---
title: "Emergency Kit Checklist & 72-Hour Kit Builder | Pack Whistle"
description: "Build an emergency kit checklist for your household: water, food and supplies for 72 hours, a grab bag list and the official source for every item."
url: https://packwhistle.me/
---

Emergency kit list builder

# Emergency kit checklist for your household

An emergency kit is the water, food and supplies that get your household through at least three days without power, running water or shops. Ready.gov says one gallon (about 3.8 litres) of water per person per day, the UK’s Be Ready checklist says 3 litres per person per day for drinking, and Canada and the EU plan for at least 72 hours. Add a torch, a battery or wind-up radio, a first aid kit, medicines, copies of documents and cash, and keep a smaller grab bag by the door. The builder below turns that into a list for your household, with quantities and the source of every line.

## What goes in an emergency kit

Official lists from different countries are remarkably alike. They all start with water and food that keeps, a way to see in the dark, a way to hear the news when the power and internet are down, first aid, the medicines you rely on, money and copies of documents. The table shows the core items and who lists them; the builder adds the rest for your household.

| Item | Ready.gov (US) | Be Ready (UK) | Get Prepared (Canada) | Get Ready Queensland |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Water | 1 gallon per person per day, several days | 3 L per person per day to drink, 3 days | About 4 L per person per day | At least 10 L per person for 3 days |
| Food | Several days, non-perishable | 3 days, no fridge or cooking | Food that won’t spoil | 3 days, with a menu plan |
| Torch and batteries | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | Battery or hand-crank, plus NOAA Weather Radio | Battery or wind-up FM | Yes | Battery-powered |
| First aid kit | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Whistle | Yes, to signal for help | Not listed | Not listed | In the large kit |
| Cash and document copies | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Power bank or chargers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |

## How much water and food for 72 hours

Water is the one item where the figures differ, mostly because they measure different things. Ready.gov’s gallon (3.79 litres) a day covers drinking and sanitation. The UK’s 3 litres a day is for drinking only, and the checklist says more is needed for cooking and washing. Canada says about four litres a day, Get Ready Queensland at least 10 litres per person for three days, and the Dutch government’s campaign 3 litres a day. The EU’s Preparedness Union Strategy, published on 26 March 2025, aims for households to manage on their own for at least 72 hours but gives no water figure.

**Worked example:** the card above is for two adults, a child of 8 and a dog, for 72 hours under US guidance. Three people × 3 days × 1 gallon is 9 gallons, or 34.1 litres. The dog adds 12 litres at Canada’s figure of 4 litres a day per average dog, the only official per-pet number we found, making 46.1 litres (12.2 US gallons). Under the UK figure the same family would store 27 litres of drinking water, plus the dog’s share. Food is counted in days, not calories: three days of non-perishable food that needs no cooking for three people. The [water calculator](https://packwhistle.me/emergency-water-storage-calculator/) turns any household into bottles and weight, and the [food calculator](https://packwhistle.me/emergency-food-supply-calculator/) into a menu and shopping list.

## Stay-at-home kit or grab bag?

The home kit is for sheltering in place; the grab bag is the part you can carry if you are told to leave.

Most emergencies are sat out at home, so the big kit stays there: Ready.gov says to keep it in a designated place that everyone knows about, in one or two easy-to-carry containers. The grab bag is smaller and ready to go, because evacuations give little warning. Ready.gov also suggests a work kit with enough for at least 24 hours and a kit in the car; the [go bag checklist](https://packwhistle.me/go-bag-checklist/) weighs yours, and the [winter car kit](https://packwhistle.me/winter-car-emergency-kit/) covers the car.

## Adjusting the kit for your household

- **Babies:** the UK checklist says ready-to-feed formula is best, because you may not be able to boil water to make up powdered formula safely. Add nappies (diapers), wipes and a sling for the grab bag.
- **Medicines:** every agency lists them, but none gives one figure that suits everyone. Speak to your pharmacist or doctor about an emergency supply, and keep a written list of medicines, doses and allergies. Ready.gov says that if the power is out for more than a day, medicine that should be refrigerated should be discarded unless the label says otherwise, and to ask your doctor or pharmacist for a new supply.
- **Medical equipment:** talk to your medical provider about a power cut plan. In the UK, join the Priority Services Register; in the US, Ready.gov says you can ask your power provider about priority restoration. Our sister site [Watt Cottage](https://wattcottage.me/) sizes generators and battery backup.
- **Older relatives:** Ready.gov suggests medicines, medical supplies, batteries and chargers, copies of insurance cards, and a support network of people who can check on them.
- **Pets:** Ready.gov lists several days of food and water, medicines, records, a collar with ID and a carrier, and warns that many public shelters and hotels do not allow pets inside.

## Extras for local hazards

Tick your hazards in the builder and it adds the extras each agency names. Winter storms bring extra blankets, a working carbon monoxide alarm on every level, and, in the US and Canada, the National Weather Service’s advice to refuel heating oil before you run low, as deliveries may not reach you for days. Floods bring a waterproof box for documents and, in the UK, signing up for flood warnings through Floodline, 0345 988 1188, a 24-hour service for England, Scotland and Wales. Wildfire areas get N95 masks, which Ready.gov says to store if available; earthquake areas get secured furniture and Drop, Cover and Hold On; hurricane coasts get an evacuation zone and route. If you will be away visiting family over Thanksgiving (Thursday 26 November 2026) or Christmas, check the kit before you go so it is ready when you get home in the middle of winter.

## Keeping the kit up to date

Set the “packed or last checked” date and the card gives every line a check-by date. Food, water, batteries, medicines and the first aid kit get six months, matching the UK checklist’s advice to check expiry dates every six months and Ready.gov’s and the CDC’s rule to replace water you bottle yourself every six months. Everything else gets a year: Ready.gov says to rethink your needs every year, and Canada says to replace anything that might expire at least once a year. Your household, ticks and date stay in this browser only, so you can come back and tick off the list as you pack.

## Common mistakes

- **Drinking water only.** The UK figure leaves out washing and cooking; plan extra if you use it.
- **No manual can opener.** A cupboard full of tins is no use without one.
- **Candles for light.** The UK checklist says torches are safer than candles.
- **Documents only on a phone.** Keep paper copies of ID, insurance and important numbers too.
- **One kit, never checked.** Batteries run down and water goes stale; the check-by column is there for that.

This is general information, not medical, veterinary or legal advice. In an emergency, call your local emergency number and follow instructions from the emergency services and your local authority.

## Sources

All checked on 5 November 2026. Figures and lists can change; follow your own country’s current guidance.

- Ready.gov (FEMA): [Build a Kit](https://www.ready.gov/kit) (last updated 1 July 2026), [Water](https://www.ready.gov/water) (22 February 2021), [Food](https://www.ready.gov/food) (12 March 2026), [Pets](https://www.ready.gov/pets) (20 March 2026), [Power Outages](https://www.ready.gov/power-outages) (4 June 2026), [People with Disabilities](https://www.ready.gov/disability) (9 September 2026), [Older Adults](https://www.ready.gov/older-adults) (26 March 2026), [Winter Weather](https://www.ready.gov/winter-weather) (3 November 2026), [Floods](https://www.ready.gov/floods) (20 October 2026), [Wildfires](https://www.ready.gov/wildfires) (11 August 2026), [Earthquakes](https://www.ready.gov/earthquakes) (9 September 2026) and [Hurricanes](https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes) (16 October 2026).
- CDC: [How to Create an Emergency Water Supply](https://www.cdc.gov/water-emergency/about/how-to-create-and-store-an-emergency-water-supply.html) (27 June 2025).
- National Weather Service: [Before a winter storm](https://www.weather.gov/safety/winter-before) (no date shown).
- UK Government (Cabinet Office), Be Ready: [Be ready for emergencies](https://beready.campaign.gov.uk/be-ready-for-emergencies/), the [Be Ready checklist](https://beready.campaign.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/252/2026/10/Be-Ready-Checklist_English.pdf) (15 October 2026), [Power cuts](https://beready.campaign.gov.uk/be-informed-about-hazards/power-cuts/), [Flooding](https://beready.campaign.gov.uk/be-informed-about-hazards/flooding/) and [Cold weather, snow and ice](https://beready.campaign.gov.uk/be-informed-about-hazards/cold-weather-snow-ice/). The old address gov.uk/prepare now leads to this site.
- GOV.UK: [Sign up for flood warnings](https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings) (Floodline, 24 hours).
- Government of Canada, Get Prepared: [Making an emergency kit](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/policing/emergencies/preparedness/get-prepared/emergency-kits.html) (12 September 2025) and [Pets and service animals](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/policing/emergencies/preparedness/get-prepared/emergency-planning-resources/animals.html) (16 February 2026).
- Get Ready Queensland (Queensland Government): [Pack a kit](https://www.getready.qld.gov.au/prepare/kit) (last updated September 2026). NSW State Emergency Service: [Emergency kit](https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/emergency-kit). Australian Red Cross: [Get packing](https://www.redcross.org.au/emergencies/prepare/packing/).
- European Commission and High Representative: [European Preparedness Union Strategy, JOIN(2025) 130](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52025JC0130) (26 March 2025), action 14 on 72-hour self-sufficiency. Denk vooruit (Dutch government campaign): [Stel je noodpakket samen](https://www.denkvooruit.nl/bereid-je-voor/stel-je-noodpakket-samen).
- US Office of Personnel Management: [Federal holidays](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/) (Thanksgiving Day, Thursday 26 November 2026).

## More planners for getting ready

Each one answers one question, with its sources on the page.

- [Emergency water calculator](https://packwhistle.me/emergency-water-storage-calculator/): How much water to store per person and pet, in litres, gallons and bottles, with six-monthly rotation dates.
- [Emergency food supply](https://packwhistle.me/emergency-food-supply-calculator/): A no-cook menu and shopping list for three days or more, with allergy swaps and rotation dates.
- [Go bag checklist](https://packwhistle.me/go-bag-checklist/): What to pack to leave in a hurry, a typical weight for each item, and a door card to print.
- [Household emergency plan](https://packwhistle.me/household-emergency-plan/): Meeting places, an out-of-area contact, who collects the children, and a wallet card.
- [Winter car emergency kit](https://packwhistle.me/winter-car-emergency-kit/): What to keep in the car for your trips and weather, and what to do if you get stuck in snow.

## Recommended

Two free services for the online side of getting prepared.

Temporary email · no sign-up

### CleanTempMail

Prepping shops and printable checklists often ask for an email address before they show a first-order discount code or a download link. CleanTempMail gives you a free temporary inbox straight away, with no sign-up, and deletes every message after 3 days, so the newsletters that follow end there. It is only for one-off things like that: use your real address for orders, deliveries, warranties and official emergency alerts.

[Get a temporary inbox](https://cleantempmail.com/)

Disposable cloud browser · domain lookups

### WebTraceCheck

After a big storm, appeals and “emergency supplies” offers spread quickly online. WebTraceCheck’s free DNS and domain lookup shows how long a site’s domain has existed: one signal worth checking, never proof that a site is genuine or a scam. Its disposable cloud browser opens an unfamiliar link on an isolated desktop that is deleted after each session, with nothing to install and free time every day.

[Try WebTraceCheck](https://webtracecheck.com/)

## Questions

**What should be in a basic emergency kit?**

Water, non-perishable food, a manual can opener, a torch and spare batteries, a battery or wind-up radio, a first aid kit, your medicines, a whistle, wet wipes and rubbish bags, a power bank, cash and copies of important documents. That is Ready.gov’s basic list; the UK’s Be Ready checklist and Get Prepared Canada cover nearly all of it, though neither lists a whistle.

**How much water do I need for a 72-hour kit?**

Under Ready.gov’s figure, 3 gallons (about 11.4 litres) per person for drinking and sanitation. Under the UK’s, 9 litres per person for drinking, with more for cooking and washing. Canada’s four litres a day makes 12 litres per person. Add water for pets: Canada suggests 4 litres a day per average dog and 1 litre per cat.

**What is the difference between an emergency kit and a go bag?**

The emergency kit stays at home and covers at least three days if you shelter in place. The go bag, or grab bag, is a smaller bag you can carry if you have to leave quickly: about a day of water and food, medicines, a torch, a charger, documents, cash and warm clothes.

**How often should I check my emergency kit?**

Every six months for anything that expires or runs down, which is what the UK checklist recommends, and replace water you bottled yourself every six months, as Ready.gov and the CDC say. Review the whole kit once a year, or when your household changes.

**Why does an emergency kit need a whistle?**

To signal for help. Ready.gov says that if you are trapped, you should send a text or bang on a pipe or wall and use a whistle instead of shouting. Outdoors, signals differ: Canada’s AdventureSmart uses three blasts, while Mountain Rescue England and Wales asks for six long blasts in a minute, repeated after a minute’s pause.