How to Prepare for Disaster
+ how to help LA
In the aftermath of the horrific LA fires, I’m trying to do everything I can to help get the city back on its feet. That means dropping off supplies, volunteering, donating—every little bit counts.
I’ll be donating all the proceeds from the affiliate links in today’s post—as well as the money from any new paid subscriptions I get this week—to Baby2Baby, who’s helping deliver supplies like diapers and formula to families and children displaced by the fire. In other words, anything you buy from today’s post raises money for folks who fled their homes. So if you’re like, ‘Remy, why are there so many affiliates links today, and why are some of these items so expensive’….it’s not because I’m making light of the situation, or because I think you *need* to have Suzie Kondi sweats in your go-bag. It is candidly because I am trying to raise as much money as possible.
If you’d prefer to donate directly to those affected—and that is AMAZING and ENCOURAGED—here is a list of places accepting donations. And now, on with the show.
Let me be real: it’s hard to even write this post coherently because I have broken into the medicine cabinet and dosed myself up with a heady cocktail of anti-anxiety drugs. This past week has been a blur; it’s hard to imagine how long the city’s road to recovery will be.
My family friend evacuated the Palisades fire early on Tuesday morning. She thought it would be over by the afternoon, so all she brought were her four pets and a change of sweatpants. As much as anything else, these fires have been a cruel lesson in disaster preparedness. Most of my friends who had to evacuate didn’t have go-bags ready, because none of us ever imagined a situation like this. We’ve unfortunately received the ultimate wake-up call.
So moving forward, I will always have a disaster bag packed. Here’s everything people suggest keeping on hand in case you ever needed to get the fuck outta dodge.
The perfect go-bag
Something I’ve learned over the past few days is that the type of go-bag you bring matters as much as what you put it in. Totes without closures are a fool’s errand if you find yourself having to run on foot, as are wheeled bags that are hard to maneuver over fallen power lines. What you want is mainly a sturdy backpack or failing that, a good duffel.
First up, backpacks. We’re looking for ones that have a ton of space but are still relatively lightweight.
I’d especially highlight that Master-piece makes a bunch of good backpacks, many of which are currently on sale. Not pictured above, but the Away backpack also gets very high reviews. And of course, you can never go wrong with a North Face backpack (but they have an especially good stock right now).
Next, new duffels. I am especially partial to ones that can be worn as a duffel or a backpack.
Realistically speaking, I think this $169 Patagonia bag is the best bang for your buck. But if you want a duffel that can go through disaster and be used daily, I do love this Bode bag.
What goes in the go-bag
This is a non-exhaustive list of must-haves for your bag—or at least, the stuff I currently have packed in the bag sitting next to me.
Electronics. That means computer, phone and charging chords as well as battery packs. Remember to also bring all necessary hard drives and disks.
Clockwise, starting from top left: purple Anker power bank (Anker, $89), Dagne Dover cable organizer (DD, $50), blue portable charger (Nimble, $47), Otterbox charge station (Otterbox, $127), waterproof power bank (comparable one on Ebay, $69), white Base One charging station (Nomad, $75) and Shargeek power bank (Sharge, $139). If you wanted to air on the side of caution and keep your computer safe, you could also pick up this insulated travel computer case. Not pictured above, but a hard drive also isn’t a bad idea.
Medications. This means your daily meds, vitamins, contacts, inhalers…whatever you can’t easily access at a shelter.
Clockwise from top: Port and Polish pill box (Anthropologie, $20), clear pink carrying case (Calpak, $75), Flex Small magnetic container in blush (Cadence, $15), and 7-day pill case (Dosey, $22) And if you wear eye glasses, don’t forget to bring a glasses case for them.
Water + Food. This is to tide you over until you can get to a safe location—which might be a while, because traffic during evacuations is a nightmare. You want portable non-perishables (no refrigeration/microwave/etc necessary) and hydration, with a special focus on high-protein items.
Clockwise, starting from top left: Quest protein bars, my fave (Walmart, $7), Honey Stinger energy chews (Target, $2), Owala bottle (Target, $29), Edamame with wasabi, also my fave (Target, $17), Fishwife canned tuna (Target, $5), Stanley bottle (Stanley, $25) and Favorite Day trail mix (Target, $4) 4. Passport, wallet (with cash + credit cards) and important documents. The things you can’t replace, and the things it would be an extreme pain in the ass to try and replace. You’ll notice that I really shot for the moon in this section because well…let’s raise some money, folks. This is also a good time to remind you to have an extra set of car keys.
Clockwise, starting from top left: maroon Saint Laurent wallet (Neimans, $445), Toteme beige card holder (Ssense, $390), Harrods writing folder (Harrods, $330), Dime wallet (Ssense, $65), blue Smythson passport cover (Smythson, $220), Bottega zip wallet (Neimans, $1100), and personalized leather file folder (Neimans, $50) For all leather folders, wallets and passport covers, my ultimate suggestion will always be Smythson (which also allows you to customize most things). And if you just wanna see something cool…check out this crystal Judith Leiber passport holder.
5. Emergency items. I’m talking face masks, first aid kits and flashlights, as well as some sanitation supplies. This is not relevant for a go-bag but because it’s been a hot topic of conversation this week, I will also include a good air purifier below.
A Levoit air purifier (Levoit, $99). A first aid kit (Over the Moon, $100). KN95 masks (Vida, $41). Solar-powered emergency flashlight (Home Depot, $9) I’ve seen moist towelettes consistently suggested as a sanitation item; try these Purell hand wipes.
6. Clothes, underwear, socks, and pajamas. Enough for three-ish days. Make sure it’s either warm stuff or things that can be layered, because it may get cold wherever you’re sleeping. I’d suggest stuff that’s comfy but not too cumbersome.
Top row, left to right: Skims lounge set (NaP, $120), blue fleece sweatpants (Aritzia, $75), CDLP white briefs (NaP, 3 for $125), black velour trackpants (Suzie Kondi, $250), mesh bralette (Araks, $90). Bottom row: zip fleece hoodie (Aritzia, $95), Rat Boi long sleeve (Lisa Says Gah, $64), white down hoodie (North Face, $220), and Le Bon Shoppe red socks (Nordstrom, $14). 7. Sturdy shoes. I’m talking sneakers, hiking boots or lug-soled boots. Something you can move comfortably in, but which will keep you safe from anything dangerous on the ground.
Clockwise from top left: Merrell hiking boots (Nordstrom, $130), Adidas by Stella McCartney (Adidas, $176 $220), Asics Gel-Kayano (Mohawk General, $200), Andersson Bell sneakers (Ssense, $228$530), Salomon sneakers (Mohawk General, $220), Nike ACG Air (Nike, $140)8. Pet supplies. If you have a pet, pack their necessities. Food, water, prescriptions, etc. But also in my experience, your pets are gonna be extremely freaked out. When my parents evacuated to my place the other night—along with our family’s 150-pound Great Dane—the pup was freaking out. So if you can, pack leashes, stuffies, maybe travel beds. Anything to calm them down.
Clockwise from top left: Dog stud collar (Lisa Says Gah, $46 $65), plaid dog harness; the exact one pictured above is now sold out so I’ve found a good alt (Etsy, $48), Fur Haven velvet dog bed (Walmart, $56), twisted rope toy (Maxbone, $16) , Ol’ Roy peanut bones (Walmart, $6), yellow studded dog leash (Lisa Says Gah, $85), customized dog bed cover (Land’s End, $40), lamb plush toy with squeaker (PetSmart, $3) and no-hide dog chews (Petco, $10).Not pictured above but this check dog bed is also very cute.
9. Your keepsakes. Photo albums, paintings, your grandma’s wedding ring, your dad’s favorite book. Only you know what these items are, but for the sake of adding more shoppable links, I’m going to put some ideas below.
Red leather custom photo album (Neimans, $130). Yellow velvet Sophie Bille Brahe jewelry box (Bergdorfs, $85). Wolf red leather jewelry roll (Bergdorfs, $299). Clementina photo album (Over The Moon, $420). I realized this week that I would probably grab our family cookbook, with all of my mom, grandma and great-grandma’s recipes in them. You can build your own cookbook with a simple custom binder.
In Closing
So, yeah. I hope you never need to use a bag like this. But if you do, I hope you’re ready. And above all, I hope that you’ll buy something from this post or donate directly to the LA fire victims.
Requisite disclosure: I may earn some money if you make a purchase through one of the links above. All money will be donated to Baby2Baby.