What Should Be in a 72 Hour Emergency Kit?

When considering what should be in a 72 hour emergency kit, it should cover six core categories: water, food, shelter and warmth, light and power, communication, and medical/first-aid supplies — plus documents, sanitation items, and a way to carry it all. FEMA and the American Red Cross both build their guidance around a three-day (72-hour) self-sufficiency window, which is the planning assumption behind most modern go-bag checklists.

Key Takeaways

• Six categories, one bag: When considering what should be in a 72 hour emergency kit, water, food, shelter/warmth, light/power, communication, and medical supplies form the backbone. Everything else is an accessory to those six.
• Water is the hardest constraint. FEMA’s baseline is one gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation — three gallons per person for a 72-hour kit. That weight (about 25 lbs for three gallons) is why many people split water between a carried supply and a stored supply.
• Match the kit to the threat, not the internet. A Nebraska winter storm kit and a Gulf Coast hurricane kit share a skeleton but diverge sharply on insulation, water storage, and evacuation logistics.
• Build in layers. A “core kit” that never leaves your bag, a “rotation kit” of food and medication you cycle every 6–12 months, and a “mission kit” you add based on the specific event.
• Test it before you need it. A kit you cannot carry, open, or operate in the dark is not a kit. Do a dry run at least once a year.

Why 72 Hours Is the Planning Number

The 72-hour figure is not arbitrary. It reflects the realistic gap between when a disaster strikes and when organized outside help — FEMA, state emergency management, or mutual-aid resources — can reliably reach most affected areas. In a widespread event, local first responders are themselves affected, and regional resources take time to mobilize and stage.

For public health and healthcare preparedness professionals, the 72-hour assumption is familiar: it appears in hospital emergency operations planning, in the Joint Commission’s emergency management standards, and in the CDC’s guidance for personal preparedness. The same logic that drives a hospital to stock 96 hours of supplies drives an individual to consider what should be in a 72 hour emergency kit to stock 72 hours at home and in a vehicle.

The honest caveat: 72 hours is a floor, not a ceiling. In rural parts of Nebraska and the Midwest, where distances between towns can exceed 50 miles and winter storms can close highways for days, many emergency managers quietly recommend 7–14 days of supplies at home, with a 72-hour kit reserved for evacuation. Treat the 72-hour kit as your mobility kit and your home stockpile as your endurance kit.

The Core 72 Hour Emergency Kit: Category by Category

When considering what should be in a 72 hour emergency kit, it is best to organize by category.

Water

Water is the single most important item and the one most people underestimate. FEMA’s recommended baseline is one gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation. For a 72-hour kit, that is three gallons per person — roughly 25 pounds. Add pets and that number climbs fast.

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Practical approaches:

• Carry a partial supply, store the rest. Carry one to two liters in the bag and keep the balance in your vehicle or at your evacuation destination.
• Add a filter or purification method. A squeeze filter, purification tablets, or an unscented household bleach dropper (with written dosing instructions) lets you treat found water. The CDC publishes guidance on making water safe in an emergency.
• Store water in food-grade containers. Commercially sealed bottled water is the simplest option and has an effectively indefinite shelf life if stored away from heat and sunlight.

Food

Food should be shelf-stable, calorie-dense, and require no cooking if possible — because in a power outage you may not have a stove, and in an evacuation you may not have time.

• Three days of no-cook food per person. Protein bars, nut butters, canned fish or meat with pull-tabs, dried fruit, crackers, and shelf-stable meals.
• A manual can opener. This is the classic forgotten item.
• Consider dietary and medical needs. Infant formula, baby food, and food that respects allergies, diabetes management, or religious restrictions.
• Rotate it. Check expiration dates every six months and eat what you replace. A kit full of expired food is a kit you cannot use.

Shelter and Warmth

Exposure kills faster than hunger. In a Midwest winter, a disabled vehicle or an unheated shelter poses a real threat to life.

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• Emergency or bivouac blanket. A Mylar emergency blanket weighs almost nothing and reflects body heat.
• Extra layers. Wool or synthetic base layers, gloves, a hat and dry socks.
• A tarp or emergency shelter. Useful for providing shade, rain protection and improvised windbreaks.
• A sleeping bag or wool blanket if your equipment is in a vehicle or house and not on your back.

Light and Power

• A headlamp plus a handheld flashlight. Redundancy is important; batteries fail.
• Replacement batteries in the sizes your devices use. For convenience, standardize on one or two battery sizes.
• A power bank for phones, sized to give at least two full charges.
• A hand crank or solar option as a backup when the batteries run out.

Communication and Information

• A battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio. This is the single most useful information tool in a regional event, and it works when cell networks are congested or down.
• A written contact list. Phone batteries die; paper does not.
• A local paper map. GPS fails when networks fail, and knowing your evacuation routes matters.
• A whistle. Three blasts is a recognized distress signal and carries farther than a voice.

Medical and First Aid

• A stocked first-aid kit with adhesive bandages, gauze, medical tape, antiseptic, gloves, and scissors.
• Personal medications with at least a 3–7 day supply, plus a written list of medications and dosages.
• Over-the-counter basics: pain reliever, antihistamine, anti-diarrheal, and oral rehydration salts.
• A CPR barrier and a tourniquet if you are trained to use them. Stop-the-bleed training is increasingly common in public health and first-responder circles.

Sanitation and Hygiene

• Toilet paper, moist towelettes, and hand sanitizer.
• A sealable bucket or bags for improvised sanitation if plumbing fails.
• Feminine hygiene products and diapers as needed.
• Garbage bags — they serve as ponchos, ground cloths, and waste containment.

Documents and Money

• Copies of IDs, insurance cards, and prescriptions in a waterproof pouch.
• Cash in small bills. Card readers and ATMs fail when power and networks do.
• A written family communication plan with an out-of-area contact.

Comparison Table: Core Kit vs. Extended Kit

When considering what should be in a 72 hour emergency kit versus a long-term supply, refer to the table below:

Category	Core 72-Hour Kit (carry)	Extended Home Stockpile (7–14 days)
Water	3 gallons/person or 2 L + filter	1 gallon/person/day for full duration
Food	3 days no-cook, calorie-dense	7–14 days, can include cooking
Shelter	Space blanket, layers, tarp	Sleeping bags, tents, heating alternatives
Light/Power	Headlamp, flashlight, power bank	Generator or large battery station, fuel
Communication	NOAA radio, paper contacts, map	Charged radios, family plan, printed routes
Medical	First-aid kit, 3–7 day meds	Full medicine cabinet, 14-day prescriptions
Sanitation	Wipes, bags, sanitizer	Portable toilet, bulk supplies
Documents	Waterproof copies, cash	Full document set, backup drives

How to Decide What Goes in Your Kit

The internet is full of identical checklists regarding what should be in a 72 hour emergency kit. The useful question is not “what is on the list” but “what does my specific risk profile require.” Four decision criteria:

1. Threat profile. Nebraska and the central Midwest face winter storms, tornadoes, flooding along the Missouri and Platte river systems, and extended power outages. A kit built for a coastal hurricane evacuation will be wrong for a blizzard.
2. Mobility. Are you sheltering in place, evacuating by car, or evacuating on foot? A car kit can be heavier and more comfortable; a backpack kit must be light enough to carry for miles.
3. Household composition. Infants, elderly family members, pets, and people with mobility or medical needs change the kit substantially. Service animals and pets need their own food, water, and documentation.
4. Skill and training. A tourniquet, a water filter, and a fire starter are only useful if you know how to use them. Build skills alongside supplies.

Common Mistakes That Undermine a 72 Hour Kit

When considering what should be in a 72 hour emergency kit, avoid these pitfalls:

• Buying gear instead of building a system. A $400 bag with expired food and dead batteries is worse than a $60 bag you maintain.
• Forgetting the vehicle. Many evacuations and most winter emergencies happen in or near a car. Keep a parallel kit in the trunk.
• Ignoring weight. A 72-hour kit that weighs 60 pounds will be abandoned. Aim for something you can carry for at least a mile.
• No rotation schedule. Set a recurring calendar reminder every six months to check food, water, batteries, and medications.
• No practice. Open the kit, use the radio, set up the shelter, and walk your evacuation route at least once a year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should be in a 72 hour emergency kit?

A 72 hour emergency kit should contain six core categories: water (three gallons per person), no-cook food for three days, shelter and warmth items, light and power sources, communication tools like a NOAA radio, and a stocked first-aid kit with personal medications. Add documents, sanitation supplies, and cash, then pack it all in a bag you can actually carry.

How much water do I need in a 72 hour kit?

FEMA’s baseline is one gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation, which means three gallons per person for a 72-hour kit. Because three gallons weighs about 25 pounds, many people carry one to two liters and store the rest in a vehicle or at their destination, supplementing with a water filter or purification tablets.

How often should I replace items in my emergency kit?

Check your kit every six months and replace anything expired, depleted, or damaged. Food, water, batteries, and medications are the items most likely to need rotation. A simple approach is to check the kit each time you change your clocks for daylight saving, and to eat or use items before they expire.

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What is the difference between a 72 hour kit and a bug-out bag?

A 72-hour kit is designed to cover you for three days during an evacuation or shelter-in-place event and can be used at home or in a vehicle. An emergency backpack is usually a lighter, more mobile version designed for quick evacuation on foot. The content overlaps a lot; the main difference is weight and portability.

Do I need a 72 hour kit if I live in a city with good emergency services?

Yes. Even well-resourced cities can be overwhelmed during a widespread disaster, and the 72-hour window reflects the realistic time before outside help reaches most areas. Urban residents should also plan for building evacuation, elevator outages, and transit disruption, which change what belongs in the kit.

Should my 72 hour kit include a firearm?

That is a personal and legal decision, not a preparedness requirement, and it varies by jurisdiction and setting. Most official guidance from FEMA and the American Red Cross focuses on water, food, shelter, medical supplies, and communication. If you choose to include one, follow all applicable laws and store it safely and separately from the rest of the kit.

Reader favorite: Ready America 72-Hour Emergency Kit — A grab-and-go 72-hour kit for the person who wants to be prepared this weekend, not after a month of research..

Building It Right

When considering what should be in a 72 hour emergency kit, it is less a shopping list than a system: six core categories, sized to your household, matched to your regional threats, and maintained on a schedule. For public health and emergency management professionals, the same discipline that goes into a hospital’s emergency operations plan applies at the household level — plan for the realistic scenario, build redundancy into critical items, and rehearse before you need it. Start with water and food, add the categories you are missing, and set a reminder to check it twice a year.

P.S. A few readers have asked which emergency kits we actually reach for — it's Ready America 72-Hour Emergency Kit; take a look here if you want the current details.