Muscatine County ARES - Amateur Radio Emergency Service
Go-Bag Information ARES ID# 139IAØ1

Putting the GO in go-bag - by Robert Ernst.

Every ARES® member should have a go-bag ready for an emergency.

You can't carry everything and everyone has a different opinion about what is important. Unfortunately, you have to guess what kind of emergency you'll be dealing with and which tools will be most helpful.

"It is better to have the bare essentials always handy than to leave a bulky pack someplace where you can't get to it."
— C. Edward Harris (KE4SKY)

I ain't takin' nothin' that'll slow down my travelin'...
— Johnny Cash

My Go Bag

Here is what I have in my go bag, which is very much a work in progress. In fact, I find that it is currently both too heavy and is missing too much. I'm attempting to keep the total weight low, so I know I need to sacrifice many useful items others include in their kits. By keeping it light, I'm aiming at a solution that can be carried some distance. This is an ARES® go bag, so the primary focus is to provide communications.

Flexibility

Ideally, the contents will be adjusted for the season: bug repellent isn't really needed in the winter, for example. Clothing needs are also season dependent.

Every Day Carry

Minimal equipment always carried. I find my pockets too full as it is, but I'd like to squeeze in some more items.

Wallet with ARES® ID, FCC ID
Small flashlight on keyring (Photon from Gateway Electronics or http://www.photonlight.com
Pocket knife
Watch
Cell phone
Palm PDA (Lots of good reference information)
Common sense & good attitude (let me know if you find a good supplier for these)

I tried spliting things between a "Basic Deployment Kit" in a lumbar bag and an "Extended Deployment Kit" (or 72 hour kit) in a day pack, but the lumbar bag ended up being too heavy. Currently I have something that is a "Basic Deployment Kit Plus" in a day pack, and a lumbar bag with the radio gear.

Radio Gear

2-Meter HT
"Tiger tail" counterpoise and antenna, SMA adapter
- http://www.eham.net/articles/2424
Extra radio battery pack
Repeater directory
2 FRS radios (one to use, one to loan)
Soldering torch, fuel (small can) and solder
Anderson connectors
Extra AA batteries (for 2-meter) and extra AAA batteries (for FRS)
VOM multimeter
Some basic tools (screwdrivers, needlenose pliers)
Pen, paper

Day Pack Kit

Compass
Map
Matches AND lighter
Hand sanitizer (can double as a fire starter)
First aid kit
Whistle
Water purification tablets and 1 qt container
Clipboard
Sunscreen, sunglasses, hat
Leatherman multitool
Emergency poncho (doesn't take much space, but flimsy)
Emergency "space" blanket (ditto)
Chapstick
Snacks and water
Pen, pencil, sharpie
Change for phone
Snacks, 1 MRE
Throat lozenges
Metal cup
Drinking water germicidal tablets
Prescriptions
LED flashlight
LED headlamp (Very handy to be able to use both hands. Be sure to get a headlamp that has both white and red LEDs -- the red light attracts fewer bugs.)
Alarm clock
Backpack
550 parachute cord (the good stuff is apparently the 7 strand MIL-C-5040H Type III)
Earplugs

I'd also like to add in, among other things:

Appropriate clothing, depending on season
Extra AA and AAA Batteries (standardizing on one would be better)
Safety goggles, dust mask & work gloves
Paper and various message forms
Toilet kit
Binoculars
Bandana
Local map
Microphones
Power supplies, chargers
Antennas with mounts
SWR bridge (VHF and HF)
Portable stove, mess kit with cleaning kit
Headphones
RF Connectors
Patch Cords
Candles
Electrical and duct tape
Shelter (tent and sleeping bag)
Foul weather gear
3 day change of clothes
3 day supply of food
3 day supply of water -- 3 gallons of water, which is about 25 pounds!
Paperweights, to keep all the forms and other papers from blowing around.

I think I'm going to be forced to a bigger, heavier bag and a faithful Sherpa Guide to carry it.

Car Kit

There is no doubt that having a car opens up a lot of possibilities. Keep in mind that what you put in your car will have to handle baking in the summer sun and freezing in the winter.

Mobile radio and mag mount antenna
Temporary antenna anchor
Painter's pole
J-Pole
First aid kit, tools, food, water, etc.
And at least half a tank of gas in the car

Community Emergency Response Team Kit

I keep my CERT supplies in the car.

5 Gallon plastic bucket (the local team opted for buckets instead of backpacks)
Duct tape
10" wrench for shutting off gas
Utility knife
Flashlight with batteries
Colored clothspins for triage
Green hard hat and vest
Safety goggles
2 pairs of work gloves
5 pairs of latex gloves
5 dust masks
Lumber crayon
2 quart baggies (one for the the masks and latex gloves, the other to hold the lumber crayon)

Whatever else you might have in your kit, add one more thing: an inventory of the kit. It reduces searching and makes it easy to restock. You can also record when supplies (food, for example) should be replaced. If nothing else, the back side makes good scratch paper, and it can be used as a firestarter.

Your Go Bag

So you have a go-bag right? If so, great! If not, check out the resources below for some ideas for putting together your go-bag, go-kit, jump-bag, bug-out-bag, emergency kit, call-out gear, emergency activation gear, ready kit, warbox, crash kit, grab-n-go bag:

Resources

Homeland Security