72-Hour Emergency Kit Checklist: What to Pack Per Person

Quick answer: A 72-hour kit holds everything one person needs to get through three days without power, running water or shops. Per person, pack about 12 litres (3 US gallons) of water, 3 days of non-perishable food, a torch, a radio, spare batteries or a power bank, a first-aid kit, at least 7 days of medication, copies of documents, cash, warm clothing and basic hygiene items. Add extras for babies, children, older relatives and pets.

Three days is the number most emergency agencies use. It is roughly how long it can take for help and services to reach everyone after a major disruption. The UK’s Be Ready campaign, Ready.gov and the EU’s preparedness strategy all point to being able to look after yourself for about 72 hours. A kit gets you there.

Go-bag vs stay-at-home kit

There are two kinds of kit, and most households need both.

	Go-bag	Stay-at-home kit
Purpose	Leave quickly (fire, flood, evacuation order)	Shelter in place when services fail
Size	One backpack per person you can carry	Box, crate or cupboard shelf
Water	1–3 litres per person, plus a filter or bottle	4 L (1 US gal) per person per day
Food	Light, no-cook snacks for 3 days	3 days minimum; 2 weeks if possible
Where	By the door, in the car, at work	Cool, dry, easy-to-reach spot at home

The American Red Cross suggests a 3-day supply for evacuation and a 2-week supply for home. Ready.gov also suggests a smaller kit at work and one in the car.

The core 72-hour kit (per person)

Water and food

Water: 4 litres (1 US gallon) per person per day, so about 12 litres (3 US gallons) for three days. Go-bags can carry less if you pack a filter. See how much water to store.
Food: 3 days of food that needs no fridge and little or no cooking. Think tinned fish and beans with ring-pull lids, peanut butter, crackers, oat bars, nuts and dried fruit.
Manual can opener, unless every can has a ring pull.
Plate, cup and cutlery, or a camping mess kit.

Choose food your household already eats. Three days of stress is not the time for unfamiliar food.

Light, power and information

Torch (flashlight) per person, with spare batteries. Headlamps keep your hands free.
Battery or wind-up radio so you can hear official updates when mobile networks are down.
Power bank, fully charged, plus phone cables.
Whistle to signal for help.

Health and hygiene

First-aid kit: plasters, gauze, tape, antiseptic wipes, gloves, scissors, tweezers and pain relief you already use.
Prescription medication: the American Red Cross recommends a 7-day supply. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about getting extra (see medications in emergencies).
Glasses or contact lenses and solution.
Hand sanitiser, soap, wet wipes, toilet paper and period products.
Rubbish bags and cable ties for waste and improvised toilets.
Dust masks.

Documents and money

Copies of ID, insurance, medical information and prescriptions, in a waterproof bag. A copy on a USB stick or secure cloud folder helps too.
Cash in small notes. Card machines and ATMs need power and networks.
Emergency contact list on paper. Few of us remember phone numbers anymore.
Local map with meeting points marked.

Shelter and warmth

Change of clothes and sturdy shoes.
Warm layer and rain jacket.
Emergency (foil) blanket or sleeping bag.
Plastic sheeting and duct tape, which Ready.gov lists for sheltering in place.

Tools

Multi-tool or knife.
Wrench or pliers to turn off gas and water if told to.
Matches or lighter in a waterproof container.
Fire extinguisher for the home kit.

Extras for the people (and animals) in your home

Babies and toddlers

Ready-to-feed formula, which the CDC says is the safest option when power or safe water is uncertain.
Bottles, nappies, wipes, nappy cream and a change of clothes for each day.
A favourite toy or blanket for comfort.

More detail in babies and pets in emergencies.

Children

Snacks they like and a refillable bottle.
A small book, cards or a game. Calm, busy children make everything easier.
A card in their bag with your name, phone number and a meeting point.

Older adults and people with disabilities

Spare hearing-aid batteries, mobility aids and chargers.
A written list of medicines, doses, allergies and doctors.
A plan for medical devices that need electricity. Ready.gov advises talking to your medical provider about this ahead of time.

Pets

Several days of food and water, a bowl and any medication.
Lead, harness, carrier and ID tag.
Copies of vaccination and registration records, and a recent photo of you with your pet.

Quick per-person shopping list

Item	Amount for 3 days
Water	12 L (3 US gal)
Food	About 6,000 kcal (3 × 2,000 kcal)
Torch + batteries	1 torch, 1 spare set
Power bank	1, fully charged
Medication	7 days minimum
Cash	Enough for a few days of essentials
Clothes	1 full change + warm layer

The 2,000 kcal figure is the general reference used on nutrition labels. Children need less, active adults more. For a deeper food plan, see the 30-day food stockpile guide.

How to build your kit without stress

You do not need to buy everything at once. Most homes already own half of this list.

Gather what you have. Torches, a first-aid kit, a spare phone cable and a backpack are a great start.
Fill the gaps over a few weeks. Add one or two items to each shopping trip. Our guide to stockpiling on a budget shows how.
Pack it in one place. A labelled crate for home and a backpack per person.
Tell everyone where it is. A kit nobody can find is no kit at all.

Curious how long your household would last today? Check how many days your household would last. It takes about a minute.

Keep your kit ready

Ready.gov recommends storing your kit in a cool, dry place and reviewing it every year as your needs change.

Check expiry dates on food, water, medicine and batteries every 6 months
Recharge power banks every few months
Swap children’s clothes as they grow
Update medication and the contact list when anything changes
Rotate food into the kitchen before it expires and replace it
Practise: can everyone grab their go-bag and leave in 5 minutes?

A good kit is not about expecting the worst. It is about knowing that, whatever happens, your household can handle the first three days calmly. Follow your local authorities’ advice during any emergency, and adapt this list to the risks where you live.