Emergency go-bag for wheelchair users, people with disabilities and older adults

If carrying a 10 kg backpack isn't realistic, plan around a lighter bag, the right repair and power kit for your equipment, and a support network of at least three nearby people who know how to help.

A bag you can actually take with you

The standard go-bag assumes you can carry a backpack. If you can't, use a lighter bag that hangs on the wheelchair or a small wheeled bag, and agree in advance who carries the rest.

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation recommends keeping essential medications, clothing and adaptive equipment ready to grab.

Equipment: repair and power

The Canadian Red Cross suggests a tire patch kit, a spare inner tube and heavy gloves for glass and debris for wheelchair users, and a spare battery for a power wheelchair or scooter.

If you rely on powered equipment, know how to connect and start a backup power supply, and label your equipment with your name, contact details and operating instructions.

Your support network

Ask at least three nearby people to check on you in an emergency and give one of them a house key (Reeve Foundation).

Teach helpers how to operate your equipment and practise together. Keep written copies of prescriptions and emergency contacts in case your phone dies (Canadian Red Cross).

Getting out

Keep your evacuation route clear of furniture. In a block of flats, agree with the building manager on a way out if the lift doesn't work.

When evacuation is advised, leave early, and ask your municipality which shelters are wheelchair accessible.

Get your household's full 72-hour plan

Ready72h turns official guidance from Sweden (MSB), Germany (BBK) and Poland (RCB) into a calm, practical plan: a complete 72-hour supply checklist, a family communication plan for when phones go down, and a “15 minutes to leave the house” go-bag list. Apartment and house versions, printable PDF plus an offline app that tracks your progress.

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FAQ

What if an older person can't carry a 10 kg go-bag?

Split it: a light personal bag (documents, medication, phone charger, glasses) plus the rest carried by a family member or neighbour agreed in advance, or a small wheeled bag.

What should a wheelchair user add to an emergency kit?

A tire patch kit, spare inner tube and heavy gloves; for a power wheelchair a charger and spare battery; plus daily medical supplies and written operating instructions for your equipment.