🎒 How and When to prepare your Emergency Grab Bag
An emergency “Grab Bag” is a small, portable bag containing the essential things you would need if you had to leave home at short notice.
You do not necessarily need to keep a fully packed bag beside the door throughout the year. You should, however, decide what you would take, keep a checklist and suitable bag ready, and assemble it as soon as there are credible signs that you might need to leave.
A knock at the door should be the moment you pick up your Grab Bag—not the moment you start packing it.
The two-stage approach
During normal conditions: plan it
Before anything happens:
- Choose a backpack, holdall or small wheeled bag that can be carried easily.
- Keep it somewhere accessible and known to everyone in the household.
- Put a printed contents checklist inside or beside it.
- Decide who will pack medicines, documents and other daily-use essentials.
- Consider keeping non-perishable items—such as a torch, first-aid supplies and spare toiletries—inside it permanently.
- Decide where you could go, how you would travel and who might need help.
- Include arrangements for children, pets, medical needs and anyone with reduced mobility.
A Grab Bag is different from a home emergency kit. Your home kit may contain bulkier supplies for coping safely at home during a power cut, water outage or other disruption. Your Grab Bag should contain only what you can reasonably carry if you must leave.
When should you pack it?
Start assembling your Grab Bag at the first credible signs of trouble. These might include:
- an Environment Agency Flood Alert—meaning flooding is possible and you should prepare;
- a Met Office weather warning that may affect the local area;
- a WHR Risk Update indicating increased local risk;
- river, groundwater or surface-water conditions deteriorating locally;
- roads or access routes becoming vulnerable to flooding;
- a nearby fire, gas leak, police incident, utility emergency or other event that might require evacuation;
- advice from WHR, the police, fire service, council or another authority to prepare;
- concern that a vulnerable household member may need to leave early.
Do not wait for an evacuation instruction before packing. By then, roads may be difficult, power may have failed and you may be under considerable pressure.
Households containing older or frail people, babies, people with disabilities or significant medical needs, or animals that are difficult to transport should consider preparing—and, if appropriate, leaving—earlier.
What should go in it?
Every household is different. Use the following as a starting point.
Essential information and communications
- mobile phones and charging cables;
- a charged power bank;
- important telephone numbers written on paper;
- household emergency or flood plan;
- insurance details and emergency claims number;
- copies of essential identification and important documents;
- house, vehicle and any necessary spare keys;
- payment card and a small amount of cash.
Protect paper documents in a waterproof wallet or resealable bag.
Health and personal needs
- essential medicines and an up-to-date list of medicines and doses;
- prescription or repeat-prescription information;
- essential medical equipment and instructions;
- spare batteries for hearing aids or medical equipment;
- glasses, contact lenses and supplies;
- a small first-aid kit;
- basic toiletries, hand sanitiser and wet wipes;
- period products and continence supplies where required.
Where practicable, take enough essential medication to cover several days of disruption—but never delay leaving in order to collect it.
Clothing, food and practical items
- warm and waterproof clothing;
- suitable footwear;
- a torch and spare batteries;
- drinking water;
- ready-to-eat snacks;
- a notebook and pen;
- a small towel or blanket if space permits.
Keep the bag light enough for the person responsible for it to carry. Bottled water and other heavy supplies can quickly make a bag impractical.
Children and babies
Depending upon their needs, include:
- nappies and wipes;
- ready-to-feed formula and feeding equipment;
- baby food;
- spare clothing;
- essential medicines;
- a favourite small toy, book or comfort item.
Older children may be able to carry a small bag of their own, but an adult should check its contents.
Pets
Consider preparing a separate small pet bag containing:
- food and drinking water;
- bowls;
- medicines;
- lead, harness or carrier;
- waste bags or litter supplies;
- veterinary and identification details;
- a familiar blanket or comfort item.
Make sure carriers and leads can be found quickly. Trying to locate a frightened or hiding animal during an emergency can cause dangerous delays.
If evacuation becomes possible
Once the risk increases:
- finish packing the bag;
- add daily-use medicines, phones, documents and chargers;
- charge phones, power banks and essential equipment;
- put shoes, coats and the bag somewhere immediately accessible;
- prepare pet carriers and leads;
- tell everyone in the household what is happening;
- contact anyone helping with transport or care;
- follow official information and the latest WHR updates.
Do not leave the bag somewhere it might be cut off by floodwater, and do not block an exit with bags or equipment.
If you are told to leave
Follow the instructions of the emergency services or authorities promptly. Take your Grab Bag only if it is immediately accessible.
Never delay evacuation, re-enter a dangerous building or put yourself at risk to retrieve a bag or possessions. Do not walk or drive through floodwater.
If you are escaping a house fire or any immediate danger, leave at once. Do not stop to collect a Grab Bag. Call 999 when you are safely outside.
Do you or someone you know need additional help?
Wraysbury & Horton Resilience maintains a secure Community Vulnerable Register for residents who feel they may need additional support during flooding, extreme weather or another community emergency. There are no specific qualifications and there is no charge to be included.
Please contact WHR before an emergency develops if you would like help with household planning or assembling a Grab Bag:
Wraysbury & Horton Resilience: 07808 654321
During significant incidents, local resources are inevitably limited and priority must be given to the most vulnerable. Preparing early helps you, helps the local Flood Team and strengthens the resilience of the whole community.