Pack a torch, separate spare batteries, essential personal medication, copies of important documents in a waterproof folder, a whistle, a first-aid kit, N95 masks and any supplies your household needs for a child or other person in your care. SCDF recommends keeping the Ready Bag where everyone can find it, including during a blackout. SCDF Ready Bag checklist
Use a bag that a household member can carry while keeping a hand free. If you need to evacuate, take it only if it is immediately accessible and doing so is safe. Leave promptly if retrieving it would delay escape. SCDF Ready Bag checklist SCDF Civil Defence Resource Pack
- Start with SCDF’s essentials, then pack for the people who live with you.
- Keep the bag light and its location easy to remember.
- Check batteries, expiry dates and medication needs periodically.
On this page
- Pack for your household
- Choose a place you can reach in the dark
- Check the bag when family needs change
- Frequently asked questions
Pack for your household
Put the torch and batteries where you can reach them quickly. Keep important document copies together in the waterproof folder. Add a paper contact list if it would help when your phone is unavailable. SCDF also lists cash, water, dry food and a change of clothing as optional items. Choose what you can carry. SCDF Ready Bag checklist
Think about what your family would need immediately away from home. A child might need nappies and a caregiver might need a written medication list. Ask your pharmacist about the storage and expiry requirements of essential medication before keeping it in a bag. SCDF Ready Bag checklist
Choose a place you can reach in the dark
Pick a spot inside the home that is easy to reach and keeps exits clear. Show each household member where the bag lives. Ask them to point it out without moving furniture or unpacking a cupboard. If one bag becomes too heavy, SCDF says a household can keep more than one. SCDF Ready Bag checklist
A family example
One adult carries the shared Ready Bag while the other helps a young child. Both know that the person nearest the bag takes it only if it is safe to do so. The child knows to follow the adult directly to safety.
Check the bag when family needs change
Review the contents when someone changes medication, a child outgrows supplies or a contact number changes. Replace expired items and verify that the torch and spare batteries still work. Keep the emergency plan simple enough that the bag can be left behind if necessary. SCDF Ready Bag checklist
Frequently asked questions
Should I pack bottled water?
SCDF lists bottled water and dry food as optional. Fit them around the essentials and keep the bag manageable. SCDF Ready Bag checklist
Where should we keep the batteries?
SCDF recommends packing batteries separately from the torch until needed to reduce the risk of leakage or rust. SCDF Ready Bag checklist