Basic 72-hour emergency kit: the EU essentials
A basic 72-hour kit is water, food that keeps, light, a radio, first aid, documents and cash, enough for your household to cope three days without help. Most homes already own half of it.
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The checklist
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Bottled or in food-grade containers. 9 L (2.4 US gal) per person covers 72 hours.
Tins, crackers, nut butter, cereal bars: food you already eat.
Electric openers are useless in a blackout.
Safer than candles. Head torches leave your hands free.
Match the sizes your torch and radio use.
Official updates still reach you when mobile data is down.
Four to five phone charges. Keep it topped up.
Plasters, dressings, tape, gloves, antiseptic, scissors.
Ask your pharmacist about keeping a small reserve.
ID, insurance, prescriptions, key contacts, in a waterproof pouch.
Card terminals and ATMs stop when the power does.
Wet wipes, hand gel, bin bags, toilet paper.
To signal for help and keep warm.
Keeps the kit together and portable.
Tips
- Store the kit where everyone can find it in the dark, not in the loft.
- Rotate food and water: eat it before it expires and replace it.
- Write key phone numbers on paper. Your phone may be flat.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum 72-hour kit?
Water (9 litres, about 2.4 US gal, per person), three days of food, a torch, a battery or crank radio, a first-aid kit, your medicines, copies of documents and some cash.
How often should I check the kit?
Twice a year, for example when the clocks change. Check expiry dates, battery charge and your medicines.