Emergency kit in Spain: a 72-hour checklist for Spanish homes
Spanish civil-protection authorities follow the EU benchmark of 72 hours. Catalonia’s 2025 campaign, for example, asks households to keep a backpack with water (at least 1.5 litres, 0.4 US gal, per person per day), tinned and dried food, a battery radio, a torch and spare batteries, a charged power bank, a first aid kit, three days of regular medicines and copies of documents. In Spain’s heat, store more water: 3 litres (0.8 US gal) a day is safer.
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What Spanish authorities recommend
Civil protection in Spain is shared between the national Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Emergencies and the autonomous communities, so advice is published at both levels. The message is consistent and follows the EU’s 72-hour benchmark. In November 2025, Catalonia’s Interior department launched a TV and radio campaign for a household emergency backpack, kept somewhere everyone knows, ideally near the front door. It includes:
- At least 1.5 litres (0.4 US gal) of water per person per day.
- Non-perishable, well-packaged food such as tins and bags of nuts.
- A battery radio with spare batteries, and another set of batteries for a torch.
- A power bank and cable with capacity for several full phone charges.
- A basic first aid kit and three days of regular medicines.
- A plastic bag with photocopies of important documents.
- Items for babies, children, dependent people and pets.
The campaign also suggests a second bag for evacuation, much like a weekend bag: a change of clothes, toiletries and medicines, for when a wildfire or flood forces people to leave quickly.
Water in a hot climate
The 1.5-litre figure is a minimum. In a Spanish summer, with temperatures regularly above 35 °C (95 °F), adults need much more. We recommend storing at least 3 litres (0.8 US gal) per person per day, as the Netherlands and Sweden do, and more in a heatwave:
| People | Minimum (1.5 L/day) | Recommended (3 L/day) | Heatwave (4–5 L/day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4.5 L (1.2 US gal) | 9 L (2.4 US gal) | 12–15 L (3.2–4.0 US gal) |
| 2 | 9 L (2.4 US gal) | 18 L (4.8 US gal) | 24–30 L (6.3–7.9 US gal) |
| 4 | 18 L (4.8 US gal) | 36 L (9.5 US gal) | 48–60 L (12.7–15.9 US gal) |
More on containers and storage in how much water to store for 72 hours.
Lessons from the 28 April 2025 blackout
At about 12:33 on 28 April 2025, mainland Spain and Portugal lost power. The grid was fully restored in Spain by about 04:00 the next morning, according to ENTSO-E’s expert panel. In between, trains stopped, traffic lights went out, card payments failed and mobile coverage became patchy. Battery radios became the most valuable item in many homes; Catalonia’s campaign advert was, by coincidence, being filmed that very day. We cover the event in detail in 10 lessons from the Iberian blackout.
How Spain warns the public: ES-Alert and 112
- ES-Alert sends civil-protection alerts to every compatible phone in an affected area by cell broadcast, with a loud tone even in silent mode. Keep your phone’s emergency alerts switched on.
- 112 is the single emergency number in every region. Don’t call it for general information.
- Radio and TV: RNE (Radio Nacional de España) and regional broadcasters carry official information. Note their FM frequencies on your radio.
- Regional channels: each autonomous community’s 112 service and civil-protection accounts publish updates.
During the blackout, Spanish media reported that ES-Alert couldn’t be sent in seven regions because of a platform failure. No single channel is enough, which is why every list includes a radio.
Spain’s main risks
| Risk | What to add to the kit |
|---|---|
| Heatwaves | More water, oral rehydration salts, a rechargeable fan, a thermometer; see the heatwave kit |
| Floods (DANA) | Dry bag, waterproof torch, boots; know your escape route upwards; see the flood kit |
| Wildfires | A ready evacuation bag, masks, copies of documents; see the grab-and-go bag |
| Blackouts | Radio, lantern, power bank, cash; see the blackout kit |
A Spanish 72-hour kit, item by item
| Product | Best for | Key spec | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crank and solar radio | News without power | FM/AM, USB | Check price on Amazon |
| Food-grade water containers | Water for hot weather | 10 L (2.6 US gal) | Check price on Amazon |
| 20,000 mAh power bank | Several phone charges | USB-C | Check price on Amazon |
| LED lantern | Evenings without power | Battery-powered | Check price on Amazon |
| Rechargeable fan | Heat plus blackout | USB rechargeable | Check price on Amazon |
| Waterproof document pouch | Copies and cash | Zip seal | Check price on Amazon |
We don’t list prices because they change often. Use the button to see the current price on Amazon.
Use our printable checklist to tick off what you already have. For the EU background, see the EU 72-hour recommendation explained.
Questions people ask
What do Spanish authorities recommend for a 72-hour kit?
Water, non-perishable food, a battery radio, a torch with batteries, a power bank, a first aid kit, regular medicines, copies of documents, cash, warm clothing or a thermal blanket and a whistle, adapted to children, older people and pets. Catalonia’s 2025 campaign suggests at least 1.5 litres of water per person per day.
What is ES-Alert?
Spain’s public warning system, which sends civil-protection alerts to mobile phones in an affected area using cell broadcast, even when the phone is on silent.
Did ES-Alert work during the April 2025 blackout?
Spanish media reported that a failure of the Interior Ministry’s platform prevented seven regions from sending ES-Alert messages that day. Battery radios were the most reliable source of information.
How much water should I store in Spain?
At least 1.5 litres per person per day is the regional minimum, but in hot weather 3 litres a day or more is safer: 9 litres (2.4 US gal) per person for 72 hours.
What emergency number works in Spain?
112, free from any phone, for police, fire, ambulance and civil protection. Keep it for real emergencies, not for asking about a power cut.
Keep reading
- The 2025 Iberian blackout: 10 lessons for your kit
- /kits/heatwave/
- How much water to store for 72 hours
- The EU 72-hour recommendation explained
Sources
- Spain, Civil Protection: ES-Alert public warning system
- Generalitat de Catalunya: How to prepare for an emergency
- ENTSO-E: 28 April 2025 blackout in Spain and Portugal, expert panel reports
- European Commission (DG ECHO): EU Preparedness Union Strategy, 26 March 2025
- La Vanguardia, Interior anima a tener en las casas un kit de emergencias de 72 horas, 18 November 2025
- El Mundo, ES-Alert platform failure during the blackout, 9 May 2025