Emergency Kit Checklist
Build a 72-hour emergency go-bag your household can grab and go — water, food, documents, first aid, power, tools and communication in one ready-made list. Star the must-haves, tick items off as you pack them, and an essentials alert makes sure nothing life-saving gets left behind.
Essentials still to pack (19)
- Water — 1 gallon per person per day
- At least a 3-day supply for each person
- 3-day supply of non-perishable food
- Manual can opener
- Copies of IDs & passports (waterproof bag)
- Emergency contact list
- Stocked first aid kit
- Prescription medications (7-day supply)
- Flashlight or head torch
- Spare batteries
- Power bank / portable charger
- Multi-tool or pocket knife
- Whistle to signal for help
- Battery or hand-crank radio (NOAA)
- Fully charged mobile phone
- Printed local maps
- Cash in small bills & coins
- Change of clothes per person
- Emergency blanket or sleeping bag
Water
Food & Supplies
Important Documents
First Aid & Medications
Power & Lighting
Tools & Safety
Communication & Navigation
Personal, Cash & Comfort
About Emergency Kit Checklist
The Emergency Kit Checklist is a browser-based tool for assembling a 72-hour emergency go-bag — the supplies your household would need to be self-sufficient for three days if a disaster forced you to shelter in place or evacuate at short notice. Whether you're preparing for a hurricane, wildfire, flood, earthquake, power outage or winter storm, the principle is the same: the moment you need these things is the worst possible moment to be shopping for them. This checklist starts you off with the supplies emergency agencies recommend, grouped into eight practical categories: Water, Food & Supplies, Important Documents, First Aid & Medications, Power & Lighting, Tools & Safety, Communication & Navigation, and Personal, Cash & Comfort.
Its standout feature is the essentials alert. The truly life-saving items — water, non-perishable food, a manual can opener, first aid kit, medications, flashlight, radio, whistle, cash and a warm blanket — are starred, and any starred item you haven't packed yet is collected into a single highlighted panel at the top of the page. You can star or un-star anything to match your own household's needs. Set the number of people and days of supply to keep the scale of your kit in view, tick items off as you gather them, and watch the progress bar fill. Set a "review by" date so you remember to rotate water, food and medications before they expire. Everything saves automatically to your browser's local storage — no account, nothing sent to a server — and you can print a PDF for the bag or export a backup. Planning to leave home for a trip instead? See the Camping Packing Checklist and the Travel Document Checklist.
How to Use Emergency Kit Checklist
- Name your kit (home go-bag, car kit, office kit) and set the number of people and days of supply — three days is the standard minimum for a 72-hour kit.
- Work through each category. Remove anything that doesn't apply with the trash icon, and add supplies specific to your household — medications, baby or pet items, mobility aids — in the "Add an item" field, then press Enter or tap the + button.
- Star the items you consider essential (many are pre-starred). Tap the star on any item to add or remove it from the essentials list.
- As you buy or gather each item and put it in the bag, tick its checkbox. The progress bar and per-category counts update instantly.
- Watch the amber "Essentials still to pack" panel — it only clears when every starred item is packed, so treat it as your final readiness gate.
- Set a "Review by" date (for example six months out) so the header reminds you to rotate water, food and medication before they expire.
- Use "Download PDF" for a printable copy to keep with the kit, or Export to back up your list and copy it to another device.
Tip: store one gallon of water per person per day. For a family of four over three days that's twelve gallons — pack water and non-perishable food first, because those are the supplies you truly cannot improvise in an emergency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 72-hour emergency kit?
A 72-hour kit — also called a go-bag or bug-out bag — holds enough water, food and supplies for each member of your household to survive on their own for three days. Three days is the common minimum because that's roughly how long it can take for emergency services and utilities to reach or restore an affected area after a major disaster.
How much water should I pack?
The standard guidance is one gallon (about 4 litres) per person per day, covering both drinking and basic hygiene. For a 3-day kit that's three gallons per person. Store more if you have pets, live in a hot climate, or include anyone who is pregnant, ill or nursing.
What does the star (essential) do?
Starring an item marks it as life-saving. Every starred item you haven't packed yet appears in the amber "Essentials still to pack" panel at the top, so the must-haves can't get lost among the nice-to-haves. Key supplies are pre-starred, but you can star or un-star anything to suit your household.
How often should I check and refresh my kit?
Review your kit at least every six months. Rotate stored water and food before their use-by dates, refresh medications and check batteries, and update documents and clothing sizes — especially for growing children. Use the "Review by" date field so the tool reminds you when it's due.
Should I build a separate kit for my car?
Yes, if you can. A smaller car kit means you're covered if an emergency happens while you're away from home or stuck on the road. Create a second list here (name it "Car kit"), scale it down, and keep essentials like water, snacks, a blanket, a flashlight and a first aid kit in the vehicle.
Is my data private?
Yes. Your checklist, ticks and kit details are stored only in your browser's local storage on this device. Nothing is uploaded to any server and there's no account. Clearing your browser data removes the saved list, so keep a JSON export if it matters to you.
Can I add my own categories or items?
You can add and remove items in any category using the field at the bottom of each card and the trash icon on each item. The eight categories are fixed, but they cover most needs — add specialised supplies (infant care, pet needs, medical devices, important tools) as items in the closest matching category.
Can I print it or save a PDF?
Yes. Click "Download PDF" for a clean, two-column printable version with tick boxes and stars on the essentials. In the print dialog choose your printer for a paper copy to keep inside the bag, or "Save as PDF" to store a digital copy on your phone.