Get Ready for the Unexpected With a Disaster Go Bag

On July 28, 2021, after a late family dinner of freshly-caught crab, Michelle Anderson and her daughter, Lillian, age 7, had just taken their new puppy outside to use the bathroom when the ground began to shake. An 8.2 magnitude earthquake, the largest recorded in the U.S. in 50 years, hit just 50 miles south of their Chignik Lagoon community.

“We just stood there,” said Michelle. “It was shocking. I had my daughter curled up next to me and we were holding on to the puppy.”

When tsunami warnings followed the earthquake, the Andersons had to evacuate. In their vehicle, ready to go, was a bag with water, food, first aid supplies and important medications.

Alaska is not immune to extreme and abnormal weather events — from earthquakes and tsunamis to wildfires and hurricane-force winds. Preparing in advance with a disaster-ready kit has helped Alaska families like the Andersons.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends collecting what everyone in the household needs to survive for several days along with important documents into an easy-to-carry kit, often called a go bag.

"Having a personal preparedness plan increases your chances of staying safe," according to a training program from the Columbia University's National Center for Disaster Preparedness.

The Andersons saw the value in such preparations when they had to evacuate. Following that rattling experience, Michelle and Lillian reviewed the family’s go bags and took the opportunity to update the first aid kit and expired medications.

Does having a go bag lower anxiety during a disaster? “Absolutely it does,” Michelle said. Referring to her daughter, she added, “And I think it gives her, too, a level of security.”

Lillian has adopted the family’s focus on safety and preparedness. When Lola joined the family, Lillian made sure the puppy had her own go bag. “I put some puppy pads in there with toys and her portable food bowls and stuff,” Lillian explained.

Danny and Bean Harper, of Homer, had to evacuate their home along with their 47-year-old mentally delayed son, Benjamin, in response to the same tsunami warning as the Andersons. They credited the disaster-preparedness help they received as Jehovah's Witnesses, both through periodic reminders at their congregation meetings and from tips for putting together go bags on the organization's website, www.jw.org.

Having a go bag ready removes panic when disaster strikes, the Harpers said.

“You don't have to go through the decision making and the evaluations and all that,” Bean explained. “You just act. And you've got what you need, you know where to go.”

Reflecting on the massive 9.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Alaska in 1964, the Harpers have made a point of including things they may need for an extended stay outside, such as tarps, a small camp stove, and a water purifier. They also bring things to keep Benjamin warm and dry and to give him something to do, things like extra clothing and a few of his cherished books.

"Life is precious, so we encourage all to heed the Bible's advice to take practical steps to protect ourselves from danger," said Robert Hendriks III, spokesman for Jehovah's Witnesses in the United States.

Sam and Amanda Rowley, of Anchorage, have seen their emergency kits provide not just practical but emotional value for their family of five.

“Our kids were quite anxious when we had an earthquake a few years ago,” Amanda said. “And so our daughter especially is concerned about having everything ready to go.”

The Rowleys also practice with their children — ages 7, 5, and 1 — so they will know what to do during an emergency. This paid off recently, when the carbon monoxide alarm went off in their home. Everyone got out of the house right away, and they called 911.

“Because we practiced, I think it was easier on the kids,” Sam said. “We all went in our van, got away from the house a little bit, pretty quickly.”

Like the Andersons, the Rowleys keep go bags in their vehicles. And how did the kids handle it? Amanda laughingly said, “They ate the snacks from our go bag.”

Disaster-preparedness suggestions and tips for putting together a go bag are available from FEMA at ready.gov and from Jehovah's Witnesses at jw.org.