Latvia's official guide is a Ministry of Defence brochure, What to do in case of a crisis, known by its theme: the first 72 hours. It aims to help you manage the first three days of a crisis until the state restores essential services. It is one of the most detailed lists in our set. Here is what it contains, and how it compares with the other 23 national guides we compiled.
The official guide
| Title | What to do in case of a crisis (72 hours) |
| Publisher | Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Latvia |
| Year | 2024, updated edition |
| Horizon | 72 hours, ideally 3 to 7 days of supplies |
| Link | mod.gov.lv (English PDF) |
We read the English edition of the brochure.
The amounts it gives
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Drinking water | About 3 litres per adult per day, 4 litres in hot weather; bottles for at least 3 days, preferably a week |
| Water for hygiene | 10 to 12 litres a day, or as your family needs |
| Food | Long-life food, keeping for at least 6 months |
| Cash | A week's worth for the whole family, in 5, 10 and 20 euro notes |
| Supplies overall | At least 3 to 7 days |
The brochure also suggests that once a crisis is announced, you can fill the bath with water. Our guide to how much water to store works through the sums.
What the list contains
Documents and information
Copies of important documents in waterproof wrapping (passport, ID card, driving licence, certificates), a list of important phone numbers, a portable radio, cash, a waterproof notepad and stationery, and a printed road map of Latvia.
Food and water
Calorie-rich food with a long shelf life that needs no preparation; a multi-function pocket knife; a can opener; a spoon, fork and knife or a spork; a sturdy bowl and mug; bottled drinking water; water for hygiene; a spirit cooker; a water filter; disinfectant tablets; a thermos. Food to stock: tins, root vegetables, pasta, cereals, dried bread, instant soups, flour, oil, hard cheese, coffee, tea, sugar, honey, jam and nuts. Plus baby food and pet food.
Heat and light
A spare charger, a power bank, matches, a lighter, candles, a torch, batteries and spare batteries, warm clothes, spare underwear, comfortable shoes, a sleeping bag, a blanket, a sleeping mat, and a tent if you want to be self-sufficient during an evacuation.
Other
Tape, thread, a needle, scissors, a towel, toilet paper, napkins, disinfectant, hygiene items, your medicines, a home first-aid kit, spare glasses and contact lenses.
The medicine cabinet
Based on advice from the State Emergency Medical Service, the brochure says every home medicine cabinet should contain a painkiller and fever reducer, stomach medicines such as activated charcoal and an anti-diarrhoeal, allergy medicine, anti-anxiety medicine, disinfectant, bandages and scissors, your household's daily medicines, a foil emergency blanket and a thermometer.
How it compares with the other guides
Latvia's list covers 32 of the 51 items we track across 24 official guides, and leaves out none of the items most guides agree on.
- Unusual: Latvia is one of only four guides to list your own cup, plate and cutlery, with Czechia, Austria and Bulgaria, and one of four to list a sleeping mat, with Poland, Czechia and Slovakia.
- Also less common: water purification tablets (6 guides), duct tape (6), a paper map (6) and a change of clothes (5).
- Hygiene water: it gives a separate figure for washing, 10 to 12 litres a day, on top of drinking water. Plan for both if you can.
The bag and the car
For evacuation, the brochure says the bag must be light enough to carry on your own: documents with extra copies on your phone or a memory stick, warm clothes, food, water, snacks, a first-aid kit, essential medicine, a radio and batteries, phone chargers, a power bank, a watertight bag, a notebook and pen, cash and a multi-tool.
It also suggests a car kit: larger 5-litre water bottles, long-life food, a first-aid kit, a torch, jump leads, a printed road map, high-visibility vests, a warning triangle and games for children; in winter add blankets, gloves, warm clothes, boots, an ice scraper and a small snow shovel.
Building your kit
Latvia's brochure is close to a complete kit on its own. Our checklist combines it with the 23 other guides and works out the amounts for your household. For the bag, see our grab bag checklist.