How often should you check your emergency kit?

Check your emergency kit at least twice a year, as France’s official “Tous responsables” guide recommends, and after every time you use it. At each check: replace self-filled water, move food and medicines that expire within six months into daily use, recharge power banks, test torches and radios, update documents and contacts, and swap clothes for the season.

By Richard Wildmark Sousa, EditorPublished 31 October 20265 min read

In short

Twice a year, for example when the clocks change, is an easy rhythm.

Refill home-bottled water every six months; bottled water by its date.

Recharge power banks every few months; lithium batteries slowly self-discharge.

Rethink the kit every year: new baby, new pet, new medicines, new home.

Quick answer

Most often forgottenSpare AA/AAA batteriesReplace leaking or dated ones.

Check price

Check its charge20,000 mAh power bankTop up every few months.

Check price

We earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. Brands never pay for placement. Read our disclosure.

The short rule: twice a year and after every use

France’s 2025 government guide Tous responsables tells households to check their kit twice a year, replacing out-of-date medicines and food and changing the batteries. Ready.gov (FEMA) adds that you should rethink your needs every year as your family changes. Many households tie the check to the clock changes in spring and autumn; where clocks don’t change, the start of summer and winter works just as well.

Your six-monthly checklist

Item	What to check	Action
Water	Home-filled bottles; dates on bought water	Refill home-filled water every 6 months
Food	Best-before dates	Move anything due within 6 months into the kitchen and restock
Medicines	Expiry dates; current prescriptions	Rotate with daily supply; update doses
First aid kit	Dates on creams, plasters, painkillers	Replace used and expired items
Batteries	Dates, leaks, corrosion	Store outside devices; replace dated packs
Power banks	Charge level	Recharge to full
Torches and radio	Do they work?	Switch on; test crank and solar
Documents and cash	Copies still valid? Notes enough?	Update copies, contacts and cash
Clothes	Season and children’s sizes	Swap summer and winter layers
Plan	Meeting point, phone numbers	Talk it through with the household

Water: every six months

Refill tap water you bottled yourself every six months, as the Dutch government advises, and use the old water on plants. Sealed bottled water lasts until its best-before date if stored cool and dark. Details in how much water to store.

Food and medicines: rotate, don’t throw away

If you keep ordinary supermarket food in the reserve and use it first-in-first-out, the six-monthly check takes minutes. Our guide to storing and rotating emergency food explains the system. Do the same with everyday medicines: put the newest pack in the kit and use the older one at home.

Batteries and power

Alkaline batteries: keep them in their packaging, outside torches and radios, so a leak can’t ruin the device. Replace them by the date on the pack.
Power banks: lithium cells slowly lose charge in storage. Recharge every few months and before any storm or heatwave warning; see the best power bank for emergencies.
Rechargeable batteries: choose low self-discharge types and top them up at each check.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: press the test button regularly, as fire services advise, and replace the battery when it chirps.

Once a year: rethink the whole kit

Has the household changed? A baby, a pet, an older relative, new medicines or a mobility aid?
Have you moved, or changed jobs or schools? Update meeting points and car kits.
Are there new local risks, such as a new flood map or a heatwave plan?
Go through the printable 72-hour checklist and tick what you have.

After you use the kit

Restock straight away, while you still remember what you used. France’s guide says it plainly: if you use your kit, don’t forget to refill it.

Product	Best for	Key spec	Buy
AA/AAA alkaline batteries	Torches, radios, alarms	Long shelf life	Check price on Amazon
Low self-discharge rechargeable batteries	Regular users	Keep charge in storage	Check price on Amazon
20,000 mAh power bank	Phones for 72 hours	USB-C	Check price on Amazon

We don’t list prices because they change often. Use the button to see the current price on Amazon.

Questions people ask

How often should I check my emergency kit?

At least twice a year, plus after any time you use it. Ready.gov also advises rethinking your needs every year as your family changes.

How often should I replace water in my emergency kit?

Replace tap water you bottled yourself every six months, as the Dutch government advises. Sealed bottled water can stay until its best-before date.

Do batteries expire in an emergency kit?

Yes, slowly. Alkaline batteries keep for years but check their dates; store them outside devices to prevent leaks. Recharge power banks and rechargeable batteries every few months.

Should I keep medicines in an emergency kit?

Yes, three days or more of everyday medicines, rotated with your normal supply so they never expire. Check dates on painkillers and first aid supplies at each check.

What else should I update?

Phone numbers, copies of documents and prescriptions, children’s clothes sizes, seasonal clothing, and your household plan.