Emergency go bag checklist: what to pack for 72 hours

What to pack when you must leave home fast. A guide based on official advice. The same text is in the free SurvivalZone app and works without internet.

Rules

1. Pack a bag for every member of the household, including children (a lighter one).
2. Keep it somewhere easy to grab, ideally near the door.
3. Every few months check use-by dates of food, medicines and batteries, and swap clothes for the season.

Water and food

1. Bottled water and a filter or water purification tablets.
2. Ready-to-eat, light, high-energy food: bars, dried fruit, nuts.

Health and hygiene

1. A first aid kit and regular medicines, enough for several days.
2. Hygiene and disinfection products, wipes, toilet paper, sanitary pads or nappies if needed.

Documents and money

1. Copies of key documents in a waterproof sleeve and on a USB stick.
2. Cash in small and large notes.
3. On paper: phone numbers of your family and an agreed meeting point.

Light, contact, power

1. A torch or head torch and spare batteries.
2. A battery or hand-crank radio.
3. Phone, a charged power bank, charger and cables.
4. A whistle to call for help.

Clothing and sleeping

1. A change of clothes for the season and rainwear.
2. A sleeping bag or blanket, a mat and a foil emergency blanket.

Tools

1. A penknife or multitool, a lighter, bin bags and a printed map of your area.

Children and pets

1. For a child: a favourite toy or book, snacks, nappies and formula.
2. For a pet: food, a bowl, a lead and its vaccination record.

Watch out

• Keep the bag light. Only pack what you can carry on foot for a long time.
• This list is general. Add what your household needs, such as glasses, a hearing aid or a child's medicines.

See also

• Evacuate in 10 minutes
• My 72-hour plan

Frequently asked questions

What should be in a go bag?

Water and food, a first aid kit and medicines, copies of documents and cash, a torch, a radio, a power bank, spare clothes, a foil blanket, a penknife and a printed map. The full list is above.

How much water should I pack?

Official guides recommend storing 2–3 litres of water per person per day at home. Pack as much water as you can carry in the bag and add a filter or purification tablets.

Where should I keep my go bag?

Somewhere easy to reach near the door, so anyone in the household can grab it in seconds.

Keep it on your phone

SurvivalZone is a free app for every emergency, with no account and no app store. It works without internet and shows the nearest shelters and help points, local radio, a 72-hour plan and a mountain trip planner.

Thank you for reading. If this could help someone, send it to the people you care about. Getting ready takes a moment, and in a crisis every minute counts.

Coming soon: the app’s permanent address will be survivalzone.app.

Other guides

• 💧 How to make water safe
• 🍲 Food without power
• ⛺ Shelter at home and outdoors
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Protecting your family and yourself
• 💊 Run out of medicine
• 🩹 Home first aid kit
• 🔦 Prepare your home for a blackout
• ✈️ Air travel: a safe trip
• 🏜️ Desert trip

All scenarios →

Sources

• Ready.gov: Build a kit
• Polish government Safety Guide 2025 (PDF, Polish): go bag p. 27–28, first aid kit p. 22, power cut p. 34
• BBK (Germany): supplies and emergency bag materials
• Government Centre for Security (Poland)

Official sources are checked automatically every day. Last check: 2026-10-22.

General guidance only; it does not replace the emergency services. If a life is in danger, call 112.