You never know when a natural disaster will strike. They can happen anywhere, anytime, including right here in the Pittsburgh area.
Hurricane Helene brought a wave of destruction to the Southeast in 2024. The storm led to massive flooding — where homes and lives were washed away. In California, massive wildfires destroyed entire communities and businesses burned to the ground.
Take a look at these numbers:
- 90% of natural disasters involve flooding
- 1,000 tornadoes touch down in the U.S. each year
- The 2024 U.S. hurricane season caused an estimated $500 billion in damage
If you were told to evacuate because of a natural disaster would you know what to grab? Channel 11′s Susan Koeppen talked to experts who said everyone needs a “go bag.”
Kerry Tucker lost her home during the Pacific Palisades fire. She was away for work when she told her 21-year-old son to grab some things in the house and get out.
“And some of the humor in this is my son called and said ‘okay mom I’ve got the passports, I’ve got your laptop, I’ve got both Xboxes and my skis,’” Tucker said.
When Tucker and her kids finally returned to see what was left, they found the house was all gone.
“We had time to grab a couple of things but you didn’t pack the whole car and you didn’t grab all the things that now you say I wish I had grabbed [that] because you don’t prepare for that kind of evacuation,” Tucker said.
Mark Friedlander with the Insurance Information Institute says no matter where you live, you should always have a “go bag” with essential items.
“Emergencies happen quickly and you may be given orders by local authorities where you have to evacuate now,” Friedlander said. “Have important documents, your insurance documents, including all contact information for your insurance companies and your insurance agents, copies of your social security cards, of birth certificates for every family member, even your marriage certificate.”
These emergency bags can also include a copy of your bank account numbers, passports, a list of your medications including dosage, a list of important contacts, a handful of cash in small bills in case of power outages, chargers and a change of clothes.
It’s recommended for a go bag to be kept in a closet near the front or back door.
“Somewhere on the ground floor, where it’s easy to access and everybody in your household is aware of it,” Friedlander said.
As Tucker tries to rebuild, she recommends everyone take pictures and videos of their belongings before disaster strikes.
“Because the most painful part right now is trying to remember everything that was there,” she said.
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