Evacuation
Leave home for a known destination using primary and alternate routes.
Defender field guide · Version 1.0
Build a bag
you can actually move.
A go-bag is not a shopping pile. It is a defined mission, a fitted carrier, organized equipment, a known loaded weight, and a practiced route.
Mission firstPack · Weigh · Carry · Correct
Step one
Give the bag one primary job
“Emergency bag” is too vague. Define when it leaves, who carries it, where it goes, how long it supports, and what other supplies remain at home, work, or in a vehicle.
Vehicle
Support delays, weather, roadside problems, or movement from the vehicle.
Workplace
Walk, shelter, communicate, or travel home when normal transport fails.
Individual
Daily medical, communication, identification, mobility, and personal essentials.
Family system
Divide functions across capable carriers without putting every critical item in one bag.
Quick departure
Documents, medications, keys, communication, clothing, and essentials that cannot remain preloaded elsewhere.
Write the departure plan before buying the carrier.Trigger · carrier · owner · destination · route A · route B · transportation · meeting place · out-of-area contact
Step two
Choose the carrier around the real load
Compare usable space and fit, not just a product name or advertised capacity.
Backpack
Hands-free movement and even load control. Verify torso fit, shoulder straps, hip belt, ventilation, access, and loaded comfort.
Duffel or shoulder bag
Fast access and easy vehicle transfer, but weight concentrates on the hand or one shoulder. Test stairs and distance.
Rolling or hard case
Protection and organization for equipment-heavy modules. Confirm wheels, handles, stairs, rough ground, and vehicle fit.
Modular family system
Use labeled sub-kits and several carriers so medical, water, communication, and documents do not share one failure point.
Volumeusable liters
Empty massweigh it
Load ratingmanufacturer limit
Fitactual wearer
Routereal conditions
Step three
Build visible, removable modules
Each module should answer a need, be easy to identify, and be removable for inspection without dismantling the bag.
Water
Carry water you can move, plus treatment matched to the expected hazard. Count drinking and preparation water separately.
Food
Use familiar, portable, label-verified food, including a no-cook layer and any required dietary items.
Medical
First aid, daily medical essentials, health information, and medications planned with the prescriber or pharmacist.
Shelter
Weather protection, clothing, insulation, sturdy footwear, and sleep needs appropriate to season and route.
Light & power
Headlamp or flashlight, protected spare batteries, charging cables, and a tested portable power layer.
Information
Written contacts, route and destination copies, local map, radio or alerts, identification, and essential documents.
Tools & repair
Only tools the plan can justify: opening, cutting, fastening, signaling, minor repair, and safe utility tasks.
Sanitation
Hand hygiene, waste bags, toilet supplies, respirator or mask as appropriate, and clean/dirty separation.
Step four
Measure the finished bag
There is no responsible universal percentage for every wearer and route. Record exact weights and let the carrier limit, wearer, mission, terrain, season, distance, and test determine what stays.
Ready weightcarrier + every module + carried water + seasonal additions
Do not quote the empty bag or omit water. One U.S. gallon of water weighs about 8.34 pounds before the container.
Record four numbers
- Empty carrier weight
- Base packed weight
- Water and consumables
- Actual ready weight
Set two boundaries
- Manufacturer load limit
- Wearer’s maximum tested carry
- Lower limit controls
- Recheck after every change
Reduce intelligently
- Remove unjustified duplicates
- Move home-only supplies home
- Divide family loads safely
- Keep critical redundancy
Medical and mobility needs outrank generic packing advice.
Use qualified medical guidance when health, pregnancy, injury, age, disability, medication, assistive equipment, or heat/cold exposure affects what a person can safely carry.
Step five
Pack for access and movement
The bag should remain stable, weather-protected, and understandable to another household member.
Fast access
light · map · medicalClose to the body
dense, stable itemsLower / outer
soft, less-dense gear
light · map · medicalClose to the body
dense, stable itemsLower / outer
soft, less-dense gear
Keep emergency instructions, identification, contacts, medications, light, and immediate medical items accessible without unpacking the carrier.
Stabilize dense or rigid equipment close to the wearer and prevent shifting, punctures, leaks, and sharp edges.
Protect documents and electronics from water; isolate fuel, chemicals, dirty items, and waste from food and medical supplies.
Label modules by function and owner. Add a complete inventory and return location so another person can repack it.
Do not hang loose equipment where it catches on doors, brush, vehicles, stairs, or other people.
Step six
Run the complete carry drill
A complete bag that has never moved is an inventory, not a proven system.
Lift and fit
Put on or lift the exact finished bag. Adjust it, confirm balance, and check pain, restricted movement, buckles, handles, and straps.
Ten-minute access
Retrieve light, first aid, water, contacts, route, medication, and weather protection without dumping the bag.
Realistic route
Carry it on the likely walking segment, including stairs, doors, rough ground, weather, and the people who will actually travel.
Transfer
Load and unload the bag from the intended vehicle, cart, transit, or shelter space. Confirm it fits without blocking exits.
Limited-utility trial
Use only packed equipment for a safe planned period. Measure water, food, batteries, access time, waste, and missing items.
Correct and repeat
Record failures, reduce load, replace unsafe or unreliable items, update the inventory, and rerun the failed stage.
Inspection cycleEvery six months · after every drill or use · before seasonal hazards · after recalls, medication changes, household changes, route changes, or equipment replacement
Sources and limitations
Original working guidance grounded in primary safety sources
This is original educational content by Defender Outfitters. The cited sources provide public-safety baselines; none sponsors or endorses this guide. Current emergency orders, product manuals, medical instructions, transport rules, and applicable laws control a specific situation.
Ready.gov - Build A Kithttps://www.ready.gov/kitReady.gov - Evacuationhttps://www.ready.gov/evacuationAmerican Red Cross - Make a Disaster Preparedness Planhttps://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/make-a-plan.htmlAmerican Red Cross - Survival Kit Buying Guidehttps://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/resources/articles/survival-kit-buying-guideCDC - Building an Emergency Kithttps://www.cdc.gov/disability-emergency-preparedness/people-with-disabilities/build-a-kit.htmlCDC - Personal Needshttps://www.cdc.gov/prepare-your-health/take-action/personal-needs.html
Important limitation
This guide does not replace official evacuation orders, emergency services, medical advice, training, product instructions, carrier load limits, or applicable laws. Never delay evacuation to complete or retrieve equipment.
Questions people ask
Go-bag planning FAQ
How heavy should a go-bag be?
There is no single safe percentage or weight for every person. Use the carrier manufacturer's limits, the wearer's health and mobility, the route, terrain, climate, transport mode, and a real carry test. Weigh the finished bag, record its ready weight, and reduce nonessential load when it cannot be carried safely.
What size go-bag should I buy?
Choose after defining the mission and measuring the load. Compare usable liters, dimensions, empty weight, load rating, torso fit, straps, hip belt, access, weather resistance, and whether the carrier works in vehicles, stairs, doorways, and shelters.
Is a go-bag the same as a 72-hour kit?
Not necessarily. A go-bag is a portable departure system. A larger home supply may support more people and days without being safely portable. Use the 72-hour standard to define the household system, then assign only the portable part to the bag.
How often should a go-bag be checked?
Inspect it at least every six months and after every use, drill, seasonal change, recall, household change, or equipment change. CDC specifically recommends checking emergency kits every six months so contents remain current and functional.
How should a family divide supplies?
Avoid placing every critical item in one carrier. Assign identification, medications, communication, water, and other essential functions with redundancy appropriate to ages and capabilities. Each carrier should have an owner, role, measured weight, and backup plan.
Connect the carrier to the complete planUse the 72-hour standard for household quantities, decision triggers, water, food, power, communication, first aid, and shelter.
Read the 72-hour standard