Earthquake Emergency Kit: What to Include (Printable List)

An earthquake emergency kit should let you get by for at least 72 hours without outside help: water, food, first aid, light, a battery radio, documents and warm clothing. Earthquakes cannot be predicted and, after a strong one, water, power and communications can fail for hours or days; that is why civil protection guides usually recommend that level of self-reliance. Below you will find a printable checklist by category, how to assemble the kit and how often to check it.

Printable earthquake emergency kit checklist

Print this page (Ctrl + P or Cmd + P) and tick each item once it is in your kit.

Water and food

• ☐ Drinking water: at least 3 liters (about 0.8 gallon) per person per day, for 3 days (some guides recommend 4 liters; more in hot weather or with children, pregnant women or pets).
• ☐ Non-perishable food that needs no cooking: canned food, cereal bars, nuts.
• ☐ Manual can opener.
• ☐ Food and water for pets, if you have them.

Health and hygiene

• ☐ First aid kit: bandages, sterile gauze, medical tape, scissors, tweezers, disposable gloves, antiseptic and pain relievers.
• ☐ Regular medication for at least 7 days, along with a list of doses.
• ☐ Dust masks (N95 or similar).
• ☐ Toilet paper, wet wipes, garbage bags and hand sanitizer.

Light, power and communication

• ☐ Flashlight (LED is best) and spare batteries. Avoid candles: they can start fires if there are gas leaks.
• ☐ Battery-powered or hand-crank radio.
• ☐ Whistle, so rescuers can find you if you are trapped.
• ☐ Charged power bank and charging cable.
• ☐ Printed list of emergency contacts and a family meeting point.

Documents and cash

• ☐ Copies of ID, insurance policies, property deeds and medical information, in a waterproof bag.
• ☐ Cash in small bills: ATMs and card payments may not work.

Protection and warmth

• ☐ Sturdy shoes and a change of warm clothes for each person.
• ☐ Thermal or wool blanket.
• ☐ Work gloves and a multitool.

Special needs

• ☐ Babies: diapers, formula and bottles.
• ☐ Older adults: spare glasses, hearing aids with batteries and medication.
• ☐ Pets: leash, ID collar and carrier.

How to assemble the kit step by step

1. Choose a sturdy container that is easy to carry: a backpack or a plastic box with a lid.
2. Organize the contents in clear, labeled bags: water and food, health, light and communication, documents and warm clothing.
3. Store it near the exit or in a safe, accessible spot, and avoid basements or closets that are hard to open. If you have a car, keep a smaller kit there with water, a blanket, a flashlight and first aid supplies.
4. Tell everyone in the family where it is and what it holds.

How often to check the kit

Check it every six months, for example at the change of season: look at the expiration dates of food, water and medication, and the state of the batteries. Update documents and phone numbers once a year, and adjust the contents when the family's needs change (a baby, an older relative, a new pet).

The kit is only one part: what to do during and after

The kit covers the first hours, but what protects you most during the shaking is knowing how to act. Read What to Do During and After an Earthquake and How to Prepare for an Earthquake, and set up a family plan: meeting points, safe spots at home and who picks up the children. If you want to understand what an earthquake's numbers mean, see Richter and Mercalli Scales.

Vigía, the alerts feature of Contingencias Premium, also notifies you of earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or higher within 100 km (about 60 miles); these are starting values, which you can adjust. It is an after-the-fact notice: it does not anticipate the earthquake. Learn about Vigía.