# You have five minutes to evacuate your house: what do you grab? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 26, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473 "2012-07-26T17:44:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/1 "2012-07-26T17:44:18Z")
Another follow up to: [Without warning, your spouse/SO says you need to go on the run, or risk death. What do you do?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=659754) If you have five minutes to get the hell out of your house and you don’t know if you will ever be able to come back, what do you grab? I am taking: -my purse -my husband -my kids -my cats -fire box with birth certificates and passports Everything else can be replaced in time. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/2 "2012-07-26T17:49:32Z")
Shoes, purse, dogs, ditch bags. Ditch bags have copies of documents, important information, passports, medical records, drugs, water purification supplies, food, cash, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/3 "2012-07-26T17:50:12Z")
-my husband -my cat -my Kindle -my trombone ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/4 "2012-07-26T17:52:57Z")
OK, if we’re talking “there’s a flood/fire coming, get out now before everything is destroyed!” scenario, it’s the dogs, and if I had time after that, my computer. If it’s “We’re going on the run and may never come back!” boy, I dunno. I’d probably leave the dogs and try to get word to a friend/relative to please take care of them, because two barking pugs would be absolutely no help if I were running for my life. What I would grab is a whole bunch of Insulin and pump supplies, because that’s about the only thing that I absolutely need and is probably not easily obtainable while on the run. And my glasses/contacts, for the same reason. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/5 "2012-07-26T17:53:58Z")
My purse, my insulin, and the thumb drive I archive my files to. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/6 "2012-07-26T18:00:52Z")
My son, My wife, mi AD&D 2ed player’s handbook and the notebook (paper notebook not computer) with the notes for my current GURPS Vorkosigan Campaign, everything else is replaceable. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/7 "2012-07-26T18:04:00Z")
The kids, and my laptop. My wallet and iPhone are a given because they’re always on my person except when I’m sleeping or showering. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/8 "2012-07-26T18:04:20Z")
Husband, baby, purse, phone, laptop, glasses. First stop in our life on the run: buy diapers 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/9 "2012-07-26T18:07:08Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > -my husband > -my cat > -my Kindle > -my trombone Olives, you’re going on the run with a trombone?! ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/10 "2012-07-26T18:12:53Z")
- My daughter - Her blanket - The dog and cat - My purse - If there’s enough time, the computer and my Nook. - Oh, and my husband, I guess, though I don’t see why he can’t find his own damn way out. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/11 "2012-07-26T18:22:19Z")
Yeah, I’m not “taking” my husband anywhere. He’s a mail carrier and routinely hauls around giant 60-lb sacks of mail. If anything, he’s taking me. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/12 "2012-07-26T18:22:43Z")
The backpack (which almost always has my wallet, passport and the ipad in it). My phone (because otherwise I have no one’s phone numbers). Eh, there’s nothing else that can’t be replaced, and of those things I listed, and even among what I’ve listed, the wallet and phone are the key items. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/13 "2012-07-26T18:30:16Z")
My daughter, my cat, my purse, my laptop, and the “important documents” folder. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/14 "2012-07-26T18:31:35Z")
When I was young and just starting out I was asleep on the couch in my apartment when there came a banging on the door and the neighbors telling me to **get out, the upstairs is on fire!** I grabbed my guns, my wallet, and my pot. Those were the foolish days of my youth. Today, I would also grab my smart phone. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/15 "2012-07-26T18:41:18Z")
Small suitcase with a few changes of clothes and personal care item. Yes, very replaceable but if I’m on the run who knows when I’ll have time. Cat and his carrier. Medication. Laptop. Box with important papers. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/16 "2012-07-26T18:44:00Z")
Kids, dogs, phone, diaper bag (experience has taught me to keep it packed: it contains a day’s worth of everything - diapers, wipes, snacks for toddler and the rest of us, clothes, baby Tylenol, and spare keys.) While the big kids are putting the small ones in the car, I’ll grab documents, cash, and a gun and ammo from the safe. Phone and laptop on my way out the door. ---
**Author:** ![Dublin11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Dublin11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dublin11)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/17 "2012-07-26T18:48:00Z")
Passport, purse and phone I might make a sandwich in the remaining three minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/18 "2012-07-26T18:48:31Z")
The go bags, documents pouch, rabbits and carrier (plus attached bag), purse (containing wallet, phone, iPad, keys), laptops. And frankly, that’d only take a couple minutes - we could probably grab more clothes and stuff if we get the whole 5 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/19 "2012-07-26T19:00:22Z")
My backup drive, three genealogical boxes, fire box, then keys and wallet. Since they are all pretty close and I had time then I would go for the laptop and kindle. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473/20 "2012-07-26T19:00:52Z")
Assuming I can get to my car: 1. Wallet/keys 2. Emergency bugout bag with papers, flashlight, hammock, space blanket, rope, knife, etc… 3. Beretta and ammo 4. External HD 5. Laptop Assuming I’m running for it on foot everything above except the laptop. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-have-five-minutes-to-evacuate-your-house-what-do-you-grab/629473.md?page=2)