Emergency Grab Bags
Our response team members have a bag packed for every eventuality
Essentials at the ready
When a disaster happens, resources like electricity and water supplies can often suffer.
Our response team members could be caught off the grid at any time, which is why they always carry a day bag with the essentials they need to survive 24 hours in any situation.
The contents differ from person to person, and depend on the country and the disaster we are responding to, but we reckon we’ve found the neatest day bag there is!
What's in our grab bag?
- Large dry bag to keep all of the contents safe
- Filtered water bottle
- Telescopic umbrella to keep cool and dry in tropical climates
- Trauma kit, containing items like tourniquets and clotting bandages, to assist in the event of a major accident
- Sun cream
- Wet wipes
- Toilet tissue (in a waterproof bag)
- Pot of Vaseline
- Zinc oxide tape to use on blisters
- Pair of leather gloves for use when carrying heavy items such as ShelterBoxes
- Hat with a brim
- Ballistic sunglasses that protect from small projectiles and fragments
- Two neckerchiefs that can be used for a variety of purposes, including an emergency tourniquet or sling
- Mug
- Mini stove and hexamine tablets – a form of solid fuel
- Powdered white tea sachets (for that all-important morning cup of tea)
- Storm-proof matches
- Ration packs, which can be eaten hot or cold
- Sweets and biscuits
- Trail mix, nuts and peanut butter sachets for protein
- Tubes of marmite paste to replace essential salts
- Electrolyte drink sachet
- Medical kit, including hypodermic needles and dental equipment (in case anyone needs an emergency tooth removal!)
- Mosquito net
- Silk sleeping bag liner
- Merino wool t-shirt
- Cagoule
- Silk windproof top
- Thermal jacket
- Blow-up pillow
- Bivi bag, which is a small, lightweight and waterproof shelter for one
- Head torch with multiple settings
- Multi-socket (in case you can get to a power source)
- Money belt
- ShelterBox document wallet, including photocopies of passports and vaccination lists
- Extra-bright torch
- Strobe light, that makes you easy to be located
- Multi-tool
- A length of string
- Small head torch (for backup)
- Brightly coloured silk panel, which can be used for many purposes, including attracting attention
- Plasters
- Signal mirror, which can be seen from several kilometres away
- Flint and steel to start a fire
- Infrared strobe, which can be used to help land aircraft
- Glow sticks, which can be used to mark out routes, hung on clothing or put in a bottle of water to create a bright light
- Solar light
- Toothbrush, toothpaste and deodorant
- Spare antibacterial underwear
- A SATphone
- A SPOT Tracker, which uses satellites to help other teams track your location
- GPS
- Waterproof cover for the whole bag
See how we work
Before a disaster happens, we make sure we are ready to help. We store aid in strategic locations around the world so we can get it to the families who need it as quickly as possible.
We work with trusted local partners and we have a network of incredible volunteers who are ready to help at a moment’s notice.
Our teams can travel by foot, boat, helicopter or tuk-tuk to get to the families who need your support – whatever it takes to get to the people who need us.