Why 72 hours
In March 2025 the European Commission presented its Preparedness Union Strategy, which encourages people to keep supplies for at least 72 hours. FEMA and the Red Cross have recommended the same in the US for years. It isn't an obligation but a minimum: three days is how long emergency services typically need to reach everyone after a major disaster.
Civil protection agencies in almost every country agree that in most emergencies the safest option is to stay home unless told otherwise, with enough to cover the basics.
The key idea
There are two different kits. The home supply is for staying put: lockdowns, outages, snowstorms. The go-bag is for leaving within minutes: wildfire, flood. This guide covers the first; the second has its own guide.
The list, by category
Water
- 1 gallon (about 4 liters) per person per day: 2 to 3 liters for drinking and the rest for cooking and basic hygiene. That's 3 gallons per person for three days.
- More in hot weather, for babies, pregnant or breastfeeding women.
- Water purification tablets or unscented household bleach.
Food that doesn't need a fridge
- About 2,000 calories per adult per day: canned food, canned beans, tuna, nuts, crackers, cereal, shelf-stable milk. Buy what you already eat so you can rotate it without waste.
- Preferably food you can eat cold or just heat up.
- A manual can opener (the one on a multi-tool works).
- Baby food or special-diet food, if needed.
Light and power
- One flashlight per person, ideally a headlamp: it keeps your hands free.
- Spare batteries in one size for everything (AA is the easiest).
- A charged power bank.
- No candles: they are the leading cause of fires during outages.
Information and communication
- A battery or hand-crank radio with AM and FM.
- A printed list of phone numbers: family, neighbors, doctor, insurance, city hall.
- A whistle per person, to call for help if you get trapped.
Health and hygiene
- A basic first aid kit.
- Regular medication for at least a week and copies of prescriptions.
- Spare glasses if you wear them.
- Wet wipes, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, heavy-duty trash bags and menstrual products. Plus a plan for when the toilet won't flush: see the sanitation guide.
Documents and money
- Copies of ID and passport, health insurance card, insurance policies and deed or lease, in a waterproof bag.
- An encrypted digital copy on a USB drive or in the cloud.
- Cash in small bills and coins for several days of basic expenses.
Tools
- Multi-tool, duct tape, work gloves.
- Lighter or matches in a zip bag.
- Know where your water and gas shut-off valves and your breaker panel are, and how to use them.
Three levels: from 72 hours to two weeks
Preparedness experts agree that 72 hours is a good start, not the end goal. The Red Cross puts it simply: three days of supplies for evacuation and two weeks for staying home. Build it in levels:
| Level | Covers | Water per person | Food per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · 72 hours | Outages, storms, short water cuts | 3 gal · 12 L | ≈ 6,000 kcal |
| 2 · 2 weeks | Major snowstorms, floods, long utility outages | 14 gal · 56 L | ≈ 28,000 kcal |
| 3 · 1 month+ | Prolonged shortages or loss of income | Stored water plus a filter | Rotating pantry |
Level 3 doesn't require endless jugs: with a reasonable reserve and a good filter, water stops being the bottleneck. Work out your numbers with the calculator.
Adapt it to your household
| If your home has… | Add |
|---|---|
| Babies | Ready-to-feed formula, diapers, wipes, low-mineral bottled water. |
| Older adults | Medication, hearing aids and batteries, a spare cane or walker, a list of conditions and allergies. |
| Power-dependent equipment | A backup plan for oxygen, power wheelchairs or medicine fridges. Tell your utility and your doctor. |
| Pets | Three days of food and water, a carrier, leash, vet records and a recent photo. |
Where to keep it
In one place, cool, dry and easy to reach in the dark: a hall closet or a low shelf. Use a plastic tote with a lid or a couple of labeled boxes. Everyone at home should know where it is.
Don't keep it in the garage or a basement storage unit: those are the first places to flood and the hardest to reach during an outage.
How to maintain it without effort
- Review it every six months. Use the daylight saving time changes as a reminder.
- Rotate. Eat what expires first and replace it when you shop. Nothing gets wasted.
- Batteries out of devices. Store them separately so they don't leak.
- Charge the power bank every time you check the kit.
- Test it. One evening a year, switch off the main breaker for a few hours and live off the kit. It's the best way to find what's missing.
Tick off what you have in the checklist and calculate exact amounts with the calculator.