Most checklists give amounts per person and leave the sums to you. Here they are worked out for the most common household: two adults and two children, for the 72 hours the EU asks every household to cover. Every item comes from at least one of the 24 national government guides we compiled.
The quantities at a glance
| Item | Family of four, 72 hours | How we got it |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking water | 24–36 litres | 4 people × 3 days × 2–3 L |
| Food | ≈ 21,000 kcal | 2,000 kcal per adult, 1,500 per child, per day |
| Torches | 4 | One each |
| Spare batteries | 8+ AA/AAA | For the radio and torches |
| Power bank | 1–2 × 20,000 mAh | Two adult phones for three days |
| Blankets | 4 | One each, plus warm layers |
| Camping stove | 1 + 2 gas cartridges | For hot drinks and simple meals |
| Cash | ≈ €180 | Sweden's ≈ €90 per adult |
| Grab bags | 2 | One bag isn't enough for four |
| Medication | 10–30 days | Germany says 10, Sweden a month |
Planning for Germany's ten days instead, the same family needs 80 to 120 litres of water and about 70,000 kcal of food.
Water: 24 to 36 litres
That's four or six packs of six 1.5 L bottles. Take the higher figure if the children are small: babies need water for formula, and toddlers make mess that needs washing. Add a couple of empty containers with lids to fill from the tap when a warning comes, for washing and flushing.
More in how much water to store.
Food: about 21,000 kcal
That sounds like a lot, but it's roughly a dozen tins, two packs of crispbread, a jar of peanut butter, a bag of nuts, dried fruit and some chocolate. Buy food your children already eat. A stressful day is the wrong time to try them on ration bars. Tinned food that tastes fine cold, like beans, fish, ravioli and fruit, is easier than anything you have to cook.
If you have a baby, add ready-to-feed first-stage milk, which needs no clean water, and nappies for the full period.
Light and warmth
Give everyone their own torch. Children are much calmer in the dark with a light of their own, and head torches leave adults' hands free. Keep candles high and out of reach, or skip them and use LED lights instead.
Power and news
One radio is enough for the household. Phones are better saved for calls and messages, so switch them to power saving early. A 20,000 mAh power bank gives three or four full phone charges, enough for one adult's phone for three days. Two cover both adults.
Health and hygiene
- A household first-aid kit, plus children's paracetamol or ibuprofen in the right strength, and a thermometer.
- Each person's regular medication, with the prescriptions.
- Hand sanitiser, wet wipes and toilet paper. With no water pressure, the toilet won't flush, so add strong bin bags to line it.
For the children
Seven guides list games and books, and parents will see why. Three days without screens or school is long. Pack a deck of cards, a board game, colouring things and a favourite toy. Write your phone number on a card in each child's pocket or bag, and agree on a meeting point that the children know.
If you have to leave
For four people, split the grab bag in two, so each adult carries one: water and snacks for a day, document copies, medication, a torch, a change of clothes per person and rain gear. The grab bag checklist goes through it item by item.
Make it your list
Older teenagers eat like adults, and some families have a baby, a pet or a parent with medication to think about. Our checklist starts with two adults and two children; change it to your exact household and your country's guide, recalculates every quantity, and lets you tick off what you already have. The 72-hour emergency kit checklist shows what each guide recommends.