Emergency Backpack+ guide

Emergency backpack checklist: what to pack for 72 hours

A practical 72-hour emergency backpack checklist covering water, food, health, documents, light and household needs.

Start with people and local guidance

A 72-hour bag is a starting point for a short disruption, not a guarantee that every household will need the same supplies. Follow advice from local emergency services and adapt the contents to your home, climate, transport and health needs. List everyone who may rely on the bag, including a neighbour or carer if that is part of your plan. Keep essential supplies accessible, and store the bag where household members can reach it. A smaller bag that people can carry may be more useful than an overloaded one.

Water and food

Pack drinking water for each person and a way to carry more if you may need to leave home. Water needs depend on age, activity, weather and medical advice, so use local emergency guidance to choose quantities. Choose shelf-stable food that household members already eat, needs little preparation, and fits dietary restrictions. Include a manual opener if you pack cans. Remember cups or utensils if needed, and rotate food before its marked date. If a baby, older person or pet is part of the household, plan their suitable food separately.

Health, light and practical items

Include regular medicines in their original packaging where possible, a written medication list, basic first-aid supplies and needed personal care items. Do not place the only supply of essential medicine in a bag that may become too hot, cold or damp; follow the medicine's storage instructions and ask a pharmacist about backup planning. Add a flashlight or headlamp, spare batteries or a charged power bank, a small radio if useful, warm layers, sturdy shoes and hygiene supplies. Check that each item works and that batteries are charged.

Documents and communication

Keep copies of important contact details, meeting points and essential documents in a waterproof sleeve. Add a small amount of cash if useful in your area, an ID copy where appropriate, and a pen and paper. Agree on how household members will contact one another if mobile networks are busy, and choose an out-of-area contact if that fits local advice. Store digital copies securely and consider what information is safe to carry. Do not include sensitive originals unless you have a clear reason and a safe way to protect them.

Pack for the household, then practise

Make one list for shared items and a separate note for each person's needs. A child may need familiar comfort items, spare clothes and age-appropriate food. A person with mobility, sensory or communication needs may rely on equipment or a particular routine. Pets need food, leash or carrier, waste bags and records required locally. Try carrying the bag and remove items that make it too heavy. Tell each person where it is and what to do if you are separated.

Make the list fit your route

Think through the first hours away from home. Will you walk, use public transport, drive or need to wait indoors? The answer affects bag size, footwear, weather protection and how much water you can carry. Add a printed contact list in case a phone battery runs down, and a charging cable that fits your device. If you have no car, avoid relying on bulky supplies that cannot be carried. Check whether your building or local authority has a designated meeting point or shelter plan. Put the most urgent items where they can be reached without unpacking everything, and tell another adult what the bag contains.

Common questions

Is this a complete official list? No. Use it as a planning aid and follow your local emergency authority's current advice.

Should the bag stay packed? Keep the core supplies together, then review and replace used, damaged or expired items.

Where should I store it? Choose a dry, accessible place known to the household.

Use Emergency Backpack+ to keep the score or household list close at hand. See Emergency Backpack+.