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A wildfire go bag with answers already loaded

This page covers what the official wildfire evacuation checklists put in a go bag, where a device that answers with no signal fits, and what it cannot do.

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What do the official lists put in a wildfire go bag?

Ready.gov says to gather supplies, keep your cell phone charged, buy backup charging devices, and store an N95 mask if you can. CAL FIRE says to pack a go bag you can grab, keep half a tank of gas, and learn to open garage doors without power.

What three official sources say to do before a wildfire
SourceBefore a fire
Ready.govKnow your evacuation zone. Gather supplies. Keep your phone charged and buy backup charging devices. Store an N95 mask if available. (Ready.gov)
American Red CrossBe ready to evacuate quickly. Have a backup battery or a way to charge your phone, and a battery-powered radio. (Red Cross)
CAL FIREPack a go bag or emergency kit, ready to grab. Keep at least half a tank of gas. Learn to open garage doors and gates by hand. (CAL FIRE)

The base supplies match the Ready.gov kit: water, food, a radio, a flashlight, a first aid kit and extra batteries. (Ready.gov) Add medicines, papers and chargers for your household.

How fast can a wildfire evacuation happen?

Fast. Ready.gov says you may have to evacuate quickly. The Red Cross says you might not get an official notice. CAL FIRE says to leave early rather than wait for an order. Have the bag packed before the season.

Wildfires recorded in the U.S. in 2025, which burned about 5.1 million acres.
77,850
Source: NIFC
  • Ready.gov: evacuate immediately if authorities tell you to. (Ready.gov)
  • Red Cross: be ready to leave if officials advise it, or if you feel you are in danger. (Red Cross)
  • CAL FIRE: it is safer to leave before a mandatory order is issued. (CAL FIRE)

What should I do when I am told to evacuate?

Leave right away. Follow the routes officials recommend and do not take shortcuts, because they may be blocked. Do not go home until authorities say it is safe. If you are trapped, call 911 and give your location.

  1. Go

    Evacuate immediately if authorities tell you to. (Ready.gov)

  2. Use the official route

    Follow recommended evacuation routes. Do not take shortcuts, they may be blocked. Be familiar with alternate routes out of your area. (Ready.gov)

  3. Mind the fuel

    Gas stations may be closed during emergencies and unable to pump gas during power outages. (Ready.gov)

  4. If you are trapped

    Call 911 and give your location. Emergency response could be delayed or impossible. Turn on lights to help rescuers find you. (Ready.gov)

  5. Wait before returning

    Do not return home until authorities say it is safe. (Ready.gov)

Do phones keep working during a wildfire?

Not always. During the 2023 Maui fires, providers reported all 21 cell sites serving Lahaina and nearby areas out of service. Planned power shutoffs in California in 2019 also cut power to hundreds of thousands of customer accounts.

Cell sites serving Lahaina and nearby West Maui areas reported out of service on August 12, 2023. The FCC said some 911 calls were not being completed.
21 of 21
Source: FCC
Customer accounts in 30 California counties affected by one wildfire-prevention power shutoff, October 26 to 29, 2019.
967,700
Source: CPUC

In its report on the 2019 shutoffs, the CPUC quoted a rural town council that said cell tower backup batteries ran down in as little as 12 hours after power was cut. That is the council's statement, not a CPUC finding. (CPUC)

The FCC and FEMA advise texting over calling when networks are busy, and waiting 10 seconds before you redial. (FCC) After a disaster, Ready.gov says to text family and save calls for emergencies. (Ready.gov)

Where does a device that answers with no signal fit in a go bag?

It rides in the bag, ready to ask. After you leave, questions come up that you cannot search for. You ask the device in plain words and it answers on the device, with no internet. It sits beside the radio and the charger, not in place of them.

Answers take time. How fast it answers: 24 to 57 seconds, measured on a development unit on November 11, 2026. What is on the device is listed on what is inside.

What can it not do, and what else should be in the bag?

It is not a way to call for help, and it has no satellite messaging. It is not a radio. It does not replace a paper map or an N95 mask. It is not a doctor, and it does not replace 911 or evacuation alerts.

Where another item does the job
You needPut this in the bag
Wildfire updates with no signalA battery-powered radio. Both the Red Cross and CAL FIRE point to one. (Red Cross) (CAL FIRE)
Smoke protectionAn N95 mask, if available. (Ready.gov)
To reach family from the roadA phone with a working network, or a satellite messenger. Compare them
A way to find your wayLocal maps, as on the Ready.gov list. (Ready.gov) The device has an offline map and a compass.
More chargeA backup charging device. (Ready.gov)

Offline AI survival device

OffGridOne

$999.99Estimated lead time: 1 week before dispatch.

Faraday bag included with every order.

In the box

  • OffGridOne device
  • Faraday bag

Full list of what ships in the box: Placeholder, waiting on the owner:what is in the box

Shipping
Standard shipping is included with your OffGridOne order. Carrier transit time is additional to the estimated one-week lead time. Details
Returns
30-day returns from delivery. Buyer pays return postage unless the item is defective. Details
Warranty
One-year limited warranty from delivery, provided by OffGridOne (ArkNet Solutions Inc.). Details
Fees
Placeholder, waiting on the owner:subscription or ongoing fees Details

Questions people ask

Can I use it to call for help?

No. OffGridOne is a reference, not a way to call for help. It has no satellite messaging.

If reaching other people matters most, a satellite messenger or a working phone is the better buy. See how the two compare. If you can reach 911, call.

Does GPS work with no cell service?

Yes. A phone’s GPS receiver gets its position from satellite signals, which do not need cell service or internet.(GPS.gov) OffGridOne also has offline maps on the device, so you can see where you are.

If GPS is not available, it shows a best-known position with an uncertainty circle, and can give a rough fix from the stars or the sun, good to about 100 to 300 km. That is a fallback. A paper map is still the backup.(NPS) Read the GPS guide.

How do I charge it when the power is out?

It charges over USB-C at up to 33 W, per OUKITEL, so a power bank or a car charger with a USB-C output can charge it.(OUKITEL spec sheet)

If you charge a phone in a car, keep the car somewhere well ventilated, not in a closed garage, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.(FEMA comm plan)

Sources

  1. Ready.gov (FEMA). Wildfires. Published August 11, 2026. Checked November 9, 2026.
  2. American Red Cross. Wildfire Safety. Checked November 9, 2026.
  3. CAL FIRE. Go Evacuation Guide. Checked November 9, 2026.
  4. Ready.gov (FEMA). Build A Kit. Published July 1, 2026. Checked November 9, 2026.
  5. National Interagency Fire Center. Wildfires and Acres. Checked November 9, 2026.
  6. Ready.gov (FEMA). Evacuation. Checked November 9, 2026.
  7. Federal Communications Commission. Communications Status Report for Areas Impacted by Hawaii Wildfires, August 12, 2023. Published August 12, 2023. Checked November 9, 2026.
  8. California Public Utilities Commission. Public Report on the Late 2019 Public Safety Power Shutoff Events. Published April 30, 2020. Checked November 9, 2026.
  9. FCC and FEMA. Emergency Communications Tips. Published May 1, 2026. Checked November 9, 2026.
  10. OUKITEL. OUKITEL WP60 specifications. Checked November 9, 2026.
  11. OUKITEL. OUKITEL WP60 5G rugged phone. Checked November 9, 2026.