🎒 Evacuation go bag checklist

Packed once and checked twice a year, so the only decision left on the day is whether to actually go.

18 items

1. One bag per person, or one shared bag that's actually been agreed onDecide this now — not while everyone's arguing over who carries what.
2. Bottled water×2
3. Torch and spare batteries
4. Phone charger or a power bank, charged
5. Copies of ID and insurance documentsPhotocopies or photos on a phone, not the only originals — those can travel separately if there's time to grab them.
6. Some cashCard readers and cash machines both need power and a network connection that an evacuation is exactly the situation to lose.
7. A change of clothes per person, weather-appropriate
8. Any regular medication, at least a few days' worthKept topped up in the bag itself, not borrowed from the bathroom cabinet the morning you need to leave.
9. Basic first aid kitThe travel-sized version — see the first aid kit checklist rather than duplicating it here.
10. List of emergency contacts on paperNot just saved in a phone that could be flat, lost, or without signal.
11. Snacks that don't need cooking or water
12. A whistleLouder and further-carrying than shouting, if anyone needs to be found.
13. Face masks or a scarfFor smoke or dust, depending on what the evacuation is actually from.
14. Pet lead, food and any paperwork, if there's an animal in the houseDecided in advance where they go and who's responsible for them — not worked out at the door.
15. Spare keys — house and car
16. A note of where the family will meet if separated
17. Comfort item for a childFamiliar and small — the point where a stressful night gets slightly less stressful for the person it matters most to.
18. Bag checked and refreshed twice a yearFood goes stale, documents go out of date, and a growing child needs bigger clothes in it.