Lithuania's official guide, If war or crisis comes: what should I do (in Lithuanian, Jei krizė arba karas: kaip elgtis), is a booklet for all residents from the Ministry of National Defence. It explains how to get through the first three days until the state restores services. Here is its home list and its evacuation bag, the amounts it gives, and how it compares with the other 23 national guides we compiled.
The official guide
| Title | If war or crisis comes: what should I do (Jei krizė arba karas: kaip elgtis) |
| Publisher | Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania |
| Year | 2024 |
| Horizon | 3 days |
| Link | English PDF (EU Civil Protection Knowledge Network) |
A note on sources: Lithuania's preparedness site, lt72.lt, was behind a bot check, so we used the 2024 booklet. The text of the English PDF only partly extracts, so we checked the details below against the Lithuanian edition.
The amounts it gives
- Water: about 9 to 12 litres per person for 3 days, for food and hygiene. That is 3 to 4 litres a day.
- Food: enough for your family for at least 3 days.
- Medicines: enough for at least a month for older people who need them.
- Car: drive with a full tank, and refill when it drops to half.
The booklet adds that water in the toilet cistern is usable if it hasn't gone stale, and suggests a travel water filter or purification tablets so you could use water from lakes and rivers. Our guide to how much water to store covers bottles and containers.
What to keep at home
- A first-aid kit
- Cash, preferably in smaller notes
- Power: rechargeable power banks and batteries
- A multi-tool knife
- Light: torches and candles; matches or lighters
- A camping gas stove for cooking
- A radio with spare batteries
- A fire extinguisher
- Warm blankets and sleeping bags
- An evacuation bag, in case you need to leave
Food to stock
Tinned meat, freeze-dried food, dried meat, protein and carbohydrate mixes, oats, dark chocolate, cereal and protein bars, dried bread and crispbread, dried fruit, and nuts or halva. Store it somewhere dry and dark, and choose food you can eat without water or heating.
First aid
For each family member, the booklet recommends a standard first-aid kit like the one in a car, two tourniquets, and extra key medicines. It suggests painkillers and fever reducers, remedies for diarrhoea, constipation and heartburn, an antihistamine, an antiseptic, and your family's daily medicines.
The evacuation bag
The booklet sorts the bag into three tiers.
| Tier | Items |
|---|---|
| Essential | Food and water for 3 days; a water filter or tablets; a first-aid kit and hydrogen peroxide; a sleeping bag or sturdy blanket; a basic set of clothes; key documents, cash and jewellery |
| Important | Waterproof cases for cash and documents; a head torch with spare batteries; a radio with spare batteries; a multi-tool; matches or a lighter in a waterproof box; a power bank and cable; printed photos of your family |
| Additional | A foil blanket; a tarp for shelter; a change of clothes; 12 litres of water in small bottles; toiletries; a pencil and notebook; more power banks; cutlery and a light plate; a respirator; at least 3 m of rope; binoculars; baby food, nappies and wipes; toys or books for children; a scarf; a carabiner; a sewing kit; a raincoat; wire |
The printed family photos are a thoughtful touch: they help others search for someone if you are separated. Our grab bag checklist covers the same ground.
How it compares with the other guides
Lithuania's list covers 26 of the 51 items we track across 24 official guides, and leaves out none of the items most guides agree on. Less common items on its list include water purification tablets (6 guides), foil survival blankets (8), masks (9), a fire extinguisher (9) and games or books (7).
The booklet's medicine advice stands out for its detail. It is also written for a security crisis: it covers mobilisation, what to do under air threat and how to resist disinformation, alongside the kit.
Building your kit
Lithuania's home list and bag together make a full 72-hour kit. Our checklist combines them with the 23 other guides and works out the amounts for your household.