Part 3: Have a plan · Chapter 14

Go-bag and home inventory

A go-bag is packed ahead of time so you can grab it and leave. LA County's plan says to build one with essential supplies for your family, including medication, water and food, based on each person's needs ¹. Chapter 12 covers when to leave.

The official lists

• LA County, Ten Essential Emergency Supplies ².
• Ready.gov, Build A Kit ³. Its evacuation page sends you here for the go-bag ⁴.
• LA County Fire, Ready! Set! Go!, which has a downloadable brochure ⁵.

CAL FIRE's Ready for Wildfire site and the Red Cross weren't readable when this chapter was written, so it doesn't draw on their lists. Check them against the ones above.

What the lists include

The sources differ on how many days of supplies to keep. LA County lists food and water for 7 to 10 days, at one gallon of water per person per day ². Ready.gov says several days ³.

• Documents and money. LA County lists small bills and coins, birth certificates, tax returns, deeds, titles, insurance papers and medical cards ². Ready.gov lists copies of insurance policies, ID and bank records, kept electronically or in a waterproof, portable container ³. The county suggests copies at a relative's house or in a secure cloud system ¹.
• Health. Medications, a first aid kit and prescription eyeglasses ²³. Ready.gov also suggests an N95 mask for smoke ⁶.
• Basics. Flashlight, radio, extra batteries, a whistle, sturdy shoes and a change of clothes ²³.
• Phone. Ready.gov says to keep your phone charged and to have backup charging devices ⁶.
• Children. Ready.gov lists infant formula, bottles, diapers and wipes ³.

Pets

LA County's pet checklist has ID tags, leashes, harnesses and carriers, food and water, medications, medical records in a waterproof container, and current photos of your pets ⁷. Ready.gov suggests two pet kits: a larger one for staying home and a light one for evacuating ⁸.

Where it lives

Ready.gov says everyone in the household should know where the bag is kept and who is responsible for it ⁴. It also says to replace expired items and rethink your needs every year ³.

The home inventory

The inventory is a record of what you own, and chapter 8 covers how to make it and where to keep it. Ready.gov says that after a wildfire you should photograph the damage, take an inventory and contact your insurer ⁶.

Sources

1. County of Los Angeles Emergency Management, "Preparing for Wildfires." https://ready.lacounty.gov/fire (read 2026-11-09)

2. County of Los Angeles Emergency Management, "Ten Essential Emergency Supplies." https://ready.lacounty.gov/ten-essential-emergency-supplies/ (read 2026-11-09)

3. Ready.gov, "Build A Kit." https://www.ready.gov/kit (read 2026-11-09)

4. Ready.gov, "Evacuation." https://www.ready.gov/evacuation (read 2026-11-09)

5. County of Los Angeles Fire Department, "Ready! Set! Go!" https://fire.lacounty.gov/rsg/ (read 2026-11-09)

6. Ready.gov, "Wildfires." https://www.ready.gov/wildfires (read 2026-11-09)

7. County of Los Angeles Emergency Management, "Pet Disaster Supply Kits." https://ready.lacounty.gov/pet-disaster-supply-kits/ (read 2026-11-09)

8. Ready.gov, "Pets." https://www.ready.gov/pets (read 2026-11-09)