Flood Emergency Go Bag Checklist: Medicines, Papers, Water
When a flood warning turns into an evacuation order, you may have minutes, not hours. A go bag is a bag you packed on a calm day so you only have to pick it up. This checklist is built for leaving fast: health papers, a few days of medicines, clean water and the small things people forget.
Pack in five groups
- Papers: ID copies, prescriptions, medical history, key phone numbers, in a sealed bag.
- Medicines: a few days of your regular ones in their original packs, plus the basics from your home kit.
- Water and hygiene: drinking water, water treatment, ORS sachets, soap.
- Power and light: torch, power bank, spare batteries.
- Family needs: baby, elderly and special items.
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What goes into a flood go bag?
Think of it as three days away from home with no shop open. Keep it light enough that the weakest adult who may carry it can lift it. One bag per family for papers and medicines, plus a small bag per person if possible.
| Group | What to pack |
|---|---|
| Papers | ID cards, family list, prescriptions, vaccine cards, insurance or health card |
| Health | Regular medicines, ORS sachets, plasters, antiseptic, torch |
| Water | Bottled water, water treatment, a clean container |
| Comfort | Spare clothes, a towel, a light sheet, sandals or boots |
Which documents should I save, and how?
Your phone may die or get lost, and paper may get soaked, so keep both. Papers worth carrying: national ID copies for each adult, birth certificates or school papers for children, property or rental papers, a written list of everyone’s regular medicines and conditions, vaccine cards, and a page of phone numbers on paper.
The photo plus zip bag habit
Photograph every prescription and ID, then save the photos in a cloud folder and one offline copy on a family member’s phone. Also keep one printed set in a zip-lock bag, with the air pressed out. A second bag inside the first, or a hard plastic box, gives it a spare layer of protection. Do this once, on a dry weekend.
To waterproof papers cheaply: zip-lock bags, a plastic document wallet inside a freezer bag, or a lidded plastic box. Put the bag high on a shelf or in a bag you carry, not on the floor.
Which medicines should I carry when I evacuate?
Take your regular medicines in their original packs with the labels on, enough for about three to seven days if you can manage, and refill early when the monsoon is forecast. A written list of names, strengths and times from your doctor saves hours if you lose a pack. Do not change anything about how you take them, and do not share them. If you use insulin, an inhaler or a heart or kidney medicine, plan for it carefully with your doctor: see the flood plan for kidney, heart and lung patients.
For basics like ORS sachets, plasters, antiseptic wipes and a thermometer, copy the shorter version of the list in the home medicine kit guide. That article is the full kit; this bag is the grab-and-go slice.
How do I make water safe in an emergency?
Pack bottled water if you can carry it, and a way to treat more. Chlorine tablets are light and last; follow the pack for how many to use for the amount of water and how long to wait, as set out in chlorine water tablets safe use. Boiling is the other method when you have a fire and a pot. Pack ORS sachets as well, as flood-time diarrhoea is common and dehydration is the real danger, especially in young children.
- Pack the go bag on a calm day, not when the water rises.
- Put it where everyone knows: a shelf near the main door, not on the floor.
- Check it at the start of each rainy season: replace expired items, refresh the medicine list, charge the power bank.
- Agree a meeting place and one contact outside the area.
- When told to leave, grab the bag, phone, charger and keys, then go. Switch off the main supply if it is safe and you have time.
What else do babies, older people and others need?
- Babies: nappies, wipes, spare clothes, a clean feeding bottle or cup, and formula or milk supplies your baby already uses.
- Older adults: spectacles, hearing aid batteries, dentures, walking aid, a written list of conditions.
- Pregnant women: antenatal notes and the due date, plus the number of the nearest hospital.
- Everyone: a torch, a power bank, a whistle, a small amount of cash, sandals or boots, a mask for dusty air, and some snacks that need no cooking.
What should I take to a relief camp?
Everything above, plus your own plate and cup, a towel and soap for each person, a mosquito net or repellent, and a light sheet. Wash hands often, drink only treated water and eat food that is hot and freshly served. Keep your medicines and documents on you, not in a pile of bags.
A go bag does not replace a plan for someone with a serious condition. If anyone depends on insulin, oxygen, dialysis, or other regular treatment, talk to their doctor now about what to do during a flood. In an emergency, call your local emergency number (1122 in Pakistan, 112 in India). See a doctor promptly if anyone develops diarrhoea with signs of dehydration (very dry mouth, no urine for many hours, sunken eyes, unusual sleepiness), high fever, or a wound that turns red, hot or swollen.
Flood go bag questions
What should I pack in a flood emergency bag?
Pack ID copies, a medicine list and your regular medicines in their packs, ORS sachets, drinking water and a way to treat more, a torch, a power bank, spare clothes, and any baby or elderly items. Keep it light.
What is on a family go bag checklist?
One shared bag for papers, medicines and water, plus a small bag per person with clothes, shoes, a towel and snacks. Add specific needs: nappies for a baby, spectacles for an older adult.
Which documents should I save in a flood?
National ID copies, children’s birth or school papers, property or rental papers, prescriptions, vaccine cards and a list of phone numbers. Keep photos in the cloud and one printed set in a sealed zip bag.
Which medicines should I carry during an evacuation?
Your regular prescription medicines, in original packs with labels, for a few days. Do not change how you take them. Ask your doctor in advance about storage or any special items, such as insulin.
What emergency contacts should I keep?
Your local emergency number (1122 in Pakistan, 112 in India), the nearest hospital, your doctor, a family contact outside the flood area and your neighbours. Write them on paper as well as on your phone.
Should ORS sachets be in an emergency kit?
Yes. Diarrhoea is common after floods, and ORS replaces lost water and salts. Check the expiry date, and prepare it exactly as the sachet says, using clean or boiled and cooled water.
How do I waterproof documents?
Put them in a zip-lock bag, press the air out, then place that in a second bag or a lidded plastic box. Keep it high up or in the bag you carry, never on the floor.
What should I take to a relief camp?
Your go bag, plus your own plate, cup, towel and soap, a mosquito net or repellent, a light sheet and any medicines. Keep important papers and medicines on your person.
How often should I update a go bag?
Check it at the start of every rainy season, and any time medicines change. Replace expired items, charge the power bank, and update the phone numbers and prescription list.
Related reading
More flood-season guides are in Barsaat and Flood Season.