Natural disaster and emergency warning systems are getting better. Weather bureaus can now predict and warn us about flooding, bushfires, cyclones, tsunamis and even earthquakes, 3 to 10 days out. With faster computers and more data, they’ve got us covered. Right? So why do we need to prepare a Go Bag for emergencies and disasters? The answer, in 4 words: Our. Climate. Is. Changing. In this 5-minute read, you’ll learn how, what it means for weather warnings, and why you need to have an Emergency Go Bag ready and what goes in a Go Bag. We’re gonna get you out of harms way. By the skin of your teeth. In the nick of time. Let’s get into it.

Why do we need to prepare a Go Bag – TL;DR

The world around us is changing. Climate systems are warming, with real impacts on you, me, us. I want you to understand exactly how, and why it means you need a Go Bag packed and ready. TL;DR? Here’s the 60 second summary:

• A warming climate system is causing more extreme weather conditions that lead to natural disasters and human emergencies.
• There have been more natural disasters in the last 50 years than in x.
• Emergency Services say the most successful tactic to survive a natural disaster is to evacuate the area. The earlier the better.
• But weather uncertainty is a feature of our warming climate.
• If our scientists can’t forecast with certainty, natural disaster warnings may not come in time. You may need to get out to safety, in a hurry.
• Emergency Services may not reach you in a time, for the same reason.
• Another feature of our warming climate is BIGGER weather. Large scale natural disasters.
• There may not be enough emergency assistance to help everyone in need.
• Having a Go bag can help you evacuate in a hurry. Having one means you can help yourself to get out safely, when the time comes.

Here’s the full run down of why we need to prepare a Go Bag – to look after ourselves and our families in a warming climate – and what to put in a Go Bag….

How a warming climate is causing BIG WEATHER

While climate warming is happening all around the world, let’s focus on Australia. Because that’s where my people are 🙂

So what are the BIG weather impacts of a warming climate?

Hotter days

We’ve already had 1 to 1.5 degrees of warming in Australia since 1910.

And it was already hot down here, for all y’all haven’t been. Bad news is, it’s getting hotter.

BIG weather impacts:

• our southern and central regions are drier.
• We get devastating droughts, and hotter heatwaves.

But it’s not just hotter for us to live. A hotter climate has flow on effects for the whole climate system. Caused by warming of the air temperature and seas around our island home.

Here’s what we mean:

More extreme rain

Warmer air and sea temperatures are changing our rain and storm patterns worldwide. They’re getting more extreme. Warm air holds more water, leading to heavier rain. And warming oceans bring stronger storms.

BIG weather impacts on you:

• We now have ‘rain events’. We never had these when I was a kid.
• River flooding is getting worse and more regular.
• A new type of flooding – Flash Flooding – now impacts ALL OF US. Regardless of whether you live in a ‘flood zone’.
• Storms are getting crazier. We’ve now got ‘Super Cell’ storms with hail and extreme winds to content with in areas that didn’t regularly experience these before.

Higher sea levels

Seas are rising as our oceans warm.

BIG weather impacts on you:

• Higher flood levels from coastal surges.
• King tides combined with ‘extreme rain events’ increase coastal flooding and bring flood waters further inland. We’ve seen this with our own eyes in Brisbane.
• Worse flooding from coastal surges associated with tropical cyclones.

Worsening bushfire seasons

Bushfire seasons are getting longer.

BIG weather impacts on you:

• Extended risk of bushfires each year.
• More bushfires each year.
• Combined with hotter days, we get more ‘catastrophic’ fire conditions. Bigger fires result, like in Australia’s 2020 bushfire season.
• Bushfires encroach on city limits as populations expand. You don’t need to live in the bush to be impacted anymore.

Why you need to be able to evacuate quickly

Warning systems are amazing. Cudos to all of our clever scientists for dreaming them up, to help protect us.

But another clear feature of a warming climate is weather uncertainty.

Flood and bushfire survivors all say one thing: they had so little time. To get out. To get to safety.

Because even with the smartest warning systems, natural disasters play out faster than we think.

And a warming climate system means more unpredictable weather. When our best forecasts can’t get BIG weather right, evacuating in a hurry may be your only option.

5 minutes of panic – an ‘Emergency warning’ evacuation

The BOM issues Emergency Warnings when SHTF.

It’s the highest level of warning nationally. If one is issued for your area, look for the advice issued with it. An Emergency Warning means:

“you may be in danger and need to take action immediately. Any delay now puts your life at risk.”

The warning will come with one of these 4 instructions:

1. Leave/evacuate (immediately, by am/pm/hazard timing)
2. Seek/take shelter now
3. Shelter indoors now
4. Too late/dangerous to leave

The question is, are YOU ready?

Do you know what to do? Where to go? What supplies you need to get you through?

A recent experiment on the ABC show “Big Weather” showed clearly the panic that happens when people need to evacuate their homes in a hurry in an Emergency Warning.

On the show, a family was given 10 minutes to gather what they needed to flee a hypothetical bushfire.

Adrenalin flows. Decision making is clouded. Time races by.

The experiment showed that under stress, we don’t typically tend to grab what we need to get through the emergency we are faced with. We grab sentimental items, things that are important to us.

While these items help in our recovery, they’re not enough. And they won’t help deal with an emergency head on.

5 benefits of having an Emergency Go Bag packed

A Go Bag is an easy way to reduce the impact of a natural disaster or emergency on your life. And anyone can get one.

Having your Go Bag essentials prepared, packed and ready eliminates the need to make good decisions under severe pressure and stress.

When you need to leave in a hurry to save your own life, all you do is grab your bag, your family, your pets and go.

Here are some of the many benefits of preparing a Go Bag:

• You can evacuate more quickly and in an orderly way, without panic. With fast moving fires and floods, this can be the difference between becoming trapped or getting out alive.
• You sleep more soundly knowing that you’re prepared for unexpected events. The emergencies or disasters that DON’T come with any warning.
• You have a few minutes to grab the sentimental items you love, knowing that your basic human needs are taken care of with the gear in your Go Bag.
• You’re not completely devastated by the emergency and the days following. A Go Bag has supplies for 3 days in case you can’t return home for a while.
• You feel more in control. You don’t need to rely solely on Emergency Services for your own survival. You can avoid the helplessness of waiting for rescuers that might not come for hours, or even days.

A Go Bag is a safety net. It’s peace of mind for when the warnings don’t come and the only options in front of you is to evacuate.

We all need one because we’re all impacted now by a warming climate system.

BIG WEATHER like rain events, flash flooding and supercell storms are happening everywhere. Not just in flood zones and bushfire prone areas. They’re also getting larger. Encroaching on where we live and work. With more of us caught up as the impacts unfold.

But you can be more resilient if you’re prepared. The first step is by having a Go Bag ready.

How to prepare a Go Bag

If you’re ready to take the leap, you can build a simple Go Bag for Australian conditions here.

This 5 minute read has everything you need for an affordable and effective Emergency Go Bag.

It’s guaranteed to save you hours or research (that we’ve already done).

The good news is, anyone can put this list of go bag essentials together. You can tailor it to your needs easily too with our quick and easy tips.

Or you can download our Go Bag Essentials Checklist in PDF for free, and save it for later.

Conclusion

Remember, as the weather changes, so does the risk for natural disasters and emergencies. You may not get warnings in time. Rescuers may be overwhelmed at the scale of the emergency event. The best way to protect yourself and your family is by having a Go Bag ready to go at a moment’s notice. We hope you never have to use your Go Bag, but if the time comes, you’ll be glad you have it. Follow our checklist to make sure you have everything you need to evacuate safely.