Your point is well taken. As you know, a lot of people use the “what happens if I’m not at home” excuse to avoid beginning the preparedness process. It’s a fair question, but as you point out, half a loaf is better than nothing. And the fact that you cannot be 100% prepared with a go-bag should not stop you from becoming more prepared. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater and don’t let the best be the enemy of the better.

The other point I wanted to address is the issue of “I may not even be near my go-bag when something happens.” This is a very real and possible situation, but I also see a clear opportunities for the value in a go-bag even if you’re not home:

1) If something happens and you arrive home to the authorities saying “Go and get what you need, you have two minutes.” You don’t need to waste time running around like a lunatic trying to gather everything together. If anything, a go-bag gives you more time to take personal items with emotional ties, because the essentials are already prepared.

2) When the threat level in New York was elevated for a time a few years ago due to “intelligence chatter,” I took a scaled down go-bag to work with me every day until things seemed to pass. Trusting this type of information is another issue altogether, but use whatever information you have and act appropriately.

Yes, you may not have your bag with you at the very moment something happens, but if you listen and respond accordingly, you’ll be more prepared than others.