72-Hour Emergency Kit Checklist: What to Pack and Why

When a disaster strikes, emergency services focus first on the most critical needs, and it can take time for help to reach every household. That is why emergency management agencies recommend every home keep a kit with enough supplies to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours. Whether you end up sheltering at home or leaving in a hurry, a ready kit means you are not searching for flashlights in the dark or queuing at an empty store.

This checklist is based on widely published recommendations from FEMA’s Ready.gov program and the Red Cross, organized so you can build your kit in an afternoon and keep it current with a few minutes of maintenance each year.

Two kits, one plan

It helps to think about two versions of your supplies:

• A go-bag you can grab in minutes if you need to evacuate. It should be portable, ideally a backpack for each adult and older child.
• A stay-at-home kit with larger quantities of water, food and supplies for sheltering in place, stored in bins or a closet.

The checklist below covers the core items for a 72-hour kit. Pack the portable essentials into go-bags and keep the bulkier items in your home kit. Everyone in the house should know where both are kept.

The 72-hour emergency kit checklist

Water

• At least one gallon per person per day for three days (more in hot climates, for children, nursing mothers and anyone who is ill)
• Water for pets
• A portable water filter or purification tablets as a backup

Three gallons per person is heavy, so go-bags usually carry a smaller amount plus a way to treat more. Plan on a one-gallon-per-day baseline and adjust upward for heat, illness and pets.

Food

• At least a three-day supply of non-perishable food per person
• Foods that need no refrigeration, little or no cooking and little water: canned meat, fish and beans, peanut butter, protein or granola bars, dried fruit, nuts, crackers and cereal
• A manual can opener and basic eating utensils
• Baby formula and food, and special-diet items if needed
• Pet food

Choose foods your family already eats. Stress is not the time to discover that nobody likes the emergency rations. For building a deeper pantry beyond three days, see Food to Stockpile & Preservation Methods.

Light, power and communication

• Flashlights or headlamps for each person
• Extra batteries in the right sizes
• A battery-powered or hand-crank radio, ideally one that receives NOAA Weather Radio alerts
• A cell phone with a charger and a charged backup battery pack
• A whistle to signal for help

First aid and health

• A complete first aid kit: bandages of various sizes, gauze, adhesive tape, antiseptic wipes, gloves, tweezers, scissors and a first aid manual
• At least a several-day supply of prescription medications, if your pharmacist and doctor can help you arrange it
• Non-prescription medicines you regularly use, such as pain relievers or antihistamines
• Prescription glasses, contact lens solution and hearing aid batteries
• Masks to help filter contaminated air

Sanitation and hygiene

• Moist towelettes and hand sanitizer
• Garbage bags and plastic ties
• Toilet paper and feminine supplies
• Soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste
• A bucket with a tight lid and heavy-duty bags for an emergency toilet in your home kit

Tools and shelter

• A wrench or pliers to turn off utilities (and know where your shut-off valves are)
• A multi-tool or basic knife
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter in place
• Waterproof matches or a lighter in a waterproof container
• A fire extinguisher in your home kit
• Local paper maps, in case phones and navigation apps are down

Clothing and bedding

• A complete change of clothing for each person, suited to your climate
• Sturdy shoes
• Rain gear
• A sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person

Documents and money

• Copies of important documents in a waterproof bag: IDs, insurance policies, medical information, bank account details and property records
• An emergency contact list on paper, including an out-of-area contact
• Cash in small bills, since card readers and ATMs may not work in an outage

Financial readiness is often overlooked in emergency planning. The EMP Survival Guide covers budgeting, cash reserves, securing documents and recovery planning for long disruptions.

Family-specific items

• Diapers, wipes and bottles for infants
• Books, cards or small games for children
• Supplies for older adults or people with disabilities, such as spare mobility aids or medical device batteries
• Comfort items such as a favorite blanket or stuffed toy, which can make a stressful evacuation easier for young children
• Pet carriers, leashes, vaccination records and a photo of each pet

How to pack your kit

1. Use the right containers. Backpacks work best for go-bags because they keep your hands free. For home kits, sturdy plastic bins with lids keep supplies dry and organized.
2. Waterproof the important things. Put documents, electronics, matches and spare clothes in zip-top bags or dry bags.
3. Keep weight manageable. An adult go-bag should be light enough to carry for a long walk. Test it by wearing it around the block.
4. Label everything. Clear labels on bins and pockets help anyone in the household find what they need quickly.
5. Store kits where you can reach them. A hall closet near an exit is better than the back of a crowded garage.

Kits for your car and workplace

Emergencies do not wait until you are home. Consider a smaller kit in each vehicle with water, snacks, a flashlight, a blanket, a first aid kit, a phone charger, jumper cables and seasonal items like an ice scraper or extra water in summer. At work, keep a small bag with walking shoes, water, snacks, any medications and a flashlight in case you need to shelter there or walk home.

Keeping your kit ready

A kit only helps if it still works when you need it. Set a reminder to check it at least once a year, or every six months if you can:

• Replace expired food, water and medications
• Test flashlights and radios and replace batteries
• Update clothing sizes as children grow and swap seasonal items
• Refresh documents and contact lists when details change
• Re-evaluate your needs if your household changes, such as a new baby, a new pet or a family member with new medical needs

Pair your kit with a plan

Supplies are only half of preparedness. Sit down with your household and agree on:

• Where you will meet if you are separated, both near home and outside your neighborhood
• Who your out-of-area contact is, since long-distance calls or texts often get through when local lines are overloaded
• How and when to shut off gas, water and electricity
• Evacuation routes from your home and your area
• How you will receive official alerts

Write the plan down, keep a copy in each go-bag and post the key details, such as meeting places and contact numbers, somewhere visible at home. Make sure children know their out-of-area contact number by heart or carry it on a card in their backpack.

Practice the plan once or twice a year so it becomes familiar. Always follow the instructions of local officials during an actual emergency, and check your national and local emergency management websites for recommendations specific to the hazards in your area.

For a deeper look at first aid kits, bug-out versus bug-in decisions and household safety, Emergency Preparedness & Home Defense is a good next step.

A 72-hour kit is the foundation. When you are ready to build beyond the first three days, with long-term water, food preservation, backup heat and off-grid skills, explore The Prepper’s Survival Bible, ten practical PDF guides you can download instantly, read on any device and print for your emergency binder.