A go-bag is a tool for carrying essentials during an evacuation, not a “survival capsule” that covers every emergency. The American Red Cross describes a kit that can be kept at home or taken during evacuation and lists one gallon (about 3.8 L) of water per person per day: a 3-day evacuation supply and a 2-week home supply. This is a planning amount, not a direction for one person to carry the entire quantity in a backpack. Plan the portable amount around household members, transport, and route, and keep home stock separate. American Red Cross kit guidance

Pack for the trip you may actually make

  • Choose a size each person can carry on the likely route. There is no universal bag-weight percentage based on sex or body weight.
  • Consider water, shelf-stable snacks, essential medicines and prescription details, glasses or hearing-aid batteries, a flashlight, phone charging, basic first aid, contact and ID copies, and weather-appropriate layers.
  • Add items for infants, disability-related equipment, pets, and other household needs. Plan separate home supplies if staying in place could last longer.
  • Twice a year or when seasons change, check expiration dates, batteries, contact information, and changing sizes. Lift and walk with the packed bag so the plan reflects what people can carry.

Example: If an apartment evacuation may involve stairs, a large water container may make a portable bag impractical. Put a manageable amount of water and essential medicines in the bag, and store additional household water separately.

For a household in Korea that includes someone who may need mobility or medical support, a Ministry of the Interior and Safety manual lists examples such as emergency-contact and medical-information cards, a flashlight, medicines, food, and water. This is guidance for disaster preparedness for people with physical or visual disabilities; adapt it to the person’s needs and local instructions rather than treating it as a universal list. Korean Ministry manual hosted by Gyeonggi Province: Disaster Response Manual for People with Physical or Visual Disabilities, preparedness supplies

The Red Cross quantities are U.S. planning guidance. Elsewhere, follow local authorities’ hazard-specific instructions.

Sources

  • [Ministry of the Interior and Safety: Disaster Response Manual for People with Physical or Visual Disabilities, hosted by Gyeonggi Province](<https://ggsec.gg.go.kr/resources/files/%EC%9E%A5%EC%95%A0%EC%9D%B8%20%EC%9E%AC%EB%82%9C%EB%8C%80%EC%9D%91%20%EB%A7%A4%EB%89%B4%EC%96%BC_e26bba70-b2f5-42f8-a285-0398afc6fbfd.pdf>)
  • American Red Cross: Survival Kit Supplies