Hurricane Bug Out Bag Checklist: What to Pack

When a hurricane is approaching, the last thing you want to do is stand in the middle of your house wondering what to pack.

• Medications?
• Phone chargers?
• Insurance documents?
• Clothes?
• Water?
• Flashlights?
• Pet supplies?

By the time an evacuation becomes necessary, you may already be dealing with changing forecasts, crowded stores, fuel shortages, traffic, and dozens of other decisions.

That’s exactly why a hurricane bug out bag should be packed before you need it.

A good bug out bag isn’t about preparing to disappear into the wilderness.

It’s about having the essentials you need to leave home quickly, travel safely, and get through the first part of an evacuation without scrambling for basic necessities.

Here’s how to build one.

A hurricane bug out bag is a portable emergency kit containing the most important supplies you would want with you if you had to evacuate your home.

Think of it as your grab-and-go emergency bag.

It should contain enough essentials to help you through the trip away from home and the first few days of disruption.

Your hurricane bug out bag is different from your full home emergency supply kit.

At home, you might have cases of water, bulk food, generators, large batteries, tools, and other equipment.

You aren’t going to carry all of that on your back.

Your bug out bag should focus on the things that are:

• Important
• Portable
• Difficult to replace
• Useful during travel
• Needed immediately
• Personalized to you or your family

The goal is not to pack everything you own.

The goal is to make sure the important things leave with you.

You don’t necessarily need an expensive tactical backpack.

A sturdy backpack, duffel, or travel bag may work perfectly well.

Look for something that is:

• Comfortable to carry
• Durable
• Easy to organize
• Large enough for your essentials
• Small enough that you can actually move with it

Water resistance is helpful, especially during hurricane season.

You can also protect important items inside the bag with waterproof pouches or heavy-duty zip bags.

If several people are evacuating together, consider giving each person their own bag rather than putting everything into one enormous pack.

That gives you redundancy and makes the load easier to manage.

Some of the most valuable things in your bug out bag don’t weigh much at all.

Keep copies of important documents together in a waterproof pouch.

Consider including:

• Driver’s license or identification copies
• Passport copies
• Insurance information
• Homeowner or renter insurance policy information
• Vehicle insurance
• Vehicle registration
• Medical information
• Prescription list
• Emergency contacts
• Pet vaccination records
• Important account numbers
• Contact information for your insurance company

You don’t necessarily need every original document in your bag.

Digital backups can also be extremely useful.

Store copies securely somewhere you can access them from another phone or computer if necessary.

After a major hurricane, documentation can become especially important for insurance claims, medical care, hotel stays, travel, and reentry into affected areas.

Medications should be near the top of your hurricane evacuation checklist.

Include essential prescription medications whenever possible.

You may also want:

• Prescription list
• Basic pain reliever
• Allergy medication
• Antacid
• Motion sickness medication
• Personal medical supplies
• Glasses or contact lenses
• Spare glasses
• Hearing aid batteries
• Medical device chargers

If anyone in your household depends on refrigerated medications, oxygen, powered medical equipment, or specialized treatment, your evacuation plan needs additional preparation.

Medical needs are also one of the reasons some households should consider leaving earlier than others.

Don’t assume you’ll be able to refill a prescription immediately after a major storm.

Water is essential, but it becomes heavy very quickly.

A gallon of water weighs more than eight pounds, so carrying several days of water in a backpack isn’t practical for most people.

Instead, your bug out bag might contain:

• One or two water bottles
• Refillable water bottle
• Collapsible water container
• Water purification tablets or filter as a backup

Keep larger water supplies in your vehicle if you’re evacuating by car.

The bag provides immediate access.

Your vehicle carries the bulk supply.

Your bug out bag doesn’t need to contain a gourmet emergency menu.

You just want food that is:

• Shelf stable
• Easy to eat
• Compact
• Familiar
• Relatively calorie dense

Good options may include:

• Protein bars
• Granola bars
• Nuts
• Trail mix
• Crackers
• Nut butter packets
• Shelf-stable snacks
• Dried fruit

Avoid packing foods that require complicated preparation.

An evacuation is not the time to discover that your emergency meal requires boiling water, three utensils, and twenty minutes of cooking.

Also consider any dietary restrictions in your household.

Your phone may become one of your most useful hurricane tools.

It can provide:

• Weather alerts
• Navigation
• Emergency information
• Communication
• Hotel reservations
• Maps
• News
• Insurance information
• Photos and documentation

But none of that matters if the battery is dead.

Pack:

• Charging cables
• Wall charger
• Vehicle charger
• Portable power bank

If you have multiple devices, make sure you have the correct cable for each one.

Charge your power banks before a storm approaches.

A dead battery bank is just extra weight.

Don’t depend entirely on your phone’s flashlight.

A dedicated flashlight is more practical and preserves your phone battery.

Consider carrying:

• Compact flashlight
• Headlamp
• Spare batteries

A headlamp can be especially useful because it keeps both hands free.

If you’re evacuating by vehicle, keep larger lanterns and additional lighting equipment with your vehicle supplies.

Cell service, internet access, and electricity can all be disrupted during a hurricane.

A compact battery-powered or rechargeable weather radio gives you another way to receive information.

Look for access to NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts.

Your phone will probably remain your primary information source when service is available.

The radio is backup.

Good preparedness isn’t about choosing one system.

It’s about avoiding dependence on a single point of failure.

You don’t need to pack your entire closet.

Think practical.

For most people, a basic clothing kit might include:

• Change of shirt
• Change of pants or shorts
• Underwear
• Socks
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Lightweight rain protection

Florida evacuations bring another consideration:

HEAT and HUMIDITY!

After a hurricane, power outages can eliminate air conditioning for days.

Lightweight, breathable clothing can make a major difference.

A lightweight long-sleeve shirt can also help with sun exposure and insects during cleanup or outdoor activity.

A few basic hygiene items can make an evacuation much more comfortable.

Consider:

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Soap
• Deodorant
• Hand sanitizer
• Wet wipes
• Toilet paper or tissues
• Feminine hygiene products
• Small towel
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent

You don’t need full-size bottles of everything.

Travel-size items can save significant space.

A compact first aid kit belongs in every hurricane bug out bag.

It doesn’t need to turn you into a mobile emergency room.

Basic supplies might include:

• Adhesive bandages
• Gauze
• Medical tape
• Antiseptic wipes
• Antibiotic ointment
• Tweezers
• Gloves
• Blister treatment
• Basic pain medication

Know how to use whatever you carry.

Medical equipment isn’t particularly valuable if nobody knows what to do with it.

Electronic payment systems normally work.

Until they don’t. I’ve made this mistake my self. Local stores didn’t take debit for several days.

Power outages and internet disruptions can temporarily prevent businesses from processing credit or debit cards.

Keep some emergency cash available.

Smaller bills are especially useful.

You don’t need to carry a huge amount of money.

The purpose is to give yourself another payment option if electronic systems are temporarily unavailable.

It sounds obvious, but evacuations can be chaotic.

Make sure you have:

• House keys
• Vehicle keys
• Spare vehicle key if appropriate
• Storage keys
• Keys for any other property you may need to access

If your entire household depends on one electronic vehicle key, think about where the spare is kept.

Your phone should contain downloaded offline maps.

But paper still makes a useful backup.

Consider keeping:

• Florida road map
• Local evacuation map
• Written destination addresses
• Important phone numbers
• Emergency contacts

If your phone is lost, damaged, or dead, you should still know where you’re going.

You don’t need a full toolbox in your backpack.

A few compact items may be useful:

• Multi-tool
• Small roll of duct tape
• Work gloves
• Permanent marker
• Zip ties

Larger tools belong in your vehicle emergency kit.

Keep the backpack focused on portability.

Create a simple written emergency information card for each household member.

Include information such as:

• Full name
• Emergency contact
• Important medical conditions
• Allergies
• Essential medications
• Physician contact if necessary

This is especially useful for children, elderly family members, and anyone with significant medical needs.

Children require additional planning.

Depending on their age, you may need:

• Diapers
• Wipes
• Formula
• Bottles
• Baby food
• Medications
• Clothing
• Comfort item
• Quiet entertainment
• Snacks

A favorite toy, stuffed animal, book, or small game may not seem like emergency equipment.

During a long and stressful evacuation, it can be extremely valuable.

Preparedness isn’t only about physical survival.

Comfort and morale matter too.

Pets need their own evacuation supplies.

Consider packing:

• Food
• Water
• Bowls
• Medication
• Leash
• Harness
• Carrier
• Waste bags
• Vaccination records
• Identification information
• Recent photo of your pet

Make sure pets are properly identified before hurricane season.

If you’re evacuating to a hotel or shelter, verify pet policies before leaving.

Never assume every shelter or hotel will accept animals.

Every bug out bag should be personalized.

Think about what you rely on every day that would be difficult to replace during an evacuation.

That might include:

• Prescription glasses
• Hearing aids
• Medical devices
• Specialty medication
• Mobility equipment accessories
• Chargers for specific devices

Generic packing lists are useful starting points.

Your personal needs determine what belongs in your final kit.

Your bug out bag does not need to contain everything required for the evacuation.

If you’re leaving by vehicle, the vehicle itself becomes part of your preparedness system.

Keep larger or heavier supplies there, such as:

• Additional drinking water
• Additional food
• Blankets
• Larger first aid kit
• Roadside emergency equipment
• Tire inflator
• Jumper pack
• Tools
• Additional lighting
• Extra charging equipment
• Paper towels
• Trash bags
• Extra clothing
• Pet supplies

This keeps your personal bag manageable while still giving you access to more substantial supplies.

A common preparedness mistake is packing for every possible scenario.

Before long, the backpack weighs 60 pounds.

That’s not necessarily useful.

You may need to carry your bag through:

• Parking lots
• Hotels
• Shelters
• Airports
• Stairs
• Crowded evacuation centers

You may also be carrying children, pet carriers, or other equipment.

Every item should earn its place.

Ask:

Do I actually need this during an evacuation?

If the answer is no, it may belong in your home supplies or vehicle kit instead.

Your bag should be somewhere you can access quickly.

Not buried underneath holiday decorations in the back of a closet.

Good locations might include:

• Bedroom closet
• Entryway storage
• Emergency supply area
• Near your other hurricane equipment

Everyone in the household should know where the bags are stored.

During an active hurricane threat, move them closer to your departure point.

A bug out bag isn’t something you pack once and forget for ten years.

Review it at least once before each hurricane season.

Check:

• Medication expiration dates
• Food expiration dates
• Batteries
• Power bank charge
• Clothing sizes
• Children’s supplies
• Pet information
• Insurance documents
• Emergency contacts

Your needs change.

Your emergency kit should change with them.

Some things can’t remain inside your bug out bag year-round.

Your phone is probably one of them.

So are daily medications, wallets, keys, and certain electronics.

Create a short last-minute grab list and keep it with your bag.

For example:

Before leaving:

• Phone
• Wallet
• Keys
• Daily medications
• Laptop
• Prescription glasses
• Refrigerated medication
• Pet
• Pet carrier
• Important original documents

This prevents one of the most frustrating evacuation problems:

Getting thirty miles down the road and realizing something important is still sitting on the kitchen counter.

You probably won’t need every item in your hurricane bug out bag.

That’s a good thing.

Preparedness isn’t measured by how much emergency equipment you use.

It’s measured by whether the things you need are available when something goes wrong.

• Start simple.
• Get a bag.
• Add your documents.
• Add medications.
• Add a flashlight.
• Add charging equipment.
• Add basic food and water.

Then customize the kit around your household.

You don’t have to build the perfect hurricane bug out bag tonight.

You just need to build a better one than you had yesterday.

Because when an evacuation order comes, the goal shouldn’t be figuring out what to pack.

The goal should be:

Grab the bag. Load the vehicle. Follow the plan. Go.

Prepare early. Evacuate smart. Recover safely.
Hurricane Bug Out — From Prep to Recovery, We’ve Got You Covered.

Mark Laymon