Matthews Household · Irthington · Offline · file:// OK

14 — Grab bag & car kit

Scope: Prepare grab-bag / car boot guidance; Met Office / AA / RAC winter car themes; flood grab bag.
Last researched: 27 Sep 2026 (Europe/London).

ESSENTIAL — Home grab bag (Prepare + flood)

Keep somewhere dark-findable (not if fleeing fire — take nothing):

Medication (several days) + copies of scripts/device notes
First aid kit
Important documents (or waterproof copies): ID, insurance, flood plan
Torch + spare batteries / wind-up
Phone power bank + cable
Bottled water + snacks / ready food
Warm waterproof clothing; spare socks
Wet wipes / sanitiser
Cash small float (card networks may fail)
Keys; glasses
Baby supplies if needed
Pet bag items (Ch. 10) or combined pouch
Paper contact list (105, Floodline 0345 988 1188, UU, family, vet, insurer)

ESSENTIAL — Car / winter stuck kit (Prepare + AA/RAC)

Prepare car boot list themes:

Torch
In-car phone charger / power bank
Warm clothes and blankets
High-visibility clothing
Jump leads
Food and drink
Shovel for snow
First aid kit

AA/RAC commonly add: ice scraper, de-icer, warning triangle, solid footwear, paper map, reflective jacket.

Driving rule: Never drive into flood water (Ch. 02).

USEFUL

Hi-vis for rural unlit lanes if broken down
Portable tyre inflator; screenwash concentrate
Compact Starlink Mini + C300 only if you train the setup and secure the vehicle kit against theft
Seasonal swap: cool packs / extra water in summer heat (Ch. 06)

Cumbria notes

Rural Irthington: breakdowns in snow may wait longer for recovery — kit quality matters.
Cumberland gritting / cameras before departure (Ch. 05).
Keep fuel above ~¼ tank in winter storm forecasts (common practical advice; not a Prepare mandate).

Source URLs

Source	URL
Prepare – grab bag & car kit	https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/get-prepared-for-emergencies/
Prepare – flooding grab bag	https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/be-informed-about-hazards/flooding/
AA winter checklist	https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/seasonal/winter-checklist
RAC winter breakdown kit	https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/winter-driving/Winter-breakdown-kit-checklist/
Met Office winter prep	https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/warnings-and-advice/seasonal-advice/10-things-you-should-do-now-to-prepare-for-winter

ESSENTIAL — Dual kits mindset

Kit	Purpose
Home shelf kit	Shelter-in-place for power/water outage (Ch. 01, 08)
Grab bag	Ordered evacuation / flood leave (light, by exit)
Car kit	Stranded on rural roads in snow/ice
Pet bag	With grab bag or fused pouch (Ch. 10)

Review quarterly + when Met Office issues Amber winter/flood warnings for North West.

Documents pouch (waterproof)

Passports/ID copies, insurance schedule + claims number, flood plan, medication list, pet microchip + photo, radio frequencies (95.6 FM), utility numbers.

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