Emergency kit checklist for Canadian households
Everything a 72-hour kit needs, based on the Government of Canada's list, with quantities. Print it, tick it off, and build your own kit from what you already have.
Water
About 4 L per person per day: 2 L to drink, 2 L for food preparation and hygiene.
- Drinking water: 2 L per person per day for at least 3 days
- Extra water for cooking and washing: 2 L per person per day
- Small bottles or pouches you can carry
- Water purification tablets or unscented household bleach
- Water for pets (about 4 L a day for a dog, 1 L for a cat)
Food
- Food that won't spoil: canned food, energy bars, dried foods (3 days minimum)
- Manual can opener
- Utensils, cups and a pot
- Infant formula and baby food, if needed
- Pet food
Light & communication
- Wind-up or battery flashlight, one per person
- Wind-up or battery radio
- Extra batteries (lithium store longest)
- Power bank and charging cables
- Whistle
First aid & health
- First aid kit
- Prescription medications and a written list with doses
- Pain relievers and other everyday medication
- Spare glasses or contact lenses
- N95 respirators
- Hand sanitizer, soap, toilet paper and garbage bags
Warmth & shelter
- Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
- Change of clothing and sturdy footwear for each person
- Rain gear
- Hand warmers (winter)
Tools & safety
- Multi-tool or basic tools: pliers, wrench, screwdrivers
- Work gloves and dust masks
- Duct tape
- Lighter or matches in a waterproof container
- Battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm
- Fire extinguisher
Documents & money
- Cash in small bills and coins
- Extra keys for your car and home
- Copies of ID, insurance policies and prescriptions in a waterproof pouch
- Your household emergency plan with contact numbers
- A paper map of your area
For your household
- Supplies for infants: diapers, wipes, formula
- Supplies for seniors or people with disabilities: mobility aids, hearing-aid batteries, medical supplies
- Pet carrier, leash, records and medication
- Comfort items and activities for children
Your plan
A kit without a plan is half the job.
- Choose two meeting places: one near home, one outside your neighbourhood
- Pick an out-of-town contact everyone will call
- Know where your water, gas and electrical shut-offs are
- Know your building's exits and your community's evacuation routes
- Put a reminder in your calendar to check the kit once a year
How to use this checklist
Start with what you own. Most households already have half of this list scattered around the house; the work is gathering it into one place, filling the gaps and writing a date on it. Keep the kit somewhere you can reach in the dark, and check it once a year.
Two numbers matter most. Water is about 4 L per person per day, so a family of four needs 48 L for 72 hours. Food should be things you will actually eat that need no fridge and little cooking. Our guides to emergency water and food shelf life go deeper.
Short on time? Go Bag 72 Plus and Family 72 cover the carried part of this list, and the Home Water Kit handles storage.
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