Imagine for a moment that you are at at your job that is a half hour away from your home. There was a natural disaster, the highways are jammed, and the only way to get home to your family and loved ones is to set off on foot. Do you have the necessary gear with you for the trek. If not, perhaps you should consider a get home bag. I keep one with me in my vehicle at all times. But, you ask, what is a get home bag?
A Get Home Bag or GHB is a bag of emergency supplies you keep in your car for use in an emergency. GHBs are very important so that if there is a natural disaster or other emergency, you can get home safely.
What should be included in the GBH depends on your needs, as well as what disasters are most likely to happen near where you live. For example, if there is a high risk of wildfires then it might be wise to include matches and bottled water. If hurricanes are more common, then canned food and flashlights would be ideal additions to your get home bag.
This blog post will teach you everything there is to know about GBHs so that if the need arises, your GBH will be ready.
What Is A Get Home Bag?
A GHB, or get home bag, is essential for every emergency-prepared person to have. It can be used when there are threats such as natural disasters that could destroy their homes and the area they live in. The kit should contain all of the necessary items needed to survive on your own until you make it safely back home.
GHBs are also beneficial because if someone finds themselves stranded away from place where they need shelter then this bag will help them find food and water to last while making their way back before anything becomes worse.
GHB provide people a bag of essentials they may need in case of evacuation or natural disaster, and is typically something that doesn’t take up much space at home so you don’t have to think about packing for days before hand just in case.
This GHB also has extra clothes for warmth during cold weather times and sturdy shoes that are well broken in so they can be worn without socks if needed. Some people even carry an emergency whistle just in case they need help but cannot yell out loud enough.
The GHB should contain everything someone might need on the way back from there current location to their own safe place at home. GHBs are not just for natural disasters, they can also be used in other emergencies and be a life-saving tool.
Why People Carry A Get Home Bag?
GHBs provide a sense of security and peace of mind when SHTF by containing items that will be needed to get home. GHB contents vary in size but typically include enough supplies for 72 hours, including food, water, light sources (e.g., flashlight), first aid kit, shelter materials (e.g., tarp or emergency blanket) and sanitation products such as toilet paper and soap.
GHBs are an easy way to feel prepared for any type of disaster – earthquakes , hurricanes or wildfires among others. GHBs also contain important documents like identification cards with photos and proof of address which can facilitate evacuations from the affected area .
What Do People Store In A Get Home Bag?
The GHB is made up of three or four items that will help you survive for 72 hours, if necessary. It’s a packable kit designed to keep one person alive in an emergency situation like natural disasters and terror attacks. The GHB has been seen as a “just in case” item since they were first created after the September 11th terrorist attacks.
Here are some of the things people typically store inside their Get Home Bags:
Plenty Of Nonperishable Food Items
Those should include canned foods such as soup, vegetables, fruits; dry goods such as pasta, cereal bars, crackers etc.; protein sources like dried beans, tuna packets; and other nutritional items like peanut butter, nuts etc.
Water
Include at least two liters per person in your GHB as well as any purification methods you might need (i.e., filters).
A Change Of Clothes That You Don’t Mind Wearing Again
These should be clothes that are comfortable to wear for long periods of time or have additional benefits such as being water resistant/wind proof if the situation is more extreme.
Blankets Or Sleeping Bag
If you don’t already have a get home bag assembled, consider grabbing some cheap sleeping bags from Walmart or Amazon, which will do just fine in an emergency.
Solar Charger And Backup Battery Pack For Your Smartphone
This is a useful backup power source for your GHB and also an important communication device.
First Aid Supplies
This includes bandages, antiseptic cream/ointment, pain relief medication (i.e., ibuprofen), gauze and rolls of medical tape etc.
Heat Source
Consider including matches or lighters to start emergency fires as well as blankets if the situation doesn’t get any better.
Self Defense Gear
This could be anything from pepper spray to personal alarms but it’s worth considering this in case violence has erupted.
A Radio And Extra Batteries/A Backup Device To Recharge It
For emergencies that last more than 24 hours without electricity you’ll need some way to stay informed.
A Bucket
For emergency sanitation purposes.
A Collapsible Fishing Pole With Line And Lures
In case you need food sources outside, this is a good GHB addition.
Basic First Aid Kit
An example of what could be found in this kit includes gauze, band aids, antibiotic ointment etc. This should also have more advanced items such as pain relief medication and wound healing solutions (i.e., hydrogen peroxide) and more.
Final Thoughts
A get home bag is a backpack or small duffel bag that contains the necessary items for short-term survival following an emergency situation. It contains all the necessary tools and supplies needed for an emergency situation, such as natural disasters or other events that put you at risk.
If you have not already, it may be time to invest in one of these bags and fill it with supplies such as food, water, clothing, tools (like first aid kits), and anything else that will help sustain yourself during your journey home while waiting for emergency responders to arrive.
You never know when something might happen so we recommend being proactive about preparing now rather than waiting until after disaster strikes.
If you haven’t already started carrying one, it might be time to think about whether this would be beneficial for your family’s safety, especially if there are children living with them who may not have their own means of transportation.
Make your own get home bag today by deciding what types of items will be helpful during an evacuation! For me my go-to GHB is the Maxpedition Typhoon Backpack.
