10 Things You Must Have In a 72 Hour Kit

In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, it may take emergency crews days to actually reach you. That’s why it’s so important to be prepared with a 72-hour emergency kit. Your kit should include all of the essentials needed for you to survive when you have no other options.

All emergency kits should be organized and stored in a convenient carrier, such as a backpack. This will make your life much easier during a crisis, as you can simply grab it, and go during an evacuation. Your 72 hour kit is also a wise tool to take on biking journeys, hiking trips, road trips, even camp-outs, just in case of an emergency.

Your 72 emergency kit is an essential tool that could actually save your life. Of course, we all hope that a catastrophe will never happen. So, it only makes sense to protect yourself by being prepared. If a disaster strikes, things will get very chaotic around you. At least your emergency kit will be there to give a little peace of mind until things calm down.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is dedicated to promoting emergency preparedness all over the country. FEMA currently recommends that everyone store no less than 3-days’ worth of food storage, water and emergency supplies for each individual in your household. Here are the 10 items you must have in your one-person 72-hour emergency kit:

  1. 9 full-course meal servings – Your emergency food storage should contain non-perishable items, such as canned, dehydrated, freeze-dried foods, etc… Try to make sure your foods are lightweight in case of evacuation. If you include canned foods, don’t forget to add a can opener to your emergency kit.
  2. 3 gallons of water – 1 gallon per person, per day
  3. 1 emergency stove with fuel, or 1 stove in a can with fuel cells, or 1 volcano stove for cooking without gas service during an emergency
  4. Matches – Long matchsticks are best
  5. Cooking tin – Best if it can be used to cook directly over fire
  6. Basic first aid kit – Should include enough bandages
  7. All-in-one tool kit
  8. Battery-powered flashlight
  9. Battery-powered radio
  10. Extra batteries for flashlight and radio

Maintain Your 72 Hour Survival Kit

Ignoring the call to be prepared for an emergency could mean the difference between your life and death. Make it a plan to go through your survival kit at least every six months. This will ensure that all of your supplies are working properly. The last thing you need during a crisis situation is to find out that your batteries no longer work or your stove fuel was used up during your last camping trip. Also, be sure to cycle the food storage in your kit to ensure that your foods are fresh and ready-to-eat when you need them. Be prepared to care for yourself until help arrives with a 72 hour survival kit.

Author Bio

This article was written by content creator, Chett Wright. FoodInsurance.com is an industry leader in emergency food storage. Like the Food Insurance Facebook page for amazing offers, and learn more about freeze dried food from Food Insurance.


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11 thoughts on “10 Things You Must Have In a 72 Hour Kit”

  1. I thank the contributor for his efforts but I wish some of these people would go and put
    a 50-60 pound pack (incl. 3 gallons of water) on their back and buggy-lug it up a hill
    before they recommend it. And that’s not even considering older people or women who, for
    the most part have to carry sufficient supplies for themselves.

    Reply
  2. I agree with what your saying about having to carry such stuff, but I think the author was just trying to give a example of the basic’s to survive, but a person who is out of shape rather due to medical problem are just over weight should take into account what is needed to survive regardless of what else you have to have. A person needs to plan well ahead and not wait till the last minute and either get someone they can depend on to help them are to start our training and exercise to help carry the extra weight, I know I need to I got tired just reading what all you to just survive those 3 days, I am going to start working out and carry that weight around with me plus my everyday carry kit as well. I am thankful when people give of their time and have a web site like this and for people to give advice on this matter I never get tired of reading it, seems like someone always adds to the list that I didn’t think of. I pray that the time never comes that we have to use what we have. I look at it like I would rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. We were a great country at one time now times look bleak and with the things going the way they are we may see stuff that other country’s live with every day but we take for granted. I think it would be neat if you could have a small town set up to where you move for a few days and have to live with no electric and every so often have to fight off a band of looters, and shortages, It would make you think about what your lacking in and what you need improvement in as well.

    Reply
  3. To me the post didn’t say this is what one should have in their pack, it’s the basics for what to ‘survive’ for 72hrs without what you’re use to in everyday life. I understand this post is what the individual should have on hand at home at all times. A pack isn’t always the best option especially with those who have medical issues. Using a 2 wheel dolly to pull or push items within let’s say a 20gal rubbermaid container and wear a small daypack or even use a children’s wagon to carry the items, maybe even get a pack for your dog is a option. People always think that a 72hr kit is something you’ll have to put on your back and fight the hoards of unprepared people in the streets as you are running to the hills. 72hr kits can be tossed into a car, strapped to a bicycle or put into a wagon, or even just sit on a shelf in one’s closet to use if there is an extended power outage, shelter in place order or whatever shtf situation occurs. If you look closer at the list, it doesn’t list other items like clothing, shelter or self defense so to me this 72hr kit is something one should always have on hand at home or even a office setting as the basics.

    Reply
  4. While other here have stated what the jist of the article is, I would offer several caveats to these suggestions.

    1) Food: You do NOT need 9 full-course meals. What you do need is about 5-9K calories, with generous helpings of protein, fats, and carbs. The idea behind a 72 hour kit is mobile sustainment. You are NOT mobile when cooking. It takes time and fuel. I cook 1 meal/day when I hike and eat the rest cold. Food bars, nuts, tuna and other stuff is out there that works without needing to stop every 4-5 hours to cook. Additionally, even if you only evacuate only one day, it’s not BAD food and will be perfectly fine to eat while sitting around waiting for the smoke to clear.

    2) Water purification > water. Three gallons is 21 lb.+ of water, and is simply undoable for most people. I carry a max of 2L unless I’m hiking in the desert. Even if you could hump 3 gal. of water, what if one leaks? Now you’ve lost 1/3 of your supply and are left to trust the gods of clean water with the fate of your bowels.

    3)Matches? Come on. Bic lighter and magnesium/steel are your best friend. Matches are for when you are up crap creek without a paddle. I’ve only had them work in near-ideal conditions, and if it comes to that I’d rather use a camp stove and call it good.

    Not a bad article per se, but my experiences beg me to differ on some points. This would be a very good start for in-home sustainment though. Perhaps that is what the author was going for. Also, TP/sani wipes…anyone whose been there knows.

    Reply
  5. I can see having a tool kit in your car (truck, rv, whatever), but not in a BOB. Food, water, shelter, warmth, light, and communications are the necessities. Hammers, pliers, and screwdrivers aren’t going to help provide those.

    Also, I agree with JJ about the food. For 72-hours all you need is calories. SOS bars, Clif bars, maybe 1 or 2 MRE’s if you want some variety. Pack a zip lock baggie filled with Jolly Ranchers and butterscotch candies. Don’t waste a lot of space in your pack with packages of Mountain House. Most of what’s in the bag is air (why don’t they vacuum pack that stuff to save space?). If you’re worried about nutrients, pack some vitamins in a clean Altoids tin and seal it with wax or duct tape.

    Reply
  6. Basic in this kit are good, though 9 meals is overrated realistically in a ’emergency situation’ you will not be eating in regular cycles. I have found that I eat about 2 meals worth scattered over day. Suggest actually going out for 72 hours and seeing what your food/energy requirements are and adjusting your food load accordingly.Also:
    1. Drop matchs as primary and get with technolgy Bic Lighter. Matchs are ncie backup but the 500 plus flames I get out of one Bic lighter…
    2. Multi tool very handy plus I add a 4 in 1 file and sharpening stone (diamond rod. Keeping tools such as knifes/axes sharp is a key skill and requriemetn if you really use them.
    Stay Safe/Shoot Straight – Chief

    Reply
  7. I was confused at first when I read the 9 full-course meals needed, but then I realized it was talking about a home 72-hr kit, not a bugout bag. I would be impossible to carry that much in a bag

    Reply

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