest. A compact emergency mylar blanket for each person (they weigh nothing and are genuinely warm). If you have space: a lightweight tarp, 30 feet of paracord, and a sleeping bag rated to 20°F for cold-season resilience.
Light and Power
A headlamp per person — not a single family flashlight, but one per adult and older child, because hands-free matters. Extra batteries, stored separately to prevent drain. A battery-powered or hand-crank radio for emergency broadcasts. A portable battery pack for phones, pre-charged. Consider a solar charger for extended situations.
Sanitation
Hand sanitizer, toilet paper in a zip-lock bag, a small bar of soap, waste bags (heavy-duty contractor trash bags work for improvised sanitation), and feminine hygiene products if applicable. If you have small children: diapers, wipes, and rash cream for at least three days.
Tools and Communication
A multi-tool or Swiss Army knife. A whistle (three blasts is the universal distress signal). Duct tape. A physical road map of your county and the two adjacent counties — GPS and Google Maps will not function if cell towers are down. A waterproof notepad and pen.
What to Skip
Heavy items that duplicate lighter alternatives. Bulky food that requires cooking infrastructure. Anything that requires power to be useful (electric heating pads, hair dryers). Luxury comfort items that reduce the weight budget for essentials. Expired items — rotate your kit annually, at minimum.
Where to Store It
Your go-bag should be in a location that is accessible in under two minutes, regardless of what the emergency is. Many households keep it near the primary exit door or in the car. If you’re in a multi-story home, keep it on the ground floor. Don’t store it in a garage if the earthquake scenario could trap the garage door.
Consider a second, lighter grab-and-go bag for the car — a smaller 24-hour kit that covers you between home and wherever you’re going.
We have a free downloadable 72-hour go-bag checklist on our resources page — print it, walk through your home, and see what you actually have versus what you think you have. Most families find they’re closer than they expected. A few hours of shopping fills the gaps.
Already have a go-bag? What’s the one thing you added that most people wouldn’t think of? Drop it in the comments below.