How to build a budget-friendly emergency go bag before disaster strikes

Marie Coronel
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Emergency preparedness experts say you may only have minutes to grab your go bag when disaster strikes — and building one does not have to be expensive.

Marlon King, emergency services manager for the City of Chula Vista, said the most important step is tailoring your kit to your own needs.

"You really want to make your kit essential to you, the things that you need to sustain yourself if you have to leave your home. My kit is going to be different than yours and different from other viewers. We want to make sure we tailor our kit to specific needs," King said.

King said every kit should start with the basics.

"There are basic essentials that you'll need food, water and medications. There are other things, like safety essentials like gloves, a whistle, a flashlight, and things of that nature," King said.

Beyond survival supplies, King said it helps to pack items that provide comfort during a stressful displacement.

"We have some snacks in here, some granola bars, easy-to-grab things. We have a book in here, just an activity book. You're gonna be away from your home for a while, you want something to keep your mind off the stresses of the day, something to keep you entertained for a little bit," King said.

For families considering store-bought emergency kits, King said those products can serve as a guide rather than a requirement.

"They are a starting point. What they also are is a reference point. You can see all the contents that are in those kits and go and grab those contents yourself for maybe a fraction," King said.

King said community events are an overlooked source for free kit supplies.

"We have some glow sticks here that we probably got from a fair that we went to or a fair that we hosted. The whistle in here is like a trinket that we got from a fair. The hand sanitizers, all of that stuff is things that you'll see out at community fairs that you go to. Don't pass up those tables, visit those booths, and at the very least you can have some stuff for your go kit," King said.

King recommends checking and replenishing your kit twice a year — once in the spring and again in the fall or winter — to make sure food and supplies have not expired.

For more tips on what to include in a go bag, visit your local fire station and ask for the County Disaster Planning Handbook.

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