Go bag checklist: what to pack for 72 hours
4 min read
A go bag is not about the end of the world. It’s about getting through the first few days of an ordinary disruption — a storm, a long power cut, a precautionary evacuation — without scrambling. Here is what goes in it, and what doesn’t.
In short
- The EU asks every household to be able to manage on its own for at least 72 hours.
- Cover the basics: water, food that needs no cooking, light, a radio, first aid, medication, documents and some cash.
- One bag per person, kept near the door, and everyone at home knows where it is.
- Most of your water stays at home: three days of it weighs about 6 kg per person.
- Check it twice a year — medication, food dates and batteries.
What a 72-hour bag is for
In March 2025 the European Commission asked people across the EU to keep essential supplies for a minimum of 72 hours (Preparedness Union Strategy). The idea is simple: in a large emergency, help goes first to those in most danger. If your household can look after itself for three days, you are safer, and the emergency services can focus on those who can’t.
A go bag covers the moments when you might have to leave quickly, and doubles as the organised core of your supplies if you stay at home. For the difference between the two, see go bag vs home supplies.
The checklist
This list brings together the recommendations of the French government guide Tous responsables, Germany’s Federal Office of Civil Protection (BBK) and Catalonia’s civil protection service. Adapt the quantities to the people in your home.
Water
- Drinking water: at least 1.5–2 litres per person per day (the bulk kept at home)
- A bottle or collapsible container to carry it
- Purification tablets or a compact filter, as a back-up
Food
- Food that keeps and needs no cooking: energy bars, tins, dried fruit, nuts
- Tin opener and a simple cutlery set
- Baby food or pet food, if needed
Light and power
- Torch or headlamp, with spare batteries
- Charged power bank and a charging cable
- Matches or a lighter
Information
- Battery or hand-crank radio, to follow official instructions
- Important phone numbers, written on paper
Health
- First aid kit: plasters, dressings, antiseptic, gloves
- Your regular medication for a few days, and copies of prescriptions
- Spare glasses or contact lenses
- FFP2 masks, soap or hand gel
Warmth and shelter
- Warm layers, a hat and a rain jacket
- Thermal blanket or a light sleeping bag
- Sturdy, weatherproof shoes
Documents and money
- Copies of ID, health card and insurance, in a waterproof pouch
- Some cash in small notes — card terminals and ATMs may be down
- Spare house and car keys
Tools and personal items
- Multi-tool or knife, tape and cord
- Whistle
- Hygiene basics for a few days
- Something to pass the time: a book, cards
- For children: a card with their name and a contact number
How to pack it
- One backpack per person. Germany’s BBK puts it plainly: take no more for each family member than fits in one backpack. A backpack leaves your hands free; a suitcase doesn’t.
- Group things by use, in small pouches: light, first aid, food, documents. In the dark, you want to find the torch without emptying the bag.
- Heavy items close to your back, light and bulky ones on top.
- Documents in a waterproof bag, never loose.
- Keep it near the door, somewhere everyone in the house knows.
What doesn’t belong in the bag
Three days of water. Official guidance puts it at around 2 litres per person per day — the French guide says 6 litres per person for 72 hours. That is 6 kg per person before anything else. Carry a bottle and a way to purify water; keep the reserve at home. The numbers are in how much water to store.
Filler. Kits that advertise 250 pieces are mostly padding: tiny tools, duplicate items, things nobody uses. A short list of good items beats a long list of weak ones.
Keep it ready
The French guide recommends checking your kit twice a year: medication and food dates, and batteries. An easy reminder is the clock change at the end of March and October.
Would you rather skip the shopping? We compare both routes in buy or build an emergency kit.
Tip: print this page and tick things off as you go.
The 72H Kit
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Everything on these lists that belongs in a bag, already chosen, tested and organised into seven modules. For 1–2 people.
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