Emergency kit checklist

The logic

Not one bag but two separate preparations

The go-bag (72 hours). It stands by the door, can be picked up with one hand and carried on your back. Be realistic about weight: a bag you cannot carry stays in the hallway. Eight to ten kilos for an adult, and two or three for a child carrying their own, are sensible limits.

Home supplies (one week). For when you can stay at home but the water and power are cut. Keep them on a kitchen shelf, separate from the go-bag so the two do not get mixed up in a hurry.

Put the bag not under a bed but as close to the door as possible, and make sure everyone in the house knows where it is. Leave a pair of sturdy shoes and a whistle beside it; in a night evacuation those are what people look for first.

Core list

What every household needs

Water and food

3 litres of water per person per day — at least 3 litres in the bag, 7 days at home
Water purification tablets or drops
Food that keeps: nuts, dried fruit, biscuits, tinned food
A tin opener that needs no power
Energy bars or gels (small volume, high calorie)
Salt and sugar (for oral rehydration)

Light, power, communication

Torch and head lamp — do not use candles; gas leak risk
Spare batteries, bagged separately
A charged power bank and cables
Battery or wind-up radio
A whistle — shouting burns energy fast, a whistle does not
Spare charger and a car adapter

Health

First aid kit: sterile gauze, bandages, plasters, scissors, gloves
Regular medication — at least 7 days, in its packaging
Painkillers, fever reducer, anti-diarrhoeal
Antiseptic solution
Spare glasses, contact lens solution
Photographs of prescriptions and medical reports

Shelter and clothing

Foil emergency blanket — very light, very effective
Raincoat or tarpaulin
One change of clothes, thick socks
Sturdy closed shoes — beside the bag
Work gloves, dust mask
Thin blanket or sleeping bag

Hygiene

Wet wipes, hand sanitiser, soap
Toilet paper, rubbish bags
Sanitary pads / tampons
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Small towel

Documents and money

Copies of ID and passport in a waterproof bag
Copies of deeds, tenancy agreement, insurance policy
Health card, vaccination record
Small notes and coins — card readers may not work
A copy of your family disaster plan
Phone numbers of relatives — written on paper

A paper copy of your contacts looks unnecessary — until the phone dies. If you do not know a single number by heart, that sheet of paper is the most valuable thing in the bag.

By household

What to add

Standard lists are written for an average adult. The additions below are the items most often forgotten during an evacuation and most badly missed afterwards.

Babies and young children

A 72-hour baby bag

Formula, bottle, spare dummy; clean water set aside separately
Nappies, barrier cream, wet wipes (more than you think)
Spare clothes — more than one change
A sling or carrier — carrying in arms occupies both hands
A familiar toy or blanket — the soothing effect is real
A wristband with the child's name, date of birth and a carer's number

Older people and chronic conditions

Needs that cannot be interrupted

Seven days of medication with a written dose schedule
Blood pressure monitor, glucose meter, spare test strips
Spare glasses, hearing aid batteries, denture care kit
Walking stick or frame; non-slip shoes
A small cool bag for medication needing refrigeration
A written list of diagnoses, medication and the doctor's contact

Disabled household members

Equipment and communication

Wheelchair spares and a puncture repair kit
Chargers and spare batteries for devices; a plan for power cuts
A communication card or tablet if speech is difficult
Food, bowl and lead for a guide dog
Catheter or stoma care supplies
A personal support plan: who helps, and how transfers are done

Pets

For admission to shelters

A carrier — most shelter sites will not accept uncrated animals
Three days of food and water, a folding bowl
Lead, muzzle, spare harness
Copies of the vaccination record and microchip number
A photograph of you together (proof of ownership)
Cat litter or puppy pads, and bags

In the car

The small set that lives in the vehicle

1.5 litres of water and food that keeps
Shoes, gloves, a foil blanket
Torch and power bank
A small first aid kit
A paper road map — for when the phone does not work
The habit of never letting the tank drop below half

Maintenance

Twenty minutes, twice a year

Refresh the water, check food dates
Check medication expiry and replace anything used
Take the batteries out and test them — a leaking cell ruins the whole bag
Fully charge the power bank
Update children's clothing and shoe sizes
Confirm document copies are still valid
Check the numbers on the family disaster plan

Use the clock changes as your reminder: twice a year, the same weekend. Put it in the calendar today.

Next step

Family disaster plan — fillable

With the kit ready, the plan is half an hour's work: meeting points, an off-island contact, who collects whom.

Open the template

Related guide

Reducing non-structural risks at home

The best way to need the kit less is to leave nothing in the house that can fall on you.

Open the guide

References

Where the information on this page comes from

The list headings and quantities are adapted from the guides below. The household-specific additions were made by TAKDER with Cypriot households in mind.

North Cyprus guidance: TRNC Civil Defence Organisation. Beklenilmeyene Hazır Olmak (Being ready for the unexpected). sivilsavunma.gov.ct.tr
Kit contents and the 72-hour principle: FEMA / Ready.gov. Build a Kit. ready.gov
Water quantities and hygiene standards: Sphere Association (2018). The Sphere Handbook: Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response, WASH chapter. spherestandards.org
Disability-inclusive preparedness: Inter-Agency Standing Committee (2019). Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action. interagencystandingcommittee.org

Links go to the publisher; last accessed 11 September 2026. If you spot an error in a citation, tell us and we will correct it.