The 72-Hour Emergency Kit Checklist (What FEMA, Canada & the EU Actually Say)

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In the past few weeks your feed has probably filled up with posts telling you to “stock up now.” The European Union published new preparedness guidelines, Canada repeated its long-standing advice, and some accounts have turned that into talk of collapse and cyberattacks.

Here’s the calmer version. Governments have recommended a basic home emergency kit for decades, because the most common emergencies are ordinary: a winter storm, a flood, a multi-day power outage. A kit simply buys you time while help and power come back. This guide pulls together what Ready.gov (FEMA), Public Safety Canada and the European Commission actually recommend, and turns it into one checklist you can build in a weekend.

Why 72 hours?

It’s the window the agencies plan around: the first days of an emergency, while public help is being mobilized. Canada asks households to be ready to look after themselves for “at least 3 days (72 hours),” and more if possible. The European Commission’s new guidelines, presented on November 3, 2026, focus on the same idea: “72-hour self-sufficiency,” backed by “essential emergency supplies and emergency grab bags.” Ready.gov’s kit page talks about supplies for “several days.”

Two things the viral posts tend to leave out:

• The EU guidelines are non-binding and are aimed at national authorities, so they can help people prepare. The Commission explicitly talks about teaching preparedness “without creating fear or anxiety.”
• Canada didn’t issue a new warning. Public Safety Canada said it was reaffirming guidance Canadians have been given for years.

In other words: sensible advice, not a signal that something specific is about to happen.

The 72-hour emergency kit checklist

1. Water

• 1 gallon per person per day, for drinking and basic sanitation (Ready.gov). Canada’s checklist lists a lower minimum of 2 litres per person per day. We’d follow the US figure: it leaves room for washing, and needs can double in hot weather or for nursing mothers and sick people.
• Extra water for pets.
• Commercially bottled water is the easiest option. Keep it sealed, in a cool, dark place.
• If you fill your own containers, use food-grade ones and replace the water every six months.

Short on space? Bottled water cases, 5–7 gallon jugs and bathtub storage bladders are the usual options.

2. Food that needs no cooking

• At least 3 days of non-perishable food your household actually eats: canned meat, fish, beans, fruit and vegetables; peanut butter; granola, protein or fruit bars; dry cereal; dried fruit; shelf-stable milk.
• A manual can opener (the item people forget most).
• Baby food or formula, and food for special diets and pets.

Ready.gov’s advice is to stock foods that need no refrigeration, cooking or water. Canned food is safe to eat cold. Dedicated emergency ration bars and freeze-dried meals are optional: they last longer, but most people can cover 3 days from a normal grocery run.

3. Light and power

• Flashlights or headlamps, one per person. Headlamps keep your hands free.
• Extra batteries that fit everything in the kit.
• A phone power bank, kept charged.
• Optional: a portable power station if someone relies on powered medical equipment, or if outages in your area tend to last days.

Candles are on Canada’s list, but they’re a fire risk. Battery lanterns are the safer choice for lighting a room.

4. Information

• A battery-powered or hand-crank radio. Ready.gov also recommends a NOAA Weather Radio with a tone alert. Many crank radios also include a flashlight and a USB port to charge a phone.
• Local paper maps, and a written list of emergency numbers and family contacts.

5. First aid and health

• A first aid kit: bandages, tape, gauze, antiseptic wound cleanser, disposable gloves.
• Prescription medications, plus a written list with doses.
• Basic over-the-counter medicines (Ready.gov lists pain relievers, anti-diarrhea medicine, antacids and laxatives).
• Glasses and contact lens solution.
• Masks (Ready.gov lists a dust mask; Canada suggests N95 or surgical masks).

6. Hygiene and sanitation

• Moist towelettes, hand sanitizer, soap.
• Garbage bags and plastic ties.
• Toilet paper, paper towels, and menstrual and personal hygiene supplies.
• Diapers and wipes if needed.

7. Tools and shelter

• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities.
• Whistle to signal for help.
• Duct tape, scissors and plastic sheeting.
• A multi-tool.
• Fire extinguisher, and matches in a waterproof container.
• A warm blanket or sleeping bag for each person, and a change of clothes and sturdy shoes.

8. Money and documents

• Some cash, in small bills. Card readers and ATMs need power too.
• Copies of ID, insurance and bank records: paper copies in a waterproof bag, plus digital copies.
• Spare house and car keys.

Home kit vs. grab-and-go bag

Most emergencies mean staying home. That’s where the bulk of your water and food goes, in one or two bins or a duffel bag. Canada and the EU also recommend a smaller grab-and-go bag in case you have to leave quickly: water and snacks, a flashlight, a radio or charged phone with a power bank, medicines, copies of documents, cash, a change of clothes and a blanket. Ready.gov also suggests keeping smaller kits at work and in the car.

Should you just buy a prebuilt kit?

Prebuilt “72-hour kits” are convenient, especially as a starting point or for a car or office. But they vary a lot, so check what’s actually inside: how much water is included, the quality of the flashlight and radio, and how complete the first aid kit really is. A common approach is to buy a decent bag, radio and first aid kit separately, then fill in the rest from your pantry.

Safety: the mistakes that cause real harm

• Never run a generator, camp stove or charcoal grill indoors, or in a garage. Ready.gov and Canada are both clear that fuel stoves are for outdoor use only. Carbon monoxide has no smell. If you use any fuel-burning appliance, have a working battery-powered CO alarm.
• Fridge and freezer: keep the doors closed. An unopened fridge keeps food cold for about 4 hours. Throw out perishable food that has been above 40°F for 2 hours or more.
• Treating water: if your stored water runs out, Ready.gov says boiling (a rolling boil for one full minute) is the safest method. The backup is unscented household bleach (5.25–6% sodium hypochlorite): 1/8 teaspoon per gallon, stir, and wait 30 minutes.

Keeping your kit up to date

Canada suggests a simple habit: check your kit when the clocks change in spring and fall. Swap expired food, water and medicines, recharge power banks, test batteries, and update documents. Ready.gov also suggests rethinking your needs once a year, for example when there’s a new baby, a pet or a new medication.

What about the “stock up now” posts?

Some viral posts link preparedness advice to specific dates or predictions, such as a “global cyberattack on banks.” We couldn’t find any official source behind those claims. The official advice doesn’t depend on any of them. Having water, food, light, a radio and some cash at home is useful whether the cause is a storm, a burst pipe or a grid problem. And there’s no need to empty your bank account or clear the shelves.