8 Family Emergency Go Bag Mistakes
August 27, 2025

8 Family Emergency Go Bag Mistakes

The Jansen family thought they were ready. The knock on the door came at 2 AM for an evacuation due to a railway accident. Chemicals were leaking and there was a risk of an explosion. They were told to leave immediately and get at least 3 miles out of the area. They grabbed their red emergency backpacks and headed to their car with their dog, Pepper. The bags felt heavier than they remembered, but there wasn't time to go through them.

Just one mile from home, the only road out of the city was jam packed like a parking lot. Cars weren't moving at all. They realized they might not make it the remaining 2 miles on what fuel they had left. Like many others around them, they decided to grab their packs and walk the rest of the way.

Within ten minutes, everyone was struggling. Mom's 40-pound bag felt like it weighed twice that much. Dad was carrying both his pack and 5-year-old Emma on his back, plus her bag because she was tired. 9-year-old Jake was doing okay but moving slow and kept asking why his bag was so heavy. Pepper liked walks but was confused with all the people.

But they couldn’t stop, they needed to get out of that area fast. Other families were moving much faster carrying nothing, but they felt better having some supplies with them.  When they could finally stop to rest and opened their packs, they found canned food, some spare clothes, a couple of water bottles, expired granola bars and some gear they had never figured out how to use. They realized they forgot to pack a few things like important documents and food for Pepper.

 

Whether it's wildfire evacuations, hurricane warnings, or chemical spills, thousands of families face evacuation orders every year. An evacuation bag can save you time, stress, and maybe even your life. But only if you pack it right. Many people make simple mistakes that turn their carefully planned bag into dead weight or leave them missing critical supplies. Here are the most common go bag mistakes and how to avoid them.


 

1. Choosing a Bag That Screams "I Have Supplies!"

Bright colors and tactical-looking bags might seem like a good choice, but they make you stand out. When everyone else is going without, you don't want to advertise that you're carrying anything but a few supplies in an everyday backpack, not food, water and some helpful gear.

What to do instead: Pick a plain backpack in gray, black, or brown designed for hiking and is comfortable when filled. The same amount of weight in a flimsy string bag or cheap book bag will strain you more, and you'll end up throwing things away to make it lighter. Avoid anything with military patches, bright reflective strips, or obvious outdoor brand logos.

 

2. Packing Like You're Moving Out Forever

The biggest mistake people make is stuffing their bag with whatever they can fit. If you can't carry your bag for more than 20 minutes, it's too heavy. In an emergency, you might have to walk a long ways or need to move quickly.

What to do instead: Keep your bag under 20% of your body weight. For most adult males (avg. 200 lbs) that's 40 pounds maximum. Practice carrying it for at least 30 minutes to make sure you can handle it when stress and adrenaline are high.

 

3. Packing Too Little or Too Much

People tend to go to extremes with their emergency supplies. Some pack a few energy bars, bottle of water, extra socks and call it good. Others try to pack things for every possible scenario. The same thing happens with medical supplies. Either it’s just band-aids or enough supplies to perform surgery.

What to do instead: At a minimum, focus on basics needed to reach your destination.

  • Shelter: Weather-appropriate clothes, good socks, sturdy shoes, and a rain poncho
  • Water: Water is heavy but carry as much as you can. Minimum 2 liters a day with  purification tablets or filter for more.
  • Food: Calorie-dense options like nuts, dried fruit, and energy bars.
  • Light: Reliable flashlight with spare batteries
  • Fire: Waterproof matches or lighter
  • First Aid: Pain relievers, bandages, antiseptic, prescription medications, and supplies for cuts, sprains, and burns.
  • Misc. Phone chargers and cords, hygiene items, whistle.

 

4. Packing Gear You Don't Actually Need

The only thing people should include that weighs a lot is water, since the more you drink, the lighter your pack is. Multi-tools with 47 functions, survival radios, and fancy gadgets might seem useful, but they often just add weight. Every item should serve a clear purpose and be as light as possible.

What to do instead: Stick to basics (see #3) and a simple knife or multi-tool you actually know how to use. Keep spare comfortable shoes tied to the outside of your pack.

 

5. Forgetting Paperwork & Cash

Your go bag might have everything you need to get you through, but without identification, cash and important documents, you could face serious problems accessing help, insurance, or even proving who you are. 

What to do instead: Keep copies of your ID, insurance cards, bank information, and emergency contacts in a waterproof bag with you. Include some cash in small bills (twenties, tens, fives, and ones) work better than hundreds when services are limited. Take photos of important documents and store them on a USB drive or in cloud storage you can access from any device.

 

6. Forgetting Repair & Maintenance Supplies

Things break. A torn backpack strap or broken flashlight can turn a manageable situation into a real problem.

What to do instead: Pack duct tape (wrap it around a pencil to save space), zip ties, super glue, and spare batteries, and some paracord. Include a small sewing kit. These simple items are light and can fix most gear problems you'll face.

 

7. Never Actually Using or Updating Your Pack Supplies

An emergency is not a time to check for missing pieces or read a complete manual. Many people pack their bag and never touch it again until they need it.

What to do instead: Go through your bag regularly and refamiliarize yourself on what’s in there. Refresh gear knowledge and update your supplies every six months and replace expired items. Remember seasons change, and extra weather appropriate gear can change.

 

8. Making One Bag the "Master"

Many families make the mistake of putting all the important items in Mom's or Dad's bag while packing the kids' bags with just snacks, clothes and a few toys. This seems logical until you realize that emergencies can be chaotic. Families can get separated by crowds, different walking speeds, or unexpected obstacles.

What to do instead: Each go bag should include water, food, first aid supplies, flashlight, cash, and copies of important documents in every bag. Yes, this means some duplication and extra weight, but it's worth it. If someone steals a bag when you are not looking or 12-year-old Jake gets separated from the family, his bag needs to have more than just gummy bears, coloring book and a change of clothes.

 

Getting Your Basic Evacuation Bags Right

The best emergency go bag is one you can carry, contains supplies you know how to use, and gets updated regularly. Start with the basics and add items based on your specific situation and local risks.

Remember, your go bag isn't meant to solve every possible problem. The goal isn’t hardcore wilderness survival, nor is it grabbing whatever you can to take with you. It’s being ready enough to move quickly and confidently until you get to a safer destination and can figure out next steps.

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