How many days of emergency supplies? What governments actually say
We checked 20 governments. 10 ask for 3 days (72 hours), 4 ask for at least 3 days and up to a week, and 6 ask for a week or more. Germany asks for the most, at 10 days. The direction is clear: more countries are moving from 3 days toward 7.
What your government asks of your household
Pick your country and household size to see the official number of days and how much water that means.
Several days of water and food. FEMA material says at least 3 days.
Drinking water for 2 people. Official figure: 1 gallon (about 3.8 L) per person per day, for drinking and sanitation.
Person-days of food to cover (2 × 3). Pick food that needs no fridge and little or no cooking.
3 days or 7 days: who says what
1 week or more
Germany, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Switzerland, Taiwan
3 days minimum, up to a week
Japan, New Zealand, Latvia, Australia
3 days (72 hours)
United Kingdom, United States, Canada, France, Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Ireland
European Union: The EU Preparedness Union Strategy (March 2025) asks member states to reach population self-sufficiency of at least 72 hours. Source
Official advice, country by country
Every row links to the government's own page. Water is drinking water per person per day unless noted. Rows marked with an asterisk carry a caveat.
| Country | Days | Water | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 3 to 10 days | 2 L per person per day, including 0.5 L for cooking | Federal Office of Civil Protection (BBK) |
| Australia* | 3 to 7 days | Varies by state, commonly 3 L per person per day | State emergency services * We found no single national day count. Follow your state emergency service. |
| Estonia* | 1 week | At least 2 L for drinking plus about 1 L for cooking, per person per day | Estonian Rescue Board / kriis.ee * Some official pages found were older versions. Check olevalmis.ee for the current list. |
| Japan | 3 to 7 days | 3 L per person per day | Disaster Management Agency |
| Latvia* | 3 to 7 days | No daily figure confirmed | Ministry of Defence |
| New Zealand | 3 to 7 days | 3 L per person per day (21 L for a week) | National Emergency Management Agency |
| Norway | 1 week | About 20 L per person for one week | Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) |
| Sweden | 1 week | 3 to 5 L per adult per day for drinking, cooking and basic hygiene | Swedish Agency for Civil Defence (MCF, formerly MSB) |
| Switzerland | 1 week | At least 9 L per person, which covers drinking and cooking for about 3 days | Federal Office for National Economic Supply (BWL) |
| Taiwan | 1 week | At least 3 L per person per day | Ministry of National Defense |
| Canada | 3 days | 2 L per person per day for drinking, cooking and hygiene | Public Safety Canada |
| Denmark | 3 days | 3 L per person per day (9 L for 3 days) | Danish civil protection, Forberedt på kriser |
| Finland | 3 days | About 2 L of drinking water per person per day, plus water for cooking and hygiene | SPEK and the National Emergency Supply Agency |
| France | 3 days | 6 L of bottled water per person | General Secretariat for Defence and National Security (SGDSN) |
| Ireland* | 3 days | 2 to 3 L per person per day | Office of Emergency Planning |
| Lithuania* | 3 days | No daily figure confirmed | lt72.lt |
| Netherlands | 3 days | 3 L per person per day | Government of the Netherlands (Denk vooruit) |
| Poland | 3 days | About 3 L per person per day | Government of Poland |
| United Kingdom | 3 days | 3 L per person per day for drinking, more for cooking and washing | UK Government, Be Ready campaign |
| United States | 3 days | 1 gallon (about 3.8 L) per person per day, for drinking and sanitation | FEMA |
The 72-hour kit, and what 7 days adds
Built from the items that the official lists above have in common. Start with the left column; it is what the UK, Canada, France, the Netherlands and the US all ask for.
72 hours (the minimum)
- Water: 3 days at your country's daily figure (most say 3 L per person)
- Food that needs no fridge and no cooking, plus a manual tin opener
- Torch and spare batteries (safer than candles)
- Battery or wind-up radio
- Charged power bank
- First aid kit and essential medicines
- Some cash in small notes and coins
- Copies of ID, prescriptions and key phone numbers on paper
- Hygiene: wet wipes, hand sanitiser, toilet paper
- Baby, pet and special-diet supplies
7 days (add these)
- Water for 7 days: about 20 L per person (Norway, New Zealand)
- A week of shelf-stable food you already eat, rotated as you use it
- A camping stove and fuel, used outdoors only
- Warm bedding and a plan to keep one room warm without power
- Portable toilet bags and strong bin bags (Japan's request names these)
- 7 extra days of regular medicines (Norway, Estonia)
- Cash for a week of essential spending (Estonia)
- Lidded containers to collect water from distribution points (Finland)
Viral claims, checked
What is going around social media, against what the official sources say.
“The US military is stocking up for 90 days.”
Partly true, and it is about bases, not households.
The Pentagon's FORTRESS initiative (announced 30 September 2026) aims for major US bases to run on their own power, water and networks if the civilian grid fails. The 90-day figure comes from press reports. The Department's own 29 October story says bases are being designed for 30 days off-grid. No US agency has told households to store 90 days.
Official source“The US government just told everyone to stockpile.”
Misleading.
FEMA's advice has said several days of water and food for years. Nothing new was issued for households in October 2026.
Official source“The EU told citizens to prepare for war.”
Overstated.
The 2025 Preparedness Union Strategy covers every kind of hazard: floods, pandemics, cyberattacks and conflict. It asks member states to reach 72 hours of self-sufficiency and is not a call to panic-buy.
Official source“Japan's emergency request means a disaster is coming.”
False.
The 2 November 2026 request from Japan's new Disaster Management Agency is about preparing in advance. It does not predict any specific event.
Official sourceWhat is likely next
Official plans and assessments only. Where a line is our own reading, it says so.
- EU-wide 72-hour guidelines. The European Commission's action plan sets 2026 for guidelines to bring every member state to at least 72 hours of household self-sufficiency. Source
- The UK campaign runs for three years. Be Ready launched on 22 October 2026 as the first stage of a three-year public campaign. In the government's 2026 survey, 35% of people thought a local power cut of 3 days or more was likely within two years. Source
- Our reading: 7 days is becoming the new normal. Norway moved from 3 days to a week in 2024, Taiwan set 7 days in 2025, and Japan asked for up to a week in 2026. We expect more governments to follow, so a household that reaches 7 days now is ahead of the advice rather than behind it.
What changed recently
- 2 November 2026: Japan's new Disaster Management Agency asks every household for at least 3 days, ideally one week.
- 22 October 2026: The UK launches its Be Ready campaign, asking households to prepare for 3 days.
- November 2025: Taiwan distributes its National Public Safety Guide, with a 7-day home supply.
- 26 March 2025: The European Commission sets a 72-hour self-sufficiency target for the EU.
- 18 November 2024: Sweden starts sending If Crisis or War Comes to every household.
- May 2024: Norway raises its advice from 3 days to one week.
Know how many days you actually have
HAVEN's Supplies tab logs what you have, with quantities and expiry dates, and shows your household's coverage in days. When the power and the network are down, its guides and offline AI still work on your phone.
- Coverage in days for your household size
- Expiry alerts so food is eaten, not wasted
- Offline survival guides and AI
- Free to start, no account needed
Emergency supplies FAQ
How many days of emergency supplies should I have?
Start with 3 days (72 hours). That is the minimum almost every government sets, including the US, UK, Canada, France and the EU. Then build toward 7 days, which Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Switzerland, Taiwan and Japan now recommend. Germany suggests 10 days.
Is 72 hours of supplies enough?
It covers most short outages and is the official minimum in most countries. It is a floor, not a target. Norway raised its advice from 3 days to a week in 2024 because outages of power, water and networks can last longer, and Finnish guidance notes that people with 72 hours of supplies began running low in a simulated 30 to 48 hour blackout.
How much water should I store per person per day?
Most governments say 3 litres per person per day for drinking. The US says 1 gallon (about 3.8 L) including sanitation, Canada and Germany say 2 L, and Sweden says 3 to 5 L. For 7 days, plan on about 20 L per person.
Which country recommends the biggest stockpile?
Of the 20 governments we checked, Germany asks for the most: ideally 10 days of food and drink, from the Federal Office of Civil Protection (BBK).
Is the US military stockpiling for 90 days?
The Pentagon's FORTRESS initiative aims for major US bases to operate without the civilian grid. Press reports cite 90 days, while the Department's own 29 October 2026 story says 30 days. It applies to military bases only. There is no official advice for households to store 90 days.
Do I need to buy everything at once?
No. The UK, Sweden and the Netherlands all advise building supplies gradually, adding a few items on each normal shop. Panic buying is not part of any government's advice.
What is the difference between a home supply and a go-bag?
A home supply is what you use if you shelter in place, for 3 to 7 days. A go-bag is a lighter bag per person for evacuation. Taiwan's guide, for example, asks for at least 7 days at home and 1 to 3 days in each go-bag.
How often should I check my emergency supplies?
Every 6 months, according to the UK and the Netherlands. Canada says at least once a year. Eat food before it expires and replace it, so nothing goes to waste.
This page summarises official advice and is not a substitute for it. Always follow the instructions of your local emergency services. Last checked 2 November 2026; we recheck every row monthly.