How to build a 72-hour emergency kit

Quick answer: for each person, store 1 gallon of water a day (3 gallons for 3 days) and food that needs no cooking, then add light, a radio, first aid, medicines, and a way to charge a phone. Keep it all in one or two containers you can carry. (Ready.gov (FEMA); Ready.gov (FEMA))

Water and food

Plan on 1 gallon per person per day, for drinking and for washing up. A household of two needs 6 gallons for 3 days. (Ready.gov (FEMA); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; FEMA and the American Red Cross) Children, nursing mothers, people who are sick, and anyone in hot weather may need more. (Ready.gov (FEMA))

For food, pick a few days of non-perishable food your household already eats. Include food for infants and pets, and a manual can opener. (Ready.gov (FEMA); Ready.gov (FEMA)) The food and water calculator turns your household into gallons, calories, and a shopping list.

The basic kit

• A flashlight and extra batteries.
• A battery-powered or hand crank radio, ideally a NOAA Weather Radio.
• A first aid kit.
• A phone charger and a backup battery.
• A whistle, a dust mask, and a wrench or pliers to turn off the utilities.
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for sanitation.
• Local maps.

Those items come from the Ready.gov basic supply list. (Ready.gov (FEMA))

Add what your household needs

Prescription and everyday medicines, glasses and contact lens solution, infant formula and diapers, pet food and extra water for pets, some cash, a warm blanket for each person, and a change of clothes. Keep copies of insurance papers, IDs, and bank records in a waterproof container or saved electronically. (Ready.gov (FEMA)) For a medical device, check with the device maker or a clinician about power, water, and backup supplies.

Where to keep it and when to check it

Pack the kit in airtight bags inside one or two easy-to-carry bins or a duffel bag, and make sure everyone at home knows where it is. (Ready.gov (FEMA)) Keep canned food in a cool, dry place, replace anything that expires, and look the kit over once a year as your household changes. (Ready.gov (FEMA)) Water you bottle yourself gets replaced every 6 months. (Ready.gov (FEMA); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; FEMA and the American Red Cross)

Write down your shutoffs, contacts, and medicines on the free printable 72-hour household plan, and see the guide to storing water at home. Every number on this page is listed with its source on the sources page.