How to Build a 72-Hour Emergency Kit for a Family of 4

The “72-hour kit” idea comes from FEMA’s own guidance: in a serious emergency, it may take rescue and relief services up to 72 hours to reach you. Your family should be able to manage on its own for those three days.

For most people, that goal sounds reasonable but building toward it feels vague. How much food, exactly? How many gallons of water? What kind of container?

This guide answers those questions specifically — for a family of four adults (adjust quantities if your family includes young children or elderly members, as noted throughout). You’ll end up with a complete kit your family can rely on, organized so you can actually find things when you need them.

Before You Start: Two Ways to Build This Kit

Option 1: Buy a pre-assembled kit and build on it.

A quality pre-built kit like the Sustain Supply Co. Premium Emergency Survival Kit for 2 people gives you a solid foundation — bags, food, water, and the basics already assembled. For a family of four, buy two of these and supplement with the items below. It’s faster and often cheaper than sourcing everything individually, especially when you factor in your time.

Option 2: Build it from scratch.

More control over quality, more flexibility on budget. Takes more time but lets you choose exactly what goes in. This guide covers both approaches — the quantities and recommendations below apply either way.

Step 1: Water (the Most Important Item on This List)

The math for a family of 4:

1 gallon per person per day
3 days = 12 gallons minimum
That’s three 4-gallon water jugs, or roughly 8 standard cases of 16.9oz bottles

What to store:

Commercial bottled water is fine and easy
For a more compact option, collapsible water containers or 5-gallon food-grade jugs take up less space than cases of bottles and are easier to transport
Label everything with the date you filled or purchased it — commercial water has a “best by” date but doesn’t expire in the dangerous sense; stored tap water should be rotated every 6 months

Backup water access:

Even with stored water, add a portable filter. The LifeStraw Personal Water Filter filters up to 1,000 gallons and removes 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.9% of protozoa from natural water sources. It’s a small, lightweight insurance policy.
Alternative: water purification tablets are cheap, effective, and virtually weightless — worth adding to any kit

For families with young children:

Add extra water for formula preparation, sponge baths, and oral hygiene
Budget an additional half-gallon per young child per day

Step 2: Food (3 Days, 4 People)

The math:

2,000–2,200 calories per adult per day is a reasonable target
For 4 adults over 3 days: ~24,000–26,000 total calories
Children typically need 1,200–2,000 depending on age and size

What to include:

Category	Items	Notes
Ready-to-eat proteins	Canned tuna, salmon, chicken, sardines	No cooking required
Carbs / energy	Crackers, granola bars, trail mix, oats	High calorie density
Peanut butter	Individual serving packets or a large jar	Long shelf life, high calorie density
Canned or pouched meals	Chili, soup, beans	Require a can opener; minimal prep
Comfort foods	Chocolate, cookies, instant coffee or tea	Morale matters during stress
Emergency food supply	Pre-packaged 72-hour emergency meals	Best backup; see below

Recommended emergency food kit: The ReadyWise Emergency Food Supply provides 72 hours of calorie-dense meals for one person, with a 25-year shelf life. For a family of four, you’d want four units, or pair one with your existing pantry staples for a 72-hour window.

Cooking setup: If power is out, your stove may not work (especially gas stoves with electric igniters). Include:

A camp stove or single-burner propane burner (used outdoors or in well-ventilated spaces only)
A small pot and pan
Eating utensils, paper plates or lightweight camp dishes
A manual can opener — often forgotten, always needed

Step 3: Light and Power

Power outages are the most common emergency scenario, and darkness makes everything harder.

Lighting:

1 LED headlamp per adult — the Energizer Pro360 Headlamp is a top choice: long battery life, comfortable fit, and bright enough to navigate confidently
Extra AA or AAA batteries in the size your headlamps use
1–2 battery-powered or solar lanterns for shared spaces
Candles as backup, with matches or lighters (observe fire safety — never leave unattended)

Phone and device charging:

The Anker PowerCore 20000 holds enough charge to fully recharge a modern iPhone 4–5 times, or an Android phone 3–4 times
Buy one per two adults, or one large-capacity bank for the whole family
Keep it charged — plug it in monthly if you’re not using it, or it’ll be dead when you need it

Step 4: First Aid and Health

Basic first aid kit should include:

Medications: This is the most important and most personalized item in your kit. Make sure you have:

A minimum 3-day supply of all prescription medications — ideally 1–2 weeks
Any over-the-counter medications your family relies on regularly
Children’s medications in correct dosages
EpiPens if anyone in your family has severe allergies

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about getting an emergency supply or backup prescription. Many will accommodate this request if you explain why.

Additional health items:

Hand sanitizer (minimum 1 bottle)
Feminine hygiene products
Infant supplies if applicable: diapers, formula, any medication
Extra glasses or contacts (and solution)

Step 5: Documents, Cash, and Communication

Documents to include (copies, in a waterproof envelope or pouch):

Government-issued IDs for all family members
Passports
Health insurance cards
Proof of homeowners or renters insurance
Bank account numbers and key financial contacts
Emergency contact list (written, not just in your phone)
Medical information: conditions, medications, doctor contacts
Pet vaccination records if applicable

Cash:

ATMs and card readers require electricity and network connectivity — both may be unavailable
Keep $100–$200 in small bills (ones, fives, twenties)
Store it in your kit, not your wallet

Communication:

Battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio — essential for keeping up with storm developments when the internet is down
Backup power bank (mentioned above under lighting)
Written or laminated family emergency plan: your meeting point, out-of-state contact, children’s school protocol

Step 6: Tools and Miscellaneous

These items don’t fit a single category but belong in every kit:

For households with pets:

3 days of pet food
Pet medications
Collar with current tags and vaccination records
Carrier or leash
Portable water bowl

Step 7: Choose the Right Container

Your kit needs a container that’s accessible, organized, and reasonably easy to move.

For home storage:

A large plastic tote (20–30 gallon) works well for the full household kit
Use smaller bags or zippered pouches inside to organize categories: food, first aid, documents, tools
Label everything

For a go bag (evacuation scenario):

One backpack per adult is ideal — each adult carries their own gear
A pre-assembled kit like the Sustain Supply Co. kit includes a well-designed 2-person bag; buy two for your family
Make sure your bag is comfortable to carry for several hours — an uncomfortable bag doesn’t get used

Hybrid approach: Keep the bulk of your supplies in a home tote. Keep go bags pre-packed near the exit with the most critical items (documents, water filter, medications, phone charger) ready to grab in 30 seconds.

Putting It Together: A Weekend Plan

Building this kit doesn’t need to be a single project. Here’s a two-weekend approach:

Weekend 1:

Buy water (12+ gallons)
Stock 3 days of food from your pantry — canned goods, crackers, nut butters
Buy or locate a first aid kit
Check that you have headlamps and a battery bank

Weekend 2:

Get your documents together — make copies, put them in a waterproof envelope
Buy any gaps from the checklist: tools, extra batteries, emergency blankets
Organize everything into your storage containers
Write down your emergency plan as a family

Maintenance: What to Do Every 6 Months

Rotate food and water — use the oldest, replace it
Check batteries and battery bank charge levels
Review medications — expiration dates, any prescription changes
Update documents if anything has changed

A brief 30-minute review twice a year keeps the kit useful. The worst outcome is opening your kit during an emergency and finding expired food and dead batteries.

Quick Reference: Family of 4, 72-Hour Kit Totals

Item	Quantity
Water	12+ gallons (3 gal/day × 4 people)
Food	24,000–26,000 calories (~8,000+ cal/day for 4 people)
Headlamps	4 (one per adult)
Battery bank	2 (or 1 high-capacity)
First aid kit	1 comprehensive kit
Days of medications	3 days minimum, 1–2 weeks preferred
Cash	$100–200 in small bills
Emergency radio	1
Documents	1 waterproof pouch
Pet supplies	3 days

Once your 72-hour kit is built, you’re in a much better position than most households. If you want to go further, our guide to emergency preparedness on a $100 budget covers the most cost-effective additions, and our emergency preparedness checklist covers the full household picture beyond your kit.

For official guidance on emergency kit contents, see FEMA’s Build a Kit page at Ready.gov.