Grab and Go Kit - what is it, why do I need it?

 In an emergency situation, you might need to leave home in a hurry!  You'll want to have at least a 72 hour survival kit in a compact, light-weight pack or portable bin so you can, well, "Grab 'n' Go"!  You don’t want to be scrambling around at the last minute, gathering items from around the house in an emergency... you need to get out of the house before you get hurt!

We are a family of 4, so I packed the "essentials" for 2 adults and 2 kids into a rolling plastic bin that has a lockable lid and wheels and a handle... like a rolling suitcase but more waterproof!  I am the type to over pack on vacation, so I got something large but in hind sight, I realize I don't need as large of a bin that I have; a hikers backpack or duffel bag would work awesome and would probably be easier to carry if you have to go a long distance with the kit, or if you need to hold your child's hand with one hand and roll the kit in the other, the bin might not work as well.

The basic/essential items I have in my family's Grab 'n' Go kit are:

• FOOD & WATER: Be sure to have enough servings or calories for each member in your family of food and water - don’t forget your pets! Water filtration is also advisable.  I have water purification tablets as well as boxes of drinking water.  I have Wise brand freeze-dried/dehydrated food packets - both the kind that you can prepare in it's own bag, and also some that you would heat up in a pan.  I also have 18 400-calorie emergency food bars - 2 per adult per day and 1 per child per day.
• FIRST AID: A basic, pre-assembled first aid kit has pretty much everything you need.  A small bottle of hand sanitizer or wet naps are a good addition too. 
• LIGHTING: Flashlight (plus batteries for the flashlight if it’s not solar or wind-up) & emergency candle - the emergency candle I have has a roll-up wick so you can increase the flame to cook with - you could also get one of those mini camp cookers.  The flashlight I have is a wind-up radio/flashlight combo, plus 2 compact squeeze-to-charge flashlights for the kids, where they only have to squeeze them to power them up - no batteries required!  Shake-lights are cool where you simply shake it to create the power to turn it on!
• WARMTH: Emergency warming blankets (the shiny silver kind that is lightweight and compact), waterproof matches, hand warmers and a poncho for each family member
• OTHER: Pocket knife, glow sticks, emergency whistle (has a compass on it too!), a small notepad, a pencil and a deck of cards is nice to help pass the time.
• DOCUMENTS: You might also want to keep a small folder that includes a photocopy of your insurance cards or numbers and company contact info (medical, home, life, auto, etc.), your bank account numbers, birth certificates, passports, social security cards, and any other pertinent information you might need if you will be away from your home for a period of time, or to prove who you are.
• DIGITAL FAMILY PHOTOS: In case of fire or total destruction of your home, you might also keep a collection of family photos on a memory device, card or disc in your grab and go kit so you wont loose any precious memories.
• PET ITEMS: Don't leave Fluffy and Fido behind!  If you have pets, you'll want to also include food and water for them, plus an extra leash and an extra glow stick or two that you can tie onto their collar so they will easily be spotted in the dark should they break free from the leash out of fear.

I have other items in my kit too that are considered bonus "extras" that I will do further posts on later.  The items listed above the the things I think are most necessary to survive.

If you have any other ideas to add to a basic grab-n-go kit, leave a comment and share with me!