Vehicle Go Bag

• Keep tank above half — always during storm season — This is a habit, not a purchase. From June 1 through November 30, never let the tank drop below half. Fill it when it hits half, not when the light comes on.
  Habit — priceless
• 2-gallon approved fuel can — stored safely — A sealed, approved 2-gallon fuel can in the trunk provides a critical safety net if you run out during gridlock evacuation. Use ethanol-free fuel if possible for longest storage life.
  Emergency backup
• Fuel stabilizer — STA-BIL for stored fuel — Add to stored fuel in your can. Keeps gasoline viable for up to 24 months. Without it, stored gas degrades in 30–60 days.
  With stored fuel

🔋 Power & Charging

• Dual USB-C fast-charge car adapter — Your car's charging port is a power station during evacuation. A dual fast-charge adapter keeps two phones, tablets, or battery banks charging simultaneously.
  Always in car
• 12-foot USB charging cables — all types — Long cables reach back seats. Keep USB-C, Lightning, and Micro-USB. Family evacuations mean multiple devices charging from different positions.
  Always in car
• 400W power inverter — AC outlet from 12V — Converts your car's 12V outlet to standard AC power. Runs CPAP machines, laptop chargers, small medical equipment, and phone chargers simultaneously.
  Always in car
• Jumper cables — heavy gauge 20-foot — A dead battery during an evacuation is a crisis. 20-foot cables reach any parking lot scenario. Heavy gauge (4 AWG) starts large engines and diesel vehicles.
  Always in car
• Portable jump starter — lithium battery pack — Starts your car without another vehicle. More reliable than jumper cables in isolation. Also charges phones via USB. A dead battery at 3am with no other cars around — this is what fixes it.
  Always in car

💧 Water & Food

• 1 gallon bottled water — permanent in trunk — Rotate every 6 months. For drinking during breakdown, medical emergencies, and overheated radiators.
  Always in car
• 12 emergency water pouches — Long shelf life (5 years). Individual serving size. Does not leak or degrade in heat the way bottles do.
  Always in car
• Protein bars — 12-pack rotated every 6 months — For breakdowns, traffic jams lasting hours, and the moment you realize you left the house without eating. Rotate stock with a date label.
  Always in car
• Can opener + 2 canned goods — For extended breakdowns. Canned tuna, beans, soup. More calorie-dense than bars for multi-day vehicle situations.
  Emergency

🛠️ Roadside Emergency

• Full-size spare tire — know where it is — Many modern vehicles have space-saver spare tires or run-flat tires with no spare at all. Know what your vehicle has before you need it.
  Know your vehicle
• Tire inflator + sealant — 12V compressor — For slow leaks and punctures that don't require a full tire change. A 12V compressor with sealant gets you to the next exit on a flat tire.
  Always in car
• Road flares or LED emergency triangles — Required by law in many states after a roadside stop. Flares are more visible in rain. LED triangles are reusable and safer.
  Always in car
• Reflective safety vest — Worn when outside the vehicle on a roadway. Visibility in rain and darkness. Required for roadside assistance workers — should be required for everyone.
  Always in car
• Basic tool kit — wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers — For minor field repairs and adjustments. A compact roll-up tool kit fits under a seat.
  Always in car
• Duct tape + zip ties — 10 of each — The universal field repair tools. Secure loose bumpers, broken mirrors, and trim pieces that would otherwise fly off at highway speed.
  Always in car

🩺 First Aid & Safety

• Trauma-level first aid kit — Not a small travel kit. A proper kit with tourniquet, hemostatic gauze, compression bandages, gloves, and wound care. Car accidents happen during evacuations at elevated rates.
  Always in car
• Tourniquet — CAT or SOFTT-W — A tourniquet is the single most effective tool for stopping life-threatening limb bleeding. Learn how to use it before you need it. Takes 5 minutes to learn.
  Always in car
• Emergency mylar blankets — 4-pack — For shock treatment, cold exposure after a breakdown, and covering injured patients while waiting for help.
  Always in car
• N95 masks — 10-pack — For wildfire smoke, post-hurricane debris dust, chemical spills, and any evacuation through compromised air quality.
  Always in car
• Work gloves — heavy leather — For moving debris blocking the road, changing a tire, and any situation where your hands are in contact with sharp or contaminated material.
  Always in car
• Small fire extinguisher — ABC rated — Vehicle fires are not rare. An ABC-rated extinguisher handles flammable liquids, electrical fires, and solid materials. Mount under a seat within easy reach.
  Always in car

🗺️ Navigation & Communication

• Paper road atlas — your state + neighboring states — GPS fails during power outages, cell tower failures, and when every navigation app is routing 500,000 cars simultaneously. A paper atlas never fails.
  Always in car
• Offline maps downloaded on your phone — Google Maps and Apple Maps allow offline download of specific regions. Download your state + 2 neighboring states before storm season.
  Download now
• NOAA hand-crank emergency radio — For weather updates when cell service is congested or down. Battery-powered or hand-crank. Keeps you informed of changing evacuation routes.
  Always in car
• Emergency whistle on keychain — For signaling if trapped in or under a vehicle. A whistle carries further than a voice and requires no energy to sustain.
  On keys
• Notepad and permanent markers — For leaving notes on your home for family members, writing down important information without phone battery, and communicating with neighbors.
  Always in car

🌡️ Temperature & Comfort

• Cooling towels — 4-pack — For vehicle breakdowns in Gulf Coast summer heat. Reduce body temperature while waiting for roadside assistance.
  Hot climate essential
• HotHands hand warmers — 10-pair — For cold-climate breakdowns and winter storm evacuations. Also warms hypothermic passengers.
  Cold climate essential
• Extra clothing layer — one per person — A lightweight jacket or hoodie per family member stored in the trunk. Temperatures drop unexpectedly, A/C runs cold during long drives, and shelters are often cold.
  Always
• Emergency cash — $100 in small bills — Separate from your go bag cash. Specifically for the car: gas stations, tolls, and roadside vendors during evacuation.
  Always in car
• Phone numbers written on paper — If your phone dies and you have no charger, you cannot call anyone whose number you do not know by memory. Write 10 critical numbers on a laminated card in the glove box.
  Critical backup