Bug Out Bag Checklists

The Most Comprehensive Bug Out Bag Checklists

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Have you wondered about all the bug-out bag checklists on the internet? You may call them 72-hour kits, either way, we need them for our family. This is how I see it, I am not planning on bugging out unless my neighborhood needs to be evacuated. If Mark and I head to the hills we may become targets of some loony people who are crazy. I must be clear here, I own a weapon and I believe in protecting my family, however possible.

Here’s the deal, we need the items I have listed below even if we do not bug out. I have readers that physically can not bug out, or have no place to go if they leave their homes. Even if we leave our homes will the destination be safe for our family? Maybe or maybe not.

If the stores close abruptly can we provide the food, water, and OTC drugs for our family for an extended period of time? Please do not think the government will rescue you, that’s not going to happen. Period. If you are on food stamps, you need to be prepared to feed your family without them. The government will no longer be refilling the EBT card you have in your possession.

I call this my Come to Jesus message, please be prepared for the unexpected. You need to take care of your family, it’s called being self-reliant. Tough times are coming, I promise.

I quote Wikipedia EMP-Electromagnetic Pulse

“EMP interference is generally disruptive or damaging to electronic equipment, and at higher energy levels a powerful EMP event, such as a lightning strike, can damage physical objects such as buildings and aircraft structures.”

Utilities/Internet Will Not Work

The store may be closed, or our country may be hit by an EMP, in which case my car will not work due to the electronics being fried. If by chance you have a car that will survive an EMP you may be able to drive to a store.

The pharmacies won’t be able to process your prescription needs because the Internet will not work. Forget the ATMs, they will not work, and neither will your direct deposit. You get the picture. We’ll be back to primitive times. Have you read the book “Lights Out” by Ted Koppel? If not, you need to, it will open your eyes as to how unprepared our country is in regard to our power grids. It’s pathetic, I kid you not.

Bug Out Bags Food

I store this food in my home because the heat is extremely hot here in Southern Utah. I can grab it if we need to evacuate.

Bug Out Bags

Please check out this post for details on these food items. Linda’s Grab and Go Food Storage

Bug Out Bags

You can start by filling boxes with the items you feel your family needs to put in a bug-out bag later. I purchased some oversize bags with wheels for Mark and me and each of our daughters and their spouses.

I store my water and food separately from my bug-out bag. Remember, there are a number of different kinds of bug-out bags as detailed below. Some of my new readers may have not seen this post about my grab-and-go food bag. Food in a Bag

Read More of My Articles  15 Emergency Provisions You Should Buy Every Month

Pet Bug Out Bag

Pet Bug Out Bag
  1. Water/food dish
  2. Photo of the dog (to be circulated in case they get separated from you)
  3. Complete medical records
  4. Chip ID information
  5. Leash/harness/collar
  6. Sweater
  7. Toys
  8. Blanket
  9. Brush/comb
  10. Cat or Dog food (enough for at least three days)
  11. Water  (enough for at least three days)
  12. Pet First Aid Book
  13. Vet wrap 2″ and 4″/trauma pad
  14. Gauze bandage rolls (2″, 4″, and 6″)
  15. Adhesive tape
  16. Tweezers/scissors/surgical soap
  17. Thermometer/mineral oil
  18. Disinfectant solution
  19. Styptic powder/cornstarch
  20. Benadryl/triple antibiotic ointment
  21. Eyewash
  22. Saline
  23. Medication, 5-day supply
  24. Tick-Flea Meds
  25. Paper towels/plastic bags/zip-lock bags
  26. Dog and/or cat carrier(s)
  27. Cat litter box/litter

PRINTABLE List: FSM 72-hour kit Pets

Child Bug Out Bag

  1. Family picture(s) with names and phone numbers/email addresses (in case they get separated from you, or if you have a child who can’t verbalize who they are)
  2. Fingerprints, if you have them
  3. Water (enough for three days)
  4. Food that is age-appropriate, or that your child will eat: MREs (Meals Ready To Eat—just add water), food that is ready to eat without water, freeze-dried veggies, freeze-dried fruit, freeze-dried yogurt bites, snacks, graham crackers, peanut butter crackers, cereal, raisins, fruit leather, fruit snacks, etc.
  5. Candy (such as suckers)
  6. Juice boxes
  7. Cup, plate, bowl & silverware/child mess kit
  8. Reading books
  9. Colored pencils/non-electric pencil sharpener or markers, crayons (not for car or garage-they’d melt)
  10. Paper, tablets, coloring books
  11. Puzzles, games, small activities, and Play Dough
  12. Medications: Motrin/Tylenol, Cough syrup (rotate yearly)
  13. Any medication you use occasionally: antibiotic ointment, Vaseline, saline spray, etc.
  14. Baby wipes/diapers/formula/baby food/baby food grinder/pacifiers
  15. Solar or small blankets
  16. Small pillow
  17. Hand sanitizer
  18. First Aid Kit (child-size Band-Aids)
  19. Extra clothes/jacket/sweater (sweat suits are ideal for storage because you can cut the sleeves and legs off if the weather is too warm or wear them as is in cold weather)
  20. Child size N-95 masks–practice with these BEFORE you need to use them
  21. Bible/Scriptures, etc.

PRINTABLE List: FSM 72-Hour Kits For Children

Adult Bug Out Bag

  1. Water for at least three days (1-4 gallons per day), water purifiers and water purifier bottles (like Sports Berkey Portable Water Purifier)
  2. Food to last for at least three days: MREs (Meals ready to eat); hot and cold ready-to-eat food packages; freeze-dried fruits and vegetables; and candy, gum, jerky, fruit snacks, raisins, fruit leather, granola bars, peanuts, crackers, etc.
  3. Aspirin, Aleve, Ibuprofen, Vitamin C, cold remedies, Essential Oils, etc., and antacids (for upset stomachs) Don’t forget Tylenol PM or something similar to use as a sleeping aid.
  4. Ax/shovel combo
  5. Baggies (all sizes)
  6. Batteries (all sizes-rotate yearly)
  7. Bible/Scriptures
  8. Bee sting & bite kit
  9. Blanket–solar is thinner
  10. Pillow
  11. Bleach (household chlorine–nonscented)
  12. Books
  13. Bung wrench/Gas shut-off wrench
  14. CASH-small bills/coins (if we lose power, ATMs won’t work; credit/debit cards won’t work)
  15. Can opener (non-electric)
  16. Canned stove (stove in a can)
  17. Candles/glow sticks
  18. Cards or small games to play
  19. Chapstick/lip balm
  20. Chargers in case we have electricity
  21. Coats/Jackets/Sweaters/Extra Clothes & Shoes
  22. Coffee Pot, pitcher, container
  23. Cooking pot, griddle, or fry pan
  24. A cooking stove of some kind/fuel/fire starter/striker
  25. Compass
  26. Contact lenses & supplies
  27. Cotton Swabs/Kleenex Tissues
  28. Disinfectant
  29. Duct tape
  30. Emergency sewing kit
  31. Fingernail clippers/nail file
  32. Fire extinguisher
  33. First Aid Kit
  34. Hand Warmers
  35. Flashlights (preferably solar or crank); don’t forget batteries (store batteries outside the flashlights to keep them fresh)
  36. Garbage Bags
  37. Glasses (extra pair of eyeglasses)
  38. Gloves/latex or non-latex
  39. Hair brushes/combs
  40. Hats, gloves/scarves
  41. Headlamp
  42. Hearing Aid, plus batteries
  43. Imodium/Anti-Diarrhea medicine
  44. Instant milk (chocolate would be good as well)
  45. Ipecac (check with poison control if possible)
  46. Hot pads, dish towels/rags/dish soap
  47. Lanterns/compact lights
  48. Latex/Non-latex gloves
  49. Masks N-95 minimum
  50. Matches (waterproofed)
  51. Mess Kits
  52. Mirror
  53. Scissors
  54. All Purpose Knife
  55. Mosquito Spray
  56. Personal Hygiene (tampons, pads, feminine supplies, etc.)
  57. Post It Notes/pencils/pens/crayons
  58. Radio/crank and or battery type (pack batteries)
  59. Rain Poncho
  60. Rope
  61. Safety pins, several sizes
  62. Shaving cream, shavers (disposable)
  63. Solar lights
  64. Sunglasses
  65. Temporary toilet and bags
  66. Thermal Underwear
  67. Thermometer
  68. Toilet Paper, shampoo, hand soap, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and tweezers
  69. Tools
  70. Tent(s)
  71. Umbrella
  72. Utensils, plates, cups, and silverware to cook and eat with
  73. Vaseline
  74. Wet wipes-lots of them, they might be our only shower
  75. Whistles, Walkie Talkies, (test before you need them for distance) like Motorola Talkabout 2-Way Radios #MR350R/ FRS/GMRS Radio (22 channels, 121 privacy codes, 2662 Combinations)
  76. NOAA Weather Radio
  77. Work Gloves
Read More of My Articles  Emergency Car Kit-What You Need In Your Vehicles

PRINTABLE List: FSM 72-hour kit Adults

Emergency Car Kit

Vehicle Bug Out Bag
  1. Names and phone numbers of who to contact in an emergency
  2. Battery/crank-powered portable radio/extra batteries
  3. Flashlight/preferably one with solar/crank/LED
  4. Compass and maps; not everyone has GPS in their car and on phones
  5. Can of motor oil
  6. Fire Extinguisher(5 pound ABC type)
  7. Flares and/or orange cones
  8. Jumper cables
  9. Rags/paper towels
  10. Shovel
  11. Pocketknife
  12. Tire gauge
  13. Toolbox
  14. Window scraper for ice
  15. Tow Rope
  16. Bungee cords
  17. Duct tape
  18. Waterproof matches

Necessities for Survival

  1. Water
  2. Blankets
  3. Jackets/sweaters
  4. Emergency cash: approximately $50.00 in small bills
  5. First Aid Kit
  6. Baby Wipes
  7. Hand Sanitizer
  8. Scissors/pens/pencils (not crayons-they melt)
  9. Emergency snack food and/or MRE meals (items may need to be replaced more frequently if stored in extreme heat conditions)
  10. Whistles
  11. Umbrella
  12. Hand warmers
  13. Extra blankets
  14. A 12-volt air compressor, work gloves, a tire plug set (buy them cheaply at Walmart), emergency repair tape – self-fusing silicone tape

PRINTABLE List: Emergency Car Kits

First Aid Kit

Bug Out Bag
  1. Ace Wraps: 3-inch & 4-inch
  2. Allergy Medicine
  3. Anti-Bacterial Wipes
  4. Antifungal Ointment
  5. Anti-Diarrhea
  6. Anti-Itch Cream
  7. Aleve (Naproxen)
  8. Alcohol: 90-100% proof
  9. Apple Cider
  10. Aspirin/Advil
  11. Bandage Scissors
  12. Band-Aids/Butterfly, Several Sizes
  13. Bee Sting Kit
  14. Benadryl, Liquid, and Chewable
  15. Betadine/iodine swabs
  16. Birth Control
  17. Boudreaux’s Butt Paste
  18. Bug Spray 100% Deet
  19. Burn Gel
  20. Calamine Lotion
  21. Castor Oil
  22. Cold Medicine/Cough Syrup
  23. Contacts/Contact Cases/ Extra Glasses/Saline
  24. Condoms
  25. Cotton Balls
  26. Cotton Swabs
  27. Dramamine (motion sickness)
  28. Dressings for open wounds
  29. Duct Tape and medical tape (all different sizes)
  30. Ear-Loop Masks (N-95), all sizes
  31. Ear Plugs
  32. Elastic Gauze Bandage Rolls
  33. Epsom Salt
  34. Essential Oils Book
  35. Eye Patches
  36. First-Aid Book
  37. First-Aid Shears
  38. Flashlights w/Batteries
  39. Floss
  40. Gloves (non-latex)
  41. Gauze Pads (sterile and non-sterile)
  42. Hand sanitizer
  43. Heat packs-Heating pads-Thank you Janet for this reminder: Hot water bottle
  44. Hemorrhoid Ointment/Suppositories
  45. Ibuprofen
  46. Mylar Blankets
  47. Hydrocortisone
  48. Lip balm/ ChapStick
  49. Lotion or Body Cream
  50. Menstrual Pads and Tampons
  51. Mucinex
  52. Mucinex Dm
  53. Motrin
  54. Monistat (Yeast Infections)
  55. Mouthwash
  56. Molefoam/Moleskin
  57. Multi-Task Knife
  58. Nasal Decongestant
  59. Nasal Spray (Afrin)
  60. New Skin Liquid Bandage
  61. Non-stick Sterile Pads
  62. Nystatin and Triamcinolone Acetonide
  63. Nail Clippers
  64. Neosporin
  65. Orajel
  66. Petroleum Jelly
  67. Pepto-Bismol Chewables
  68. Peroxide
  69. Pregnancy Test
  70. Quick clot
  71. Rolled Gauze
  72. Scissors
  73. Silver Gel
  74. Silver Liquid
  75. Silver Cough Lozenges
  76. Sleep-Aid Medicine
  77. Splinter Removal Kit
  78. Splints
  79. Soap
  80. Stethoscope
  81. Sunscreen
  82. Surgical Face Masks (N-100), all sizes
  83. Tick Remover
  84. Toothbrushes/Toothpaste
  85. Tucks Pads-Which Hazel
  86. Tweezers
  87. Tylenol
  88. Vicks VapoRub
  89. Zantac (Acid Reducer)
  90. Ziplock Bags
  91. VITAMINS
  92. B-12 Vitamins
  93. B-complex vitamins
  94. Calcium
  95. D-3 Vitamins
  96. Magnesium
  97. Mature Complete Multivitamin
  98. Omega 3 Fish Oil
  99. Vitamin C
  100. Essential Oils

PRINTABLE List: First Aid Kit List

Some of these bug-out bag checklists may seem long and cumbersome, just remember to start with a little and add the items your family may need. You will be one step closer to being prepared for the unexpected. You can do it, one item at a time. May God bless this world. Blessings, Linda

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10 Comments

  1. On your picture of the bags I see one with Thrive cans in it and what looks like a list on top, what products are in that kit?

  2. I don’t believe you can have too much. For a “bug out bag” or escape and evasion kit it has to be minimal, but despite all the arguments, most of us will pack our cars and vehicles and our homes with supplies. And if we have shelters or other places to go to, then any of us would stash supplies there as well.

    I like a comprehensive list to help people pack or stock the things they need most or might need later and then there will be those items they have not thought of or should have to be fully prepared.

    1. Hi Frank, great comment, this list is long, but people can pick and choose the ones they feel most important to them. If they bug in they will need most of these. Good to hear from you, Frank! Linda

  3. 72 items for a BOB??? How big a person do you have to be to carry all of that excessive “stuff”?? That is a Wish List not a Need List.

  4. i know your intention is to SiP, as is my own, but I have heard that in situations where families are evacuated to shelters, dogs must have a muzzle. If you are packing for storm/fire evac I would add muzzles in your pet bag for each dog, just in case.

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