How to make your own emergency grab bag

We put together a good quality kit for $160. It has all the basics and some handy extras. You could build a comparable grab bag for even less if you have a spare backpack or other items at home.

What’s in our grab bag

• Backpack: H&H University Backpack ($35, The Warehouse)
• Water: Market Kitchen still water 750ml x 2 bottles (2 years to expiry) ($2, The Warehouse)
• Water purification: Aquatabs water purification tablets (50 pack) ($8.49, Chemist Warehouse)
• Food rations: Mayday 3600 food rations (9 servings) ($28, Prepare.co.nz)
• Torch: Energizer compact metal light ($8.65, Mitre 10)
• Radio: Anko pocket AM/FM radio ($9, Kmart)
• Batteries (two full sets): Number 8 AAA alkaline batteries (12 pack), being two full sets ($8.40, Mitre 10)
• First aid kit: Protec Home & Away first aid kit ($15.59, Pak’nSave)
• Rain poncho: Anko heavy duty poncho with drawstring hood ($4.50, Kmart)
  
• Foil blanket: Macpac thermal survival bag ($4.19, Macpac)
  
• Whistle: Macpac emergency whistle ($2.09, Macpac)
• Work gloves: Kiwi Garden leather palm gloves ($4, The Warehouse)
  
• Masks: Esko P2 respirator (3 pack) ($10.98, Mitre 10)
• Hand sanitiser: Dettol hand sanitiser 50ml (99¢, Pak’nSave)
• Soap: Dettol Bar Soap Single Re-Energize Antibacterial 100g ($1, Pak’nSave)
• Wet wipes: Pams Baby Fragrance Free Thick Wipes Travel Pack (24 pack) ($1.29, Pak’nSave)
  
• Tissues: Anko pocket tissues (6 pack) ($1.50, Kmart)
• Toothbrush: Mouthfresh Adult Soft Toothbrush (99¢, Pak’nSave)
• Toothpaste: Macleans Protect Freshmint toothpaste 90g ($1.19, Pak’nSave)
• Thick plastic bags: Big Black Sacks Low Cost Rubbish Bags 620 x 900mm (5 pack) ($1.39, Pak’nSave)
  
• Pain killers: Pams Paracetamol 500mg tablets (20 pack) (99¢, Pak’nSave)
• Ear plugs: Esko Vortex class 5 earplugs (6 pairs) ($5.96, Mitre 10)
• Pen: Sharpie permanent marker ($2.49, Mitre 10)
• Paper: Warwick 3B1 notebook (59¢, Pak’nSave)

Items available and prices correct as at December 2021

You can upgrade your grab bag by adding a multi-tool, duct tape and heavy duty safety pins for repairs. You could also consider adding body warmers or a small blanket in case it’s cold at night.

But don’t overload your backpack – it needs to be easy to carry for a length of time.

Don’t forget these essential extras

You’ll need to add warm clothes and a hat, any medications and sanitary items you need, any personal items you need such as spare hearing aid batteries and contact lenses, cash in small denominations, copies of photo ID and important documents, emergency contacts plus details and photos of your family and pets.

Also include supplies for anyone at home that can’t carry their own, such as anyone disabled, babies, small children, pets and other animals.

“I made a grab bag for my dog, Charlie, which includes food, her medicine, a small bowl, a spare leash, and an info sheet with her details and mine. It’s in a cheap waist pack I can wear comfortably with my own backpack. Having her gear separated from mine means I can find things quickly.” – Amy McNabb, Product test writer

Keep with your grab bag a checklist of essentials to grab on your way out – your wallet, phone and charger, personal items like glasses and hearing aids, sturdy shoes and jacket, extra food, your pets and any other animals, and keys for your house and vehicles.

Have you got an emergency plan?

Visit getready.govt.nz to make your emergency plan. It’ll help you decide safe meeting points, who’ll pick up the kids from school and care for your pets if you can’t. You’ll put together important contact details, and instructions and tools for turning off power, gas and water.

You’ll also plan how to stay warm and cook if there’s no power and you’re stuck at home, and what additional supplies you’ll need in that situation.

Get everyone at home involved so they all know what to do in an emergency. It’s a good idea to share a digital copy of the plan with everybody in your household as well as your emergency contacts.