Build a 72-Hour Emergency Kit
A grab-and-go kit covers the first three days of any disruption — power outage, storm, wildfire smoke, or evacuation. Build it from things you mostly already own.
🟠 What to do now
Most urgent first. You do not have to finish the list to be safer.
- Find one bag, backpack or tote you can carry.
- Put in any water bottles you already own, filled.
- Add three days of food that needs no cooking.
- Add a flashlight, a charged power bank and cables.
- Add three days of medication and a written medication list.
- Add photocopies or phone photos of ID, plus some cash in small bills.
- Put the bag near the door you'd actually leave by.
What this is
- An emergency kit is simply the supplies you'd need if stores, taps, power or transport stopped for a few days.
- On Vancouver Island the most likely reasons are a multi-day wind storm outage, a wildfire evacuation, an atmospheric river flood, or an earthquake.
- A common misunderstanding is that a kit must be expensive gear. Most of a good kit is ordinary household items you already have, gathered into one place.
Warning signs
Early warning signs
- Weather warnings for wind, rain or heat
- Wildfire smoke drifting in
- News of a nearby outage or road closure
Serious warning signs
- Evacuation alert issued for your area
- Boil-water advisory
- Outage expected to last more than 12 hours
Immediate danger signs
- Evacuation order
- Fire, gas smell, or structural damage
- Rising water near your home
Where official alerts come from
- Alertable and Emergency Info BC
- Emergency Management Cowichan updates
- Environment and Climate Change Canada weather alerts
- BC Wildfire Service
Prepare ahead — by the time you have
I have 5 minutes
- Write your out-of-area contact on paper and put it in your wallet.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone.
- Fill and store two water bottles.
I have 1 hour
- Gather everything above into one bag.
- Photograph your ID, prescriptions and important documents and email them to yourself.
- Walk your exit route and check the door isn't blocked.
I have 1 day
- Add a small first-aid kit, whistle, emergency blanket, and a change of warm clothes.
- Add a hand-crank or battery radio.
- Make a second, smaller kit for your vehicle, work or school.
Long-term improvement
- Build toward 72 hours, then a week.
- Set a twice-a-year reminder (when clocks change) to rotate food, water and batteries.
- Add a comfort item, a paper map, and a printed contact card.
Supplies, in three levels
Start at Level 1. Everything here has a purpose and a cheaper alternative where one is safe.
Level 1 — Essentials
The minimum that makes you safer today.
- 4 L water per person per dayWhy: Drinking, cooking and basic washing. Dehydration hits before hunger does.Low-cost option: Rinsed 2 L pop bottles filled with tap water, dated and swapped every 6 months.
- 3 days of no-cook foodWhy: You may have no power or stove.Low-cost option: Peanut butter, canned beans with pull tabs, crackers, oats, dried fruit.
- Flashlight or headlampWhy: Candles start fires; a headlamp keeps hands free.Low-cost option: Dollar-store LED light plus spare batteries.
- Phone power bank + cableWhy: Alerts, maps and contact numbers live on your phone.Low-cost option: Ask outreach programs — power banks are commonly handed out.
- 3 days of medication + written listWhy: Pharmacies may be closed or unreachable.Low-cost option: Ask your pharmacist about an emergency supply; it's often covered.
- Copies of ID and a contact cardWhy: Replacing ID is slow; a paper copy speeds up help.Low-cost option: Photos on your phone plus one paper copy in a sealed bag.
Level 2 — Better prepared
Roughly 72 hours to seven days.
- First-aid kitWhy: Cuts, blisters and burns are the most common emergency injuries.Low-cost option: Build your own: bandages, gauze, tape, gloves, tweezers, painkillers.
- Emergency blanket and warm layersWhy: Hypothermia is possible here even in spring rain.Low-cost option: Wool blanket, toque, dry socks — thrift stores are fine.
- Battery or crank radioWhy: Official information when cell networks are down.Low-cost option: Second-hand radios are common and inexpensive.
- Sanitation suppliesWhy: Toilets stop working when water or sewer stops.Low-cost option: Bucket, heavy garbage bags, kitty litter, wipes, hand sanitiser.
- N95 masksWhy: Wildfire smoke and dust.Low-cost option: Free at many clinics and outreach programs.
- Cash in small billsWhy: Card machines fail in outages.Low-cost option: Set aside $20 in fives over a month.
Level 3 — Extended resilience
Longer disruptions, built gradually.
- Two weeks of water storage or a treatment methodWhy: Long disruptions outlast bottled water.Low-cost option: Food-grade jugs plus unscented household bleach for disinfection.
- Camp stove and fuel (outdoor use only)Why: Hot food and boiled water for a week or more.Low-cost option: A single-burner butane stove is inexpensive; use it outside only.
- Deeper pantry (2–4 weeks)Why: Removes urgency from a supply disruption.Low-cost option: Buy one extra shelf-stable item per shop.
- Solar charger or larger batteryWhy: Keeps phones and medical equipment running.Low-cost option: Start with a bigger power bank before buying solar.
- Repair supplies and toolsWhy: Tarps, duct tape and a wrench cover most short-term fixes.Low-cost option: Thrift and free-cycle groups.
Different living situations
No house, car, garage or credit card assumed.
House or apartment
You likely have the most storage. Keep supplies near an exit, not in a locked shed or a deep basement you may not be able to reach.
Single rented room
Think in one tote and one backpack. Under the bed and the back of a closet are your storage. Flat, stackable items beat bulky ones.
Shelter or supportive housing
Ask staff about the building's emergency plan, exits and medication storage. Keep a small personal pouch with ID copies, meds and phone charger on you.
Vehicle
Keep weight low and spread out. Water, warm layers, a light and a phone charger matter most. Never cook or run a heater inside a closed vehicle.
Tent or sleeping outside
Dry beats big. Prioritise waterproofing, warmth off the ground, a light, water and a whistle. Keep the essentials in one bag you can grab and carry.
Workplace or school
A small desk or locker kit — water, a snack, a light, comfortable shoes, meds and a contact card — covers most of what you'd need to get home.
Moving between places
Carry your plan on paper and in your phone. Copies of ID, a contact card and your medication list travel with you; bulk supplies stay with someone you trust.
Accessibility, health and medication
- Mobility: keep supplies at waist height and in a bag you can pull or carry. Store a spare cane, walker part or wheelchair repair kit if you rely on one.
- Vision: label items with large print or texture tape and keep a torch and spare glasses in a fixed, known spot.
- Hearing: turn on text-based emergency alerts, keep a written note card of key needs, and ask someone to text you rather than call.
- Cognitive: use a short one-page plan with pictures or few words. Practise the first three steps only.
- Medication: keep a written list of names, doses and prescriber. Ask your pharmacy about an emergency supply.
- Refrigerated medication: keep a small cooler and ice packs ready, know how long your medication stays usable warm, and ask your pharmacist to confirm.
- Powered equipment (oxygen, CPAP, lifts): register with BC Hydro's medical program, keep a charged backup battery, and know the nearest place with power.
- Service animals: pack water, food, and a copy of vaccination records; a service animal is allowed with you in reception centres.
- Mental health: emergencies make everything louder. Slow down, use the grounding steps, and reach a crisis line at 988 or 1-888-494-3888.
- Substance use: never use alone during a disruption. Carry naloxone, and check it hasn't expired.
- Limited English or reading: use picture cards, keep translated key phrases, and ask an outreach worker to help write your plan.
Children, seniors and pets
- Infants: formula or feeding supplies for 3 days, extra diapers, wipes, and a warm layer. If breastfeeding, water and food for the parent is the priority.
- Children: a familiar toy or blanket, a photo of family with names and numbers on the back, and their own small backpack they choose.
- Seniors: extra medication, glasses, hearing-aid batteries, mobility aids, and a written list of conditions and doctors.
- Pets: 3 days of food and water, a leash or carrier, vaccination records, a photo of you with the pet, and waste bags. Reception centres vary — ask, and never leave a pet behind.
🚫 Mistakes to avoid
- Do not wait for a perfect kit. A half kit today beats a perfect kit next year.
- Do not skip rent, food or medication to buy survival gear.
- Do not run a generator, barbecue, camp stove or charcoal indoors, in a tent, or in a vehicle — carbon monoxide is invisible and fatal.
- Do not store everything in one place you might not be able to reach.
- Do not rely only on your phone; batteries die and networks jam.
- Do not drive or walk into moving water, smoke, or past a barricade.
Recovery afterward
First hour
- Account for everyone.
- Treat injuries and call 911 if needed.
- Stay out of damaged buildings.
First day
- Replace what you used before you forget.
- Write down what was missing from the kit.
- Photograph any damage.
First week
- Restock food, water and batteries.
- Refill medication.
- Talk to someone about how it went — stress lands after the event, not during it.
Longer recovery
- Improve the one weak point you noticed.
- Help a neighbour set up their own kit.
- Set your next review date.
☎️ Numbers worth writing down
- Fire, police, ambulance: 911 — Life-threatening emergency, fire, or someone not breathing.
- HealthLink BC: 811 — Free 24/7 nurse advice when you're not sure it's a 911 situation.
- Poison control (BC): 1-800-567-8911 — Swallowed, breathed in, or spilled anything harmful.
- 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: 988 — Call or text, 24/7, anywhere in Canada.
- Vancouver Island Crisis Line: 1-888-494-3888 — 24/7 local mental-health and emotional support.
- BC Hydro outages: 1-888-769-3766 — Report an outage or a downed line (stay 10 m back).
- Emergency Info BC: EmergencyInfoBC.gov.bc.ca — Current evacuation alerts and orders.
Personal notes: ______________________________________________
Date last checked: ____________________
Key takeaways
- Aim for 72 hours of water, food, light, and warmth per person.
- Use a backpack or tote you can carry to the car in one trip.
- Check and refresh the kit twice a year when clocks change.
Step-by-step
- Start with water and food. Pack 4 litres of water per person per day and easy no-cook food like granola bars, canned goods with a pull tab, and peanut butter.
- Add light and power. Include a flashlight or headlamp, spare batteries, and a power bank for your phone.
- Cover warmth and shelter. Add an emergency blanket, a change of clothes, and a rain layer.
- Pack the small essentials. A basic first-aid kit, medications, copies of ID, some cash, and a hand-crank or battery radio.
✅ Printable checklist
- 4L water per person, per day (3 days)
- No-cook food for 3 days
- Flashlight + spare batteries
- Phone power bank + cable
- First-aid kit + 3 days of medications
- Emergency blanket + warm layer
- Copies of ID, cash, contact list