72-hour emergency kit: the complete checklist

Updated 15 November 2026 · 8 min read ·

A 72-hour kit holds what one household needs to manage on its own for three days without power, running water or shops: about 4 litres of water per person per day, food that needs no cooking, light, a radio, first aid, medicines, copies of documents, cash and warm clothing. Pack it in one bag or box per person, keep it where you can grab it, and check it twice a year.

Why three days?

When a storm, flood or long power cut hits a whole area, help goes first to the people in the most danger. Emergency services and humanitarian organisations widely advise households to be able to look after themselves for at least the first 72 hours. Three days is a minimum, not a goal: many authorities now suggest a week, and a two-week supply at home is a good next step once the basics are in place.

The kit is about the boring things that matter most: staying hydrated, fed, warm, informed and able to treat small injuries. None of it is expensive, and most of it you may already own.

The checklist

Water and food

  • Water: 4 litres (about 1 gallon) per person per day, for 3 days
  • Food that needs no cooking and little water: canned fish and beans, nut butter, crackers, dried fruit, cereal bars
  • Manual can opener
  • Food and water for pets
  • Baby formula and food if needed

Light, power and information

  • Torch (flashlight) or headlamp for each person
  • Spare batteries in the right sizes
  • Battery or hand-crank radio, to follow official updates
  • Power bank, charged, and charging cables
  • Written list of important phone numbers

Health and hygiene

  • First aid kit
  • Prescription medicines for at least 7 days, and a copy of the prescriptions
  • Spare glasses or contact lenses
  • Hand sanitiser, soap, wet wipes, toilet paper
  • Rubbish bags and ties (they double as an emergency toilet liner)
  • Dust masks
  • Menstrual products

Warmth and shelter

  • Warm layer, hat and gloves for each person
  • Emergency (foil) blankets or a wool blanket
  • Sturdy shoes
  • Rain poncho

Documents and money

  • Copies of ID, insurance and medical information in a waterproof bag
  • Cash in small notes and coins
  • Spare house and car keys
  • Local paper map with a meeting point marked

Tools

  • Multi-tool or knife
  • Whistle, to signal for help
  • Duct tape
  • Lighter or waterproof matches
  • Notebook and pencil

Pack it so it actually gets used

  • One bag per person, with the heavy shared items (water, food) in a box or crate by the door. A kit nobody can carry stays at home.
  • Store it somewhere cool, dry and easy to reach, such as a hallway cupboard. Not the attic, not behind the Christmas decorations.
  • Tell everyone in the household where it is and what is in it.
  • Label the bag with the date you last checked it.

Tip: Put a copy of this checklist inside the bag. When you need the kit, you will not remember what was in it.

Keep it fresh: the twice-a-year check

A kit that is never checked slowly turns into a bag of flat batteries and expired crackers. Pick two fixed dates a year, for example when the clocks change or at the start of summer and winter, and run through the list.

  • Eat or donate food that expires within six months and replace it.
  • Replace stored tap water every six months; sealed bottled water lasts until its date.
  • Test torches and the radio; swap batteries that are more than a year old.
  • Charge the power bank.
  • Check medicines, glasses prescriptions and children's clothing sizes.
  • Update phone numbers and documents.

Make a simple household plan

Equipment is half of being ready; the other half is knowing what to do. Agree on three things with your household:

  • Where you meet if you cannot get home, and a second place outside the area.
  • One contact person who lives elsewhere, whom everyone calls or texts to share news.
  • How to turn off water, electricity and gas at home, and where the switches are.

Write it down and put a copy in each bag. Your local emergency authority will have advice on the risks where you live, from floods to heatwaves, and is the place to check first.

Questions

How much water should a 72-hour kit have?

Plan for about 4 litres (1 gallon) per person per day: roughly 2–3 litres to drink and the rest for food and basic hygiene. For three days that is 12 litres per person. Hot weather, illness, pregnancy and physical work raise the need.

What is the difference between a 72-hour kit and a bug-out bag?

A 72-hour kit is for getting through the first days at home or after leaving in a hurry. A bug-out bag is a lighter, portable version built for leaving on foot. Many households keep a home kit and one small grab bag per person.

How often should I check my emergency kit?

Twice a year. Replace food and stored water that is getting old, test lights and the radio, charge the power bank and update medicines and documents.

Do I need to buy a ready-made emergency kit?

No. Ready-made kits are convenient, but you can build a better one from things you already own, adding what is missing over a few weeks. Check what a ready-made kit leaves out: water, medicines and documents are rarely included.

Sources

This guide is general information, not professional advice. Follow the instructions of your local emergency and health authorities.