A 72-hour emergency kit is based on how disaster response usually works in real life.
After a major storm, flood, wildfire, outage, or other emergency, the first response usually happens locally. Households check on family members. Neighbors help neighbors. Fire, EMS, police, public works, utilities, and local emergency management respond to the most urgent needs first.
During a widespread disaster, those systems can be stretched quickly. Roads may be blocked. Power and cell service may be down. Emergency calls may spike. Local crews may be dealing with rescues, fires, downed lines, damaged buildings, medical emergencies, and evacuations all at the same time.
Federal help can become part of the response, but it usually comes after local and state needs are assessed. In many cases, the state must determine that the disaster is beyond local and state capacity, request federal assistance, and provide information about the damage and unmet needs. Resources then need to be approved, assigned, transported, staffed, and distributed.
That process can move quickly in some disasters, especially when an emergency declaration is requested before a forecasted event. But even when agencies are working as fast as possible, help still takes time to reach every household and neighborhood.
This is why FEMA recommends having enough basic supplies to get through at least the first several days. A 72-hour kit gives your household breathing room while responders focus on the most urgent life-safety needs and larger relief efforts come together.
Three days is a practical starting point. Once you have the basics covered, it is worth building toward a longer cushion, especially for water, medications, food, lighting, phone charging, pet needs, and sanitation.
Here’s a quick checklist to get started (you can download the 72-Hour Emergency Kit Checklist PDF here):
1. Water & Hydration
- ☐ 1 gallon of water per person/pet, per day (3 days minimum, ideally 7-10)
- ☐ Water purification tablets or a portable filter
- ☐ Electrolyte packets or oral rehydration salts
2. Food
- ☐ Shelf-stable, ready-to-eat foods (bars, pouches, canned goods, nut butters)
- ☐ Manual can opener (if packing cans)
- ☐ High-calorie emergency ration bars (optional)
- ☐ Disposable utensils/bowls or a small mess kit
3. First Aid & Medications
- ☐ Basic first-aid kit (bandages, antiseptic, gauze, tape, gloves)
- ☐ Tourniquet (if trained)
- ☐ 3–7 day supply of prescription meds + copies of prescriptions
- ☐ Pain reliever, antihistamine, antacid/anti-nausea
- ☐ Spare glasses/contacts and solution
4. Light & Communication
- ☐ LED flashlight or headlamp (battery/hand-crank)
- ☐ Extra batteries or a solar/hand-crank charger
- ☐ Portable phone charger (power bank) + cables
- ☐ Hand-crank or battery weather radio (NOAA/All-Hazards)
- ☐ Written list of important phone numbers
5. Shelter & Warmth
- ☐ Mylar emergency blankets or sleeping bags
- ☐ Seasonal clothing (sturdy shoes, socks, gloves, hat, rain poncho)
- ☐ Compact rain poncho
6. Tools, Documents & Money
- ☐ Multi-tool/knife; duct tape; whistle
- ☐ Important documents in a waterproof pouch (IDs, insurance, prescriptions, vet records)
- ☐ Cash in small bills ($100+)
You probably own many of these items already. Build your kit gradually—each grocery trip, add a gallon of water and one or two shelf-stable foods your household actually eats. Small steps add up fast.