*Prepare a go-bag now — and a “go-drawer”

 You must have a go-bag of stuff already packed.

This is in order to evacuate immediately in an emergency.

Here is a checklist:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/19/at-home/evacuation-bag.html

• Have a plan. What you pack depends on where you plan on sheltering (hotel, with family, etc.)
• Everyone needs to have their own bag. It is crucial that special items such as medication are stored in the bag belonging to the one it is for.
• Know you could be gone for a while. Pack minimal essentials for one week.
• Break your packing into categories.
  • Clothing
    • one change of clothes
    • underwear for a week
    • something warm
    • something waterproof (e.g., garbage bag)
  • Important paperwork
    • government issued IDs (passports)
    • medical records
    • insurance policies
    • copy of will and end-of-life directives
    • contact list for kin
    • cash
  • Health essentials
    • list of medications on top of the bag
    • diapers and wipes (in the kid’s bag)
    • basic first aid kit
    • masks, disinfecting wipes, gloves, hand sanitizer
    • food and water
  • Miscellaneous
    • EXTRA PHONE CHARGERS
    • pocketknife
    • radio
    • batteries
    • matches
    • duct tape
    • a few garbage bags

There is just one little problem.

Stuff in the bag has a way of getting used — and not replaced.

Phone battery backup chargers get taken out and used.

Passports are taken from the bag before a trip to a foreign land.

Official papers are withdrawn from the bag and consulted.

Toilet paper ends up in the bathroom.

The multitool finds its way to the garage.

Cash is “borrowed”.

Toothbrushes and dental floss wind up in the medicine cabinet.

None of this is replaced.

Thus, a few helpful suggestions with regard to a go-bag:

• The bag would be an airline carry-on bag. The smallish and very portable size forces one to make tough decisions of what to put in and what to leave out.
• The stuff for the bag would be stored in a dedicated drawer. The items would be organized in the drawer and would be in full view when opening the drawer. In fact, if the bag is collapsible, you can store it in the drawer, as well.
• Keep a list of necessary items in the drawer. The list just might be the most important thing during a crisis. You can reconstitute a go-bag if you have a list (say, on your phone).
• Copies of important documents should already be stored in the cloud, with the originals in a safe place. Free storage can be found with Google Drive, Box, One Drive, Amazon Drive, iCloud, Dropbox, etc. This should be a completely different account or service than the one that is used to store photos or music. The 15-character passphrase with two-factor authentication for this account should be stored on a free password manager like LastPass or Dashlane. Original documents can be kept in a fireproof safe or with a lawyer or another very safe place.

The greatest objective of preparing a go-bag is to sustain peace of mind when there is a crisis.

Fear is the mind killer.

In a crisis, the most precious thing is to maintain a zen state of mind.

Businessmen spend a lot of money on golf in order to attain this higher level of consciousness.

It is essential in the face of high-pressure decision-making.

You will experience the calmness, the confidence and the concentration.

You got all of your affairs in order by creating an estate or writing a last will and testament.

Now you have a go-bag in your drawer.

In the midst of a disaster, a thousand frantic thoughts will hurl themselves through your mind.

You got 99 problems.

But a bag ain’t one.