Home Consumer Hurricane Preparation: What to Put in Your ‘Go Bag’

Hurricane Preparation: What to Put in Your ‘Go Bag’

go bag

You may not want to think about evacuating as a hurricane approaches, but you should be prepared, says a faculty member with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

“Now is the time to get your ‘go bag’ together,” said Natasha Parks, a family and consumer sciences agent with UF/IFAS Extension Duval County. “You are more likely to forget something if you wait until right before a hurricane hits.”

Parks offers tips on what to include in your “go bag.”

  • Important documents: If you are displaced from your home, proof of identity and ownership will be needed for reentry and in the recovery process.
  • Photo identification
  • Birth certificates
  • Social security cards
  • Immunization records
  • A list of your current medications
  • Insurance and financial information: Homeowner’s insurance, car insurance, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds
  • Digital records: Be sure to make a digital back up of photos and video of personal property. Store originals and copies in a waterproof, re-sealable bag or container.
  • Clothing, medication, snacks and water: Pack three to five days of clothes for each person in the household. Include snacks, water and all necessary medications.

For more information, refer to the UF/IFAS Extension Disaster Handbook, a free guide available at http://disaster.ifas.ufl.edu.

The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS works to bring science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. Visit the UF/IFAS web site at ifas.ufl.edu and follow us on social media at @UF_IFAS.